Director's HAZARD is a twenty-minute video interview with several of the main BIO developers. It was filmed at the El Camino bar in Osaka and released on March 22, 2001 as part of the BIOHAZARD 5th Anniversary Special Package ~Nightmare Returns~, in the same DVD as the Wesker's Report.
A subtitled version of the video can be found HERE.
Project Umbrella Translation
Director's HAZARD
Shinji Mikami
"BIO HAZARD" Director
Mikami: I was initially alone. For half a year.
"BIO HAZARD" Began All Alone
Interviewer: You were alone?
Mikami: I did it while I was training new employees.
Interviewer: People would join and one left along the way. So you were a lonely character?
Mikami: Oh, that was one of the background staff.
Interviewer: So there was only one person in charge of the backgrounds.
Mikami: Usually there's one leader who's in charge of managing all of the staff, but early in the morning over the wallboard partition I was told that several members were quitting and how there was no hope.
The Runaway of the Background Design Team
Mikami: I thought I was one without hope.
YOU OUT THERE WHO QUIT, HOW'S YOUR LIFE GOING?
The First Player Reaction
Kamiya: I went to one of the game shows that was exhibiting BIO, just in case. For a visit. There I saw people playing it. One of them made Chris go toward the sleeping zombie and became startled as the zombie grabbed Chris. But because that guy was playing alone, there was nobody around and the moment he realized that his ears got all red. At that moment I realized that he was scared and that kind of made me happy.
Did You Think "BIO HAZARD" Was Going to Sell?
Kato: I didn't think it was gonna sell.
Interviewer: You didn't think it'd sell at all?
Kato: No I don't mean not at all, but I thought maybe around 200 to 300 thousand.
Karatsuma: 200 to 300 thousand is enough.
Mikami: It's lower than my number. I was 400 to 500 thousand.
Karatsuma: When the reviews from Famitsu came, I was really surprised. It was rated 9 or 10 and I thought it was some kind of joke. It was like wow... My prediction was around 7:7:4:7. I thought since there were those that hated the game.
7:7:4:7????
Kato: Because the controls are really difficult and also the horror genre is kind of rare, right? I didn't think it'd sell that much.
Karatsuma: Yeah, I didn't think it'd go that far... I first thought around four, so the number was extremely good.
Mikami: You guys are terrible.
YOU GUYS ARE TERRIBLE
Kamiya: When I first joined alone, Karatsuma was working hard trying to put the programming together. Right? Why, I didn't say anything. Okay, okay, l'll drink.
Karatsuma: What's your problem, you're annoying.
The Idea Toward "Full Polygon Style"
Interviewer: You wanted to use full polygon for BIO1 which would be kind of like PS2 spec today. Um, you know, like what "Devil" does. So you had in mind something similar to it but it was impossible?
Kamiya: It's impossible even if you die.
The Number of Polygons Wasn't Enough
Kamiya: Cause there was five subcharacters. The moment there was five subcharacters it made it just impossible.
Karatsuma: That's why I came up with strange ideas such as making only half the body and letting it appear from sideways and so on.
Kato: There was initially four mansions right? There was mansion one to mansion four. But we had to make it half.
Interviewer: If you had more time, would you have come up with more mansions or subcharacters?
Mikami: I think I would.
Interviewer: You were going to come up with it, I mean you wouldn't mind about the volume?
Mikami: Yeah, It would've been a disaster.
The Original's Production Volume was Huge?
Kamiya: There was mansion one, mansion two, mansion three and mansion four and when we came in, there was mansion one, mansion two and mansion four. Mansion three had been already cut out.
Mikami: Yeah that was cut out immediately.
Kamiya: Yeah.
Aoyama: When I joined, they were only up to mansion two.
Kamiya: No, there was more before it. During a time when Mikami-san was on a business trip of his to Tokyo, I was told "Kamiya-san, you better upload the map of mansion four." I drew the map for mansion four. I created the mansion four map before Mikami-san returned, but it ended up getting turned down.
Thoughts Toward "BIO HAZARD"
Hiroki Kato (CODE:Veronica Director)
Interviewer: Do you have any memories or feelings toward BIOHAZARD?
Kato: It was really tough. But I think it was good to enter a tough line when I joined the company.
Thoughts Toward "BIO HAZARD"
Hideki Kamiya (BIOHAZARD 2 Director)
Kamiya: When us newcomers first checked out the games being developed in the company, I was most interested in "BIO." We were called Team Horror.
