Preface
Part 01 - The Night Before Tsukihime
Part 02 - Early Movements
Part 03 - Birth Pains
Part 04 - Decisions
Part 05 - The Lingering Moon
Part 06 - Idle Talk 2
Part 07 - Nasu
Part 08 - Eggplant
Part 09 - The Underworld
Part 10 - A One-Winged Bird
Extra 1 - The Six Hour Long Chat
Extra 2 - Circle Introduction
Afterword


*1
A community news site for anime/manga creators. Homepage

*3
Tsukurimonoji's circle, and a friend of the interviewers.

*5
This dark maid power later led to the "Dark Hisui Punch."

*7
It was too complicated to write down, but Nasu and OKSG did a sort of Japanese manzai-style comedy act in the interview.

*9
A series of images used for magazine advertisements. The main character is a cat-eared Arc holding a book that says 「Yoimachi Tsukihime」.

*11
It was already past 4 AM at this point. Thanks so much for talking with us for so long, OKSG.


[Tsukihime Idle Talk] Extra - The Six Hour Long Chat

During the interview, we planned to ask OKSG many different questions.
However...

Editor Now then, we'd like to move the conversation over to OKSG.
Nasu If you say anything weird, I'll kill you.
Takeuchi Yeah, we've rounded off this interview pretty well.
Nasu Although, we do have to make sure the readers enjoy it. So... do as you like.
Because of this, he didn't really say much. So in order to fill that gap, we did the following chat on June 18, 2001.
Welcome, editor!~
Editor Alright then!
Welcome, OKSG!~
OKSG Good evening.
Editor Good evening!
OKSG Is it just you today?
Editor Yes, just me.
OKSG OK, let's have some fun, then.
Editor Yes, let's enjoy this.
Editor How are the festival preparations going?
OKSG People are really getting crazy now!
Editor So, business as usual? (Laughs)
OKSG Yes, plus more. (Laughs)
Editor OK, let's just begin at a leisurely pace, working in small talk as we go.
OKSG Sounds good.
Editor First, when did you first come in contact with the two of them? Was Bamboo Broom the first you knew of them?
OKSG It all started when I visited Takeuchi's homepage Bamboo Broom. I had just started using the Internet then, around October of 1998.
OKSG The first episode of 「Kara no Kyoukai」 had just been serialized, so there was a big banner up at the top.
OKSG I think it was love at first sight. (Laughs)
Editor Love at first sight, eh? What kind of site was Bamboo Broom at first?
OKSG Pretty normal. Takeuchi was putting up his CG illustrations, and Nasu would put up his stories once in a while.
OKSG Takeuchi's friends and guests would visit the BBS. It was pretty normal, I think.
OKSG There was a "Mekyrie" festival we had once. Do you know about it?
Editor No, I don't. What is that?
OKSG A bunch of different people did their own Valkyrie art while Takeuchi's manga 「Valkyria」 was being serialized.
OKSG "Show me your Valkyrie!" was shortened to Mekyrie. (Laughs)
OKSG A lot of people joined in, it was a lot of fun.
Editor Just out of curiosity, how did you find out about Bamboo Broom?
OKSG From "TINAMI." (*1) I happened to see that Bamboo Broom had just been registered there.
Editor What a coincidence.
OKSG I'm not sure why my eyes stopped on it... I think I just liked the art style.
OKSG And that's what happened when I went to the site. (Laughs)
OKSG This was the banner at the time. Can you see it?
Editor Oooh.
OKSG Oh, wait, have not many 「Kara no Kyoukai」 images made it out to the public?
Editor Yes, they haven't.
OKSG I don't think Takeuchi likes people seeing his old work, so I'll take it away.
Editor He gave us a picture of Aoko, but then said "Don't use it!"
OKSG Aoko... (Laughs)
OKSG I do have some more images... but I guess we'll have to get permission before you use them.
Editor OK, sure. (*2)
Editor Now then, I heard that you became friends from talking passionately with them about 「Kara no Kyoukai」. When did you get the chance to first meet them?
OKSG That year at the winter Comiket. I went all the way out there from Oita. (Laughs)
Editor So you were still in Oita then?
