We recently had a chance to interview Takaharu Ozaki, the director of the upcoming Your Forma anime adaptation. Anime fans are probably familiar with Ozaki’s work through Girls’ Last Tour, Goblin Slayer, or Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy, which are some of the titles he has directed over the years. Your Forma, animated by Geno Studio, marks his directorial return so we took the opportunity to learn a bit more about this exciting new sci-fi adaptation.
Q: Were you familiar with the Your Forma series beforehand; did you read the light novel or the manga adaptation?
A: I wasn’t originally familiar with it, but when I was approached, I learned about Your Forma, and that’s when I began reading it.
Q: How did you get involved with the project? When did you start working on it?
A: I had previously worked on a project called Girls’ Last Tour, and it was through the production staff I collaborated with there that I was approached for this opportunity. They told me about an interesting new project and invited me to join. After reading the original work, I decided to take part.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about the preparation process for the Your Forma anime? The story in the first volume of the light novel takes place in various countries with different cultural backgrounds and architecture; what was it like working on that?
A: I’ve always been drawn to depicting SF and imagined worlds. It’s something I admire and feel deeply connected to, so rather than seeing it as an effort, it felt more like gathering together all the visual inspirations I’ve loved over the years.
Instead of taking a completely new approach, I pieced together impressions from past films and illustrations that have influenced me. Since this project is set overseas, there were, of course, aspects I wasn’t familiar with. To bridge that gap, I relied on Google Maps and online resources to gather as much information as possible.
Q: What would you say was the most challenging part of adapting Your Forma?
A: This time, we wanted to express the connection and trust between Echica and Harold. The scene that represents this is also featured in the key visual. I believe that the core of the story lies in the single action that connects them—the electronic investigative action. This, to me, embodies the spirit of the original work, so I put a lot of care into it.
Not only did we ensure that the animation was meticulously crafted, but we also focused on making the movement of the glowing data stream as visually striking as possible. With the invaluable cooperation of the cinematography and digital effects teams, we were able to bring this scene to life.
Q: Your previous works seem to make an interesting use of 3D layouts. Are you giving Your Forma with a similar production approach?
A: For this project, we’ve actively utilized 3D and CG technology. Specifically, the electronic investigative world—the entire background there is created in 3D. Additionally, there are scenes with many people, such as the mob scenes where the public is walking around, and scenes with numerous vehicles. If you look closely, you’ll notice that among the cars, there are futuristic share cars mixed with regular ones. All of that is created with CG.We also feature surveillance robots and drones, which are all brought to life through digital effects. It’s really thanks to the power of 3D and digital technology that we’re able to create these elements.
Q: Echika and Harold have a unique dynamic. What can we expect to see in this regard when it comes to the anime?
A: The most difficult part of human acting is the transition of a person’s emotions. In that sense, within the animation, it’s about how Harold and Echica interact—whether they are making eye contact, facing each other, or glancing at each other, observing one another’s reactions. This might not be immediately obvious, but I think we were able to express this well. In the scenes without dialogue, the connection between them is still persuasive. Even without words, they’re connected, and yet, even with words, they still misunderstand each other. This aspect of the characters is something I’ve tried to express as clearly as possible within the drama, so I hope viewers will pay attention to these elements.
Q: Amicus in the story look identical to humans but are actually machines; was there anything specific you paid attention to when it comes to their portrayal in the anime?
A: As for Amicus, I wanted it to blend naturally into the world, so I made sure its look didn’t distinguish it from humans. If it were too obvious that it’s a robot or looked too much like a doll, it would probably feel unsettling. So, I aimed to avoid that sense of contrast. The robots in this world are integrated into society, and the goal was for their appearance to not stand out from humans. There is one way to distinguish them, though: when looking at Amicus through the user interface of the Forma system, there’s an identification app that clearly shows “Amicus” as the label. This allows the viewers to recognize who is who while watching the drama.
Q: And lastly, what can we expect from the Your Forma anime this April?
A: This is something I’ve mentioned several times, but one of the key aspects to watch for is where the connection between Echika and Harold as individuals ultimately leads. Additionally, there’s the visual representation of the electronic investigative world, and beyond that, there are many little details and settings that you can enjoy. For example, while it might not be a major theme, you might notice some content written in a newspaper article. There are also moments when cute, round surveillance robots appear, which provide a bit of a breather. Although the themes are heavy, there are lighter moments, so I hope viewers can enjoy the show from various perspectives.
Your Forma anime premieres on April 2, 2025, but it will have an early screening of the first three episodes at this year’s Kawaii Kon in Hawaii on March 15.
©2025 Mareho Kikuishi/KADOKAWA/Project YOUR FORMA
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