Karatsuma: The Horror Team.
Kamiya: It was the line that determined my fate... Also it was a traumatic experience.
Mikami: You're not talking about the work.
Interviewer: All you're talking about is your inner feelings.
Kato: We got in trouble with Mikami-san. That's all.
Thoughts Toward "BIO HAZARD"
Kazuhiro Aoyama (BIO HAZARD 3 Director)
Aoyama: I learned a lot from it.
Kamiya: Hey wait a second. Let's stop making Aoyama-san the only good guy.
The Consumption of "Horror"
Interviewer: In a sense, as the BIOHAZARD series increases, there's this part that the horror characteristics are kind of consumed. It becomes more of a sense of surprise rather than a feeling of fear.
Mikami: But it can still be done.
Interviewer: So I guess in those terms, there's still possibilities?
Mikami: Because you can do almost anything.
Interviewer: I guess that means there's always some sort of new ideas in your head.
Mikami: Yep, they still keep coming.
About Being Thought of As "Brutal"
Interviewer: I assume it doesn't mean you want to make people happy by showing brutal images, but...
Mikami: No, my goal wasn't to make splatter, it was more like I thought it'd be great as long as there are people that have fun being scared. We're kind of like an entertainer engaged in service work, so I tried to focus on those aspects as I engaged in the work. Also honestly speaking, I didn't want any unnecessary interruptions.
Interviewer: So that idea's always stayed with you?
Mikami: Yes, it hasn't changed at all.
When Looking Back On the Graphics of "BIO HAZARD"...
Interviewer: When I look at the graphics back then, in today's perspective it's kind of tough on the eyes.
Mikami: Yeah, if you look at it nowadays. But back then, I thought the quality was quite good. But yeah, when you look at it now, it's kinda dated.
Would You Like to Do It Over Again?
Interviewer: I guess it's always the player's wish to see great graphics, but is that your wish as well? Like a creator's desire?
Mikami: Yeah, I like a challenge. I want to release quality for the next gen devices.
Hideki Kamiya
"BIOHAZARD 2" Director
Mr. Mikami's Position in "BIOHAZARD 2"
Interviewer: Were you involved more after 1 was finished and it became 2?
Mikami: Yeah, and I was more involved in 2 than 3.
Interviewer: Volume, I mean involvement wise, I guess 1 was number one? And I guess you'd be involved but kind of fading away as it became 2 and 3.
Mikami: Yeah, gradually fading out.
Interviewer: But you were somewhat involved in 2, right? How was 2?
What "BIOHAZARD 2" Meant to Shinji Mikami
Mikami: With 2 I thought it'd be good if Kamiya-san's ideas were expressed.
Interviewer: He's asleep though...
Mikami: Yeah, he's asleep.
Interviewer: He's dead.
Kato: But his ideas were expressed too much, so we had to do it over.
The Illusive "BIOHAZARD 1.5"
Interviewer: Oh yeah, the time of 1.5. Magazines already had features about it as the next BIO HAZARD game.
Mikami: Yeah, they featured it.
Interviewer: Yeah, featured the characters and so on. But it got cancelled.
Mikami: Cause this one wouldn't listen to me. I did everything to come up with ideas, but I made them do whatever they wanted to do, and as it was completed everyone was all excited whether I liked it or not.
Interviewer: When you made the decision to call off 1.5, wasn't everyone shocked?
Mikami: No.
Kato: But we kind of accepted it right?
Mikami: Yeah, they kind of got over it relatively quickly. We all checked the bugs and everyone agreed they wanted to do it over 'cus it wasn't fun.
Karatsuma: It's kind of depressing when the thing you created isn't fun, but it really wasn't fun.
Interviewer: Were you relieved to hear that?
Mikami: Instead of relief, I thought there were more reactions like; "good, that's better."
About the "Zapping System"
Interviewer: We got quite a number of complaints about the zapping, like "that's not really zapping."
Mikami: That was tough. If it's one way, you can actually progress but you want to make the players progress freely and also want to provide the zapping too, so when we had to make a choice, we couldn't help but select the freedom of progression. And when we actually came up with the scenario, like what would this guy be doing when this happens, it became inconsistent, then we were in trouble.
Cause he's the one who was in charge of TOFU's voice.
Tofu Survivor
Karatsuma: I did it.
Mikami: I asked him to use Kansai dialect.
