Inagaki's Final Season Q&A:
Death of the author session under the cut.
A few things before I get into this, I am not summarizing the questions the way I usually do because this livestream was... very controversial, to say the least. Some of these questions do require additional context, which will be linked later at the bottom.
Some reminders:
Inagaki does not seem to have a romantic interpretation of Stanley and Xeno. He thinks of them as childhood friends and military man-commander in chief.
Boichi is the one who designed Stanley's visuals (Stanley was originally supposed to look like a grizzled middle-aged man ala Lupin III's Jigen if Inagaki had his way). Boichi is also the one who added the more romantic scenes to the manga (the face touch, the chapter cover page).
All the anime-exclusive scenes including the voice drama had to get Inagaki's approval beforehand.
Inagaki (and manga creators in general) are not allowed to answer ship-related questions per industry standards, and fans shouldn't be asking those questions either.
Questions are Q, Inagaki's answers are A, and the livestream host is H.
Q: In the omake pages, Yoh challenges Stanley during his shooting practice, what’s Stanley’s reaction? A: He’d accept the challenge as usual. Since he’s definitely going to win. Or maybe, more like, he’ll go about it as normal since he’ll win like always.
Q: Will there be an episode: Xeno or an episode: Nanami Corp? Kind of a rambly answer to this one, but in terms of character spinoffs, it doesn't seem like there are any plans to do so. Inagaki does mention his previous series (Eyeshield) had extra character spinoffs, but it all depends on the timing and opportunity. Aka no plans but if the opportunity arrives (big if) maybe.
Q: How good are Xeno and Stanley's cooking skills? A: Was there a scene where they were making something? I thought there was a scene where Stanley was cooking something, is that made up? But it doesn't seem like Xeno can. Stanley can cook. H: Stanley does have the image of being good at day to day activities. A: I have the image of Stanley cooking something in the middle of a jungle. Xeno can't do that. H: He does enjoy mixing chemicals... A: He goes for something rational like Calorie Mate. He seems to be the type to go 'this is good enough' (1)
Q: You mentioned that when they were young, Stanley and Xeno might have fought over sweets, which one of them would have won? Also, do either of them have artistic talent- can either of them draw? A: Like, 'if there's three pieces and one person takes two' and goes 'ah'? Like 'Ah!' (surprised) or 'AH!' (angry). H: And what about if either of them can draw? A: I wonder. Xeno seems like the type who can draw, since he's coming up with designs, he'd be good at scientific diagrams. H: Then Stanley would have to draw for missions and such, like here's this landmark. A: There isn't anything like that (laughs) H: So you're basically saying 'neither of them have outstanding artistic talent', then.
Q: Re the information in the fanbook, was Xeno asked by Senku to join the time machine development team? A: Xeno was busy with rocket-related and other space-related issues, but he really wanted to be part of the project. Maybe he joined midway through. (2)
Q: What was Xeno and Stanley's final scene (final shot) in the anime? Do you have any behind the scenes stories? A: Postcanon, Stanley was moving around a lot as a pilot, as he used to. Well, Stanley's not really a pilot, but he's very skilled. On the other hand, he doesn't have to snipe people anymore. H: Oh, in the new world. A: Sort of like Hyoga's kudayari, as opposed to his sniping skills, his piloting talent was far more impressive. Xeno is full dedicated to scientific research. There must have been some collaboration there. (3)
Inagaki didn't write the fanbook himself- there were writers in charge of assembling the book that would ask him questions and then they'd write the timelines according to how he answered. Inagaki has to give the okay on everything. He does decide on the characters' birthdays though. (4)
Q: Between Xeno and Francois, who is better at languages? A: Xeno knows English, and Japanese from speaking with Senku. He's intelligent, doesn't have much of an interest in learning languages, unlike Francois who does as a butler.
Q: When Stanley first saw space, what were his thoughts? A: (technical difficulties here) Though everything is digital. But on the reverse side of that, there clearly is the human heart. And so he thought 'Oh!'. H: He thought 'amazing'? A: 宇宙やんじゃん. Well, it's a mission. (5)
Q: The name on the back of Stanley's astronaut suit (STANLEE), is that a nickname? The American baseball teams also had 'Lee' too. Inagaki is confused by this for a while, but basically he has no input on the nuances of the visual design. So the 'Lee' part is all Boichi.
Q: Please let me know Stanley's hobbies besides shooting! A: Tobacco.
Q: Senku had Xeno as a scientific mentor, but did Xeno have anyone like that? A: I don't think he did. H: He's self-taught? A: He's the type to do things by himself.
Q: Who's the best singer in the American team? A: It's Maya. I'm lying. H: Maybe Charlotte is the best? A: She's good at impressions, so maybe she's good. H: Are you thinking of impressionist comedy?? A: There doesn't seem to be many singers... everyone's so efficient. H: The mostly soldier (comprised) American team doesn't really have the image of singing...
