Category: Design for Animation

Critical Report Doc: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1y_l44ZUC7LN6Ef0uDzjy99vm_d5USdq1?usp=sharing

Critical Report Presentation: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1y_l44ZUC7LN6Ef0uDzjy99vm_d5USdq1?usp=sharing

This presentation is a three-minute talk based on my critical report.
It was the most challenging assignment for me, mainly because I am not confident in speaking English.

However, through this task, I felt that I had a valuable opportunity to improve several skills, including academic writing, reading books, and speaking in English.
Although there are still many areas where I need to improve, I would like to continue studying and practicing so that I can develop these skills further.

This week, I focused on exploring the history of Japanese anime.

An examination of the history of Japanese animation reveals the characteristics of each era, as well as the differences and characteristics between Japan and other countries.

Japanese animation began in the 19th century through the mutual influence of technical and artistic knowledge between Japan, Europe, and America. Against the backdrop of this cultural and technological exchange, a uniquely Japanese form of animation gradually developed.

Prior to the 1960s, Japanese animation consisted primarily of short films. The earliest representative feature-length animated film is “The Legend of the White Snake” (1958). At the time, films were typically in black and white and aimed primarily at children. This is thought to be due in part to the influence of Japan’s long-standing kamishibai (picture storytelling) culture. Even after the social turmoil of the postwar period, anime culture did not decline; rather, it gradually expanded.

In the 1960s, television was the medium with the greatest influence on Japanese animation. The rapid spread of television led to the emergence of 30-minute children’s series, and the broadcast of shows such as “Astro Boy,” “Tetsujin 28-go,” and “8-Man” established the basic format of television anime.

In the 1970s, the target demographic for anime expanded from elementary school students to junior high school students, and giant robot series continued to be popular. Meanwhile, television anime became closely linked to the sale of robot toys, emphasizing its commercial aspects. During this period, anime clearly established itself as an entertainment industry.

In the 1980s, anime expanded to older audiences, including high school and college students. This was due in part to creators from the generation that grew up watching anime becoming core producers and the rise of small, independent studios.

In the 1990s, despite the effects of the recession caused by the collapse of the bubble economy, demand for anime as affordable entertainment actually increased. Furthermore, with the introduction of computers, digital anime began to emerge.

In the 2000s, the works of Studio Ghibli, including those directed by Hayao Miyazaki, received high praise overseas, further increasing the international acclaim of Japanese animation. At the same time, the increase in digital animation works led to a diversification of the range of expression and genres.

This week, I researched academic sources, made a list of them, and read them to understand their content. Specifically, I used materials from the UAL library as well as newspaper articles for my research. I also learned that when citing sources, it is necessary to follow the Harvard style, and that the book Cite Them Right is a good reference for learning how to do this.

Rather than reading entire books, I focused on chapters that seemed interesting or relevant to my topic. Below is a list of the sources I actually found.

Cite them right: Cite Them Right – Home

Reference List

Galbraith, P. W. (2019) Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Poitras, G. (2008) Japanese Visual Culture : Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime. MacWilliams, M. W. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Nihon Keizai Shimbun (2025)　Anime industry market grows 15% to 3.8 trillion yen, Association of Japanese Animations estimates, driven by overseas. Available at: アニメ産業市場15%増の3.8兆円　日本動画協会推計、海外けん引 – 日本経済新聞

(Accessed: 25 December 2025)

DC Comics (n.d.) ‘Batman | Official DC Character Profile’, DC.com. Available at: Batman | Official DC Character (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Naruto Official Site (n.d.) ‘TV ANIME NARUTO・BORUTO – 火影はたけカカシ’, Naruto‑Official.com. Available at: 火影はたけカカシ | NARUTO 疾風伝 | 【公式】NARUTO OFFICIAL SITE、NARUTO -ナルト-オフィシャルサイト、BORUTO -ボルト- (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Simone, G. (2021) Otaku Japan : The Fascinating World of Japanese Manga, Anime, Gaming, Cosplay, Toys, Idols and More! (Covers over 450 Locations with More Than 400 Photographs and 21 Maps) Tuttle Publishing. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Ito, M., Okabe, D. and Tsuji, I. (2012) Fandom Unbound : Otaku Culture in a Connected World. Yale University Press. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Pellitteri, M. and Wong, H.-w. (2020) Japanese Animation in Asia : Transnational Industry, Audiences, and Success. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Galbraith, P. W. (2019) Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Poitras, G. (2008) Japanese Visual Culture : Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime. MacWilliams, M. W. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Nihon Keizai Shimbun (2025)　Anime industry market grows 15% to 3.8 trillion yen, Association of Japanese Animations estimates, driven by overseas. Available at: アニメ産業市場15%増の3.8兆円　日本動画協会推計、海外けん引 – 日本経済新聞

(Accessed: 25 December 2025)

DC Comics (n.d.) ‘Batman | Official DC Character Profile’, DC.com. Available at: Batman | Official DC Character (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Naruto Official Site (n.d.) ‘TV ANIME NARUTO・BORUTO – 火影はたけカカシ’, Naruto‑Official.com. Available at: 火影はたけカカシ | NARUTO 疾風伝 | 【公式】NARUTO OFFICIAL SITE、NARUTO -ナルト-オフィシャルサイト、BORUTO -ボルト- (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Bibliography

Simone, G. (2021) Otaku Japan : The Fascinating World of Japanese Manga, Anime, Gaming, Cosplay, Toys, Idols and More! (Covers over 450 Locations with More Than 400 Photographs and 21 Maps) Tuttle Publishing. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Ito, M., Okabe, D. and Tsuji, I. (2012) Fandom Unbound : Otaku Culture in a Connected World. Yale University Press. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

Pellitteri, M. and Wong, H.-w. (2020) Japanese Animation in Asia : Transnational Industry, Audiences, and Success. Available at: ProQuest Ebook Central – Book Details (Accessed: 25 December 2025)

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This week, based on last week’s advice, I polished the content of my work once again. And then, I\ had another meeting with the teacher and received positive feedback, noting that my topic now had more consistency and was more focused than before.

