On this occasion, the anime director is the person who organizes and brings together all the different individuals involved to generate the final work. Takashi Sano has taken different roles in various productions, from making storyboards in Mahoutsukai no Yome to animation in Megalobox and Neon Genesis Evangelion. And now he serves as the director of the anime adaptation of the manhwa Tower of God. In the following interview by Crunchyroll, Sano expressed his experience with the series.
How did you come to work at Tower of God?
Telecom Animation Film (the animation studio) offered me the job, and I received the offer directly from them.
How did you feel reading the original source of the anime Tower of God, that is, the manhwa? Did you find it interesting?
I think it has quite strong roots in the culture of South Korea, as in its social structure. Because of this I felt the need to adapt it for a more general audience.
Was there a difference between adapting a manhwa and adapting a manga, light novel, or any other source?
There has been no such thing, production has been fairly straightforward.
Was there anything new about adapting a manhwa compared to adapting a manga?
What's new about the project was that since the title comes from South Korea and was adapted in Japan, it already had a large established fan base.
Was your experience directing previous series with intense action scenes useful working on this new project?
The projects I previously worked on served with general guidelines. I think I was able to use those experiences in this work.
How did you translate the essence of manhwa in anime? What do you think fans are waiting to see in the adaptation?
We make the artistic design as true to the original work. I think manhwa fans are waiting to see the play faithfully adapted, rather than the story altered, so we decided to respect that.
How much contact do you have with the original author of the manhwa, SIU?
Manhwa editors were the intermediaries between the production staff and the SIU author. We didn't have any direct interaction with him, but I think he cooperated quite a bit with the production in his own way.
What do you think is what makes Tower of God stand out the most?
Everything is possible within the world of the series, which makes it unique. I think that is what also stands out in the original work.
You have worked in the anime industry for a long time in a wide variety of roles within production. How has each role been different? Do they require different skills?
The required skills are different rather between each gender and not between each role. Personally, I specialized in storyboarding.
Tower of God is the first international Crunchyroll collaboration. Compared to other projects you have worked on, was there a difference in this production?
It was not particularly different. As the director I had more responsibilities, so I spent more time on this project than usual.
The anime fan community has spread beyond Japan. What do you take into consideration when producing a series?
It depends on the origin of the series, but if we talk about Tower of God, then we were very careful not to miss the rhythm of the story or the essence of the original work. I think we can learn something about the international public through this series.
Is there an element of any anime, comic or pop culture that has influenced your direction?
I think the Clint Eastwood director's method of telling a story and expressing it visually was an inspiration.
Tower of God has a lot of fans around the world, did this worry you in any way?
Since the original work already has quite an impact on its own, I was very careful not to modify the plot events as much as possible.
If you tried to climb the Tower, what would your wish be when you reached the top?
Find a comfortable apartment abroad and live a life in freedom.
Is there anything you would like to say to fans of Tower of God?
No matter how hard we fight, people cannot survive alone. I hope each of you find your own happiness.
In closing, is there anything you would like to say to anime fans in general?
Please support the original work while watching the anime. They will have a deeper experience.
© Tower of God Animation Partners © SIU
