Part Nine - The Underworld
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"To kill or not to kill!"
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Editor |
I'd like to ask you a question now, Takeuchi.
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Takeuchi |
OK.
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Editor |
About your activity with "Bamboo Broom": You released many works dealing with Valkyries, how did that come about?
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Takeuchi |
I was asked by another circle I had been working with if I'd like to put out a book with them. I had an idea dealing with Valkyries floating in my hand for a while, so I wanted to try that. Why did I pick Valkyries? It felt like a good material to use. Whenever I think about ideas, I always think of them in relation to how catchy they are. Like with 「Tsukihime」, there's no other big catch than the main character killing the heroine in the beginning, so I wanted to really push that.
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Editor |
Depending on the source text, the mythos revolving around Valkyries differs some, and I know your own story was built with your own interpretation. (*1) What would you say the overall theme is?
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Takeuchi |
...A romantic comedy, I guess?
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Nasu & Editor |
Seriously? (Laughs)
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Takeuchi |
Well, Nasu and I are both all about whether the main character and heroine will kill or not kill each other.
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All |
(Laugh)
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Takeuchi |
I like starting from that point. 「Mahoutsukai no Yoru」 was the same way as 「Valkyrie」. The story begins from the point where the character comes to kill another. How do the two come together? That's the type of situation we like our readers to enjoy.
I don't really have clear themes when I create stories. Nasu really does, though. Like we just spoke of. (*2) I just have a strong sense of wanting to make my readers have a really good time. But in order for that to happen, first we have to have fun. Then they can join us. "Entertainment" may be my theme for everything.
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Nasu |
Well said.
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Takeuchi |
I think I've said a lot, maybe talked too much. (Laughs)
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Nasu |
This may be off topic, but this conversation just now made me remember. When I was first planning 「Tsukihime」, I wrote at the end "So, in the end, this just comes down to a question of to kill or not to kill!"
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All |
(Laugh)
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Nasu |
It really sobered me up.
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Takeuchi |
When you think about it, that's what everything boils down to. To kill or not. I really like that sort of connection.
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Editor |
Since when?
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Takeuchi |
(Looking at Nasu) Which one of us got into it first?
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Nasu |
I started with 「Mahoyo」. (*3)
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Takeuchi |
Didn't you do anything else like that before? I can't think of anything that influenced me...I was probably influenced by 「Mahoyo」, actually. I really liked the relationship between Aoko and the main character.
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Takeuchi Maid Theory
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Editor |
Now then, Takeuchi... about maids...
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All |
(loud laughter)
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Editor |
When did you get into maids?
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Takeuchi |
I didn't like them that much at first. (Laughs) But I played this one game, and that really got me into them.
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Nasu |
No particular reason?
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Takeuchi |
Hmm...nope. I wasn't interested in them at all before. That game had something lurking in it, though.
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Editor |
I don't think there are many maid games out there that can really influence people.
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Nasu |
Lately it's all maids these days...
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Takeuchi |
No, the maid craze has been around for a while. It was a game I played right before we made 「Tsukihime」.
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Editor |
Did you play ___ (blanked out)?
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Takeuchi |
Ah, yes. That was...
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Nasu |
He got one you've both played on the first try?! Just like that?! No, no, go ahead, excuse me. (Laughs)
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Takeuchi |
I played that one before, but it didn't touch me at all then.
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Editor |
(To Nasu) Which game do you think he's talking about?
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Nasu |
(Looks at the shelf) I think the games over there can give you a pretty good hint. Was it ___?
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Takeuchi |
Ah, yes, it was ____. (*4) That was it. (Laughs)
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Nasu |
I win!
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All |
(Laugh)
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Takeuchi |
I really liked the blond maid in that game. I don't know why.
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Editor |
What sort of qualities about maids do you find charming?
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Takeuchi |
Quite a few, if I had to say...
