Anime production studio MAPPA, in collaboration with Crunchyroll, held two panels at Anime Expo this year. The first panel featured studio CEO Manabu Otsuka and Executive Director and Rights Management Director Makoto Kimura, who engaged in a Q&A session with the attendees. The second panel expanded the guest list with the inclusion of Kyoshi Matsuda, the director of Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill, and Kaori Makata, the director of Hell's Paradise. These panels not only showcased a highly anticipated preview for Attack on Titan: The Final Season Series Finale Part 2, but also delved into upcoming original projects from MAPPA and provided valuable insights into the production process of some of their most prominent anime of the current season.
The preview for Attack on Titan Finale Part 2, showcased during the panels, offered a glimpse of the main cast's intense battle against Eren in his Founding Titan form. It was apparent that the anime's conclusion would closely follow the divisive events depicted in the manga. Mikasa's final words in the trailer, "I'll see you again, Eren," mirrored her dialogue from the climax of the manga's concluding battle. Fans can expect this highly anticipated special to premiere in the Fall of this year.
Among the other projects discussed during the panels were the original series Bucchigiri?!, directed by Hiroko Utsumi, and the original film Maboroshi, directed by Mari Okada. Bucchigiri?! was described as a "delinquents-meets-Arabian-Nights" story, adding to the emerging genre of "hot guys doing hot things." Fans of Hiroko Utsumi's previous works like Free!, Skate the Infinity, and Banana Fish will be delighted by this new entry. Bucchigiri?! is set to release on Crunchyroll in January 2024.
In contrast, the trailer for Maboroshi carried a somber tone, presenting an "apocalyptic love story" that touches upon themes related to the global Covid-19 pandemic and quarantine. The narrative revolves around a small town where the residents find themselves trapped, unable to leave or undergo any changes after a mysterious explosion at a local factory. Notably, renowned Japanese singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima contributes the film's main theme, marking her first involvement in anime production. The film is scheduled for release in two months, with Kimura expressing how it reflects the current world, and Otsuka promising to put in their best efforts to bring it to the audience.
Director Kyoshi Matsuda provided insights into the unique production of Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill during his time on stage. The cooking scenes in the anime are based on recordings of professional cooks preparing the featured meals in a studio. Through rotoscoping, the footage is then translated into the anime, resulting in mouth-watering depictions of food. Matsuda emphasized that this process was not a shortcut and required careful consideration of how the cooking would translate to an outdoor environment. He particularly mentioned the challenges and rewards of depicting evening cooking scenes, given the darker color palette and the need for the food to stand out.
Kaori Makata, the director of Hell's Paradise, expressed relief after the successful first season and her excitement to attend Anime Expo before starting work on the confirmed second season. When adapting the popular manga into an anime, Makata's production team focused on portraying Gabimaru's struggle, especially in his battle against Zhu Jin in episode nine. Makata also highlighted that the depiction of the "Gods" in the series, devoid of divinity, intrigued her and her team, leading them to be drawn to the manga.
It's worth mentioning that the second MAPPA panel, held on July 2nd, had fewer attendees compared to the first panel on July 1st. The strike initiated by the Southern California Hotel Workers Union on July 2nd, along with scheduling conflicts and overlapping panels, likely contributed to the lower attendance. Striking workers obstructed access to the J.W. Marriott hotel where the panel was held, urging Anime Expo attendees to boycott events at the hotel in solidarity. This call to action appeared to have an impact, as there were noticeably more available seats in the panel hall on the second day compared to the nearly full-capacity attendance before the strike.
By Parth Thapar
(The images used in this blog post are not owned by Anime Devta, they are just to help the readers)
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