Project with "new story, characters, and mechanical designs"

The exhibitor notes at the Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF) 2011 website revealed on Tuesday that the anime studio Gonzo is working on Last Exile ~Ginyoku no Fam~ (Last Exile -Fam, The Silver Wing-), "a new series of Last Exile [with] new story, [main] characters, and mechanical designs" for 2011.

Gonzo had worked with character designer Range Murata (Blue Submarine No. 6, Solty Rei, Shangri-La) on the original Last Exile anime series in 2003. The studio told ANN during last March's TAF that it was developing a potential Spring 2011 project that would take advantage of the new stereoscopic 3D televisions now entering the marketplace. Gonzo also showcased a stereoscopic 3D version of a Last Exile vehicle and four character design sheets for a new project in the works at the fair, although it did not specify at the time whether these materials were from the same Spring 2011 project.

Gonzo began hiring new anime production staff members such as animation runners (the production coordinator job seen in Animation Runner Kuromi), one "international production operations assistant" ("fluency in English required, Chinese is a plus"), in-between animators ("must have enthusiasm"), production desk managers, and designers last August. Then, in September, the studio sent a book cover illustrated by Murata as a complimentary gift to stockholders, and the included letter explained that the cover's illustration is the original character design for a new anime that will air this year.

Gonzo's TAF page also lists the studio's previously revealed Nyanpire The Animation project.

Image © 2011 Gonzo/Fam Partners

Update: The March issue of Kadokawa Shoten's Newtype magazine is confirming on Thursday that Last Exile -Fam, The Silver Wing- is a new television series that will mark Gonzo's 20th anniversary. The official website will be at the http://www.lastexile-fam.com address. Director Koichi Chigira, character designer Range Murata, and production designer Makoto Kobayashi are all returning from the first Last Exile anime, but the new person in charge of scripts is Kiyoko Yoshimura. The story centers around Fam, a girl from an aerial family in an adventure set in the open skies.