Q: When they were kids, Stanley appears while Xeno is in the middle of an experiment, but what was he doing there? Had he recognized Xeno and was looking for the chance to speak to him? A: I'll say it. It's fate. (laughing) H: He had to say something. A: Right. That he was there was fate. He couldn't keep quiet any longer, so he had to speak up.
Q: According to the fanbook, Xeno and Stanley started a tobacco company- which one of them suggested it? Since it's tobacco, I expected it to be Stanley. But Xeno also handmade cigarettes, so it's possible that the idea could have come from him. A: No, it's Stanley. It's been many years. He wants a reward. I can see him (Xeno) saying something like (Inagaki imitating Xeno) "ohh, so you're inhaling toxic gas!"
Q: Did Stan become a soldier due to Xeno's influence? Between 'childhood friend', 'comrades' and 'military leader' which part (of their relationship) is the most important? A: Isn't it everything? But there isn't really the feeling of 'comrades'. I think it's normally 'childhood friends' and then 'leader and soldier'. Xeno isn't really aware that he's fighting. He's doing what he wants to do and what he needs to do. H: Yes but, you don't really fall into the dark side of science unless you're fighting against something. A: He just wanted to do that on his own. (6)
Q: (In postcanon) The Americans seem to be living in Japan, can they speak Japanese, or has English spread across Japan? And have there been any changes in language? A: if i remember correctly, there aren't any Americans that can speak Japanese, but there are Japanese characters that can speak English. Out of the Americans, the only one that's learned Japanese is Chelsea. Xeno already knew Japanese. That's my impression.
Q: Before the petrification, Xeno was communicating with Senku, did Stanley know about that? Did Xeno ever talk about it? A: He definitely didn't know about it. It's not like they were having (a lot of) conversations, even though they're childhood friends. ❓
Q: the childhood combo of Stanley and Xeno, are there any parts of each other that they'd want to change? A: There are some! Xeno wants to change some things about Stanley. Stop smoking!! It's foolish, cut it out!! H: Then Stanley to Xeno? A: All the long winded explanations- okay, that's enough.
Q: Senku counted the seconds for 3700 years and surprised Gen, was Stanley and Xeno's reaction to learning that? A: Xeno thought it was something Senku could accomplish. Stanley just said 'やんじゃん' (aka minimal reactions)
Q: Please tell me how many packs Stanley smokes a day, and what are their views on romance? A: It seems like he smokes a lot. On romance? Somehow, I feel like Stanley likes women more than Xeno does- that's the image he has. the image. Xeno doesn't seem to have any interest (in women) H: Like, they're too much trouble? A: Something like that... (7 SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS)
Q: When did Stanley switch from candy to cigarettes? A: He started pretty young, but I shouldn't be too specific.
Q: Where did Xeno as a kid get the money to do his experiments? Was it his parents? Or did he have a magical credit card? A: I wonder where that money came from. Maybe his family's wealthy? Well, at least a little bit wealthy. H: he does have the image of being refined, like he's from a wealthy family. (8)
Q: On Xeno, after the first petrification and building up military forces, how thoroughly had Xeno planned things out? For example, did he plan to go to space while he was still alive? A: Rather than space exploration, it was world domination, wasn't it? After that, he could do whatever he wanted at a more relaxed pace. Well, if he didn't exert control, things would turn out the same way they did in the old world.
Q: You mentioned before that Xeno and Stanley are good looking, are they popular with the opposite sex? A: I think Stanley's super popular. But I don't know about Xeno. He's too selfish. He's popular with people who like science. He might be popular with women who like science-oriented guys.
Q: Which boys and girls are popular with the opposite sex? A: Ryusui and Stanley. And Tsukasa.
Q: Francois and Stanley can do a lot, but are there things they can't do? A: Of course, there's a lot they can't do. They're human. There's one thing Stanley can't do- stop smoking.
Q: Do Stanley and Xeno drink? If so, how what do they drink? A: Somehow, I have the image of them drinking normally. But Xeno would consider (alcohol) poison and not drink much. H: When (there's a situation) to drink, they will... A: Yes, but Xeno does make a point to not actively consume poison.
Q: Why does Stanley have such great trust in Xeno? Does he not have other friends? Are there other stories about their first meeting? A: That was mostly shown in the anime-only episode (the childhood flashback). But it's not like they were each other's only friends. ❓
Q: Stanley's lipstick was decided by Boichi-- (Inagaki interrupts the question) A: It's not lipstick, that's just the normal color. He doesn't apply lipstick. (9)
Q: Did Xeno cry over Byakuya? (question interrupted by them talking over each other) A: He played it cool. It's rare for Xeno to do something like that (openly cry)
Q: Are both Xeno and Stanley the type to make friends? Somehow, I have the image that they both struggle to make friends. A: Xeno has that image, he's not really interested in making friends. But Stanley can make friends like normal. Even if someone has a hard to deal with personality, they can still have friends, right? But Xeno finds interactions a hassle, so he didn't bother. (10) ❓
Q: What language are Yoh and Stanley speaking? A: In their shooting battle (onesided), they can understand each other through action. Yoh doesn't speak english at all, but he'd push through in Japanese as usual. and Stanley would respond to that.
