A festival commemorating the 100th anniversary of anime. There was an all-night screening (for episodes 14-25 of Season 1), as well as a talkshow with members of the production team.
The production team attendees were Katsura Masakazu, Nishida Masafumi, and Producer Tamura Kazuhiko
Questions were accepted by the team here, and there was a special illustration released for the event.
An English translation of some information from the reports is available here:
Japanese sources available here and here.
TN: Please keep in mind there is no formal report for this event, so this is all information from the fans in attendance. I have no way of determining if Nishida and Katsura were joking with some of their answers, or if they are legit Yuri canon. Comments from the same person have been grouped together.
When did Yuri start using a black ribbon? (TN: How did Yuri's black ribbon come to be? - conceptually)
Katsura: Yuri's initial setting was (TN: Kotetsu's) a former partner with a lot of hair. Nishida-san joined and made him a judge, so I thought I had to tie his hair.
Does he eat ramen?
Katsura: People with darkness in their hearts don't eat ramen!
How does he cutdown on time at bedtime?
Katsura: He sleeps naked!
(TN: Lmao Katsura used "aitsu" - derogatory form of "That Guy")
Original Tweet
EVERYONE TAKE A DEEP BREATH. HE SLEEPS NAKED!!!!!!!!!
Yuri's black ribbon. His hair was designed at the character creation stage, but when the Judicial Bureau setting was added, it became a black ribbon according to the legal uniform. Naturally he cannot just put it on. I guess his hair is not tied (lit spreads) when he sleeps, and he's naked when he goes to bed! And Mr. Nishida. Yuri is naked when he sleeps...!
(Original Tweet is not public)
I REPEAT: HE SLEEPS NAKED!!!!!
あと寝るとき裸でしよ!と西田さん。ユーリさんは寝るときは裸…!
The Great Ramen Debate:
Katsura's comments on darker minded people not eating ramen, sparked a debate between him and Nishida on whether Yuri eats ramen. Poor Tamura was the mediator.
They talked about why Yuri uses a hair ribbon and when he would tie it up.
→ Katsura: Puts on his administrator's work clothes and ties it at the end. Other than that, it's unkempt.
→ Nishida: You tie your hair up when you eat ramen, right?
Katsura-sensei: (Agrees) When you eat ramen, you do tie your hair up, but Yuri doesn’t eat ramen!
→ Nishida: He does! And he doesn't brush his hair with such slow movements, ties his hair with a ribbon like this: manly!
→ Things started heating up and Katsura-sensei's water (which was on the floor) spilled.
→ Katsura: Yuri doesn't care if his water spills.
→ Nishida: No, he'll wipe it!
It got heated again lol
→ Katsura kept objecting, so Nishida said, "Let's ask everyone! Who thinks Yuri blows on his water?
→ Many people in the audience raised their hands
→Nishida: Look!!!!
Blow → Wipe...wrong conversation!
Original Tweet
A fan drew a picture of Yuri eating ramen, sparked by the ramen argument
ユーリさん、ラーメン食べる時に髪の毛をくくるのか問題にそもそも食べるのか問題勃発。
桂先生は「ダークな人はラーメン食べない!」
西田先生「いや食べるでしょ」
なんの話だ(リボンが発端でした)
Questions arose about whether Yuri ties his hair up when eating ramen or whether he eats it at all.
Katsura: Dark people don't eat ramen!'
Nishida: No, he eats it!
What started it (the talk)? (It began with a ribbon...)
Original Tweet
I can't help but wonder if Katsura and Nishida are the inspiration for the dynamic between Kotetsu and Barnaby.
There were many entertaining moments like the ramen debate, such as a discussion on their attire. They were supposed to come to the event dressed casually (in TaiBani T-shirts) but Nishida showed up in a suit, so Katsura felt betrayed 🤣
Katsura: The other day, you said you were thinking about wearing a TaiBani T-shirt.
Nishida: I often wear them... like the hoodie.
Katsura: So at first I was thinking of wearing a suit, but I didn't want to wear one. So I came dressed casually! I was betrayed!
Mr. Nishida came dressed in a suit (lol)
Nishida: No, I was really going to wear it! But prior to this, I had an interview for another work... I mean, I remembered.
Katsura: I remembered!
Nishida I'm sorry (lol)
Original Tweet
There was also another conversation about the Hero's summer attire, in which Katsura seemed hell-bent on having Keith wear white T-shirts that were 5 for ¥1000 (roughly CDN $2ea) Like he really wanted Keith to be a cheapskate 😭😭😭🤣
"It's not a polo shirt, right!?'' he (Katsura) complained to the audience. Immediately Nishida-san made a remark like "SH is a polo shirt.'' and Katsura-sensei emphasized, "SH is a white T-shirt that costs 1,000 yen for 5!!'' Mr. Nishida was convinced, and Mr. SH (lmao Katsura!) calmed down about the 5 white T-shirts for 1000 yen.
