Animation Basics Animation's Creative World and Style
GCC Academy
Hello
In this lecture, we will learn about
the creative world and style of animation
We will explore the development history of animation
in the United States and Japan
the major studios
and the trends in animation from both countries
to investigate the diverse
creative worlds of animation
First, we will discuss the originality
and unique value of animation
First, animation is constantly asked the question of why
it should be animation, why do we make it
First of all, the freedom of expression and imagination
can be considered the biggest characteristics
While live action films are subject to
physical constraints and various limitations
animation is the creation of entirely fabricated images
It is free from these restrictions
The advantage is that it allows for the expression of
infinite imagination and the ability to make
the impossible or non-existent possible
Additionally, since the production process is created
frame by frame
it is possible to intentionally arrange
every element and have complete control over them
which is another distinctive feature
For example, in Spirited Away
we can see the unique world and characters
that are difficult to express in live action
Secondly, there is the aspect of stylization and aesthetics
If we fully utilize the limitless creative freedom
mentioned earlier
it becomes possible to enhance the message through stylization
in aspects such as characters, backgrounds, and colors
And it becomes possible to visualize emotions and inner thoughts
It allows for the concrete expression of abstract emotions
or the visual composition of internal monologues
Through this, it becomes possible to freely express
and utilize symbols and metaphors
And then there is the aesthetics of exaggeration and omission
Through selective emphasis or omission of reality
it is possible to maximize the expression of a character’s emotions
and highlight essential elements, extracting them more effectively
And we can also mention the diversity of styles
Realistic expression is possible, as well as abstract expression
and by reflecting cultural characteristics
the individuality of the creator can be captured and maximized
For example, through color design
it is possible to maximize emotions or the atmosphere
A representative example of this
would be works like, Your Name
There is also a slight difference in the way characters
and emotions are conveyed
Animation characters can convey emotions directly and intensely
through exaggerated expressions and actions
This technique is commonly known as squash and stretch
In live-action, emotions are conveyed
through the actor's performance
but in animation, it is possible to visually systematize this
allowing for exaggeration and omission
And it can be considered a true form of comprehensive art
Animation is a unique medium created through
the balanced collaboration of various creative teams
including animation, direction, music, and editing
While in live action, the interaction between actors
and real environments holds the most weight
animation can be considered an art form that incorporates
a wide range of elements, such as music, drawing, and images
all created by us in a comprehensive manner
The unique value of animation
can first be described as the transcendent
delivery of emotions and messages
It is a medium that transcends realistic constraints
and can convey philosophical and social messages
For example, in The Lion King, we can see symbolic narratives
or in Attack on Titan's social allegories
These are some of the exemplary works
Secondly, animation is a representative medium
of cultural diversity and creativity
In modern times, animation is a medium
that aligns with society and the digital age
serving as a communication tool that spans across generations
Its universal nature transcends cultural boundaries
often referred to as a stateless content, making it a globally accessible
Since we have complete control over the creation of images
it means that animation is not
bound by specific constraints
As various technologies advance
the techniques and areas also expand
By leveraging the digital nature of animation
its compatibility with new digital platforms
and its expressive possibilities can continue to expand
I will briefly explain it again later
I would say that it is highly advantageous
for development into interactive content and similar forms
It can also be considered
entertainment for all age groups
Live action media often targets specific age groups
or the protagonist is typically a character
who represents a certain target group
However, in animation, it is possible to appeal to a wide audience
from children to adults, through virtual characters
or anthropomorphized figures
For example, Pixar's works are
mostly targeted at family audiences
We can see examples where even non-existent emotions are
personified into characters
The Chronology and Development of Japanese Animation
