Gonzo had worked with character designer Range Murata (Blue Submarine No. 6, Solty Rei, Shangri-La) on the original Last Exile anime series in 2003. The studio told ANN during last March's TAF that it was developing a potential Spring 2011 project that would take advantage of the new stereoscopic 3D televisions now entering the marketplace. Gonzo also showcased a stereoscopic 3D version of a Last Exile vehicle and four character design sheets for a new project in the works at the fair, although it did not specify at the time whether these materials were from the same Spring 2011 project.