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Gainax Founder, Evangelion Designer Make TV Anime About Female Free Diver (Updated)

Gainax co-founder Hiroyuki Yamaga (Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honnêamise, This Ugly Yet Beautiful World, Daicon films) revealed at his Uru in Blue panel at FanimeCon on Friday that he is working with character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion, Summer Wars, Wings of Honneamise) on a television anime about a female free diver. He joked that the project might generate more interest than the Uru in Blue film project due to the main lead. He added that the project will be officially unveiled soon.

Yamaga had revealed at FanimeCon in 2009 that Gainax was working on a new project that will deal with free-diving, or diving without the aid of equipment to breathe. Yamaga did not specify at this year's convention whether Gainax is still involved in the project.

Update: Gainax showcased the project at Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF) 2013 under the tentative title, Akubi o Suru ni wa Wake ga Aru (There Is a Reason That We Yawn).

The pamphlet for the project described the setting as Japan in 2093. A rural town that used to be the most prestigious town in the world has long since sunk 30 meters under the ocean's surface. The story is a tale of a girl who takes part in free diving (diving without the aid of equipment to breathe), and the emotional growth she experiences.

Gainax intended to air the anime for two cours or half a year, although Gainax producer Tomoko Saitō (Medaka Box) informed ANN at TAF 2013 that the project had not been green-lit yet, and was still collecting funds. The project has been in the works for eight years.