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Nasu |
He said something really interesting a while back. "Fatima is a maid, isn't she?" Fatima from 「FSS」. (*5) I think that really gets at the root of his disease.
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All |
(Loud laughter)
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Takeuchi |
Yeah, she's a very unique character. She has this strong will to serve no matter what happens. I think a character like that is very convenient to use in erotic games. That's the charm.
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Nasu |
I, uh... I don't want to get into maid theory here (Laughs) but there's something dignified about absolute servitude, being the weakest member of a house yet having a lot of pride about that. That antinomy is what I personally like about maids.
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Takeuchi |
You know, I really only like a certain type of maid, I think. No mini-skirts either.
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All |
(Laugh)
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Nasu |
Where are you taking this conversation? (Laughs)
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Editor |
No no no, this is still related to the "Takeuchi Maid Theory."
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Nasu |
Yay♪
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Takeuchi |
They need to have long skirts and a serious air. Hmm... this is hard to describe...
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Editor |
(Laughs) Well, please, take your time. Meanwhile, I'd like to ask Nasu about the orders that came from Takeuchi dealing with "Hisukoha" (*6) when you were making 「Tsukihime」.
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Nasu |
Those were really something. Seriously. When I first wrote the plot, Arc, Ciel, and Akiha were very fleshed out. But then...
"So these three..."
"I want a maid."
"OK, I'll make one. What kind would you..."
"Twin maids."
I was taking these split-second counterattacks back then. (Laughs) I happen to like cook's aprons, so I said, "OK, I'll make twins, but one is going to wear a cook's apron. I'll take the older one, so you can have the little sister." And so that was it. I was in charge of making them. But when I gave him the script...
"They can't talk like this."
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All |
(Laugh)
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Nasu |
It's true that sometimes I can think up some pretty weird dialog, so I fixed it up. But then when I turned in the script the next day I saw this weird picture in there.
"Hey, what is this?"
"We're going to use it in that scene."
"You drew this picture specifically for this one scene?"
"Yes."
Love! Was he in love?!
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Takeuchi |
Yeah. (Laughs)
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Nasu |
I think all people who became fans of Hisui owe it to Takeuchi. To his maid power.
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Editor |
Maid power? (Laughs) By the way, isn't Kohaku more of a "servant" than a maid?
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Nasu & Takeuchi |
Yes.
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Editor |
Is that OK?
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Takeuchi |
NO.
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All |
(Loud laughter)
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Nasu |
No?! (Laughs)
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Takeuchi |
I don't know why, but...
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Nasu |
The fact that there's no reason shows just how severe your disease is.
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"My first love was a set of twins." (Takeuchi)
"You dreamed it." (Nasu)
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Editor |
The "twins" thing you were talking about earlier -- it seems like you really have a lot of fantasies toward twins.
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Takeuchi |
Well, it just so happens that my first love was a set of twins.
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Editor |
I see. Do you know anything about this, Nasu?
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Nasu |
We were in the same middle school, but not high school or university. So I'm not sure...
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Takeuchi |
It happened in middle or elementary school.
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Nasu |
...seriously? (Laughs) There were twins in our school?
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Takeuchi |
Yes... there were.
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Nasu |
Well, this is all in his head, so what does it matter.
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All |
(Laugh)
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Takeuchi |
Now that I think about it, one of the twins was bright, and the other was kind of gloomy.
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Nasu |
You dreamed it.
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Takeuchi |
No I didn't!
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All |
(Laugh)
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Takeuchi |
They were much like Hisui and Kohaku, though. But about my fantasies... I really wanted to make Hisui and Kohaku erotic characters. So I thought about what sexually arousing characteristics they could have. They were maids, and being twins is kind of mysterious, so I wanted those elements in there.
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Nasu |
Always working on the catchiness.
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OKSG |
...Maybe he's the catcher?
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Nasu |
Yeah, he's the catcher. (*7)
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Takeuchi |
I see. (Strained laugh)
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Part 08
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Part 10
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