In the smartphone RPG game “Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? ~Memoria Freze~ (Dan Memo)”, which has the light novel “Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (Dan Machi) as the original, the collaboration with “Goblin Slayer (Gob Sla)”, the anime that has an upcoming movie, will be held from Friday, Jan. 31, 2020 at 11:00 am until Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 at 2:59 pm.
“Dan Memo” had collaborated with several other anime, including “Kino’s Journey”, “Attack on Titan”, and “Date A Live”, and this collaboration is between two big titles from GA Bunko.
The scenario writing was done by the cooperation between Oomori Fujino and Kagyuu Kumo, and it depicts the uniqueness of the characters from both titles.
We will report how this collaboration came true, and which factors the authors put a much care in thorough the interview made of 2 sections. The 1st section contains the whole story of how the collaboration was realized, the points to pay attention to, and the points that authors respect a lot of each other.
[Interviews and article is by Sugimoto Hodaka]
■The details on how the collaboration came true
—-I believe you two have interactions with each other. How did you meet?
Kagyuu: I met Mr. Oomori at the 2nd GA Bunko Award Ceremony , which was right after the 2nd issue of “Goblin Slayer” had been published. After that, we meet often and go out for dinner and play some board games. He has been nice to me for a long time.
Oomori: I go out to drink with other authors from GA Bunko, and he is not an exception to it.
—-What was your impression on each other’s work?
Oomori: When I read the 1st book of “Gob Sla”, I thought, “this novel is awesome! It is the arrival of the great novel!” The novel writers are often self-serving people, so I wanted to see the person who writes such a wonderful novel.
Everyone loved Kumo-san since the award ceremony.
Kagyuu: I was so nervous at the ceremony. I am used to saying hello to others, but not used to being greeted by others.
—-Mr. Oomori, what point did “Gob Sla” impresse you?
Oomori: I want those who haven’t read it to read the novel, and the structure of the 1st book was wonderful and it was shocking even from the beginning of the novel. I was impressed by the ending that a lone-wolf professional like Goblin Slayer smiled at the last because he gained so much support from his friends.
Also, Goblin Slayer has an appeal that he is eccentric and he can work on things step by step. He says that he is not an adventurer, but he makes me want to see the ending of his journey.
Kagyuu: Your compliments makes me blush, haha. He is the professional writer whom I’ve known since I was only a reader, and also my mentor.
Oomori: I think Kumo-san is a heartless person when I see how he treats mob characters. lol
Kagyuu: Well, I am trying to be as nice as possible . lol
—-Mr. Kagyuu, have you been reading “Dan Machi”?
Kagyuu: I always tell him that Liliruca is my No.1 favorite every time I see him. lol The world of “Dan Machi” is pretty severe place to live, but I like how it being simple journeyand Bell being a kind boy.
I want everything from the status, level, and skills to be explained, but I like how those factors are considered to be a gift from the gods in “Dan Machi”. I think this makes “Dan Machi” a genuine fantasy.
Oomori: From my perspective, “Gob Sla” is more like a fantasy than “Dan Machi”. “Goblin Slayer” has so much small details made even for the details of what is inside the backpack. I take notes to improve my work.
Kagyuu: I often get involved in hard missions when I play TRPG. I was once moved to the desert because I was caught in a trap, and the game master looked at me smiling. and said, “I wonder how much water and food you have right now.” I survived in that circumstance for a week.
The reason why I care so much on the item description is because I am a big TRPG fan. Usually speaking, items and skills in your favor do not suddenly appear for no reason.
—-How did this collaboration become real?
Kagyuu: I went out for dinner because Mr. Oomori invited me, and he said to me “can we collaborate?” and the plan began.
Oomori: “Dan Memo” had collaborated with “Kino’s Journey”, “Attack on Titan”, and “Date A Live”, and I thought I want to collaborate with a work from same GA Bunko. I talked this with the management sector of the game.
We concluded that it is a good timing to collaborate with “Gob Sla” because the movie of it will be released soon.
I invited Kumo-san, as same as other times when I collaborate with others, and the planning progressed quickly.
The works that I collaborated with are from other publishers, but because the authors from GA Bunko are like a “family”, the editors knew about it before I told them about it.
Kagyuu: We talked about the plot even before the plan was accepted officially by the management sector.
■The scenario for this collaboration was “created through fighting in a good way”
—-Mr. Oomori, did you have a clear vision by the time you had invited Mr. Kagyuu?
Oomori: The previous collaborations featured the town of Orario more than the dungeon itself, so I thought that since the world view of “Gob Sla” is similar to mine,I thought “I want to feature the dungeons more”. Kumo-san agreed, and said, “I thought about same thing, too”.
