Introduction
Staff M:
Mr. Hattori, thank you for joining us today.
I just recently learned that a Millions Knives figure was being made. As a fan, what I always felt about TRIGUN STAMPEDE is that at its core, it’s a story about brothers. At the center are Knives and Vash, with the story unfolding around their past, what they want to protect, and the friends they make. Knives ends up being a powerful enemy, but he’s also the protagonist’s brother. He’s a very complex character and, for me personally, one who really lingers in the heart. His tragic story almost brings you to tears.
Hattori:
Oh, wow. It makes you tear up? That’s such a unique way of putting it!
Staff M:
So, the Kotobukiya TRIGUN STAMPEDE figure series has already reached its fourth release, but I don’t think it would have been complete as a full collection without Knives.
How about you?
Hattori:
Yeah...but before we get into that, I want to talk about you, Staff M.
You’ve appeared in the previous interview too, and a lot of readers said they couldn’t stop wondering about you. I thought it might be good if you explained a little more about who you are, lol.
Staff M:
Me?! lol
Hattori:
People have been wondering if you worked on Trigun, if you’re a sculptor, or maybe you’re someone from an overseas media outlet.
Staff M:
Yes. So, I belong to Kotobukiya’s licensing team.
I handle such things as communications with the licensors, including our company’s Trigun projects. Of course, I’m also an OG Trigun fan, too.
The reason this interview series began was because, when I first saw the Stampede Vash figure, I immediately felt this immense aura emanating from its face.
I realized that a sculptor’s job isn’t just to take the character design sheet and faithfully recreate the same face. That Vash figure made me realize that there’s something deeper, that sculptors must use new and old skills and techniques they’ve built up over the years to capture the complexities of the character. That was the inspiration for this interview series.
Hattori:
Interesting!
Staff M:
Sculptors like yourself are able to express so much in the face, like Vash’s complex feelings and emotional scars. I wonder, how do you all do that? I’m always saying to myself, sculptors really are artists.
So that’s why I’m here interviewing you.
Hattori:
So Staff M, you’re a Trigun fan and you also work on the Kotobukiya Trigun projects.
Staff M:
I’m really interested in the work of sculptors. But I’m not a sculptor myself.
Hattori:
Ah, I see, I see, lol.
Staff M:
Having an in-house sculpting team is rare, right? It’s one of the things that makes Kotobukiya so unique.
Hattori:
Yeah, for a manufacturer to have its own sculptors, and a whole team at that, that’s pretty uncommon.
Staff M:
Not every company has that. Here, we can actually plan products together with the sculptors. Since it’s such an important part of the process, I’ll always randomly invite them over to have a chat. That’s the kind of person I am.
Hattori:
Good, I think I finally understand you a little more now.
Staff M:
There was also pressure from within the company. Like, “Staff M, give them a better explanation of who you are.”
Hattori:
I get it, people were also telling me “We can’t concentrate on what you're saying.”
Everyone was too interested in Staff M, like, who’s this guy?
Staff M:
I’m also involved in product promotion and stuff too, you know!
Main Interview
Topic 1. Recreating Knives as a Figure
Hattori:
So, the Knives figure!
As far as I know, there’s never been a full-scale figure of Knives. Not anywhere in the world.
Or at least one that’s been commercially available.
So, right off the bat, that right there is a huge pressure.
Staff M:
Yeah, we at least know for sure that this will be the first Kotobukiya Millions Knives figure.
We did make Vash and Wolfwood for the Trigun: Badlands Rumble movie series, but Knives is completely new, right?
The sculpt has already started a little, right?
Hattori:
Actually, yes. At the time of this interview, we’ve already begun a little.
Staff M:
So, you're really feeling the pressure then, huh?
Hattori:
Yes! It’s fun, but bringing a character into 3D and being responsible for its figure debut comes with a lot of pressure.
As a sculptor, you need people to actually see the piece before anything can really be said.
But as of now, there’s nothing to show.
Staff M:
Yeah. We are doing this under special circumstances after all. Usually, we talk after the painted master is finished.
But this time, we’re doing this at the very beginning. What are you thinking and feeling at the moment?
Hattori:
When we do these interviews when the figure is already finished, honestly, I’m pretty relaxed, lol.
When it’s finished, I can talk about everything. Like, “So, this part was made this way.”
But since we don’t have anything, I honestly don’t even know how things will turn out.
Staff M:
I’d love to share your thoughts and feelings at this stage of the process with our readers.
Hattori:
I’m panicking lol.
