Wanna-Be's (1986) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A direct-to-video animated feature defined by its production credits, cast roster, and musical integration.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

Genesis of the Cast

Production begins with director and writer appointments, followed by character design and voice casting assignments.

Key Events

• Character Design — Sonoda creates character designs for the cast. Characters: Miki Morita, Eri Kazama, Bloody Matsuki, Dr. Sawada Location: Studio
• Director Appointment — Hasegawa appointed as director. Characters: Miki Morita Location: Production Office
• Writer Appointment — Suzuki writes the screenplay. Characters: Eri Kazama Location: Production Office
• Storyboard Creation — Hasegawa & Hayashi draft scenes. Characters: Miki Morita Location: Office
• Producer Assignment — Kishi & Takahashi oversee production. Characters: Miki Morita Location: Executive Office

Design & Composition

Mechanical, monster, and art directions are established while music composition and song recordings commence.

Key Events

• Voice Casting — Cast assigned roles for the production. Characters: Miki Morita, Eri Kazama, Bloody Matsuki, Dr. Sawada, Himself Location: Recording Studio
• Music Composition — Shinkawa composes the soundtrack. Characters: Bloody Matsuki Location: Studio
• Insert Song Recording — Seikima-II records the insert song. Characters: Dr. Sawada Location: Studio
• Storyboard Creation — Hasegawa & Hayashi draft scenes. Characters: Miki Morita Location: Office
• Mechanical Design — Aramaki designs mechanical elements. Characters: Bloody Matsuki Location: Design Lab
• Monster Design — Kakinuma designs monster concepts. Characters: Dr. Sawada Location: Design Lab
• Art Direction — Matsumiya establishes visual style. Characters: Himself Location: Art Dept

Animation & Sound

Animation production, storyboarding, and sound mixing converge as the visual and auditory elements are finalized.

Key Events

• Ending Theme Recording — Saori Saitō records the ending theme. Characters: Himself Location: Studio
• Animation Production — Animation directors oversee production. Characters: Miki Morita, Eri Kazama, Bloody Matsuki, Dr. Sawada, Himself Location: AIC/Artmic
• Sound Mixing — Matsuura mixes sound elements. Characters: Eri Kazama Location: Sound Studio
• Art Direction — Matsumiya establishes visual style. Characters: Himself Location: Art Dept
• Animation Direction — Shimizu directs animation sequences. Characters: Eri Kazama Location: Animation Dept
• Assistant Direction — Nagashima assists animation workflow. Characters: Bloody Matsuki Location: Animation Dept
• Photography Setup — Okino handles photographic elements. Characters: Dr. Sawada Location: Photography Dept

Release & Legacy

The film is distributed via direct-to-video channels and enters industry archives for historical documentation.

Key Events

• Film Release — Direct-to-video release of the animated feature. Characters: Miki Morita, Eri Kazama, Bloody Matsuki, Dr. Sawada, Himself Location: Japan
• Sound Mixing — Matsuura mixes sound elements. Characters: Eri Kazama Location: Sound Studio
• Film Distribution — Movic distributes the finished film. Characters: Miki Morita, Eri Kazama, Bloody Matsuki, Dr. Sawada, Himself Location: Market
• Critical Reception — Film enters encyclopedia archives. Characters: Miki Morita, Eri Kazama, Bloody Matsuki, Dr. Sawada, Himself Location: Industry

Story Breakdown

• Production Framework — Core organizational structure and executive oversight.
  • Executive Producers — Kishi and Takahashi manage budget and logistics.
  • Animation Producers — Hida, Katō, and Miura coordinate studio workflows.
  • Production Companies — AIC, Artmic, and Movic collaborate on delivery.
• Creative Leadership — Key directors and writers shaping the vision.
  • Director — Hasegawa oversees visual and narrative pacing.
  • Writer — Suzuki crafts the screenplay and dialogue.
  • Storyboard Artists — Hasegawa, Hayashi, and Yokoyama draft sequences.
• Visual Design — Artistic and mechanical concept development.
  • Character Design — Sonoda defines protagonist and supporting looks.
  • Mechanical Design — Aramaki engineers vehicle and tech concepts.
  • Monster Design — Kakinuma creates creature aesthetics.
• Voice Cast — Actors bringing characters to life.
  • Protagonist — Miki Morita voiced by Eriko Hara.
  • Supporting Cast — Kazama, Matsuki, and Sawada voiced by Takahashi, Yamada, and Iizuka.
  • Cameo Role — Himself portrayed by Demon Kogure.
• Musical Score — Audio composition and thematic tracks.
  • Composer — Shinkawa handles original soundtrack.
  • Insert Song — Seikima-II performs Adam's Apple.
  • Ending Theme — Saori Saitō performs Music (I Love You ga Kasurete).
• Technical Execution — Animation, sound, and photography workflows.
  • Animation Direction — Shimizu leads animation quality control.
  • Sound Direction — Matsuura manages audio mixing and effects.
  • Photography — Okino handles camera and compositing tasks.

Directed by

Yasuo Hasegawa

Key Cast

• Eriko Hara — Miki Morita
• Miki Takahashi — Eri Kazama
• Eiko Yamada — Bloody Matsuki
• Shozo Iizuka — Dr. Sawada
• Akio Nojima — Oki Sonada (voice)