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Gatchaman Movie "First Day Greeting"
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Hi all!
Two weeks ago, on the opening day of the Gatchaman movie, the main cast of the film were joined by the Director to make an appearance at a movie theater to give a special "First Day Greeting" ceremony, appearing before the initial film showing to thank the audience for coming to see the film. Nikkatsu was kind enough to provide a transcript of this event, along with a number of photos form it, on their website here:
http://www.nikkatsu.com/report/201308/001600.html
Assuming you'd enjoy seeing what they had to say, here is a translation of that transcript for your reading pleasure.
James
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Gatchaman First Day Stage Greeting, the 5 People of Gatchaman As Well As the Main Cast Assemble In Full Force!
August 24, 2013 (Saturday)
The live action movie of the legendary anime "Gatchaman" reached its first day in the public on August 24th, and the cast and director performed the first day stage greeting.
With a 21% average audience rating, and a series high audience rating at an astounding 27.1%, it is a legendary TV anime that started broadcasting in 1972. After a period of 40 years, "Gatchaman" returns to screens as a live action movie!
Appearing for the first day stage greeting were Tori Matsuzaka, Go Ayano, Ayame Goriki, Tatsuomi Hamada, and Ryohei Suzuki, the five people who portrayed Gatchaman, Eriko Hatsune, who played Naomi, Shido Nakamura, who played the role of Gallactor's No. 2, Iriya, Goro Kishitani, who played the role of Dr. Nambu, and Director Toya Sato, who took the megaphone, making it 9 people total. After the excitement from their appearance from the back rows abated, they spoke about the joy that came with that first day.
--- First of all, I ask for a word of greetings.
Matsuzaka: Gatchaman! Everyone, how are you? (Big applause from the audience) To be able to welcome the first day like this, it makes me very happy. I'm very moved. Hey, Director?
Director Sato: I'm really happy!
Matsuzaka: I'm very happy! I'll be watching your faces after you have finished seeing it, I'm really happy. Today, I want to enjoy this time until it ends. Thank you all in advance.
Ayano: (With a grin) Gatchaman! Hello, this is Go Ayano. This feels good. It's finally going to start. Thank you very much for coming today to meet Gatchaman. We'll enjoy it in just a little bit.
Goriki: (Awkwardly) Gatchaman!......I'm embarrassed. (Laughs)
Suzuki: Because there are some people who don't know, let me explain, there's something of a rule that we had to say "Gatchaman" in our initial greetings during the film preview screenings. Right, Director?
Director Sato: Of course!
Goriki: And we've done it every time. (Laughs) Once again, I am Ayame Goriki, who plays Jun. Thank you for today. I have done stage greetings before a public presentation, but when I think that we will finally be putting this into your hands, it gives me a wonderful feeling today. Opening it to the public this way, I believe it is all thanks to you. Today, I am hoping that we will be able to talk a lot about how "Gatchaman" came to be. Thank you in advance.
Hamada: (Grinning) Gatchaman! I'm the one they let play Jinpei, Tatsuomi Hamada. The movie "Gatchaman" is really powerful, and has the scale of a great movie. Today it passes into all your hands, and while we are sad to see it leave our hands, I hope that it will please all of you. Thank you in advance.
Suzuki: I'm Ryohei Suzuki, who plays Ryu, the Horned Owl. Thank you for today. (The audience murmurs "Hey") ...Ah, I forgot! I completely forgot!! Ack!!
Ayano: Are you feeling nervous? (Laughs)
Suzuki: I'll say it. (Pulling himself together) Gatchama~n! Was that all right?! Meet me halfway. I am ashamed... Whatever I say is useless. (Laughs)
The five of us have always been doing the stage greetings, but today is the first day that we have assembled in full force with Mr. Kishitani, Mr. Shido, and Ms. Hatsune. My body has stiffened with the thought, "The first day is finally here," and I appreciate the various deep emotions that come with it. I thank you in advance for today.
Hatsune: (Modestly) ...Gatchaman. I am Eriko Hatsune, who played the role of Naomi. The many smiling faces of yours today are very dazzling, I'm happy that we can spend time together here. Thank you very much.
Nakamura: (After pausing for a moment) Gatchaman! I'm pleased you came out on such a hot day, thank you so very much. That I was able to participate in "Gatchaman" has made me so very happy! For everyone who has come to see it today, thank you! Thank you so very much!! (The audience roars with laughter)
M.C.: Mr. Shido, we're not finished yet... (Laughs)
 
Kishitani: (In the style of the anime theme song) Gatchamyuaaan♪ (The audience roars with laughter) This first day is the day that the thoughts of all the staff and cast will be rewarded. And so many of you have come, now we are all filled with joy. Thank you very much.
Director Sato: (After pausing to consider) Gatchamaaaaan! Thank you very much for coming here today. I served as the director, and my name is Toya Sato. This may be the first challenge for a Japanese movie, the first to be able to complete head-on with a Hollywood entertainment blockbuster of the 21st century. With the hard work of the staff and cast, we have reached today's date with something I think is very good. As the first day approached, I couldn't help but have thoughts like, "Will the audience come," but when I see all of you smiling like this, it makes me very happy.
-- In the film, the battle scene in Shinjuku remains very impressive, so for the five of you who played Gatchaman, is there another town in which you'd like to have fought?
Matsuzaka: Umm.......... The Tottori Sand Dunes.
Suzuki: Out of anywhere in the world? The sand dunes of Tottori?
Matsuzaka: That's right.
Suzuki: Not even the great Sahara Desert?
Matsuzaka: That's right. In Tottori.
