Jason DeMarco co-created the Toonami block for Adult Swim back in 1997, which eventually led to him becoming Adult Swim’s senior vice president and head of anime and action series. But DeMarco’s résumé is getting longer, as he’s becoming the senior vice president in the anime and action series/longform department at Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios in addition to still being Adult Swim’s senior vice president and head of anime and action series.
In his new capacity, he’ll be reporting to Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios President Sam Register and Adult Swim President Michael Ouweleen.
Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios are interested in producing more anime, so that’s why they’ve tapped DeMarco for this position. DeMarco in particular will be working on projects in the action genre and stuff for all ages. He’s set to be the lead creative executive for the upcoming anime movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, which is being directed by Kenji Kamiyama. Kamiyama is also the director behind Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
Lately DeMarco has been overseeing the anime Uzumaki, Fena: Pirate Princess, and the aforementioned Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
Last year during the virtual panel “Hollywood’s New Anime Gold Rush,” DeMarco had talked about what he thought was important when working on anime projects. “Comic book movies didn’t become the dominant force that they are until people who really understood those characters and their appeal as comic lovers were able to get behind the reins and make these movies that stay true to these characters. It’s the same with anime. . .You can’t just love the anime. You have to understand how anime works, you know what I mean? And there’s also cultural considerations that even add complexity.”
Source: ANN
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, and its sequel, Manga Art for Intermediates, with professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.