Support NeoGAF

[MikeHattsu]

Sailor Moon Crystal 10

Not the only puppet then...

The visit to the moon doesn't have a lot of surprises except a sword in the stone moment, but after that it has some unexpected sad bits since I've only watched the old anime series. Guess this does make more sense than what happened in the old show.

 

[striferser]

I just thought of another point. A good way to see the real world effect of how undervalued traditional animation is, is to go look at comments in the Skullgirls DLC Indiegogo campaign, or honestly any Kickstarter Campaign for animation which is asking for more than $100k. You'll see tons of shocked reactions that traditional animation doesn't cost 10 dollars to make. And all these campaigns aren't even expensive. They're mostly being animated for as cheap as they can be, while having good quality.

It reminds me a lot of the manufacturing debate, while not an ideal comparison, I think some important elements overlap. People like to bitch about how American manufacturing is dead, and that everything is outsourced to China factories and so on. But the reality is that consumers and the industry will not support the sort of pricing for products made in an environment where people doing the work are actually well compensated. Lots of people decry the death of traditional animation in America too, but is there a business model that can support animation at non-slave wages?

Involve Keanu Reeves on every animation project, because the guy know who deserve to get paid more. Seriously, this guy is awesome.

Or,
Make them a super premium product.
Sell them at more expensive price. Treat them like it's the most expensive art like those painting in a gallery. Okay, this is probably a very bad idea. It can't sustain the industry for a very long time, and i don't think screening anime to show your social status is a good idea (though i think it will make a fine comedy plot).

Uhh, i really have no idea. This is the industry that mostly fueled by dream and passion...

 

[fertygo]

Or,
Make them a super premium product.
Sell them at more expensive price. Treat them like it's the most expensive art like those painting in a gallery. Okay, this is probably a very bad idea. It can't sustain the industry for a very long time, and i don't think screening anime to show your social status is a good idea (though i think it will make a fine comedy plot).

Pretty sure this is the current model that used now lol.

 

[Quasar]

Its far more "healthier" if everything moved for 3DCG if we being honest..

If just made the workforce that made animated show far more smaller, even if budget still around the same.. the spread became more healthier for everyone.

Though it would kill my interest in anime, just as it killed my interest in U.S. cinema animation for the most part.

Might as well go all the way and go to CG enhanced live action.

 

[TUSR]

The black dynamite OP by trigger is cg and it looks good.

Trigger saving anime.

 

[Quasar]

I just thought of another point. A good way to see the real world effect of how undervalued traditional animation is, is to go look at comments in the Skullgirls DLC Indiegogo campaign, or honestly any Kickstarter Campaign for animation which is asking for more than $100k. You'll see tons of shocked reactions that traditional animation doesn't cost 10 dollars to make. And all these campaigns aren't even expensive. They're mostly being animated for as cheap as they can be, while having good quality.

Well I think it's just no knowledge of what productions cost. It's not like animation budgets are well known, be they 2d or 3d.

Add to that lack of knowledge of how game budgets, esp in the indy space, work.

 

[firehawk12]

I wonder if they ever gonna realize its one of their misstep in making the CG looks better, dialog in Shirobako mostly sound like this for the subject "I want to make anime too, but can't draw"

I heard Shirobako was actually about the CG vs 2D thing for a while. lol
I would say that CG requires a different art skill that drawing anyway. The problem is that you can't really make anything approaching movie quality in CG at the moment, where you can still fake 2D animation enough to at least make it look acceptable to most people.

Heck, maybe that's just age as well, and younger kids don't see stuff like Star Wars Rebels and whatever the heck is airing in Japan as looking like ass.

 

[duckroll]

Heck, maybe that's just age as well, and younger kids don't see stuff like Star Wars Rebels and whatever the heck is airing in Japan as looking like ass.