Kagyuu: “Gob Sla” had collaborated with other works, but the story was kept simple by Goblin Slayer and his friends going to other worlds, defeating goblins, and coming back. I thought if I could participate in script writing, I want to make the characters interact with each other, and send them to a great journey.
—-I had an opportunity to read the scenario beforehand, and I thought the world view of both titles were well matched.
Oomori: We fought a lot through script writings in a good way. We exchanged ideas often although both of us were busy.
Kagyuu: We were both on a “death march”. lol
—-How did you created the script specifically?
Oomori: I met 2 or 3 times first and decided an overview of the plot, and I started writing when both of us agreed on the main flow of the story.
I handed that to the scenario writers of “Dan Memo”, and they made it into a total of 20 episodes. After that, I wrote the lines for the characters, and made the settings deeper. I gave it to Kumo-san for a brush-up. We repeated this for about 3 times. I said it was total of 20 episodes, but I believe that it was made into 28 episodes, if my memory is right.
Kumo-san brushed up the descriptions for “Gob Sla”, because I wrote only about simple details.
Kagyuu: I knew that Mr. Oomori can write about the characters of “Dan Machi” better than anyone else in the world, so I enjoyed it a lot saying it is great. If this is true, I thought I could write about “Gob Sla” characters well. lol
Also, I thought the gap of the world view of “Dan Machi” and “Gob Sla” could be expressed more, so I edited the script.
—-Did you have anything that you thought “I want to definitely show “?
Oomori: What I cared was the TRPG-like world view of “Goblin Slayer” and the uniquness of Mr. Kumo as the novel author, and I wanted to show that through the game.
Kagyuu: I love the cultural exchange TRPG called “Chaos Flare”, so I wanted to make the communication between the characters interesting because it is done by people from two different worlds with different cultures.
The world view seems similar, but there are several differences. For example, the status exist “Dan Machi”, but there is not status in “Gob Sla”. Although both works are inspired by RPG, “Dan Machi” is affected by digital RPG, while “Gob Sla” is affected by analog TRPG.
Oomori: The differences of two works were made clear because Kumo-san worked on it. Because I directed the scenarios a lot, I sought for making the communications more interesting, but I could not pick up on small details. Kumo-san worked on it well.
Kagyuu: I have my own way to write a scenario. That is, I feel like making TRPG, putting characters in the scenario and let them do whatever they wish to do. The appeals of TRPG is not limited to the story plot, but also the interactions between the characters, and that matched with Mr. Oomori’s plot.
Oomori: I always set the ending from a scene I want to show, and write backwards.
In this collaboration, I thought of Bell and Goblin Slayer exchange ideas about “what is a hero”, and I wrote the plot from that idea.
The story is related to 8th novel of “Goblin Slayer” and “Daikatana”, but I could not read the 8th book because I was super busy. I could not take in the settings from the 8th book. I am so sorry because I asked him to collaborate with me.
Kagyuu: Well, “Daikatana” is still in the writing process…lol
Oomori: That is why I gave the plot to you thinking, “Sorry Kumo-san, please work on the details…”. You made it so wonderful and it is not enough how much I thank you.
—-In this story, the tension coming from death in “Goblin Slayer” comes into the cheerful atmosphere of “Dan Machi” and the gap of it was impressive.
Oomori: Thank you.
Kagyuu: I think it is normal in “Gob Sla”. lol “Dan Machi” has an optimistic atmosphere, but parts of it are heartless. Characters die pretty often, don’t they?
Oomori: Atmosphere darkens as the story progresses.
→Next page: What they want to refrain in the collaboration: “I do not want to scold”.
■ What they want to refrain in the collaboration: “I do not want to scold”.
—-You said that you want to visualize the gap, created from the differences of the works, Is there anything you cared so as not to damage the world view of each other’s?
Oomori: In this collaboration, a young female knight appears, and she is less experienced compared to any other character in the collaboration, but I did not want to make the characters scold and advise her. I communicated with Kumo-san carefully on that.
Kagyuu: I was very careful not to make the characters “scold” or “act like they are superior to others” to a certain character when I collaborate with others. I also was careful not to make the characters praise so much on one character.
Bell seems reckless from the experienced Goblin Slayer, and I think Bell will honestly reply, “Yes, sir” when he has been advised…I checked the lines with Mr. Oomori for right usage of lines.
Oomori: This is true to all collaboration scenarios, that Bell is forgiven although he makes mistakes, so that is not a problem.
Kagyuu; Bell is such a nice boy.
Oomori: He did not gather hatred for being weak, and he is a good character because he can use his weakness for further development and growth.
Kagyuu: Goblin Slayer tries his best to care about his juniors, so he could talk a lot because Bell listens to him honestly.
