- Interview date: 7/5/2024
- Interview location: Anime Expo 2024
Anime Herald: What was your unique thought for Blue Archive?
Yong-Ha Kim: Again then, the themes for different video games have been heavier, extra somber. However we wished to convey out the brighter, happier moments within the sport, in order that’s how Blue Archive got here into being. We’re mainly preventing. We wished to give attention to the extra cheerful parts. The story and the fights for different video games are bleak sufficient. We thought it might be refreshing, because the characters typically carry weapons prefer it’s nothing. We wished to offer it a lighter really feel.
Anime Herald: I seen that you just have been just a little uncomfortable with the characters carrying weapons, and perhaps the weapons themselves. Was that one thing you labored on to make it extra interesting to take a look at?
Yong-Ha Kim: From the start I believed it may be an issue in North America. Later I spotted it might simply be a part of their each day life. The characters are okay even after they get hit by bombs. I believed it match the story effectively ultimately.
As a result of these characters aren’t being harmed by bombs being fired at them, it is a state of affairs that I believed can be okay. Nobody is being harmed. As a substitute of utilizing it as a metaphor for harmful gun points, it is a sport that individuals might be playful with and have enjoyable with.
Anime Herald: Whereas there may be preventing, it looks like many of the battle is in Blue Archive is emotional battle. Is that one thing you felt was one of the best ways to maneuver the story ahead?
Yong-Ha Kim: The emotional facet of it is vitally vital for making a sport and content material. We thought it might be vital to develop the sport with that emotional facet. The story is about each day life within the academies. So what begins as a lighter, brighter, happier story turns into one thing deeper.
It begins off lighthearted after which will get extra critical, however we additionally wished to have some enjoyable, displaying the characters’ each day lives.
Gukki Kim: The connection between the person and the character is essential. I wished the gamers to have a powerful bond with their characters. That’s important to Blue Archive.
Anime Herald: It appeared like Blue Archive began out as a techniques sport, after which grew to become extra of a visible novel. Was that as a result of a visible novel was a greater solution to inform the story?
Yong-Ha Kim: It is necessary that we’ve each the tactical gameplay and the story. What retains the gamers enjoying is the story. The event of the story is one thing that the gamers can look ahead to.
Gukki Kim: Our aim is to have synergy between the tactical gameplay and the story growth. We do not need both one to be lacking. It’s our important aim to maintain each fascinating for the gamers.
Anime Herald: The anime clearly has no gameplay; it’s purely story. I hope you’re pleased with the success of the primary season. There’s a variety of demand for a second season. Do you’ve a common thought of what tales you’d like to inform in a second season?
Gukki Kim: We actually wish to hold our customers related to the sport. The issues that they noticed within the sport that have been inspiring or memorable, we wished to convey that into the anime and develop that story.
Yong-Ha Kim: The person, Sensei, isn’t proven. We may painting Sensei within the anime. We may have the characters talk about themselves and their battle plans. There are issues that occurred within the story that the gamers couldn’t see within the sport whereas they have been enjoying. We may put these issues within the anime to offer them extra element because the anime performs out.
If we have been to make a second season, we might wish to hold what was memorable from the sport that was depicted within the anime. However we will’t reveal our plans for season two at this level; we have to talk about how and what we will do in season two.
We would like to consider how we will play components of the sport that we weren’t in a position to painting in season one into season two, if we provide you with them.
Anime Herald: Did making the primary season of the anime educate you learn how to inform the story in several methods?
Yong-Ha Kim: After we first began making the anime, we had no earlier expertise making anime. After we began making it, we realized that the script for the anime is vital. After we have been making the anime, we weren’t certain learn how to fill all of the completely different positions that have been wanted to make the anime.
The one factor we realized about was communication. The way to talk between producers and everybody concerned in telling the story. I believe if we do a second season, we will do rather a lot higher.
I used to be very comfortable to see the characters from the sport animated and the way they moved. I used to be very comfortable that viewers may watch the anime. I might like to make it even higher so that everybody can benefit from the animation.
Anime Herald: It appeared such as you have been shocked by the gang. You’ll have crammed a much bigger venue. Did not you count on the fan base right here at Anime Expo to be so intense?
Gukki Kim: We had ready an area with a capability of 800 folks, and we had extra viewers than we anticipated and did not have area to accommodate all of them. Subsequent time we must always put together an area with a capability of 2000 folks. Now that we all know how a lot gamers right here love our sport, we will present that in our subsequent occasion.
Yong-Ha Kim: That is the primary time we had the prospect to fulfill our customers right here in America. We may see on-line how many individuals have been enjoying Blue Archivehowever that is our first probability to measure our reputation offline.
At first I used to be apprehensive concerning the attendance. Now I do know that we’re liked… we recognize the love of our Senseis. Subsequent time we’ve an occasion, we are going to put together for higher lodging for our followers.
Anime Herald: Are there any humorous tales you’d wish to share concerning the growth of the sport or the anime?
Yong-Ha Kim: After we have been engaged on the animation, main as much as the eleventh episode, we have been speaking about how we have been going to painting the scene with (Shiromi) Iori’s naked ft. We felt just like the animator was just a little too captivated with portraying the scene, however I believe it turned out effectively ultimately.
Anime Herald: Thanks very a lot.
Yong-Ha Kim: Thanks.
