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A Couple of Conversations With Studio Trigger
🕑 Added 2025-11-18 04:29:00 +0000 UTCNote: Due to time constraints, this will be published on Anime Herald's main site on November 19, 2025. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Author: Seth Burn
Editor: Samantha Ferreira
Interview Location: Anime NYC 2025
Yatta-Tachi: A re-occurring motif in every [Hiroyuki] Imaishi work, starting with Dead Leaves, is anal penetration. Do you have an interest in such themes?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: I do not have those sexual preferences. It’s just a part of a joke.
Bento Radio: With Panty & Stocking, you came back to a show after a decade. Was it difficult to get back into that head space and pick up the production?
Hiromi Wakabayashi: A decade ago, we had the feeling that we were making something that was a little edgy. It took a little bit of time to warm up to get that same sense of passion.
Over the ten-plus years, I felt I had lost some of my edge, just from getting old. I understood that to make Panty & Stocking, I needed to have that edge. It took me some time to get honed back in.
Anime Trending: Given the uniqueness of the show, have there been any interesting reactions or creative output from staff members who were not part of the original production?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: There was a considerable amount of that. We had a lot of our younger talents involved in production. Some of our younger talents were responsible for an entire episode. With those episodes, it could be said the entire episode is based off of their artistic preferences.
Unknown Outlet: Your work is bright, colorful, and bursting with energy. How do you get yourself in the right mindset to create in your style?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: It’s only quite recently that I started to use a lot of these high-contrast colors. More specifically, that probably started with Promare. This is thanks to Shigeto Koyama. He is exceptional in his use of color.
Anime Herald: German illustrator Gurepyon has credited Imiashi-san and Gurren Lagann for their growth as an artist:
“Especially Imaishi's works are so important to me because not everything needs to be anatomically correct to create powerful art!! Of course it requires at least some fundamentals but being overly accurate destroys the dynamism.”
Do you have any comments for Gurepyon, or thoughts on what makes an image dynamic?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: Unfortunately, we are not aware of Gurepyon’s works.
(Editor’s note: I showed them Gurepyon’s Lucy.)
I believe that in anime as a medium, it is quite important to be able to overly exaggerate to portray a character. I believe the Gurepyon has a good understanding of what’s important artistically in anime.
Nerdier Tides: Has the fan excitement for the return of Panty & Stocking shocked you at all?
Hiromi Wakabayashi: I’m happy, but perhaps a bit confused that the fans are so openly receptive. It’s a mixed bag in terms of the story and the episodes. Some of them are overly chaotic. Both types of episodes have been well received. I expected the fans to be a bit more confused.
Anime Corner: Panty & Stocking mixes between different art styles for different kinds of scenes. How is it decided as to which kinds of scenes will get which art style, and does this add any unique difficulties to production?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: This goes back to Gurren Lagann. If you pay close attention to Gurren Lagann, in each episode there is quite a disparity in terms of how each character looks. This is due to my belief that each respective animation director should be able to express their own artistic direction.
I did something similar for the original Panty & Stocking and the new Panty & Stocking. I believe that animation should be a platform for each director to express themselves.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: The popular trend right now is for seamless, on-model designs for the entire series. I think it is more interesting when the animators and directors have more creative freedom.
Yatta-Tachi: What is your favorite American superhero comic?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: Lobo, by Simon Bisley.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: Death, by Chris Bachalo. I like the supernatural and the occult. That is why Panty & Stocking has angels and demons.
Bento Radio: Do you want New Panty & Stocking to keep going after this season?
Hiromi Wakabayashi: I have plans for ten seasons and a theatrical movie release. The original plan for Panty & Stocking was for a series that I could perpetually create.
Anime Trending: Can you shed some light on what Yoh Yoshinari’s “special specialist” role entails?
Studio Trigger: Quite literally a “special specialist”. He’s so special at what he does that he’s a specialist at what he does. I believe that most people’s reactions to seeing “special specialist” is that “this guy must be special.” That’s exactly the reaction we want.
Going back to the original series, it was actually Yoshinari’s taste for the cartoon style. It is part of his essence. We also heavily rely on his vast library of special effects. He’s one of the backbones of production. A “special specialist.”
Unknown Outlet: Are there any intellectual properties, or artists, or studios, or directors from America that you would really like to work with in the future?