Japan and the United States account for
about 80% of the global animation market
and to put it more boldly
they could be said to be dominating it
They have been pioneers
leading the history of animation to that extent
First, let's take a look at the chronological development
of Japanese animation studios by generation
The first generation can be considered the early animation era
spanning from the 1950s to the 1970s
This period marks the dawn of the animation industry
a time when production shifted from theatrical films
to TV animation series
and Japan established its unique and original style
breaking free from the influence of American Disney
The animation studios I’m mentioning here may be names
that are somewhat unfamiliar to us
However, when looking at their representative works
many of them are quite familiar to us
Among them, Toei Animation is an exception
Representative works like Hakujaden
or Sarutobi Sasuke have never been imported to Korea
It's because those works convey strong Japanese culture and style
However, studios like Tatsunoko Production
Mushi Production, and Tokyo Movie are
famous for anime that we are familiar with
such as Speed Racer, originally Mahha GoGoGo
Science Ninja Team
Gatchaman
Astro Boy, The Jungle Book
and Lupin III and these studios produced many
Japanese animation works
that we have been importing since the 80s
Especially for my generation, these are very familiar pieces of content
The second generation, the period of animation's industrial expansion
The 1980s to the early 1990s, and the characteristics of this period are
This is the period when TV animation experienced explosive growth
It is also the period when the genre of Original Video Animation
developed, along with the explosive spread of video
with TV series and OVA
with the widespread availability of media
it became possible to air animations through more accessible platforms
This can be considered the period when animation
was fully commercialized and became mainstream
Additionally, along with this, animation developed into various genres
Major studios of this period
include the well known Studio Ghibli
With representative works like My Neighbor Totoro
and Spirited Away
Another studio is Sunrise
which you may not be familiar with by name
but it is the studio that produced
the very famous mecha anime Mobile Suit Gundam
And Madhouse is a studio known for creating very unique tones
and manners in its visual style
and it's established during this period
Its representative works include Perfect Blue, Cardcaptor Sakura
and Mushashi Jubei
It is also a studio that produced works
that were very popular in Korea
And AIC
Representative works from here is Angel's Egg
and El Hazard
This company can be considered to have utilized OVA
a company as a leader of the OVA era
In addition, there was Gainax
the studio that produced the very well known anime series
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION
Also, J.C. STAFF
is known for works like His and Her Circumstances
and The Irregular at Magic High School
a company which was established in 1986
Additionally, Nippon Animation
with well known works such as Dog of Flanders
Anne of Green Gables
Next, the third generation, globalization
and the digital transition
This period spans from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s
The characteristics of this period include
Digital animation technology was introduced
And there was an increase in works targeted at the global market
which also marked a period when the reach of
Japanese animation expanded significantly
Therefore, this can be seen as a period when theatrical films
TV series, and OVA all grew simultaneously
One of the key studios
of this period is
called, Bones
In fact, Bones is a studio that is very familiar to
many people in Korea who are fans of animation
Its representative works include
Fullmetal Alchemist and Space Dandy
They have consistently produced many works
that are popular with
the current MZ generation
Additionally, Production I.G was also
very active during this period
Representative works include the globally known
Ghost in the Shell
and the sports anime Haikyuu!! which has gained
immense popularity with the MZ generation
is also produced by Production I.G
Another studio with considerable recognition
in Korea is Kyoto Animation, known for works like
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
or A Silent Voice
And also CoMix Wave and XEBEC
CoMix Wave is a studio
that grew primarily by producing the works of Makoto Shinkai
Additionally, an animation called Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
which achieved moderate success in Korea
was produced by XEBEC
and it was also active during this period
The fourth generation refers to
the modern animation era, which began after 2010
The characteristics of this period include
the growth of streaming services, globalization
the activation of crowdfunding for independent studios
and use of 3D animation technology
A major studio during this period is MAPPA
