Among the new anime airing this season is Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S, a follow-up to the much loved original series Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid from 2017. On top of the return of fan favorite characters like Kanna and Tohru, though, this series also marks the return of Kyoto Animation to the world of TV anime, their first new TV series since the tragic arson attack on the studio two years ago in July 2019.
Unfortunately, it comes with a sad reminder of that event, as the director of the original show, Yasuhiro Takemoto, passed away in the attack. Takemoto spent his entire career at Kyoto Animation - he directed the studio's first full-fledged TV anime Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu, took over on the influential 2000s comedy Lucky Star after its original director left the project early on, and went on to help shape the future of the prestigious studio's talent. Takemoto was slated to direct the second season of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid with a planned premiere in 2019 before his passing, and he had already even storyboarded much of the show himself. Takemoto's influence on the studio can't be understated, and while fellow long-time Kyoto Animation director Tatsuya Ishihara is sure to honor his legacy by finishing Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S, the loss of Takemoto will be surely felt by the industry for years to come.
While we are enjoying the ongoing adventures of Kobayashi and her dragon friends, here are some of Takemoto's other works to enjoy while waiting for new episodes each week.
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid
Full Metal Panic! started life as a series of light novels about a soldier on a mission to protect a high school girl while undercover as a high school student himself, featuring both lighthearted romcom antics as well as more serious stories where protagonist Sousuke Sagara helps fight terrorist organizations. As noted above, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu was KyoAni's first TV anime, taking over from the anime adaptation's original studio Gonzo to create a comedic spin-off, focusing more on the romcom aspects than the anti-terrorist plot. Takemoto directed Fumoffu but also went on to direct the more traditional followup to the original show, Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid.
While many associate KyoAni with light-hearted slice of life shows, Takemoto shows off the studio's wide range of skills in The Second Raid. The antics between Sousuke and heroine Kaname Chidori are predictably charming, but they are made more impactful with the deft hand of Takemoto and his collaborators bringing weighty, breathtaking mecha action to the screen. As if the humor and action weren't enough, The Second Raid also features tender, lovingly animated moments between the characters that effectively sell what might otherwise be too outrageous a story to emotionally connect to, a trick that would end up becoming a KyoAni staple in all of their future work.
Full Metal Panic! can be found streaming on Funimation.
Amagi Brilliant Park
Another light novel series, Amagi Brilliant Park is about a theme park run by magical beings that sustain themselves on the joy of humans, a la the end of Monsters, Inc. but with roller coasters and rotating tea cups. Our hero Seiya Kanie is hired to save the park from financial collapse, and by extension prevent the fairy staff from being kicked out of our human world. It's definitely the closest on this list to Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid in tone and theme, with Kanie juggling his new found family of outrageous fairies and trying anything and everything to keep the amusement park from falling apart.
Amagi Brilliant Park is perhaps where Takemoto's work feels the most loose and free - without a more grounded plot, Amagi Brilliant Park has a sense of levity in everything from beginning to end. The dilapidated state of the park is rendered in detail, feeling like a real low-budget theme park you could practically step into. However, this is masterfully contrasted by the park's various fairies and their otherworldly powers. This gap gives Takemoto and his team ample room to experiment with fun, colorful sequences that truly make the park feel magical, yet real, giving us an experience that matches the feeling, as opposed to the reality, of having fun at an amusement park. This kind of in-between space where things feel simultaneously real and magical, giving us a new appreciation for the mundane, is the sort of thing Takemoto excelled at, and a driving feature of KyoAni works in general.
Amagi Brilliant Park can be found streaming on HiDive.
Hyouka
Originally a novel published in 2001, Hyouka has gone on to become a series of books following low-energy protagonist Hotaro Oreki and his endlessly curious and energetic friend Eru Chitanda as they solve "mysteries" around their high school. Hardly whodunits, though, the stories in Hyouka are focused more on understanding the underlying motivations and desires of the characters than more traditional twists or surprises. Oreki's low-key adventures have been adapted into a number of mediums, including manga, a live action movie, and a 2012 KyoAni TV show directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto.
Takemoto and his team understand the appeal of Hyouka - the contemplative character studies and compelling human drama - and use animation to bring it to life, making Hyouka arguably one of the most beautiful cartoons ever made. Much care is given to make the environments the characters inhabit feel lived in, which is important to the core of the show as many of the stories are about the histories and legacies of people who once walked the same halls. Takemoto's storyboards shine here as always, too, giving intense focus to the smallest of movements to ensure we can understand how a character is feeling, even if they aren't being honest with each other or themselves. Hyouka doesn't have sci-fi battles or transforming dragons, but with Takemoto's direction, it manages to make everyday life feel magical.
Hyouka can be found streaming on Funimation.
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S is already off to a great start, in no small part because of the work Takemoto already did that Tatsuya Ishihara and his staff are building on to create a show Takemoto would surely be proud of. After catching up on Takemoto's filmography, try to catch some of his hallmarks in his final directoral credit -— an eye for action, a love of the surreal, and the ability to make even the most mundane things feel special.