It all came together (laughs). Katsura-sensei then said, "SH is a white T-shirt that costs 1,000 yen for 5 pieces!'' Katsura-sensei seems to be very particular about SH white T-shirts that cost 1,000 yen for 5 pieces (lol). [TN: The rest of this was a question on who would wear a long t-shirt and Ivan was selected, SH long t-shirt]
Original Tweet
All-in-all, a great read! This fan summarized my takeaways best:
TaiBani Talkshow: Katsura-sensei's Yuri is a dirty person! He won't eat ramen because he doesn't want to tie his hair back. (He's a) pasta person. And he sleeps naked!!!
My mind and heart are disturbed by the moon looool
Season 4 concept art, interview, and character Q&A.
(Below is a cleaned up machine translation. Please note that due to the nature of machine translation, the text may not be wholly accurate or may read oddly. Japanese is included after English for reference. The text was lifted from the images using this site, and though there's been care taken to make sure everything is correct, there is a chance of unintentional typos.)
Dress up ★ in student uniforms
in class and after school♪
The youthful school love of phantom thieves ♡
(DRESS UP★学生服)
授業中も放課後も♪
怪盗たちと爽やか青春スクールラブ♡
________________________________________
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Joker (ジョーカー)
A world-traveling phantom thief. He and his partners, Hachi and Hosshi, are after the ancient treasure. Today, he appears in a blazer with a loose tie ♪
An alien who is after the ancient treasure. He is Joker's rival and often gives Joker three choice questions. Today, he's giving some questions inside the school!?
He is the head of the Koga Ninjas, and is a genius ninja that only comes once in a decade. He used to attend the same ninja school as Hachi, and as a senior student, often took care of him (Hachi always being a bit of a klutz).
________________________________________
Character Q&A
Q: What is the first thing you associate with the word "Autumn"?
Q: 「秋」 という言葉から最初に連想したものは?
Phoenix: "Autumn? Is there anything you associate with Autumn? Where I come from, we don't have seasons. It's interesting that humans have special feelings about the seasons... *Yaaawn*....I'm so sleepy."
Joker: "Autumn is the season of appetite, of course!! Curry, ramen, hamburger, sushi, omelette rice, pizza...... Ugh, I'm getting hungry! Hachiii! Make a special curry...!"
Hyakkimaru: "Hmm, Autumn is the season of reading, isn't it? I have an old scroll. While reading a scroll, I eat my favorite dish, Oden Chikuwa....... That may make it the season for appetite as well."
Joker and Phoenix, having spotted a treasure hidden in the school, have disguised themselves as students. It seems that they have ended up in the front and back of the class......... They seem to be having a surprisingly good time as students ♪
The season 4 broadcast of the "Kaitou Joker" anime is only about a month away. Season 4 will feature a new and exciting storyline, including the revelation of the mystery of the "Ancient Treasure" that Joker and Phoenix are aiming for.
As a maiden*, I have high expectations for the activities of these handsome phantom thieves, not to mention the mystery of the treasure. We can't wait for Season 4, so we looked around and wondered what the phantom thieves were doing today…
Joker and Phoenix are disguised as students and sneaking into the school to look for some treasures ♪
And outside the window is Hyakkimaru, who appeared in Episode 12 (Season 2)! Director Yukiyo Teramoto says, "Hyakkimaru will also appear in Season 4." Let's find out more about Season 4 in this interview with Director Teramoto and eavesdrop on the secret talk of the phantom thieves in class ♡
Creating a story that is more attuned to the emotions of the characters
キャラクターの心情により寄り添った物語作り
――What is the concept for season 4?
――シーズン4のコンセプトは?
I went back and re-read the original story from the beginning to see what I wanted to use as the main pillar of the story. Then I thought that Phoenix, who appeared in only one or two chapters in the original story, had a very good flavor. Also, I personally thought it was a dead plan, but Dai Sato, who was in charge of the series composition, really liked the idea of another project based on the true identity of President D. From there, we were able to create the pillars of Phoenix & Hosshi and President D, which spanned seasons 3 and 4.
――By the way, do you have a favorite episode from Season 3?
――ちなみに、シーズン3で特にお気に入りのエピソードはございますか?
Spider Ace, who appeared in episode 35, fights with a strong spirit but becomes skittish when he runs out of coffee, was cute. Hayami also appeared in episode 38, which featured DJ Peacock, and I made Hayami's wheelchair a futuristic design that was easy to animate.
――What does Director Teramoto find important in the production of Season 4?
――シーズン4の制作のなかで、 寺本監督が大切にされていることは?
Not only in Season 4, I always keep in mind to portray the everyday life of Joker and friends with care. Of course, we want to portray actions and tricks in a cool way, but we also want to include scenes where viewers who see Joker and his friends in their everyday lives can relate to them and say "I would do that too!" I try to include scenes whenever possible so that viewers who see Joker and friends in their everyday lives can relate to them.
