At the 2008 New York Anime Festival I was given the opportunity to interview both Hideyuki Kikuchi and Yoshitaka Amano via Kevin Leahy, esteemed translator. Kikuchi is the author of over 100 novels, including most famous the Vampire Hunter D series. He is often called the "Steven King of Japan." Amano is a legendary character designer and illustrator, creating a number of concept drawings for Square-Enix's Final Fantasy Series as well as, of course, Vampire Hunter D.
My first question is for Mr. Amano...right now in the US there's been a huge debate on whether video games should be considered an art form. You happen to be an artist who's contributed to so many popular video games, so what are your thoughts on this medium as an art form.
AMANO: (Chuckles) A game is meant to be played so I'm not sure whether it's an art. It's made to be enjoyed so it might not be viewed as art.
All right. This question is to both of you: If you were giving advice to an artist or writer just starting, what advice would you give?
KIKUCHI: (Chuckles) Write all the way to the end. A lot of times give up before the end. Get the story finished and then decide what to do with it.
AMANO: It's important to keep drawing. Don't retire, draw your whole life, and enjoy it, do it outside of work.
A follow up question for Mr. Kikuchi, a lot of writer's deal with writer's block, but you've written over 100 novels, how do you keep inspired to come up with so many ideas?
KIKUCHI: The ideas for my books come from things I've seen, books I've read, movies I've seen...if I see a scene in a movie that makes a strong impression, then I'll try to write that scene but with my own interests and inspiration and adapt it in that way.
For Mr. Amano, one of your trademarks is your very strong style. I can look at almost any work of yours and know immediately that you're the creator. How does your unique style reflect you as a person and what advice would you give to someone to develop their own style.
AMANO: My style comes from my roots as a character creator, that's my job is to create a show's style. I'm not sure what my style is but for the Vampire Hunter D novels I look at the text and I draw it as it occurs to me.
It's easier to draw works where you're given direction or when you're drawing works out of your own subconscience for yourself?
AMANO: It's interesting to do both but when I hear the idea from someone else it's much easier to do than doing it myself, I run into a block less often.
Mr. Kikuchi, happy birthday! What's it like to celebrate at an anime convention?
KIKUCHI: To be honest it's a little strange. I've never had an experience like this before.
In the West you're most famous for Vampire Hunter D, what is it about vampires that you think is so attractive to people?
KIKUCHI: Speaking for myself, what I find interesting about vampires is that they're a kind of Western nobility that Japan doesn't have in its history. They're immortal but they show that immortality isn't completely a good thing. They have to live forever with all kinds of doubts and pain and while they are immortal, they can also be easily destroyed by a stake through the heart or decapitation, so I like that juxtaposition. The D series isn't actually horror, it's fantasy, which adds to its popularity.
Both of you recently collaborated and I was wondering what future projects are on the horizon?
AMANO: (Laughs) We're going to work on D until one of us dies.
KIKUCHI: I'll continue with what I always do, write what I want to write. I don't have someone telling me what to do and I like that.
Mr. Kikuchi, I haven't had a chance to get the program guide and this is the first time an original story has been published in a program guide, what was that experience like?
Well the story was published elsewhere first. This will let more people enjoy it and the more people who enjoy it the happier I become!