Aoyama: Please say "MOU AKAN"
Karatsuma: "MOU AKAN" (I'm dead/I'm in deep shit)
Aoyama: This was included.
Mikami: I didn't want them to process this.
Karatsuma: They raised the pitch.
Mikami: Yeah, cause it was processed. I wanted them to record as it was. Cause the pitch is high enough.
Karatsuma: Even then I was really embarrassed, cause there were many people watching when we recorded it with the microphone.
We're very sorry but since Director Kamiya got wasted, it became impossible to continue the discussion. We deeply apologize that Director Kamiya didn't say a word about BIO2.
Sincerely,
The BIO Team
Kazuhiro Aoyama
BIOHAZARD3 Director
The First Number Was 1.9
Kato: The title was "1.9"
Karatsuma: Yeah.
Aoyama: Yeah, it was canned.
Kato: It was called "1.9" and was kind of around the same time as "Veronica"
Interviewer: So the release was about the same time as Veronica
Karatsuma: *CENSORED*
Kato: I think it was around the same time as Veronica
Mikami: (To Karatsuma's censored comment) That was impossible.
Story Concept
Aoyama: First before we did the Dual Shock, what was it in 2?
Mikami: Yeah the story before.
Aoyama: We were wondering whether we could come up with a game based on a small episode in 2. That's where it got started and it became kind of a gaiden episode, and then the Dual Shock was introduced so we came up with the idea of doing something with it after it was done.
The Avant-Garde Traps of "BIO HAZARD 3"
Interviewer: I was pretty pissed off by the traps. You know, the crank would break if you use it.
Karatsuma: That was kind of fun.
Aoyama: It just snaps.
Karatsuma: I thought it was BIO like I'd never seen before.
Interviewer: I was stunned.
Kato: The thing that surprised me most was when I rotated the mayor's statue or something and a battery came out. It was like, why?
Karatsuma: I thought that was crazy. The outrageousness was so BIO.
Interviewer: It surpassed the police station in 2...
Karatsuma: The outrageousness was so BIO, but the part where the crank breaks and you can't get through was something I'd never seen in BIO. Cause in most cases you can get through immediately.
The "Atmosphere" that "BIOHAZARD 3 (1.9)" Aimed For
Interviewer: When you think in those terms, 3 is unique, or should I say does everything it wants to. It kind of leaves it up to the players.
Aoyama: We got a lot of new blood.
Interviewer: You summed it up well. Also at the end of 3, Raccoon City is destroyed. Didn't you think that the people left there would be in trouble?
Goodbye Raccoon City
Aoyama: Let's finish talking about Raccoon City.
The Three Concepts
Mikami: The thing I first wanted to create was three concepts. There are these three scary concepts and one's seen through the bustle of the town, as you enter a building and see rooms one after another. It's this craziness where people outside will be screaming and running away as they're surrounded by fire and the sound of sirens. Loads of zombies are attacking as they make growling sounds. As you enter the quiet building, you're looking for a good item but you hear a sound. "Is anybody there?" Another is, in the beginning of the game, it's difficult to understand the city's landscape. So as you move through the city, you kind of get the map in your head and think "Oh I kind of understand most of the positions and distances," but the moment Jill passes out and when she regains consciousness, half a day has already passed and its midnight. So when she's told that she has to return to get her item back, even though you think you understand it, the landscape looks totally different since it's pitch black and the city looks totally different. In addition to that there are powerful monsters all around. Furthermore, since it's in a big city, I wanted players to constantly be attacked. So I wanted to challenge them based on those three concepts. That was the beginning.
Karatsuma: What makes it tough is that you have to sell it to a million people.
Aoyama: It was like, come up with a BIOHAZARD for everyone.
Karatsuma: So since we got one million with the "gaiden", we felt better as we were told it would be aimed at only some people.
Aiming for the Indies
Interviewer: Since you became practical minded with the "gaiden", I think you're practical for the central games.
Aoyama: I really wanted to do more, but...
Mikami: So in the beginning we were talking about how to do it indie-style. We had a discussion with Okamoto-san that lasted three days. We were prepared with our resignation letters.
When "1.9" Became "3"
Interviewer: Was it like betraying the players in a sense?
Why Didn't You Want It To Be "3"?
Mikami: I mean in the sense that it was different from what we initially wanted to create. Also, if it was going to be listed as "3", we had to make the content so that many people would buy it. So, those two were the reasons.
The Director's Thoughts
Interviewer: What'd you emphasize most in 3? I mean as a director?
