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[Dengeki Onlne] Tsutomu Sato Interview (Translation)


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Author of 'The Irregular at Magic High School' Tsutomu Sato gives interview in Dengeki online

 

Translation by tokpopandbeyond@www.onehallyu.com

 

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Held during the current "Evolution declaration! Dengeki FIGHTING Fair". In Dengeki Bunko online is going to be 4 interviews with different authors,by the Dengeki online team.The third one,is an interview with Sato Tsutomu sensei.

 

And this time,it is an interview with Tsutomu Sato sensei whose work 'The Irregular at Magic High School' turned into an anime and his most recent work 'DOWLS Masters' including SF robot action combined with robot ESP has been published recently.Dengeki online asked Tsutomu Sato sensei about the opportunities and the feelings of publishing his works and what triggered his debut.

 

I contributed a work for the Media Works Dengeki Novel Prize 

 

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-Please tell us first about how did you apply for the Dengeki Novel Prize

 

Tsutomu sensei:I applied for the Dengeki Novel prize award,because,not only it was announced on the Web,not only because it is an evaluation towards my main profession,but the biggest motivation for me is the implication that this competition is a trial of strength.This was also,written on the web,so i wrote a new work and applied.Apart from that,the main reason why i chose to compete for the Dengeki Novel Prize is because there is a ground where the work of various genres is received for the grand prix.That is the one thought that it matches my type.

 

-For the new series 'DOWL Masters',the submitted manuscript of that time seems to become the base,how long did it take you to make any revisions?

 

Tsutomu sensei:I hardly keep the original form,to keep my work at a good level I do make revisions.It goes without saying that i even change the title.The name 'DOWL' was also considered to be 'Titanic DOWL' and 'Gigantic DOWL',also i thought about using the abbreviation 'Gigadoll'.The character of Mayuri was initially a man and the name of the heroine wasn't Reine.

 

I also recomposed the story from the beginning.The subbmited manuscript starts from the 'Hazy Moon' scene,where the escaped troops are beaten down.The battles of Aoi,Akari and Ryuuichi,were only slightly mentioned.More directly,the main event was the development that the island port of the artificial celestial bodies was attacked.The parts that have not been changed are the police,the Solar System Alliance,the construction of the DOWLs,the creation of the Cyclonics.I set up these parts which really became the framework for the story.

 

-Please,tell us how did you have the chance for a new series.

 

Tsutomu-sensei:Because there was a gap in the publication schedule of 'The Irregular at Magic High School',i wanted to do a new series so,i asked the editor if i could do it and that's the occassion that triggered the new series.Another reason is because the anime version of the 'Irregular at Magic High School' is being aired, i thought that this is a good timing for a chance to start a new series.I was blessed with good luck to be able to see my debut turning into an anime series,but the cards in my hands were only a single series and the present conditions included uneasiness too.

 

-It seems to be hard to write 2 series in parallel,how did you managed?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:The switching in my head between the stories do not bother me,but when the amount of work truly increases,then it is hard (laughs)

 

-On the topic of beginning a new series,i heard that there was another candidate except 'DOWL Masters',what kind of work could that be?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:Eh..Yes this work is said to be 'boy meets girl',no,it is even called 'young man meets boy'.I say it honestly that other than 'DOWL Masters' i don't think that there was a better planning for a light novel.But,for this work i also received the evaluation of 'This is not like Tsutomu Saitou work' from my editor.Besides,whether it will sell or not 'DOWL Masters' is the kind of work that i wanted to write,that is why now i am allowed to publish 'DOWL Masters'.

 

-Both the 'Irregular at Magic High School' and 'DOWL Masters' are stories that take place in the future,is this some kind of obsession for Tsutomu-sensei?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:This may not be an obsession,but when writing a story that takes place in the past,you must get a grip of this era by doing historical research,right? To write for the world of the future and working to bring all the things together as to match and make sense is hard,but because it is exactly like that it can be carried out in my head.Because i wear two pairs of straw sandals one of a salary man and one of a writer,it is the reason why it is difficult to assign much time to matter for inquiry.If I want to become a full-time writer,i may write a historic work ,but only after I check thoroughly the historic facts.