OKSG Yes, in my hometown. I just moved up here last year.
OKSG My first impression of Takeuchi was that he was cool and passionate. Nasu was like Kokutou from 「Kara no Kyoukai」.
Editor Ahh, I see what you mean.
OKSG But lately the two of them look like Akiha and Shiki. (Laughs)
Editor (ROFL) Akiha and Shiki?!
OKSG Power balance-wise, I think I'm kind of like Akira-chan (from 「Kagetsu Tohya」)... the fans might get mad at me for saying this though.
Editor What did you do at Comiket?
OKSG Just stood and waited in line with them. (Laughs)
OKSG It just happened all of a sudden...
Editor So your first contact with them was a joint shopping spree? (Laughs)
OKSG We had lunch together on the first day, then by the evening we were planning out where to go and what to buy. (Laughs)
Editor So they weren't involved in a circle that year?
OKSG No. Earlier, Takeuchi did something with 「Valkyria」 at Comitia... I think.
Editor Is there any circle you all like?
OKSG Hmm... my favorite one is a secret. But I do like "Kamo House" (*3)...
Editor Tsurimonoji's circle. Me too.
OKSG When their version of Arcueid appeared on their site, it really caused an uproar. (Laughs)
Editor Those sorts of things hit you harder than actual sales numbers, right?
OKSG Yes. I never thought there'd be this much of a reaction...
Editor I heard that you've done a lot of other fun things before 「Tsukihime」.
OKSG Before 「Tsukihime」... you know, actually, the second time I met them was after I had moved here. (Laughs)
OKSG So I only know about doujinshi and 「Kara no Kyoukai」. Sorry.
Editor So your interaction was mostly on the Internet.
OKSG Surprising, huh?! Long live the Internet!
Editor Did you read 「Mahoyo」 or 「Koori no Hana」?
OKSG Yes, both. I said I really wanted to read 「Mahoyo」 after finishing 「Kara no Kyoukai」, and then one year later, it was sent to me. (Laughs)
Editor That thick manuscript? As a fan, I'm so jealous. How was it? You can just gloss over the details.
OKSG Hmm... the main character, a boy from the country, ends up living with two girls... sounds like a love comedy, doesn't it?!
OKSG That story is sort of like a secret weapon to Nasu Kinoko, so...
OKSG I think I'll keep it secret for when he decides to make it public.
Editor Understood. Let's change topics then. Was there ever an explanation about Aoko's "Human Rocket Launcher?" I still don't understand it.
OKSG The "Human Rocket Launcher" is just what it sounds like... it can only destroy... ahhhh!
OKSG Or rather, since Aoko find it to be entertaining, so she never thinks about what happens afterwards. (Laughs)
Editor I imagine it's hard for people who have only read 「Tsukihime」 to imagine.
OKSG Yes. (Laughs) It's something very different, but not a total 180-degree turn.
OKSG So the way I see it, anything can happen between the time of a "high school student" and a "teacher."
Editor How did the sales of 「Kara no Kyoukai」 in the summer go?
OKSG Um... it was separated into three books, and I think we sold 10 of part one. (Laughs)
OKSG We had a special complete version for people who read the last part, and I think we sold 5 or 6 of those.
Editor So it's super rare. Makes me want to go assess its value. (Laughs)
OKSG What's today's treasure?! (A phrase commonly heard in price gouging TV programs)
Editor I think 「Kara no Kyoukai」 is very different from 「Tsukihime」.
OKSG Yes. He says that novels and scripts are completely different.
Editor That's what's great about the two of them. They can switch between both very well. I'd never thought they came from... (censored)
OKSG Yeah. They've always been experimenting with genres. Of course, they still have their troubles now and then.
Editor Was the beta version the first contact you had with 「Tsukihime」?
OKSG I think it was with a floppy or something. Then I read the script before they made the game.
Editor What did you think at first?
OKSG I wasn't surprised or thrown off by any of it. The Kinoko-isms were all present in there.
OKSG I think I was just most excited to read something new. But really, I just wanted to play the game... (Laughs)
