12 Days of Anime (2015) – Day 2 – Speaking with Hiromi Katou, Character Design for Needless, at Sakuracon

Hiromi Katou is a gifted and experienced talent, having a successful career in the anime industry through a variety of roles. Among his notable accomplishments, he was the character designs for Guilty Crown, Kobato., and Hakkenden, the animation directors for Beck, Gunslinger Stratos, and Fantasia Doll, and a key animator for Death Note, Azumanga Daioh, Shingeki no Kyojin, and many more. However, his most distinguished achievement, to me at least, is that he was the character design for Needless, which you might guess from previous posts is my favorite anime. I was extremely fortunate that Hiromi Katou was invited as a guest for Sakuracon this year and made sure to visit his Q&A panel, so that I could ask him some questions regarding Needless. So, for Day 2 of my 12 Days of Anime, I’ll recall my time with Hiromi Katou and the answers he provided about his experience with Needless.

Autumn 2015 – Season Preview

The way most people realize that it’s the beginning of autumn is that the days begin to grow shorter, the air begins to feel cooler, and the trees transition into a palette of warm yellows, oranges and reds. But for me, the only way I realize that it’s the beginning of autumn is when the autumn anime season begins! And yes, with the start of the Autumn 2015 anime season this week, it’s time again to look ahead to this new season of anime and project, speculate, and guesstimate which anime we should watch.

Summer 2015 – Week 13 Anime Review

Last week: two things I wish they did more of in Gakkou Gurashi, celebrating the rural setting of Non Non Biyori Repeat, deliberating the lack of anime voice acting roles in Sore ga Seiyuu!, and the lack of Maya Matsumoto in the finale of Working!!!.

Summer 2015 – Week 12 Anime Review

Hello again. For Week 12: my ideas on where I wanted Rokka no Yuusha to go following the mystery, thoughts on the erased timelines in Charlotte, issues with the classroom in Classroom Crisis, and appreciating Hotaru’s character more in Non Non Biyori Repeat.

Summer 2015 – Week 8 Anime Review

This week: why combining business with school has failed for Classroom Crisis, highlighting a major weakness for Chamo in Rokka no Yuusha, similarities between the Orihara family with the Araragi family for Durarara!!x2 Ten, and major changes (again) in the OP for Gakkou Gurashi.

Summer 2015 – Week 7 Anime Review

This week: reading between the lines of Miki’s decision and her subsequent character development in Gakkou Gurashi, criticisms over the number of disrupting flashbacks in Gangsta., complaints over the expansion of Hajime’s breasts in Gatchaman Crowds Insight, and chuckling at how Charlotte handles Ayumi’s “death”.

Summer 2015 – Week 6 Anime Review

This week: why Adlet, the strongest man on Earth, is the weakest brave in Rokka no Yuusha, questioning the origin of Yuki’s psychosis in Gakkou Gurashi, defending Haruka’s egregious probability errors in Joukamachi no Dandelion, and complaints about Ayumi’s lack of character development in Charlotte.