Hiromi Wakabayashi: I would like to work with Mickey Mouse. There’s a classic episode of Mickey Mouse from the 1990s, where Mickey Mouse becomes huge, like a hulk. I would like Imaishi-san to direct something in that style if we were able to work with Disney.
I want to work with big IP like Disney with Imaishi-san’s taste.
Anime Herald: At Anime Expo Wakabayashi-san said he already knew the title of a potential theatrical release. Would he care to share that title?
Hiromi Wakabayashi: Panty & Stocking: The Battle of Hoover Dam. It’s an episode I had in mind fifteen years ago. If I were to work on it right now, it might be different.
Nerdier Tides: What was it like to return to such a unique series as Panty & Stocking?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: It is necessary for me to calm my mind. I need to do something not-so-serious every once in a while to soothe my mind. It’s not that I mind working on serious series. I just need to take a break sometimes.
Anime Corner: New Panty & Stocking contains a lot of staff members from the original work. How did the original staff communicate the essential elements of the series to the newer staff?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: Communicating with the younger staff wasn’t too much of an issue. This is mainly due to the fact that there was a finished product, the first Panty & Stocking. As an animator, it’s their job to be able to make another person’s work. In that regard, there wasn’t too much of an issue. However, there were a lot of scenes I did have to revise from the younger staff.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: If you’ve watched Delicious in Dungeon or Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Trigger’s animators are quite skilled. They are pretty good at what they do. What we had to teach them was how to have fun. How to go off of form. To prioritize the dynamism of the scene. That is what Imiashi-san excels at. What we wanted to communicate to our younger animators was how to be more expressive with Panty & Stocking.
Yatta-Tachi: One of my favorite episodes from the original Panty & Stocking was “Vomiting Point,” directed and story boarded by Osamu Kobayashi. Do you have memories of what it was like seeing that episode for the first time, and will there be similarly experimental episodes this season?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: I was the one who chose the aesthetic for that episode. He delivered. For the newer series, there is no single episode that is quite like Kobayashi-san’s episode. It’s more sprinkled throughout the series.
Bento Radio: Is there anything you are trying to avoid or consider too shocking to cover?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: Our main goal is for everyone to have fun. For that reason, even though we handle a lot of aggressive content in Panty & Stocking, we don’t want to hurt anyone personally. It’s quite important to us not to hurt anyone. We want everyone to have fun.
Anime Trending: What is your highlight for bringing Panty & Stocking back?
Hiromi Wakabayashi: There are a lot of scenes that I like. My favorite, or most memorable, was being able to display Panty’s soul in episode one, and being able to carry her soul on a mikoshi. I am confident that Panty & Stocking will be both the first and the last to show such content on an entire screen.
Hiroyuki Imaishi: If I were to choose one episode that has already been aired, it would be episode 4, the Hanna Barbera homage episode. I wanted to direct that episode myself, but I entrusted it to our younger talents. I’m quite confident he did a much better job than I could have executed.
Unknown Outlet: How do you balance maintaining your style with your need to evolve and experiment as an artist?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: I think the most important factor is not working alone. In working with many different individuals I keep my own taste and artistic direction fresh. I’ve been working with a good amount of younger talents. For previous works, I’ve changed the designer for almost every title. For Promare it was (Shigeto) Koyama. For Kill la Kill, it was Sushio. Working with different individuals is key to keeping it fresh.
(As a bonus for people who have read this far. Here's our transcript of Studio Trigger at Anime Expo:)
Group Question 1: This series introduces two new characters, Polyester and Polyurethane. Can you walk us through the decision to introduce these two new characters to the world of Panty & Stocking, and explain how you decided on the names?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: I can’t say anything here. You’ll just have to wait to see what happens in the show.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: Look forward to seeing them in the show. As they develop, you’ll see why they are named that way, and why they were introduced into the series.
Group Question 2: Since Panty and Stocking’s designs were inspired by Western cartoons, particularly The Powerpuff Girls, what is your favorite part about designing and animating characters in this style when compared to other works from Trigger?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: I would say it is not just The Powerpuff Girls who influenced our style. This was many years ago. We looked at lots of other cartoons. The other half of what affected our style is anime, of course. We’re in Japan and we watch a lot of anime. I think that added to the charm of the show as well.
