Currently airing on TOKYO MX and other channels, the TV anime Sayonara Lara (さよならララ) has drawn fresh attention with the release of a special interview on the official website of IMAGICA Entertainment Media Services. Published under the site’s “Case Studies” section, the conversation features director Koide Takafumi and IMAGICA staff discussing the behind-the-scenes creation of the opening (OP) video’s analog section — specifically, five cuts produced using genuine cel animation and physical film.

About Sayonara Lara

Sayonara Lara is an original TV anime produced to celebrate the 15th anniversary of studio Kinema Citrus, known for hits such as Made in Abyss, My Happy Marriage, The Rising of the Shield Hero, and Revue Starlight. Drawing inspiration from the fairy tale The Little Mermaid, the story follows mermaid princess Lara, who is resurrected in Lake Biwa 200 years after her original tale ended.

The series marks the directorial debut of Koide Takafumi, a native of Shiga Prefecture.

Cast

• Lara — Hishikawa Kana
• Otsu Mari — Kawaishi Nana
• Grace — Fukami Rika
• Luca — Murase Ayumu
• Otsu Yoshiya — Ono Tomotaka
• Otsu Makoto — Madono Mitsuaki
• Otsu Ema — Sumitomo Nanae
• Rowan — Terasoma Masaki
• Lisa — Tsuda Minami
• Kota — Yamamoto Kazuomi

Synopsis

Once upon a time, there was a mermaid princess named Lara, raised with love by her father the Sea King and her elder sisters. One day she fell forbidden love with a human prince on the surface world, and drank a potion from the witch Grace to take human form and venture ashore. But the potion carried a curse: unless she found “true love,” she would dissolve into sea foam and vanish forever.

Lara’s wish ultimately went unfulfilled, and she faded into the sea as foam. Two hundred years later, the mermaid princess awakens once more in Lake Biwa — this time determined to find that true love at last.

Why Real Film? The Analog OP Explained

The OP’s five analog cuts — hand-drawn on actual cels and burned onto physical film — sparked a wave of excitement among anime fans after being highlighted on the official X (formerly Twitter) account. The newly published interview digs into the reasoning and process behind this choice.

In an era when digital tools can convincingly simulate a film look, the team deliberately chose to shoot on real film. For IMAGICA, which operates Japan’s only remaining film development facility for motion pictures (the Osaka Production Center), this represented the first anime development, 4K scanning, and color grading workflow in over ten years.

Technical challenges discussed in the interview include:

• Adjusting exposure after the discontinuation of ISO 100 film stock
• Comparative testing between negative, positive, and Imatonn Positive formats
• Preserving image information through 4K scanning

Together, these approaches represent a concerted effort to bridge the gap between analog craft and digital delivery.

Interview Participants

• Koide Takafumi (Kinema Citrus / Director)
• Takahashi Morio (IMAGICA Entertainment Media Services / Timing)
• Sekiguchi Masato (IMAGICA Entertainment Media Services / Colorist)
• Suzuki Motoko (IMAGICA Entertainment Media Services / Coordinator)

Work Information

• Title: TVアニメ『さよならララ』
• Original Work & Animation Production: Kinema Citrus
• Production: “Sayonara Lara” Production Committee

©キネマシトラス／「さよならララ」製作委員会