Representative works are Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man
which are still highly beloved today
WIT Studio is the company that produced
the previous seasons of Attack on Titan
Science SARU is a studio known for producing
highly original and experimental styles of animation
Especially now, Science SARU is doing exceptionally well
The work Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
is currently being streamed on Netflix
with excellent direction and animation quality
Science SARU is a highly accomplished studio
Another well-known studio is CloverWorks
which gained recognition with the anime Spy x Family
Based on the timeline
if we briefly review the history of Japanese animation
Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astro Boy
must be mentioned as a key figure
In a way, before this period
animation production was a highly expensive
and the term limited animation was implemented
during this period
By utilizing highly limited
animation effective
Osamu Tezuka established an effective method of directing
which allowed for a more cost effective production
This became a significant business model that
made it possible to produce TV series animation
It was a period
that laid the foundation
for significant industrial development
Through this
by selling merchandise and toys linked to the animation
a business model was established during this period
This model allowed for building recognition through broadcasts
and accumulating revenue through merchandising
a framework that has continued
to be used for anime IPs to this day
and another point is
the contributions of Toei Animation
For example, Heidi, Girl of the Alps
which is widely known and loved in Korea
The World Masterpiece Theater series began during this period
Through these works, Miyazaki and Takahata
became widely known
for their collaboration
Additionally, the content of these works often had
Western fairy tales or settings as their backdrop
which made them even more appealing and relatable to a global audience
The production system was established with division of labor
and quality control systems
talent development systems
were much more organized and systematized
And one more thing
would be the development and diversification of genres
In this period, robot animation took a leap
In the early days, series like Mazinger Z and Gundam
and Gundam depicted stories through the combination of war and robots
However, there was a shift with the emergence of
psychologically narrative-focused works such as Evangelion
In modern times, works like 86 Eighty Six
diving deeply into social aspects and social systems
There has been a trend toward the development of such works
and especially for Japanese animation industry
The time slip and time leap genres are indispensable
This topic has been around long time
with works like Paul's Miraculous Adventure
that we watched when we were young
and many other works from Tatsunoko Production
that deal with themes of time travel
This genre of time travel has continued to evolve and develop
like in The Town Where Only I Am Missing
with redemption narrative where past is intervened to save the present
and like in Your Name, with fate overcoming narrative
where they try to achieve love through disaster prevention
and like in The Girl Who Leap Through Time
personal growth is achieved through self discovery
via time travel
and more recent works like Summertime Render
which combines mystery and time loops
These genres have steadily
continued to to develop
And, in a way
genres like everyday coming of age stories
school dramas, and pure slice of life works
as well as sports genres like Slam Dunk and Haikyuu!!
fantasy, and alternate world stories
have consistently emerged and evolved
A representative example would be Inuyasha
and more recently, works like Sword Art Online
which are set in virtual reality
Also, there are dark fantasy works like Demon Slayer
These works are also praised for blending
tradition and action, while mixing various genres
to establish new genres of their own
They are also setting new standards for budgets in theatrical films
And thirdly, we can talk about
modernization and new challenges
The 1990s saw significant innovation, influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion
which brought innovation not only in content
but also in psychological narratives, religious and philosophical motifs
and the reinterpretation of the mecha genre
Industrially, the establishment of late night anime programming
where anime targeted at older age groups began
airing during late night time slots
Works like Ghost in the Shell
became a turning point, gaining global attention
Technologically, it was also highly innovative, with a blend of 3D
digital animation, and traditional hand drawn techniques
It is considered a work that established
the visual style of cyberpunk
contributing to the modernization of anime
Additionally, these works were often
remade into Hollywood films
