A Glimpse Into the World of Japanese Animation

Pixelgroove writes "CGNetworks sports a story by Justin Leach (Softimage Special Projects Division), who had a unique chance to work at Production I.G in Japan on Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Prior to leaving Japan, he interviewed the Production I.G computer graphics animation team about their thoughts and perspectives on Japanese Animation (anime)."

Comments

Japanese vs Western

[nboscia]

I am very thankful for such a wonderful cultural export from Japan. The article discussions Western animation and how the interviewees feel about it. While we (Americans) produce popular, and beautifully animated, CG work, I do not think it even compares to Japanese anime (either hand-drawn or CG).

I watch American animated movies by Pixar, Dreamworks, and the like, when I need to watch something light and uplifting. Afterwords I think to myself "Okay, that was fun", then never think about the movie again. There aren't many movies geered towards adult audiences. With Japanese anime, I'm touched at a deeper level and often left amazed at the storylines. Of course, I'm not talking about the comedy or under 13 series. I still think about series that I've watched years ago, trying to figure out the meaning behind them. Even movies/series coming out now in America from Japan have plots that I believe only the Japanese are capable of creating. After watching a series, I continue to think about its meaning and am left with a wonderful satisfying feeling. That's missing from the American movies (and definately not even close with any cartoon series).

It is the cultural aspect of anime that makes it so appealing, and I'll continue to go purchase anime DVD's, which is now far larger than my American collection.

Being Japanese?

[Racter]

Justin Leach: Is there anything you would like to change about CG in Japan?

Mizutani san: I want to bring back our identity as being Japanese. It is hard to explain what it is to be "Japanese" to be exact, but since we are born in Japan, I think it is important for all Japanese CG creators to acknowledge their identity and add something that is uniquely Japanese to their creations.

This is a very interesting response, especially considering how heavily the work of Production IG is identified with popular anime, when it's a very different animal. In essence, IG's work has been built from collecting style and method, spending years experimenting with computer-assisted cel and true 3D modeling animation. The work they produce might as well be considered experiments performed in the course of learning the art. They have graduated to distinguished player in their field.

Mizutani's answer is a wee bit wrong due to a culturally interior viewpoint: Ghost in the Shell addresses universal themes from a very Japanese perspective, striking to an international audience and a source of great appeal. These movies need not be cute and brightly colored to prove their appeal. Production IG has no need to prove that they are Japanese. Perhaps Mizutani is more expressing the continuing evolution of the Japanese cultural identity in the face of internationalism?

And yes, I know "anime" simply means "animation" in its original usage. Consider that shifting definition evidence of our own adaptation.

Mod Parent UP

[May Kasahara]

IAA2DA (I Am A 2D Animator)-- and you're absolutely right, on all counts. One of the big reasons anime is popular right now is because it's INEXPENSIVE-- both to produce and to aquire the rights to. Even the two top-paying houses in Japan (Ghibli and Production I.G.) don't have budgets as high as Disney did in its mid-90s heyday. I could go on about Disney and their current (notoriously bad) management, but that's another discussion...

I recently read an interesting quote by animation historian Michael Barrier, in his recent interview with John K. (Ren and Stimpy): "It's one of animation's curses that so many people insist that there is only one way to make a cartoon-- the Disney-feature way, the Clampett way, the UPA way, or whatever-- when in fact the medium's resources are so large." Of course, he wasn't talking about anime when he said this, but he might as well have been.

I like good anime and manga a helluva lot, sure, but I also like good American and European animation. Just as I like both 2D and 3D work, as long as it's done well. All have their merits-- unfortunatly, a lot of anime's boosters can't get that simple fact through their thick skulls -_-;

Re:Front Page Material!

[molo]

What I don't get is why I'm seeing this article at all. I had disabled the Anime topic in my preferences, and it seemed to work. I havn't seen Anime stories in many many months.. but wtf, now this one shows up?

Is this a bug in slashcode?

-molo