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Interview — People

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interview

Macross Goes Worldwide: An Interview with Shoji Kawamori and Hidetaka Tenjin at Otakon 2023

There's been nothing but buzz around the Macross series since the announcement of the historic licensing agreement in 2021. We talked to Kawamori and Tenjin about Macross 7, English subtitles, and “thinking without boundaries.” ― There's been nothing but buzz around the Macross series since the announcement of the historic licensing agreement made between BIGWEST and Harmony Gold in 2021. That buzz ...
interview

MAN WITH A MISSION Talks New Demon Slayer Season, Upcoming International Tour

MAN WITH A MISSION's Jean-Ken Johnny gushes to ANN about the theme songs in the newest Demon Slayer season, plus the band's upcoming international tour. ― You can always count on Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba theme songs to grab your attention. The opening and theme songs of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc feature a team-up between two top artists in Japan: rock band Man With a...
convention

Otakon 2022 - Interview with Toshio Furukawa & Shino Kakinuma

Toshio Furukawa and Shino Kakinuma are seiyū royalty as the voices of Piccolo and Videl. ANN caught up with the pair at Otakon to discuss their legacy and current work. ― Despite its age, Urusei Yatsura continues to define the anime landscape with its rich legacy and unforgettable characters. With the upcoming series reboot in mind, ANN sat down to speak with Ataru's own Toshio Furukawa and his wife ...
interview

A Philosophical Talk with Legendary Director Mamoru Oshii

“Part of what artists do has to withstand the test of time. I suppose you could call it 'universality.' People who live by entertainment generally live in the moment.” ― Note: ANN is excited to publish a recently discovered interview between Mamoru Oshii and our reporter, Richard Eisenbeis, from 2017. A while back, I was able to sit down with Mamoru Oshii, director of groundbreaking anime films such ...
interview

Capturing the Merch: Interview with the Cardcaptor Sakura Memorabilia World Record Holder

Matthew Emblidge lives in Maryland with his collection of 4,873 items (and growing!) Cardcaptor Sakura items. ― Cardcaptor Sakura is no doubt one of the most popular magical girl franchises to date. In fact, a lot of people I know grew up with the franchise aside from another mahou shoujo series, Sailor Moon. Its immense popularity has also spawned a huge amount of merch releases over the years. I wa...
interview

Mini-Interview with Master of Horror Junji Ito

Now, with an Eisner award under his belt, Anime News Network caught up with Ito to discuss pets, fashion, and the spine-tingling inspiration behind some of his most haunting tales. ― Junji Ito was a guest at this year's Virtual Crunchyroll Expo to talk about his manga Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu, one of the acclaimed horror artist's many licensed manga. Ito is horror manga mainstay in both Japan...
interview

Creating the Sci-Fi Sounds of Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy: Siege with Composer Alexander Bornstein

The musical mind behind sci-fi works such as Love, Death & Robots, Stephen Hopkins' Lost in Space, and Agent Carter talks about his love for synth and challenging himself. ― The next installment in Hasbro's decades-spanning sci-fi franchise Transformers finds its home on Netflix on Thursday as Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy: Siege. The six-episode 3DCG-animated series by Polygon Pictures tak...
interview

Interview: Deca-dence Director Yuzuru Tachikawa and Producer Takuya Tsunoki

Creative staff behind the upcoming original series discuss their choice to go big, the mystery behind the title, and how long it took to get Deca-dence off the ground. Deca-Dence is an ambitious original anime produced at NUT, the studio behind the Saga of Tanya the Evil anime. It's directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, who is well known for directing Death Parade and Mob Psycho 100. With many members of t...
interview

Interview: Steve Alpert, The Westerner at Ghibli

Steve Alpert talks about recording his lines for Miyazaki, the truth behind the samurai sword sent to Weinstein, and Ghibli's ' live or die' business structure. ― Studio Ghibli fans will be devouring Steve Alpert's book Sharing a House With the Never-Ending Man, written by the American who was a member of Ghibli in its greatest years. Alpert discloses a fantastic number of secrets about the turbulent...
interview

Interview: LISTENERS Series Composition Writer Dai Sato

As LISTENERS draws to a close, Anime News Network was able to interview esteemed writer Dai Sato to discuss music, mecha, and themes. ― As LISTENERS draws to a close, Anime News Network was able to interview esteemed writer Dai Sato to discuss music, mecha, and themes. The original anime premiered in April and follows Echo, a boy who thinks he's destined for a quiet life recycling trash, and Mu, the ...
interview

Interview: BEASTARS Director Shinichi Matsumi

In the last of our three-part BEASTARS features, director Shinichi Matsumi discusses the techniques behind the anime's success. ― BEASTARS took the anime world by storm when it released on Netflix worldwide in March. The high-quality 3D animation and compelling relationship drama have particularly stood out to the viewers. Anime News Network sat down with the anime's director Shinichi Matsumi to disc...
interview

