InfinityArk On Constancy Roa: Indie 90s Anime Tribute

InfinityArk is an independent writing and animating team. They first stepped into the scene some time back with a teaser for Constancy Roa. Every frame was made to honor the classic anime of the ‘80s and ‘90s. It’s a sci-fi setting with attractive women, not all of whom are human, and massive explosions. I’ve been following their work since then, and I’ve been constantly impressed. I was fortunate enough to be able to interview InfinityArk. The team gives us more insight into the world and characters of Constancy Roa and a behind-the-scenes look at the series as a whole.

Those interested in powerful waifus who can save or destroy a city in one move can follow InfinityArk’s progress in various locations. Their Twitter page is regularly updated with art and series progress, as is their YouTube page. They also maintain a Facebook page with even more art of alluring waifus.

Justin: For starters, congratulations to you talented creators on a successful Kickstarter campaign. I know you have been working on Constancy Roa for a while, and I consider myself quite fortunate to have seen how far you have come. You guys are seriously underrated. Stellar art and animation like yours should be celebrated.

InfinityArk: Thanks very much! We couldn’t have gotten here without all the support we’ve received, and we very much appreciate it!

Justin: Could you please explain what Constancy Roa is all about? There’s more plot to this than what the girls have going on.

InfinityArk: Sure! Constancy Roa takes place in the near future, roughly four to eight years from now. A brilliant scientist named Garrett Oswald created the Cygens—beings infused with nanite-enhanced cells that they can control at will using an onboard CPU implanted in their brains. Cygens are immune to all diseases and afflictions that plague humanity and are basically immortal provided they have proper maintenance. However, they do not possess the rights and privileges that normal citizens do and are considered tools of the government. A new incoming regime has rescinded the “Human Decency Act,” which granted them basic human rights. This is the spark that sets off a war with the Cygens. Our story follows Roa, a newly reborn Cygen, and the events that spiral around her.

Justin: Could you explain the lore of the world you’ve built? For example, who are the good and bad guys, the level of technology, etc.?

InfinityArk: As Roa takes place only a few years from now, the world occupied by the Cygens is not that different from our current world—though, with some exceptions. The tech in Roa exists currently—or will exist within the next few years, though it’s all in the prototyping phase for the most part. As for who is “good” or “evil?” The morality of Roa is a bit greyer than that. There are certain characters who commit actions that one might call evil. They all have their own motivations for what they are doing. Many of them blur the lines significantly.

Justin: What sort of themes could we see? Of course, there’s plenty of action, but what about drama, comedy, romance, etc.?

InfinityArk: Constancy Roa is a “melting pot” OVA. It has action, drama, romance, adult situations, graphic violence, and comedy (though mostly of a darker nature), all rolled into one—contextually speaking. At its heart, it’s a drama about the war between humanity and the Cygens. 

Justin: What does the title Constancy Roa refer to? Is there a greater meaning to it, such as a person or item in the OVA?

InfinityArk: The name has a couple of meanings. It refers to what Roa desired: To enjoy the current world she wasn’t able to enjoy before because of her previous hospitalization. One could also see it as having to do with the Cygens themselves, whose state of being is perpetual and unchanging. There is a third meaning behind it that I can’t get into as that would spoil some things. Sorry about that.

Justin: Who is your favorite character in Constancy Roa? If you have more than one, please give me a list. I want to keep my eyes out for them.

InfinityArk: I really like Shiori! Unfortunately, she won’t appear in the OVAs for some time. I also like Aria; her story is special to me. I’m also pretty fond of a couple characters we haven’t shown yet and one we have shown—but I don’t want to tell people much about yet. Yuimei is a pretty fun character in a lot of ways. Also, of course, our main character, Roa. She’s the most innocent and easy-to-like character, but she has her own special quirks that make her unique.

Justin: How long have you been working on Constancy Roa?

InfinityArk: Roa was first conceived as an idea on June 5, 2009, and I’ve worked on it, off and on, since then. Back then, it was conceptualized as a video game in a similar style to the Megaman X series. After our artist and animator Tito joined us, I had the idea to make something akin to a visual novel, but with minor animated sequences similar to Guilty Gear Xrd’s story mode. However, Tito wanted to do a full-blown anime. Then he sent us a proof of concept which really wowed us, and we set on our path to making that happen. 

Justin: What inspired your work? The art style is reminiscent of classic ‘80s and ‘90s anime, so I assume that was the inspiration.

InfinityArk: As a writer, I’m inspired by Masamune Shirow, Yoko Taro, and H. P. Lovecraft. Tito, the artist and animator, is inspired by his mentors: Junichi Hayama, Tooru Yoshida, and Eisaku Inoue. The style he uses for Roa is inspired by Burn Up W and Outlaw Star, with Masami Obari’s influence in dynamic posing and movement. As for the work itself, it’s inspired by works like the Bubblegum Crisis OVAs, Project A-ko, and the game series Megaman X (as well as the band The Protomen).

Justin: What are your plans for Constancy Roa beyond the current OVA? Do you have goals for a series or maybe another OVA to follow this one?

InfinityArk: We plan to do a series of OVAs. With the Kickstarter, we just wanted to fund the first one, but we plan to create quite a few more. We also have some comics planned; on the Kickstarter, you could get the Rise of Osiris comic. It’s a story that takes place before the OVA. We may do more of those in the future.

Justin: Will there be merchandise? Posters, figures, etc.?

InfinityArk: We have all of those and more that were available on the Kickstarter. We’ll have many of those things available through our Indiegogo second chance campaign as well. After that, I’m unsure what things we’ll continue to sell in the future. We would like to create more figures, though!

Justin: Your Kickstarter successfully wrapped up a while ago. Is there another way to support the project and get the OVA?

InfinityArk: We’re currently running a second chance campaign on Indiegogo on September 12, starting at around 8 a.m. EST. This is mostly for people who missed the original and still want to support us. This will be the best way to guarantee you get to see it! We hope you’ll join us!

Justin: Is there an estimated premiere date for Constancy Roa?

InfinityArk: We’d like to have it done this year, and animation-wise, we’re pretty confident that’s possible. However, we have voice recording, music, and sound FX to consider as well. So, we can’t be too sure how long all of that will take. We should definitely have it done by the Kickstarter deadline of next August, though!

Justin: How many people are working on this project?

InfinityArk: There’s myself (Damian, the writer, creator, and character designer), Tito (the artist and animator), Jared (our colorist), Morrison (my editor), and Abe (who handles the books and does video editing on the side). We also have Season of Ghosts (who will be handling the music) and a host of voice actors who work for us. So, quite a few people.

Justin: Do you have any final thoughts for your fans?

InfinityArk: We cannot thank you enough for all the donations and support you’ve given us. We can’t wait to bring you Constancy Roa the OVA in the future, and we hope you look forward to it!

[Interview answers slightly edited for formatting — Ed.]

Are you looking for a sexy, scantily-clad sci-fi waifu to bring home? J-List can help you! The PA-15 1/7 Figure Phantom Thief of Champagne Ver. from Girls’ Frontline is now available for pre-order.

What do you think of Constancy Roa? Do you think the series captures the action and romance of classic anime? Are you looking forward to the forthcoming OVA? Let us know in the comments below.