Fumihilo Katagai

***Fumihilo Katagai*** (*片貝 文洋*) (also romanised to ***Fumihiro Katagai***) is a mechanical designer and concept artist who is part of the staff for the production of the *Princess Principal* anime.

## Social Media

* Twitter
* IMDb
* MyAnimeList

## Role in Production

* Season 1 - Mechanical designer
* *Crown Handler* - Mechanical designer

### Season 1

Fumihilo Katagai was interviewed by Dengeki Hobby about their work on the production of *Princess Principal* . Katagai joined the project in June 2016 after being invited by Atsushi Yukawa, the chief producer of the anime. Despite this being quite late in the production cycle, Katagai designed many of the vehicles and weapons used by Team White Pigeon, as well as concept art for backgrounds and costumes. Their goal was to create an imposing atmosphere that emphasized Albion's power and wealth.

In the interview, Katagai notes that *Princess Principal* is set at the end of the 19th century, but that the cars are designed after 20th century cars. This was done per the request of director Masaki Tachibana, who asked Katagai to base their car designs on the "veteran cars" of the 1910s. Katagai's approach to designing the machinery and weapons was furthermore informed by a production standpoint. They looked at various old cars and steam locomotives, but found that the noise produced did not meet their vision. As a result, they increased the importance of turbines in *Princess Principal* to create livelier sound design.

The airfleet was the machinery that required the most time to get right. Katagai said that it took a while to finalise the silhouette because they wanted an original and unique design. Katagai thought about what shape the airships would take if they were capable of overwhelming enemies and force-bombing them. Katagai also helped design the steam train shown in episode 5. In the interview they furthermore talk in length about the considerations that went into designing the guns for the main characters.

Katagai's favourite scene is from the end of episode 2 to the beginning of episode 3. It is the scene where Ange and Princess are talking together, and Katagai thinks that exchange is a symbolic scene for Ange's story. Since Katagai also spent a lot of time designing Dorothy's car, they also really like the scenes where Team White Pigeon is in action. They think it is rare to see an animation that expresses the sense of speed of cars these days, so a lot of effort was put into that part of animation. They also really like the fact that the sound of the steam turbine is so unpredictable despite the fact that it is a steam car.

### *Crown Handler*

*This section is incomplete.*
Fumihilo Katagai designed the monorail that appears in *Crown Handler* chapter 3. While a monorail had already appeared in episode 1 of season 1, staff created a new version for the movie. At first, Katagai proposed a style that covered the engine, but after several discussions, they settled on a shape that exposed the engine.

## Gallery

### Concept Artwork

Concept artwork of Dorothy's car. Concept artwork of Dorothy's car. Concept artwork of the Ross Winans Style Steamboat that appeared in episode 4, sketched in 2016. A steam-powered crane that was considered for episode 5, but was eventually left out. The teapot that appeared in episode 9, in-universe designed by Dollyshop. Concept art of The Good Hope that appeared in episode 11 and episode 12.
#### Gadgets and Weapons

Concept artwork of the C-Ball. Concept artwork of Dorothy's shotgun. Concept art of Chise's katana. Concept artwork of the Kingdom's C-Ball prototype. Staff were initially planning on calling it a "D-Ball".
#### HMS Gloucester

Concept art for the HMS Gloucester. Concept art for the HMS Gloucester. Concept art for the HMS Gloucester. Concept art of the Airship Aerodrome. Concept artwork for the inside of the HMS Gloucester.
#### Monorail

Fumihilo Katagai designed the monorail that appears in *Crown Handler* Chapter 3.

### Guns and Weapons

Ange le Carré's signature Webley Fosbery Automatic RevolverDorothy's shotgun
#### HMS Gloucester

HMS Gloucester's settei sheet. HMS Gloucester's settei sheet. HMS Gloucester's settei sheet. HMS Gloucester's settei sheet. HMS Gloucester's settei sheet.
#### Trains

The settei sheet for the Royal Train. The settei sheet for the Royal Train. The settei sheet for the Jubei Todo's Train. The settei sheet for the Jubei Todo's Train.

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13  *""Princess Principal" with the theme of high school girls x spies, what is behind the mechanical design that supports the steampunk worldview?"*. Dengeki Hobby Editorial Department. Released August 25, 2017 11:00. (Archive.) **Note:** Translated using DeepL.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2  *"(プリプリ豆知識)ドロシー車の検討1910年代の車の様式で力感と速度感のあるシルエットを作ることを考え続けました。流線型の覆いを被せる案は極く初期に無くなりました。#pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released March 7, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2023. (Archive.)
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1  *"(プリプリ豆知識)ロンドンのモノレールはテレビ版第1話に既出ながらCH第3章の車内の芝居をさせづらいという理由で新たな車両を準備しました。最初は機関部を覆ったスタイルを提案しましたが、数度の打ち合わせを経て機関部を露出した形状に落ち着きました。#pripri"*. Fumihiro Katagai. Released June 16, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
4. ↑  *"(プリプリ豆知識)case9の商船はロス・ワイナンズという発明家が建造した実在の船です。数種類ある中から演出に都合の良い形の物を選んで描きました。 #pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released October 31, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2023. (Archive.)
5. ↑  *"十兵衛一味が御料列車に取り付くために蒸気クレーン車を使う案がありました。これは種々の都合で本編では描写が省略されています。#pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released January 3, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2023. (Archive.)
6. ↑  *"王国の試製Cボールは番組製作の現場でDボールと呼ばれていました。　#pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released January 3, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2023. (Archive.)
7. ↑  *"(プリプリ豆知識)客船グッドホープは当初ガス嚢式の飛行船の予定でしたが、アルビオン船であることを示すためにケイバーライト船になりました。難産だったグロスターとは対照的に1、2回程度のラフスケッチで清書に進めることができました。#pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released September 22, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2023. (Archive.)
8. ↑  *"(プリプリ豆知識)Cボールのスケッチ。黒星紅白さんのキャラ原案図にあったカットを元に細部を決めました。表面にダイヤルやスイッチがたくさん付いています。#pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released August 30, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2023. (Archive.)
9. ↑  *"(プリプリ豆知識) ドロシーの散弾銃を架空の製品にしたのは、実在のものを短くすると先行する作品の印象が強くなってしまうからです。また、短いレバーアクション銃をドロシーのホルスターに入れると美容師さんのハサミに見えてしまう問題もありました。#pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released September 11, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
10. ↑  *"(プリプリ豆知識）ちせの刀のラフスケッチ。猫型の鍔は「作風に合わない」という理由で没になりました。ですよねー。 #pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released August 29, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2023. (Archive.)
11. ↑  *"(プリプリ豆知識)ドロシー車の検討1910年代の車の様式で力感と速度感のあるシルエットを作ることを考え続けました。流線型の覆いを被せる案は極く初期に無くなりました。#pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released January 3, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2  *"プリンセス・プリンシパルCase02より、空中軍艦のラフスケッチ。衝角を備えたシルエットになるまでに数案、さらに舷側や煙突の検討でも何回か稿を重ねています。 #pripri"*. Fumihilo Katagai. Released December 12, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2023.