It looks like Crunchyroll’s bringing a bit of Harajuku to their first convention.
On Tuesday, Crunchyroll revealed that URAHARA anime staffers Mugi Tanaka and Amica Kubo will attend Crunchyroll Expo as guests. Though specific details haven’t been revealed as of press time, the two staffers will appear in-person with YouTube animator Domics.
Mugi “Oplant” Tanaka is the character designer for the URAHARA anime and artist for webcomic PARK Harajuku: Crisis Team!”. Tanaka also works as a character artist for Harajuku-based retailer PARK. She saw her first art book, Urban, hit stores at this year’s Summer Comiket.
Amica Kubo is a short anime film animator and director, who’s been active in the industry since 2007. An alumnus from the Faculty of Art at Tokyo Polytechnic University, Kubo’s features have attracted acclaim from institutions around the world. In particular, her films Bloomed Words, WWF 100% Renewable Energy, and Oned have earned numerous accolades.
Tanaka is the CEO of studio Super Milk Cow, and Chief Editor at tampen.jp. In her day-to-day life, Tanaka serves as director and animator for various promotional and commercial animation pieces, in addition to jobs as an illustrator, character designer, and producer.
Crunchyroll Expo will be held from August 25-27 at California’s Santa Clara Convention Center. LeftField Media, who oversee Anime NYC, will be partnering with Crunchyroll for the event.
URAHARA will hit Japanese TV this fall. The series will be based on Patrick Macias and Mugi Tanaks’s PARK Harajuku: Crisis Team! webcomic.
Amica Kubo is helming the project at studios Shirogumi and EMT Squared, with Masatsugu Arakawa (Nurse Witch Komugi, Time Stranger Kyoko) taking the role of Chief Director. Mariko Fujita (Galaxy Angel, Rosario + Vampire) is providing character designs for the series, while Natsuko Takahashi (Long Riders!, You’re Under Arrest: Full Throttle) takes charge of series composition.
Other confirmed crew members include:
- Original Story: Patrick Macias (Crunchyroll)
- Original Character Designer: Mugi Tanaka (PARK)
- Mecha Designer: Takahiro Yamada (Battle Spirits, Tomica Hyper Rescue Drive Head)
- Title Logo Design: NC Empire
PARK Harajuku: Crisis Team! debuted in May 2015. Crunchyroll describes the story as:
Several years from now, the great cities of the world will be destroyed by creatures from another planet. Their next target is…Tokyo’s famed Harajuku district! Only a trio of treasure-seeking shop girls can hope to save the day. But first, do they have what it takes to become members of the PARK Harajuku: Crisis Team?
Source: Crunchyroll Expo
