"Mad science set against real-world politics and diplomacy" – From Justin Leach to Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan anime creators share their thoughts

Based on Scott Westerfeld’s dieselpunk series, the Leviathan anime debuted in July 2025, bringing its unique historical sci-fi world to life. Set in an alternate 1914, the story revolves around a war between biomechanical creatures and industrial machines.

At its heart are two protagonists: a fugitive prince and a girl disguised as a soldier aboard a living airship. The Netflix anime is a joint effort between Western production house Qubic Pictures and Japanese animation studio Orange.

Sportskeeda Anime had the chance to speak with the creative team behind the series, including Justin Leach, producer and CEO of Qubic Pictures, Scott Westerfeld, the author of the original Leviathan novels, and director Christophe Ferreira. Also part of the conversation were scriptwriter Kido, Studio Orange producer Ikeda, and composers Nobuko Toda and Kazuma Jinnouchi.

Zeroing in on what lies at the heart of the story’s appeal, that is the fusion of scientific development and historical moments, Westerfeld highlighted,

"Leviathan is set in a world in which Charles Darwin discovered DNA, and the British Empire is built on the backs of his fabricated creatures. So we're on the eve of World War 1, between the Darwinist powers and the machine-using Clankers. It's mad science set against real-world politics and diplomacy. It's got 1910s mechas and flying whales!"

All in all, the team shared insights into the creative process, production challenges, the blend of Western and Japanese production houses, exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, and more from bringing Leviathan to the screen.

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From novel to screen: Leviathan anime’s creative team shares insights behind the production

Alek and Deryn from the Leviathan anime (Image via Netflix)

Among the vast array of fantasy titles in the anime universe, Netflix's Leviathan anime stands out with its unique dieselpunk charm. The collaboration between Japanese and Western creators has done a remarkable job of bringing Scott Westerfeld’s novel world to life in animated form.

Following the project’s success, we spoke with the anime's creative team. They shared their thoughts on the project, explained the production process, and reflected on their personal perspectives regarding the Leviathan anime, and much more.

Qubic Pictures producer Justin Leach began by sharing what he believes sets Leviathan anime apart from other titles in the genre. He explained how the blend of dieselpunk, fantasy, and historical elements gives the series its distinctive charm.

"There are several distinctive aspects of Leviathan that set it apart from other sci-fi/fantasy adventures. Foremost among these is its intriguing alternate history, vividly blending the tumultuous era of World War I with captivating elements of dieselpunk machinery and genetically modified creatures, creating an imaginative and compelling world unlike any previously seen."

Beyond the appeal of the story itself, he also highlighted the global production aspect playing a key element that sets Leviathan apart from other anime projects. As per Leach, the anime is especially noteworthy as it’s an animated adaptation of a book series originally published in the United States, a rarity in a landscape where most anime are rooted in Japanese manga or light novels.

He added how the Leviathan anime's international origins underscore a distinctive cross-cultural collaboration, marking a fresh step forward in the evolution of Japanese animation.

When asked what he believes will most excite viewers about the Leviathan anime, Justin pointed to the emotional journeys of the two main characters, Alek and Deryn, that truly bring the anime to life.

"Viewers should be especially excited about the emotional and insightful journey at the heart of Leviathan. This series delves deeply into the stories of two characters from opposing countries at war who embark on parallel quests for personal identity and mutual understanding."

Alek, as seen in the Leviathan anime (Image via Netflix)

He believes their emotional arcs are not only central to the Leviathan anime story but also key to how the series helps expand steampunk/dieselpunk’s presence in modern anime.

"Their evolving relationship underscores a powerful message—that despite our cultural differences and historical divides, we share far more common ground than we might initially realize, ultimately making us stronger together. Through this exploration, Leviathan not only enriches its storytelling but also significantly expands the presence of steampunk themes within modern anime," he stated.

Justin spoke with us about the experience of bringing together Eastern and Western studios on a single production for the Leviathan anime. He walked us through the creative collaboration structure, the workflow, and how different responsibilities were divided between the teams.

"The collaboration on Leviathan mirrored the story's theme of two countries coming together. Qubic managed and oversaw the entire production, helping to identify the ideal director and writer for the project. Additionally, Qubic, alongside the director, selected Orange as the perfect production studio for bringing this story to life," he explained.

He continued:

"From the outset, Orange was treated as an equal creative partner, actively involved in shaping the narrative and given a seat at the table in the writers' room. Our production boasts a truly international team, featuring a French director based in Tokyo, a Japanese production studio and writer, an American author and producer, and an English producer."

