Forum - View topicChicks On Anime - A Look at Key Animation
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reanimator
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Okay, I hope this helps. Each Japanese animator has his or her unique style of expressing motion. That uniqueness forms an artistic diversity which makes Anime exciting and vibrant. For example, Toshiyuki Inoue expresses motion in realistic way. That means no room for wild exaggeration or distortion. On the other hand, Hiroyuki Imaishi (dir. Dead Leaves) expresses his motion in hyperactive and chaotic way. These are the extreme difference of styles. However, it's difficult to pinpoint difference between Toshiyuki Inoue and Hiroyuki Okiura (dir. Jinroh) because both practice realistic style. After all, it would be really boring if all Anime characters run like they're doing morning jogging. Or better yet, can you imagine if Jinroh characters moved like Dead Leaves? |
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bglassbrook
 Posts: 1243 Location: Gaithersburg, MD |
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I was able to follow that much. The part where I got lost was in what way that relates to their discussion of how the animators use key frames. That and maybe why someone would bother calling a shot of all key frames, key frames, if their distinction with inbetweens is they show the boundries of an action/motion. |
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Leedar
Posts: 8 |
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The title 'A Look at Key Animation' really confuses the topic. Simply 'A Look at Animation' would have reduced the needless introduction (at least initially) of production line processes like splitting animation work into key animation and inbetween animation departments.
There is essentially no freedom for inbetweeners in a vast majority of productions because their primary goal to 'invisibly' interpolate key drawings. So discussion of inbetween animators/animation is practically irrelevant. |
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reanimator
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You don't have to dwell on small details. That's your choice. What I am saying is finding such details make anime more interesting than ever. If I use video game analogy, it's like finding a secret treasure or a level on a RPG game. Like I stated earlier, details compliment with story. Even though you don't notice an explosion detail, but it subconsciously makes impression. The reason why this "noticing animation" part was introduced because Japanese animators have creative freedom to express their style without being bounded by principles and doctrines. Fans always have been judged Anime purely on story and designs. That is good and all, but isn't it better to read manga if we judge anime only on those two categories alone? What if I said all anime character designs look the same? Or character designs don't serve major purpose? I'm sure that you'll defend the character designs by putting examples from Anime A and Anime B to explain the difference.
It depends. I'd prefer Inoue's animation for dramatic shows. Kanada's animation would be more appropriate for juvenile & comedic shows. |
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Cloe
Moderator
 Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Well, Leedar is right. "Keyframe animation" is actually the animation that the lead animator himself (or herself) draws to create the movements. Who in-betweens the work is inconsequential, as it's a menial task that requires very little effort. I realize that the concept of keyframes is hard to wrap your head around if you aren't used to animation production. Take a look at this clip; the Mitsuo Iso animation of the Evas fighting isn't in-betweened yet and that's why it's so jerky--even though some parts look smoother than others because there are more keyframes drawn by Mr. Iso. In fast or broad actions, more keyframes are often required to correctly portray the movement of the character as needed. |
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Kimiko_0
 Posts: 1796 Location: Leiden, NL, EU |
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Of course. More interesting stuff to go 'wow!' over is always a good thing, ne?
Hmm, I don't think that analogy is very good. Key animation styles would be more akin to a choice of shading technology or where to use more or fewer polygons or textures. The secret treasure would be like noticing something funny going on in the background that wizzes past too quickly to see without paying attention.
You have a good point there. The addition of color and animation certainly make the whole thing more attractive and alive. That's why I don't read manga but do watch anime. |
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rti9
 Posts: 1241 |
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Animation Runner Kuromi is a fun recommendation for those who want to take a closer look at key animation. Especially the sequel.
A very good example to notice the differences in key animation is the popular TV series Naruto. The important fight scenes are usually given to the karisuma animators. Compare episode 29 with 30. Or 132 to 133. The contrast is brutal. Even knowing that there is a second part to this interview, it's still too short  .
