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Animation & VFX · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Anime & Global Animation Styles

Animation is a universal language with distinct regional dialects. This comparative production course breaks down the stylistic and technical differences between major global schools of animation: Japanese Anime, Western Cartoons (CalArts style), and European experimentalism. Students will learn to analyze and replicate the timing, spacing, and narrative structures unique to each region (e.g., animating on “threes” vs. “twos”).

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Analyze the difference between "Limited Animation" (Anime) and "Full Animation" (Disney)
  2. Master the "Sakuga" style: High-energy, fluid action sequences
  3. Replicate the "Kishōtenketsu" narrative structure vs. the Three-Act Structure
  4. Execute "Smear Frames" and "Multiples" typical of Western TV animation
  5. Adapt character designs to specific regional aesthetics (Big eyes vs. Shape language)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Global Animation History: East vs. West
  2. 02The Anime Aesthetic: Animating on 3s and 4s
  3. 03Camera Language in Anime: Pans & Parallax
  4. 04Facial Expressions: Symbology (Sweat drops, Veins)
  5. 05Action Direction: The "Sakuga" Moment
  6. 06Lip-Sync: Flapping (Anime) vs. Phonemes (West)
  7. 07Effects Animation: Itano Circus (Missiles) & Beams
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Western TV Style: Snappy Timing & Posing
  10. 10Smear Frames & Motion Blurs (The Dover Boys)
  11. 11European Style: Texture & Abstract Motion
  12. 12French Animation: Comic Book influences (Bandes Dessinées)
  13. 13Stop-Motion Aesthetics in Digital
  14. 14Narrative Structures: Hero's Journey vs. Slice of Life
  15. 15Hybrid Styles: The "Avatar" Influence
  16. 16Final Project: The Stylistic Homage Short

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Stylistic Homage Short

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Anime: A History by Jonathan Clements
  2. Starting Point: 1979-1996 by Hayao Miyazaki
  3. The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design by Tod Polson
  4. Japanese Animation: Time out of Mind by Chris Robinson
  5. Setting the Scene: The Art & Evolution of Animation Layout by Fraser MacLean
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