Author: Umaiza Anwar – Bangladesh – PROMPT! Cohort #1
Imagine your life is very stressful and depressive. Then one of your friends suggests you to watch one famous anime series. At first you thought, “How can a Children’s Series help me to recover from depression? Why should I care to see this nonsense?” But then your friend insists that you have no choice. You have started watching that anime series. Then your story starts there.
The moment you have started watching it, your mind goes crazy. It is difficult to stop the urge to see the next episode. You won’t be able to believe the talent of the animators. You will feel like you are in a whole new level of imagination because of the animator’s techniques and their storyline. You won’t be able to forget the amazing actions they are making and the continuation of the story. It really addicts you like playing video games as if you are in heaven where you have never seen anything like it. You will literally feel everything is happening right in front of you in real life. Moreover, it will be hard to concentrate on other things if you start watching it. That’s the blessing of Art where creativity takes place. Art is a lifestyle in which we live in. However, most people think that art is a useless subject and try to ignore it to their best. Other people don’t even realize that the thing they are doing is part of art. This is because wherever we go, we see something that is not being understood properly. For example, a person walks along the street and notices a cook making food with some performances of art. The person might think that it is magical, but he/she won’t be able to understand the way the cook is dealing with the fire or the way he is making his hand movements. All of these are involved in making plans and patterns that must be done to perform the job. As art involves in our lifestyle it also has a broad perspective. Today this blog is about one tiny part of Art: Anime.
Anime in a Nutshell:
Anime refers to Japanese cartoons and animations. It is mostly used for storytelling which includes fantasy, legends, myths, real life situations etc. The word ’anime’ comes from the Japanese word ‘animēshon’
(アニメーション) which means ‘animation’.
History:
In 1907, a private creation named Katsudō Shashin was the first animation work created by an unknown artist. In addition, animation was first publicly shown in 1917, produced by Jun’ichi Koūchi. However, in the 20th century, anime started and changed the lifestyle of people. Anime was influenced by many Western animation pioneers like France, Germany and America.
Benefits of Anime:
There are some significant benefits of Anime from broad perspective to narrow perspective. We can draw and animate our thoughts and help people through anything. Moreover, it expresses creativity and the talent of both drawing and storytelling; the
greater the story, the more views you get. Inspirations and mental health awareness are also included here. For example, you come from your office in a very stressful mood and need entertainment. You can watch the anime which inspires you and can forget about the world around you and enjoy watching the lore of the story.
Modern Anime:
Today the world of anime is becoming popular. It has become a trend and almost all the people around the world knows about it. Stories have become dramatic, graphics have improved, and art style has become better. In addition, blend traditional hand-drawn methods with computer-generated (CG) elements are used in anime such as 3D backgrounds and effects.
Number of Companies supporting anime:
There are thousands of companies supporting Anime. Among them, the famous ones include:
Ufotable– For animating Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge and the Fate series by Kinoko Nasu.
MAPPA– For animating Jujutsu Kaisan by Gege Akutami, Chainsawman by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Kakegurui by Homura Kawamoto, Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill by Ren Eguchi and Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida.
Studio Ghibli- For animating SK8 the Infinity by Ichirō Ōkouchi, My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi, Wolf’s Rain by Keiko Nobumoto, Bungo Stray Dogs by Kafka Asagiri and Mob Psycho 100 by One.
Toei Animation– For animating One Piece by Eiichiro Oda, Dragon Balls by Akira Toriyama, Kado: The Right Answer by Mado Nozaki, Expelled from Paradise by Gen Urobuchi, Girls Band Cry by Jukki Hanada, Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi, Powerpuff Girls Z by Craig McCracken and Robot Girls Z by Go Nagai.
8bit Studio– For animating Blue Lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Tokyo Ravens by Kōhei Azano.
OLM– For animating Pokémon by Satoshi Tajiri, King’s Raid: Successors of the Will by Megumi Shimizu, Ni No Kuni and Yo-Kai-Watch by Akihiro Hino, Pon no Michi by IIS-P, Delusional Monthly Magazine by Hiroko Kanasugi.
Anime universities in Japan:
There are 10 main animation universities in Japan. Here are some names- Kyoto Seika University, Tama Art University and Tokyo University of Arts. Not to mention there are also vocal schools that teach anime. Tokyo College of Anime, Japan Animation & Manga College (JAM), Amusement Media School and Toei Animation Institute are some of them. We can take Master’s or Bachelor’s degree to study anime at vocal schools. These degrees cover skills such as storytelling, character design, anime techniques, digital tools and production.