Interview: BEASTARS CG Chief Director and Orange President Eiji Inomoto

Kim Morrissy sits down with renown CG animation creator and Orange studio founder Eiji Inomoto to learn more about Inomoto's animation philosophy and what in particular makes his studio special. ― There are few CG animation creators more renowned than Eiji Inomoto. He has always worked towards emulating the appeal of 2D works in 3D. Even as an animator on Zoids: Chaotic Century, he was dropping frame...
interview

Interview: MIYAVI, The Responsible Rockstar

The guitarist and actor MIYAVI discusses his career, his newest album, and his upcoming role alongside Angelina Jolie in Maleficent 2. ― The artist presently known as MIYAVI just may be the most responsible rockstar of our age. He's been active on the international music scene since 1999 and solo since 2002, MIYAVI has catapulted to global success and notoriety pretty much on his own terms, always ev...
interview

Interview: Studio Eallin Japan and Director Kenji Kawasaki

One of Japan's burgeoning short-project anime directors discusses his process and the growing trend of 3D with interviewer Callum May. ― Although the anime industry is open to new forms of creativity, there's always space for creative animation outside of a TV series. Eallin Japan is one such company that offers avenues for creative animated projects within advertisements, music videos and short film...
interview

Interview: International Otaku Expo Association

These three guys are attempting to create a global otaku community by encouraging communication and collaboration between otaku events (like, say Comiket and Otakon). Let's find out what they're all about! ― We had the pleasure of chatting with three representatives from the International Otaku Expo Association, an organization established this year to "encourage new developments within the wider ota...
interview

Hidetaka Tenjin

We interview master mecha artist Hidetaka Tenjin, who recently appeared at MCM London Comic Con. ― This May, visitors to the MCM London Comic Con had a chance to see a master mecha artist at work; Hidetaka Tenjin, who creates extraordinarily lush digital paintings based on Macross, Space Battleship Yamato and many other titles. He also has 'mecha' credits on such anime as Macross Frontier and Hellsin...
interview

Interview: Diana Garnet

A new ending theme song debuts on Naruto Shippuden this week, "Spinning World", performed by American singer Diana Garnet. ANN had the chance to ask her a few questions. ― On a cold day in Tokyo, ANN got the chance to sit down with Diana Garnet, a singer from the United States living in Tokyo. As a professional singer under the Sony Music Records label, she will be performing the next ending theme so...
interview

Interview: Takeshi Obata

A few questions for illustrator extraordinaire Takeshi Obata, the man behind the incredible art of Death Note, Hikaru no Go, All You Need is Kill and more. ― If you haven't heard of Takeshi Obata, chances are you have seen his work: he is an illustrator and mangaka, usually working with writers to help tell stories. He has worked on Hikaru no Go, as well as Death Note, Bakuman, and most recently the ...
interview

Interview: Akihiro Kanayama

Veteran animator and industry legend Akihiro Kanayama talks about his life and career working on shows like Ashita no Joe and tells some tales of working with Osamu Tezuka himself. ― Akihiro Kanayama is a true veteran of anime. In his seventy-five years of life, he's seen the manga and anime industries rise and transform into the cultural forces they are today. In fact, as an animator and designer at...
interview

Interview: May'n

The Macross Frontier sensation and closing act of the 2014 JPOP Summit shares some insights about her career, singing for international audiences and more. ― There are some very recognizable names of singers and musicians in the world of “anison” - the genre of songs made especially for anime production. Many well-loved acts have contributed their music to the anison world, and conversely, the anison...
interview

The Space Dandy Interview: Part II - Bahi JD

In our second Space Dandy interview, Mike talks to Bahi JD, an animator who started with animated GIFs and wound up working on Kids on the Slope! ― When we think of animators, we might picture men and women in a dimly-lit, overcrowded studio, squinting at a light board, hunched over an LCD screen, or fingering a drawing tablet, doggedly honing their craft surrounded by their peers. But Bahi JD's path...
interview

The Space Dandy Interview: Part I - Thomas Romain

In the first of two interviews, Mike Toole sits down with Space Dandy mechanical designer and animator extraordinaire Thomas Romain. ― At Anime Boston 2013, scriptwriter Dai Sato revealed that, from the beginning, Space Dandy was planned to be broadcast around the world, simultaneously, right from the first episode. But global appeal requires global talent, and the show's general director Shinichiro ...
interview

Interview: Bryce Papenbrook

The voice of Eren Jaeger talks about the recording process, screaming until his voice broke, what it was like to be picked, and facing the pressure. ― We had the pleasure of chatting with Bryce Papenbrook, who was recently announced as the English voice of Eren Jaeger from the heavily anticipated anime series, Attack on Titan. Previous roles for Papenbrook include Kirito from Sword Art Online, and Ri...
interview