Oomori: I was surprised by that. I’ve never seen Goblin Slayer talk so much.
Kagyuu: He will answer you if you ask him a question. He remains silent because no one talks to him.
Oomori: I wonder if the cast Umehara Yuuichiro-san was surprised.
Kagyuu: I was always feel bad for him because Goblin Slayer would not talk much though being the protagonist. Also, I felt bad because I thought “please do not make Goblin Slayer cool”, although he will play him handsomely.
Oomori: Did you ask him that? I think Mr. Umehara will make everything cool.
Kagyuu: I think Mr. Umehara is not trying to play the character in a cool way, but he naturally makes the characters cool, so I said to the audio director, “please refrain from it as much as possible”. Mr. Umehara’s voice is really cool.
Oomori: That is why he plays the character like that. I love how that makes Goblin Slayer unique.
■Mr. Oomori was on the horn of dilemma
Oomori: The worst in this collaboration was that I was on a horn of dilemma between the management side and Kumo-san when we were making the title. The first title received from Kumo-san was ”The Gods Rolled Dice”. This is used for 1st episode, but the management side was not satisfied when I gave it to them.
Kagyuu: When I received the alternative title with foreign phrases, I was not satisfied with that. I commented, “what about ‘Is it Wrong to Pick Up Goblins in a Dungeon?'”…
Oomori: They fiercely rejected that. lol
—-Why did you not like the cool title with foreign phrases?
Kagyuu: It is not that I disliked it, but I like Japanese titles which translated foreign scientific novels, hard-boiled novels and fantasy novels from a few decades before, so I do not feel satisfied by looking at tiles with foreign phrases.
Oomori: But the management side wanted to use a cool title.
—-How has that problem been solved?
Kagyuu: I proposed later, “how about ‘Dungeon and Goblins’?”, and it was accepted.
Oomori: Your proposal was really helpful. It was my first experience ever to struggle on a title! I wanted to shout that why don’t Kumo-san and the management side directly talk on it! I learned the hardship of being a middle manager.
—-What do you like about the visuals for the collaboration?
Oomori: I like the honesty of Cow Girl, so I liked how she is holding a helmet.
Kagyuu: I rely fully on the illustration, so only thing I asked was “please do not make Goblin Slayer do a stylish pose”. Everyone tries their best to make him cool, but Goblin Slayer cannot do such things…!
Oomori: But Kumo-san, is Goblin Slayer’s bow-legged posture okay? I created it from the sample image that I received from Kumo-san.
Kagyuu: Well, Goblin Slayer often “keep low and be ready”…
I think this pose will make fans from the time when I was publishing on the internet smile.
Oomori: I see. Also, Ouka’s design is inspired by a tank from “Goblin Slayer”.
To be honest, the first illustration received was Ouka in Goblin Slayer’s armor, and I sent it back by saying “the story will be for Ouka and Goblin Slayer!”
It was so wonderful that the design made me smile, but it did not match with this collaboration scenario.
■”Goblin Slayer” movie’s prequel and TV anime’s sequel
Oomori: I had experience of collaborating with other works, but I hesitated about the collaboration but I love secondary works.
Kagyuu: I did not know that.
Oomori: When I received an offer of a collaboration with “Dan Machi”, I hesitated.
But I often had a wonderful time talking with Mr. Keiichi Amezawa, the author of “Kino’s Journey”, and I wanted to try because he made me think I can write a wonderful story together with him.
I was nervous because the collaboration was with a legendary author and his legendary work, “Kino’s Journey”, but I could make a wonderful because I exchanged ideas and communicated often with him. This experience got rid of my hesitation for a collaboration.
Kagyuu: I see. That made you invite me to the dinner and ask me to collaborate…lol
—-May I have the point to see on this collaboration?
Oomori: This collaboration story is a prequel of “Goblin Slayer” movie, which depicts the episode of the young female knight, so knowing that in advance, the movie will be more enjoyable.
The best point is the interaction of Bell and Goblin Slayer. It will be a wonderful cultural exchange, so please enjoy it.
Also, the game staffs worked so hard on the production, and the performance of lottery and the background illustration is awesome.
Kagyuu: TPRG is continuously popular, but it is not strong entirely as one genre. I want to spread the wonderfulness of TRPG.
Mr. Oomori just said that the story is the prequel to the movie, and the story itself is also a sequel to the anime. Please enjoy how Goblin Slayer and priest show their growth.
Oomori: Passion from you appears in the scenario. I cannot forget the expressions of the director and the producer when I told them that the story extended up to 28 episodes.
Kagyuu: I am so sorry about that…lol
Oomori: I want to help the collaboration to success because I caused so much trouble to them. Kumo-san and I will challenge the lottery a lot! lol