Editor Oh, so you read through the entire script first. Poor thing...(^^;
OKSG I was making up my own event images in my mind as I read. (Laughs) My Akiha would never do such things!
Editor I heard you interfered with the plot, especially Akiha's erotic dream scene. (*4)
OKSG I didn't really interfere... I was just sort of whispering in their ears. (Laughs) It's too bad about the dream scene.
OKSG There were some other stories about that too...
Editor Woah!
OKSG Nasu ended up liking one of the plots I offered up as a joke, so things started going that way.
OKSG But then the king of TYPE-MOON came down and said "It'll be more erotic this way! Let's do this!"
OKSG And I can't stand up against his erotic power. So I was defeated.
Editor What?! But your way is more romantic!
OKSG Thank you. (Moved) Romantic, huh...
Editor Down with tyranny! No more violence! Cielindia!
OKSG Bullying isn't what gentlemen do!
OKSG When I looked at the dream scene when it was finished, though, I really wanted him to make a Shiki slave bad ending.
OKSG Either way, it seems like all erotic thoughts are connected somehow to things like that.
OKSG Out of respect and awe, we call Nasu the "Vassal of Eroticism"... he'd probably get mad if he heard.
Editor The Demon of Maids, the Vassal of Eroticism... he has a lot of names.
Editor By the way, about Takeuchi.
OKSG ...ahh, I was trying to avoid saying his name! (Laughs)
Editor (Laughs) About him...he rarely ever shows any weak points in front of us media people. (Laughs) I think he's a really interesting guy.
OKSG It's the same in his personal life. Aside from his personal tastes. (Laughs)
OKSG That's the only fun topic about him we can talk about! I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just...
Editor He's a perfectionist in his personal life too?
OKSG He's passionate about what he likes, and doesn't care about anything else. He knows what he wants.
OKSG Over 80% of the moe in this world is worthless to that man. (Laughs)
Editor How extreme. So what about that remaining 20%?
OKSG Maids, girls with black, short, Cleopatra haircuts who don't show their emotions, witches...that's about it...I shouldn't spout so much conjecture here. (Laughs)
Editor Witches? I understand the bit about the emotionless, short-haired maids, but...
OKSG He may not talk about it much these days. But he used to really like them.
OKSG I remember always being surprised when he'd show interest in a new manga, anime, or game, then figure out that there was some sort of character like that involved.
Editor So he changes when he sees something like that?
OKSG I'm not sure I'd use the word "change." (Laughs) There have been lots of characters like that in recent anime, so he'd rent it, then end up disappointed.
OKSG This is...sort of getting into dangerous territory...I don't know what he'll say to me after this! (Shiver)
Editor I can't get the line "Say anything weird and I'll kill you" out of my head. (Laughs) That was Nasu who said that, though.
OKSG He also said "You're the one who knows the most about the darkness within TYPE-MOON. Be careful what you say."
Editor In the last interview, the two of them said "We don't really understand moe." What's your take on this?
OKSG Moe...hmm...if I had to say, Nasu is the more open-minded one when it comes to moe. It may just be an act, though, who knows.
Editor I think there's no way he couldn't understand anything with all that he did with 「Tsukihime」. (Laughs)
OKSG The maids? (Laughs) You may have a point. If he doesn't understand it with his mind, then maybe with his soul?
OKSG But I think the strongest characters are the ones that have that charm (Moe?) Their power's completely different.
Editor That was certainly one "Dark" maid. (*5)
OKSG Dark?! (Laughs)
Editor Let's change up the pace a bit. How about Takeuchi's likes/dislikes?
OKSG He's been into the 「Fist of the Blue ____」 lately.
OKSG Other than that...ummm...he seems weak to newspaper solicitations.
