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Katanagatari Production Materials Posted Before Debut (Updated)

Production materials for the anime adaptation of NisiOisin's Katanagatari novel have been posted online — three weeks before the anime's January 25 television premiere. The posted materials include animation footage, two songs in various formats, scripts for 12 episodes, character designs, and storyboards. One site hosting a link to the materials alleges that they were leaked from the FTP (file transfer protocol) site of White Fox, the studio producing the anime.

The anime is slated to air as 12 monthly one-hour specials — one for each novel volume. This anime will be the second one based on a NisiOisin work after Bakemonogatari.

The original 12-volume Katanagatari novel centers on Shichika Yasuri, the seventh generational head of the Kyotō-ryū school of martial arts in medieval Japan. He and his older sister Nanami live on an isolated island, until a military advisor named Togame tells him of the final 12 swords forged by a legendary swordsmith. At Togame's bidding, Shichika embarks on a journey to find all 12 of the swords.

Thanks to Starks for the news tip.

Image © NisiOisin, Kodansha/Katanagatari Production Committee

Update: The FTP site that is the alleged source of the documents is still active as of Tuesday with the working login name "koresawa." The leaked documents include the final script drafts of the first 10 episodes, the working script drafts of the last two episodes, the storyboards for several versions of the opening animation and the first eight episodes, several versions of Minami Kuribayashi's opening theme song "Meiya Kadenrō," Yousei Teikoku's ending theme song "Kariuta," and the full opening animation footage.