A New Chapter in the Wild West
Giddy up! Indie animated darling "MechWest" has made a triumphant return with its third episode. The animated series follows a kindhearted young woman named Pearl, who treats servile robotic "mechs" with compassion, standing in stark contrast to her fellow humans. Set in a steampunk-inspired Wild West world, "MechWest" is the first indie series produced by AnimSchool Studios, an offshoot of creator Dave Gallagher's accredited animation school, AnimSchool. The series has already gained significant traction, amassing over 10 million views on its YouTube channel and currently seeking distribution partners.
In the latest episode, Pearl, her brother Pico, and their beloved mech, Six, find themselves in the criminal underbelly town of Centureno. There, they navigate through shifty gamblers and a crooked sheriff while trying to figure out their new travel companion, Casey. Ahead of their appearance at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, creator and director Dave Gallagher and his co-director (and son) Noah Gallagher share insights into the series' latest action-packed episode.
Designing the Town of Centureno
Episode 3 drops our heroes into a town where they don’t exactly feel welcome: Centureno. What went into the design of this area?
Dave Gallagher shared that the town was designed to look like the grossest place possible, describing it as “like an armpit.” Noah Gallagher added that Ben Kenobi’s famous line from Star Wars, “a wretched hive of scum and villainy,” perfectly captures the essence of Centureno. He explained that all the villains so far have come from another culture, and this episode aims to show more of an isolated story, revealing that some villains are from the same culture as Meridian.
The Saloon Mechs
The mechs we meet in the saloon are particularly fun – I’m partial to the spit-bucket-bot. How did you decide what kind of mechs would show up there?
Noah Gallagher took credit for the spittoon idea. The team thought about what kinds of things in the old west could be mechs that people create to make their lives easier. They envisioned a spittoon that runs around trying to catch stuff so you don’t have to look where you’re spitting.
A Memorable Scene
My favorite moment of the episode is when Six indignantly rips his arm off after Casey reminds him that he paid for it. What went into that scene?
Dave Gallagher noted that if you’ve ever tried to talk to a toddler, most of the time they just blow you off. They look right past you! But these moments where they connect are special and interesting. This scene highlights a moment where Six is a bit more aware and decisive, showing a little more growth than usual. It was a bit of a surprise, and the team wasn’t sure about it initially. However, it fits thematically with the episode because Casey started everything by tricking Pearl and Pico into owing him for fixing Six's arm.
Looking Ahead
This episode gives us some important hints at the overarching mystery of the season and ends with a new character's introduction. What can you tell me about where the story is heading next?
Dave Gallagher expressed his favorite part of the episode was the girl seen at the end with her hummingbird mech. He loved how it turned out, both in terms of look and sound. This character will be a main character in the rest of the season.
Planning the Future
How much of the continuing "MechWest" story do you have mapped out?
Noah Gallagher revealed that their plan is to finish the series with whatever resources they can gather. The first season consists of eight episodes, and they still have five more to go. All the scripts for the first season are finished, and the animatics and storyboards are mostly completed up to Episode 7. He even wrote the first script of Season 2 for fun, as he came up with the idea. Concepts for Season 2 are all mapped out, and they have ideas for future seasons as well.
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