 

 

After the postscript is perceived,how do you think writing about robots?

 

Tsutomu-sensei: I am allowed to write for fun.When we are talking about a robot-theme story,for the writer especially isn't something special.I think that it is not different from an action novel basically.I particularly reduced the element of shooting in 'DOWL Masters' and hand to hand fight becomes the central figure.Therefore in the story there was some similarities with the romantic novels and the swordsman novels.

 

I rather adopt restrictions to what extend i set up a scene moving in outer space,but how far does it take you to ignore those restrictions?It is said that the choice is rather special.Because it is set in outer space and because there is no air in outer space,the wings cannot move,so,you must let a booster to jet out in order to move further,i do not know whether i am understandable by the readers,i cannot judge unless i look to the sales of the second volume which comes out in december.

 

-In many anime series,i feel that description to retro-fire(rocket jet engine)is rarely described,but such thing is described in detail in 'DOWL Masters'

 

Tsutomu-sensei:I'm aware of it,that is my obsession,right?

 

When you create a series do you know exactly the length of the story?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:How much will it take,i think it is up to sales,but i intend to bring it into conclusion compactly.

 

-For someone who hasn't read 'DOWL Masters' I would like you to descripe us the charm and the reading highlight of this work.

 

Tsutomu-sensei:Because it is a story about robot battles.At first you can read it while imagining the battle between large size robots raising above ground into space travelling all over and fighting.I turn on the description to help the imagination and the pleasure doubles if you can read the story having in mind the image of a whole body armor soldier(robot) at the same level as a 5 stored building fighting with a spear and a Japanese halberd.

 

In 'DOWL Masters' we have 4 main characters.Each and everyone of these get into the Titanic Dowl for their own reasons.The person who cuts down the others for the shake of his own pride,the person who accepts oneself and sticks to responsibility,The person who is trapped by the past and wants to defeat the enemy,the person who is thirsty for power above anything else.Among those characters,for the girls of the story,it is understandable why they came to the 'DOWL' and there are some characters whose objectives are still obscure.Moving back and forth,love and hatred create the drama which plays a serious part.Also the circumstances do not allow our characters to stop from developing and while they are at a loss it is enjoyable for the reader.Romance,also will became a serious element of this work.Later,this is partly a promise,this work will include quite such scenes between girls.Of course,it is all in age range.

 

I want to write stories that the characters evolve with all their strength

 

-Next,I will ask you about the 'Irregular at Magic High School'. A work which is already been published by the Web media.Tell us the process of how it was published for the Dengeki Bunko.

 

Tsutomu-sensei:In the beginning through the site that i contributed,i received a call from my editor Miki.That time I thought continuing as an amateur,i felt that was on my limit mentally and physically.But,i thought that if it was provided as an income in a form of publication,then i would might get permission to conclude this work.I wrote the details of this story at the end of the first volume of 'The Irregular at Magic High School'

 

While i was adding episodes to the story which were not included in the postscript,in fact there was a teaser from another company too.It's just that the other company came later in contact than the ASCII Media Works.After all,i think that the one that had invited you earlier is your first priority and i tried to catch the editorial's department attention with my work,but with my first try they rejected the 'Irregular at Magic High School' with poor results,then i proposed 'DOWL Masters' because i thought it was a good time to promote it.I did not know if i got to convice the company.

