Despera

Despera
Cover of light novel published by Tokuma Shoten on April 28, 2011
ですぺら (Desupera)
Genre	Steampunk, Adventure, Science fiction
Light novel
Written by	Chiaki J. Konaka
Illustrated by	Yoshitoshi ABe
Published by	Tokuma Shoten
Magazine	Animage
Original run	July 2009 – July 2010
Volumes	1

Despera (ですぺら, Desupera^?) is a planned anime series, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and featuring character designs by Yoshitoshi ABe and which was to be directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. This would be the second time all the three main creators of psychological thriller anime Serial Experiments Lain will be collaborating once again for the new project, and it is Nakamura and Konaka's third collaboration after their work on Ghost Hound. The title Despera derives from a poem of the same title by Japanese Dadaist poet Jun Tsuji. Though the title of Tsuji's poem comes from the word "despair" or "desperation", the official blog states that it can also imply the Spanish word . A graphic novel serialization relating to the anime is being published in Japanese magazine Animage, beginning from its July 2009 issue.

In 2011, it was announced that the anime adaption has been put on indefinite hold, due to Nakamura having fallen ill. On June 29, 2013, Ryūtarō Nakamura died due to pancreatic cancer. At Overload 2014, ABe announced that a new director was found to continue working on Despera.

The story centers around a 12-year-old girl named Ain, who often builds devices despite the lack of scientific background for them. The sci-fi alternative period story is set in Tokyo during the Taishō era in 1922, one year before the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake.

Ain (あいん, Ain^?) - A 12-year-old girl who resides in her workshop inside the basement of the Ryōunkaku in Asakusa, Tokyo. A technical genius with no prior scientific knowledge, she is able to create electronic devices far beyond the capabilities of the current era. Some of the devices created include early versions of a modern computer, complete with typewriter keyboards and cathode ray tube display monitors. In the novel version, one of her ongoing works is a mysterious robot which she refers to as Father (お父さん, Otō-san^?). Despite being 12 years old, she often displays a mature expression of an adult. She also displays an uncanny ability to generate electricity from her hands when she takes on a tank squadron later in the story.