Despera

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Despera
Cover of light novel published by Tokuma Shoten on April 28, 2011
ですぺら
(Desupera)
GenreSteampunk, Adventure, Science fiction
Light novel
Written byChiaki J. Konaka
Illustrated byYoshitoshi Abe
Published byTokuma Shoten
MagazineAnimage
Original runJuly 2009 – July 2010
Volumes1

Despera (ですぺら, Desupera) is a planned anime series, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and featuring character designs by Yoshitoshi Abe. It is Abe and Konaka's third collaboration, following Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain. Ryūtarō Nakamura, who directed Serial Experiments Lain, was tapped to direct Despera but died before production could begin.

The title Despera is taken from a poem of the same title by Japanese Dadaist poet Jun Tsuji. Though the title of Tsuji's poem comes from the word "despair" or "desperation",[1] the official blog for the anime stated that it can also imply the Spanish word desperado.[2] A graphic novel serialization related to the anime was published in the Japanese magazine Animage from July 2009 to July 2010.

Story[edit]

The story centers around Ain, a 14-year-old girl who builds devices despite her lack of scientific or engineering background. An alternate history science fiction story, it is set in Tokyo during the Taishō era in 1922, one year before the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake.[3]

Characters[edit]

  • Ain (あいん, Ain) - A 12-year-old girl (older by the end of the story) who resides in her workshop in the basement of the Ryōunkaku in Asakusa, Tokyo. A technical genius with no prior scientific knowledge, she is able to create electronic devices far beyond the capabilities of the current era. Some of the devices created include early versions of a modern computer, complete with typewriter keyboards and cathode ray tube display monitors. In the graphic novel, one of her ongoing works is a mysterious robot which she refers to as Father (お父さん, Otō-san). Despite being 12 years old, she often displays the maturity of an adult. She is also shown to be capable of generating electricity from her hands when she takes on a tank squadron later in the story.
  • Takeshita (竹下, Takeshita) - A man in his 30s who is an associate of Ain's. In the prologue of the graphic novel, he claims to be able to see the future through the displays on Ain's computer monitors. He sells this information in the form of prophecies to the Japanese military and the aristocracy to gather funds for Ain's inventions. In the serialized version, he has no name and is only referred to as "the man", and his face is unseen throughout the illustrations. He is described as being emotionless, and only displays deep affection for Ain.
  • Enoki (榎木, Enoki) - A military officer who works for the Japanese army's science institute. He holds the rank of second lieutenant. Enoki is sent to Asakusa to investigate the unstable electrical discharge occurring in the vicinity of the Ryōunkaku.
  • Kimiyasu Fuenokōji (笛小路公寧, Fuenokōji Kimiyasu) - A Japanese nobleman with the title of viscount. It is unknown what relationship Kimiyasu has with Ain, but he is interested in her unorthodox inventions. He has a primary residence in Sanbanchō of Chiyoda-ku, and a second residence at the Kanda-Surugadai district.
  • Barbara Andrei (バルバラ・アンドレイ, Barubara Andorei) - A Russian woman of aristocratic origins, Barbara is a refugee who escaped from Harbin after the disownment of Russians by the Chinese Republic. She lives in the Kanda-Surugadai residence owned by Kimiyasu, who has taken her in. Ain is particularly uncomfortable in Barbara's presence, as she is frightened of her pale white complexion, presumably having never seen a Russian before.

Chapters[edit]

Thirteen chapters were released in serial form in the Animage magazine between July 2009 and July 2010. The complete novella was published as a single volume on April 28, 2011, and included new story content and illustrations.

  1. "Prologue" (序章, "Joshō")
  2. "The Girl Below the Twelve Storeys" (十二階下の少女, "Jūnikai shita no shōjo")
  3. "The Russian Lady of the Mansion" (洋館の露西亜貴婦人, "Yōkan no roshia kifujin)
  4. "Asakusa Tales" (浅草異譚, "Asakusa itan")
  5. "Electric Girl Versus Tank Corps" (電気娘対戦車隊, "Denki musume tai sensha tai")
  6. "From Beyond the Screen" (銀幕の彼方より, "Ginmaku no kanata yori")
  7. "In the Corner of the Triangular Second Floor" (三角二階の片隅にて, "Sankaku nikai no katasumi nite")
  8. "The Black Cat of the Twelve-Floor Skyscraper" (十二階天塔の黒猫, "Jūnikai tentō no kuro neko")
  9. "Devil" (魔王, "Maō")
  10. "Sky" (空, "Sora")
  11. "Parting" (離別, "Ribetsu")
  12. "The Nightmare Which Does Not Continue" (続かぬ悪夢, "Tsuduka nu akumu")
  13. "Meeting" (邂逅, "Kaikō")

Production[edit]

Despera graphic novel under serialization in Animage magazine.[2]

Abe announced at Sakura-Con 2009 development of a new anime, revealing that it would be set during Japan's Taishō era.[4][5] Ryūtarō Nakamura, who had directed Serial Experiments Lain, was tapped to direct. Beginning in July, a graphic novel serialization penned by Konaka and Abe ran in the Japanese magazine Animage, terminating a year later.

In 2010, production of the anime was placed on hold due to Nakamura's health.[6] On June 29, 2013, Nakamura died of pancreatic cancer,[7] and it was unknown whether development of Despera would continue following his death. At Overload 2014, Abe announced that the anime would move forward with a new director.[8]

In 2018, Abe and Konaka acknowledged that Despera was in development hell, citing the state of the anime industry.[9]

On March 23, 2021, Konaka said that the anime was 80% funded, and that both he and Abe had continued to work on it continually since its conception except for an interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ (in Japanese) Kuninosuke, Matsuo. Nihirisuto: Tsuji Jun no Shisou to Shougai. Orion Shuppansha, Tokyo. 1967.
  2. ^ a b "第0回:「ですぺら」とは!?" [Post #0: What is "Despera"!?]. Animage Despera official blog (in Japanese). 11 August 2009. Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  3. ^ "安倍吉俊×小中千昭×中村隆太郎が再び結集！オリジナル企画「ですぺら」アニメージュ次号より本格連載スタート！" [New Yoshitoshi Abe x Chiaki Konaka x Ryutaro Nakamura collaboration! Full-scale serialization starts from the next issue for the original project "Despera"]. MOON PHASE 雑記 (in Japanese). 6 June 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  4. ^ Loo, Egan (20 May 2009). "ABe Develops Desperant Anime with Lain Staffers (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  5. ^ Abe, Yoshitoshi (21 May 2009). "今やっている仕事の紹介とちょっと訂正" [Introduction of the project I am working on and a little correction]. ABlog (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  6. ^ "Scan from Despera's final chapter". July 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via Photobucket.
  7. ^ Nelkin, Sarah (25 July 2013). "Serial Experiments Lain Director Ryutaro Nakamura Passes Away". Anime News Network. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  8. ^ Ressler, Karen (10 January 2015). "Yoshitoshi ABe's Despera Project is Moving Forward With New Director". Anime News Network. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  9. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (21 March 2018). "Yoshitoshi ABe's Despera Anime Project Isn't Dead". Anime News Network. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  10. ^ "小中千昭 Chiaki J. Konaka on Twitter". twitter.com. March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Despera&oldid=1211127490"