My favorite anime: Joaquim Dos Santos’ journey from Macross to Sword of the Stranger

As an animator, Joaquim Dos Santos has steadily built a career with credits on some of the most influential American animated series of the past twenty years. The 46-year-old animator and director has stopped directing episodes of… Justice League: Unlimited And Avatar: The last airbender co-directing one of last year’s biggest animated films: Spider-Man: About the Spider-Verse.

Polygon recently had the chance to connect with Dos Santos, so we had to wonder: What was your first favorite anime, and what is your favorite anime now?

My Favorite Anime is Polygon’s column dedicated to collecting the stories of the world’s biggest celebrity anime fans, charting a path from their first introduction to Japanese animation to the shows and films they love today . This is what Joaquim Dos Santos had to say.

What was your first favorite anime?

Premiered on Japanese television in 1982, Super Dimension Fort Macross was co-produced by Studio Nue and Artland and based on an original concept by Shoji Kawamori, who would later become one of the series’ key mechanical designers. Inspired by Mobile suit Gundam, Macros is a sci-fi mecha anime that follows Hikaru Ichijyo, a civilian fighter pilot, who sets out to fight in a war between humanity and a technologically advanced species known as the Zentradi. During the Human-Zentradi conflict, Hikaru meets and falls in love with Lynn Minmay, an idol singer whose music inadvertently proves to be a crucial asset in humanity’s war effort.

The success of the original 36-episode series not only spawned the Macross anime franchise, but also brought fame to three members of the show’s production staff: Kawamori, who would later be credited with popularizing the concept of transforming mecha in anime; Ichiro Itano, whose eponymous animation technique would become synonymous with the Macross franchise and a widely recognized trope in Japanese animation; and Mari Iijima, the Japanese voice actress of Lynn Minmay, who successfully transitioned to a career in pop music based in part on her character’s popularity.

Super Dimension Fort Macross has developed a reputation for its notorious inaccessibility in the West. Under license from American production company Harmony Gold USA, the original Macross anime was re-edited and broadcast in the United States as Robotech in 1985. In 2021 an agreement between Studio Nue and Harmony Gold USA was announced that would allow for worldwide distribution of most Macross television sequels and films.

What is your favorite anime now?

Directed by Masahiro Ando, ​​previously known for his work as a storyboarder and animator for films like 1995 Ghost in the shell and 1997 End of Evangelion, Sword of the Stranger is an action-adventure film known for its impressive fight scenes and cinematography.

Set during the Sengoku period, the film follows the story of an orphan named Kotaro who, while on the run from a band of Ming warriors, crosses paths with a mysterious Ronin who has vowed never to take his sword out of the to get a sheath. Desperate to evade his captors, Kotaro “hires” the ronin to act as his bodyguard. Meanwhile, Luo-Lang, the second-in-command of the Ming warriors pursuing Kotaro, remains ruthless in his search not only for the boy, but also for a worthy opponent.

Speaking to Polygon earlier this year, Dos Santos said that Yutaka Nakamura was one of his favorite Japanese animators. Nakamura is considered by many to be one of the foremost action animators working in the anime industry, praised for his work in shows such as Cowboy Bebop, Full metal alchemist, My Hero AcademiaAnd One punch man, among many others. Nakamura also worked on several key action scenes Sword of the Strangerincluding the climactic duel between the film’s unnamed protagonist and Luo-Lang, one of the most impressive sword fights in animation history.

The impact of both Macros And Sword of the Stranger about Dos Santos’ sensibilities as an animator and storyteller is clearly visible to anyone familiar with his work. Its attention to detail and cinematography are heavily anime-inspired, as is its tendency towards character-driven stories with large casts and an emphasis on stylish action sequences. The gift of good anime keeps on giving.

Sword of the Stranger is available to stream on Crunchyroll. Super Dimension Fort Macross is not currently available to stream in the US.