S.H.MonsterArts Interview

Yuji Sakai Talks about S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla (2023)

January 2, 2024

https://hjweb.jp/article/1315637/

Interview by HJ Web

Translation by The Articulations Series

Yuji Sakai, Godzilla Sculptor.

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S.H.MonsterArts is a product in which Yuji Sakai, an authority on Godzilla sculpting, handles prototyping, coloring, and production of sculptures. Let's talk about his latest work, "S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla (2023)," and his commitment to its creation.

HJ: First of all, what is your impression of "Godzilla-1.0" this time?

SAKAI: This time Godzilla is "new" but somehow "nostalgic"...... I got such an impression. It reminds me of the works of the Showa period and the VS series. Although it was created using the latest VFX technology, it was impressive to see how it moved as if it were a Godzilla suit with a person in it, and the gestures it made when threatening felt like those movements were so cool. The upright posture is very sturdy, and the way it walks is simple and cool. I was also strongly drawn in by the intimidation and power when it moved. I like Godzilla with a small head, but this Godzilla has a small head and a large lower body, which made me happy because I had an image of Godzilla similar to the ones in the VS series. For the S.H.MonsterArts figure, I took the time to carefully recreate the Godzilla that Director Yamazaki (Takashi) put so much thought into. However, the image was not completed at the stage when we started work, so we began by using 3D data and materials as references. The image I used as a reference was "Godzilla the Ride: The Great Monster Summit Battle" at Seibuen Yuenchi, which was also created by the director. I also had an impression of Godzilla from "Always: Sunset on Third Street.

HJ: Mr. Sakai, you say that you "produce prototypes, coloring and modeling" for S.H.MonsterArts. What kind of work does that entail?

SAKAI: Simply put, it is the total standpoint involved in the commercialization of the product. First of all, "prototype" is the process of creating a prototype, and "coloring" is the process of painting the Deco-mas (decoration master = the original factory production). When the coloring prototype is completed, I compare it with the deco-mass to check and give instructions if there are any modifications. The "molding production" is the process of considering the specifications for the product, including the movable parts. I check every step of the process, from the planning stage to the production molds. Recently, I have been attending photo shoots and specifying angles for the packaging and the photos that appear on the front page, in order to have them taken in a cool way. Of course, I am not the only one who is involved in the production of the product. I also work with many other staff members, including the planners at BANDAI SPIRITS and Mitsuhiko Hosokawa, who is in charge of movability and partitioning. Everyone involved has put their heart and soul into creating a three-dimensional object that we can proudly present to the public. That is what "S.H.MonsterArts" is all about.

HJ: Let's start with the modeling of "S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla (2023)".

SAKAI: The actual work is based on the 3D data used in the movie, with my own modifications and details. This means that the data is not simply scaled down to the size of S.H.MonsterArts and output as it is for use as a prototype for the product. The output product may have missing textures or omitted details, and the molds texture may be too soft or rough as they are, so it is necessary to correct them or add more irregularities. The standard is the 3D model, but details that are not visible are added to it by referring to various documents. Since the work is done while also taking into consideration the size and mobility of the figure, it is a little different from simply adding details. Also, the figure's appearance changes depending on its size, which I call the "model look," and I make new modifications while taking this into consideration. For example, the dorsal fin has a rather intricate design with Godzilla's unique molding, but I have also made some adjustments by adding details. As a side note, when I was reading the dorsal fin data at the time, I thought that this dorsal fin would move up and down. Later, I was happy to see that it moved as I thought it would in the preview. As for the fangs, if we just reduced the data, it would become too thin and we couldn't make it into a product as is, so we didn't want to make it thicker, so we drew an illustration to make the inside of the tooth thicker without changing the impression of thin teeth. Also, the data had the hands and fingers in specific expression, so I changed the expression from the data and reworked them to make them standard enough to be used in any pose. In this way, I made the prototype by adding, filling, and shaving molds, taking into consideration the size of the figure and later production. However, modification is not as easy as it sounds. For this reason, I used the tip of an electric heating pen modified into the shape of a spatula, made and processed the tools myself, and went through a trial-and-error process. I went to almost every home improvement center in the neighborhood every day for a while.

HJ: Is there a difference in your awareness when sculpting fixed figures and movable ones?

SAKAI: When it comes to making it and facing the modeling, in the end both are the same and it's not easy. Even if it is based on 3D data, it is not enough to create a good product just by having the data; I believe that in the end it is the human touch that brings the product to life.

HJ: In this way, "movability" is incorporated into the prototype.

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SAKAI: First of all, my basic policy is "strict adherence to the standard silhouette. The basic form of the figure, or in Godzilla's case, the figure standing with the upper half of the body firmly upright. The silhouette of the figure at that time should be maintained. Then, we will try to keep the silhouette as much as possible no matter what kind of posing is done. In order to create a beautiful Godzilla even with the split movable parts, we must also pay attention to the split lines and make sure they are clean. For S.H.MonsterArts, I will compile this information into an A4 sheet of 3-4 pages with images.

HJ: At what stage did the supervision take place?

SAKAI: First, a non-movable model was created and supervised as the basic form, then a movable model was created and supervised again, and once the OK was given, the next step was coloring. In fact, during the movable stage, I received a request from Director Yamazaki via Toho-san. There was a standing statue of Godzilla over 2 meters tall that was made for the promotion of "Godzilla-1.0," and he wanted it to be able to take the same pose. That standing statue is slightly tilted forward, and to reproduce this, we added movable toes.

HJ: I heard that the movable toes are the first attempt in the "S.H.MonsterArts" series?