 

-It must have called you because he read the work for the competition entry,was it like that?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:It looks that it happened like this.But the name by which i submitted my work and the name which was published on the web,are different.But even though those two names could not be connected to each other my editor noticed it (laughs)

 

-Does that mean that Tsutomu sensei wants to write 'The Irregular At Magic High School'?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:I wanted to write about cool characters who participate in excilarating and energetic activities.The time i begun to write 'The Irregular at Magic High School' a gentle hero appeared,if anything i'm being selfish,because there's a friendly heroine too and the story progresses as those two find trouble.I think works of such type were many,not limited to light novels.At that time,by chance i was looking for a book to read to the kids of the lower grades of elemenatery school,but the bookstore did not have the adventure fighting scene-like thing that i was reading in my childhood days.It is not that the quality of the written work is poor,it's that there's only picture books about good manners.I felt dissatisfaction in such a place.

 

It is a little insane and somewhat refreshing,words may not be a good idea but we have characters who remain calm even if they kill.I wanted to draw that kind of characters who can change with all their might and move forward.

 

Moreover,the motive is the theme of the poor/inferior student.The evaluation of the organization and value of the people are another thing.Because i wanted to write not only about the existence of the students but also about their popularity

Having made the chief character a high school student, i also 'imagining myself as a high school student' .This is because i thought that high school students have a tendency to have an illusion of themselves.Although,i want to say that it is not only this.

 

About the world situation in the novel,if one step was wrong i came back over and thinking about the time frame i rewrote it.I had the desire of no longer wanting to waste what was already reflected,things like technology in everyday life,or the traffic congestion.I also thought if there is really magic or supernatural powers from the old times how does it act?I made a game using these kind of questions.In that way i made a combination of a various parts that came to become 'The Irregular at Magic High School'.I did the same for 'DOWLS Masters',too.

 

-From the episode, which is currently published, teacher please tell me your favorite episodes and a favorite character.

 

-Tsutomu sensei:Because this is my own writing,i think as a whole it is interesting.All the episodes are my favorites but volume 4 includes a lot of my favourite scenes.The scene where Miyuki sheds tears after game scenery ,the games for the Monolith Code,the scene that Tatsuya shoots by magic from a high-rise building.And the dance scene of Tatsuya and Miyuki is a favorite in particular.

 

Then the scene of Tatsuya's awakening in volume 7,also the scene from volume 8 where Tatsuya uses 'Regrowth' on Miyuki.There for the first time Tatsuya and Miyuki interact in a true sence of the term. It was an impressive scene for me.Tatsuya and Miyuki cooperate once again at the end of Vol.11 with a combined attack.I think of that scene as the main attraction.

 

My favorite characters are the senior combination of Saegusa Mayumi and Watanabe Mari,also Fujibayashi Kyoko of the 101 iIndepended Magic Equiped Battalion.Girls that you do not get bored to watch.As for Fujibayashi Kyoko,she is very clever,she is someone who could know a lot.Even if not measured in a sense of emotional distance,but it is someone like an adult woman who could take over there.

 

-If you had the chance to write an episode about one sub-character,which one would you choose to bring on the spotlight?

 

-Tsutomu sensei:If I had the chance to write freely....there is a problem in the productivity of my own ,though,i would include without disregard the second cousins of Tatsuya,the Kuroba siblings(Kuroba Ayako and Kuroba Fumiya) of the Fourth High School.It seem that I want to write'The twins of the Magic High school'.Because I think their active roles will be totally different from those of Tatsuya and the rest,this is the place that it comes in complete contrast.

 

If we are going to talk a little bit realistic,we made a side story about focusing on the past of Leo (Saijou Leonhart) and Erika(Chiba Erika),at the same episode where Yoshida Mikihiko appears.

 

-The anime is facing a climax today,what were your thoughts when you heard that your work was going to be animated?

 

-Tsutomu sensei:I was very glad,at the same time I remember the surprising feeling of 'I really did it!' Aside from the latter half of the 9 schools competition arc and the Yokohama Disturbance arc,i thought that the Enrollment arc was hardly suitable for anime adaptation.Even so,skipping all of a suden the Enrollment arc and starting the anime from the 9 schools competition arc, a non-reader of the novels will not understand well what happens.At that point i thought that it would not work out,but the anime adaptation was already decided and i was trully glad to think of anything else.

 

-And how was it watching the anime adaptation?

