Despera
Japanese planned anime series
title: "Despera" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2009-japanese-novels", "anime-series", "light-novels", "unaired-television-shows"] description: "Japanese planned anime series" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Despera" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Japanese planned anime series ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox animanga/Header"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Despera |
| image | Despera_LNcover1.jpg |
| caption | Cover of light novel published by Tokuma Shoten on April 28, 2011 |
| ja_kanji | ですぺら |
| ja_romaji | Desupera |
| genre | Steampunk, Adventure, Science fiction |
| :: |
| name = Despera | image = Despera_LNcover1.jpg | caption = Cover of light novel published by Tokuma Shoten on April 28, 2011 | ja_kanji = ですぺら | ja_romaji = Desupera | genre = Steampunk, Adventure, Science fiction | type = Light novel | author = Chiaki J. Konaka | illustrator = Yoshitoshi Abe | publisher = Tokuma Shoten | demographic = | imprint = | magazine = Animage | first = July 2009 | last = July 2010 | volumes = 1 | volume_list =
Despera is a planned anime series, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and featuring character designs by Yoshitoshi Abe. It is Abe and Konaka's third collaboration, following Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain. Ryūtarō Nakamura, who directed Serial Experiments Lain, was tapped to direct Despera but died before production could begin.
The title Despera is taken from a poem of the same title by Japanese Dadaist poet Jun Tsuji. Though the title of Tsuji's poem comes from the word "despair" or "desperation", the official blog for the anime stated that it can also imply the Spanish word desperado. A light novel serialization related to the anime was published in the Japanese magazine Animage from July 2009 to July 2010.
Despera is a spiritual successor/predecessor to Serial Experiments Lain sharing common themes and story elements, as well as connections between the series' respective main characters.
Story
The story centers around Ain, a girl who builds devices despite her lack of scientific or engineering background. An alternate history science fiction story, set in Tokyo during the Taishō era spanning from 1922, to the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. The final chapter prologue takes place in an unspecified year during the Shōwa era.
Characters
- Ain - A girl who resides in her workshop in the basement of the Ryōunkaku in Asakusa, Tokyo. A technical genius with no prior scientific knowledge, she is able to create electronic devices far beyond the capabilities of the current era. Some of the devices created include early versions of a modern computer, complete with typewriter keyboards and cathode ray tube display monitors. In the light novel, one of her ongoing works is a mysterious robot which she refers to as Father. Despite her young appearance, she often displays the maturity of an adult. She is also shown to be capable of generating electricity from her hands when she takes on a tank squadron in the story.
- Takeshita - A man appearing to be around 30 years old who is an associate of Ain's. In the light novel, he claims to be able to see the future through the displays on Ain's computer monitors. He sells this information in the form of prophecies to the Japanese military and the aristocracy to gather funds for Ain's inventions. In the serialized version, he has no name and is only referred to as "the man", and his face is unseen throughout the illustrations. He is described as rarely showing emotions, and only displays more care for Ain.
- Enoki - A military officer who works for the Japanese army's science institute. He holds the rank of second lieutenant. Enoki is sent to Asakusa to investigate the unstable electrical discharge occurring in the vicinity of the Ryōunkaku.
- Kimiyasu Fuenokōji - A Japanese nobleman with the title of viscount. He is interested in Ain's unorthodox inventions. He has a primary residence in Sanbanchō of Chiyoda-ku, and a second residence at the Kanda-Surugadai district.
- Barbara Andrei - A Russian woman of aristocratic origins, Barbara is a refugee who escaped from Harbin after the disownment of Russians by the Chinese Republic. She lives in the Kanda-Surugadai residence owned by Kimiyasu, who has taken her in. Ain is particularly uncomfortable in Barbara's presence, as she is frightened of her pale white complexion, presumably having never seen a Russian before.
Chapters
Thirteen chapters were released in serial form in the Animage magazine between July 2009 and July 2010. The complete novella was published as a single volume on April 28, 2011, and included new story content and illustrations.
|"Prologue" |"The Girl Below the Twelve Storeys" |"The Russian Lady of the Mansion" |"Asakusa Tales" |"Electric Girl Versus Tank Corps" |"From Beyond the Screen" |"In the Corner of the Triangular Second Floor" |"The Black Cat of the Twelve-Floor Skyscraper" |"Devil" |"Sky" |"Parting" |"The Nightmare Which Does Not Continue" |"Meeting"
Production
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Despera_graphic.jpg" caption="''Despera'' light novel under serialization in ''Animage'' magazine."] ::
Abe announced at Sakura-Con 2009 development of a new anime, revealing that it would be set during Japan's Taishō era. Ryūtarō Nakamura, who had directed Serial Experiments Lain, was tapped to direct. Beginning in July, a light novel serialization penned by Konaka and Abe ran in the Japanese magazine Animage, terminating a year later.
In 2010, production of the anime was placed on hold due to Nakamura's health. On June 29, 2013, Nakamura died of pancreatic cancer, and it was unknown whether development of Despera would continue following his death. At Overload 2014, Abe announced that the anime would move forward with a new director.
In 2018, Abe and Konaka acknowledged that Despera was in development hell, citing the state of the anime industry.
On March 23, 2021, Konaka said that the anime was 80% funded, and that both he and Abe had continued to work on it continually since its conception except for an interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 7, 2021, Konaka stated on an interview that the setting, characters, and story of Despera have completely changed. The extent of the changes remain unclear.
In 2025, Konaka said that the anime is in production and set to release in 2027.
References
References
- {{in lang. ja Kuninosuke, Matsuo. ''Nihirisuto: Tsuji Jun no Shisou to Shougai''. Orion Shuppansha, Tokyo. 1967.
- (11 August 2009). "第0回:「ですぺら」とは!?". Animage Despera official blog.
- (6 June 2009). "安倍吉俊×小中千昭×中村隆太郎が再び結集！オリジナル企画「ですぺら」アニメージュ次号より本格連載スタート！". MOON PHASE 雑記.
- Loo, Egan. (20 May 2009). "ABe Develops Desperant Anime with Lain Staffers (Updated)". [[Anime News Network]].
- Abe, Yoshitoshi. (21 May 2009). "今やっている仕事の紹介とちょっと訂正". ABlog.
- (July 2010). "Scan from Despera's final chapter".
- Nelkin, Sarah. (25 July 2013). "Serial Experiments Lain Director Ryutaro Nakamura Passes Away". [[Anime News Network]].
- Ressler, Karen. (10 January 2015). "Yoshitoshi ABe's Despera Project is Moving Forward With New Director". [[Anime News Network]].
- Loveridge, Lynzee. (21 March 2018). "Yoshitoshi ABe's Despera Anime Project Isn't Dead". [[Anime News Network]].
- (March 23, 2021). "小中千昭 Chiaki J. Konaka on Twitter".
- (April 7, 2021). "Interview with Chiaki J. Konaka on YouTube".
- Valentine, Evan. (2025-04-19). "Serial Experiments Lain Creator Shares Big News on Long-Awaited Anime".
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