TV Anime "Princess Elena of Avalor", Interview with Japanese Character Designer Arrives!　Talks about the charm of the characters and the work

An official interview with the character designer from the animated TV series "Princess Elena of Avalor" has arrived.

Princess Elena of Avalor" is a new animated series on the Disney Channel. The story is about the brave 16-year-old Elena, who saves her kingdom from an evil witch and learns to be a queen with the help of various people. The Emmy Award-winning staff of "Little Princess Sophia" participated in the production, and a variety of Latin American music such as samba, bossa nova, and mariachi adorn the work. In addition to its airing in the U.S. in July 2016 to favorable reviews, the film will be broadcast in Japan for the first time on terrestrial television on "Disney Sunday" from April 2, 2017 (Sun.).

The following is an official interview with Ritsuko Notani of Disney Animation Studios, who was in charge of Elena's character design. The interview includes interesting content for anime fans, such as episodes in designing Disney's first Latin princess, Elena.

Official Interview

Ritsuko Notani, character designer of "Princess Elena of Avalor

About the work
Q:Please tell us about your work, Ms. Notani!
I am in charge of designing the main characters, mainly Elena. This time, I was approached at the stage of character development. I decided on her face, hairstyle, and costumes based on her character through discussions with the creators, director, and art director.

Q: Please tell us about the character design of Elena.
What we were aiming for this time was a classic Disney style animation and character. In other words, a well-designed style with touches and forms similar to those used in theatrical productions. The characters were created from the ground up, as opposed to the traditional princesses with different hair, skin, and eye colors. In addition to such classicism, "Latin" was an equally important element this time. We have Latin staff in each department, so we observed their skeletons and referred to documents and photos to create a realistic character.

Q: How many designs were created?
We started with 10 patterns for Elena as Ver. 1, then brushed up 10 patterns for Ver. 2, and so on, until we ended up with about Ver. 6. In total, we designed about 60 patterns. The same goes for the costumes. I made about 6 to 8 patterns for each costume. From these, we finally narrowed it down to one. Please take a look at the bright "Elena Red" color that represents her in the costumes!

Q: Could you tell us more about the "Latin" element of the film?
The production staff is made up of people from many different countries and cultures, and we are all working together to create one film. Elena is Disney's first Latin princess, but there are many different Latin cultures, not just one. There is the Inca Empire, there is the Maya, there is Spain, Mexico, Brazil, and so on. There are many different types of Latin cultures, from old to new. We have people who grew up in different cultures and come from many different countries creating that Latin story. In that sense, I think we have created a work that is not flat but dense.

Q: What attracts you to Elena?
Elena is a very attractive girl. She is not the princess-like girl we have seen in the past, but a very active girl who immediately goes out and talks to people in the city. Of course, she makes mistakes and hurts people, but she grows through these things. She is only 16 years old and thinks she can do everything, but she has a lot to learn. She is still developing and is not yet a complete character. In that sense, I am looking forward to seeing how Elena will grow in the future! I would be happy if everyone in Japan could keep an eye on Elena as well.

Q: Are there any other characters besides Elena that you are in charge of?
I am in charge of all the main characters. Both Jacquin and Zuzo. In America, jerkin is very popular with children, especially boys.
I also work with another designer on the guest characters. In the case of Elena, I like to have a character that is The Villain. After all, I think a good villain enhances the main characters and the story.

Q: Do you have a particular favorite scene in the film?
I really like the opening. I really like the scene where Elena gets on the flying jerkin, waves to the audience, and goes down to the castle, because I never get tired of seeing that scene no matter how many times I see it. I think that scene represents the entire world of Elena. I hope you will pay attention to it.

Q: Is there anything related to your work that made you happy?
Last Halloween, I was shown a video of small children enjoying Halloween in Elena's costume. They were all so cute and I was really happy. I hope Japanese children will also wear Elena's costume this Halloween!

■About Ms. Noya herself
Q: What made you decide to get into your current job?
When I was about to enter elementary school, I saw "Peter Pan" at the theater and thought, "Oh, I want to be a part of this world. At that time, I did not want to be a character designer or draw pictures, but I wanted to be on the screen, in this world.
You can be involved in animation in various ways, but in my case, I decided to go into drawing.

Q: What do you think was the reason you were able to make your dream come true?
I think it was that I never gave up on my dream. When I was in Japan, there were times when I almost gave up. I am married, and if I wanted to work at a Disney studio overseas, I had to go abroad by myself. But my husband gave me a push and said, "It's your life. I think that was a big part of it.

Q: What do you think is great about working at Disney? Q: What do you feel is great about working at Disney?
The network is amazing. For example, in this case, what I designed first became an animation and then a toy. And finally, Elena will appear in the park and sing and put on a show. What I draw by hand becomes three-dimensional and pops out into the real world. I think this is something that only Disney can do.
Elena made her debut last year in the Florida and California parks. At that time, the entire crew went to Disneyland to see Elena's show! Everyone was so excited. It was a great moment for me to be doing my job.

Q: Is there anything you keep in mind when doing your job?
I never compromise. I am in the business of making things that go out into the world. Of course, I am human, so I have various moods at times, but there is a possibility that something I am not satisfied with will be released to the world. If that happens, there is no excuse for anyone. It doesn't matter to the people who see my work if I say, "I was feeling down. So, no matter what happens, I always try to create something I am satisfied with without compromise.

Q: Do you have an important message you want to convey in your animations?
I think it's the same with Elena, but when a person is growing up, many things are necessary. For example, communication with family, bonds with friends and siblings, and so on. I value these things and want to convey them to the children who are watching the film.