In other words, outstanding works emerged that set
new standards for the sci fi genre, receiving critical acclaim
Chronology and Development of American Animation
Next, let's divide American animation studios by generation
and summarize their key characteristics and representative works
The first generation marks the beginning of the early animation era
spanning from the 1920s to the 1940s
This period can be considered the dawn of animation
It started with silent animation and then transitioned to sound animation
In other words, it was the period when animation transitioned
to include voiceovers, with sound becoming a key element
and it can be considered
the golden age of theatrical short films
A major studio during this period is Walt Disney Studios
one of the most prominent pioneers
During this period
there were works like Pinocchio
and Dumbo which has an elephant as a protagonist
There was also Fleischer Studios
which was actually established before Disney
Betty Boop is a character animation series
that is not widely known in Korea
but has been a classic in the U.S. for many years
Additionally, works like Popeye
have been aired in Korea as well
Warner Bros., also well-known for producing films and TV shows
was established in 1933 during this period
Representative works include the Looney Tunes series
featuring the iconic rabbit, and Merrie Melodies
And MGM Studios which produce movies
they also established a cartoon studio
established in 1934
The Tom and Jerry series is one of the most well known works from MGM's cartoon studio
The second generation, often referred to as the golden age
of TV animation series
spans from the 1950s to the 1970s
It was a period when the industry shifted
from theatrical short films to TV animation
and low-budget TV series
began to rise rapidly
Hanna Barbera Productions
although not as well known in Korea
was a highly famous production in the U.S., almost as iconic as Disney
Representative works include The Flintstones
known in Korea as The Bedrock Family
Scooby-Doo, and Tom and Jerry, which were later continued
as TV series by Hanna-Barbera
Additionally, there were Jay Ward Productions
UPA, and Filmation studios
These studios produced works that may not be as familiar in Korea
such as Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mr. Magoo
Superman, and Super Friends
The third generation marks the period
when the animation industry was reborn
It spans from the 1980s to the 1990s
This period can be described as the revival of Disney
and the Renaissance era of animated films
It can be described as a period
characterized by various experiments
and creative innovations in TV animation
This was also the period when computer graphics
were fully introduced into animation production
The major studios active during this period include Walt Disney
which I referred to earlier as experiencing a revival
After a period of not being able to exert significant influence
Disney achieving a great success
with The Little Mermaid in 1989
Following that, Disney continued its successful formula
by launching theatrical films
such as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King
further solidifying its success
In 1987, Blue Sky Studios, based in New York
was established, specializing in creating innovative 3D animation
using computer graphics technology
One of its representative works is Ice Age
And there's Don Bluth Productions
founded by former Disney animator Don Bluth
Representative works from Don Bluth Productions
include An American Tail
which may not be as well-known in Korea
Additionally, there's Tiny Toon Adventure
an evolution of Looney Tunes
featuring a wider range of characters
And then Pixar Animation Studios
which we are all familiar with, was founded
Pixar Animation Studios was the production company
that revolutionized the use of computer graphics in 3D animation
Representative works from Pixar include Toy Story
and A Bug's Life, both of which achieved tremendous success
The fourth generation can be described
as the digital age and the era of globalization
This period spans from the 2000s to the early 2010s
It can be considered the golden age of 3D animation
And before the rise of streaming services
this period can be considered the golden age of theatrical animated films
It was also a period when independent animation studios
and experimental works saw a significant increase
Key studios from this period include
DreamWorks Animation, Blue Sky Studios, Sony Pictures Animation
Nickelodeon Movies, and Laika
Works from these studios have been widely introduced in Korea
This period saw the release of works like
Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Ice Age Hotel Transylvania
Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, SpongeBob SquarePants
as well as Avatar series Coraline
and Kubo and the Two Strings
which was released in 2016
Laika is a production company that, until then
Aardman from the UK was the most famous
creating stop-motion animation
