The Basics of Anime Production

Here is a simple, yet informative glimpse into the intricate mechanics of anime. The footage focuses on the makings of a “One Piece” movie. However, please keep in mind that this is the film production of a widely popular series, so it is NOT an accurate depiction of every animation studio. Nevertheless, it still manages to touch on the basics. It’s worth a watch!

The director is seen working ALONE on the film’s storyboard, and over the course of 6 months, he has completed over 700 pages! In the sakuga room, nearly 70 animators work together to transcribe the director’s storyboard. At times, over 100 pieces are drawn per day. The animation director (the young woman) is in charge of examining each piece and unifying the animation to make it appear as if the film was drawn by one animator. Later, each paper is scanned into a computer and colored. Backgrounds are typically created digitally as well.

Find out more after the jump!

After the animation is colored and the backgrounds are completed, everything is combined in the synthesis room. This is where anime comes to life! Because the staff spends so much time in the studio, the office basically becomes their home and it is not unusual to see it decorated with personal belongings.

The seiyuu (voice-actors) can be found in the recording studio, passionately playing their roles. The seiyuu share only 4 microphones and must silently move in and out of the dubbing zone. The voices are usually recorded before the animating process is complete, but in this case, the art is already colored and moving. Music and sound-effects are added at the very end of production. With this, the film is ready for viewing!