Highly Anticipated Sequel 『JUNK WORLD』: More Understandable in Japanese, But the “Gonyogonyo-go” is Still Going Strong! 【Interview with Director Hori Takahide】
The stop-motion animation 『JUNK HEAD』, created by Director Hori Takahide as a solo project and highly acclaimed worldwide, is finally getting its long-awaited sequel. 『JUNK WORLD』 is set to be released on June 14th. About seven years have passed since the previous film, 『JUNK HEAD』. What kind of story will unfold in this highly anticipated work that so many fans have been eagerly waiting for? It’s also intriguing to know if the “Gonyogonyo-go” from the previous film has decreased now that there is more Japanese dialogue. So, we conducted an exclusive interview with Director Hori Takahide! We spoke extensively about the highlights of this film, the changes from the previous work, and his future prospects.
The Highly Anticipated Sequel! Expanding the World of 『JUNK WORLD』
――First off, congratulations on the release of 『JUNK WORLD』! As it’s a long-awaited sequel, I’m sure the fans are absolutely thrilled.
Hori Takahide-kantoku (Hereinafter, Hori): Thank you very much. I would be happy if those who enjoyed the previous film can enjoy the sequel just as much.
――About seven years have passed since the release of the previous film, 『JUNK HEAD』. Over these seven years, have your thoughts on the work or your approach to production changed at all?
Hori: Fundamentally, it hasn’t changed. However, with the previous film, rather than the feeling of “I want someone to see this,” I was solely focused on pursuing and creating what *I* found “interesting.” But this time, as it’s a sequel, there was definitely a part where I was conscious of the fans who were anticipating it.
――I see. So, the presence of the fans motivated you during production?
Hori: That’s right. Also, after the release of the previous film, thankfully, many people appeared who supported me. The existence of those people also became a motivation.
――I felt that the story in 『JUNK WORLD』 is even more grand than in the previous film. When did you start envisioning the story for this one?
Hori: I already had the story in my head while I was working on the previous film. Of course, whether or not I would make a sequel depended on the reaction to the first one, so I couldn’t make any promises back then.
――In this 『JUNK WORLD』, many new characters appear. It was particularly striking how many residents of the surface world, which wasn’t depicted much in the previous film, made an appearance.
Hori: Since the previous film was mainly set in the underground world, depicting the surface world was one of the big themes this time. The new characters are essential for depicting this surface world.
――The surface world characters were all very unique and charming. How do you bring characters to life?
Hori: First, I start by thinking about the character’s skeletal structure and design. Then, I expand the image in my mind of what kind of personality the character has and how they move. Design and personality are closely related.
――You’re really breathing life into them!
Hori: That’s right (laughs).
――When I watched the previous film, 『JUNK HEAD』, besides the unique world view and character designs, what also left an impression was that much of the dialogue was an unfamiliar language called “Gonyogonyo-go.” In 『JUNK WORLD』, I felt like there was more Japanese dialogue. How is that?
Hori: Yes, the amount of Japanese dialogue has increased significantly. However, it doesn’t mean that “Gonyogonyo-go” is gone. Different races have different languages, and even within the same race, there are dialects, so there’s an even greater variety of languages flying around than in the previous film. So, “Gonyogonyo-go” is still going strong (laughs).
――I see! That’s something to look forward to. I felt that having more dialogue allowed for a deeper understanding of the story.
Hori: That’s right. In the previous film, I conveyed a lot through expressions, movements, and situations, but this time, with the increased dialogue, I think the characters’ emotions and thoughts are conveyed more directly.
――On the other hand, I think many fans were captivated by the “Gonyogonyo-go” and the unique world view. How did you balance that?
Hori: I was conscious of that. While increasing the Japanese dialogue, I wanted to retain the good parts of the previous film, such as the expressions that convey meaning even without words, and the unique atmosphere that “Gonyogonyo-go” possesses.
――It’s a exquisite balance, isn’t it?
Hori: Yes, it is.
――Finally, could you tell us about your future prospects?
Hori: With the previous film and this 『JUNK WORLD』, the story is now about halfway through. So, I want to continue making the rest of the story until it’s complete. Of course, just like the previous film, this also depends on the reaction to this one.
――We’re very much looking forward to the rest of the story! Thank you very much for your valuable time today.
Hori: Thank you.
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