That's what I've been saying for a while. For kids who grew up in the late 90s and beyond, I notice that very often they don't really see traditional animation in the same way. The appeal isn't ingrained at a young age, and there's no nostalgia at all for older works. Stuff like videogame FMVs and Pixar movies have a much deeper impact on them in terms of what "animation" is.

 

[firehawk12]

That's what I've been saying for a while. For kids who grew up in the late 90s and beyond, I notice that very often they don't really see traditional animation in the same way. The appeal isn't ingrained at a young age, and there's no nostalgia at all for older works. Stuff like videogame FMVs and Pixar movies have a much deeper impact on them in terms of what "animation" is.

I mean... I grew up with both Mainframe Animation (Reboot, Beast Wars, etc)/Foundation Studios (B5, Starship Troopers, etc) and also traditional animation (Disney cartoons, Warner cartoons, anime) and I still think CG mostly looks like ass. lol

Like when your characters look like they're wearing what look like plastic blobs on their heads because you can't animate hair properly, it sort of ruins it.... and that's been something that has happened in cheap CG animation for at least as long as I've been alive.

Maybe it's because I grew up with both. But then again, I think stuff like Spongebob is still around, isn't it? Also My Little Pony and stuff that does "look good" by comaprison.

 

[duckroll]

I don't think it's just the "type" of animation used, but also how the style is perceived in mainstream. Stuff like Reboot isn't a great comparison because I don't think we can ever say that the style really caught on.

On the other hand, when we talk about CG direction, we're talking about an entire generation growing up on stuff which looks cool and everyone says is cool. Videogames, Pixar, Hollywood movies effects, etc. That sort of synergy as an effect. I've asked people before what they think looks great about stuff like the CG Clone Wars show, and one thing I've heard repeated is that it might look "worse" than the effects in Star Wars movies, but it looks similar enough, instead of being completely different in style.

 

[Quasar]

I've asked people before what they think looks great about stuff like the CG Clone Wars show, and one thing I've heard repeated is that it might look "worse" than the effects in Star Wars movies, but it looks similar enough, instead of being completely different in style.

Certainly for me CG seems suitable for SW as it's going from live action, whereas a all CG Marvel or DC show would turn me right the fuck off. I guess I really do want something akin to an emulation of the original medium.

 

[duckroll]

Certainly for me CG seems suitable for SW as it's going from live action, whereas a all CG Marvel or DC show would turn me right the fuck off. I guess I really do want something akin to an emulation of the original medium.

Do you think this might be very different for someone who born say, today? In 15 years or so, the kid would be a teenager who had grown up possibly only knowing Marvel and DC characters as big Hollywood live action movies with tons of CG effects and dynamic camera movements. Would someone like that prefer a CG animated cartoon series of those heroes?

It's pretty interesting to think about.

 

[Basileus777]

Do you think this might be very different for someone who born say, today? In 15 years or so, the kid would be a teenager who had grown up possibly only knowing Marvel and DC characters as big Hollywood live action movies with tons of CG effects and dynamic camera movements. Would someone like that prefer a CG animated cartoon series of those heroes?

It's pretty interesting to think about.

That bright future where everyone has grown up only knowing CG cartoons and mobile games.

 

[Quasar]

Do you think this might be very different for someone who born say, today? In 15 years or so, the kid would be a teenager who had grown up possibly only knowing Marvel and DC characters as big Hollywood live action movies with tons of CG effects and dynamic camera movements. Would someone like that prefer a CG animated cartoon series of those heroes?

It's pretty interesting to think about.

Probably. Sadly.

Of course I don't even like live action supers, so I'm hardly unbiased. Though I'm not sure it's all medium as much as source material treatment. Which has gotten worse for me as I consume more Japanese media where in general adaptions are more faithful than what happens in the west.

 

[striferser]

Pretty sure this is the current model that used now lol.

Not premium enough

 

[BluWacky]

Has anyone posted anything about Yuri Kuma Arashi's website update other than about the trailer?

