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Gundam's Tomino Discusses 2D Fantasy Robot Anime Plans

Gundam anime creator Yoshiyuki Tomino stated in the Gundam G no Reconguista Official Guidebook that Gakkan Publishing released on Wednesday that he is considering making his Hollywood project in Tokyo instead since he noted that "it seems like Sunrise will let me try to make a robot project that is slightly more fantasy." He also stated that he would still use traditional hand-drawn animation for the project.

Tomino also stated that he would like the work to make children realize the current rarity of hand-drawn animation, in light of the rise of modern 3D animation in Hollywood. He also said that he would like two or three more years to work on the project.

Tomino revealed in January 2014 that his Ookaze no Okurosama company was collaborating with Hollywood special effects studio Legacy Effects in the movie production business — specifically, "movies based on Japanese manga and animation from Hollywood to the world."

At a press conference a week after the initial announcement, Tomino revealed that the first project in the collaboration would involve him personally directing a new animated work with many notable creators in the staff. The two companies announced at that press conference that they were also planning to adapt an unnamed children's literary work from publisher Iwanami Shoten into a live-action film.

Tomino said at that January 2014 press conference, "My career thus far has basically been working in television anime. I considered remaking a past work for the first project [in the business tie-up]. However, since we have not cleared all the rights, I won't be able to tell you. If I could talk about it here, I think you can imagine what kind of work will be made."

He added at that time that Tokyo-based animation production would be tough in the future, but he wanted to build a new production site. He said he was planning not only projects based on his earlier works, but he mused that he could still make one or two entirely new works "by the time I'm 87."

In addition to the pioneering "real robot" anime franchise Gundam, Tomino also created the anime titles Muteki Chōjin Zambot 3, Muteki Kōjin Daitarn 3, Densetsu Kyojin Ideon, Aura Battler Dunbine, Brain Powered, Overman King Gainer, and more.

[Via Yaraon!]