Written by Mari Okada

Hello everyone. This is Mari Okada.
Starting from today, I will be taking helm of the Maquia production blog.

It has already been 3 years since work on Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms began. Last year around this time, I went to the Toyama head office in order to attend a crammed animation meeting. The P.A. office and the animators held meetings over each cut, and this meeting was, how can I say, very quiet but filled with an uplifting feeling.
You may know many of the names from P.A. films, books, and credits, but there will be a lot of people who will be speaking out for the first time. Like, this person draws sharp pictures, but they are actually quite calm… or, that person is actually quite a happy young lady… We know these people first from their art, and then enjoy learning about them as people.

The first time I visited the new building, it was really nice, and felt like a school. I had a good meal at the employee cafeteria, and it felt like a tasty school lunch. Strange, considering I used to hate the school lunches in elementary school. I was often left in the back of the classroom, until cleaning time.

“How did you grow up to be like this?!”

….which is also a line from the film.
It’s a nonchalant scene, but there are so many moving animation frames in it.

I’d like to use this space to ramble on about things, so please look forward to it.