Anime Vegas - Kouta Hirano and Hideyuki Kurata - 2006
If
you think this panel discussion seems like an odd combination of the
worlds of Hellsing and Read or Die, you're right. Kouta Hirano, on the
left, created Hellsing, and Hideyuki Kurata, on the right, created Read
or Die. Both worlds have come together with the production of the
latest animated Hellsing series, which Kurata wrote from Hirano's
original manga. Kurata told Anime Vegas fans that he got the job after
having a late-night discussion with other producers at Anime Expo, of
all places. By getting that assignment, Kurata added more work to a
busy schedule that includes writing scripts for the Gun Sword anime. "I
really need to switch my mind when I go between the series, because if
I don't, in Gun Sword there will be Arucard appearing," said Kurata.
Replied Hirano, "You can have Arucard in Gun Sword but then I'll have
Yomiko (Readman) in Hellsing," adding that having the British Library
in Hellsing's London battle scenes would work. Readman, the hero of the
Read or Die series, was the subject of a fan question. "I have a fetish
for glasses and I like huge breasts and books," Kurata said in
explaining the character's design. He also noted that the idea for the
paper masters who use paper as a deadly weapon came from the many paper
cut's he's received as a writer. Kurata also had a hint for fans who
have enjoyed the two animated version of Read or Die. "Even though the
(animated) series finished, we're not sure the story is over. The staff
still wants to work on R.O.D. If the schedule can be settled, we might
have more R.O.D."
Hirano
has an explanation for many of his creative decisions on Hellsing, from
Walter's use of wires as weapons while most other characters use guns,
to the use of Nazi soldiers as freak villains and the battle between
Nazis, Protestants and Catholics; "Because it's cool. If i mix
everything together that's cool, there might be something that's really
cool, but it turned out to be chaotic stuff." Hirano also likes "cool"
women, which explains Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. Even Hirano is
scared by people with piercings, so that tells how he came up with the
Jan Valentine character, but what about Arucard? "I'm not too sure how
Arucard came to life. There's no specific model where he came from."
But later at the panel, a fan asked Hirano about the resemblance
between Arucard and Vash the Stampede from Trigun. "I love Vash and I
think that Trigun is one of the best manga in the world. Maybe
unconsciously I used Vash as a model for Arucard," said Hirano. Some of
the actions of Hellsing's many vampires come from the European myths
embodied in the Bram Stoker novel, but Hirano noted that "The vampires
in the show are not really classified as vampires, they're really
monsters. What I wanted to illustrate was a single monster who sucks
blood from others and keeps getting bigger and reproducing." "I just
found out about that," said Kurata when he heard Hirano's comment.
Hirano said he has more Hellsing to draw for Young King Ours, but he
expects the series will end eventually, around the same time that
Trigun Maximum and Geobreeders end in the same manga anthology. So,
Hirano has started to think about creating a new manga series for that
publication. Both of the creators got to spend some of the convention
weekend in Las Vegas' casinos, where Hirano admitted he lost money
while Kurata had some winnings.
If
you think this panel discussion seems like an odd combination of the
worlds of Hellsing and Read or Die, you're right. Kouta Hirano, on the
left, created Hellsing, and Hideyuki Kurata, on the right, created Read
or Die. Both worlds have come together with the production of the
latest animated Hellsing series, which Kurata wrote from Hirano's
original manga. Kurata told Anime Vegas fans that he got the job after
having a late-night discussion with other producers at Anime Expo, of
all places. By getting that assignment, Kurata added more work to a
busy schedule that includes writing scripts for the Gun Sword anime. "I
really need to switch my mind when I go between the series, because if
I don't, in Gun Sword there will be Arucard appearing," said Kurata.
Replied Hirano, "You can have Arucard in Gun Sword but then I'll have
Yomiko (Readman) in Hellsing," adding that having the British Library
in Hellsing's London battle scenes would work. Readman, the hero of the
Read or Die series, was the subject of a fan question. "I have a fetish
for glasses and I like huge breasts and books," Kurata said in
explaining the character's design. He also noted that the idea for the
paper masters who use paper as a deadly weapon came from the many paper
cut's he's received as a writer. Kurata also had a hint for fans who
have enjoyed the two animated version of Read or Die. "Even though the
(animated) series finished, we're not sure the story is over. The staff
still wants to work on R.O.D. If the schedule can be settled, we might
have more R.O.D."
Hirano
has an explanation for many of his creative decisions on Hellsing, from
Walter's use of wires as weapons while most other characters use guns,
to the use of Nazi soldiers as freak villains and the battle between
Nazis, Protestants and Catholics; "Because it's cool. If i mix
everything together that's cool, there might be something that's really
cool, but it turned out to be chaotic stuff." Hirano also likes "cool"
women, which explains Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. Even Hirano is
scared by people with piercings, so that tells how he came up with the
Jan Valentine character, but what about Arucard? "I'm not too sure how
Arucard came to life. There's no specific model where he came from."
But later at the panel, a fan asked Hirano about the resemblance
between Arucard and Vash the Stampede from Trigun. "I love Vash and I
think that Trigun is one of the best manga in the world. Maybe
unconsciously I used Vash as a model for Arucard," said Hirano. Some of
the actions of Hellsing's many vampires come from the European myths
embodied in the Bram Stoker novel, but Hirano noted that "The vampires
in the show are not really classified as vampires, they're really
monsters. What I wanted to illustrate was a single monster who sucks
blood from others and keeps getting bigger and reproducing." "I just
found out about that," said Kurata when he heard Hirano's comment.
Hirano said he has more Hellsing to draw for Young King Ours, but he
expects the series will end eventually, around the same time that
Trigun Maximum and Geobreeders end in the same manga anthology. So,
Hirano has started to think about creating a new manga series for that
publication. Both of the creators got to spend some of the convention
weekend in Las Vegas' casinos, where Hirano admitted he lost money
while Kurata had some winnings.
