Anime Animation Styles

[Kinetic]

[font=Verdana][size=2][color=gray]Wow, I just wrote out a long and detailed post about animation styles and such and I could have sworn I copied it in case something happened. Well, something happened and when I paste, it comes out as my post in another thread that I copied my post from >.< [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2][color=#808080]However, for the sake of conversation, I'll rewrite it for the most part.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2][color=#808080]What kind of animation tickles your fancy? Honestly, animation is one of the most important factors in an anime to me. Call me shallow if you may, but it's my opinion. An anime could have the most fascinating plot that has ever touched my ears, so stunning that it feels as though I could reach out and touch it, but if the animation is sloppy in any way, I'll blow it off as if it were nothing.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=2][color=#808080]This could just be my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder talking, but bad animation is visually irritating. Things such as Thundercats and Lupin the 3rd come to mind. I disgust those animes for their animation alone (although I'm not quite fond of their plots or characters either). It's mainly sloppy animation and old animation with that grainy texture, but they are quite annoying. What are your opinions on this subject?[/color][/size][/font]

[JCBaggee]

[color=red][size=1]Well, I feel it just depends on the series.

The animation on "Thundercats" suited the series perfectly. It wouldn't work with, say, "Cowboy Bebop" (granted, comparing the two are like Apples and Pluto, but lets not go into that), but the reverse wouldn't apply either.

There is no animation I truly disgust, to be honest. Sometimes, the older animation is better than the current. Its not a matter of whats on the page, its about the soul of what you're looking at.

--Chris[/color][/size]

[Maully]

[color=green]I can usually look past animation if the plot is good. One case I couldn't the was Kikaider. I have heard that it's an excellent show, but I just never really got into it. and it was mostly due to the animation.

I feel that animation styles are an important asset to an anime. It helps set the tone of the show. You said you didnt like Lupin III. I find the animation , while a little rudimentary, suits the show. The animation can enhance the realism of the setting and the characters in the show. Cowboy Bebop has a very realistic tone set to a sci-fi futuristic setting because it looks like it could be real. Lupin has a set of goofy characters and goofy plotlines that cal for the less developed sense of realism and seriousness. I think that was my problem with Kikaider. It was a serious show, but didn't have serious animation to go with it. It had a simplistic animation to go with a very complex plot.[/color]

[Flashlight]

Animation styles really depend on the show, but a few things I generally hate are bad use of CGI effects/blending, use of too many stills, or just little things like that. Most of my list probably goes the same with anything.
One thing you should remember about Lupin the Third is that it is a fairly old show. (One thing I hate about the dub on CN is that some jokes or lines have been updated for modern times). For it's time, the animation was great. :)

[ElrickOtaku]

I really liked both the crisp and sharp animation of Gasaraki, and the more 'twiggy' and angular look of Evangelion. Both looks seem appropriate to both series.

In the end, I think that the animation just becomes appropriate to the series, and so it is the characters, the plot and other elements that become the most important part of a series, rather than the animation.

[Xra]

[font=Fixedsys]Well...animation for me doesn't effect the entire show...more like half. An anime should have both a decent storyline, and a decent quality of animation.[/font]

[font=Fixedsys]A decent storyline would be something deep with twists and more enemies(i guess:/). Nothing shallow and bland. Gundam Wing is a nice example.[/font]

[font=Fixedsys]Decent animation would just have to be clear and depictable. Nothing really too scribbly. What gives these new animes a plus is the fluence through the animation cells and the crisp style of the picture. Blue Seed was quite nice at that.[/font]

[font=Fixedsys]Ok, so it doesn't really go for everything. That's just how I normally see things. I make exceptions though...[/font]

[Bio]

[font=tahoma][color=sienna]When I saw this thread, one anime came to mind. [i]Final Fantasy Unlimited.[/i] The animation would swing in and out of proportion, and at times it would make me cringe. I suppose it's supposed to be a happy-go-lucky style, but seriously, it's comaparable to [i]Lupin III.[/i] Everyone's face shape is the same, except maybe Kaze. But then, his is the same as Mikenshi. And this, to me, made it not worth watching, and definitely not worth buying the next volume.

And then there's [i]Witch Hunter Robin.[/i] Fluid, sharp, and realistic animation with characters that are easily identifiable. The story isn't bad either, but I doubt that I'd watch it if the animation were like that of [i]Lupin III.[/i] I don't know, but it's like shows with real people. I don't think [i]24[/i] would be too appealing in black and white.[/color][/font]

[erinzyger]

[color=darkolivegreen][b][font=tahoma]I despise, oppose, loathe, and generally hate Thundercats. Bad animation and the writing wasn't much better. I don't usually judge a show by it's animation, but I guess I have a few favorite (and least favorite) styles of animation. First off, I really like the animation of things like Megami Kohousei (Candidate for Goddess) and Voices of a Distant Star. I don't know why but I like the difference between the normal characters with the clear animation and the 3D'd mechas. I like the Lupin the 3rd style. Screwy character designs for a screwy show. Like I said, I hate Thundercats. It's too...realistic. But not even like Cowboy Bebop realistic. [i]Old[/i] realistic. And I don't particularily like Cyborg 009's or Kikaider's animation. I totally agree with Molleta: Serious show with not so serious artwork. Too kiddish. But, the master of all animation matches is the Miyazaki films. I think his animation fits his stories perfectly, in every one I've seen so far.[/color][/b][/font]

[Dagger]

While I definitely value fluid animation, I feel that consistent artwork should come first. I've seen flashy, beautifully animated shows whose character designs changed from episode to episode, or even from scene to scene. On a different note, I wouldn't mind Inuyasha's minimalistic action sequences if its protagonists' facial features didn't frequently become misshapen.