Big story synopsis up now:

Once upon a time, in a distant galaxy, the asteroid Bearia exploded into tiny pieces that fell as a meteor shower upon the Earth. For some reason, at this point all the bears on Earth attacked humanity! It was "Man Vs Bear" - the Bears ate Humans, the Humans shot the Bears, in an endless chain of conflict and hatred. Finally, a huge "Barrier" was constructed between Humans and Bears, and they reached a truce together...

The human world.
One morning, two students at Arashigaoka Academy, Kureha Tsubaki and Sumika Izumino, were alone when they saw a lily bloom in a flower bed. The two of them are "friends" (really lovers) and the flower bed was their special place. They gaze at each other... Suddenly, the "Bear Alert" alarm rings out! The Bears invaded the Human world, and Humanity was under attack! What were the Bears really up to... A drama filled with wave upon wave of mysteries upon mysteries! The magnificent premiere of "Yuri Bear Storm!"

(note: Arashi ga Oka is the Japanese name of Wuthering Heights)

There seems to be something key to this "Barrier" concept (danshaku). I've probably not translated it properly. It seems that Life Sexy, Life Cool and Life Beauty are all members of the "Danshaku Court" referred to in the trailer, but I haven't read through any more information on them yet.

 

[Shard]

Log Horizon Season 2, Episode 7:

Spoiler

Oh yes, now we are hitting the stride full tilt and I am being reminded of why Log Horizon is such a fabulous show. Indeed, we are learning about how deep this flavor text issue is going and it is very troublesome. There are many questions behind this, not the least of which is who or what is behind it. The possibilities this change opens up is quite staggering. I will be blunt in my suspicions I think this whole affair is a plot hatched by The South for a larger goal. Indeed, I think the real purpose for this plot is to get the magical barrier dropped around Akihabara and thus make it vulnerable to invasion. I do have to say that in spite of the chunkiness of some of this arc I am glad it is a thing that exists as it is giving many supporting characters some time to shine. Like I think Riese is quickly becoming one of my favorites out of this season. Speaking of such things I am assuming that the random lesbian couple who showed up late are important for something as they are already more defined then most of the West Wind Bridge. Another thing I like here is that this raid plan was concocted by the Round Table independent of any machinations of Shiore. It shows that others can enact grand plans of their own without his help. Yes, if Log Horizon can keep up this pace by the end of the year, it may just be my AOTY.

 

[firehawk12]

I don't think it's just the "type" of animation used, but also how the style is perceived in mainstream. Stuff like Reboot isn't a great comparison because I don't think we can ever say that the style really caught on.

On the other hand, when we talk about CG direction, we're talking about an entire generation growing up on stuff which looks cool and everyone says is cool. Videogames, Pixar, Hollywood movies effects, etc. That sort of synergy as an effect. I've asked people before what they think looks great about stuff like the CG Clone Wars show, and one thing I've heard repeated is that it might look "worse" than the effects in Star Wars movies, but it looks similar enough, instead of being completely different in style.

Probably the only thing about the CG Star Wars and the movies is the fact that none of the characters feel like they move like human beings - and that's because the movies were filmed in such a way where the people don't actually walk anywhere and they flip around like idiots. The other problem is that TV CG is just immensely inferior to Pixar/Dreamworks/Disney. Heck, even with the standards of live action TV rising to try to match film, you can still see a big quality difference between even something on HBO and a 2 hour film that has a 100 million dollar budget.

That said, I think on the whole 2d or at least CG-assisted 2d is still fairly prevalent the norm. Korra, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, all the Adult Swim/Fox crap... in fact, I want to say that all the children's edutainment stuff like that girl who teaches kids languages is all 2D as well. So I don't even know anymore. lol

 

[Midonin]

Sailor Moon Crystal 10

Just can't go through this story without Mamoru getting brainwashed in some form. The story of the big four being his knights in another life was, again, carried over to the toku version, though their outfits were more tacky there. The trip to the moon wasn't, because Toei doesn't quite have the live action budget for that, though I think something like the sword was used for the epilogue movie for the series. Even as it diverts, I realize that I recognize some elements.

