Storyboard/Episode DirectorYoshiyuki FujiwaraChief Animation DirectorYuka ShibataAnimation DirectorMiki Muto, Naho KozonoAction SupervisionFumiaki Kouta Key AnimationShino Kuzuhara, Miki Muto, Susumu Matsunaga, Yoshiyuki Fujiwara, Miyako Yatsu, Naho KozonoKeiichi Ishikura, Nana Fujiki, Yasuo Okawara, Natsue Chibayama, Yuki Chika, Kikuko Sadakata, Yuki Shimatani, Kasumi Kamada, Tomoko Sugimoto, Tomoko Hamanaka At the sight of Doga Kobo’s Yoshiyuki Fujiwara making a guest […]
Apr 23, 2021 • Subscribe
More like this
Bakuten!! #02 – Production Notes
Storyboard/Episode DirectorSeishiro NagayaChief Animation DirectorAya NakanishiAnimation DirectorAya Nakanishi, Shogo MatsumotoAction SupervisionFumiaki KoutaKey AnimationAika Kawasaki, Shuto Enomoto, Shino Tsuzurahara, Takuya Yoshihara, Ayumu Ikeda, Toumitsu Ina, Shou Ochiai, Yui Kinoshita,…
Bakuten!! – 03
Uchiyama Kouki must have had his do not disturb on. Read more
Wonder Egg Priority – Production Notes 03
The third episode of Wonder Egg Priority is an amazing directorial debut, capable of modulating its delivery to adapt to a character protecting her wounds with a façade,…
86: Eighty Six – Production Notes 01-03
86: Eighty Six packs a fairly compelling war story with a surprisingly nuanced political message. And this is how its team is streamlining it and amplifying its impact,…
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! 03 – Production Notes
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! continues to follow a young group of creators making animation not as a tool but as a goal of its own – and…
The Two Chainsaw Mans – CSM Production Notes 01-03
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s storytelling is spontaneous, anarchic genius, so how should one adapt Chainsaw Man into anime? Its team committed to a vision that has made two takes on…
Ranking of Kings / Ousama Ranking – Production Notes 01-03
Despite being a directorial debut for Yosuke Hatta, the cohesive clarity of Ousama Ranking makes it a masterclass in adaptation already. And so it’s time to explore the…
SSSS.DYNAZENON – Production Notes 10
SSSS.Dynazenon #10 was an explosive showcase of young creative energy drawing the audience in and out of a stunning illusion, and at the same time, proof of how…
Rebuilding Kyoto Animation’s Unique Production Pipeline: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S Production Notes 03-12
Let’s dedicate a final look at Maidragon’s second season and its role in KyoAni’s gradual rebuild—the why and how they made a beautiful show with a smaller team…
New Recipes At Studio Trigger: Dungeon Meshi Production Notes 01-03
Dungeon Meshi’s anime is the product of the shifting tides at studio Trigger, of a long relationship between the involved parties and the source material, and of a…
SSSS.DYNAZENON – Production Notes 01-04
SSSS.Dynazenon is an already fascinating follow-up to 2018’s Gridman, an equally evocative love letter to tokusatsu and mecha titles that wears its Anno influences in its sleeves, while…
SSSS.DYNAZENON – Production Notes 05-09
The time has come for another deep dive on SSSS.Dynazenon’s production: a mix of unique in-house Trigger talent and outside help, working in conjunction to create a show…
RPM Challenge 2023 production notes
The RPM Challenge is inspiring, because it gives me an objective and a set deadline to fight procrastination, but it’s also frustrating because I don’t feel that I…
Wonder Egg Priority – Production Notes 04-07
Most Wonder Egg Priority episodes so far have been fantastic first time showings by newbie directors, but what is it about this team’s approach that allows them to…
Wonder Egg Priority – Production Notes 01-02
Wonder Egg Priority is a truly unique show, an effort by an up-and-coming star to repurpose the creative language of one of anime’s greatest directors in a way…
SSSS.DYNAZENON – Production Notes 11-12 And Final Impressions
We’re due a final in-depth look at SSSS.Dynazenon: the creators who stood out in the last stages, the fascinating answers to some seemingly unanswered riddles, and what to…
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! 01 – Production Notes
2020 has started strong with Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, Masaaki Yuasa’s evocative love letter to the art of animation. Let’s begin exploring its equally fascinating production –…
Sing “Yesterday” For Me 01-04 – Production Notes
While current anime get delayed left and right, Yesterday wo Utatte / Sing “Yesterday” for Me sidestepped all those issues by wrapping up its production early. The smart…
Sing “Yesterday” For Me 01-04 – Production Notes
While current anime get delayed left and right, Yesterday wo Utatte / Sing “Yesterday” for Me sidestepped all those issues by wrapping up its production early. The smart…
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! 02 – Production Notes
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! continues to showcase the magic of animation – though did you know that its deep understanding of the art form doesn’t come from…
Winter 2020: Anime Season in Hindsight and Production Notes
On this blog I commonly find myself writing from a position of anticipating something which has either yet to happen, or conversely reacting to recent events around the…
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! 04-07 – Production Notes
We’re back with more Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken coverage to detail how well this material has synergized with Science Saru’s spirit, giving exciting opportunities to diverse up-and-coming…
Bocchi the Rock! Complete Production Notes And Final Impressions
Bocchi the Rock has been a wonderful mix of ridiculous comedy and compelling character growth. Now that it’s over, though with hopes to return, let’s take a final…
First Impressions – Bakuten!!