Group Question 3: What American cartoons have influenced the show? Were there any new shows that have come out since the first season was released that you took inspiration from for season two?
Studio Trigger: Between season one and this season, we kept the visuals the same. Really, there haven't been any shows since then that have influenced us. But the story has definitely been affected by films and shows that have been released since then.
Group Question 4: In what ways will the new season of Panty & Stocking feel different from the first season? In what ways will it feel the same?
Studio Trigger: In terms of the design and the worldview, the core has remained the same. In the past, we were working out of a company called Gainax. Now we work out of Studio Trigger. In those fourteen years, the studio and staff have grown. A lot of the people who used to be viewers and fans of the show are now part of the staff. We brought in new cast as well. All of these people have brought a new expression to this show.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: The thing that hasn’t changed is our motivation for the show, which is to make a very silly and fun anime.
Anime Trending: There are a lot of returning musical credits for this new season, but there are also a lot of new names. What are your goals for this new season in regards to the music and how are this new staff part of fulfilling these goals?
Shigeto Koyama: In terms of musicians for this, Taku Takahashi of M-Flo is the music producer for this. He’s the one who brought in some of the hottest artists now to play music and create some different genres from what we’ve had before.
Hiroyuki Imaishi: I have asked for more songs with vocals, so expect to see more songs with vocals this season.
But why ville: What anime tropes are underutilized in story telling that you would like to see more of?
Studio Trigger: Just like in the original, there’s CG, there’s (hand drawn) anime, and there’s live action. There are other new elements as well. You’ll just have to watch and see what happens in the show.
Behind the Manga: For Imiashi-san: Could you describe how it felt returning to direct Panty & Stocking, fifteen years after its original debut? Can you walk us through any challenges you encountered bringing it to modern audiences today?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: It’s taken fifteen years to get to this point. I really wanted to do this much earlier. The fans’ voices have been very loud during that time. I wanted to answer those voices. For me, this is a first, to do a sequel. That was one of the challenges for me. Cyberpunk was the first original that I directed. I want to make sure I don’t disappoint the fans. The most important thing for me is to keep it just as ridiculous as the first season.
Anime Herald: Back in 2016, Wakabayashi said Trigger had enough material for six seasons of Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. Can we look forward to more after the completion of season two?
Hiromi Wakabayashi: I don’t think this is a six season show. This is a forever show. That’s exactly how I developed this show. Even back in the beginning I said this show could run forever. Really, it’s up to the fans and their reactions to the new Panty & Stocking. Even back then, I said there were six seasons and a film in this, and I even know the title of the film already.
Hiroyuki Imaishi: That’s what YOU were saying. Unfortunately, this is not up to just us.
Shade Studios: Being creatives in the original, can you share how your collaboration has evolved, and how do your individual creative roles shape this series?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: First, there was Panty & Stocking, then Kill La Kill, then Japan Animator Expo, Space Patrol Luluco, Promare, Star Wars: Visions, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. There are a lot of projects we’ve worked together on, so the conversations have gotten faster and faster. The communication is quicker. There’s been much less friction in the creative communications, which is nice.
Studio Trigger: Whenever something is brought up, we can see further into what that means, kind of like a Newtype.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: I agree that the speed of communication has increased over the years.
A-to-J Connections: How did you deal with the fan pressure of the fans waiting for 15 years?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: Did you feel pressure? (to Hiromi Wakabayashi. Wakabayashi-san shook his head “no.”)
In a word, “no.” I don’t think about the pressure at all. I don’t… we don’t have any nervousness. Even before our huge presentation at the theater, we all felt sleepy and relaxed. Absolutely no tension.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: It’s a 7,000-person hall. Going into that morning, we had no material prepared, so we prepared something that morning.
Shigeto Koyama: There’s one thing I’m starting to get nervous about. I’ve had a lot of water, and I’m starting to feel a need to go to the restroom. I have that nervousness.
Dokoholics: What are some Easter Eggs that fans should keep an eye out for?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: There are as many eggs as there are in the egg section of the supermarket.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: There are so many Easter Eggs that the audience will be squishing them as they walk. Even in the previous season there are small plot hints that people haven’t noticed yet.