Editor He can't say no?
OKSG He saves up the beer coupons he gets from the solicitations. (Laughs) I got a yogurt coupon myself recently.
OKSG Oh yeah, and he's been into figures and stuff too.
OKSG One day he even ordered me: "I'm busy now, so go to Akihabara and buy a ___ trading figure for me."
Editor That's... (Laughs) If we published that, he'd kill us.
OKSG Lately, he's really been into Monev the Gale from 「Trigun」. (*Translator's Note: This was sort of censored, but I figured out what it was from the letters that were there.) I hope he lets me touch it someday!
OKSG ...We can leave this part in? Really?
Editor No way.
OKSG ...Aww.
Editor Unless you want to end up floating in Tokyo Bay.
Editor Let's continue. How is daily life at TYPE-MOON?
Editor There is so much material that you actually speed through meetings, right?
OKSG They're always talking with each other, trying to fit the sentences with the images.
OKSG They mostly talk on the phone.
OKSG Then they talk to the other staff members, including me.
Editor So there isn't much reason to get everyone together.
OKSG Nasu just goes to Takeuchi's when he has time. That's about it. We rarely get together.
Editor Nasu doesn't have the Internet, right? He usually uses the phone. That reminds me, what does Nasu do for group chats?
OKSG He has a friend he lives by who lets him borrow his computer.
OKSG And when he goes to Takada's (fake name) house, this guy always tells Nasu about his love escapades.
Editor Like what!
OKSG Like...!
OKSG Well, he always tells them to us, but they're so hard to believe... (Laughs)
OKSG "You put that one in, didn't you?" "Really?" etc.
OKSG Oh yeah, and some of his lines made it into the "Festival Disk" (「Kagetsu Tohya」).
OKSG ...just one, though.
OKSG I think that's enough about Takada.
Editor What?
OKSG Arcueid?
OKSG The festival disk mostly centers around the school, so a lot of Shiki's classmates are there. It's fun.
OKSG It's so crazy that we're worried that fans might get mad.
Editor It's a school story? (No) This is exciting!
OKSG There's a school, a mansion, it's full of stuff!
Editor That reminds me about the other ideas that didn't make it in.
OKSG Oh yeah... well, because of the schedule, we had to cut out a lot of erotic scenes...
Editor The images are the biggest problem, huh?
OKSG Hmm... not just the images, everything is a problem in its own way. (Laughs)
OKSG But I'm sure everything will work out fine! Ahahahaha!
Editor Speaking of which, how's the sound supervisor KATE doing?
OKSG Making new songs and adding others, I hope things are going fine. (Laughs)
OKSG Nasu said "The schedule is tight, but we'll make it." That really gave me a lot of hope! I believe in him, yes I do!
Editor All we can do is believe. Now then...
Editor About Takada-san.
OKSG Takada-san again?!
Editor Just kidding. (Laughs)
OKSG Geez.
Editor Wait, you have something to tell?
OKSG Well, I've never met him, so...
Editor Too bad. Oh well. It seems like you rarely meet with the others, so does that mean the merchandise vault is at your house?
OKSG The other day around 1,000 「Tsukihime PLUS-DISC」s arrived at my house and scared the crap out of me. (Laughs)
OKSG That reminds me, the "thousands" we spoke of in the previous interview turned into "hundreds."
Editor The King of TYPE-MOON did something?
OKSG Ahaha.
OKSG How was the response?
Editor I wonder? There were lots of comments of excitement, but the other comments were all just about personal taste.
Editor The "men who created 「Tsukihime」" topic that came up in our staff meeting really sounded like a lot of fun, so that's really where this started from.
Editor Now, getting back on topic, I'd like to ask about how the merchandise end goes.
OKSG My room is total chaos. (Laughs) I have friends help me a few times a week.
OKSG Now that I can sort of manage things, I'd like to try it once more.
Editor So sales will begin on the first day of summer Comiket!
OKSG No way. (Laughs)
Editor What?!