Q: Has Stanley ever gotten truly angry at Xeno? A: He doesn't seem like the type to become that angry. As said, they'd fight over sweets. H: I wonder if Stanley ever gets angry... A: Yeah. Somehow, Xeno doesn't really seem the type to meddle, he's not the type to get angry.
Q: Why does the crack on Xeno's forehead remain until the end? Did he bump his head sometime during those 3700 years? A: There are rules on this, Senku said the weathered portions won't return to normal. Boichi determines where everyones scars are.
Q: When things were going terribly at work with Xeno, did he complain to Stanley? Or did he keep everything to himself? A: He doesn't seem like the type to complain, or the type to keep things bottled up. It overflowed after the world ended. (joking) He was irritated. It made him sick. (11) ❓
Citations and Clarifications:
This is not the first time Inagaki has brought up Calorie Mate in reference to Xeno. This time is less awful because it's focused on the two of them in a survival setting, not what they were eating after the farmland and castle were complete. There's also no jungles in California, but I have a feeling Inagaki is referencing Vietnam War movies ala Rambo.
In postcanon, Xeno is in charge of satellite launches and restoring global comms. However, according to the fanbook, Inagaki's statement is false- Xeno was one of, if not the first person Senku asked to join the time machine project.
Basically, Stanley's talents as a soldier are less needed in peacetime. The political state of Dr. Stone is very, very messy and not thought through, but it does seem that Stanley doesn't need military skills anymore... probably....
There are multiple people responsible for Stanley's complete nonsense military backstory.
I haven't the slightest clue what they meant by 'digital' here.
The host is right on this one. Inagaki's answer doesn't feel thought through.
Elephant in the room (scroll down)
American upper middle class.
Before anyone says 'smoker's lips', smoker's lips don't get that purple or have that kind of gloss. Inagaki is also straight up lying, because in earlier Q&As, he talked about Stanley's lipstick color.
Inagaki seems insistent on them being able to form normal social relationships after writing that they had their first handshake at age 11. This also directly contradicts Xeno's VA's interpretation of Xeno's relationships.
Except he did tell someone? He told Senku.
ADDRESS ME
Ooh boy, this one. This will be a long one. This answer is terrible for both heterosexual horse blinders reasons and cross-cultural reasons.
So first off, some grace to Inagaki. He is not supposed to be answering any ship questions. In the same livestream he also turned down directly answering questions about Senku and Kohaku (twice) and a question about I believe Senku and Gen in Korean. As mentioned, most of the romantic context of Stanley and Xeno come from Boichi, it's very clear from Inagaki's previous interviews that he didn't conceive of them as a romance or write with romantic intention. And that by itself, is fine! He doesn't have to! That's okay.
However, this answer is especially bad. I am linking @le-fruit-de-la-passion's post on some of the language and also fan rules surrounding this sort of thing, read this to gain some additional context.
女好き(onnazuki) means as someone (male) that likes women, often to the point of being overly flirtatious. Before I get asked 'does he mean that Stanley's bi?'. No. That's the problem.
Some cultural context. This will be very much a generalization. There are always exceptions and nuance, but I am speaking in very, very broad strokes.
Japan has rigid gender norms and is a generally conservative society. And the visual signifiers that make Stanley read as queer in the west do not read as queer in Japan. The stereotypical image of gay men in Japan are big beefy guys. It's not the 'reads as visually feminine' that the west generally has, so things like 'uses heavy makeup' and 'is pretty' and has deep relationships to other men don't stop the average cishet Japanese woman from finding him attractive and available.
From how Inagaki speaks over the course of multiple livestreams, it's pretty clear that he... doesn't really remember that gay people exist, in general? He has very much the typical Japanese hetero norms in his opinions. It's less explicit homophobia, and more that anything LGBT isn't a consideration to him. He also from a lot of the way he answers questions about anything out of Japan, doesn't seem to have a cultural consultant the way he had a scientific consultant. So he doesn't really do much research beyond a surface level on America, India, Brazil, etc.
And he has kind of forgotten that Xeno and Stanley are both white American men, and social norms and cultural contexts in Japan don't carry over to America. If Stanley and Xeno existed in real life in America, nobody around them is thinking they're heterosexual. But to Inagaki....Stanley and Xeno have to like women. They're men, after all.
Personal Thoughts
In my opinion, the thing that's even more insulting to me is that in a lot of these questions, Inagaki keeps devaluing Stanley and Xeno's friendship.
Shipping aside, they're best friends! They are the most important people to each other in the canonical text, but from how Inagaki keeps answering some of these questions, it doesn't seem like they talk that much? Xeno doesn't tell his best friend his feelings and frustrations? He is more honest about his emotions to a literal child instead of his best friend?
They were each other's first handshake at age 11 (shockingly late for ones first handshake), they were constantly together until age 19 per the voice drama, Stanley basically killed himself in Araxa so Xeno could live, but they don't tell each other important things? Sir... you wrote that. Did you forget?
It kind of feels like he did.