Studio Trigger: There is an episode with an egg. A west-coast egg. This is a very important point.
Otako Hourly: As the art director for Panty & Stocking, how does it compare to your previous projects?
Shigeto Koyama: The art style is similar to season one of Panty & Stocking. We made sure to not change the design. You will see some slight differences in color.
Until Gurren Lagann, we did a fairly standard way of animating, where we didn’t have much fine control over the color. The first season of Panty & Stocking is the first time we had much more fine control over the color.
The experience that we’ve had on all the different pieces since then have affected how we look at color. That’s why my answer is the color is the main part where we’ve looked to change things.
The O Network: Considering the long time that has passed, has the animation team drawn any new inspiration from recent Western shows for the upcoming project?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: To be honest, not at all.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: Not from the US. We’re also not influenced by Japanese anime, either. Over the past ten years, we’ve met many people. It’s our own life experiences that come into play with this show. We’ve come overseas a lot during that time and met people. Those experiences we’ve had are what influences season two.
Anime Corner: It’s been said in older interviews that many of the concepts for Panty & Stocking were made during a trip following the broadcast of Gurren Lagann. Were there any similar trips or moments for the revival series?
Studio Trigger: It’s absolutely as you said. After Gurren Lagann, we were all drinking together and came up with season one. For the new season, we were in a totally closed off white meeting room, with a very tight schedule. Compliance officers were there, in suits. It was a very stiff environment. We were under pressure to create this.
If you have seen episode one, then you know what a crazy thing it is that we were able to create such a crazy show out of such a stiff environment.
For fifteen years, we’ve worked with Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, all of these places. We’ve learned a lot. We’ve put ourselves under this stiff compliance environment and tied ourselves down. It was under that immense pressure that we created the first episode of season two.
When you see the first episode, you’ll ask yourself, “If they weren’t tied down, what kind of episode would they have made?” That’s how we would like you to enjoy the new season.
Unknown Outlet: The art direction for Panty & Stocking is notoriously genre blending. Will we see new styles and mediums in the new season?
Shigeto Koyama: In Panty & Stocking, the characters kind of blend together, so the style isn’t really genre bending. Panty, especially, blends quite easily with others.
The Michigan Daily: Given how over the top the original series was, has it been a challenge to match or exceed the first season?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: The intensity of season two, I personally feel it was easier to watch. However, other creative people that I’ve shown it to have said that it is harder to watch. Believe it or not, we put the brakes on episode one for season two. However, they said it was more intense. I was quite relieved to hear that.
Screen Rant: How has the thinking evolved for how to resolve the season one cliffhanger ending?
Hiroyuki Imaishi: Back when we made season one, we weren’t thinking about anything. We didn’t have any plan. We wanted to make this funny joke ending. People took it seriously. We always knew we were going to think of the continuation later.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: Normally, in a series, you’d think “this character will develop in this way.” You’d know where you are headed when you’re creating the story. But in this case, we just think about that one episode, that one part of the story that we’re working on. Panty & Stocking has all of this possibility. We just go up until there, and then in the next episode, we take it wherever we want.
Hiroyuki Imaishi: One thing I’d like to be very clear about. People keep saying this is season two. This is not a continuation of the original. This is something new. I want to make sure that is very clear.
(Studio Trigger was asked if they individually had any message for the fans:)
Shigeto Koyama: I don’t have a message for the fans. I don’t want them to think about anything.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: For twenty to thirty minutes, I want fans to laugh like an idiot and then forget what they’ve watched. I hope it can be that fun time each week they get to do that.
Hiroyuki Imaishi: I think they’ve said it all already. Although we are extremely serious when we make this show, I hope audiences are unserious when they watch it. In Japan, there is this idea of sitting focused at attention when watching TV. I hope you’re laying on your couch, eating snacks, using your phone, and maybe drinking, as well. Lightheartedly watching this show.
Shigeto Koyama: I want audiences to know that this is pure entertainment. A lot of anime in recent years has been thought of as art, and that’s great! But how director Imaishi and we work together, we enjoy just making pure entertainment.
Hiromi Wakabayashi: There’s no need to think deeply about anything in this show. There’s a trend in anime to make people mull over what might happen next week. There’s nothing like that in this show. We’re making it exactly the same way we did fifteen years ago. The brain is just not involved.
