■Production Stories! Highlights of “Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia”
The event opened with the premiere of the English-version teaser PV, filling the audience with excitement as the background, setting, and appeal of the characters were introduced.
On the story’s appeal, rooted in history, Producer Endo commented, “There are many adaptations of Genghis Khan’s story, but his sons’ generation has rarely been highlighted. Focusing on this historically important generation is one of this work’s unique features,” drawing the attention of the audience.
Science SARU’s Fujita then revealed three reasons for producing “Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia.” The first was, “Tomato Soup’s original manga is unlike anything we’ve seen before, and everyone at the studio was strongly drawn to it.” The second, “We were sure that adapting this work into animation would be a completely new challenge for Science SARU.” And the third, “Producer Endo from TV Asahi approached us with enthusiasm, saying he wanted to work on this project together.” This passion from the production team was the driving force behind the anime’s realization.
■What Did the Team Experience in Mongolian On-site Research?
In the latter half of the discussion, topics shifted to the team’s location scouting in Mongolia for the anime’s creation. Endo described their research into various aspects of daily life there, from the traditional nomadic dwelling “ger” and Mongolian horse culture to local cuisine and clothing, reflecting on their experiences with photographs.
Fujita added, “Through on-site research, the directors were able to sense the world that Shitala herself would have seen at the time; they brought that feeling back and reflected it in the script,” explaining how realistic experiences from their visit shaped the production process—this prompted loud applause from the audience.
Next, concerning the super teaser visual produced by Science SARU, Fujita said, “It’s a simple design, but I think we created a visual that succinctly represents the story. As a key point, the protagonist’s name, Shitala, means ‘star’—we infused that nuance into the shooting star shown at the center,” highlighting their attention to detail.
Endo also announced, “We plan to release new information around December this year, so I hope everyone looks forward to it,” which delighted fans and increased excitement among attendees for future developments.
As the stage event came to an end, Fujita concluded, “Everyone at Science SARU is working hard right now. We feel our efforts every day. I can’t wait for you all to see it. Please look forward to the next update.” Endo added, “With the incredible creativity of Science SARU, the animation will be beautiful. Though it cannot be revealed yet, truly amazing creators have joined the production, so please wait for further announcements.” With messages of gratitude and anticipation from the two guests, the event ended on a high note.
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