Interview: Tomohiko Ito

A few questions for the director of Occult Academy, Silver Spoon and of course, the smash hit series Sword Art Online. ― We had a chance to sit down with Tomohiko Ito, director of Occult Academy, Sword Art Online, and Silver Spoon. Ito discussed with us the differences between directing an original anime and an anime based on an existing work, what he enjoys about storyboarding a project, and why he ...
interview

Interview: Masahiro Ando

Masahiro Ando, the director of Sword of the Stranger, currently working on Sekai Seifuku, sits down with us for a few questions. We talk future projects, working with Mari Okada and more. ― ANN: Sword of the Stranger was very well received by anime fans in America, and it was compared to many other chanbara films in terms of appeal. These kinds of samurai movies have their own fanbase too, they're fa...
interview

Interview: Atsushi Ootsuki

Wagnaria!! Season 2 director Atsushi Ootsuki answers your questions, and talks about what it's like to take over a popular series. ― Last fall, we asked readers to send in questions for Atsushi Ootsuki, the director of Wagnaria!! Season 2. Wagnaria!! Season 2 is currently available in North America from NIS America. The two-disc Blu-ray boxset was released on February 4, 2014 and includes a hardcover...
interview

Interview: Mizuho Nishikubo

The director of Production I.G's upcoming animated World War II drama Giovanni's Island sits down for a few questions. PLUS: We have an exclusive new English-language trailer for the film! ― Director Mizuho Nishikubo is a veteran of the anime industry; he's directed classic OVAs from Zillion to Video Girl Ai to California Crisis and has worked closely with auteur filmmaker Mamoru Oshii for years. His...
interview

Interview: Jonathan Clements

Author Jonathan Clements tells us about writing the first book-length history of anime in English. ― Anime: A History by Jonathan Clements is the first in-depth history of Japanese animation in English. It sweeps over nearly a century of the medium, from its shadowy origins as a tiny cottage industry, through a dizzying series of changes; a wartime tool for instruction and propaganda, a kids' medium ...
interview

Interview: BONES Studio President Masahiko Minami

BONES animation studio president Masahiko Minami sat down with Anime News Network to discuss the studio's history, approach to the animation industry, and the anime series Space Dandy. ― BONES animation studio president Masahiko Minami sat down with Anime News Network to discuss the studio's history, approach to the animation industry, and the anime series Space Dandy premiering in January. Minami ha...
interview

Interview: Evangelion Character Designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

Prolific character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto sits down with ANN to discuss the end of the Evangelion manga and future plans ― Prolific character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto has worked closely on studio Gainax's animation projects since The Wings of Honnêamise premiered in 1987, but he might be best known as the artist behind the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga adaptation. Since then, he's also worke...
interview

Interview: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Sword Art Online's Kirito

The Japanese voice of Asuna's other half from Sword Art Online sits down with us for a few questions. ― ANN: You play Kirito, a swordsman, in Sword Art Online. If you played Sword Art Online, how would you customize your character? MATSUOKA: Well, the most important factor about Sword Art Online is that there's no “continue” option. Thinking about that, I think I would never join the offense team (no...
interview

Interview: Masahiko Otsuka and Yoh Yoshinari of Studio Trigger

Little Witch Academia script writer Masahiko Otsuka, and director Yoh Yoshinari talk about their experience working on the project. ― Earlier this year, in celebration of the upcoming Little Witch Academia Blu-ray, ANN and the folks at Studio Trigger and Good Smile Company asked fans to come up with questions for script writer Masahiko Otsuka. We're pleased that in addition to Mr. Otsuka's insight, w...
interview

Interview: Shinji Takamatsu

Director Shinji Takamatsu talks about his experience working on the Daily Lives of High School Boys. ― To celebrate the release of the Daily Lives of High School Boys anime boxset, NIS America and Anime News Network asked readers to help come up with questions to ask director Shinji Takamatsu. Here, he talks about what it was like adapting a comedy manga, pacing the series, working with voice actors,...
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Interview: Mamoru Hosoda, Director of Wolf Children

A few questions for Mamoru Hosoda during a press tour for his new film, Wolf Children, in Taiwan. ― Q: Wolf Children uses both 2D and 3D animation. Which parts of the movie were more suitable for either 2D or 3D animation, and how do you make that choice? How does 3D technology make Japanese animation – of which 2D is still the mainstream – better? Mamoru Hosoda: Most animation nowadays produced out...
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Interview: Megumi Han

Anime Expo 2013 guest of honor Megumi Han shares her thoughts on voice acting in this exclusive interview. ― Voice actress Megumi Han is best known for her role as Gon in 2011's Hunter x Hunter, but she's also played many other roles that have made her a rising star in anime. From magical battles in Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal II to slice-of-school-life in Chihayafuru, Han has proven herself adept at various cha...

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