All the Announcements from Otakon 2024

Original Book Artwork is Integral in Orange's Leviathan Anime

Leviathan should be one of your most anticipated anime of 2025. Studio Orange has proven time and time again that they pull from a variety of different sources to create a distinct world that feels lived in. Based on the book series by acclaimed author Scott Westerfeld, the Leviathan series is a lengthy trilogy set in an alternative version of World War I, and the anime series will undertake the first book's story in 12 episodes. Fans were treated to insights into how the world will be realized by the author himself at Washington DC's Otakon convention.

Hearing Orange's staff review how they utilize the anime medium to tell this story was interesting. Westerfeld attributed much of his book to Keith Thompson's artwork, so it was important to ensure that Thompson was an integral part of the anime's designs. Westerfeld detailed how often iconic elements of stories are attributed to a book's illustrations. For example, the book never technically mentioned the classic pictures of Sherlock Holmes in his coat and hat. Instead, they were portrayed in the early illustrations of the story that went out of favor after the invention of the camera. Westerfeld wanted to do something similar with this anime adaptation, designing creatures, towns, characters, and landscapes that would be iconic. These designs also needed to serve the story's purpose of communicating vital information to the audience without literal text and dialogue.

The story of Leviathan takes place in the middle of an ongoing conflict between the Darwinists and the Clankers, whose opposing philosophies can be portrayed in the designs of their worlds. Darwinists take a lot of design inspiration from the Fibonacci spiral as they have their own progressive flow. The Clankers' machines are more rigid and square-shaped. Darwinists prefer hot colors, while the Clankers prefer cold colors. Two aesthetics and ways of visualizing the world act in direct opposition.

Naturally, a lot of details from some of the gorgeous artwork of the characters needed to be changed or altered for smoother and more exaggerated animation. Studio Orange showcased a breakdown of one quick scene that started with motion capture to portray a soldier quickly running through a door and closing it behind them. They could've stopped there, but they used exaggerated animation and motions to fill in the blanks and create something more charming.

However, it's easier to visualize or alter existing materials. The music in particular for Leviathan was tricky because it didn't have an original reference point. Nobuko Toda and Kazume Jinnouchi are producing a big orchestral score fitting for the period of the series. Bringing in legendary composer Joe Hisaishi to compose five original tracks for the series was also a big plus, as he was the composer for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Not only is this noteworthy because of the obvious similarities between the two works, but Westerfeld said Ghibli was a significant source of inspiration for the music. While I understand being cautiously optimistic about condensing such an expansive story into twelve episodes, the staff's love and care were evident in the presentation.