 

[cajunator]

I'll only accept this if the only thing you've read by him is Titus Andronicus. In that case, you're excused.

I have not. Shakespeare stories are pretty dull though.

Nobody who likes Pizza Hut is best at anything.

Its not herl iking Pizza hut that makes her the best. thats just a description of her taste in pizza. She is the best for many other reasons.

WataMote 07



Red is noises.

At least Tomoko plugged her headphones in. Just too bad it was into the wrong port...

Ive been there. Late one night I was at my parents house listening to obnoxious cute anime music and I mistakenly plugged the headphones in wrong and blared SUKI across the house. Nobody woke up I dont think.
Now I make sure the sound is turned way down until I am sure it is coming through headphones only.

SNAFU 08



Tail inspection then.

And there's swimsuits. Oh, and they fixed things by being mean to kids.

OMG MOFU. I need to watch this.

A lot of people here really seem to like YuYuYu. If it really is something like Nanoha, I'll have to give it a watch once the semester is over.

Well the fighting scenes are really hot blooded like Nanoha and thats the important thing.

Code Geass 13

C.C.'s best scene so far. Giving that dose of reality to Lelouch after he was getting all hesitant after killing Shirley's father. He's killed so many people thus far but now is getting emotional just cause one of them was close to a friend of his? That ain't how this works, buddy. Everybody who dies leaves people grieving behind them. Shirley's no different. On that note, why the hell do they wear their school uniforms to a funeral?

Shirley seems to know now that Lelouch is Zero. Oh boy. Gonna get uuuuuuugly. If he weren't injured he could just use Geass to make her forget. But this show seems to be going in a different direction.

New OP and ED aren't very good. Old ones were better.

Things still havent reached a zenith. youll know when it does.

Amagi - 07

This was yet another goofy episode, though not as funny as others. There were one too many stills for my taste and some animation were a bit lackluster. Tiramie keeps delivering the devious stuff I enjoy, it's probably my favorite character in this show.
Given the elemental girls were promoted in PVs and got their own ED I was expecting them to have more screen time/active roles by now. Yet they're still just in the background not doing much really.

This got me an urge for cute girls doing pirate stuff.

Anime has you covered:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnjqjb_opening-1-mouretsu-pirates_music

I can't wait until Shokugeki no Soma starts airing so people can complain the show isn't exactly like Iron Chef.

I guarantee you someone will make that complaint in some form when that show starts to air.

Im used to the overreactions from Yakitate Japan so it shouldnt be too strange for me.
Yakitate had some incredible food reactions.

 

[cajunator]

This is Hyouka 20 years in the future, where Oreki goes deep undercover and talks about time being a flat circle after his marriage with Chitanda falls apart while Satoshi is cheating on Mayaka with that girl from the manga club.

So it might actually be interesting for a change then.

Sentai announced they got Gingitsune and Devils & Realist
http://www.sentaifilmworks.com/news/sentai-filmworks-licenses-gingitsune
http://www.sentaifilmworks.com/news/sentai-filmworks-licenses-devils-realist

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
This show was so cute!

Eiken 1-2

Why oh why did you watch this?

According to Sentai's twitter, they have two more announcements for Monday. No idea what to expect, other than that it's probably something from at least a year ago given their other announcements.

I really hope someone grabs GJBu eventually.
I really want it.

 

[Midonin]

Vanadis 07

There's at least three medieval-ish fantasy anime on right now, and I think this one is actually my favorite of them. The battle was entertaining, and the stuff surrounding it was, too. These trick shots have a lot of power behind them, but they never feel like they're overpowered. It helps that Ellen and Sofi and everyone else gets to contribute to the action scenes, too.

 

[firehawk12]

So apparently there's this animation short film thingie online that's meant to be like that Young Animators Project thing?

