Making the anime Shirobako wasn't particularly challenging in terms of scriptwriting. However, the character design required significant reworking.
Why is that?
Because many characters in the anime were based on real people from the original production team. For example, the Music Director Goro Hamasaki in the anime was modeled after the real Music Director Shiro Hamaguchi. They not only looked identical, but their names were almost the same.
There were many other examples like this.
Moreover, since Shirobako was produced by PA, many characters, even if not directly based on members of the original production team, had real-life counterparts. For instance, Masato Marukawa, the President of Musashino Animation (the company the protagonist works for in the anime), was based on Masao Maruyama, the founder of MAPPA and former President of Madhouse.
Other real figures who appeared in the anime included Hiroaki Ogura of Ogura Koubou, Hideaki Anno (Supervising Director of Neon Genesis Evangelion), Ishikawa Mitsugu of IG, and Masahiko Minami of Bones.
To create anime characters based on these industry veterans, we obviously couldn't just do it without consulting them first.
In the original timeline, these guest appearances were secured through President Kenji Horikawa's personal connections at PA. While Lin Zhiyan also had relationships with many of these individuals and could have easily asked them to appear for free, his network couldn't possibly match Horikawa's completely.
Given this, changes were necessary.
Additionally, the Musashino Animation Company depicted in the animation was modeled after PA's headquarters building. Now that Lin Zhiyan was adapting the series, he couldn't simply replicate the original design. Otherwise, viewers would wonder why an LSP production was based on PA's headquarters.
That would be too strange.
Using L.S Produ's headquarters as a model wouldn't work either. The five-story building was too opulent and well-maintained for the small, mediocre animation company portrayed in the series. Such a company wouldn't merit such a grand headquarters.
To design the animation company's headquarters, Lin Zhiyan should likely base it on the small, dilapidated building L.S rented when it first started. This would neatly align with their ten-year anniversary animation project.
The story would largely remain the same, avoiding a straightforward chronicle of L.S's development. The company's post-establishment growth had been too smooth; an animated adaptation of its history would likely be utterly unengaging.
However, Lin Zhiyan still hoped to use the animation to showcase his company. Beyond the main narrative, he planned to include custom-made shorts telling stories about L.S.
Additionally, while Lin Zhiyan wasn't sure if any of his employees wanted to voice characters in the animation, he was certain he himself would seize this rare opportunity to secure a role.
Which character should I play?
Watanabe Shun, the producer from Musashino Animation? Or Ochiai Tatsuya, the Production Assistant who left the company before the first season was even finished?
Perhaps a Director within the animation?
Or maybe a comical character?
As Lin Zhiyan pondered this, he quickly returned to his office, grabbed his laptop, opened a Word document, and began drafting the proposal for the Shirobako animation project.
January 6th marked the end of L.S Produ's New Year's holiday, and employees returned to work.
In the morning, Lin Zhiyan arrived at the company with an unfinished draft of the Shirobako project.
Instead of immediately announcing the Shirobako animation project, he first held a brief all-staff meeting to outline the company's goals for the new year. He then let each department arrange their own meetings while he returned to the President's office to refine the Shirobako project and write the script.
Lin Zhiyan would personally handle the music, but he planned to entrust the Character Design and Chief Animation Director roles to Sekiguchi Kanami, who had been responsible for these roles in the original timeline.
After all, Sekiguchi Kanami had been a key animator working with Lin Zhiyan since 2000, moving from IG to L.S Produ. She had served as the Department Head of L.S's Animation Department for years, nurturing countless animation talents for the company. Naturally, she deserved to be involved in this project.
It was a pity that she was already quite old and not particularly pretty; otherwise, Lin Zhiyan might have considered using her as the inspiration for Rinko Ogasawara, the Animation Director at Musashino Animation in the anime.
For key roles such as Animation Director, Color Designer, Photography Director, 3D Director, and Sound Director, Lin Zhiyan planned to invite participants from L.S Produ's first anime, Death Note.
They didn't necessarily have to be the original Supervising Directors, but they all needed to have been involved in the project to make it meaningful.
Of course, this was still just a rough proposal. He'd need to talk to the relevant people later.
There was no rush. He could take his time.
For most of the morning, Lin Zhiyan was buried in drafting the proposal.
Before he could finalize even a rough draft, someone knocked on his office door.
Lin Zhiyan looked up. It was Kenichi Matsumoto, the Head of Production at L.S.
L.S's previous Production Head had been Nanase Mayumi, who had stepped down from the position about two years prior. Kenichi Matsumoto had taken over the role after her departure.
It's also worth noting that Kenichi Matsumoto secured the animation adaptation rights for A Certain Magical Index and Natsume's Book of Friends. This achievement alone propelled him to his current position, leaving his colleagues in the production department with no objections.
Previously, Lin Zhiyan hadn't asked his assistant to summon Kenichi Matsumoto to the President's office for a meeting. Therefore, Matsumoto's sudden appearance left Lin Zhiyan somewhat puzzled.
He paused his typing and said, "Come in."
Upon entering the President's office, Kenichi Matsumoto got straight to the point: "President, have we finalized the animation projects for April next year? Do we still have the capacity to take on another one?"
"April next year?" Lin Zhiyan froze momentarily. "Which work are you trying to adapt?"
"A game released last October called Steins;Gate. Have you heard of it? It was developed by 5pb.Games," Matsumoto replied.
The corner of Lin Zhiyan's mouth twitched slightly.
Steins;Gate—isn't that the renowned Steins;Gate?
How could I have never heard of it?
Regardless of whether you consider the alternate timeline, this work is incredibly famous. Even without memories from another world, anyone who keeps even a slight eye on the gaming industry would have heard of it. After all, the game was already highly acclaimed before being adapted into an anime, making its creator, Chiyomaru Shikura, and scriptwriter, Naotaka Hayashi, household names in the gaming world.
If you haven't heard of it, it can only mean you're completely out of touch with the industry.
After a moment's thought, he asked, "Adding another anime project wouldn't be a problem. The real question is, can you secure the rights to adapt this work into an anime?"
"Yes," Kenichi Matsumoto nodded slightly. "Actually, I spoke with the game's creator, Mr. Shikura, just the other day. He said it would be wonderful if our company took on the anime adaptation rights. At the time, I didn't dare commit fully because I wasn't sure if next year's projects were all finalized. But if it's possible now, it's not too late to agree."
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 15+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon