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Hand drawn mecha anime is on the verge of extinction.

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Dec 23, 2018 4:21 PM
#1

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Sunrise is the last studio to still create hand drawn mecha anime

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3090286

The only reason mecha isn't all CG is because the old guard at Sunrise still wants to draw mecha anime by hand, however, a lot of them are aging. This is bad, I don't want all CG Gundam and the cram school they had in the 2000's needs to come back before hand drawn mecha anime goes extinct.


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Dec 23, 2018 4:31 PM
#2

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in this moment there are to many animes, so they have less time to create them. by hand they need time that doesnt exist if they want to earn decent money
Dec 23, 2018 4:34 PM
#3

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lol at Sunrise claiming that when Gundam Unicorn, Gundam The Origin, and Valvrave to name a few of their recent mecha are all 3DCG

BONES studio should make that claim as they do not make 3DCG mecha yet like their recent mecha shows Star Driver and Captain Earth

but they got a point that there is less new animators for mecha animation, its part of the animator shortage crisis going on silently
Dec 23, 2018 4:36 PM
#4

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That's fine, since mecha isn't very good to begin with.
Dec 23, 2018 4:37 PM
#5

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tbh i can't wait for mecha to die altogether
Dec 23, 2018 4:40 PM
#6

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Article said:
However, Ogata implied that even Sunrise won't be able to do hand-drawn mecha forever. He said that in the future it is likely that 3D will become even more prominent, and hand-drawn animation will be used to guide the 3D animation. He also mentioned that although he comes from a generation that prefers hand-drawn animation, he thinks that Sunrise should proactively work towards making full CG anime in order to adapt with the times


ye like i said this is due to the animator shortage crisis going on

its not just gonna be about mecha anime but majority of anime in the future will become 3DCG
Dec 23, 2018 4:41 PM
#7

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I can understand why they made the change from 2D to 3D, but I guess 2D is more stylistic, so I also don't want to see it go down the drain. However, if CG becomes a lot better in the future, then maybe it won't be so bad. As long as it isn't a new Berserk 2016, I wouldn't mind it. Then, maybe have like one or two mecha anime that they produce using 2D animation as a sort of legacy series.
Dec 23, 2018 4:42 PM
#8

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but mecha is exactly the kind of genre where CGI is acceptable since robots have solid bodies.
Dec 23, 2018 5:30 PM
#9

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"on the verge" might be an euphemism.
Dec 23, 2018 5:34 PM

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Ericonator said:
That's fine, since mecha isn't very good to begin with.
Askore said:
tbh i can't wait for mecha to die altogether

something something sturgeon's revelation
Dec 23, 2018 6:05 PM

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As someone who enjoys mecha and despises 3D, I think mecha is the one genre where 3D isn't that bad (in terms of the robots/ships/battles/etc, not the characters).
Dec 23, 2018 6:12 PM

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I mean, yeah, it's expensive to make and doesn't make any money anymore. I'm not too terribly sad, though--I've barely dented the vast oceans of mecha anime from the 80s and 90s, so I'll be playing catch-up on that particular subgenre until the day I die.

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Dec 23, 2018 6:25 PM

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My only issue with CGI is when it's thrown in with hand drawn or otherwise "natural" looking scenes. That was my big issue with Baki 2018.
Dec 23, 2018 6:40 PM
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3D is absolutely jarring, even if it's more acceptable in a mecha show (which I personally disagree with). The point of CG in 2D shows is to save some money, and not be the focal point, yet mecha shows make them the main focus. What separates the mecha genre is in fact the gigantic, moving robots, yet it's the ugliest part of the show in these cases. How many mecha shows are there where we have to ignore the mechas?

