Leviathan, the latest collaboration between Beastars‘ Studio Orange and Star Wars: Visions producer Qubic Pictures, marks Netflix’s entry—alongside Crunchyroll—into the realm of Western novel-to-anime adaptations, echoing a path carved by the Answer Studio’s Anne Shirley. Based on Scott Westerfeld and Keith Thompson’s 2009 steampunk alternate history of World War I (featuring mechs and living animal airships), the anime aims to go beyond a copy-paste replication of its source material. With the original creators actively involved in its production, Qubic and Orange endeavored to create an adaptation that evolves into a culturally rich, visually stunning reimagining for both old and new audiences of its fantastical story.
io9 spoke with Yoshihiro Watanabe, the producer from Studio Orange, along with Justin Leach and Kat Minett from Qubic Pictures about how their collaboration to adapt Westerfeld’s novel into an anime came about, the technical and artistic breakthroughs and challenges they faced in bringing the 3DCG anime to life, and whether there are plans for further projects in the world of Leviathan.
Isaiah Colbert, io9: What drew Qubic Pictures and Studio Orange to adapt Leviathan’s Western steampunk work into Japanese animation?
Justin Leach: We were captivated by Scott Westerfeld’s vivid world-building and Keith Thompson’s intricate visual storytelling. Leviathan uniquely blends steampunk machinery with organic biotechnology, resonating deeply with anime’s affinity for imaginative, detailed universes. The narrative’s exploration of cultural exchange and identity perfectly aligns with Qubic Pictures’ commitment to bridging Japanese and Western storytelling. For Studio Orange, known for pioneering cutting-edge 3D animation, Leviathan offered an exciting opportunity to showcase their distinctive visual style through the dynamic interplay of mechanical and organic aesthetics.
Yoshihiro Watanabe: We were looking for the next project after Trigun Stampede at the time we were just releasing the first season of Beastars. Leviathan had wonderful and strong attractive characters that works best and also challenge new things with our storytelling and animation principles.
io9: Last time Qubic spoke with io9, CEO Justin Leach mentioned that the teams collaborated with Scott Westerfeld and Keith Thompson on the show. What kind of input and suggestions did they bring into the anime’s production to reimagine their world into the anime medium?
Leach: Scott and Keith were deeply involved from the outset, offering invaluable insights into maintaining the novel’s essence while adapting it into an anime format. Scott provided guidance on character depictions, narrative pacing, and character arcs to ensure emotional resonance within our adaptation. Keith’s detailed visual references, encyclopedic knowledge, and original designs helped Studio Orange faithfully translate the Clanker and Darwinist aesthetics into animation, providing a strong foundation from which the studio could expand creatively while remaining true to the source material.
Minett: We talked a lot with Scott and Keith in the early stages of production. They gave us a lot of advice regarding their initial inspirations and the research they did to make the books and illustrations. Scott gave us a lot of advice about the characterization and we talked a lot with Keith about the mecha and creature designs, such as what real-world elements he incorporated into designs like the Loris and the Huxley.
Watanabe: From the studio side, how Scott and Keith worked with us was very encouraging as a creative ensemble. They have much respect to other creatives, bringing the best things they can to the table at the same time, very observant and precise in conducting what defines the world and characters of Leviathan.
io9: Studio Orange is renowned for being one of, if not the best, animation production studios in terms of 3D animation. Leviathan features a mix of mechanical war machines and genetically engineered airships, giving the show a unique visual style compared to Orange’s previous works. How did Orange approach balancing organic and industrial aesthetics in the animation design?
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