Aoyama: What, my emphasis? Why're you guys laughing? I wanted to have fun.
Hiroki Kato
"BIOHAZARD CODE:Veronica" Director
Interviewer: Who thought of coming up with "Veronica"? I wanted to ask about that.
The Start of "CODE:Veronica"
Kato: Wasn't it Mr. Okamoto? It was the Sega Saturn version. We were told we could port BIO2 to the Saturn but...
Mikami: Yeah, yeah! I remember! I remember it all!
HE'S DRUNK.
Mikami: We were initially trying to port a Saturn version of BIO2. We could do it if we really lowered the quality, but we told them that was impossible for us to do. So we were told to release something for SEGA fans. So, we had to extend the schedule and come up with an original game. Then they told us that if they'd have to wait, we had to enhance the quality, and so that was how Veronica was created.
Interviewer: So it was something that came up along the way.
Kato: Yeah. It was before 3 was released. You know, usually sequel movies succeed in part one and part two but often fail in part three, right? That's why before we failed with 3, we thought we should go back to the tropes of 1.
Mr. Kato's perspective on "Veronica"
Interviewer: Even though I haven't done Wesker's Report with Kato-san this time, we've talked a lot. Wesker in BIO1 is quite a fool, isn't he?
Thoughts on Wesker
Mikami: I didn't mean to make Wesker look foolish. The bioweapon he created was said to be the ultimate weapon, and turned out to be against the laws of nature. After all, the human creations went out of control and caused a lot of harm to humans. It was simply "what goes around comes around" to Wesker. It was all intentional. He may look foolish to shallow thinkers.
Interviewer: Well, that's hard to get, though. By the way, she looks very masculine in Veronica, doesn't she? She's equipped with two sub-machineguns.
Claire's Image Change
Kato: It's natural to make sequels if you're asked to, right? I think it's inevitable... when you come to make a sequel.
Isn't He Off-Topic?
Interviewer: What's inevitable?
Kato: I mean the part where Claire looks for her brother.
HE'S QUITE DRUNK.
Everyone: He can't even talk. Why don't you be quiet? I just don't get it.
Interviewer: I think you were thinking about BIO1 as a concept.
Not Admitting Either "2" or "3" as Sequels
Kato: Right. That's why I don't think BIO2 and 3 are sequels.
Interviewer: Okay, we should regard "Veronica" a separate line from 1, 2 and 3.
Thoughts on the 5th Anniversary
Mikami: Five years passed, neither too quickly or too slowly.
Interviewer: I think you've been releasing BIO games quite continuously.
Mikami: I've just been doing what I could.
Interviewer: How do you feel about your involvement in the games being made less and less as you release sequels? Do you feel pained or sad?
Mikami: Yeah, it's tough of course. I might've said this before in a magazine, but I feel like I'm giving away my adorable daughter to some man to marry.
Interviewer: You often appear in broadcast media as a producer. What would you like to say about the BIO series? Do you feel any dilemma?
Dilemma as a Producer
Mikami: Yes, I feel that too.
Interviewer: What kind?
Mikami: I think a producer should speak about his intentions and such things in broadcast media. He should stand on the front lines to speak his mind. I believe that's the purest form of a director.
Interviewer: You're saying this is your domain of freedom?
Mikami: Yes, I am.
Thoughts on Future Creations
Mikami: I just want to keep my stance as a sane creator.
Interviewer: I'm sure that users are impatiently waiting for BIO4. What kind of notions do you have for BIO4? How do you think it will fit in the series after Veronica?
Thoughts on "BIOHAZARD 4"
Mikami: It'll be relatively brand new. It will be completely new in every aspect.
Is "BIOHAZARD 4" Really in Production?
Interviewer: You mean it's a brand new line of BIOHAZARD. People may think BIO4 isn't in production.
Mikami: It's in production, indeed. Well, I just want it to be so perfect. We're just taking time for it. We've always had little time, but we decided to take the time to produce a good game this time, just like BIO1. I'm not involved in development within the studio now, yet, I guess it's been five years since the last time I OK'd a production.
What are the Graphics Like in "4"?
Interviewer: Can we expect future productions from you as a director, not a producer?
Mikami: You could expect that. However, I have no clue how many I can direct, though.
Interviewer: Okay, then. Why don't you make a promise for users here? You promise that your project is underway.
Mr. Mikami is Working as Director for the Next Production. (Not "4", though)
Mikami: Yes, it's underway. You can expect it.
A New Project Directed by Shinji Mikami is Now in Production.
Clues to this Project are Found in This Video.
Coming soon.
Shinji Mikami
"BIO HAZARD" Director
Mikami: I was initially alone. For half a year.
"BIO HAZARD" Began All Alone
Interviewer: You were alone?
Mikami: I did it while I was training new employees.
Interviewer: People would join and one left along the way. So you were a lonely character?
Mikami: Oh, that was one of the background staff.
Interviewer: So there was only one person in charge of the backgrounds.
Mikami: Usually there's one leader who's in charge of managing all of the staff, but early in the morning over the wallboard partition I was told that several members were quitting and how there was no hope.
The Runaway of the Background Design Team
Mikami: I thought I was one without hope.
YOU OUT THERE WHO QUIT, HOW'S YOUR LIFE GOING?
The First Player Reaction
Kamiya: I went to one of the game shows that was exhibiting BIO, just in case. For a visit. There I saw people playing it. One of them made Chris go toward the sleeping zombie and became startled as the zombie grabbed Chris. But because that guy was playing alone, there was nobody around and the moment he realized that his ears got all red. At that moment I realized that he was scared and that kind of made me happy.
Did You Think "BIO HAZARD" Was Going to Sell?
Kato: I didn't think it was gonna sell.
Interviewer: You didn't think it'd sell at all?
Kato: No I don't mean not at all, but I thought maybe around 200 to 300 thousand.
Karatsuma: 200 to 300 thousand is enough.
Mikami: It's lower than my number. I was 400 to 500 thousand.
Karatsuma: When the reviews from Famitsu came, I was really surprised. It was rated 9 or 10 and I thought it was some kind of joke. It was like wow... My prediction was around 7:7:4:7. I thought since there were those that hated the game.
7:7:4:7????
Kato: Because the controls are really difficult and also the horror genre is kind of rare, right? I didn't think it'd sell that much.
Karatsuma: Yeah, I didn't think it'd go that far... I first thought around four, so the number was extremely good.
Mikami: You guys are terrible.
YOU GUYS ARE TERRIBLE
Kamiya: When I first joined alone, Karatsuma was working hard trying to put the programming together. Right? Why, I didn't say anything. Okay, okay, l'll drink.
Karatsuma: What's your problem, you're annoying.
The Idea Toward "Full Polygon Style"
Interviewer: You wanted to use full polygon for BIO1 which would be kind of like PS2 spec today. Um, you know, like what "Devil" does. So you had in mind something similar to it but it was impossible?
Kamiya: It's impossible even if you die.
The Number of Polygons Wasn't Enough
Kamiya: Cause there was five subcharacters. The moment there was five subcharacters it made it just impossible.
Karatsuma: That's why I came up with strange ideas such as making only half the body and letting it appear from sideways and so on.
Kato: There was initially four mansions right? There was mansion one to mansion four. But we had to make it half.
Interviewer: If you had more time, would you have come up with more mansions or subcharacters?
Mikami: I think I would.
Interviewer: You were going to come up with it, I mean you wouldn't mind about the volume?
Mikami: Yeah, It would've been a disaster.
The Original's Production Volume was Huge?
Kamiya: There was mansion one, mansion two, mansion three and mansion four and when we came in, there was mansion one, mansion two and mansion four. Mansion three had been already cut out.
Mikami: Yeah that was cut out immediately.
Kamiya: Yeah.
Aoyama: When I joined, they were only up to mansion two.
Kamiya: No, there was more before it. During a time when Mikami-san was on a business trip of his to Tokyo, I was told "Kamiya-san, you better upload the map of mansion four." I drew the map for mansion four. I created the mansion four map before Mikami-san returned, but it ended up getting turned down.
Thoughts Toward "BIO HAZARD"
Hiroki Kato (CODE:Veronica Director)
Interviewer: Do you have any memories or feelings toward BIOHAZARD?
Kato: It was really tough. But I think it was good to enter a tough line when I joined the company.
Thoughts Toward "BIO HAZARD"
Hideki Kamiya (BIOHAZARD 2 Director)
Kamiya: When us newcomers first checked out the games being developed in the company, I was most interested in "BIO." We were called Team Horror.
Karatsuma: The Horror Team.
Kamiya: It was the line that determined my fate... Also it was a traumatic experience.
Mikami: You're not talking about the work.
