Sonny Boy is an anomaly in commercial media, let alone as a TV anime: a fascinating creator given a blank cheque that he cashed in to explore his philosophical views, mixing cultural touchstones and personal musings into a unique sci-fi story, and tweaking animation production norms to illustrate a singular worldview with unmatched cohesion.
With the Spring 2019 anime season already underway, it’s time to ask the usual question: where are the most interesting creators hiding, and which are the productions to look out for? Let’s find out what this new wave of anime is all about, delving pretty deeply in some cases.
Dororo‘s one of the most critically acclaimed shows of 2019 so far, but the title itself is well over 50 years old. So what’s the story behind each iteration of the series, how did the historical context influence their creation, and what’s Dororo’s appeal in the first place? Let’s find out. And don’t worry, no spoilers here!
The Winter 2019 season is already starting, so we’re back to do our usual job: figuring out which new titles have premises with high potential and creative crews that can do them justice, to save you the headache of doing it yourself! Let’s run down the most interesting offerings this season, both the ones you’re already expecting and some curious surprises.
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.
Revue Starlight has begun developing its central relationships, entrusting the most inventive creators at their disposal with key episodes. The fascinating, very deliberate madness they put together is a collective success, but not even their camaraderie is enough to fully make up for the very serious production struggles the team is suffering.
Summer season is upon us! To be perfectly honest, anime’s strongest creators are for the most part taking a bit of a break, but that only means that curation is even more important. It’s time to detail which upcoming shows have gathered the strongest creative crews under premises with potential!
It’s no exaggeration to say that outsourcing studios keep anime alive, and yet fans are still mostly unaware of their integral role in the production of their favorite shows. The disappearance of Studio Wanpack, the biggest company of this kind, serves as an opportunity to explain just how important they were, and also what’s been happening to the many animators who worked for them.
Please enjoy this piece on the new series by Kazuya Tsurumaki, Evangelion‘s assistant director and the mind behind FLCL – titles that I promise I’m not just namedropping to catch your attention, but that are very relevant to his new work.