Hiroyuki Morioka's panel turned out to be the first Guest
of Honor panel at Otakon due to Mad House Studios being delayed. The panel
started out with Hiroyuki Morioka coming up on stage, with Satoshi Kanuma as the
translator for the panel. They started with an opening.

Anime made directly from a novel is very rare, and Morioka
is quoted as being a savior of science fiction in Japan. Publishers in Japan
were disguising science fiction as something else, until Morioka came around.

Hiroyuki Morioka was born in Kobe, and had a normal life as
a student. After that he worked for a company. It was always his hobby to write
novels even as a student and while he worked for a company. After a year of
working at the company, a novel he wrote was given an award for new writers.

"Yume no ki ga tsugetanara" won the seventeenth Hayakawa
Science Fiction award.

So why science-fiction? His father was a big fan of science
fiction to start with, and the novels used in school were never science fiction.
Frustrated, he turned to his father's library were science fiction. So in his
early life he formed the opinion that adults read science fiction.

How specifically was the Crest of the Stars Universe
formed? Its a tough question. Before he put it down, he had two ideas. Crest of
the Stars eventually was the merging of those ideas. How they merge? Both ideas
were set in a similar universe. One was about how things happened in an empire,
and the other was about a normal boy who meets a superior in the military during
a space war.

Where is Crest of the Stars going? Morioka then brought out

After that long introduction, the panel was opened up for
audience questions.

Question: Can I give you an English translation I
gave? And can I obtain the publishing rights?

Answer: Yes. (Audience member gives Morioka a eighty
eight page translation of the first novel). You would have to talk to the
publisher (Hayakawa) in Japan.

Question:  Are you satisfied with how your story was
made into an anime?

Answer: I'm very happy with the animation,
especially with Crest of the Stars. There is one thing in the animated version
where a risk was taken. What I mean is the Abh language and how they didn’t
subtitle it. It was a good to put it in to dismay people

Question: How was the Abh language developed?

Answer: It's based on Japanese Actually I just
changed the sounds of the words. First write it down using the alphabet, using
consonants and sounds. Then mark the same vowels first. The basic idea is to
group similar sounding vowels then shorten the syllables. Randomize the
consonants. I'm sure no one will understand this explanation.

Question: How to you plan all this?

Answer: I don't really plan all this, it comes along
as I work on it.

Question: Who are some of your favorite sci-fi
authors?

Answer: Ryumitsei who wrote "Ten Billions Days and
Ten Billions Nights".  Its been made into a serialized comic in Japan.

Question: What served as the basic model for the Abh
Empire? Was it Rome or Imperial Japan?

Answer: There are four historic organizations that
they are based on. Italy's Renaissance government, the Ottoman Empire in turkey,
Feudal Japan, and the  Mitsui Corporation in Japan(where all the heads of the
company are trained when they are children, so similar to the way the Abh are
trained).

Question: Do you think the publisher would be
interested in other markets?

Answer: I don't know the inside story of Hayakawa.

Question: Why do the Abh look elf-like?

Answer: First, pointy ears are not that common. It's
more in Lafiel's family. I think the pointy ears are the results of some fetish.
As for the slender body, Bandai was responsible for that.

Question: The world Crest of the Stars is set in has
a rich story. What came first the story or the setting?

Answer: The premise for the story came first. Story
wise, Crest of the Stars is about one person transcending from one world to
another which is a device to see how the world is set.

Question: Are the Abh supposed to have facial hair?
In the book, they have facial hair.

Answer: Actually, I think you are talking about a
character who changed from man to a woman. During the production of the anime,
they got rid of facial hair due to the amount of work it takes to animate it.

Question: Is space opera science fiction?

Answer: Of course.

Question: Do you have a final scene in your head
when you were writing the series?

Answer: The ending changes as I write.  Even Crest
of the Stars ending changed.

Question: But do you have a sense of where the whole
series in going.

Answer: There are two possible endings right now to
Banner of the Stars. I don't have it set, and who knows there could be a third.

Question: Can you think of any woman more attractive
than Lafiel?

Answer: Personally I see Lafiel more of a selfish
young lady than a  woman.