SAKAI: That's right. I was able to get the OK, and the freedom of posing was expanded, and above all, the movement was very effective in reproducing scenes from the movie, which is the concept of "S.H.MonsterArts. I was able to see a preview of the figure during the development process, and I was relieved to confirm that I could reproduce the poses in the movie with the movement I had envisioned. In the end, I only had a few requests and instructions for modifications, and I was given the OK for the overall construction and fine details.

HJ: Lets talk about coloring.

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SAKAI: The coloring process also took a lot of time this time, as we had to decide on the paints while referring to the materials. It was difficult to decide which scene to use as a standard because the color tones differed depending on the scene. First of all, the basic color, depending on the materials, seemed a little bluish in a slightly darker color, so I painted it that color at first. But we were told that it was different, so in the end we prepared several patterns and received the OK from among them. We also submitted several prototypes for the dry brush treatment, which makes the body color look a little brighter. The most time-consuming part was the color of the scar-like areas on the chest and cheeks. The colors varied considerably from material to material, so we had a lot of trouble coming up with an OK. What was fortunate for us this time was that we were able to meet Director Yamazaki and have him directly supervise the work at this stage. It was a good experience for me to be supervised directly by him. It was a rare opportunity to meet him, and I am grateful that he knew me and was able to give me an OK after he looked over every detail.

HJ: That's what it looked like at the time, and that's the photo I posted here.

SAKAI: I, the planner, and a member of the Godzilla license team went to the White Team, where Director Yamazaki was. There, I showed the director directly the colored chest parts that I had prepared in several patterns. He showed us footage of the work in progress and told us, "This is the color. That is how I finally arrived at the answer. In terms of coloring patterns for supervision, I think this was the largest number of coloring patterns among all the S.H.MonsterArts products we have produced so far.

HJ: Once again, please tell us about your first encounter with Godzilla.

SAKAI: My first experience with Godzilla was watching Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster (1964) at the cinema when I was in elementary school. I have a particularly strong emotional attachment to this film. It left a strong impression on me as if the monsters had jumped out of the screen. I still remember wanting to have a three-dimensional Godzilla just like the one in the movie, and I wonder if my frustration at that time has led me to the present.

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HJ: I heard that you started modeling because you wanted to make Mosu-Goji.

SAKAI: The origin of my love for Godzilla is "Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster" but it was Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) that got me into this world. When I was a university student, I saw a revival showing of the movie in Shinjuku and thought to myself, "Mothra vs. Godzilla is really cool. After that, I was exclusively on the buying side, but it wasn't until several years later, when I became a working adult, that I actually started molding Godzilla from my original desire to have the Godzilla in the movie. I would love to make another Mosu-Goji.

HJ: What led you to become involved not only in prototyping but also in modeling production?

SAKAI: This series was originally started by making the prototype I created movable, and it was probably largely due to a discussion I had with Director Kawakita (Koichi) at the start of the series. The director said, "Standard poses are important for monsters, including Heisei Godzilla," and from that point on, I became strongly motivated to combine the silhouettes and characteristics of each Godzilla with the movability needed to reproduce scenes from the movie. That is why I started to be involved not only with the prototype but also with the entire process of producing the product as a "prototype, coloring, and modeling producer." I always try to make the figure as movable as possible, and I think it is the most important concept to keep the silhouette and put the movable parts in the appropriate positions. Although the lines of division can be created by any means, I try to keep them as inconspicuous and clean as possible. There are various hurdles to overcome before commercialization, and every time it is a challenge.

HJ: Finally, what are your impressions of the latest Godzilla made by S.H.MonsterArts and final thoughts?

SAKAI: S.H.MonsterArts looks bigger than the product, as is the case with the cover and the article photo in this issue. We have worked on the figure quite meticulously, and I think we were able to recreate it in a cool way. The theme of the entire development staff, including myself, was how far we could go in reproducing Director Yamazaki's vision of Godzilla with S.H.MonsterArts. It seems that Director Yamazaki was quite pleased with the modeling, and I can honestly say that I am very happy with the final result. This year marks exactly 30 years since we launched the Yuji Sakai Modeling Studio. The studio is filled and overflowing with Godzillas that I have created. I have also published two collections of my works in Hobby Japan. But to be honest, I still want to make more Godzillas. Even now, when I rewatch various Godzilla movies, I think, "I want to make this scene," and I still find new discoveries like, "This scene is so cool! Recently, I have been producing a lot of products, but there are so many things I want to do in the molding field that I feel I don't have enough time. I will continue to create the Godzilla I want and need, and if Godzilla fans are happy with my work, nothing would make me happier.

​Yuji Sakai's Background

• • • Born in 1958 in Fukushima Prefecture. He is the head of the Sakai Yuji Modeling Studio. He started his career as a monster sculptor after winning the "Kaiyodo Art Plastic Grand Prix" sponsored by Kaiyodo, and has created many prototypes of monsters, from his own garage kits to figure prototypes for various manufacturers. In 1995, he was involved in the sculpting of Godzilla Junior as a member of the sculpting staff for Godzilla vs. Destroyer, and in 1999, he participated in the design works for Godzilla 2000 Millennium, sculpting the model of Godzilla. He supervised the sculpting of all the monster exhibits at the Eiji Tsuburaya Museum, which was built at the Sukagawa Civic Exchange Center, the birthplace of Eiji Tsuburaya, and was able to recreate the suit from the original "Godzilla," which does not exist today. This suit is the museum's main exhibit and appears in the movie "The Challenge of Dreams: Godzilla Appears in Sukagawa," which is shown at the museum. The first "Godzilla" suit was later made into a standing statue under his supervision and exhibited at Godzilla exhibitions sponsored by Toho Co. In the past, Hobby Japan published "GODZILLA DREAM" and "GODZILLA DREAM evolution," a collection of his works. It is said that 90% of the sculptures he has created so far are of Godzilla, and he is recognized worldwide as a leading figure in Godzilla modeling.