"I've Never Seen Anything Like This in the Real World!"

MIHARAIt's a pleasure to meet you. I'm here today to learn more about kaiju, something I love dearly.

PIKOPIKOThe pleasure is all mine.

—Let's start with your earliest kaiju experiences as children.

PIKOPIKOI was born in 1968 and watched "The Return of Ultraman"The Return of Ultraman(aired '71-'72) in real time.

MIHARAI was born in '72, so I'm from the generation just after that. They used to rerun the Ultraman series at 5 PM in Fukuoka, so I watched it a lot.

I remember my grandmother buying me a soft vinyl kaiju figure. Back then, toy stores had many of these figures, about 360 yen each, hanging in plastic bags. I became seriously interested in kaiju through a notebook where you'd paste stickers...


Alien Baltan, Red King, Gomora, Jamila—these were designed by Toru Narita, the most famous kaiju designer. After Narita left, Yoshikazu Ikegaya took over as art director and designed Takkong and Twin Tail for "The Return of Ultraman." While Ikegaya's designs might not have Narita's sharpness, their slightly rough, unrefined quality was easier for children to connect with.

MIHARAThat's great. Also, when I saw the "Tyrant, the Tyrannical Monster"Ultraman TarofromTyrant, the Tyrannical Monsterin "Ultraman Taro," I was thrilled as a child.Bemstar'sbelly, andIcarus Alien'sears. I thought it was cool how they embodied the lingering resentment of the monsters defeated by the Ultraman brothers.

PIKOPIKOIt's a collection of what children perceive as cool, isn't it? (laughs) For me, the crucial element is that feeling of "I've never seen anything like this in the real world!" Takkong and Twin Tail, for instance, their silhouettes convey an intention to break away from the human form. Japanese kaiju are in mascot costumes, meaning a person is inside. So, there's an ingenuity in how to distort the human form.

MIHARALikeGamera, he kneels down. When my father told me, "A person is inside that," it felt like my dream was shattered (laughs).

PIKOPIKOBecause there's a person inside, a human-like quality inevitably emerges, but that's also part of its charm (laughs). When you can empathize, it gains a sense of pathos.

Page02.Kaiju Must Be in Mascot Costumes!

Kaiju Must Be in Mascot Costumes!

MIHARANowadays, CG is mainstream for kaiju movies.Pacific Rim(released 2013). If you're going to use the word "kaiju," I felt a pang of dissatisfaction that they didn't use mascot costumes.

PIKOPIKODirector Guillermo del Toro started in special effects makeup, so he loves mascot costumes. That's why I was hoping "Pacific Rim" would feature them, but it was impossible, of course (laughs).

MIHARAForShin Godzilla(released '16), the design wasn't my favorite type of face, but it was more than enough for today's children to recognize it as "Godzilla!" I wonder if children are less interested in kaiju now.

PIKOPIKOThat's true. When we were kids, there was always a Godzilla movie during Obon and New Year's, but its absence has meant it's not passed down to children.

MIHARAIn "Shin Godzilla," Godzilla grows, right? When I first saw theSecond Form, I thought, "Huh? Godzilla looks like this?" (laughs) I think it was quite interesting for today's children as a starting point, but it didn't need to be that overwhelming. It shot beams from its entire body right away.

PIKOPIKOIt might have been a bit too serious (laughs).

PIKOPIKOExactly. For example, withKanegon, he's just a boy who transformed.

—Kanegon, the elementary school student who loved money (laughs). Kanegon andPigmonwere close in height to humans, so they felt relatable.

PIKOPIKOI've been making mascot costumes myself, so when I see characters like Kanegon, I think that's what I admired.

MIHARAI was envious of the capsule monsters in "Ultra Seven." You'd throw the capsule, and they'd appear.Windam, for example.

PIKOPIKOYour own personal kaiju. Pokémon, for instance, was inspired by the capsule monsters.

—Mihara-san, did your love for kaiju ever lead you to consider pursuing sculpting?