Editor Alright, we're running out of time, so let's hurry on.
Editor We haven't talked much about Nasu today. Is he really a big liar?
OKSG Apparently he used to be (according to him) but...
OKSG I think for now the "lies" refer to errors and typos that occur in his brain. He's actually a very serious person.
Editor Errors in his brain? (Laughs)
Editor It seemed from the interview that there are a lot of stories we have yet to hear.
OKSG Hmm, true. Sometimes I hear about stories that have nothing to do with production.
OKSG I'm sure Takeuchi knows more than I do.
OKSG Most of it's all in his head though. When he dies the entire world will go to the grave with him. (Laughs)
Editor And there are some false rumors mixed in with that, right?
OKSG Well, it all depends on him, how he decides to give them shape. It's frightening!
Editor How fast does he write?
OKSG I don't know how fast other people are, but I think Nasu is really fast. Imagining the structure is what takes the longest for him.
Editor So he can't stop once he puts his pen to the paper.
OKSG I think I remember him telling me that he just brings out the things in his mind when he writes.
Editor So he's like Unkei from Natsume Soseki's 「Ten Nights of Dreams」. (*6) Amazing.
OKSG Yes, but instead of carving the statue out of the wood, it's like he carves out the shape that's inside the wood (referencing 「Glass Mask」).
Editor Indeed.
OKSG I'd hate it if some huge mushroom came out or something.
Editor Do you two often do comedy acts like in the last interview? (*7)
OKSG Takeuchi and Kinoko?
Editor No, you and Kinoko.
Editor This is starting to sound like a completely different conversation.
OKSG Haha! Yeah, I guess. (Laughs)
OKSG Nasu once said "You and I are both the 'idiot' halves, so we can just go on and on without being yelled at."
OKSG By the way, in the beginning, there was a period when I thought Nasu was female...
Editor Wow. A Nasu Kinoko female theory!
OKSG But I had actually just misread the gender on his profile!
OKSG People still get it wrong sometimes, though. We got an email the other day that said "Are you two married?"
Editor Wow. (Laughs) So, really, is Nasu male or female?
OKSG Female, of course. (Laughs) Nasu Kinoko can be spelled like a girl's name.
Editor It's too bad that we couldn't see his face during the interview because it was hidden behind that masque.
OKSG He had a cold that day. (Laughs)
Editor Alright then. (Laughs) (*8) What about Kinoko's hobbies?
OKSG He hates eggplant, you know.
Editor What? (Laughs)
OKSG "Because it'd be cannibalism," he said. (Laughs) But he likes mushrooms.
Editor I see. You must have needed to be careful when planning meals.
OKSG He mostly plays games... during work hours, he hungers for action games he can play in short bursts.
OKSG But of course he also loves to write. I guess.
OKSG And play mahjong. Another small source of income for him is winning money from Takada-san.
Editor On Bambroo Broom, it says his favorite things are locked rooms, boys, bandages, and knives.
OKSG Yes... that was because he went crazy over that Eva opening.
Editor Those things all appear in 「Tsukihime」, though.
OKSG He likes beautiful boys. And girls. I heard he has one 'like', though, that he can never tell anyone...! I wonder what it is??
Editor ...I really want to know. (^^;
Editor Moving on, were any more of Nasu's personal fantasies applied to the game besides the Akiha erotic dream scene?
Editor If you could just tell us your opinion that'd be great.
OKSG Hmm... well, it wasn't MY fault that there was so much changed about Akiha's True End.
Editor Akiha's True End... so it's different from the test play version?
OKSG The test play version ends only with a conversation between Akiha and someone... now that I think about it, that ending would have made things so much more peaceful!
Editor Uwahhh! I wanna see it!!
OKSG The current True End is good too, though! You get a conversation from a few days later!