Suzuki: ...Even considering the cost of the location, Tottori. (Laughs)
Matsuzaka: And with the action on the sand dunes, I thought it would give a different look than doing it in a town again. For me, it's the Tottori Sand Dunes!
Ayano: I was thinking about someplace like Mount Fuji, or maybe Daikanyama. Gallactor could have a cafe. (Laughs) Instead of Gallactor aiming for animals, they would be aiming for women out for a stroll.
(Note: Daikanyama is an area of Tokyo that is filled with luxury shops and upscale restaurants)
Matsuzaka: They'll get their justice.
Ayano: So, there's justice for you, a woman taking a walk finding herself in the middle of a Gallactor and Ken facing off, "You stop doing that here," and Gallactor has to change locations. (Laughs)
M.C.: And thus the set-up is complete finished. (Laughs) How are you Ms. Goriki?
Goriki: After that, it's hard to say. (Laughs) Where do I think would be good...? How about the beautiful ocean of Okinawa as a backdrop.
Matsuzaka: A battle on the water would be good.
Ayano: But, according to the establishment, Ryu can't swim.
Suzuki: What? The establishment says that? What were they thinking?
Ayano: (Without the microphone) It was there.
Suzuki: It was?! I mean, here's the mike! (Laughs)
Hamada: For me... It would be Lake Yamanaka! A battle on the water with Mt. Fuji as a backdrop.
M.C.: It would help Mt. Fuji to become a World Heritage Site.
Hamada: Yes!
M.C.: Basically, none of you want to leave Japan? Now, we've gotten answers from 4 of you, Mr. Suzuki!
Suzuki: Because I hold a 1st class World Heritage official approval, I have to be picky about the World Heritage! Assuming you could fight in any city of the world, there is a city known as Sana'a in Yemen. It is one of the oldest towns in the world, where a touch of the world of the Arabian Nights remains intact, and a town that is made from sun-dried bricks. And amid those sun-dried bricks, bam!, there are suddenly high-rise buildings! And the windows, the windows are all bordered with white plaster. If you pull on it just a little bit, the world of the Arabian Knights spreads out before you...
Ayano: A town that old would be useless if it got crushed.
Suzuki: Yeah! Therefore, "Gallactor can't be allowed to break such a wonderful piece of World Heritage!" will become the direction! And then, as Gatchaman fights to stop them, I think people would be filled with a "You can do it!" feeling!!
Ayano: Yes. (Mr. Ayano lightheartedly brushes off Mr. Suzuki's impassioned speech. The audience roars with laughter)
M.C.: Mr. Kishitani, you were the one who commanded the team in in movie, so how were their five answers?
Kishitani: When the five of them talk, they're very happy now. When I first met the five people wearing the costumes on the set, I realized how wonderful Gatchaman could be. The characters are varied and interesting, and I thought they had a good sense of teamwork. Well, when I hear them talking now, they talk just like the Zip! version of Gatchaman. (Laughs) I thought that was wonderful.
-- Ms. Hatsune, Mr. Nakamura, Mr. Kishitani, today is your first stage greeting in regards to this work, but when you were first offered this project, what kind of feelings did you have?
Hatsune: My work on the production before this one had just finished, in my head, I was somehow thinking, "I want to do action next," so when I got this story, I thought, "This is it!," so I went after it will all my might.
Nakamura: For me, I liked "Gatchaman" from when I was little. Then, when I first heard about this story, I heard that Tori Matsuzaka had gotten the lead role, so I thought, "Ahh, I'll take the role of Joe! Hey, hey, I'm not going to suddenly grow bangs..." I'd have been so wrong... (Laughs) (The audience roars with laughter)
Ayano: Nooo, you're already a senior... Mr. Shido and Mr. Kishitani are already so powerful, it won't be too long now before I'll have to hand over my seat so all you seniors can take a rest... (Laughs)
Suzuki: Didn't they say they were "Replacements!" on the first day of photography?
Ayano: "Go, I'm taking over Joe's part. You can be Iriya." (Laughs)
Nakamura: (Playfully) I just thought that I should be the one to play Joe...!
Ayano: It's no good saying it cute like that! (Laughs)
M.C.: I believe Mr. Kishitani was of the anime "Gatchaman" generation, isn't that right?
Kishitani: That's right. It's like what Shido said, when it was offered to me, I took it instantly, or in a moment that lasted 0.4 seconds, actually... "What is this Gatchaman?" (The audience roars with laughter) It was instant. 0.4 seconds. 0.4 seconds, not even as long as "One," more like "O~," it took about that long, and then I thought "Well, I won't be Jun, will I?," and then I came to my senses, "No. Of course not." Then, as you may have noticed, I'm already older than Dr. Nambu. Therefore, the Dr. Nambu in the original production is part of the younger generation. But, I was so excited that I was beside myself, because, for us, "Gatchaman" was such a great anime. I became even more excited when I heard that Director Toya was on board, I was thrilled to be able to act in a project under his direction.
-- In closing, I would like to ask Mr. Matsuzaka to give us a final word.
Matsuzaka: First, everyone, thanks you so very much for today. The first day is still something that is very emotional. For the various people in the staff and cast who worked on this production, as well as the promotional staff, who worked with the media before these public presentations to get our words out to you, these are all the various people that I feel need to be remembered. Everyone was working toward the same image as their goal, finishing "Gatchaman," so we can't help but feel a little sad that it is now out of our hands, but we are also very happy. Our thoughts have all been filled with "Gatchaman," and that will now be completed as I watch it make an impression on you. And by all means, share your impressions with those who have not seen it yet. And maybe soon, "Sequel." (Laughs) For today, I thank you.
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