MIHARAAs a child, I used to draw kaiju and make them out of clay, but they never quite looked like kaiju. I think people who create kaiju are geniuses. As PIKOPIKO-SENSEI mentioned, they conceive of biologically impossible forms while retaining something human-like, which my own creations lacked. They were kaiju-like, but felt more like alien objects. Kaiju are individual characters, aren't they? Unlike, say, Alien Baltan, which are numerous, they usually appear one at a time. If I could have created a kaiju that left such a strong impact, I would have wanted to be a kaiju creator. It's easier to create monsters for the Kamen Rider series, in comparison.

It's easier to create monsters for the Kamen Rider series, in comparison.

PIKOPIKOBecause monsters in Kamen Rider clearly have a motif.

MIHARAThat's why I was more drawn to kaiju than Kamen Rider. Even when playing with toys, I found it more fun to have something with a tail and a strong presence.

PIKOPIKOMonsters have human forms. That's why they didn't sell as many toys compared to kaiju back then. The appeal of a toy is different from its appeal on screen.

Page03.It Must Have Universality, Yet Also a Spirit of Adventure

It Must Have Universality, Yet Also a Spirit of Adventure

—PIKOPIKO-SENSEI, you've created many original kaiju mascot costumes like "Tsunogon," "Beccos," and "Mucho." What was the initial inspiration?

PIKOPIKOInitially, as an artistic endeavor, I made strange creatures out of stuffed toys. Then, for an exhibition themed around books, I created my first book about kaiju. That was around 1997. At the time, only Narita Hitoshi was really recognized, and there weren't many people in the art world deliberately focusing on kaiju, so I felt a bit self-conscious. But I thought that very reason made it interesting.

—What was the first kaiju you named in your work?

PIKOPIKOIt was "Gowaboli, the Long-Absent Kaiju." A kaiju that appears once, and then doesn't show up again for a long time.

), became very popular as a figure released by Medicom Toy.

so I made the legs very short to eliminate that human-like appearance.

MIHARAAh, I see!

PIKOPIKOSince I have to wear it alone, it has a zipper in the front for easy on and off. To hide that, the tongue is long (laughs). With kaiju, as with anything, the key to good design is to have one prominent feature. Adding too many features weakens it.

MIHARAIt becomes unclear what you wanted to convey. Simplicity has a stronger impact. It's the same with clothing.

PIKOPIKOWhen you analyze excellent designs, they transcend categories. They need to have universality, yet also a spirit of adventure. But if the adventure is too great, they won't be accepted.

MIHARAGood design captures something fundamental. I realized today that kaiju are like that too.

PIKOPIKOThis year marks the 50th anniversary of "Ultra Seven's" broadcast, and it's incredible how designs from half a century ago are still relevant. Think about cars from the same era – how many are still around? The Alien Baltan toys released today are the same as they were back then, which is remarkable.Ultraman SevenI had many of them at home, from small to large. Every house seemed to have an Alien Baltan when I was a child.

MIHARAI had many of them at home, from small to large. Every house seemed to have an Alien Baltan when I was a child.

PIKOPIKOIf you say Alien Baltan is your favorite in front of kaiju fans, they might call you unoriginal, but it's genuinely great. Children who see them remember the Showa-era kaiju.

The other day, a five-year-old drew a picture of Alien Baltan, and even a child's drawing is instantly recognizable. Of course, that child is a kaiju enthusiast who's been frequenting the "Great Kaiju Salon" since they were two (laughs).Great Kaiju Salonis not an ordinary child (laughs).

MIHARATakkong and Twin Tail are also easy to draw. But drawingHippolito Alienis difficult (laughs). There was a kaiju that ate Twin Tail calledGudon, wasn't there? Seeing that made me realize that even kaiju have a food chain.

PIKOPIKOThere were also married kaiju.Sea Golas and Sea Mons. In the past, stories were centered around the kaiju, but gradually they shifted to focus on the protagonists.

MIHARAI was surprised when a friend's child showed metoday's Zetton, it looks like an insect. It was so grotesque, and it stuck with me. But your kaiju, PIKOPIKO-SENSEI, are gentle, aren't they? Even with horns. That's the kind of kaiju I aspire to. And you even create the originals. There's no other active kaiju artist who can do this.

