Animation fundamentals – A short history of Layout
In my previous post, I mentioned that I would make a follow-up about the role of the layout in the production process of anime, so here it is. However, here, I also hope to show that the layout isn’t as simple as I explained last time: if you take a historical...
Animation fundamentals – Layout and storyboard, what’s the difference ?
You may have already seen sakuga fans complimenting cuts, and especially something that they call “layouts” ; on the other hand, when they talk about the cinematography or direction, they tend to evoke the “storyboards” or “ekonte” (I’m going to use the English word...
Animation Fundamentals – Timing and Spacing
Animation is an art, but it’s also a craft. And it is precisely by understanding the craft that you get to understand the art, how it works, and what it means. The goal of this series is just that: laying out some fundamental techniques and concepts of the craft that...
Kamichu! #14 – Animating from under the kotatsu
You can read a breakdown of the first episode of Kamichu here ! If you know a bit about the Japanese lifestyle, or if you’ve seen enough anime, you may be aware of the fact that most Japanese houses have this thing called a kotatsu : a table covered by a futon under...
Sakuga Espresso
Sakuga Espresso is our column about appreciating great animation in a format short enough to be read along with a shot of Espresso. ☕️ What makes a scene stand out? How do the drawings convey emotions? Join us as we breakdown what makes stunning animation....
Character animation done right : Kamichu ! #01 breakdown
Kamichu !’s first episode is pretty much a self-contained story, and that’s why it works so well : in 24 minutes, it establishes its characters and setting, quickly reaches a narrative and thematic climax, and resolves it with a beautiful confession scene in the sky....
Fuchi no Mori – Meeting with Hayao Miyazaki
The cleaning of Fuchi no Mori, a forest located near Hayao Miyazaki's residence, gathers volunteers to help the famous director maintain the place, ensuring its cleanliness and upkeep. Volunteers are then thanked by being able to address a few words to Mr. Miyazaki....
Episodic Gurren Lagann Interviews with Director Hiroyuki Imaishi & co. – Episode 6 (Anime Style, January 2008)
This Gurren Lagann Episodic Interview continues the series of translations previously published on Wave Motion Cannon. You can read the previous parts by following these links:Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5Gurren Lagann: the most talked-about, high-quality...
Fire Force – Animation Review – Episode 1
The first episode of Fire Force was amazing. My jaw dropped to the floor and it stayed there. Explosion after explosion, flame after flame; I was glued to the screen. It would be really easy to keep gushing and just rant about how awesome this singular episode from a...