Riku Yamakawa | DESIGNS Mamoru Nagano Design Exhibition (Part 1)
This article reviews the Mamoru Nagano Design Exhibition, focusing on the relationship between his mechanical designs' 'truth' and their depiction.Summary
This article reviews the first part of the Mamoru Nagano Design Exhibition held at Ikebukuro Sunshine City, focusing on the relationship between the 'truth' of his mechanical designs and their depiction, as evidenced by annotations on design drawings for works like the Qubeley from 'Mobile Suit Z Gundam' and mecha from 'Heavy Metal L-Gaim'. Annotations such as "Do not put any highlights on the armor!" on the Qubeley design drawing were instructions to animators regarding the matte finish, suggesting that the inherent quality ('truth') of the object and its representation are discussed on the same plane. The author notes that despite Nagano's high drawing skill, it is questionable whether the depicted representation accurately captures his conception of the 'truth,' as a single image can only convey a tiny fraction of that 'truth.' Furthermore, the drastic redesigns in 'The Five Star Stories' are presented as evidence of this dynamic, suggesting the changes exist only as shifts in depiction rather than alterations within the story's internal reality.
(Source：artscape)