The highly anticipated anime adaptation YOUR FORMA, produced by Twin Engine and animated by Geno Studio, is officially set to premiere on April 2. Based on the Dengeki Novel Grand Prize-winning light novel, the series brings a unique blend of emotional depth and futuristic intrigue. To celebrate the adaptation, interviews with the staff and cast will be published on AnimeTV following episodes 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 13.
In our first series of interviews for YOUR FORMA, this week’s feature, we spoke with director Ozaki about his vision for this captivating work—where emotion takes precedence over spectacle. From the integration of contemporary themes to the nuanced portrayal of Echika and Harold, he takes us behind the scenes of this meticulously crafted adaptation.
Official Trailer:
First off, please tell us what you think makes “Your Forma” an appealing series, Director Ozaki
Ozaki: Your Forma has the look of a sci-fi series, but actually I feel like it’s quite close to our present-day reality. For example, the “brain world” portrayed in the show is just like if we took your smartphone and embedded it in your mind. And while we don’t have androids like Harold yet, we do have similarly functioning AI assistants to help with our daily tasks. Your Forma integrates these contemporary societal themes into its worldview quite skillfully, and that is what makes it such an interesting series. At its core, the story is a universal human drama that happens to be unfolding in a sci-fi world, which I think is the main appeal.
What were the key points that you wanted to emphasize in particular when turning this work into a one season anime?
Ozaki: To build on what I previously mentioned, when it comes to what I wanted to portray, it definitely has to be the theme of human connection. As such, I thought it was most important to emphasize the dramatic themes about humanity over the sci-fi qualities. There are androids in this story called “Amicus”, but I didn’t think of them as mere robots. I treated them the same as I did with the human characters. After all, don’t humans often treat robots and dolls, or even objects and nature, as though they all have a heart and feelings? For example, when speaking with an AI chatbot, somehow you can end up feeling close to it. When people perceive a ‘heart’ or emotions in something, it fosters a sense of connection. I wanted to explore that concept in this story.
Did you receive any requests for the Your Forma anime adaptation from the original novel’s writer Mareho Kikuishi?
Ozaki: Kikuishi-sensei often came to observe the post-dubbing sessions, and I’m really grateful for that kind of cooperation with the production. But even though Kikuishi-sensei came to check on us, our team was entrusted with the adaptation, and I don’t think we received any major requests for the anime. However, since the original novel didn’t have any visuals to reference, Kikuishi-sensei gave us a lot of valuable input regarding the design for the sci-fi elements. For example, in the original work, the 3D images visible in the user interface are called ‘holograms’ and the screens visible to normal humans are called ‘holobrowsers.’ Initially I confused the two, but thanks to the author’s advice, I was able to distinguish between them properly. Additionally, since this story takes place in several countries, the author wanted us to be very thorough with the finer points of each country’s portrayal. Kikuishi-sensei must have done tons of research while writing the original work. It really is hard to discern the finer cultural differences between countries. For example, Russians wear wedding rings on their right hands, but since that’s not a custom found in Japan, it’s easy to overlook from our perspective. It would have been nice if our animation team could have gone abroad to conduct research in these countries, but due to global instability in recent years, we relied on internet research for accuracy.
Can you tell us about our leads, Echika and Harold, and what makes them tick?
Ozaki: Echika, though human, possesses an almost mechanical nature, whereas Harold, despite being a robot, is remarkably sociable. At first glance these two may seem like total opposites, but actually they do have something in common. They both have difficulties expressing and communicating their true feelings. Throughout the story, they misunderstand each other several times, but by the end come to understand how the other truly feels. I think that kind of clumsiness in their communication makes the two of them compelling, likeable characters.
What do you think of Kana Hanazawa’s performance as Echika, and Kensho Ono’s as Harold?
Ozaki: Well, from the start, my impression of Ono-san was that he had a pleasant and friendly tone when speaking, so I thought he was perfect for the role. Conversely, Hanazawa-san, in my opinion, is nothing like the introverted, awkward Echika. However, when she started voicing the character, she showcased her brilliant acting skills and brought so much emotion to the role, I just thought, “Well, that’s Hanazawa-san for you!” I particularly liked the way she used her voice, keeping it measured and low but still full of emotion. She also made the conversations between Echika and Harold entertaining. I hope viewers will also take note of how natural their dynamic is, with Harold playfully teasing Echika with mischievous questions, and Echika responding naturally in turn.
And lastly, can we get a message for fans eagerly waiting for the broadcast of episode 1?
Ozaki: This is a drama that simply portrays the bonds between people, so I want viewers to empathize with Echika and Harold without thinking of Your Forma as a difficult series. We hope fans will see Your Forma through until the final episode. Thank you so much to everyone for all your support.
Streaming plans officially announced:
- Central and South America: andplay, Anime Onegai
- Europe, Middle East, and Africa: ADN, aniverse, Anime Generation, Anime Key
- Asia: Bahamut, MyVideo, CHT, Hamivideo, Bilibili, TVING, Wavve, Watcha, U+tv, SK Btv, Genie TV, Home Choice, D’LIVE, SKY LIFE, B’flix
Streaming details in the United States and Canada will be announced soon.
CAST:
Echika Hieda (CV.Kana Hanazawa)
Harold W. Lucraft (CV.Kensho Ono)
Bigga (CV.Nao Toyama)
Ui Totoki (CV.Aya Endo)
Ivan Lukich Fokine(CV.Nobuhiko Okamoto)
Darya Romanovna Chernova(CV.Ayaka Nanase)
Lexie Willow Carter (CV.Chiwa Saito)
Benno Kleemann (CV.Yuu Hayashi)
Sozon A. Chernov(CV.Jun Fukuyama)
Lexie W. Carter(CV.Chiwa Saito)
Raissa Germaine Robin(CV.Hisako Tojo)
Kazimir Martinovich Shubin(CV.Tomokazu Sugita)
Kupriyan Valentinovich Napolov(CV.Koichi Yamadera)
STAFF:
Original Work: Mareho Kikuishi
Original Illustrations: Tsubata Nozaki
Director: Takaharu Ozaki
Series Composition & Script: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu
Character Design: Chikashi Kadekaru
Music: Tatsuya Kato
Animation Production: Geno Studio
Production: Project YOUR FORMA
Official synopsis:
In 1992, a pandemic of viral encephalitis shook the world. The medical technology that saved humanity evolved into “Your Forma”—an invasive information device implanted into the brain. In this world where every sight, sound, and even emotion is recorded, investigating major crimes means diving into the collective data, a job reserved for special detectives called “Electronic Investigator.”
Echika Hieda, a prodigious “Electronic Investigator” assigned at an astonishingly young age, stands isolated by her exceptional talent. Her newly assigned partner is Harold, a blonde, blue-eyed humanoid “Amicus.” Together, this unrivaled duo will expose every hidden secret.
©2025 Mareho Kikuishi/KADOKAWA/Project YOUR FORMA
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