The establishment of a stop-motion animation studio
in the U.S. in 2005 was a very unusual and significant development
The studio received positive reviews
and established a strong presence
during that time is indeed considered a very unique
and noteworthy achievement
And then, the fifth generation, which is modern animation
It is a period characterized by diversity
This period saw the rapid growth of streaming platforms
like Netflix, making them mainstream media
and since streaming is internet based
it also marked a time
when all launched content
naturally expanded to a global audience
It is also an era when established major studios
began to challenge new technologies and formats
As a result, it was a period when a wide variety of animated works
were being produced and released
through various media platforms in large numbers
The major studios of this period
include Pixar Animation Studios which, as mentioned earlier
continues to perform excellently and remains active to this day
Additionally, Walt Disney, Sony Pictures
and Netflix Animation have been producing original animations
through collaborations with various independent studios
and large production companies
And Illumination Entertainment is
a unique studio that was originally based in France
After being acquired by Universal
it is now integrated and referred to as part of Universal Studios
One of their most notable works is Despicable Me
which, as a single animated film holds the record
for one of the highest-grossing animated films to date
They are also well-known for works like
Minions and Super Mario Bros
Additionally, like I mentioned earlier
the stop-motion animation studio Laika
also created Missing Link during this period
The New Trends in Modern Animation
Finally, the new trends in modern animation
There are various trends
Let’s take a look at some of the key trends
among the various new developments
The first trend I’d like to highlight is
the unique body of work of director Makoto Shinkai
which cannot be overlooked
His first work, Voices of a Distant Star released in 2002
was made on a very low budget
Despite it was made with a one man creator feel
the film gained significant praise for its unique imagery
and through word of mouth, began to gain attention
almost like a modern day reverse trend
With this positive evaluation
he was able to attract investors and collaborating production companies
and from then on, he continued to create excellent works
One of his works, The Garden of Words
is praised for its evolution in style
The film features hyper realistic depictions of urban landscapes
intricate portrayals of light and sunlight
and a delicate balance between everyday life
and fantasy, showcasing
his refined artistic progression
During this period, many other creators and animation studios
influenced by Makoto Shinkai's works
began to emulate his distinctive style
Despite receiving acclaim for its unique artistic qualities
his works had not achieved significant commercial success
But Your Name released in 2016
became a massive success, especially in China, Japan, and Korea
It was visually striking
innovative, and of very high quality
Indeed, it is the key factor that serve
as the foundation for the success
Additionally, narratively Your Name revitalized
the time travel or time leap genre, which is often used in Japanese animation
In a way, Your Name redefined and reinforced
the time-leap genre through its massive commercial success
and following its release, many other Japanese time leap genre animations
experienced a resurgence, gaining significant attention
Another key trend we should highlight
is the new technologies
and methods of expression in modern animation
There are several aspects to consider
In the case of ufotable's Demon Slayer series
although the fusion of 2D and 3D has been tried for a while
it can be said that this series represents the pinnacle of such method
It has been praised for achieving the optimal harmony
between traditional animation and digital effects
The action scenes are so well directed that
to borrow a term from YouTube culture, they are often referred to as god tier
dditionally, MAPPA is well-known
for its work on Attack on Titan
One of the elements that raised questions about
how it could be depicted in animation
given that the original source is a manga
was the 3D maneuver gear
It has been highly praised for
how well it was represented in 3D
By depicting large scale battle scenes incredibly well
It has grown into a studio that generates great anticipation
Since then, works like Chainsaw Man
being praised for experimental direction
comic elements
It has received positive reviews for
unique camera for unique camera work
that brilliantly animates those comic elements
In addition, the increase in international co-productions
which in fact doesn't need to be looked for far
as there are many animations co-produced by Korea and France
The English title is Miraculous
but in Korea, it is known as Bugs Lady?
