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Fate/Zero Director Ei Aoki Discusses His Involvement in The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II Anime
posted on by Kim Morrissy
In the February 2019 issue of Newtype, an interview with Fate/Zero director Ei Aoki and Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files: Rail Zeppelin Grace note director Makoto Katō discussed their work on the The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II anime. The series is an anime adaptation of Makoto Sanda's Lord El-Melloi II-sei no Jikenbo (The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II) mystery novel spinoff series for Type-Moon's Fate franchise.
Ei Aoki is credited as the anime's supervisor also drew the storyboards of "Episode 0," which first premiered during a television special on December 31. The series is being produced at TROYCA, an animation studio which Aoki established in 2014.
In the interview, Aoki says that he asked to be present at the script meetings for The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II anime because Fate/Zero also focused on a character named Waver. Fate/Zero is a prequel set 10 years before The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II. He said that although his role is formally that of "supervisor," he thinks of it purely as a supporting role.
The reason Aoki storyboarded Episode 0 was because he took a personal interest in how Waver of Fate/Zero became Lord El-Melloi II during the 10 year gap. Aoki remarked that he had difficulty depicting Gray, who is Lord El-Melloi II's assistant. He said that he consulted often with Katō about how to get her expressions right, and that he even had a Skype conversation about it with the novel author Sanda afterward.
Aoki and Katō also revealed that they took a trip to England together for location scouting. Aoki expressed his hope that he can draw more storyboards for the TV series proper.
Crunchyroll streamed Episode 0 of The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II, and have announced that they will simulcast the rest of the series. Episode 1 will premiere in Japan on Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV, Tochigi TV, and MBS in July 2019.
Source: Newtype February 2019 issue
