After School Midnighters is the first feature animation we have made apart from our own original works.

　I was in charge of the animation (performance) where the composers appear in the music room.

　First I get to understand the character and special features of each character. Then, based on a setup chart I hold meetings with the director, and according to the director’s description of the character I create the scene. The image of the characters’ movement begins to develop.
　We then go into production. First we put down the movement (performance) on a basic storyboard. In this process we add our own (fun) ideas to bits that are not recorded on the storyboard. When I have got my own image of the character I go back to the director and get the OK for the direction I am taking, and get any ideas or requests from the director as well. Then it is time for actual production.

　There were a total of 65 cuts in the music room scene where the composer appeared. It took me and my assistant three months to produce.

　Depending on the situation, the composers jumped into a portrait sheet and their upper bodies jump out of the paper. They moved from 2 dimensional to 3 dimensional. Each has a different perspective, and making these different perspectives in the animation was difficult.

　Of course I want viewers to concentrate on the whole film! And when you watch it for the second time I hope you can check out carefully the composer scenes mentioned above.

　The 2007 pilot was a joint production. I think you could say that the feature film is based on the pilot, but there have been a number of improvements made and I think the two films are completely different. If you have the chance please watch After School Midnight and see if you can feel the difference.

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