Interviewer: All you're talking about is your inner feelings.
Kato: We got in trouble with Mikami-san. That's all.
Thoughts Toward "BIO HAZARD"
Kazuhiro Aoyama (BIO HAZARD 3 Director)
Aoyama: I learned a lot from it.
Kamiya: Hey wait a second. Let's stop making Aoyama-san the only good guy.
The Consumption of "Horror"
Interviewer: In a sense, as the BIOHAZARD series increases, there's this part that the horror characteristics are kind of consumed. It becomes more of a sense of surprise rather than a feeling of fear.
Mikami: But it can still be done.
Interviewer: So I guess in those terms, there's still possibilities?
Mikami: Because you can do almost anything.
Interviewer: I guess that means there's always some sort of new ideas in your head.
Mikami: Yep, they still keep coming.
About Being Thought of As "Brutal"
Interviewer: I assume it doesn't mean you want to make people happy by showing brutal images, but...
Mikami: No, my goal wasn't to make splatter, it was more like I thought it'd be great as long as there are people that have fun being scared. We're kind of like an entertainer engaged in service work, so I tried to focus on those aspects as I engaged in the work. Also honestly speaking, I didn't want any unnecessary interruptions.
Interviewer: So that idea's always stayed with you?
Mikami: Yes, it hasn't changed at all.
When Looking Back On the Graphics of "BIO HAZARD"...
Interviewer: When I look at the graphics back then, in today's perspective it's kind of tough on the eyes.
Mikami: Yeah, if you look at it nowadays. But back then, I thought the quality was quite good. But yeah, when you look at it now, it's kinda dated.
Would You Like to Do It Over Again?
Interviewer: I guess it's always the player's wish to see great graphics, but is that your wish as well? Like a creator's desire?
Mikami: Yeah, I like a challenge. I want to release quality for the next gen devices.
Hideki Kamiya
"BIOHAZARD 2" Director
Mr. Mikami's Position in "BIOHAZARD 2"
Interviewer: Were you involved more after 1 was finished and it became 2?
Mikami: Yeah, and I was more involved in 2 than 3.
Interviewer: Volume, I mean involvement wise, I guess 1 was number one? And I guess you'd be involved but kind of fading away as it became 2 and 3.
Mikami: Yeah, gradually fading out.
Interviewer: But you were somewhat involved in 2, right? How was 2?
What "BIOHAZARD 2" Meant to Shinji Mikami
Mikami: With 2 I thought it'd be good if Kamiya-san's ideas were expressed.
Interviewer: He's asleep though...
Mikami: Yeah, he's asleep.
Interviewer: He's dead.
Kato: But his ideas were expressed too much, so we had to do it over.
The Illusive "BIOHAZARD 1.5"
Interviewer: Oh yeah, the time of 1.5. Magazines already had features about it as the next BIO HAZARD game.
Mikami: Yeah, they featured it.
Interviewer: Yeah, featured the characters and so on. But it got cancelled.
Mikami: Cause this one wouldn't listen to me. I did everything to come up with ideas, but I made them do whatever they wanted to do, and as it was completed everyone was all excited whether I liked it or not.
Interviewer: When you made the decision to call off 1.5, wasn't everyone shocked?
Mikami: No.
Kato: But we kind of accepted it right?
Mikami: Yeah, they kind of got over it relatively quickly. We all checked the bugs and everyone agreed they wanted to do it over 'cus it wasn't fun.
Karatsuma: It's kind of depressing when the thing you created isn't fun, but it really wasn't fun.
Interviewer: Were you relieved to hear that?
Mikami: Instead of relief, I thought there were more reactions like; "good, that's better."
About the "Zapping System"
Interviewer: We got quite a number of complaints about the zapping, like "that's not really zapping."
Mikami: That was tough. If it's one way, you can actually progress but you want to make the players progress freely and also want to provide the zapping too, so when we had to make a choice, we couldn't help but select the freedom of progression. And when we actually came up with the scenario, like what would this guy be doing when this happens, it became inconsistent, then we were in trouble.
Cause he's the one who was in charge of TOFU's voice.
Tofu Survivor
Karatsuma: I did it.
Mikami: I asked him to use Kansai dialect.
Aoyama: Please say "MOU AKAN"
Karatsuma: "MOU AKAN" (I'm dead/I'm in deep shit)
Aoyama: This was included.
Mikami: I didn't want them to process this.
Karatsuma: They raised the pitch.