Some recent series--such as X-TV and Last Exile--showcase film-quality animation, complete with many mind-blowing battle sequences. Even their dialogue-heavy scenes are smoothly drawn and enjoyable to watch. But all the glossy action in the world won't make me love an anime. Likewise, I'm fond of several older, jerkier shows (including Yu Yu Hakusho and Revolutionary Girl Utena). A compelling plot and well-crafted script should not be forgotten in favor of visual splendor.

~Dagger~

[Ani_Freak]

[color=darkblue]To me, animation styles vary on the series or anime they are implemented into. I am a huge Robotech/Macross fan, and even though old, it's way better than many new animes out there. The animation is very much what many of you dislike, but still I find it more appealing than Inuyasha, and that is because of plot. The characters are more "real" in the way they express the emotion, even though the quality of Inuyasha far excedes that of Robotech.

Take as example, how many countless Gundam fans are there. Compare G Gundam with Gundam Wing. Wing is definetly more visually appealing than G(the way I see it), but why does everyone, or most people, like Gundam, no matter what series is it. It's mostly because plot and overall feel it carries.

The way I see it, animation styles go hand in hand with what the story is about. The incredible style Witch Hunter Robin has would not work with say, X-TV.

On the other hand you have very flashy series, beautifully done animation, and still, it feels it lacks something. Take for example Burn Up. The animation is very nice, but it lacks something. It lacks substance. I've always thought that every anime should be enjoyed for what it is. If you feel the animation is sloppy or not good, maybe that is the type of animation it suits. I guess I am one of those people that likes quality of plot and feel over quantity of flashy animation and action sequences.[/color]

[eleanor]

Art style is extremely important to me when it comes to watching cartoons. It's very shallow, but I'm usually apt to ditching an anime because of its art. *shrugs* If the plot if good enough, I'll sit around though.But seriously, if you're watching an anime about your best friend dying and the apocalypse is coming...and the characters have eyes that take up 2/3 of their face and they transform into SDs every second, I wouldn't be able to take it seriously. I'm exaggerating, but still. For example, if you're creating a light-hearted series, the art can be more 'round' while some more serious series might adopt a 'sharp' or 'angle-like' arty style.

But then a lot of anime try to create an art style is usually very pleasing to the eye to most everyone and fluid and very clean animation and then completely die when it comes to content. Some anime I can think of that had very pretty animation/art and a good plot is [b]Yami no Matsuei, RahXephon, .hack//SIGN, etc.[/b]

[Luminaire]

[color=crimson]Well, someone mentioned Thunder Cats and I started laughing because I remember watching it and my eye kept twitching because the animation was annoying me. The early Gundam series had a problem for me too. I'm not sure what it was, it might have been the roundness of everything (explosions, hair, noses, etc.) or the poor outlinging and definition of most things. I just couldn't watch them. I didn't like how outlined the muscles in DBZ were. Definitely my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and yours Kinetic.

In some series you can tell where money started running low or the artist rushed or got lazy. The artwork seems to change. You can see it in Gundam Wing and Yu Yu Hakusho and lots of other shows. Kinda bothers me, but it's alright.

Oh well, I'm crazy and you should all know that. ^_~

~Lumi ^_^[/color]

[Break]

[size=2][color=#CC0000][font=arial]My favourite animation style fluid, like you'd find in most action scenes of Gundam Wing. I don't really know how else to describe it, Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star seem to use it as well and I like it a lot. I guess it's just the way each movement flows perfectly into the next.. must take ages to make..

But, at the same time, I also like the animation in Dragonball. Even though it is so old, I still find it appealing despite the grainy-ness or occasional slowness of it. [/size][/color][/font]

[Rurouni Kenshin]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Judge me as you may... I like the animation of Rurouni Kenshin.... It's not too old looking, and it isn't completely faultless... this is what I like about it. I do also like some old shows and some of the new ones... Well, alot of new ones. I don't like Thundercats... Oh well....[/FONT]

[Rockstar Haruko]

I feel the same way. I'll usually blow off an anime if the animation is not all that great. For example, when I saw Dragonball, I wasn't all that happy. I know its an old anime, but I just couldn't get into it. I really couldn't get into Lupin, Fist of the North Star, Speed Racer, or Thundercats (that's an anime?) either. But there are some anime that I watch and the animation is crappy. I guess the plot has to catch me as well as the animation, but if the plot is cool on its own, then that's usually a plus for me. :)

[JCBaggee]

[color=red][size=1]No, Thundercats is not an anime. But I guess it fits in here, since the discussion is on animation styles *shrugs*

And I completely agree with you, Flashlight. CGI shouldn't be used where it isn't needed. Blegh >_<

--Chris[/color][/size]

[Inuyasha311]

Yes I think animation has alot to do with a good anime,so does the figthing and a good story or plot.I can deal with some talking but,I like a anime where the colors come out.Like Inuyasha thats a good example its animation is good and the story ,another would be DBZ and Vandread.But, yes anime like Lupin the 3rd I can't stand I don't like the with it was made.Another would be Blood the movie I liked the story but, the animation wasn't all that great so I haven't watched it again.And along with that I would have to say that a music helps brings out a anime too.

[Queen Asuka]

[QUOTE=JCBaggee][color=red][size=1]No, Thundercats is not an anime. But I guess it fits in here, since the discussion is on animation styles *shrugs*

And I completely agree with you, Flashlight. CGI shouldn't be used where it isn't needed. Blegh >_<

--Chris[/color][/size][/QUOTE]

[color=hotpink][size=1]You're joking, right? Thundercats is an anime, as much as I can remember. If it's not an anime, then who did it and where did it come from? You have baffled me now. *Runs off to research*[/color][/size]