L.S Production, President's Office
Lin Zhiyan was being interviewed by a magazine reporter.
The reporter was, once again, Fukuda Miyuki.
After brief pleasantries, the interview began. Fukuda Miyuki started by saying, "President Lin, congratulations on your animation Angel Beats once again achieving the highest popularity this season. Considering your past successes in the TV animation field, I think it's fair to call you the uncrowned king of TV animation."
"Thank you, but you're too kind," Lin Zhiyan replied, shaking his head slightly. "It's true that I've had remarkable success in TV animation, but there are many other outstanding creators in the field, like Mr. Tomino, Mr. Anno, Mr. Shinbo, and Mr. Yuasa. Compared to them, I still have much to learn. The title of 'uncrowned king' is far beyond my reach."
"President Lin is too modest," Fukuda Miyuki countered. "With your talent and recent achievements, even if you're not the uncrowned king, you're certainly no less accomplished than anyone else."
She quickly returned to her main point: "Getting back to the topic, what was the inspiration behind the Angel Beats! project?"
"Inspiration?"
Lin Zhiyan paused for a moment before answering, "I suppose I wanted to create a lighthearted, comedic animation. After finishing Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day last year, I realized that all the animations I'd made so far had been too serious. I'd never tried a lighthearted, comedic style before, so I was curious to give it a shot."
"Lighthearted and comedic?"
Fukuda Miyuki quickly jotted down the key points as she spoke. "April's K-On! is also considered lighthearted and fun, but you didn't work on that one..."
"How to put it... K-On! is less a lighthearted comedy and more a moe, slice-of-life, music-themed animation. While I could have handled that kind of project, I felt Mr. Yamada would be a better fit," Lin Zhiyan explained.
"I see," Fukuda Miyuki said, as if she had suddenly understood.
She quickly asked, "You've had Takagi-san as the scriptwriter for your last two animations. What's the reason for that? Since you wanted to make these animations yourself, didn't you want to write the scripts yourself?"
"I explained the reason for Anohana before—it required a more delicate touch. Angel Beats! doesn't strictly need that, but writing a lighthearted comedy script is actually quite difficult. So it's better to leave it to Takagi," Lin Zhiyan replied.
Fukuda Miyuki paused for a moment, then asked, "Does that mean Takagi-san is better than you at writing this kind of script?"
"I wouldn't know," Lin Zhiyan answered. "Neither of us has worked on anything like this before, so I can't say who's better. All I know is that I find it hard to write."
Fukuda Miyuki didn't press further and instead said, "You've been emphasizing since earlier that Angel Beats! is a lighthearted comedy. And judging by the first episode, that's indeed the case..."
"Angel Beats! is a lighthearted comedy animation, and based on the first episode, it really does seem to be one... So, will the animation maintain this style until the very end?"
Lin Zhiyan smiled. "Actually, after the first episode of Angel Beats! aired, I've been keeping an eye on online discussions. Your question seems to be shared by many netizens."
"Then, will it really maintain this style?" Fukuda Miyuki asked eagerly.
"Will it? As the project manager and supervising director of the animation, I could answer your question..."
Lin Zhiyan paused, then changed tack. "But I could answer, not that I will. Even if I said it would remain a comedy throughout, no one would believe me. And if I said it wouldn't, people might suspect a trick. So, I think it's best not to spoil anything. Everyone can just watch and see for themselves."
Fukuda Miyuki looked somewhat disappointed.
She looked up at Lin Zhiyan and lowered her voice. "President Lin, couldn't you at least give me a hint? Don't worry, whether anyone else believes you or not, I definitely will."
"Sneaking a peek is a bad idea," Lin Zhiyan said with a smile, refusing.
Fukuda Miyuki sighed, about to say something else, when he continued, "I can't give you any spoilers. I can only say, don't think of me as so bad. I'm no longer interested in Depressing Anime. That was all stuff I was done with after Puella Magi Madoka Magica."
"Huh?" Fukuda Miyuki almost didn't react.
After a two-second pause, she asked, "Is this something you want to tell me privately, or can it be published in our magazine?"
"Ms. Fukuda, do you really think so little of me?" Lin Zhiyan countered.
Fukuda Miyuki froze for a moment, then quickly understood.
Of course, she didn't think so little of him. This meant that Lin Zhiyan's words weren't meant as a private confession, but rather as a public statement—something that could be published in the magazine.
After understanding, she quickly jotted down the key points and then pondered before asking, "A few days ago, someone online said you've gone straight and stopped making Depressing Anime. Is that true?"
The term "gone straight" was actually a marketing ploy Lin Zhiyan had come up with himself using an alt account, a smokescreen to distract from his true intentions. Of course, he wasn't going to tell Fukuda Miyuki that.
Instead, he put on a wry, exasperated expression. "Gone straight... I wasn't that bad in the first place. I only made four or five Depressing Anime..."
Fukuda Miyuki stared, dumbfounded. "Four or five Depressing Anime isn't a lot?"
Lin Zhiyan: "..."
The atmosphere suddenly grew awkward.
But Lin Zhiyan, being thick-skinned, quickly recovered. "At least say I've repented and reformed. 'Gone straight' sounds too harsh."
Fukuda Miyuki chuckled.
She nodded, recording the information. "Alright, 'repented and reformed' it is."
After finishing her notes, she continued, "What are your goals or hopes for the animation Angel Beats?"
After a moment's thought, Lin Zhiyan replied, "We can't possibly surpass Puella Magi Madoka Magica in terms of commercial success, critical acclaim, or awards. We can't match the sheer passion of Gurren Lagann, nor the intellectual depth of Death Note. We can't out-cry Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, and the Male Lead's popularity won't rival Lelouch's back in the day. So, this time, we're not aiming for anything."
"Not aiming for anything?" Fukuda Miyuki looked surprised.
Lin Zhiyan nodded. "If I had to express a hope, it would be that after the animation airs, both the staff and the audience can feel some joy."
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