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Month: April 2018

Shirobako’s Secrets: The Most Deliberate Anime Industry References

Shirobako’s Secrets: The Most Deliberate Anime Industry References

To celebrate the recently announced Shirobako movie, which will finally give us a chance to follow Aoi Miyamori’s adventures further into the path of anime production, we returned to the TV series to compile some of the most amusing and enlightening nods to real creators and anime industry events that you may have missed throughout the show. Hop on for a fun educational time!

Production Highlights – Hinamatsuri 02-04

Production Highlights – Hinamatsuri 02-04

Hinamatsuri is turning out to be an exhilarating comedy with a lot of heart, in no small part thanks to a handful of key creators on the anime staff doing an outrageous amount of work. Let’s explore the director’s vision, plus the synergies between his style, the source material, and the show’s main animators!

Dragon Pilot: Hisone & Masotan Production Notes 02

Dragon Pilot: Hisone & Masotan Production Notes 02

HisoMaso is back with a much more grounded character episode… as much as you can ground a jet dragon to the floor, anyway. The series is living up to the expectations, not only when it comes to the content of the series but also the wonderful ending that all pre-screening attendees had already been charmed by. Let’s look at the team who’s making this delightfully unique series possible!

Keeping The Anime Industry Afloat From The Shadows: Wanpack And Outsourcing Studios

Keeping The Anime Industry Afloat From The Shadows: Wanpack And Outsourcing Studios

It’s no exaggeration to say that outsourcing studios keep anime alive, and yet fans are still mostly unaware of their integral role in the production of their favorite shows. The disappearance of Studio Wanpack, the biggest company of this kind, serves as an opportunity to explain just how important they were, and also what’s been happening to the many animators who worked for them.

Production Highlights – Comic Girls 01-03

Production Highlights – Comic Girls 01-03

Comic Girls is shaping up to be one of the season’s minor surprises with its amusing cast and the surprising physical depth of the world they inhabit. Let’s explore this approach that allows the production to elevate the material even during the show’s downtime.

Production Highlights – Megalo Box 03

Production Highlights – Megalo Box 03

We’re back with another episode of Megalo Box, since it doesn’t seem to get tired of featuring outstanding work. Things have changed quite a lot this week though: a director with personality and very different priorities arrived to offer the most characterful episode so far, which he personally key animated alongside only one other artist. Quite the achievement!

Dragon Pilot: Hisone & Masotan Production Notes 01

Dragon Pilot: Hisone & Masotan Production Notes 01

We couldn’t miss the opportunity to dig into this original, in all senses of the work, new TV series. We knew Hisone & Masotan was supported by an outrageous lineup of creators, but did the premiere live up to the pedigree of the staff? Time to analyze their work so far!

Isao Takahata: A Complete Retrospective

Isao Takahata: A Complete Retrospective

Grave of the Fireflies was released 30 years ago on April 16, 1988, alongside its equally renowned sibling movie My Neighbor Totoro. Most unfortunately, its visionary director Isao Takahata passed away at the age of 82 just a couple of weeks ago. Today we’re here to honor not just his most famous film, but a whole career filled with revolutionary, sometimes underappreciated work. This is how Takahata changed anime and his own self.

Production Highlights – Megalo Box 02

Production Highlights – Megalo Box 02

Megalo Box returns with another impactful offering, made all the more powerful by a couple of interesting creators worth talking about. We’ll also shed some light on the origins of this project and some important changes that have made this series as accessible as it could be. Don’t miss it!

Production Highlights – Hinamatsuri 01

Production Highlights – Hinamatsuri 01

Hinamatsuri‘s premiere confirmed this is one of this season’s most interesting comedy offerings with its snappy delivery, perfectly complimented by copious amounts of spectacular movement. And so we’re here to talk about the outstanding animation team behind that feat, the director’s approach, and what to expect from this show in the future.