Mokochan, the director of Science SARU’s brand-new adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in The Shell series, has been gaining attention not only for his work on the anime, but his eccentric approach to animation and directing in general. Just last week, he said his method for achieving a truly faithful adaptation of the original manga was to “seek spiritual communion” with Shirow and even pray to an imaginary image of the (still very much alive) author. But now, the origin of Mokochan’s unusual alias and the has gone viral among Japanese anime fans.
In a recent interview with Pen Online, Mokochan – whose career in the anime industry was kicked off by a passion for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and solidified through his contributions to the Dandadan anime, says his nickname is not at all intended as a joke. “There was a time when I thought to myself, ‘Just discard your ego and become a drawing machine!’ and from that moment, I started thinking of myself as Mokochan. I’m not fooling around with it, I believe it’s my own way of taking responsibility with sincerity,” he says.
Quite appropriately for his “drawing machine” ideal, Mokochan says he has “absolutely no intention” to flaunt his own sensibilities when working on anime. Rather than individual sensibility, he considers “physicality” to be much more important for anime production.
As he explains, “Animation production involves enormous and complex organizations, with people fulfilling a wide variety of roles. The process is highly specialized, and there are times when, rather than expressing originality, what’s required is the technical ability to draw according to instructions. But the moment something passes through your own hands and becomes your output, it inevitably begins to bear the imprint of its creator. Once I came to trust that kind of physical signature, I stopped feeling any particular need to express myself.” According to Mokochan, this stance of his has not changed even now that he’s made his directorial debut.
The Ghost in The Shell anime is airing now via Prime Video.
