The results of the preliminary script review for The Lantern Bearer were announced the following afternoon. Out of the five scripts that had made it to the short list, the Script Review Board had whittled the selection down to three finalists. The Animation Division decided to hold a joint interview session for the three remaining writers to determine who would eventually take the lead on the adaptation.
Ethan Gray’s script was among the top three. When he saw his name on the internal notice board, he let out a breath he didn't realize he’d been holding.
In truth, adapting a manga didn't offer a vast amount of room for creative gymnastics. The narrative skeleton was already fixed, the character arcs were set in stone, and straying too far from the source material would be a cardinal sin