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Kimiko_0
Posts: 1796 Location: Leiden, NL, EU |
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*click* Added to the to-watch list. |
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cj256
Posts: 2 |
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For the record, Disney animators are famous for their individuality. Milt Kahl's Shere Kahn, Eric Goldberg's Genie, Kimball's Mad Hatter? No other animators in history could have pulled those characters off the way they did. |
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reanimator
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You're right about those classic Disney animators. For that I can't argue about them. The current problem is that business practice of making animation in US studios discourage such individuality. Not to mention production process is ill suited for much lower budget of TV. As history of animation is concerned, our generation has to find our own voice while looking back for right guidance, not just facts. So called perfect animation is accumulation of trial and error over period of time. Now that individuality has passed down to Japan. For people who are not familiar with 12 animation principles, these are: 1. Squash & stretch 2. Anticipation 3. Staging 4. Straight ahead action & pose to pose 5. Follow-through & overlapping action 6. Arcs 7. Secondary action 8. Timing 9. Exaggeration 10. Solid drawing 11. Appeal 12. Slow in & slow out I would follow these rules to make good animation, however I would ditch some of them if they become cumbersome against production reality.
Those scenes were animated by Norio Matsumoto and he is the most popular animator among Japanese animation fans. This is why Japanese animation is exciting because talented animator like him brings audience to experience the action sequence. |
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Shuchung
Posts: 77 |
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For non-subscribers who are interested in this topic, AniPages updated an entry with some respect to this interview:
http://www.pelleas.net/aniTOP/index.php?p=578 |
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enurtsol
 Posts: 14802 |
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Well, much of the actual TV animation work are farmed out overseas anyways, save for the upper production staff. So, it's mainly either feature animation work or the short and quick stuffs that are needed.
JANICA is a good benefit finally for Japanese animators. However, it can also lead to more runaway production as local expenses increase. It's up to the sponsors whether they're willing to shoulder the local status quo by paying the higher costs or accepting a smaller portion of the profit pie. |
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Iritscen
 Posts: 793 |
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I, for one, was actually expecting a more technical discussion, but I forget that some people don't know that much about animation even after watching it for years; even this discussion of the ABCs seemed to confuse some people. I guess we all see different things when we watch something, right? Maybe others are getting more out of the story or voice acting than I am; I'm busy squinting at every successive frame of animation in slow-motion. Sometimes I have to remind myself there's a plot and stuff I should probably care about.
Anyway, if anyone wants to really get into some "nitty-gritty" details, this blog is a great help: http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/ (Yes, that's John Kricfalusi of Ren & Stimpy fame). He's been dwelling heavily on tweening these last few days, so it's quite apropos, I think. After reading the latest tweening stuff, readers really ought to go back and read the posts about the Flintstones and what each animator brought to the table when drawing the same characters. And keep in mind that in that case, the animators were, in effect, keyers and tweeners, so the effect they had on the animation was more strongly individualized than how it works with animé -- which makes it a more interesting and educational case study. |
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Top Gun
 Posts: 4622 |
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It's funny that you should mention John K. I know that he's an incredibly respected figure and has amassed a staggering amount of knowledge about the animation medium as a whole...but I can't help but be amused by the fact that I personally abhor his own artistic/animation style.
 Ren & Stimpy is what I'd describe as one of the most visually-repugnant pieces of animation I've ever seen, even if it did use sound techniques. Meanwhile, he'd probably rip something like Foster's a new one for its Flash look, yet I find that to be a very pleasant show to watch from a visual standpoint. I wonder if something that's lost in his expert's viewpoint is that a fundamentally good-looking show, no matter how it's animated, automatically carries a greater level of appeal.
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pparker
 Posts: 1185 Location: Florida |
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Just funny, the subjectivity of what is "good-looking". I never liked Ren & Stimpy either, but I'm old and figured it was an age thing, having grown up on WB and H-B Saturday cartoons. But after watching a lot of anime, I realize it is entirely subjective beyond the technical details. I love Dead Leaves, but can't say the animation is "better-looking" than R&S (though it certainly is higher quality). The first animated show, too, that interested me as an adult was Aeon Flux, which many would not consider "pretty" 
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