If speaking about Shirobako, you're given two ways to approach the anime and its message to the audience. In one hand, it could be seen as a SoL type of anime just following 5 ambitious girls pursuing their ideals of the anime industry after their animation club in high school got them interested. But in the other, Shirobako can be seen as a message to the audience of fighting the obstacles in life that chain down dreams and making them realistic through hard work and dedication. The under-lying theme of that end goal is a quality that can be overlooked in the anime with all the subtle jabs at the concept, but it ultimately kept the anime together. Numerous examples of dreams can be seen throughout the 24 episodes from characters talking about what got them into the industry, to their wisdom coming in hand when the new comers are having a slump or break down and experience is all that is needed. The staff in the series are often imagining their anime character's coming to life when in a hard time, or speaking about the future, which can be a personification of the hard work put into creating them and the pay off when finished.
An odd quality that many people don't consider is the setting it has: young adult life. It seems as if many studios today are afraid of moving away from the typical high school setting and expanding on the adult life that many people are realistically having trouble dealing with. Without a doubt, the series does not hold back on the importance of keeping the job that the characters are currently holding. Countless times are the characters speaking about needing to provide food on the table to keep them alive with the job, and competition becoming more stiff as times are changing. 3D CGI vs hand drawn animation, lost in trust after massive blow out of production, the seemingly simple animation that we view actually has a intricate process behind it. Failures aren't taken lightly, as we view a studio going out of business, a voice actor struggling to get a role and debut, the industry isn't filled with rainbows and sunshine as some perceive it as.
A lot of anime display the trope of characters being "prodigies" at a certain task, such as drawing or intellect, but the characters here display nothing of the sort. That doesn't mean they're talent-less, but rather, hard working and experienced. At one point in the show, Ema is having a roadblock in her creativity and art style, she's uncertain of how to approach it. It interferes with her work and shatters her confidence. The other artists assist in her issue and proclaim they've all been at that point, it's just a matter if she can find her muse to get out of it, or crash and burn. This alone creates a connection that many more people can enjoy as the series progresses through the trials and tribulations that they all face, knowing they weren't handed the job by talent alone while being fed with a silver spoon.
When referring to the characters of the anime, it's amazing how only five of them are labeled as "main character", yet each individual one seem to make an impact that goes past the typical "side character" trope. All of them seemingly have the qualities that could take over and become the main focus at any moment, given the situation, but even without doing so, they have just enough air time to distinguish themselves from any stereotypical "regular" character that is in recent anime. Although some of them do make more of an impact than others, they're all equally needed completing a beautiful mural. To give light of some impressions and impact of the characters, some will be reviewed.
✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿
"I kept remembering when I was being interviewed, and it's depressing". - Miyamori, Aoi.
Miyamori, Aoi is the prime focus of the "main characters", as I would say, and definitely a realistic character. When she enters the industry, she's unsure about where she wants to pursue, unlike her co-workers. For example, her friend Ema has chosen the Artist path, Midori wants to become a Script writer, Shizuka strives to become a voice actor, and Misa wants to create 3D art. In more ways than not, Aoi is a character that many people can relate to, myself included. Her worry about a career and choosing a path is often taking over her outlook on things and indirectly steers her to be where she is now. Though her realism is quite stellar, it's her development that seems to be the biggest trait there is to offer. At the start of her job she's only a production assistant. Constantly making mistakes, apologizing to everybody, and even has a history of being denied job interviews from other studios. But throughout the entire 24 episodes, we witness what experience and support does to a person. Aoi becomes a person who's illuminating ambition as opposed to the wavering fragile girl she once was. The quote selected from her displays when she's put into a situation that requires her to become someone of high importance in the production team, and is constantly reminded of her failures, but overcomes her past to lead the studio she was accepted into.
✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿ "
"Well, I want to exceed the expectations, without betraying them". - Kinoshita "Director" Seichii.
The director is an interesting character, as his overall personality seems to be more "have fun doing your job", rather than the serious tyrant. Throughout the series you learn that he's actually a person who has directed other anime in the past, but one bad mistake ended up ruining his image as a director, and ultimately his image in the industry. He has many philosophies in his work that can push him to become over the top to some staff members and to the audience, but in his mind, he's a child at heart. It's the free spirit that he has while also being able to take his own responsibility when times get tough that make him reliable. Whether it be his childish approach to getting around work or motivating ideals when beginning to actually do work, the director is a character that is used a comedy relief factor, yet impacts more than that. A fan of anime that stays true to what the audience wants, even if it has to stray from the creator's, a trait that seems to set himself apart from the other directors that appear throughout the run time.
✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿
"I'm excited, too. No matter how long I've been doing this, the feeling I get when I see my drawings move... There are no words". - Iguchi, Yumi.
Yumi is just one of many examples in the anime that show experience is everything. While not being one of the highest known artists in the industry, she's enough to keep the art department going to motivate and help them out when in need. When Ema was in her road block to clear her mind of troubles, Yumi gives her advice that she actually got while she was in the same situation and is more of a figure of assistance. Although there are many characters that are in the same role as her, she becomes an individual as the series progresses to set herself apart and really show what she has to offer to the entire staff and audience watching.
✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿
For a studio like P.A Works to produce an anime about animating, art would be a pretty big factor in itself to keep the concept of how hard it is to create one running. Luckily enough, P.A has never failed to produce great art that has their own style that indicates it's their studio, yet Shirobako has the detail and attention that goes beyond what they usually do. It's amazing how they capture the idea of producers and staff members as just usual people by the snip of their home and office space. Little figures of characters, a family to go back home to when done with work, over sleeping, nothing is left out in a way that focuses entirely on art detail, but also detail in life. As for the sound department, we actually even got to see how certain sounds are made in the anime, and by the looks of it, technology has come a long way, but making them right on the spot seems more enjoyable. In all honesty, sound probably isn't too notable in a series such as this, though not because it wasn't clicking together, but because of it's eccentric focus on the characters. Although, "COLORFUL BOX" has definitely become a piece that never gets old when watching.
While a facade is created to follow 5 girls and their quest to impact the anime industry together, Shirobako is much more than that. It's a present to the anime industry and audience of hard work and enjoyment for all ages. There was no melodramatic theme to plague the series and create hard feelings to connect with, but rather a realistic approach to almost every aspect that can be experienced by adults. Rooting the foundations of creating an anime and centering it around that may seem strange, but it's a ride to experience once beginning. It's more than what it may seem like; fitting the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" has never been more true.
