The Anime Awards are quickly approaching, and we are excited to be publishing the next in our series of interviews with some of the event's judges! Today, we'll be talking to Domenico Guastafierro (aka cavernadiplatone), an industry professional, YouTuber, streamer, and author of European manga about his love of anime, what it was like to be a judge, and what he looked for when selecting nominees for the Anime Awards.
Editor's Note: This interview was originally conducted in Italian and has been translated for English audiences here.
Crunchyroll: Hello! Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
cavernadiplatone: Hello everyone! I'm Domenico Guastafierro, aka cavernadiplatone, a content creator. I was the first Italian YouTuber to talk about comics and animation on the platform. Over the years I have refined my discusion and entertainment skills through practical experience in television (RAI, Mediaset, NekoTV) improving my writing and editing of videos. I then studied as much literature and screenplay writing as possible, even becoming a manga creator! I currently stream on Twitch every day recommending manga and anime to my audience.
How did you first become involved with the Anime Awards as a judge? Were you excited to join the panel?
cavernadiplatone: I have always been a Crunchyroll subscriber, so I've been interested in working with them for a while now. I enjoy talking about anime pretty much every day, so it seemed like a good fit! I have attended Crunchyroll events at conventions and have been demonstrating my knowledge in the public eye for quite a while. Being a part of the judging panel is a source of great satisfaction for me, and I'm happy to be in the company of such capable and close-knit anime professionals.
Can you tell us about your relationship with anime? What makes you interested in the medium and what about it do you love?
cavernadiplatone: I started watching anime pretty quickly after I was born. I was lucky enough to fully experience the '90s, during which I discovered all the anime that was broadcast on TV, becoming passionate about all kinds of stories I found there, from action to sports. Human hands create these realistic aspects of a series and recontextualize them in deliciously impossible or absurd contexts that incorporate the unique folklore and culture of Japan and criticize specific social norms creates a funnel of emotions that can't be replicated by the storytelling from other countries. I love building an understanding of Japan through anime, discovering different aspects of the country and its culture through references and allusions in each series.
How do you feel your career gives you a unique perspective as a judge?
cavernadiplatone: I believe my years of studying comics and their specific visual language combined with my deepening understanding of manga and storytelling in general allow me to better understand some of the unique dynamics that Japanese stories offer.
What is the most challenging aspect of judging an awards show like this? What parts of it are the most fun?
cavernadiplatone: Being impartial. It was hard not to lean towards the series that I had a very personal love for regardless of their quality. Anime are often character-driven and because of that it is very easy to identify with the characters, but, as a judge, you must not get carried away by that empathy for the character to the detriment of world-building or other aspects. The coolest part of judging for me is getting to watch all of these series and make a sincere judgment. In reality, spending so much time watching anime also helps separate one's personal opinions from the critiques, which allows for the best possible grading of quality.
What makes awards shows like this important for the industry?
cavernadiplatone: These sorts of events are the beating heart of our industry. The public loves to see their favorite series nominated and (potentially) awarded because, as I said above, we identify with these characters and stories so deeply. They are a part of our life and often stick with us or teach us things we didn't know before. These events also make it clear to those who are not fans that anime is the result of a huge amount of good work done by people who are committed every day to giving their absolute all to create entertainment and share it with the world.
Have you had any similar experiences as a professional judge? If so, how have they compared? If not, how has this experience been?
cavernadiplatone: I often offer my expertise as a part of official juries and the hardest part is always trying to get everyone to agree! It's even more complicated for the Anime Awards because it is so difficult to choose between all of these beautiful anime.
When selecting nominees, what do you focus on? What aspects of anime do you hone in on to make your selections?
cavernadiplatone: I have my own criteria based upon three principles: entertainment, performance, and innovation. Firstly there is entertainment: the ability of an anime to strike the viewer and keep them glued to the screen with engaging animation. Second there is performance: I love listening to the performances of the voice actors and making comparisons between the Japanese and Italian recordings to see which language brings me closer to the original creator's intentions (in the case of anime that is not adapting source material, I limit myself to enjoying the voices of the actors, preferring the ones that excite me more). Last is innovation: it is important for an anime to have the ability to propose something new to the public that manages to stand out among the other series. Taking into account how many anime are currently being produced every year, it is very difficult for an anime to come off as "original," but those few who succeed in writing or technique in this regard should be rewarded.
Do you have anything you would like to say to your fans around the world?
cavernadiplatone: Anime is a window into a new and unexplored world! Open it up, taste that fresh air, and travel through the most beautiful stories ever!
Lastly, is there anything you want to say to anime fans leading up to the Anime Awards?
cavernadiplatone: The Anime Awards are an opportunity to share this passion with each other. Come into the awards with an open heart and you'll be able to experience anime to the fullest!
Cavernadiplatone was the first person to cover and review anime and manga in Italy on YouTube in 2007. He also collaborates with Italian home video publishers and distributors (Yamato Video, Koch Media, Plaion) and works with comic book publishers. If that weren't enough, he's also a manga writer (Ex-Tract, Arkai-On).
Stay tuned for more information on how to watch the awards soon on the official Anime Awards website!
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Source: Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!
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