Anyway, even in the case of 3D animations
it was a co-production between France and Korea
and in fact, many works from various countries
have been created through
cross-border co-productions
As cultures blend like this
it starts to be reflected in the works as well
A representative example is the highly successful
animated series on Netflix
Blue Eye Samurai, while it is set in Japan
it tells the story of a Westerner
a Western woman with blue eyes
living as a samurai
These can now be considered
representative examples of cultural fusion
In addition, as streaming services became the mainstream platform
competition began to intensify
Netflix focuses heavily on unique visual effects
and as a result, through a co-production
with the French company Fortiche Production
well-known for the League of Legends game cinematic
has created
a highly successful animated series
called Arcane
Through collaboration with Japan's Trigger Studio
they created Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
utilizing the world of the game Cyberpunk 2077
by the Russian game studio CD Project
Additionally, they are creating visually innovative works
through various collaborations with Japanese
and other production companies
Disney Plus, on the other hand, has been focusing on expanding its universe
through animated works that utilize various franchises
such as Marvel and Star Wars
by absorbing these franchises
Another streaming service
Amazon Prime
targets an adult audience
and has launched many highly violent works
tailored to that demographic
Invincible, for example, may appear
to be a typical superhero animation
but its content and level of violence depiction
are quite bold and intense
This can also be seen as Amazon Prime attempting
to create new animated works
that align with the nature of their streaming service
We have covered the history of Japanese and American animation
and also looked at the new trends in the animation industry
Finally, what I would like to mention is
the future challenges of Korean animation
Currently, Korean animation has been
overly focused on young children
It is not easy to transition away from being focused on young children
It is a market where it has to compete with the major works
that I mentioned earlier
In a way, this can be considered the mainstream market
and to break into this market, it will be necessary to surpass
existing works in terms of expressiveness, direction, and technical skills
These aspects will need to be developed and cultivated
And in a way
animations will likely be created
and launched primarily through global streaming platforms
Through this, it could be said that
like the expression, the most Korean is the most global
one of the future challenges will be
to strike a balance between local elements
and global appeal by blending Korean uniqueness with themes
that can resonate in the global market
This concludes today's lecture, thank you
The originality and unique value of animation The originality of animation Freedom of expression and imagination
Stylization and aesthetics Direct emotional expression through exaggerated facial expressions and actions A true form of comprehensive art
The unique value of animation Transcendental delivery of emotions and messages A medium representing cultural diversity and creativity Content for all ages
Chronology and development of Japanese animation Generation 1: Early animation (1950s–1970s) Birthday of the animation industry Expansion of production into TV animation Establishment of a unique Japanese style
2nd Generation: Industry Expansion Animation (1980s-early 1990s) Explosive growth of TV animation The era of OVA (Original Video Animation) Popularization of animation
3rd Generation: Globalization and Digital Transition Animation (Late 1990s to Mid 2000s) Introduction of digital animation technology Increase in works targeting the global market Simultaneous increase in theatrical releases, TV series, and OVAs
4th Generation: Modern Animation (2010s and later) Growth of streaming services and globalization Activation of independent production companies and cloud funding Full-scale use of 3D animation technology
The history and development of American animation 1st Generation: The Beginning of Early Animation (1920s–1940s)
The birth of animation and the golden age of theatrical short animations Transition from silent animation to sound animation
2nd Gen, The Golden Age of TV Animation (1950s–1970s) Shift from theatrical animations to TV animation as the central focus Low-budget TV series
3rd Generation: The Rebirth of the Animation Industry (1980s–1990s) The revival of Disney and the renaissance of animated films
Various experiments and creative attempts in TV animation Gradual introduction of computer-generated imagery (CGI)
4th Generation: The Digital Age and Globalization (2000s–Early 2010s) The golden age of 3D animation
The golden age of feature-length animation before streaming services Independent animation studios and experimental works rise
Generation 5: Diversity and streaming in contemporary animation(2010s onwards) The rise of streaming platforms and global expansion The rise of independent studios and diverse experimental works
The new trends in contemporary animation The works of Makoto Shinkai
Establishment of a unique style: Evolution of style in description and expression compared to early works Commercial success and artistry: Visual and narrative innovation achieved through 'Your Name' (2016)
New technologies and ways of expression Digital innovation: ufotable’s technology and MAPPA’s challenge New ways of producing: The rise of international co-productions
Changes in platforms and future prospects Netflix, Expansion of original series focused on visual effects
Disney+: Expansion of universe using various franchise animations Prime Video: Targeting adults with violent and bold themes