This Month we talk to AceySpacey, one of the creative heads behind the Kamishibai 'Elements':
- Post: What inspired you to do Elements?
- AceySpacey: It was originally a sketched manga I was going to send in and get published. The name was originally called Confused, but since it had to do with the elements, the title changed and is now ELEMENTs. I also had a bunch of character sketches that were probably never going to be used, and I needed a story to put them in, and out popped ELEMENTs! (that didn't really make sense, but you get the main concept right?)
- Post: What would you say is the best part of Kamishibai?
- AceySpacey: The music! I love looking for music for the kamishibais. Without it, all you have is a bunch of pictures and a a storyline. Well, it probably still would be good without it, but it really sets the mood for the story. It not only makes the story more interesting, but it also makes the story plot seem to run more smoothly. I like it! ^_^
- Post: What got you into Kamishibai in the first place?
- AceySpacey: Well. I was cruisin around on the internet when I found OtakuWorld. I was really into the whole KISS doll thing then and I saw the little icon on the bottom toolbar that said 'Kamishibai.' I was curious and went to download it. When I downloaded some of the stories, it really amazed me. I was like, 'I wanna make a story thingummy too!' And, I just started experimenting with it.
- Post: What Kamishibai stories are your favorite?
- AceySpacey: Ooh thats hard... *thinks for a second* I really enjoyed Ming and Dracoa. It had a really well laid out story line and the art was really fantastic. That's one of the Kami's that really inspired me to do ELEMENT's for Otakuworld. Magical Madness is also a favorite of mine, with all the good animation and comedy. It entertained me for quite a while... I was falling out of my chair laughing so hard! ^_^;;
- Post: Who is your favorite character from Elements?
- AceySpacey: Hah... Allow me to think a while on this... *thinkthinkthink* My favorite character in ELEMENTs would have to be a tie between Hikaru and Soko. Soko isn't really as clumsy and twinky'-like as she seems, she's just really naive and oblivious to most things around here. She does some pretty crazy and funny things in future episodes. As for Hikaru, I like him because he's very 'Bishonenish' and calm. He doesn't really get angry a lot and his companion is really funny. You'll find out who that is in Episode 5.
- Post: What is the most difficult part of the kamishibai process for you?
- AceySpacey: Ah, it would probably be the music. Even though I really like searching for it, it gets really frustrating looking and looking for just the right action music, or just the right melancholy music. Even worse since I use mostly original MIDIs, and then sometimes a particular site is down, or I just can't find the right song... blah blah blah... as I ramble on complaining...
- Post: I've noticed that you're not the only one who works on Elements, care to give us the history of the other person/people working on this kamishibai?
- AceySpacey: Certainly! In the first couple episodes, Minaku-chan was helping me with this. She was the one who motivated me to do the whole kamishibai in the first place! She wrote the plot (I trashed my original one), while I drew, so on and so on. But then when I was in the middle of working on the 3rd episode, she switched schools. We never really had contact after that. Hoshino-chan was also interested in making it, so when Minaku left, I let Hoshino take over in writing the script. And As for Blue-chan, that's just a nickname people sometimes call me at school, so I was like, 'What the heck!' and typed it in, so really the only people doing this kami is Hoshino and I! Hoshino-chan doesn't go to the same school as me, but we get together every once and a while, whether it's e-mail, or actual get together and think up new plots and characters for the story. She's really creative at thinking things up on the spot, so it's no problem thinking something up in a hurry!
- Post: What are your favorite animes and video games?
- AceySpacey: O.o This one is a toughy. I like a lot of anime! Okies, My favorite video games are Bust-A-Move 2 (Bust-A-Groove 2 for American version), Super Smash Brothers(I'm a sucker for that sort of thing), and any of the Final Fantasy series, although FF7 was my favorite. As for the Animes.. I'll just list a few... Ranma 1/2, Ah! My Goddess!, Fushigi Yuugi, Angel Sanctuary, Dragon Ball Z, My Neighbor Totoro, Grave of the Fireflies, Blue Seed, Birdy the Mighty, ANYTHING CLAMP... the list goes on... ^_^
- Post: What do you consider to be the most important part of a kamishibai?
- AceySpacey: The art. It would still be OK if there was only the story and music, but then it just wouldn't be Kamishibai would it? The art is one of the main reasons I do Kamishibai. That's my favorite part. Without the art, you have a harder time imaging the characters in what they're doing, how they react to things, major events, etc. The art is a major part of kamishibai!
- Post: Are there any other projects you're working on that you'd like us to know about?
- AceySpacey: Well, I'm currently working on a little streetfighter-like game called Access code, and a manga I'd like to have published called Cherry Blossom Hanami. Believe me, don't expect to see them anytime soon (if any, like you'd wanna anyways ^_~) because Access Code is still in prototype, and Cherry Blossom Hanami is being re-drawn (My cat literally ate it and ripped it to shreds! O.o;;).
- Post: And most importantly, if you were on a desert island and could have all the food you wanted all the time but only one condiment, what condiment would that be?
- AceySpacey: My, what a silly question! A spork of course! *gets wierd looks from a lot of people* WHAT??? It's just a spork! *gets more wierd glances* Ok, I'll shut up now...
- Thanks for your time AceySpacey.
- AceySpacey: Yaay! No problem! *throws confetti for a moment* Now... To find something to eat... *gets up from interview and searches the nearest refrigerator*
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