Leach added how Christophe Ferreira directed the project, Orange handled production, and Qubic produced the series for Netflix, fostering a dynamic and unified international collaboration.

Dylan, as seen in the teaser (Image via Netflix)

Our team spoke with Scott Westerfeld, author of the Leviathan novel trilogy. He explained how the sci-fi elements and dieselpunk influences blend with the historical setting, and how that key foundation is what makes the Leviathan anime so compelling.

"Leviathan is more diesel-punk than steam, of course. The early twentieth century isn't much represented in F&SF, at least not in the US. (In my adopted country, Australia, WW1 is a bigger deal than WW2, because of Gallipoli.) So the feel of that kind of tech, and the politics and diplomacy of that era, is something that hasn't shown up as much as the Victorian Era," he explained.

When asked about his level of involvement in the anime’s development, Scott shared that he was in the writers room once a week, and reviewed every script, every creature, every mecha design. The illustrator of the novels, Keith Thompson, was also consulted from the beginning. The attention to detail from the whole team was "amazing", he said.

Scott further noted:

"A lot of times, I thought I was watching a finished episode, but Orange had three more passes to do, which made the sound effects, the music, the visual textures even better. Truly humbling."

When asked whether the anime format allowed them to explore aspects of the world and lore that the books couldn’t fully flesh out, Scott agreed, emphasizing the strengths of visual storytelling.

"Visual media excel at giving you the look of an alternate world all at once. Studio Orange has beautifully rendered the creatures and machines and settings of Leviathan, in a way that even the amazing Keith Thompson didn't have space for in the books. That kind of world-building, meticulous and dynamic, brings a whole new dimension to the story." he said.

Director Christophe Ferreira believes it's the setting that truly distinguishes the series from others. He also emphasized that the heart of the Leviathan anime’s appeal lies in the constant focus on Alek and Deryn.

"That’s a difficult question, since I obviously haven’t seen every other anime in the genre… But I’d say what sets Leviathan apart is the setting. The fact that the series takes place during World War I is quite unusual, don’t you think? Another distinctive aspect is that we stay with our two main characters the whole time. Even though it’s a story set during a world war, we remain close to our two protagonists almost exclusively."

He shared his views on what he believes will captivate viewers most about the Leviathan anime. Although he noted that its influence depends largely on the show’s success and viewer interest in the dieselpunk world, adding:

"An epic journey around the world aboard a flying whale — not bad, right? As for steampunk, I’m not entirely sure. Honestly, it all depends on the success of the series. If studios see that there’s an appetite for this kind of world, then they’ll naturally want to meet that demand. But I should clarify one thing: in the case of Leviathan, it’s actually more accurate to call it dieselpunk I think."

Regarding the anime’s script and how closely it follows the original novel, Christophe revealed that the team tried to "keep as close as possible to what's important", however, they did make changes, especially in the second part. As per him, these changes, were necessary to effectively translate the universe into animation.

"We wanted to reassure the original readers as well as bring them something new. Of course, Scott was there every step of the way to advise us, and I understand he really likes the few changes we made," he added.

The Stormwalker in the Leviathan anime teaser (Image via Netflix)

Christophe also discussed what he found to be the biggest creative and technical challenge in translating Leviathan’s intricate world into animation, saying:

"The fact that Alek and Sharp travel all around the world was complicated to manage. We had to create very different worlds for each of their stops, with everything that entails. There were so many things I wanted to do but simply couldn’t afford to."

He discussed whether the visual style of the Leviathan anime drew inspiration from any existing works, explaining that while the team didn’t intentionally model the series after other anime, they did refer to a few titles early in production to help communicate their vision. One key reference was Steamboy, particularly for its approach to mechanical design, which influenced the visual treatment of similar elements in Leviathan.

He further highlighted:

"For the characters, we aimed for a more realistic style like in Xam'd: Lost Memories. Since our characters travel around the world, it was important to accurately portray different body types and morphologies."

From the Japan team, the Leviathan anime scriptwriter Kido-san shared how he feels the two different cultural backgrounds are what give it its charm.

"It’s fascinating how the story, while rooted in the historical backdrop of World War I, portrays the contrasting perspectives of the Clankers and the Darwinists—two groups that have grown up in entirely different cultures," he said.

He shared his perspective on what aspects of the Leviathan anime viewers should pay the most attention to:

"I hope viewers will pay close attention to the human drama surrounding Alek and Deryn. Each of them has their own past and a future they’re striving toward. Even as they are swept up in the tragedy of war, they continue to push forward—growing stronger and braver along the way."