Mikami: Yeah, cause it was processed. I wanted them to record as it was. Cause the pitch is high enough.
Karatsuma: Even then I was really embarrassed, cause there were many people watching when we recorded it with the microphone.
We're very sorry but since Director Kamiya got wasted, it became impossible to continue the discussion. We deeply apologize that Director Kamiya didn't say a word about BIO2.
Sincerely,
The BIO Team
Kazuhiro Aoyama
BIOHAZARD3 Director
The First Number Was 1.9
Kato: The title was "1.9"
Karatsuma: Yeah.
Aoyama: Yeah, it was canned.
Kato: It was called "1.9" and was kind of around the same time as "Veronica"
Interviewer: So the release was about the same time as Veronica
Karatsuma: *CENSORED*
Kato: I think it was around the same time as Veronica
Mikami: (To Karatsuma's censored comment) That was impossible.
Story Concept
Aoyama: First before we did the Dual Shock, what was it in 2?
Mikami: Yeah the story before.
Aoyama: We were wondering whether we could come up with a game based on a small episode in 2. That's where it got started and it became kind of a gaiden episode, and then the Dual Shock was introduced so we came up with the idea of doing something with it after it was done.
The Avant-Garde Traps of "BIO HAZARD 3"
Interviewer: I was pretty pissed off by the traps. You know, the crank would break if you use it.
Karatsuma: That was kind of fun.
Aoyama: It just snaps.
Karatsuma: I thought it was BIO like I'd never seen before.
Interviewer: I was stunned.
Kato: The thing that surprised me most was when I rotated the mayor's statue or something and a battery came out. It was like, why?
Karatsuma: I thought that was crazy. The outrageousness was so BIO.
Interviewer: It surpassed the police station in 2...
Karatsuma: The outrageousness was so BIO, but the part where the crank breaks and you can't get through was something I'd never seen in BIO. Cause in most cases you can get through immediately.
The "Atmosphere" that "BIOHAZARD 3 (1.9)" Aimed For
Interviewer: When you think in those terms, 3 is unique, or should I say does everything it wants to. It kind of leaves it up to the players.
Aoyama: We got a lot of new blood.
Interviewer: You summed it up well. Also at the end of 3, Raccoon City is destroyed. Didn't you think that the people left there would be in trouble?
Goodbye Raccoon City
Aoyama: Let's finish talking about Raccoon City.
The Three Concepts
Mikami: The thing I first wanted to create was three concepts. There are these three scary concepts and one's seen through the bustle of the town, as you enter a building and see rooms one after another. It's this craziness where people outside will be screaming and running away as they're surrounded by fire and the sound of sirens. Loads of zombies are attacking as they make growling sounds. As you enter the quiet building, you're looking for a good item but you hear a sound. "Is anybody there?" Another is, in the beginning of the game, it's difficult to understand the city's landscape. So as you move through the city, you kind of get the map in your head and think "Oh I kind of understand most of the positions and distances," but the moment Jill passes out and when she regains consciousness, half a day has already passed and its midnight. So when she's told that she has to return to get her item back, even though you think you understand it, the landscape looks totally different since it's pitch black and the city looks totally different. In addition to that there are powerful monsters all around. Furthermore, since it's in a big city, I wanted players to constantly be attacked. So I wanted to challenge them based on those three concepts. That was the beginning.
Karatsuma: What makes it tough is that you have to sell it to a million people.
Aoyama: It was like, come up with a BIOHAZARD for everyone.
Karatsuma: So since we got one million with the "gaiden", we felt better as we were told it would be aimed at only some people.
Aiming for the Indies
Interviewer: Since you became practical minded with the "gaiden", I think you're practical for the central games.
Aoyama: I really wanted to do more, but...
Mikami: So in the beginning we were talking about how to do it indie-style. We had a discussion with Okamoto-san that lasted three days. We were prepared with our resignation letters.
When "1.9" Became "3"
Interviewer: Was it like betraying the players in a sense?
Why Didn't You Want It To Be "3"?
Mikami: I mean in the sense that it was different from what we initially wanted to create. Also, if it was going to be listed as "3", we had to make the content so that many people would buy it. So, those two were the reasons.
The Director's Thoughts
Interviewer: What'd you emphasize most in 3? I mean as a director?
Aoyama: What, my emphasis? Why're you guys laughing? I wanted to have fun.