It's very clear what series this one is trying to piggyback on, right down to the two exclamation points. Read more
First Impressions: Bakuten!
Hello and welcome back to Otaku Thursday! Today, we’re going to be talking about–no–not a new anime from summer season, but about spring 2021 anime–because there’s jus…
Second Impressions – Bakuten!!
I must confess I've seen few second episodes that did less to change my impression about a series. Read more
Animating Modern Nostalgia – Ranking of Kings / Ousama Ranking Production Notes
Many works nowadays try to manufacture skin-deep nostalgia, but by naturally evoking it, Ousama Ranking can afford to combine that authentic old-school flavor with many innovative modern techniques…
86: Eighty Six – Production Notes 04-11 And Final Impressions
A teaser for 86: Eighty Six’s second cours dropped today, so let’s look back at this surprisingly daring show—a stunning showcase of a beginner director’s vision, technical skill,…
First Impression: Bakuten!! (Backflip!!)
“I’ve always gone where people have invited me, just going with the flow…” Shoutarou Futaba is okay with sitting in the baseball’s team bench and watching the birds…
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2 01-06 – Production Notes
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2 has reached its midseason climax, and rather than take a quality hit, it’s only been getting better with time thanks to a…
The Road To DECA-DENCE: Project History & Production Notes 01-05
Yuzuru Tachikawa’s DECA-DENCE is one of the most unique action anime in ages, but its ambition, scale, and the coherence between themes and design philosophy make a whole…
Resourcefulness Reigns Supreme – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Production Notes 05-10
While fans tend to think about production circumstances as black and white, Frieren exemplifies what success tends to look like in the real world: a result of resourceful…
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! 08-12 – Production Notes And Final Impressions
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken came to an end without compromising the ideals of its production, even as deadlines got tight by the end. This is our final…
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! 08-12 – Production Notes And Final Impressions
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken came to an end without compromising the ideals of its production, even as deadlines got tight by the end. This is our final…
Those Snow White Notes – 03 – It’s Fine if It’s Different
This week Setsu becomes raveled in the web of the adorable Maeda Shuri and her childhood friends Kaito and Yui. Yui tries in vein to get Setsu to…
Creators Rebelling Against The Odds: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Production Notes 1-13
At its absolute best, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is a focused effort to fully realize its directors’ ideas, from the grandest action to the least perceptible details. But…
Animating A Silent World – Yubisaki to Renren / A Sign Of Affection Production Notes
Both in the original manga and in its anime adaptation, Yubisaki to Renren / A Sign Of Affection combines extensive research and ingenious creative choices to respectfully, charmingly…
Crafting A Tangible, Aging World – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Production Notes 01-04
Frieren is, at its best, a story tightly written about time; its passage, how different people perceive it, and the tangible marks it leaves in the world and…
The Recipe For An Impossible Animation Team – Princess Connect Re:Dive Season 2 Production Notes
Princess Connect Re:Dive Season 2 #04 is without a doubt one of the most jaw-dropping action spectacles in recent TV anime, while remaining every bit as charming as…
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2 07-12 – Production Notes And Final Impressions
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2 came to an end with big surprises: touching moments that recontextualized entire relationships, and plenty of non-standard production decisions that allowed it…
The Brilliance And Darkness of Zom 100 Bucket List Of The Dead – Production Notes 01
The first episode of Zom 100 is one hell of a showcase of inventive, fresh, and very bombastic animation and direction, all packaged together with clear intent. It’s…
Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World Season 2 – Production Notes S2 01-05 (26-30)
It’s no secret that Re:Zero’s staff is facing more adversities than ever before, so how have they been managing to still knock all the big moments in the…
Production Assistants and the Production Side
A while ago a manual on the job of a Production Assistant (制作進行) was published by the Association of Japanese Animation (AJA), defining what this job is and…
Weekly Digest 5/1/21 – Bakuten!!, Shakunetsu Kabaddi
The mystery of Azemichi's head deepens. Read more
New year notes
I’m still at the bottom of a dank dark hole right now. Mentally speaking, anyway. I have my physical health, as far as I know, and I should…
Some Classy Notes
Summer has left us, and Horizon has gone with it. Autumn is a time of reflection as the year that was begins winding to a close. So it…
#MechaMarch2022: Robotics;Notes
Having been wanting to watch this series for a while, I felt like it was finally time to check this one out. Especially since I at least wanted…
Production & shipping update
All back issues orders received between 2010/03/05 and 2010/06/16 were shipped Wednesday (for Canadian orders) and today (for U.S. and Inter...
THOSE SNOW WHITE NOTES EPISODE 12 — THOSE SNOW WHITE NOTES
Welcome to the last review of the season! I wondered if I could do something special for the season finale like my cooking escapade for Heaven’s Design Team…