Question: Is it significant that the Abh only seem
to have cats as pets?

Answer: It isn't like they don't have any other
animals, but they adore cats. One association I had about showing cats was that
an old custom has Japanese navigators having them. It was believed having a male
cat on board would prevent the ship from being wrecked.

Question: What do you think the success of the anime
series here in the US? 

Answer: I'm honored. I grew up reading science
fiction, and the US is the origin of science fiction. It is great to see my
works accepted in the US where the genre started.

Question: After you finish Banner of the Stars, will
you do anything else in the same universe?

Answer: The current storyline for both series
describe the Abh as a mentalist class, but not as a merchant class. So I'm
thinking of writing about that part as a side story.

Question: How did you come up with the mechanical
parts of the story, specifically in relation to the spaceships?

Answer: I haven't really been involved in the
mechanical settings, with the exception of the electronic cannons of the
Gothroth. When I first saw the production designs of the cannons, they looked
really small. So that if the cannons were that small, there was no justification
for the ships to be that large.

Question: So what do about the English adaptation?

Answer: Because of the region coding, I couldn't see
it.

Question: Did you model any of the characters
against people you know in real life?

Answer: The characters are not based directly on
anyone, but there are elements from other people.

Question: Since you plan the novel series to go so
far, do you still plan to have Jinto to be a main character throughout the
series?

Answer: In Crest of the Stars Jinto is the
protagonist. In Battleflag, Lafiel is more of the protagonist. I cannot make
detailed comments about the fate of Jinto, since I cannot guarantee Jinto's
fate.

Question: How many ships can be a in space-time
bubble?

Answer: In the latest novels, there was a tactic
involving a large number of ships. The limitation is based on the mass of the
ships. I have a very detailed memo on it at home.

Question: Were you a consultant on the anime?

Answer: My involvement was going through the script,
but I didn't make any changes. I also watched the actors during their recording
sessions.

Question:  Where did you come up with the idea of
the Abh killing their creators and trying to unify mankind?

Answer: It was a long time ago, so I have to dig
through my memory. The only thing I had on the Abh was them being genetically
engineered. The idea of them killing their creators was them having original
sin.

Question: How much influence did you have over what
the Abh look like in the anime?

Answer: I wrote down everything in my books, so I
didn't really give too much influence. The big thing I gave was them having blue
hair. I did mention pointy ears for Lafiel, but not as big as they eventually
were made.

Question: Could you translate a word into the Abh
language?

There was a demonstration next. He started with the
Japanese word Takamagahara. He then changed it to TAKMGAHAR by reducing the
number of vowels. One feature of Abh language is a consonant before a vowel
changes. It finally became LAKMHAKAR. He doesn't recommend anyone memorizing
this.

Finally a message for those attending Otakon. I'm really
look forward to having Banner of the Stars on DVD also, It's has also really
good to see someone who's so eager to translate his work. Thank you very much
for coming.

*   *   *

The panel went really well, and I went away pretty damn
happy. On Saturday, I was able to get his signature on a Crest of the Stars
anime guide I found in the dealer's room. On Saturday, I was given opportunity
to conduct at interview with Morioka which I gladly took.

I met Morioka and Satoshi on Sunday morning, and proceed
with the interview.

Andrew: When you graduated from the university, you
did so with a literature degree, so what company did you first work for?

Morioka: I first started working as a sales person
at a publishing company. Then I moved to a different company that published
public relations material. After that second job, I decided I wasn't made to be
a company employee, so I moved onto part time job.

Andrew: When did you start writing the short storyy,
"Yume no ki ga tsugetanara", that won the Seventeenth Hayakawa Sci-Fi contest in
1991?

Morioka: I started that work 12-15 years ago, after
I left the second company.

Andrew: What was the subject matter for "Yume no ki
ga tsugetanara".

Morioka: "Beneath the Tree that Dreams" was about
artificial language and intelligence and how man developed.

Andrew: When did you begin writing Crest of the
Stars and what were you initial motivations in writing it?

Morioka: Several years of deliberation, several
ideas formed into one idea. I just had to do it.