 

Tsutomu sensei:I think i may be watching it under a favourable light,but after watching the anime 2,3 times i think that it is an enjoyable work to watch.I think that an anime series is not created in order to explain in detail the small things.I wanted especially the anime to pursue a unique representation and i asked for it.A novel is a novel,the good point of an anime,is that it's an anime.I think that is enough.

 

-What are the differences between the anime and the novel?

 

Tsutomu sensei:The anime is in motion.That's the biggest difference,the anime has sound,the characters are moving,there are lines,it reaches the person who watches it directly.I think these are the points where the anime is superior.At the same time i realised once again the difference between making a video and writing a composition.That part can be cleared up if the novel is 'invisible',which is something in which the anime cannot go along.There are several places of such parts and it made me think a lot,i believe that this experience has helped me a lot in the new series.

 

However,since we have 'motion' in the anime,i will stop because it does not require much explaining to do.At that point,because I can write novels very well,there may be the superiority of novels.

 

-After the anime started airing,are there any parts that are affected in terms of writing?

 

Tsutomu sensei:The voices of the characters who speak in my head,became the voices of the voice-actors now (laughs).When you write a novel,because I am the type who writes while imagining the picture in my head,the impact/influence is greater.

 

-'The Irregular at Magic High School','DOWL Masters',when we are talking about the works of Tsutomu sensei,a solid setting is a key point.Is the setting as a whole thought before starting to write or will you add it while you write the novel?

 

Tsutomu sensei:It is ideal to think of everything before the process of writing,but that does not go well in practice.Even if i strengthen a setting as much as possible beforehand,the one that i revise while writing makes me feel that the quality is much better,when i finish it.At that time,i perform additions and corrections of the setting as far as they do not contradict with those previously announced.However,you have to decide from the beginning of writing the things that 'You Cannot Do' so that it prevents you from changing some core facts.

 

-For example what kind of thing cannot be in the world of'The Irregular at Magic High School'?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:Firstly,the fact that teleportation magic does not exist.Also the fact that there is not the act of transformation.The magic is permanent.At the same time there is a limit to the usage of magic by the heroes and you may have but you cannot use strong magic.

 

-The 14th volume of 'The Irregular at Magic High School' including the Ancient City Ressurection Arc released the 10th of September.Let's talk about this a little.

 

Tsutomu-sensei:After the Parasite Doll incident a foreign agent named Zhou flees from Yokohama to Kyoto where he hid in a faction.After two months around the time for the 'Thesis Competition' Tatsuya receives a message from Yotsuba Maya delivered by the Kuroba siblings for the disposal of a certain someone.The message says'I want your help for capturing Zhou'.While Tatsuya cannot understand why Maya is 'asking' instead of 'commanding' Tatsuya accepts the job and takes Miyuki with him.While Tatsuya and Miyuki go for the 'Kushima' family which is the center of the opposition against the 'Traditionalists' they have a fateful meeting with an artificial genius magician.....that is the development.

 

As an entertainment writer,I want to write fun novels.

 

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When you're not writing novels ,what do you do?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:Before i start writing a novel ,i have a lot of stress that's why i go to batting centres or i go and practice golf swing and i blast the ball earnestly.Otherwise,i spend my time doing research on the library on a topic of my interest.But nowadays,i work at daytime and at night time i write,so i have zero free time and i do my muscle training inside the room.

 

-Please tell us about a good book that you read,an author that you admire.

 

Tsutomu-sensei:I like fantasy and translated works of Science Fiction.Of course i read light novels too.Until i became a writer i read a lot of japan made Science Fiction stories and other fantasy stories.I also read a lot of modern action stories.I like the works of Hideyuki Kikuchi sensei

and also Yumemakura Baku sensei and Yoshiki Tanaka sensei,the works of Satoshi Konno in particular.

When it comes to foreign releases as a writer I was affected by space opera series like the 'Perry Rhodan' series and Michael Moorcock's 'Elric of Melnibone' saga series.