Kido-san hopes viewers will take note of the animation craftsmanship in the Leviathan anime, as he believes it brings new advancements in Japanese animation.

"Also, the series features new developments in Japanese animation. I’d love for audiences to notice the action sequences and the realistic movement of the creatures as well," he added.

When asked about the script and how faithfully it follows the original novel, he shared that owing to time constraints, the team was not able to incorporate every scene but attempted to stay faithful to the "overall storyline." He added how the second half of the anime includes more original developments, and hoped for viewers to look forward to "seeing how Alek and Deryn’s journey plays out in this version of the story."

According to Studio Orange producer Ikeda-san, the Leviathan anime doesn’t need to draw comparisons with other titles. He believes it can stand strong on its own merits.

"I don't feel the need to compare Leviathan to other titles. It stands on its own as a compelling and entertaining story. Just the premise—an Austrian prince named Alek and a girl disguising herself as a boy to join the British Air Force, journeying across the world aboard a steam-powered walker and a massive genetically engineered whale—is thrilling in itself," he noted.

Pointing out that the variety of elements in the Leviathan anime that he believes will naturally draw audiences in, offering a uniquely exciting experience for every viewer, he said that it "incorporates a wide variety of elements that come together in beautiful harmony." He encouraged viewers to watch and discover that balance for themselves.

When asked about what viewers can most look forward to in Leviathan and the role the series might play in expanding steampunk representation in modern anime, Ikeda-san emphasized its universal appeal.

"Leviathan is a series that offers something different to each viewer, but above all, I hope people will enjoy its captivating story and the beautifully realized world of Leviathan."

Alek in Leviathan anime teaser (Image via Netflix)

Ikeda-san described how the animation blends traditional 2D techniques with 3D elements. He sees some similarities between the story’s aesthetic and that of Studio Ghibli. He also believes the Leviathan anime’s style could set a new benchmark for the medium moving forward.

"With Leviathan, Orange set out to merge traditional 2D animation techniques with 3D animation. The story itself has a tone reminiscent of classic Studio Ghibli works, and we felt that combining this sensibility with modern visual expression was the right direction to take. We believe this approach represents the future of Japanese cel-look animation, and hope Leviathan will help define the next standard for the medium," he said.

As for Leviathan anime composers Nobuko Toda and Kazuma Jinnouchi, its real charm lies in the characters and the emotional depth of their personal journeys, saying:

"I believe what makes Leviathan truly stand out is how it delicately explores the “inner journey” of its characters and the intersection between technology and emotion. While many sci-fi and fantasy titles emphasize external adventures, Leviathan shines by delving into the psychological struggles and personal conflicts of its characters. It brings a sense of human sensitivity to the steampunk genre."

The composers focused on striking a balance between mechanical tones and more organic warmth. They highlighted their conscious effort to balance both, thereby "crafting a soundscape that acts as another 'narrator' within the story."

A key visual for the Leviathan anime (Image via Netflix)

They feel that the animation, music, and writing come together to create a rich world where the characters are connected through emotion and fate. For them, this emotional depth is what truly defines the show’s charm.

"The richness of Leviathan lies in how animation, music, and writing interweave seamlessly to construct a world with true depth. Emotions and destinies of the characters are deeply tied to this layered world, and audiences can experience that emotionally and viscerally through both visuals and sound," they mentioned.

They further noted that Leviathan goes beyond mere aesthetic apropos steampunk in contemporary animation. The anime "presents steampunk as a kind of philosophy—something meaningful and thought-provoking. That’s what makes it such a significant work."

Sharing what inspired their musical vision concept for Leviathan anime and its unique world, they stated:

"We began composing the score by writing the “Leviathan Main Theme,” which plays a central role throughout the series. The director requested that the theme convey the idea that the airship Leviathan represents a “home” for the protagonists. That insight became a key guiding concept."

They continued:

"As a result, the music focuses more on the characters’ emotional journeys than strict historical period accuracy. Still, we wanted to reflect the setting authentically, so we drew from the music, culture, and history of various countries in the 1910s. At the core of the score is the DNA embedded in the main theme, reflecting the emotional arcs and growth of the characters throughout the series."

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Final thoughts

The Leviathan anime wrapped up with a 12-episode run. From the conversation with the creative team, it’s clear that although the series had a relatively short timeframe to fully explore its unique world and the journeys of Alek and Deryn, the team made the most of it.

They delivered the best possible animated adaptation through a truly unique collaboration between Japanese and Western studios, a partnership rarely seen before. This project breathed new life into the dieselpunk genre in anime and established a refined benchmark for similar productions in the future.

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Edited by Sriparna Barui