Natsu and his crew return for FAIRY TAIL: 100 YEARS QUEST as they take on a dangerous mission that no wizard has been able to complete in over a century. During their journey, they encounter powerful foes in the form of Dragon Eaters and uncover deep mysteries about their world, which challenge their honed abilities and test their collective strength. Anime Trending had a chance to ask Hiro Mashima (series creator) during New York Comic Con 2024 about the series’ return, revealing the behind-the-scenes fun and exciting bits about the Fairy Tail franchise.
A lot of work goes into creating the look of a fantasy world. What inspired the visual design of Fairy Tail’s world — especially Magnolia — and the wardrobe choices of the various heroes and villains?
Hiro Mashima: Magnolia was actually modeled after Paris, and depending on the city or the environment, there could be someplace that it is modeled after. It’s a mix of different things that I’ve seen and experienced. As far as wardrobe choices, they’re custom designed for what the character’s characteristics are. For Natsu, we put a scarf on him because he moves around a lot. So, you can imagine having a scarf in the wind being quite visually attractive.
Fairy Tail offers a multitude of worlds, including parallel worlds and universes. What drew you into that world-building concept instead of only focusing on the main Earthland?
Hiro Mashima: Some of the concepts I really thought could work, in terms of enriching the title, was having two of the same characters. [I thought], “Wouldn’t that be interesting?” [As a result], new ideas spawned new worlds within the title. I was thinking about the voice actors and how they would voice both versions of the same character, but differently. I thought that might be fun for them and I really wanted to add an element of surprise and joy there.
Who is your favorite villain/villain organization in Fairy Tail?
Hiro Mashima: Acnologia. He’s the strongest in the world. He doesn’t belong to any organization, but he is absolutely the strongest in the world.
The Fairy Tail RPG sequel is coming out this year. What can fans look forward to with that?
Hiro Mashima: The last arc of the original Fairy Tail and the true climax of the series are compressed into this game, so I hope you may experience it.
FAIRY TAIL: 100 YEARS QUEST was created as a new production after the series’ main finale, where Atsuo Ueda-sensei was chosen to be the artist, and you would be the series storyboarder. What was it like working alongside them?
Hiro Mashima: We do a little bit of discussion ahead of the episodes, but in general, I am the one directing the story flow and content. Whenever Ueda-sensei has anything that he recommends or wants to incorporate, we definitely take that into strong consideration.
Touka is a very interesting character. As of Episode 14, she has been hinted to be a possible Exceed, but is also possessed by the White Mage. How did you and Ueda-sensei come up with this concept?
Hiro Mashima: Actually, Ueda-sensei did not know about this. Touka wasn’t exactly predefined. She has been developing with the story, and so I’m sure when Ueda-sensei saw this, he was also surprised. There was a lot that was moving along as the story was progressing, so I had to tie everything together and make it work.
There are a lot of familiar staff members for FAIRY TAIL:100 YEARS QUEST, including Shinji Ishihara (chief director) and Yasuharu Takanashi (music composer) who worked on the Fairy Tail anime, and newer staff like Atsuhiro Tomioka (series composer). Could you tell us your impression of that team?
Hiro Mashima: Passionate. Very passionate. They all have a deep understanding and respect for the original work, and they really bring the world of Fairy Tail to life in a way that shows respect for the original content.
As the anime series approaches its halfway point, there is much more to be uncovered about the FAIRY TAIL: 100 YEARS QUEST. What can fans expect for future episodes?
Hiro Mashima: Although the 100 YEARS QUEST is a continuation of the original Fairy Tail, I approach it as more of a celebration — an opportunity to really enjoy the characters again. You will see more and more of the original Fairy Tail characters coming back and making appearances.
Do you have any final closing thoughts about the series and what FAIRY TAIL: 100 YEARS QUEST means to you?
Hiro Mashima: It’s a festival, a celebration, and a fun party!
FAIRY TAIL: 100 YEARS QUEST is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Questions submitted by Melvyn Tan and Agnes Nguyen. Special thanks to Crunchyroll for the opportunity and assistance in conducting the interview.