OKSG Also... I remember him changing Ciel's "Shiki-kun" to "Tohno-kun."
OKSG Other than that, he would just go on and on about stuff he knew we couldn't do. (Laughs) Like "after the shower, Akiha goes back for more!"
Editor Wouldn't it be better as "goes back for more DURING the shower?!"
OKSG I agree!!!
OKSG But I think that even if Akiha made some really unreasonable requests, in the end, she'd get what she wants! Like "Wear this maid outfit today!"
Editor (Laughs)
OKSG He also thought of a Valentine's Day story, and there was an idea to upload it on the site on February 14, but it never happened.
OKSG The Valentine idea showed up in one of Takeuchi's mangas, though, so it's OK. (Laughs)
OKSG We had an idea for Ciel to bring curry rue instead of chocolate. I wish someone would draw that...
Editor Sounds like something for 「Yoimachi Tsukihime」. (*9) Maybe you should make an appeal after Comiket.
Editor How about we wrap things up now?
OKSG Cough. OK.
Editor Any recommended 「Tsukihime」 fan pages?
OKSG All of them. (Laughs) Can't say that? ...hmm, okay...umm...
OKSG I have to go with all of them. (Laughs) They're all filled with love, I couldn't be happier.
Editor OK.
OKSG No, really, and they're all so famous now! Some people make skins, other draw their own manga, CG, SS... I can't pick just one!
Editor ...I'll ask about the 12 sisters? (*10)
OKSG Uwaaahhh!!
Editor I saw the anime for the first time last week. What a surprise!
OKSG The anime is...uhhh...well, there were a few good episodes, but...
Editor So as long as the character is a little sister, you'll go for it?
OKSG That statement could lead to some misunderstandings. (Laughs)
Editor Sorry, I'm getting kind of sloppy. (*11)
OKSG I think I just want a little sister. I was the youngest myself. I had one niece, but I'd gladly exchange her with __ho.
OKSG ...she's cute, though.
OKSG But if I could pick someone I wasn't related to by blood, it'd be ___!!!
Editor Your screams have reached my heart. (Laughs)
OKSG I have one older sister. She's not strict, though, and we get along.
OKSG I always looked up to her, so I may be weak towards older sister characters... that's what I've noticed recently.
Editor Then why would you go over to the dark side?
OKSG I just can't resist a little sister character. (Laughs)
OKSG Does that mean I'll like any character if it's a little sister?
Editor I'm not sure I'm the one you should be asking. (Laughs)
OKSG Is the same age off limits?
Editor I don't mind as long as the material is good. Age is just an ornament!
OKSG What a guy!
OKSG Really, though, I'm not picky. I think I like couples who are far apart in age. I like that unbalance.
Editor So the same age is bad?
OKSG Maybe. (Laughs)
Editor These people... (Laughs)
OKSG What was this chat about again...?
Editor To show the amazing aspects of the staff member who supported TYPE-MOON from the shadows. A wonderful project, really.
OKSG R...really...?
OKSG I just got Nasu Kinoko on the phone now. (Really) Any questions?
Editor Eh? Eh?? Ummm, why did Ciel get angry when Neco-Arc called her "Cielindia?"
Editor That was a question on the BBS. People didn't seem to understand why she was angry.
(Nasu) The Burial Agency kept making fun of her with the India stuff, so she got really sensitive to that word. Now then, back to work. Bye!
OKSG That's it. Did that solve your problem?
Editor Yes it did. Thank you, Kinoko!!
OKSG What a great way to end.
Editor Indeed. It's perfect timing. Let's finish here.
OKSG OK. Now then, this ends the 6-hour chat! (Laughs) Good work!
Editor Yes, thank you.
OKSG Goodbye then.
Editor Thank you for everything.
See you next time, OKSG!~
See you next time, Editor!~
Part 10 To be continued a little bit more

*2
We tried our best, but in the end, we lost. We did get permission for one image though.

*4
See 「Tsukihime Dokuhon」.

*6
This interview was done before 「Kagetsu Tohya」 came out, so it was just a coincidence.

*8
Nasu is male. Please don't take us seriously.

*10
OKSG's weak spot. 「Sister Princess」.