Recently, at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2026, three episodes of Apocalypse Hotel were given a theatrical screening. Afterward, character designer Izumi Takemoto and producer Nobuhiro Takenaka came on stage to discuss the episodes—and their thoughts about original anime in general.

Takenaka began by explaining when he first heard about Takemoto being attached to the project. He was told, “We’ve already commissioned Izumi Takemoto to do character design for this project. […] You can change anything else. However, you absolutely cannot swap out Izumi Takemoto.”

After that introduction, Takemoto explained the restrictions he had to work under for this anime, or lack thereof. “There weren’t any rigid ‘use this style’ instructions, so I was able to draw pretty much as I liked—and I didn’t have any difficulties or worries.” Takemoto discussed how he designed Yachiyo (then known only as “Roboko”). “I didn’t think too much about her being a robot; I thought of her as a normal girl, and the surrounding setting would make [the viewers] understand she was a robot.” Her long braids came from an idea that Takemoto had for the world portrayed in Apocalypse Hotel: “Wouldn’t it be cool if, within the setting, all robots braid their hair to distinguish themselves from normal humans?”

While Takemoto stated that he was largely uninvolved once animation got into full swing, Takenaka revealed that Takemoto was being a bit overly modest. “When Mr. Takemoto reviewed the script, he would occasionally ask questions about technical or sci-fi aspects,” Takenaka explained. “There were times when I realized, ‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ or when I noticed he was concerned about certain points, so I’d fill in the gaps. Conversely, there were also times when I’d adjust the details to ensure the points he brought up wouldn’t be a concern.”

One of the episodes screened for the audience was the eleventh episode—one that features very little dialogue. “The idea of making an entire episode silent was there from the beginning, and I thought it would work in a post-apocalyptic setting,” Takenaka told the audience. “We had the music composed specifically for the script, and I think we were able to convey the emotional arc through music effectively. Something like this is really only possible in an original anime, so we decided to go for it.”

Speaking of anime that aren’t adaptations of already popular works, Takenaka had thoughts about making them in the current climate. “It’s quite tough. The business model is pretty much established, and I don’t think there are that many people willing to invest in original anime.” Yet, despite this, Takenaka continues to make them. “I wonder why?” He laughed. “Every time I make an original anime, I think about giving up on making them. When Apocalypse Hotel wrapped, I thought, ‘This is the last one,’ but since then, the animators have told me, ‘Please call me if there’s a sequel,’ and young people who come to Cygames Pictures look at me with sparkling eyes and say, ‘It’s a company that keeps making originals’.” Takenaka laughed again. “So, as long as there are expectations, I feel like I have to keep challenging myself [by making them].”

To wrap things up, Takenaka spoke candidly about the possibility of a sequel: “I realize we probably won’t be able to make a sequel anytime soon, but I do plan to keep thinking about what kind of story we could bring to life with its world in today’s climate.” Expanding on this, Takenaka concluded, “Apocalypse Hotel would be a perfect fit for a Hollywood live-action adaptation. It would work just fine if we moved the setting to New York. So I’m looking forward to seeing a Hollywood movie where an android girl survives in the post-apocalyptic Big Apple.”