(Translated by sumire from an article in the March 1999 Animedia)

Takehito Koyasu Produces:
A Plan for the New Century!

The new plan is a comic! So deciding, Koyasu-san and Editor Orita asked Maki Fujii-san to design the characters. This month, they gathered in a certain location in Tokyo to examine those first drafts...

Finished! Announcing the First-Draft Character Design!!

"With these, the new plan will be great." Koyasu-san was overflowing with smiles.

Orita: Now then, let's begin this "New Plan Meeting." Fujii-san, how are the character designs we asked you to do last month?
Fujii: They're done!
(Copies of pictures of the characters are distributed to the staff)
Everybody:
Ho~... (looking at the pictures)
Koyasu: Fu wa ha ha ha. You've done it... With these, there's no doubt the new plan will be cool.
Orita: I hope it will be. Fujii-san, what image did you have in mind when you drew these?
Fujii: I drew them to order--Koyasu-san's order.
Orita: O~h, the words of a professional.
Koyasu: I simply told her the personality and image of each character. I also added specific names, saying, "if he were a Visual-Kei musician, he'd be like so-and-so."
Fujii: That's right. When I was drawing the pictures, I wasn't worrying, I was having fun.
Koyasu: It's been made so the people looking at these can find one favorite among the characters. It's great.
Orita: Yes, yes. (sounding satisfied)
Koyasu: It's just... if I were to make one request, it would be that you make all the characters a little older. These are good for a base, but they look more like junior high school students than high school students.
Fujii: Oh, is that so.
Koyasu: I think Shuu-kun is all right like this, but make Setsu-kun and Kou-kun one grade older. That way, the characters will be more modulated.
Orita: I see.
Koyasu: Also, Nue-kun is cool like this, but I'd like you to make him more evil-looking. Give him a fearsomeness that makes people who see him draw back, a scariness that the moment they meet his eyes, they feel stung...
Fujii: Evil-looking, right.
Koyasu: Right. ...There's no problem with the heroine-character Misaki-chan... she's cute. She's okay by me, and I think the male readers will get to like her, too.
Orita: She strikes a chord, doesn't she.
Koyasu: Yes. I wanted to make Misaki-chan the kind of character who makes you think "I've got to protect her." You think, "Even if I use myself as a barrier, I'll protect her."
Fujii: Oh, that's good.
Orita: By the way, Fujii-san. To appeal to more male readers, I'd like you to draw more of the female characters. If there's Misaki, whom you want to protect, there's a need for the kind of babe you want to have protect you.
Koyasu: Since Orita-san covets them. (laughs)
Fujii: I understand. I'll draw them!

Characters: [I'll translate Koyasu-san's comments on them later]
Setsu Sakuma (the hero)
Misaki Jinno (the heroine)
Shuu Hirose (the cute young boy)
Kou Kagura (the athletic boy)
Byakuya Takatori (the cool, intellectual boy)
Nue Tsukiyono (the evil boy)
Rei Mizuki (the older playboy)

Introducing the Project Members:
Takehito Koyasu
Besides being in the voice-acting profession, he is the creator of the hit series "Weiss Kreuz." Now, in this magazine, giving the name "Plan for the New Century," he is in the middle of the struggle to produce a new work.
Maki Fujii
Animator who worked as original artist for "Tenkuu no Escaflowne" and "Yuusha Shirei Dagwon" and art director of "Weiss Kreuz." Now in charge of character designs for the New Plan.
Nobuo Orita (?)
Editor of this magazine. Forming a tag team with Koyasu-san, their mission is to create a hit comic for Animedia. He is in high spirits because a fortune teller told him he will have very good luck this year.

Photo caption: Checking the character designs, Koyasu-san's eyes are strict and precise.
Photo caption: While discussing the personality of each character, they condense the designs.
Photo caption: Always smiling, Fujii-san. She lightly receives everyone's demands.

To be continued next issue!

NOTES: Koyasu-san's hair is getting pretty long. It's down to his shoulders already.

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