PIKOPIKOThank you. There are quite a few. Many! (laughs)

MIHARABut they're scary, aren't they? They're all so serious.

Page04.Godzilla Does the "Sha!"

Godzilla Does the "Sha!"

PIKOPIKOPeople from older generations, and conversely, younger people, tend to like serious kaiju. Those in between prefer the cuter ones.

MIHARAI like Godzilla when he's a bit plump and doing the "Sha!"Godzilla Does the "Sha!"(in "Invasion of Astro-Monster," '65). Godzilla with a thick neck like in the current movies is a bit too scary for me.Invasion of Astro-MonsterI find the Godzilla from "Invasion of Astro-Monster" ('65) with its slightly plump face and the "Sha!" pose endearing. The current Godzilla with its thick neck is a bit too frightening.

PIKOPIKOAnd yet, many people rejoice, saying "The scary Godzilla is back!"

MIHARAThe Hollywood version ("GODZILLA", released '98) was like a lizard. If it moved that fast... Godzilla's appeal lies in its lumbering gait, which creates suspense. In kaiju encyclopedias, they weren't as tall as 20 meters, but now they're enormous.

PIKOPIKOAs buildings got taller, they had to be even bigger to destroy them (laughs). Also, since the Heisei era, influenced by video games, Japanese kaiju have become more like monsters. Ultraman's kaiju now have designs similar to those in "Final Fantasy"Final FantasyorMonster Hunter. In America, kaiju are called "Kaiju," distinct from "monsters." Perhaps there's a consciousness of that difference. People overseas who specifically like Japanese kaiju have a particular passion for them.

—PIKOPIKO-SENSEI, in addition to being a kaiju artist, you are also a doll maker. Today, we have a special sample of "Escargot Boy," scheduled for release by Medicom Toy next year or later.


PIKOPIKOThis is a recreation of a ball-jointed doll I made around 1997, around the same time I was working on kaiju-themed projects. I studied doll making at Simon Yotsuya's studio.Simon YotsuyaI studied doll making at Simon Yotsuya's studio.

MIHARAYour sculpting skills are truly amazing! There are various flowers and insects on the skin.

PIKOPIKOI've been working with clay since I was a child. In junior high or high school, I discovered stone powder clay, which I still use. That's when I became able to create intricate details. For this piece, I layered dense clay meticulously.

MIHARAAre these delicate petals individually crafted?

PIKOPIKOI must have had a lot of free time (laughs).

MIHARAIt's overwhelming. ...Oh, there's a stag beetle too. And mice and stink bugs.

PIKOPIKOIn the original, a real snail shell is embedded in the stomach.

MIHARAI love this. It's so cool it could appear in a dream.

PIKOPIKOWhen I made it, I wasn't thinking about mass production, so the shape is quite unconventional. I was surprised it was reproduced so faithfully. Medicom Toy also spent a significant amount of time on development. It's taken over a year since the start.

MIHARAI'm looking forward to its release. PIKOPIKO-SENSEI, what are your future dreams?

PIKOPIKOMy dream is to create kaiju sculptures in bronze. Like the statues of maidens you see in front of train stations. They could be placed in parks, and children could even climb on them. Also, there have been talks about turning my kaiju designs into a book, but I haven't been able to compile it yet (laughs).

MIHARAHow many do you have now?

PIKOPIKOI draw them every day in a blank notebook called "My Book" from Shinchosha Bunko, so I have thousands of designs. If I say "this is a kaiju," then anything can be a kaiju (laughs). Since there are no constraints, the ideas never run out.

—It would be wonderful if this conversation leads to a collaboration between the two of you someday.

MIHARAIt would be great to make T-shirts from the kaiju illustrations PIKOPIKO-SENSEI drew in pencil, like the ones you showed me. I like the atmosphere of the uncolored drawings.

PIKOPIKOI don't draw them with the intention of showing them to others, so there's a certain freedom and fun in that. Although I haven't been drawing much lately (laughs), it's like a diary, so I'm forcing myself to draw.

MIHARAThank you for your time today. I'll visit again!

PIKOPIKONot at all. Please do come again!

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