Staff M:
I can’t blame you!
Hattori:
Also, you know how Kotobukiya does those year-end surveys asking what fans want made into products? Knives got a huge number of votes last year. That greatly influenced making this figure happen. We got the message loud and clear, no mistake.
Staff M:
See! It’s not just me, everyone’s excited!
For me, Knives was a character who really left a deep impression on me, so I’ve always wanted a figure of him.
It makes me very happy to know that everyone else wanted one too.
Topic 2. Knives
Staff M:
So, while it’s a bit scary with the pressure, do you also have things you’re excited about as a sculptor? Like designs or new techniques you want to try, or things you want to do differently.
Hattori:
Yes! After all, if people just look and think, “Oh yeah, I’ve seen this before,” then there’s no point in making it, right? If it doesn’t feel very new, then it’s not interesting, so I always make sure to include something I’ve never done before.
Knives’ pose and composition have already been decided, but figuring out how to bring that into the figure will involve a lot of fresh challenges.
Staff M:
Right, Knives’ knives themselves have an incredibly complex mechanic. I saw the detailed design sheets at the Trigun Exhibition and thought making them would be really tough.
Recreating the knives seems like it will definitely be a challenge.
Hattori:
I mean, his name is “Millions” Knives, right? So, how do you show such a massive number of knives in a figure? It’s not like you can just cram in thousands or tens of thousands of them. The question is, how do you make it look good as a display piece, something pleasing to look at?
Staff M, do you get where I’m coming from?
Staff M:
After all, even a single knife feels like it has a million details.
Each and every one.
Hattori:
And then on top of that, there’s an insane number of them. It’s crazy, haha.
Staff M:
Not only beautifully recreating them in figure form, but also working out how to incorporate them into the pose, that will be really tough, right?
Hattori:
Making the knives themselves will be manageable, but then how do I show the sense of motion? That’s what’s stumping me.
Staff M:
Yeah, with Nicholas, you expressed motion by making it appear like there was wind blowing from below.
Hattori:
Yeah. Back then I even said I wanted people to “feel the sound” of it. But with knives, what kind of movement do they have, what kind of sound do they make? Knives are kind of scary, you know?
Staff M:
Yeah, words like “beautiful” don't really go together with knives.
Topic 3. Contrast Between Brothers
Hattori:
Also, in the anime, Knives first appears as an eerie, non-human figure. He’s got an inhuman feel to him. I want to capture that eeriness too.
Staff M:
Right! That’s an important part of Knives too.
But while he’s this eerie figure, he also still loves Vash.
Hattori:
He loves him way too much.
Staff M:
What resonated with me in the anime is how clearly Knives’ pure heart is portrayed. Even though he’s fighting so fiercely, in the end, he’s still Vash’s brother. He wants to protect Vash, and he loves him dearly. That’s made crystal clear. And honestly, what I’m looking forward to is how that feeling will be incorporated into the figure.
Hattori:
I’ve been thinking about that a lot too. When deciding the pose and composition, I wanted to make sure to include the “twin brothers” element, that contrast between the older and younger one.
But in truth, they both share the same feelings, right? Like, they're two sides of the same coin. I feel like that’s kind of the underlying concept of their relationship. But then, how do you express that in a figure? What Knives is trying to protect, and what Vash is trying to protect.
Staff M:
I can’t wait to see!
Hattori:
Vash’s figure has already been released, so you already know, but behind him we included the townscape of Jeneora Rock. That town was meant as a symbol of Vash’s desire to protect people.
So then what about Knives? That’s kind of the million-dollar question, haha.
Staff M:
The bases have always been quite distinctive. So I’m very curious what will be included in this one. I bet it’s already been decided, hasn’t it?
Hattori:
Yes, it’s been decided. It hasn’t been made yet, but we know what the concept will be.
Actually, I consulted with you back when we were deciding on the concept. I asked what you think we should do. So, in a way, you’ve been pretty deeply involved in this Knives figure since the planning stage.
Staff M:
I remember answering honestly, too. There was something I thought only I liked, but then you said you liked it too, and I was surprised.
Hattori:
Yeah. We liked the exact same thing.
Staff M:
It was the robe! I thought I was in the minority for liking it. I remember, I even said it quietly, “I like his robe.”
Hattori:
I might be giving too much away, but I think the robe is part of what gives him that ominous, uncanny feeling. If you saw him creeping towards you with it on, it’d be terrifying!
Staff M:
It’s kind of mysterious, right?