If it was really that big of an inconvenience to make mecha designs by hand, then maybe these studios shouldn't do a mecha show since most examples seem to give far more attention towards everything else, like melodrama. That's like making a romance series, but then have the romance in the far corner and have the story telling focused on something completely different, with the sloppiest romance ever. If you're writing a mecha show you can just write out the mecha, or if you're adapting one you could just pick different source material.
Dec 23, 2018 8:49 PM

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deg said:
lol at Sunrise claiming that when Gundam Unicorn, Gundam The Origin, and Valvrave to name a few of their recent mecha are all 3DCG


It's disappointing that Origin used CG, as the story is really good and it features 1 of the most popular Gundam character, Char. Even so, Sunrise still have the right to call themselves a studio that preserves 2D mecha. They made Iron blooded orphans, Thunderbolt, and build divers recently.

Also eventhough they used some CG on Unicorn, there are still lots of hand drawn mecha battles in it iirc, it's not full CG.

On Topic:
It's sad that animators capable of drawing mecha is in decline, but it seems animators in general are in decline looking at shows these days have production issues and rely a lot on CG (ex: background characters). Seeing the recent build diver, the show had detailed mecha animations on first few episodes, but less detailed later on. It seems they struggle with numbers of animatora or schedule, maybe both.

I hope Sunrise could nurture more young animators who are capable of drawing mecha.
JJHRTDDec 23, 2018 9:41 PM
Dec 24, 2018 8:55 AM
Voltekka!

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Ericonator said:
That's fine, since mecha isn't very good to begin with.


Just because you think Code Geass is shit doesn’t mean the entire mecha genre is shit.
Dec 24, 2018 8:58 AM

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DepravedMagi said:
Ericonator said:
That's fine, since mecha isn't very good to begin with.


Just because you think Code Geass is shit doesn’t mean the entire mecha genre is shit.
When the peak of mecha is Robot Girlz Z, you know it's bad.
Dec 24, 2018 9:01 AM
Voltekka!

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Ericonator said:
DepravedMagi said:


Just because you think Code Geass is shit doesn’t mean the entire mecha genre is shit.
When the peak of mecha is Robot Girlz Z, you know it's bad.

There’s good and bad in every genre.
Dec 24, 2018 9:03 AM

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DepravedMagi said:
Ericonator said:
When the peak of mecha is Robot Girlz Z, you know it's bad.

There’s good and bad in every genre.
And mecha is mostly bad, your point?
Dec 24, 2018 9:05 AM

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Isn't darling in the franxx kind of a mecha anime?and the machines are hand drawn
Dec 24, 2018 9:09 AM

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*cough* *cough* Studio Trigger *cough* *cough*
Dec 24, 2018 9:10 AM

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Detective1412 said:
*cough* *cough* Studio Trigger *cough* *cough*


their recent mecha show Gridman have a lot of 3DCG though courtesy of Graphinica studio
Dec 24, 2018 9:54 AM
Voltekka!

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Ericonator said:
DepravedMagi said:

There’s good and bad in every genre.
And mecha is mostly bad, your point?


You mostly seen those shitty harem mecha anime and stuff like skelter heaven, so whats your point?


Dec 24, 2018 1:30 PM
Laughing Man

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Headline of the article is misleading. Sunrise producer actually said: "Even if you search the globe, Sunrise is the only studio that can create hand-drawn robot anime to such a high level." He didn't say no other studio can make hand drawn mecha, but that no one can do it at the level Sunrise does it, which I'd say is true in light of their long history with the genre.

Anyway, yeah, it's sad to see that hand drawn mecha are on the way out. Saddest part is that 3D animation in anime is not at a level right now where's a solid replacement for hand drawn, not saying that there's no good 3D mecha work out there.

deg said:
lol at Sunrise claiming that when Gundam Unicorn, Gundam The Origin, and Valvrave to name a few of their recent mecha are all 3DCG

Can't even cherry-pick right. Gundam Unicorn is mostly 2D.
BatoKusanagiDec 24, 2018 1:43 PM
Dec 24, 2018 1:33 PM

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It's ok, just don't take our 2D lolis away.

@Feministsenpai.