We planned this short film project for believing in the pursuit and exploitation of fun of images that Japanese animation has, deepening and diversity of flexible expression, understanding and exploitation of inidivisual talents, and the dreams and possibilies to the future, which are inherent in Japanese anima(tor)s.
I appreciate your kind support and approval with this small resistance as many as possible.

Hideaki Anno, Studio Khara

Anyway, there are a couple of shorts that you can watch here:
http://animatorexpo.com/titlelist/

You have The Dragon Dentist, which is interesting if only because it manages to set up a fantasy world in under 8 minutes. What does it mean to be a dragon dentist? I'll leave it up to you to see for yourself:

And Hill Climb Girl, which is probably the closest I'm ever going to get to watching YowaPedal. The funny thing is that given the CG talk here, I couldn't help but just think about how they did the "make CG look like anime" thing here:

But really, as short little projects, both use the form and the medium pretty well. There's a reason why these are animation projects and not short films, because each does things that would probably be impossible to do in live action without a huge budget. In a way, both remind me of The Travelling Daru, which also told a nice little compact story in about 10 minutes. Sometimes, that's all you really need.

 

[cajunator]

That reminds me that I had this picture of Ghost as my avatar around this time last year.

Your current one is basically perfect. Keep Laura bunny.

I have to imagine a lot of people wrote it off because of the CG animation...

Ive never written a show off because of that. I have wirtten movies off because of Goro though.

Hoshi no Torekkingu: Za Douga

The story of a

Spoiler

space probe

that becomes a cute girl and desires to become one with its creator; I can't think of a more anime plotline than this. Also featuring detailed mechanical designs which are (excessively) displayed throughout the film.

I dont know what this is but Im interested.

Dat Yuri Kuma Arashi trailer.

Dem VAs.

BEARS!

Fuck yeah.

Our Lord and Savior is back to save anime again.

Praise be to Ikuhara.

I will always trust Ikuhara. Penguin Drum was one of the craziest things ever and I fully expect Yuri Bear Storm to be amazing as well.
The title is already three things I like.

Personally I am glad that anime usually uses CGI sparingly.

I hate how every American anination has to be CGI these days. Its goddamn lazy.

It should be utilized like Last Exile did and that was a long time ago.

 

[R_thanatos]

Log horizon 2 - 07

i really can't wait for next week to see akatsuki shining brighter than ever.

Akatsuki and lenessia character growth during this arc is really good. CAn't wait for next week.
As for rieze, for a character that joined so late in the anime , she , as expected , already has her mark on things and his a very nice character.

An overall good episode.. if you're not pumped for next week , something is wrong with you.

 

[Jintor]

Log Horizon s2 01

Well I'm sufficiently intrigued to keep watching.

I've also been reading the fan-translations of the light novels. They're not bad. I feel like the author has a really bad habit of relying on massive lecture dumps of information though, exascebated moreso in Log Horizon than in Maoyuu because he's not restricted to economics lectures in dialogue.

Actually, I feel like the light novel does a lot better job than the anime of making the whole situation seem pretty shitty, probably because it's easier to get into the minds of Shiro and everyone else, especially regarding stuff like dying or food; it's easier to understand why they find it so strange and distasteful. But that might be a medium thing as well as an adaptational thing.

However, stuff like explaining game mechanics is boring as hell in novel format. Especially regarding explaining game fighting mechanics. It's boring! I don't think anything can change that. No-one wants to hear a novel seriously blathering on about the Enchanter's blah blah blah DPS ultra crazy teamwork technique. Well, actually, presumably the people who read the light novels in Japanese wanted to read it, but other than that...

Kinda interested in dragon dentist up thar. Man, I've missed watching anime.

 

[BassForever]

Sailor Moon Crystal 10

A pretty great episode, I really wasn't expecting

Spoiler

Serenity to kill herself with a sword

and I'm glad that apparently the reason they changed the deaths was to include the reunion of all the past lovers. It seems to fit better with the theme of the series then killing them and getting an "oh yeah they used to be our lovers..." after the fact. Loved all the action in the second half and the art this week was pretty solid way less derp faces or maybe I've just gotten used to them :X

 

[duckroll]

So apparently there's this animation short film thingie online that's meant to be like that Young Animators Project thing?