Steps to become an Animator:
To become an anime animator, there are 6 steps that one should follow:
1. Pursue Co-secondary education:
Many employers prefer candidates with Bachelor’s
Or Master’s degree. One can study abroad on Japanese universities to complete animation programs that especially focus on anime. However, if you want to study in the USA, consider majoring in traditional animation which is the appropriate route because most American colleges don’t have degree programs focused on anime. You can also take anatomy or physics courses to understand how to draw characters. Other appropriate majors can be based on new media digital media, visual arts and fine arts.
2. Build your portfolio:
Many colleges require their students to complete their portfolio before graduation. You may include assignments you have submitted for your classes which include anime related pieces. You should use different software and techniques to illustrate. In addition, employers often like to see sample of your work to determine whether you would be a good fit for their production studios.
3. Complete internships:
Many anime production studios in the USA and worldwide offer internship programs. You can look for these opportunities by searching online. By doing internship, interns can work on real projects, get more practice with the industries’ most common software and learn from experienced anime animators. After completing one or two internships, your experience will help you to get a full-time job at production studios.
4. Watch different Anime Series:
By watching various shows, you can gain inspiration from other animators and can develop your own style. Production studios tend to appreciate animators with unique approaches that allow them to create interesting and successful shows.
5. Obtain relevant certifications:
Besides the Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, some anime related certifications can add value to your resume. For example, pursuing an animation drawing and visual effects, and certification can improve your artistic skills. However, before enrolling any certification course, one should verify the organization’s reputation to ensure the credibility of the certifications.
6. Apply for a job:
In the Final stage try looking for the positions by searching online or asking people in your network. Anime jobs are more available in Japan, but you can find opportunities at the production companies in the US and worldwide which may allow you to explore remote positions.
Common degree paths:
Common degrees for anime animators are-1.Bachelor of Art in Animation (BA) which focuses on the creativity and imaginative aspects of animation, providing foundational technical skills.
2. Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation (BFA) which emphasizes on artistic expression and experiment in the field of animation.
3. Bachelor of Design (BDES) which can provide a broad foundation in visual communication and design.
3. Bachelor of Science (BSc) in animation which combines animation style of technology and visual effects.
Other related fields can be Computer Graphics or field studies and visual arts which include aspects of computer science alongside artistic training and can also provide valuable insights in the storytelling and the visual effects of the animation.
Key Skills and Knowledge:
You can earn the key skills and knowledge by mastering 2D and 3D animation software, digital drawing and emotion graphics. You can also do artistic foundation courses through which you can learn strong drawing, design principals and storytelling abilities. Moreover, industrial experiments through internship can add value to your resume in the competitive animation industry.
The Salary of Anime Animators:
Anime animators’ salary varies significantly by the location, experience and studio. In Japan, the entry level positions potentially start around ¥ 1.1-2 million annually ($8000-$1500 USD). However, in the USA, the annual animator salary is around $41,252 but it can be much higher for experience professionals for both countries.
Starting as a Fresh:
We can also graduate and enter the study of Anime. While a specific “anime job market” course isn’t always required, foundational short courses or degrees in animation, computer graphics, or fine arts are often necessary to build skills for roles like animators or special effects artists. Doing a short course with a degree or extensive portfolio creation can significantly improve your chances in the competition.
Emerging Markets:
Some countries like the United States, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam promote for popular viewership, and European countries like Italy, France, and Germany have emerging fan bases among young adults. Some countries even produce their own animated films and series, sometimes referred to as an anime.
New Technology of Anime:
AnimeTech is changing the anime industry by integrating technologies like AI, CGI and new machines into animation productions. Anime AI is anime art generated with AI or artificial intelligence. Ai generator works by using a machine learning model that scans images online and we can write the description for the character, and the AI can generate for us.
CGI anime is a subcategory of VFX (visual effects). It refers to scenes, effects and images created with computer software.
Fun Facts of Anime:
As we are talking about anime, we should know some fun facts about it:
1. Kimi no Na Wa is the third highest-grossing anime film of all time!
2. The longest-running anime has more than 7,500 episodes
3. ‘Spirited Away’ is the first anime film to be nominated for an Academy Award and won!
4. Characters in ‘Spirited Away’ have meaningful names
5. Naruto was supposed to be a chef!
6. 50 new colors were created for ‘Akira
7. The name ‘Pokémon’ comes from English
8. Pokémon characters were named after fighters
9. ‘Haikyuu’ was created to make volleyball popular
10. Many Studio Ghibli films are based off books
11. Death Note is banned in China
12. There is a reason the series is called ‘Bleach’