Andrew: How would you categorize Crest of the Stars.
Hard core, thought provoking, action, space opera, or historical?

Morioka: To look at Crest of the Stars, it can be
treated as any of those categories. I really just write science fiction, and its
up for the reader to figure that out.

Andrew: The Otakon program guide describes you as
Japan's last science fiction writer? How do you feel about that, and what is the
science fiction genre like in Japan?

Morioka: That title was given by a writer and
reviewer in Japan, and was more meant as a joke. As to the situation in Japan, I
think there are a lot of science fiction writers in Japan too, which also
includes a horror sub-genre that I consider science fiction. So its not exactly
science fiction writing that's not popular, but the awards that popularize the
genre has gone away. Though recently, two new science fiction awards have just
started in Japans.

Andrew: What science fiction conventions do you do
in Japan?

Morioka: Japan Science Fiction Convention is the
main one. Aside from that, there are many local science fiction conventions. I
go to a few every year.

Andrew: Are they panels or signings?

Morioka: There are more panels in Japan then over
here. There are some autographs, but I give them when someone just asks me.

Andrew: How long after you wrote the original Crest
of the Stars, did Bandai approach you to make the anime?

Morioka: After I finished publishing it, there were
2 years when I was approached by several anime companies. I chose Bandai, after
they had the closet proposal to my realization for Crest of the Stars and high
production values.

Andrew: How much involvement did you have during the
development of the anime? Especially character and ship designs?

Morioka: I basically just pointed out things that
were incompatible with the character designs. And if something was like that, as
long as there was a good reason to go with it, I was okay with it.

Andrew: When was Banner of the Flags written
compared to when Crest of the Stars was shown?

Morioka: It wasn't such a long time ago. I had
started writing Banner of the Stars around the same time, but the anime did not
affect it.

Andrew: when you finished Crest of the Stars, did
you know you wanted to continue already with Banner of the Stars?

Morioka: When I wrote Crest of the Starts, I had no
idea it would sell so well. I did have some ideas for Banners of the Stars when
I wrote Crest of the Stars, but I did not form the main ideas until afterwards.

Andrew: How do feel about the Crest of the Stars
anime here in the US, especially that was so popular that Bandai is going to
release Banner of the Stars?

Morioka: I really have no idea, how popular it is
here. That's why I came here to Otakon, for me to find out how it is received
here.

Andrew: How has your visit been here so far?

Morioka: In Japan, cosplayers aren't treated well,
and are being purged in conventions. So only certain areas at a convention, can
you have cosplayers. So here, it’s very interesting to see them everywhere, and
seeing them walking from their hotels. At science fiction conventions in Japan,
everything is split up. Dealers would be a separate convention.

Andrew: What were you influence growing up, any
anime, manga, or other writings?

Morioka: My biggest interest growing up was science
fiction, especially due to my father's sci-fi collection. I read a lot growing
up. Science fiction magazines, especially series in Hayakawa. I watched some
anime early so, but in junior high and high I didn't. In college, though I
started watching again. This was around the time of Nada

Andrew: Were there any American science fiction
writers you read growing up?

Morioka: I was influenced by many writers, but Crest
of the Starts definitely has influenced by Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series and
Michael Moorcock.

Andrew: Did you have the same amount of involvement
in the Banner of the Stars anime?

Morioka: I still don't understand how the anime
industry works well, so I stay out of it mostly.

Andrew: Have you discovered that a lot of people in
Japan have started reading your novels due to the anime?

Morioka: Yes, there are some. But I'm not really
sure it means they are reading other science fiction as well. My impression is
that most people who already read sci-fi novels, picked up the Crest of Stars
books due to the anime

Andrew: Have you received any interesting gifts from
your fans?

Morioka: I haven't really received. But some I do
remember, a mug, and a Zippo with a Crest of the Stars emblem.

Andrew: Your short story involved AI, and Cots
involved genetics, two subjects on the cutting edge of science. Do you feel that
this is part of the next step for mankind?

Morioka: From an ethical point of view, I'm not for
those technologies. But should they be utilized, I want to just write about
them, and not forecast them. I view them mainly with interest.

Andrew: Thank you very much for the interview.