I've posted about this, others have posted about this, we've talked about both shorts and the project itself, if you don't pay attention don't ask people to explain it again!

 

[Jex]

firehawk12 doesn't read this thread, or twitter. He probably scrubbed past all the talk of these shorts!

 

[cajunator]

firehawk12 doesn't read this thread, or twitter. He probably scrubbed past all the talk of these shorts!

His favorite anime is shit. Interstellar was much better.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Log Horizon S2 7

And dropped.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Finally Momo, though I dont know his voice.

IF he uses Armin voice that'd be good for Nitori.

 

[SliceSabre]

selector spread WIXOSS 07

Thought we couldn't get any darker!? WE WERE WRONG!!! So Ulith's hidden intentions have finally been laid bare. She's actually a much more sadistic person than I was expecting. Akira fell right into her claws and was perfection for her twisted desire to mentally break people. To be honest its like listening to someone who is a serial killer in the the making. Hell based on her story she already is one in a way. Sure she isn't outright putting a knife in people's backs, but she is effectively giving them the gun and motivation to shoot themselves when they fall into despair based on the fact she even says she drove girls to kill themselves. For some reason I do not expect that this battle will end with a clearly defined winner, that would be to final if you ask me. I mean think about it Akira is in the middle of a mindbreak after finding out the person she loved and thought loved her thinks of her as disgusting. I fully expect her to fuck up Ulith in the next episode.

 

[fertygo]

Finally Momo, though I dont know his voice.

IF he uses Armin voice that'd be good for Nitori.

Seeing this kind VA announcement for dub is kinda weird lol

 

[Jex]

Has anyone posted anything about Yuri Kuma Arashi's website update other than about the trailer?

Big story synopsis up now:

(note: Arashi ga Oka is the Japanese name of Wuthering Heights)

There seems to be something key to this "Barrier" concept (danshaku). I've probably not translated it properly. It seems that Life Sexy, Life Cool and Life Beauty are all members of the "Danshaku Court" referred to in the trailer, but I haven't read through any more information on them yet.

I don't really know what I was expecting, but that wasn't it. Not that reading a synopsis of any of Ikhuara's works is very enlightening..

 

[Midonin]

Seraphim Call 10

The talk about a blue gemstone that was realer than blue reminded me of Brows Held High's recent episode on the movie Blue, and the history of how the color Prussian Blue came to me, a painstaking attempt at mixing natural blues to create a color unseen in nature. Which in turn, drives the question of the episode of how "real" things are, in this case the gap between manga and reality. Lots of unstated, unspoken love going on here. The use of the panels from her manga, and the way Kurumi's friend repeated the same words as her editor, made for a nice story.

Seraphim Call 11

One of my favorite stories, for a different reason than episode 7. Urara more or less put on a one-woman play in anime form, with the added bonus of the medium of animation making for some consistent, yet minimalistic, scene transitions. The way everyone but her silhouetted dad was kept out of frame, and unvoiced, also blurred the lines of fantasy and reality in the episode. The door to her room was something she relied on to see the world outside, the world she wanted to create, even as she used it to lock herself in. It also reminded me of one of the middle episodes of Touka Gettan and how it also utilized the stage play format, not for the characters, but for the audience. The language of theater and the language of animation aren't necessarily bedfellows, but they get along well.

Seraphim Call 12 + Final Thoughts

As Diamond Dust Drops and Sengoku Collection would do afterward, an anthology series must end with all the characters coming together for one last hurrah. Having the characters' faces be projected on the moon is a simple way to do the end credits - and the episode was cutting corners in a lot of places - but on the emotional side of things, I thought it worked. The sci-fi aspect was used creatively, the stories were contrasted, and seeing the technological future city that never was covered in snow was a beautiful image.

