from August 2016 Magazyn Arigato #25 (Poland) Interview with

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from August 2016 Magazyn Arigato #25 (Poland)
Interview with Shoji Kawamori


>I need to ask you about my favourite Macross, but I’m scared!
Don’t be scared, I’m curious now [laughs]

>It’s Macross 7, I enjoy it a lot!
Why are you scared? [laughs] I don’t hate it or anything. Creatively, it was a failure, but as a tv anime it was a success. The record companies were happy, the models sold well, and the music is still popular.

>But you think it’s a failure, still?
Yes. Look. The thing about Macross 7 was that it was conceptually bankrupt. At the proposal meeting, Tetsu-kun (Tetsuro Amino, Macross 7 director) said ‘I see the protagonist piloting a Valkyrie with an electric guitar’. He looked into my eyes as the silence fell on the room.

>He was looking for guidance?
Yes, that was it. Tetsu-kun is very talented and I trusted him completely. I thought the idea was ridiculous! But I looked him in the eye and said ‘Tetsu-kun, it’s your show’. I only came up with the character Gamlin and his concept in the triangle.

>Gamlin is definitely my favourite, I love his Wolverine-hair.
Everyone says that! I honestly did not do that on purpose. My concept for Gamlin was someone who was Constantly Unstoppable, Constantly Key. Nothing would get in his way and he would remain pivotal to the story’s events.

>So, what’s your final verdict on Macross 7?
It’s definitely not Trash, but it isn’t Dynamite either. I’d say if the Galaxy is Calling Nekki Basara, I probably wouldn’t pick up, it’s likely to be a marketing call.

>Kawamori-san, thank you so much