Go here for a selection of backgrounds, character layouts and storyboards from Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (2001) - courtesy of Ron @ Flooby Nooby
BA Hons Computer Animation Arts is a 3 year degree course at the University for the Creative Arts, Rochester, UK.
It's probably not worth to mention how much I enjoyed this animation. The only ones that I liked as much in the same way probably were Miyazaki's "Princess Mononoke" and Yasutaka Tsutsui's "Paprika". Tried to find something more from same studios and directors, but it wasn't as good as those.
ReplyDeleteThis film makes me happy! :)
ReplyDeleteConfession time, ladies and gentlemen... Spirited Away is undeniably beautiful to look at, and I love its invention and character design, and yet... and yet, I find it intensely irritating - taboo, but true! Will I be allowed back in the baseroom or have I just blotted my copybook irrevocably?
ReplyDeleteI was told by a barkeep at a very quiet and out of the way pub. Rather cozy it was; he decided to inform us that the people that produced Spirited Away were originally producers of Anime pornography. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but it's interesting none the less :D
ReplyDeleteOn another note, absolutely love Spirited Away.
I find Miyazaki's/Ghibli films lack warmth or charm, they have a strange aura to them. Like 95% of anime, lack of characterisation runs throughout.
ReplyDeleteI wont descredit his body of work (which is huge and the enormous popularity is evidence of their appeal) but his films aren't my cup of tea.
I wouldn't say that it lacks of warmth and charm. I guess if you take any anime you automatically adapt everything bad from other cheap animes. In my opinion it lacks warmth and charm just as much as any pixar or disney movie - they also always use same face expressions, same eyes, same moves, but anyway everything looks stunning. Maybe it's more of that I find those strict standards in every popular movie. You can take any trailer now and they all look the same. Same voice over, same epic music. I'm not defending Spirited Away, but if you want you can always be critical on anything, It just depends from what do you expect from the movie. If you just want to be entertained, you can watch it, if you want different characters and deeper thoughts, take a look at some more independent works. I don't find any reason to call those characters cold just because it's anime, it's more because it is one of the standards for epic movies.
ReplyDeleteIt's the standard of Anime and a cultural sympton of Japan. Japan as a culture is icey cold, modern Japan being knowingly distanced from reality in a lot of ways. Anime being one form this takes.
ReplyDeleteIt's a style of character that's been born and bred since the earliest days of Manga. Caused largely by cultural tradition and some would argue the Second World War. Particularly the never before seen horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
You're right about Disney films, so many moments leave me cold and disenchanted as viewer (Pinocchio Donkey transformation scene anyone? Bambi?). Believe it or not Disney films were a massive influence on early Manga writers.
With Osamu Tezuka and post-Hiroshima that distanced, icey relationship between the reader and pictures on the page became hugely successful and widespread. Tezuka has influenced literally every Anime director and Manga writer since.
Coldness and lack of characterisation is in the cultural genes of every Manga and Anime ever produced.
You really pointed out everything clearly. I never knew much about anime and its history anyway, so it kind of explains a lot to me. Now I understand what you meant. Thanks.
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