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Gundam W Setting Record Collection PART-II

The following has excerpts from Sunrise Artbook Series IV New Mobile Suit Report Gundam W Setting Record Collection PART-II which came out in 1996 by Movic. Beginning on page 72 there are small images of documents with early concepts of the main characters. Trowa's can be found on page 74. On page 85, Shigeru Nakahara gives an interview.

The World of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

Fifteen years have passed since the birth of Gundam. During that time, numerous Gundam worlds have been created.
And now, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing has begun, leading us to a new world.
Let's take a look at the worldview concept document from the early stages of the project.

Planning Document
[Program Specifications]
Wing
Title/New Mobile War Chronicles Gundam W
Genre/SF Real Robot Action
Format/30-minute continuous story
Target Audience/Boys in elementary and middle school


Protagonist 3
Trowa Barton Male Age Unknown (estimated 15 years old)

"I know all about danger... I'm used to walking a tight-rope."

A mysterious boy who wears clown makeup.
(He wears sunglasses when he takes off his makeup.)
His name is probably false, and he reveals nothing about his real face, nationality, age or anything else.
He pilots the "Gundam Heavy Arms."
He is a boy who never smiles, what is mistook for smile is nothing but clown makeup.
He has a cool and quiet personality.
In occasional gestures he shows there is a sadness, as he must live among those who like to fight.
He secretly believes he is a weapon made for the sake of fighting, and is resigned to the flow of time, but he knows that no matter how many enemies he kills, it will not solve anything.
In order to camouflage his Gundam, he hides himself in a Mobile Suit Circus Troupe that travels the world.


Notes: When early merchandise was released, the character description for Trowa in the planning documents remained practically unchanged, unlike the other characters. An example can be found on a pencil board 1295-B by Seika Note Co. Ltd. that was distributed by Movic.

Character Voice Interview

Shigeru Nakahara

Profile
Born on January 22, from Kanagawa Prefecture. Belongs to 81 Produce. Major works include "Acrobunch in Devil-Land" (Jun Randou), "Saint Seiya" (Shou Zama), and "Dragon Ball Z" (Android 17).

If I had the chance to do it again, I would still choose Trowa.

First, could you share your thoughts on the conclusion of "Gundam Wing"?
Nakahara: To be honest, at first I wondered how they would wrap it up (laughs). The final episode ended in such a way that it felt surprisingly straightforward, but on the other hand, I also felt that such an ending was fitting for Wing.

How about Trowa's ending?
Nakahara: Trowa himself said to Dorothy, "I have a place to return to, so I will survive." Because of that, I feel like that was typical of Trowa. After the battle was settled, I felt like it would have been nice to have a little more about what would happen to Trowa and the other four characters afterward. But that ending was still typical of Trowa, showed his true character.

Are there any scenes that left a strong impression on you while playing the role of Trowa?
Nakahara: There are many scenes that left a strong impression on me, but the scene in episode 25 where he delivers a long speech to Quatre is the one that stands out the most. Another memorable scene is when he returns to the battlefield with amnesia and says goodbye to Catherine. In those scenes, his kindness, which hadn't been shown before, came to the forefront, and it felt good to act out. It was a scene that showed his very human side.

Were there any aspects of Trowa that were easy or difficult to portray?
Nakahara: Trowa was easy to play. I originally auditioned for this role alone. Maybe because I wanted to play it, but I never felt it was difficult. At first, he hardly spoke, and even when he did, it was just a word or two, and often only in the first or second half of the episode. But I never felt it was difficult.

Is there any line that stands out to you?
Nakahara: Probably the last one, where he says, "I have a place to return to." The fact that Trowa could say something like that was very memorable. The growth Trowa experienced through battles and interactions with other pilots seemed to be condensed into that final line. Up until then, Trowa wasn't the type to say something like that directly in front of others. But in that scene, he said it so naturally. That made me happy.

What kind of work do you think "Gundam W" is?
Nakahara: The plot developed very quickly. It was hard to predict what would happen next, or rather, it was impossible to anticipate how the story would unfold. Personally, I think the plot was relatively easy to follow, but since the situation kept changing rapidly, it felt like the story became a bit hard to keep track of. However, I feel that this element of surprise worked in the story's favor. I think that was largely due to the director's skill. The line "I'll kill you" in the first episode was very impactful. There were moments like that throughout the series, so I think it was a work that broke away from the conventional formula. It brought back the atmosphere of the early Gundam series but expressed it in a new way. I think it was a work that kept surprising the audience in a good way. Each of the five characters could hold their own in a scene, and their personalities were well-defined.

Who are your favorite characters besides Trowa?
Nakahara: Among the female characters, I like Catherine the most. That's because she's the most ordinary one. Among the male characters, I like Zechs and Duo. Zechs was the most difficult character to understand, I think. I think the importance of Zech's presence lies in the fact that there's no specific defining aspect to him. I wonder how I would approach that if it were me. On a separate note, characters like Duo, who are at the opposite end of the spectrum from Trowa, are also appealing, so I'd like to try playing them. But if I were to do it again, I'd still want to play Trowa the most.

Would you want to play Trowa again if there were a sequel?
Nakahara: Yes. Even if there were a chance to try a different combination, I think everyone would feel the same way-the character you've already played is the best.

What kind of work was "Gundam W" for you?
Nakahara: It became a very significant work for me. This was my first time participating in a Gundam project, but this time, it was a turning point where we returned to the old Gundam while creating an entirely new world. I was very happy to be able to participate in this new world of Gundam. The worldview was so shocking from the start, with elements like "there's never been a protagonist like this before" or "they're saying this right from the beginning", and I think the director and screenwriters were amazing. It's a new Gundam, and so many people are watching it, and it's been a huge hit in so many ways. Being able to participate in something like that was very exciting, and for me, Trowa is a role that will stay with me for a long time. So I'm really glad I was able to participate in this work.



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