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Maaya Sakamoto, Take, ufotable on Galactic Railroad Project
posted on by Egan Loo
Katsushi Ota, the editor of Kodansha's literary magazine Faust, has revealed on his Twitter account on Monday that voice actress Maaya Sakamoto (Escaflowne, Black Butler, Arakawa Under the Bridge), illustrator Take (NisiOisin's Zaregoto, Katanagatari light novels), and the anime studio ufotable (Manabi Straight!, Kara no Kyoukai) are collaborating on a project.
"Sakamoto Maaya no Mangetsu Roudokukan" (Maaya Sakamoto's Full Moon Recital Hall) will present a "new literary experience" based on Kenji Miyazawa's acclaimed novel Night on the Galactic Railroad. Ota himself is overseeing the production. Ota had already revealed on Sunday that Take and ufotable are collaborating on a project for Sai-zen-sen, a website for creative talent from a new company called Seikaisha (Star Seas Company). Ota received a rough cut of the video for the project, and he indicated that the project is a long-term one which will last until the end of the year. A-Channel has already been established on the live streaming website Ustream for "Sakamoto Maaya no Mangetsu Roudokukan."
Ota also revealed the "first pitches" of Seikaisha Fictions, the works that will be serialized on Sai-zen-sen. Writer Gen Urobuchi (Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~, Blassreiter) is collaborating with artist Yun Kouga (Gundam 00, Loveless) on Kin no Hitomi Tetsu no Ken (Gold Eyes, Iron Sword). Game writer Masaki Motonaga (Yakuza Girl, Last Order, Mirai ni Kiss o -Kiss the Future-) is collaborating with illustrator moz on Seikai Taisen (Star Sea War). Finally, Ota revealed the "hidden pitch": Sakurako Atomika by author Koroku Inumura (To Aru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku) and artist Wakako Katayama.
Director Gisaburô Sugii and Group TAC had already adapted Night on the Galactic Railroad into an anime feature film in 1985. Shōji Kawamori (Macross, Escaflowne) adapted Miyazawa's own life into the anime television special Ihatov Gensou: Kenji no Haru (Vision of Ihatov: Kenji's Spring). Central Park Media released Night on the Galactic Railroad in North America, and Tokyopop released Kenji's Spring.
[Via Moon Phase]
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