Takushi Koide Discusses Hand-Drawn Animation in Goodbye, Lara at Anime Expo
Goodbye, Lara represents a deliberate stylistic return to 1990s hand-drawn animation techniques in an industry that has largely shifted to digital production.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime News Network.
Director Takushi Koide appeared at Anime Expo 2026 after a screening of the first episode of his original anime Goodbye, Lara. The project, five years in the making, uses hand-painted backgrounds and thick-lined character designs to evoke 1990s anime aesthetics. Koide worked with Studio Pablo for the hand-drawn backgrounds and emphasized traditional methods over 3D-CG or AI-assisted art.
Director Takushi Koide appeared as a special guest on Day One of Anime Expo 2026 after a screening of the first episode of his original anime Goodbye, Lara. The project has been five years in the making, with about two years spent on the original concept alone. Koide, a veteran animator on Made in Abyss and Revue Starlight, said directing an original anime had always been his dream. The series uses hand-painted backgrounds created with Mari Fujino from Studio Pablo, one of three remaining studios specializing in hand-drawn backgrounds. Koide said he never wants to lose the hand-drawing method.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.