While I like Sengoku Collection a little more, this show really clicked for me. The artsy nature of the stories and the things it had to say about humanity through its various heroines was simple, yet powerful, and the things it could do with the cinematography and storytelling techniques could get pretty creative. When a Thunderbirds-esque action hero story and a one-person stage show can coexist in the same series, that's something special.


Shows like this and Tutu make me get more literary, so... speaking of literary, I'm going to next go through four anime in my backlog that all revolve around books in some fashion.

 

[R_thanatos]

Log Horizon S2 7

And dropped.

Considering what happenned in this episode , this is one weird place to drop a serie..

Oh well ...

 

[Midonin]

Sword Art Online II 19

Asuna's home life was never that great, and admitting weakness is the first step towards finding strength. It is true that Asuna's role hasn't been that great this season, so if this goes as well as the hearsay says here, this could be a chance for her to reclaim some good vibes. The battle against (Aoi) Yuki was fun, and I'm curious exactly what this new group she wants Asuna to join entails. The point is that she's on an adventure on her own - and that's a good thing.

 

[Taruranto]

The power of the Cloud #6

I just hope Gaming Side doesn't hear about this.

WAT

Ok, this is kinda cool but you guys still retarded for making everyone in town go crazy.

 

[Himemiya]

The problem is that very often, anime CG looks worse than Star Wars Rebels. And even then, it's a medium where 90% of the shows that come out are done in 2d or at least try to use CG to emulate the 2d style.

Hmm...arguably that's what's being done with Ronja. These are still distinctly ghibli designs.

Here's the ED which features only 2D sketches of the characters.

That said, I think on the whole 2d or at least CG-assisted 2d is still fairly prevalent the norm. Korra, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, all the Adult Swim/Fox crap... in fact, I want to say that all the children's edutainment stuff like that girl who teaches kids languages is all 2D as well. So I don't even know anymore. lol

I think all(?) 2D Western cartoons today are CG-assisted and rely on digital means of production. Flash is a very popular software. We might be discussing people turned off by 3DCG in this thread/anime fandom, but you can find people out there who will cause an uproar over Flash being used in 2D animation. A lot of people complained after the Steven Universe pilot was released and then for the actual show they simplified the designs to use in Flash. And there are even people who hate the whole digital to begin with and won't watch an anime/cartoon not totally hand-drawn/with film grain and all that.

In the West, 3DCG is prevalent. It will not make a show a gauranteed (financial) success though. Polygon Picture's Tron Uprising got cancelled, as did Titmouse's Motorcity, which played on the same channel right before or after it, and the latter is gorgeously done 2D in Flash (and Facinator). I guess it's risky business however you do it.

Popular 3DCG shows like the How to Train Your Dragon show and stuff like Doc McStuffins and Sofia the First targets the really young kids and sells a ton in
merchandise. Interestingly they are done by studios known more for their movies and that have largely abandoned 2D (Dreamworks and Disney). To me that says brand recognition is powerful and kids are the prime market (kind of obvious if you watch cartoons at all).

That's what I've been saying for a while. For kids who grew up in the late 90s and beyond, I notice that very often they don't really see traditional animation in the same way. The appeal isn't ingrained at a young age, and there's no nostalgia at all for older works. Stuff like videogame FMVs and Pixar movies have a much deeper impact on them in terms of what "animation" is.

This article about TV ratings at least shows kids today are watching 2D. I don't know the full implications/context though. I guess they are also watching whatever 3D blockbuster is in theatres. But if they grow up and enter this business in the future they might have nostalgia for 2D.

Anime in Japan exists because there is a culture of passionate people inspiring younger people to take up the art form even though you are likely going to start out working 7 days a week nonstop on physically demanding but trivial work like in-betweening, and getting possibly less than a thousand dollars a month. That culture doesn't exist outside of Japan for animation for various reasons, and honestly I don't think it's healthy to encourage that sort of thing. It is what it is though.

