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Studio Bones is one of the most respected and respected animation studios in the industry. They are responsible for modern classics that still live freely in the minds of anime fans everywhere from Eureka Seven, Soul Eater to Fullmetal Alchemist, and even more recently My Hero AcadeKaren. The announcement of their new anime project is a big deal. So in a crowded hall, with all of us waiting with bated breath, Kodansha, Bones, and Avex came together to announce what they had in store.
What we have to look forward to is an anime adaptation of the manga Gachiakuta by Kei Urana. I had never heard of the series, and it seems I wasn't alone in that, as host TheAnimeMan noted. Among fans, the series is known for its unique and distinct art style. The visuals feature harsh angles and hard shadows, and they also stand out because many of the background artwork features additional images done by professional graffiti artist Hideyoshi Andou. Urana and Andou make an excellent tag team, as their art styles complement each other, and when the judges played a video featuring both of them, it became clear that that wasn't all. Everything from their similar fashion sense to their attitudes seemed like a perfect match. You can see that there's a real passion behind this series; Urana explains that she actually dances when she draws, and the animation team wanted to do everything they could to convey that inspiration on the TV screen.
There were a number of hurdles that the staff had to overcome, such as bringing to life the incredibly harsh world depicted in the manga, as well as trying to find a way to emulate the style of the show without sacrificing the quality of the animation. Even TheAnimeMan noted that there are times when a show will have to cut corners for the sake of the animation's flow. The panel didn't go into much detail about the stylistic approach they'll take. However, visitors were able to see some behind-the-scenes footage showcasing the use of 3D environments and even some drawings from the animation team members. It's hard to say how things will look when they're animated or how much of the rough artwork will be translated into the finished product. But given Bones' track record, the fact that there's a clear passion for the manga, and the uniqueness of the material, Gachiakuta is in good hands.