Despera

Despera
Cover of light novel published by Tokuma Shoten on April 28, 2011
ですぺら
(Desupera)
GenreSteampunk, Adventure, Science fiction
Light novel
Written byChiaki J. Konaka
Illustrated byYoshitoshi Abe
Published byTokuma Shoten
MagazineAnimage
Original runJuly 2009July 2010
Volumes1

Despera (ですぺら, Desupera) is a planned anime series, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and featuring character designs by Yoshitoshi Abe. It is Abe and Konaka's third collaboration, following Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain. Ryūtarō Nakamura, who directed Serial Experiments Lain, was tapped to direct Despera but died before production could begin.

The title Despera is taken 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 for the anime stated that it can also imply the Spanish word desperado. A light novel serialization related to the anime was published in the Japanese magazine Animage from July 2009 to July 2010.

Despera is a spiritual successor/predecessor to Serial Experiments Lain sharing common themes and story elements, as well as connections between the series' respective main characters.