I tried to create a fun atmosphere in the smallest details, such as Hachi's complaint about Joker's torn cape while sewing it and saying, "I'm going to put a cute patch on it!"
Episode 36, which was an original anime episode, was also inspired by my desire to depict everyday life. I thought it would be amusing if Joker, who sent out an advance notice without realizing that a typhoon was coming, got confused and panicked and was tossed around (laughs).
To find the ancient treasure, Joker and friends will travel around the world to places such as India, Egypt, and Japan. You can also expect to enjoy episodes from the original stories about the places they visit. Episode 42 is an in-depth look at the inner life of a young boy named Chappa, and then the story of Pretty Ai (who is popular in the original work) is also a story about Ai's feelings.
――And in Season 4, Hyakkimaru, Hachi's senior, will appear again!
――そしてシーズン4では、ハチの先輩 である百鬼丸が再び登場するとのこと!
I am very happy because I have been wanting to have him appear again. Hyakkimaru is stoic and cool, but I felt sorry for Hyakkimaru because he loved Hachi so much, but was taken away by the suddenly-appearing Joker (laughs). I imagine that Hyakkimaru is an only child, so he thinks Hachi is cute like a little brother. From Hachi's point of view, Hyakkimaru is a cool senior who helped him out when he was in a pinch. Hachi has many siblings, so I think he likes older people who he can rely on. Joker is also older than Hachi, but… I wonder if he thinks Joker is sloppy and if he doesn't clean his room, his life is going to be a mess. In that sense, Hyakkimaru and Joker are complete opposites.
――What is the relationship between Joker and Phoenix at this stage of season 3?
――シーズン3を経た段階の、ジョーカーとフェニックスの関係性は?
Phoenix thinks Joker is "an interesting guy" and Joker thinks Phoenix is "a weird guy." However, Phoenix, who used to look at humans coldly, comes to understand the value of life and friends as he comes into contact with Joker and his friends in Season 4. Joker, who has always had a rivalry with Phoenix, will be fighting alongside Phoenix in Season 4, so you will be able to see how the relationship between Joker and Phoenix changes little by little.
――How is the recording process now that you have started recording for Season 4?
――シーズン4のアフレコも始まってい るとのことで収録現場はいかがですか?
Hosshi's lines are basically just "Hosshi," and that's all that is written in the script, so when it was hard to understand how Hosshi was feeling, Atsumi Tanezaki, who plays Hosshi, would come to me and ask, "How does he feel here?" and I was happy to be asked that. In the anime, he only says "Hosshi," but in the scenarios and storyboards, Hosshi's feelings are sometimes described in detail. In episode 34, Hosshi notices that Phoenix is in jail and thinks, "Oh, Phoenix is there. But that's OK." (laughs). Hosshi is rather dry and funny with Phoenix. I think he just wants to go where he smells food, putting appetite first (laughs).
In Season 4, we will have stories that will help you feel closer to Phoenix, President D, and Spade and the others, so please look forward to the broadcast.
The Big Prediction ♪
Formation! The Phantom Thief Student Council★
What if Joker and his friends were to form a student council.......? Director Teramoto answered this exciting question. The Student Council President is.............. a surprising person!!
I think Joker is the one who isn't a member of the student council but somehow hangs out in the student council room every day. Roko is the most serious person in charge and is the student council president, and Queen is the vice president, but she doesn't do much (laughs). Roko, Spade (the chairperson) and Dark Eye (the secretary) will take their jobs seriously. And Hosshi, the treasurer, will eat all the money and everyone will respond, "Gyahh!!!" Hachi is a fairy who cleans up the mess in the student council room, and Phoenix is a pet bird that is kept secretly in the student council room. Shadow is possibly a delinquent. (Director Teramoto)
それからHard Rock Cafe一号店へ。リンガーTシャツを一枚購入。店内にある簡易的なミュージアムも見れて、David Bowieのギターとか置いてあって感動した。韓国人の若者たちに写真を頼まれたので、とっさに「ハードッーセ」と声をかけたらめちゃくちゃ喜んでもらえた。やっぱり軽くでも言語に触れておくと、それだけで世界がぐんと変わるんだなと実感する。テスコでオレンジジュースを買い、近くにあるハイドパークで休憩。人生初の生リスを見れた!
National Garallyを見てトラファルガー広場で休憩して、パブへ。ロンドンは無料で見れる施設がたくさんあって嬉しい。ブリティッシュパブはキャッシュオンスタイルなので、メニューを置いてないお店だと注文するハードルがなかなか高いなぁと感じる。一軒目は料理が置いていなかったので、イギリスのクラフトビールをハーフパイントで飲んで終了。2軒目はちゃんとご飯のあるところを探して、ミートパイを食べた。知らないdrunk guyに「looはどこだ?」って唐突に聞かれて、暇つぶしで見ていたイギリス英語が役立った。