 

I think there is a portion of the roots of fantasy impact of the translated space operas in my works and the influence of romantic novel is stacked on top of that.In addition,the great idea of magic in the'Irregular at Magic High School' is like the 'magnificent miracle' used in the 'Akasic Records'in the 'Alien Series' of Hideyuki Kikuchi.

 

-When did you began to write a novel for the first time?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:The first novel i wrote was 'The Irregular at Magic High school' ,i was a simple reader until then.

 

-What was the chance that made you write'The Irregular at Magic High school?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:The opportunity came while I was reading works in the contribution site of the novel.I thought 'Well,wouldn't be good to see a novel on my own here?'and so i started writing.

 

-What is the main appeal of the Web novels?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:It is simple,because the money for buying books dissapeared steadily (laughs),  i thought that i should find something else to read,so i started reading Web light novels.The difference between a web novel and a book light novel lies in the degree of completion.A novel becoming a book is higher in the degree of completion and as a reading material is really firm.But ,there is something interesting about Web light novels.'Sword Art Online' is also a novel that was originally written as a web-based novel.The fact that there is a variety of works,that is the main appeal of the Web novels.

 

-Tsutomu-sensei is the type to write everyday? Or is the type to write massively to some extend?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:I write after an idea is solidified.Because i'm working everyday on the idea,until i begin to write,it can be said that i write every day in that sense.In reality writing in a form of a light novel means that you write massively to some extend.

 

-In the Web and the paper media,are there anything that you have to be careful when you write a novel?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:Rather than the Web and the print media,ever since i became a commercial writer from an amateur writer,i came to suffer from selection of words.Then,i came to make a more detailed calendar.

 

-You select words....

 

Tsutomu-sensei:Yes, when i wrote for the Web,there was that part for which i had the feeling to leave it like this,but when i came to check for the meaning of words one by one,i had to keep in mind the correct japanese meaning of the words.

 

-What kind of thing is this calendar?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:In what order will the story be connected?What kind of things are happening at other places at the same timing?It is like a calendar that follows the events of the characters in the novel.After i summarize the events in the calendar,i actually begin to write.

 

-The publication of 'DOWL Masters' has just started a few days ago, from now on have you decided what kind of schedule will you follow for the publication of 'The Irregular at magic High School' and 'DOWL Masters'?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:It hasn't been decided clearly yet,but i think both series are going to be published in turns alternatively.When the 'Irregular at Magic High School' short stories become available ,'The Irregular at Magic High School' will continue.Judging from the present possibilities,i think that both the series will end about the same time,maybe,'DOWL Masters' will be completed a little earlier.

 

-What kind of work do you want to challenge,if you were told that you may write a new work in your favourite genre?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:I want to challenge a previously rejected plan,this time again and i want to shape the ideas that are warmed from the old days of 'The Moon Princess:A Modern Version'.But,since i think that this story is going to take longer than 'The Irregular at Magic High School' i do not know whether it can be materialised (laughs).

 

-Currently,a presentation has been held for 'The 'Declared revolution! Dengeki Bunko fighting Fair'.Do you have something that you want to evolve,like something that you want to fight for?

 

Tsutomu-sensei:A little while ago,i told you that i came to take time to choose the words ,but i think that i want to become able to write smoothly and faster than i talk.Because it is a waste of time when the flow of thoughts stops in order to choose the presentation.If that part can evolve,i think that my productivity may rise more.

 

-Finally,would you like to send a message towards our readers?

 

Tsutomu-sensei: As an entertainment writer,from now on and in the future i intend to aim writing fun novels.However, this 'fun' is irregural and may sometimes become a great wild pitch.Still,because i want to deliver fun in many ways,from now on too i'm looking forward to meet with you,with best regards.

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can i make request?can you sub this

 

 

I don't know how to sub videos,like how to insert the subs :imstupid:

Thanks so much for the long translation and thanks for taking my request. I am really excited to read this :D

You're welcome :smile:

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