Hiroki Kato
"BIOHAZARD CODE:Veronica" Director
Interviewer: Who thought of coming up with "Veronica"? I wanted to ask about that.
The Start of "CODE:Veronica"
Kato: Wasn't it Mr. Okamoto? It was the Sega Saturn version. We were told we could port BIO2 to the Saturn but...
Mikami: Yeah, yeah! I remember! I remember it all!
HE'S DRUNK.
Mikami: We were initially trying to port a Saturn version of BIO2. We could do it if we really lowered the quality, but we told them that was impossible for us to do. So we were told to release something for SEGA fans. So, we had to extend the schedule and come up with an original game. Then they told us that if they'd have to wait, we had to enhance the quality, and so that was how Veronica was created.
Interviewer: So it was something that came up along the way.
Kato: Yeah. It was before 3 was released. You know, usually sequel movies succeed in part one and part two but often fail in part three, right? That's why before we failed with 3, we thought we should go back to the tropes of 1.
Mr. Kato's perspective on "Veronica"
Interviewer: Even though I haven't done Wesker's Report with Kato-san this time, we've talked a lot. Wesker in BIO1 is quite a fool, isn't he?
Thoughts on Wesker
Mikami: I didn't mean to make Wesker look foolish. The bioweapon he created was said to be the ultimate weapon, and turned out to be against the laws of nature. After all, the human creations went out of control and caused a lot of harm to humans. It was simply "what goes around comes around" to Wesker. It was all intentional. He may look foolish to shallow thinkers.
Interviewer: Well, that's hard to get, though. By the way, she looks very masculine in Veronica, doesn't she? She's equipped with two sub-machineguns.
Claire's Image Change
Kato: It's natural to make sequels if you're asked to, right? I think it's inevitable... when you come to make a sequel.
Isn't He Off-Topic?
Interviewer: What's inevitable?
Kato: I mean the part where Claire looks for her brother.
HE'S QUITE DRUNK.
Everyone: He can't even talk. Why don't you be quiet? I just don't get it.
Interviewer: I think you were thinking about BIO1 as a concept.
Not Admitting Either "2" or "3" as Sequels
Kato: Right. That's why I don't think BIO2 and 3 are sequels.
Interviewer: Okay, we should regard "Veronica" a separate line from 1, 2 and 3.
Thoughts on the 5th Anniversary
Mikami: Five years passed, neither too quickly or too slowly.
Interviewer: I think you've been releasing BIO games quite continuously.
Mikami: I've just been doing what I could.
Interviewer: How do you feel about your involvement in the games being made less and less as you release sequels? Do you feel pained or sad?
Mikami: Yeah, it's tough of course. I might've said this before in a magazine, but I feel like I'm giving away my adorable daughter to some man to marry.
Interviewer: You often appear in broadcast media as a producer. What would you like to say about the BIO series? Do you feel any dilemma?
Dilemma as a Producer
Mikami: Yes, I feel that too.
Interviewer: What kind?
Mikami: I think a producer should speak about his intentions and such things in broadcast media. He should stand on the front lines to speak his mind. I believe that's the purest form of a director.
Interviewer: You're saying this is your domain of freedom?
Mikami: Yes, I am.
Thoughts on Future Creations
Mikami: I just want to keep my stance as a sane creator.
Interviewer: I'm sure that users are impatiently waiting for BIO4. What kind of notions do you have for BIO4? How do you think it will fit in the series after Veronica?
Thoughts on "BIOHAZARD 4"
Mikami: It'll be relatively brand new. It will be completely new in every aspect.
Is "BIOHAZARD 4" Really in Production?
Interviewer: You mean it's a brand new line of BIOHAZARD. People may think BIO4 isn't in production.
Mikami: It's in production, indeed. Well, I just want it to be so perfect. We're just taking time for it. We've always had little time, but we decided to take the time to produce a good game this time, just like BIO1. I'm not involved in development within the studio now, yet, I guess it's been five years since the last time I OK'd a production.
What are the Graphics Like in "4"?
Interviewer: Can we expect future productions from you as a director, not a producer?
Mikami: You could expect that. However, I have no clue how many I can direct, though.
Interviewer: Okay, then. Why don't you make a promise for users here? You promise that your project is underway.
Mr. Mikami is Working as Director for the Next Production. (Not "4", though)
Mikami: Yes, it's underway. You can expect it.
A New Project Directed by Shinji Mikami is Now in Production.
Clues to this Project are Found in This Video.
Coming soon.