Tomohiro Furukawa draws from the philosophy and methods of living legends like Mamoru Oshii, Hideaki Anno, and his mentor Kunihiko Ikuhara. He reconstructs their teaching and his influences from countless fields into a unique thrilling style—that’s Revue Starlight The Movie, and what he calls experience-centric anime.
One of the keys to Kunihiko Ikuhara’s success is his ability to surround himself by creators who fit his aesthetic but also thematic needs, no matter the artistic field those people belong to. So while his upcoming TV series Sarazanmai is still a ways to go, there’s a lot we can infer already, and much to analyze about the way he operates.
The second episode of DARLING in the FRANXX is also very much rooted in studio Gainax tradition, but its awkward budding sexuality and mecha happenings have a different flavor under the expert hand of one of the most interesting female creators who matured at the studio in the 00s: Shouko Nakamura. Get ready to catch up on the ways she polished up those unique skills, since that provides lots of hidden context to this episode.