I agree that this happens less outside of Japan, but if there wasn't some sort of culture that loved 2D animation as an art and was inspired by it, it I don't know why shows like Gravity Falls or Steven Universe would be made.

Shows like Archer and Family Guy though...they don't need inspiration; They're basically using relatively cheap and easy means to get across their content. Japan's got some shows like that.

 

[Crash Station]

Wixoss Spread 7

Ulith be crazy.

 

[Midonin]

Waremete 07

Planetarium-building and sweets-cooking, all in a day for these people. Going by Yui's flashback, I think I've figured out the plot, but nt the reasons for it. Especially so, because Kaori getting jealous might potentially impact the future, and Yui may have caused it herself by mistake. Liked the cameos by Sugar on the shopping displays.

 

[R_thanatos]

PSYCHO-PASS 2 - 06

This was a good episode.

I was really entertained , everyone was usefull and kamui plan was decent (and it worked ) Those arrogant division 3 guys died and that was obvious since the start that they were going to meet such fate. i wonder if the survivor is going to join the team.

I just lost it when i was the boat name... kamui , you silly bastard.

 

[TUSR]

I can't wait for SAO to disappear.

 

[MikeHattsu]

OMG MOFU. I need to watch this.

They only dress up like that for a bit though.

Why oh why did you watch this?

It's the funniest thing I've watched this week.

Shows like this and Tutu make me get more literary, so... speaking of literary, I'm going to next go through four anime in my backlog that all revolve around books in some fashion.

You should put YamiBou in your backlog ;P

 

[Midonin]

You should put YamiBou in your backlog ;P

I would, but I've already seen it.

 

[/XX/]

The black dynamite OP by trigger is cg and it looks good.

Trigger saving anime.

We should congratulate their friends (and equal part of the USPI holding) at SANZIGEN Inc., as Mr. Thomas was in Japan in search for their specific collaboration as well!

And talking about 3DCGI, now that CyberConnect2's Mr. Matsuyama realized that with their experience they can directly fight evenly at other turfs, this continuous blurring of lines between fields of expertise is making things much more interesting in the animation industry... and no better way to demonstrate it than going head-on along the recently proclaimed forefront of Japan's animation industry as is Studio Khara:

スタジオカラーVSサイバーコネクトツー ガチンコ!アニメーション対決!!特設サイト
http://www.cc2.co.jp/kharaXcc2/

Love the passion of such a company's CEO. Everything he does, he does it in a intense manner... even being afraid! And they've chosen a fairly recent but promising adversary on Studio Khara's (or χαρ&#945 digital dept., since their first standalone project (http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/meaw/pair_pv.html) until more recent ones (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7g-wnGDksk). It would seem like lately these 'side' projects help the staff at Khara to not stagnate too!

 

[CheapJuice]

Vanadis - 07

Roland is a badass, give me a show about him.
Spooky with the fog illusions and the god of death. The battle in the end was neat. Probably one of my favorite episodes of the show so far.

 

[phaze]

Ergo Proxy 14

The content and non-linearity of the episode did my head in. Though spoon feeding to the viewer the meaning of all of it at the end felt weak.

Finally gathered the courage to take a look at the OP. It's pretty great even if it reuses the footage from the early episodes.

 

[Midonin]

Fate/stay night UBW 06

Caster and Assassin take the stage! Shinji is as despicable as ever. Then I realize I gave up too early a few weeks ago. People can reread stories and find new meaning in them all the time. This show is no exception. So I'll throw out the theory that a visual novel is not always about a self-insert - many nukige are, no getting around that, but even then there's traces of personality even if it's just "lech" - and so, decisions being made when playing F/SN - or any novel, are not quite "you", the audience making decisions as seeing the thought process of the character making them. They still have a personality separate from the reader, the reader is merely getting to look inside them. We're guiding them, but there's still a layer of distance of the screen/page itself, even in a first-person medium. The contrast between this Caster and the previous one is also pretty huge.