One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron


Dec 24, 2018 1:49 PM

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FMmatron said:
It's ok, just don't take our 2D lolis away.

@Feministsenpai.

I guess it won't happen...we found a lot of loli anime beautifully drawn with passion.
Dec 24, 2018 2:44 PM

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Ericonator said:
DepravedMagi said:

There’s good and bad in every genre.
And mecha is mostly bad, your point?

And Robot Girlz Z is not mecha but ecchi parody of a bizarre super robot show.

So your point is trolling also Robot Girlz Z is OK for an ecchi so you are not fair to it too, suggesting it's somehow a low point.
alshuDec 24, 2018 3:13 PM
Dec 24, 2018 2:47 PM
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Askore said:
tbh i can't wait for mecha to die altogether


I don’t think i’ll Die
But it’s been on life support for awhile
I don’t think ecchi harem are gonna keep it
Alive for much longer
Dec 24, 2018 2:55 PM

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deg said:
lol at Sunrise claiming that when Gundam Unicorn, Gundam The Origin, and Valvrave to name a few of their recent mecha are all 3DCG

BONES studio should make that claim as they do not make 3DCG mecha yet like their recent mecha shows Star Driver and Captain Earth

but they got a point that there is less new animators for mecha animation, its part of the animator shortage crisis going on silently

This.

Also Darling in the Franxx is hand-drawn too. (Not that I like the show, but how could anyone have just forgotten that?)
Dec 24, 2018 3:00 PM
otp haver 🤪

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Add it into the pile with hand drawn backgrounds too. They're also going extinct.
Dec 24, 2018 3:28 PM

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FMmatron said:
It's ok, just don't take our 2D lolis away.

@Feministsenpai.


That's dying in the idol side of things when it comes to performances, all but Idolmaster is full CG in the performances, even WUG succumbed to CG in the 2nd season.


Dec 24, 2018 3:43 PM

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concern.

recenlty all Xebec works went property of sunrise, we all know that xebec has almost all his works made in CGI, if we are luck enough Sunrise will gather all its 3D/CGI works under a new sub-studio or something like that, not forget that sunrise have like 13 substudios under its shoulders
Dec 24, 2018 5:13 PM

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Just saying you can really feel it if you compare compare mecha in Code Geass original to current Fukkatsu no Lelouch. 2D to 3D
Dec 24, 2018 8:51 PM
Voltekka!

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alshu said:
Ericonator said:
And mecha is mostly bad, your point?

And Robot Girlz Z is not mecha but ecchi parody of a bizarre super robot show.

So your point is trolling also Robot Girlz Z is OK for an ecchi so you are not fair to it too, suggesting it's somehow a low point.

Thats what I’m trying to say to him lol
Dec 26, 2018 6:41 AM

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i thought it was understood that eventually all anime will be cgi and ona
Dec 26, 2018 7:05 AM

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so here a two mecha from different anime... Non CGI and CGI ( i personally prefer non CGI ) but who knows what the future anime of Mecha genre will be... its all in the hand of publishers/companies that adapt the manga/novel or whatever the source is

This Non CGI


Vs This CGI
Dec 26, 2018 12:49 PM

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The CGI in Gundam Thunderbolt was pretty good actually... but I really don't want every show to look like Planet With (which had pretty hideous CGI mechs).
Dec 28, 2018 4:08 PM
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"Being on the verge of extinction" is different than actually being extinct. There will still be a market for hand-drawn mecha anime scenes for long time.
Dec 28, 2018 4:11 PM

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Understandable, considering the vast difference in cost between the two. Passion can only carry you for so long before investors come in asking where they money is.
Dec 28, 2018 4:15 PM
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if the cgi become really good i have no problem with this.
with cgi mechas there are thing that cannot be done by handrawn animation.
but with handrawn mechas you can do some really good fights (take the last episode of ssss gridman like a recent example.)
"I know anything goes here...
but this...
this is clearly not fucking okay...!"
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Dec 28, 2018 4:51 PM
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lol. ANN. Well, when you're sponsored by Bandai Namco and have a crew full of Gundam fanboys, you're obviously going to get a vanity piece.
Dec 29, 2018 4:10 AM

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idontknowsarcasm said:

but with handrawn mechas you can do some really good fights (take the last episode of ssss gridman like a recent example.)

