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Bones Makes Late Director Iida's Last Anime Towa no Kuon

The February issue of Kadokawa Shoten's Gundam Ace magazine reports that the anime studio Bones is producing a project called Towa no Kuon. The director was Umanosuke Iida (Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Hellsing), who passed away in November. Takeshi Mori (Otaku no Video, Gunsmith Cats, Vandread) is serving as the "collaborative director" in Iida's place, and Toshizo Nemoto (Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpucho: Tou 2nd Act, Shangri-La script writer) is supervising the scripts.

Toshihiro Kawamoto (Gundam 0083, Cowboy Bebop, Wolf's Rain) is designing the characters and overseeing the animation process. Yutaka Izubuchi (Gundam: Char's Counterattack, Gundam 0080, Patlabor) is credited for the concept designs, while his frequent collaborator Shingo Takeba (Gasaraki, RahXephon, Patlabor WXIII) is also credited for "design works."

Iho Narita and Takashi Aoi are designing the background art, and Yutaka Nakamura (Escaflowne TV's opening, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa) is serving as the "special effects director." The other main staff members include Kenji Mizuhata, Tsunenori Saito, and Takeshi Yoshioka.

Bones aims to finish the first episode by next summer. While Gundam Ace has not provided specifics on the anime's story, it does present several sketches that Iida himself drew of an alternate-dimension gate and other elements.

Update: More background information added.

[Via livedoor, Uri-Sure Matome +]