Anime Producer Takahiro Katō Explains the Job in New Interview
Anime producer Takahiro Katō, currently working on the *Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube* reboot, gave a detailed interview to the newsletter Anime By The Numbers about what the job actually entails. Katō, who started producing in his mid-20s, described the role as a bridge between the publisher, the original author, and the anime studio, contrasting it with the more glamorous Hollywood producer image. He discussed his early career learning under veteran producer Eiji Maesaka on titles like *Comic Girls* and *Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer*, and how he earned respect on *Migi & Dali* by studying the source material extensively after the mangaka's death. For the *Nube* remake, Katō said he prioritized modernizing the setting for the 2020s, including the presence of cell phones and social media, with the blessing of the original creators. He also noted that he considers both his personal passion for a title and its potential to make money abroad when deciding what to produce, and advocated for streaming platforms to take more chances on titles popular in Japan but less known overseas.