Did you know that the AnimeChicago team meets weekly to plan all the great events around Chicago? Just like every other anime fan out there, we sometimes get into heated discussions about anime, even in the middle of planning! So we thought, let’s bring some of those conversations to you and give you a window into the sort of anime fans we have on our team. That’s what Across the Board is here for!
Now, get ready to enter the minds of some of the AnimeChicago staff. As you will see, some of us are long winded, while others are straight to the point. (We have kept the responses anonymous to protect the innocent.) Now, onto this week’s question:
What is the best current anime studio?
“I have to give it to MAPPA. This studio continually pushes boundaries on character development, produces gorgeous high-impact animation, and doubles down on the feels with critically-acclaimed scores. As seen with the overwhelming popularity of Sayo Yamamoto’s Yuri!!! ON ICE, and success of Shinichiro Watanabe’s Kids on the Slope and Terror in Resonance, MAPPA continues to elevate anime to new heights. I’m looking forward Inuyashiki‘s release in Autumn this year.”
“Madhouse.”
“Studio Trigger.”
“Bones.”
“Trigger, hands down. There are other great studios out there right now that do great animation. KyoAni, ufotable, Bones, and others produce beautiful works, but Trigger has a special flair. Trigger’s works have a certain sense of style that makes their anime fun and playful and ultimately memorable. That being said, I have high hopes for Khara, once they finish the Evangelion films, I hope they branch out into new works, like The Dragon Dentist mini series that they will be airing in the coming months.”
“I don’t know.”
“I can tell people that I really like Bones (the studio that did Fullmetal Alchemist, Ouran Highschool Host Club, and Snow White with the Red Hair). They make so many great series that I keep coming back to. However, I am ashamed to admit that I really enjoy KyoAni, (Free, Beyond the Boundary, Sound! Euphonium). I am a sucker for the shiny eyes and the beautiful animation.”
So there you have it, lots of love for Bones and Trigger, though all of the choices are great. If you’re ever looking for new series to watch, you can’t go wrong with any of the studios discussed above! If you’d like to be a guest on Across the Board, or have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to contact us!