Asked about particular scenes or interactions between Tom and Jerry that resonate with the artist more than others, Inoue answered: “The story that just came to my mind and is my current favorite is 'Old Rockin' Chair Tom,' where Tom and Jerry team up to oust their rival, Lightning. The scene where Jerry whispers to Tom and they cooperate still brings a smile to my face even when I watch it now.
However, my mood might change tomorrow, and a different story could become my favorite. That's how Tom and Jerry have so many captivating stories.”
We were also very curious about what the process of crafting these unique figurines looks like. This is why we asked Taku to walk us through all the steps of creating his sculptures. The artist shared with us: “I shape most of the creations using commercially available modeling clay, using cheap spatulas and my fingertips. To finish, I coat them with acrylic paint and resin. Tom's whiskers are made by cutting and attaching nylon bristles from a pipe brush. The process of sculpting three-dimensional figures of animated two-dimensional characters is a skill I learned by picking up and studying various figures available in the world.”
The Japanese artist explained why the number of new Tom and Jerry sculptures he has created since 2018 recently decreased: “Until four years ago, there were no attractive Tom and Jerry figurines, but now various toy manufacturers have started selling them. The fact that I can now purchase the figures I wanted, coupled with the absence of Tom and Jerry in communication with my child, has led to a decrease in the production of Tom. However, I still plan to continue making Tom gradually because there are still scenes I want to create.”
Lastly, Taku added: “Recently, I have been faithfully turning cute doodles drawn by children into three-dimensional sculptures and enjoying creating original incense burners and figurines using clay. As the ideas for sculptures are inexhaustible, I want to announce them more and more, but I keep special ideas and creations for my own enjoyment. Perhaps I'll consider holding an exhibition in the future.”