Hattori:
Exactly. And from a figure perspective, it makes it easier to create that uncanny, mysterious feeling, too.
Staff M:
This is something I’d like to ask Orange (creators of the second Trigun anime series) about, but that robe has a hood, right? Another person also has a hood. It’s Vash, right?
Hattori:
Yes!
Staff M:
They’re two halves of one whole.
Hattori:
Yeah, definitely. They embody this idea of contrasting brothers.
Since the original series didn’t have that robe or hood, I feel like Orange’s anime emphasized their relationship even more by adding that hooded robe.
Or that’s my fan theory at least, haha.
Staff M:
That robe is so unique, it almost makes him look alien.
But it suits him perfectly.
Isn’t it really hard to turn that kind of design into a figure?
Hattori:
It is!
Staff M:
I’m sure it’s tough. Sorry, I’m just saying whatever comes to mind, haha.
Another part of the character of Knives is the skin, right? It’s incredibly detailed, so I’m really interested to see what you do.
Hattori:
You’re talking about the jagged Plant pattern that shows up on his skin, right? They’re incredibly prominent on Knives, but they only appear occasionally on Vash. It’s definitely an aspect of his character that we have to include in this figure.
Staff M:
Actually, I really pushed for that. At the concept stage, I said, “You absolutely have to include this.” It’s such an awesome part of his design.
Hattori:
There’s no way we could do this figure without it, but the issue is figuring out how to show it!
Staff M:
It’s easy for me to say that something should be included, but for you, as the actual artist, you have to figure out how to balance it with the rest of the figure, right?
Hattori:
Yeah, I’m trembling at the thought of even approaching it!
Staff M:
The combination of the hood, the robe, and the skin is incredibly striking. It’s one of the things I’m most excited about.
Sorry, me saying that just adds to the pressure, doesn’t it?
Topic 4. Challenges Creating the Figure
Staff M:
Out of the elements of the figure, are there any you think will be particularly hard to tackle? Any you wonder, “Can we even do this?”
Hattori:
With Knives, honestly, almost everything. It’s all difficult!
Creating the character itself isn’t the problem, but all the details, like the knives, the Plant patterns, the base, everything has some new element we’ve never done.
It’s completely different from Vash or Wolfwood.
The only thing I can breathe a little easier about is the hexagonal base. That part is fixed and the same. But what goes on top of it, that’s going to be tough.
Staff M:
You’ve been thinking about a lot of stuff such as the Plants, right?
Hattori:
Yes, we have.
We obviously want it to look good on display, so a lot is still up in the air, haha.
Staff M:
I hope everyone’s looking forward to it!
Thank you.
In Closing
Staff M:
Among all the characters in Stampede, Knives definitely has the most complexity in his thoughts and motivations. I’m really looking forward to seeing how that gets expressed in the figure’s face, eyes, and overall vibe.
Hattori:
You mentioned the eyes, that’s also another contrast with Vash.
Like, “Since Vash’s figure looks like this, then we’ve got to make Knives look like that.”
Staff M:
Right, Knives’ figure exists because there’s already a Vash the Stampede figure!
It’s not just a standalone figure but part of a larger Kotobukiya series.
Hattori:
Exactly! It’s a whole series.
But when I was working on Vash, nothing had been decided yet about Wolfwood or Knives. And I know you know that, Staff M. It was just a standalone Vash project.
Then it was like, “What’s next?” and Wolfwood got the green light. But even then, Knives hadn't been decided at that time.
Staff M:
I only found out about the Knives figure very recently.
Hattori:
Exactly! But in the end, when you line them up as a series, it looks like there was a big overarching concept behind it all.
Staff M:
Yes, that’s really important. That sense of unity, the consistent design language.
Beloved works always have those intentional commonalities between characters and designs.
It’s super satisfying as a customer when a series has that unity.
Hattori:
One other piece of good luck is that I’ve been able to sculpt all of them myself. The schedules lined up perfectly. If they hadn’t, another sculptor might have been assigned. But thankfully, I got to do them, and that’s why I’m able to give them that sense of unity.
Staff M:
And the project leads understand that too.
They know how important it is for you to be the one making them.
Hattori:
They’ve stayed consistent about that.
Staff M:
I can’t wait to see the figure!
We’re doing this interview on June 4, 2025, but it won’t be coming out for some time.
Once the painted master is finished, I’d like to sit down for another interview.
Thank you so much for your time today!
Hattori:
Thank you!
Check out the sculpt of Knives here!
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