Naoko Yamada Visited Mongolia to Prepare for Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia Anime

In a season full of artistically striking series and highly-anticipated sequels, Science SARU‘s Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia stands apart. The series brings together acclaimed executive director Naoko Yamada, known for capturing characters’ subtle, emotional movements in the coming-of-age series Sound! Euphonium and its spin-off film Liz and the Blue Bird, and director Abel Góngora, who brought a fresh perspective and intense action scenes in DAN DA DAN season two.

At Anime Expo 2026, we spoke with Yamada about Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia ‘s unique position as a historical anime series set in 13th-century Mongolia, and how she and Góngora traveled to its real-life setting to experience what life is like there firsthand.

What attracted you to Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia as a project?

Naoko Yamada: The manga this is based on is really lovely and pretty with charming character design. And it’s set in 13th century Persia and Mongolia, which isn’t a time period most people know much about. I was also attracted to the fact that it’s based on a true story.

Can you discuss starting with Tomato Soup‘s original manga and how you adapted its unique style and setting into the anime series? What research or references were used to recreate that time period and setting?

YAMADA: The character design is very interesting, and moving it into anime makes it even more attractive. It’s a bit of a cartoonish style, but it’s not “too anime.” It’s a unique style. He isn’t here today, but Abel-san had many ideas about it and how to make it smooth while retaining the look of the original style.

We were also inspired by traditional Iranian and Persian art. We also visited Mongolia for location scouting, where we visited museums of Mongolian history, which was very helpful. We also consulted experts on the histories of Mongolia and Persia, and had them act as supervisors on the project.

Were you able to take part in any of the traditional activities? I recently watched Physical 100 [an athletic competition], and they had a Mongolian team on, and they talked about hunting with hawks, horseback riding, and things like that. Were you able to try any of those things while you were there?

YAMADA: Abel-san and I did have some experiences with traditional Mongolian culture. We did a homestay in a traditional dwelling and were able to experience horseback riding and some of the aspects of traditional Mongolian life. There was no need for Wi-Fi and internet. We could enjoy the sense of being disconnected, not having to log in to social media or anything like that.

How does the series speak to your strengths as a director and as an artist?

YAMADA: I’m the executive director, and Abel-san is the director, and he really immersed himself in the work and had loads of ideas. I just really enjoyed how Abel-san was putting out ideas and everything and about the strength of the work. Science SARU embodies the spirit of enjoying anime, and that is one of the strengths they put into the anime content itself.

The setting is so unique for an anime series, and even a manga series, first taking place in ancient Iran/Persia, and then moving to Mongolia. Do you have any hopes that this series can help bridge understanding between cultures?

YAMADA: Yes. It’s like it’s a bridge to understand other cultures. As a Japanese citizen, I didn’t know so much about Mongolia, but in creating this series, I was able to learn and appreciate these cultures. I believe it will be the same for many viewers. Watching this anime series will be a chance for them to not just see, but understand, how interesting Persian, Iranian, and Mongolian culture and history are.

Töregene and Fatima (aka Sitara) are two women. They’re influencing politics in a male-dominated society. Can you talk a bit about the characters’ places in history and what makes them characters the audience will want to support?

YAMADA: Their achievements in Mongolia are somewhat nerve-wracking for viewers. It’s not as stable as it seems. But their feelings are a core motivation for them. Those feelings strengthen the bond between Töregene and Sitara/Fatima. It’s very human. It’s very natural for them. And that, I believe, is one of the most interesting points for viewers, too.

The anime adaptation is visually rich in color and setting. Can you talk about working with Yuri Kabasawa-san to create the world of Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia??

YAMADA: Because it’s set in Mongolia, Kabasawa-san had strong feelings about how to approach it. The idea was to present even things that would seem “exotic” to viewers as perfectly normal. She didn’t want to get lost in too many details, but to present it as a whole.

I also wanted to ask about the music for it. So, composer Koshiro Hino-san. What made Hino-san’s music a good fit for this series and its setting? I did check out his band Goat, and the styling was very different than what I would usually expect for an anime series.

YAMADA: He is quite good at using electronic sounds with a more contemporary tone. If you listen to his music, it’s clear he likes to play with sound. I felt that sensibility meshed well with what I wanted to create in the anime. I felt the possibilities of creating the music with him were something Oriental but still very rhythmical. And I’m not sure how to explain this—that sort of approach to music and sound—but it matches the mood of the music I wanted in the anime.

Yamada-san, you’re well known among anime fans for your use of color and intricate expressions in animation. Is there a scene in Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia that you’re especially proud of?

YAMADA: I have loads of scenes I’m proud of, but I think the very first episode. Sitara rushes around the town of Tus, and that scene draws viewers in, wanting to see what happens next. And I just love that scene.

It’s like a marketplace sort of scene. And I think we can wrap up with: do you have any messages for fans who are going to see the premiere at Anime Expo?

YAMADA: I feel close to fans at Anime Expo; it’s not about meeting up and everything. I’m really looking forward to how fans react to the U.S. premiere and to what their feedback will be. I hope that they love the anime from the bottom of my heart, and I’m really excited to meet the fans and to watch together.

Thank you very much for your time.

Yamada: Thank you so much.