But the mechs and the kaijou in SSSS.Gridman are 3D CGI, the destroyed buildings and cars too.


Yes. 3D CGI mechs could look very good like those in Gundam Unicorn and Gundam Thinderbolt.
The problem is not technical but how much money, effort and time are the producers willing to invest.
Thus we get some ugly stuff in Full Metal Panic's last season Invisible Victory and in Planet With.
Same goes for Sunrise - their's best mecha porn is in OVA and ONA format not TV.
Dec 29, 2018 4:15 AM
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alshu said:
idontknowsarcasm said:

but with handrawn mechas you can do some really good fights (take the last episode of ssss gridman like a recent example.)

But the mechs and the kaijou in SSSS.Gridman are 3D CGI, the destroyed buildings and cars too.


Yes. 3D CGI mechs could look very good like those in Gundam Unicorn and Gundam Thinderbolt.
The problem is not technical but how much money, effort and time are the producers willing to invest.
Thus we get some ugly stuff in Full Metal Panic's last season Invisible Victory and in Planet With.
Same goes for Sunrise - their's best mecha porn is in OVA and ONA format not TV.

-
i mean in the last episode of ssss gridman.
they did handdrawn animation for the mechs.
"I know anything goes here...
but this...
this is clearly not fucking okay...!"
-Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu
Dec 29, 2018 4:53 AM

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idontknowsarcasm said:

they did handdrawn animation for the mechs.

Were they?
Maybe in certain scenes because I remember some 3D CGI stuff in it.

Didn't like the whole show tho, except only the first fight with the flying thing/marionette. The action scenes in this episode remind me more of Macross that tokusatsu show.
Dec 29, 2018 8:23 AM
Lewd Depresso

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As tech evolves so do Anime creation softwares. The more handmade is something, the more expensive it is.

And for mass production product like Anime, big money goes into creation. Software makes Anime creation easier and more fun, and as time passes more impressive it becomes.

So yeah... yeah. Hand-drawn Anime stuff is essentially becoming a niche or vintage.

I don't mind it. But I rather they improve and make more 2D Anime rather than 3DCG stuff. :/ I wanna keep enjoying my 2D.

Hand-drawn isn't essential for me. As long whole picture remains enjoyable.

Those pseudo 3D CG Anime aren't just as fun as 2D.

or something along the line
Dec 29, 2018 8:34 AM

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I am not a mecha fan, but in my opinion mechas are one thing I don't mind being in CG, because they are solid machines, so a well done CG style suits them.
Dec 29, 2018 8:59 AM

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@AshitaNoJonas
@alshu

Huh, thunderbolt is hand drawn, though, a really high production. CG animation could not be that good (movement, mecha parts breaking, explosion, etc). Also unicorn is mostly hand drawn too. You can see the interview in the article. CG would look like Gundam Origin, or Valvrave, there's different feeling on them. I didn't feel that on Thunderbolt and most of Unicorn.
Dec 29, 2018 9:07 AM

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Most users seem to hate Mecha but I'll honestly never understand the hate towards this genre.

Dec 29, 2018 9:10 AM

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deg said:


its not just gonna be about mecha anime but majority of anime in the future will become 3DCG
And when that day comes, i will stop watching anime.
Dec 29, 2018 9:19 AM

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jejehartadi said:

Huh, thunderbolt is hand drawn, though, a really high production. CG animation could not be that good (movement, mecha parts breaking, explosion, etc). Also unicorn is mostly hand drawn too.

Yes, it's a combination of 2D and 3D...but tons of CGI which makes them different from the traditional mecha also a lot of filters to conceal the 3D CGI.
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