In this task, I focused not just on creating a document, but on writing with the structure of the final submission in mind. However, I struggled because I am not confident in writing, and I also lack the skills and knowledge for citing academic books properly. Therefore, from next week, I plan to continue my research while also exploring the best ways to present and write my work.

In this class, I had a one-on-one meeting with the teacher to discuss my topic for the final assignment, which I had been considering since last week. I explained that I chose this topic because I wanted to make use of my advantage as someone from Japan and explore the differences between Japanese and overseas anime to make the project more engaging.

However, the teacher pointed out that my topic was too broad. Indeed, in terms of investigating the popularity of Japanese anime, my topic was too large in scope. In other words, I needed to narrow it down a bit. The teacher advised that if I am going to research Japanese anime, it would be better to focus on why Japanese anime has gained global popularity. This would narrow the topic and connect directly to what I really want to learn.

Based on this advice, I decided to focus on this theme for my work.

This week, I learned important points for choosing a topic for the final assignment. Although I have not decided yet, I am thinking of researching Japanese anime in depth. In recent years, Japanese anime has created worldwide hits, and the culture of visiting real-life locations featured in anime, known as “pilgrimages,” has become established.

I believe that studying why Japanese anime has gained global popularity will help me get closer to my goal of becoming a bridge between the Japanese and international anime industries. Next week, I will have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher, and I would like to discuss my topic during that session.

Research Activity 1: Snow White (Disney Studios,1937)

Settings & Props

The scene set in a dark room that is dominated by black tones colours, it makes the vivid red poisoned apple stand out and symbolic.

Costume, Hair & Make Up

The Snow White princess wears a beautiful dress and is properly made up, while the witch wears a black robe and no makeup. Their hairstyles are also contrasting: the princess’s hair is neatly arranged, whereas the witch’s hair is unkempt and appears as if it hasn’t been washed. Thus, their outward appearances allow the audience to infer each character’s personality, situation, and condition.

Facial Expressions & Body Language

The witch is constantly laughing throughout the entire scene. In contrast, the princess appears calm and enjoys cooking with various animals at the beginning. However, after the witch appears, the princess’s eyebrows show signs of anxiety that continue until the end of the scene. From these elements, it can be interpreted that the witch feels pleased or satisfied, whereas the princess feels uncomfortable.

In terms of body language, the witch’s movements are slow and deliberate, while the princess’s body movements are fast and detailed. Based on these observations, I assume that the witch appears relaxed and confident because of the poisoned apple, whereas the princess expresses tension and anxiety due to the sudden appearance of the unknown witch.

Lighting and Colour

In this scene, the witch appears at the window as if to block the light from coming in. Meanwhile, the princess is inside a dark room. I think this helps emphasize the feeling of anxiety. Also, in the scene where she makes the solitary apple, the apple’s color and brightness are depicted very vividly, which further emphasizes it.

Positioning of characters/objects within the frame

Most of scenes are effectively composed the use of symmetrical composition allows viewers to clearly understand who is speaking to whom in each scene.

Especially, this scene is behind each character inside the apple which has poison. It can be obviously clear to understand who is giving what to whom in this scene.

What role does the shot choice (Cinematography) play in the scene.

In this scene, the apple is placed at the center of the frame, as a symmetry. The light take on the witch, while Snow White remains in the shadows, it seems to imply the how they are going the future. 

Research Activity 2: Anomalisa. Charlie Kaufman 2016

Settings & Props

This scene is shot by Camera angle from the ceiling. This makes it easier to understand the overall atmosphere and situation of the room. Furthermore, the two people are placed at the center of the frame, and there is a large amount of negative space, so the viewer’s attention naturally focuses on them.

Costume, Hair & Make Up

In this scene, the two people are lying down while still wearing their jackets. In addition, there is only one slipper on the left of the bed, and the suitcase is not open. From this, it can be seen that it is not much time has passed since they arrived in the room.

Facial Expressions & Body Language

The facial expressions are stiff. In particularly, the eyebrows and the mouth is down, from these elements, it is possible to convey tension or fatigue rather than calmness. Additionally, both have their hands placed in front of their bodies, it can naturally be seen as a protecting themselves, it can be implied a lack of composure.

Lighting and Colour

The colors are arranged with red tones in the background, and the contrast between the white bed and the characters’ clothing naturally allows the viewer’s eye to the center.

This week, I learned about animation in documentaries and manga based on real events.

In class, we watched several videos. One of them was The Sinking of the Lusitania by Winsor McCay. Even though it was in black and white, it showed a strong sense of scale. The sound in the video was also very interesting and made the work memorable.

From the examples we saw today, I noticed some similarities. Animation is often used as entertainment or as a way to give information to viewers. I felt that animations are made to explain things clearly and so that everyone can understand them easily.

However, like all media, we should be careful about how reliable the information is. With AI becoming more common, it is even more important to think carefully about this.

This week, I learned about experimental animation by watching reference videos. Through the class, I was able to reconfirm what kinds of works I am interested in. In particular, I realized that I am often drawn to animations that are innovative and have educational elements.

Furthermore, the spherical animation we watched in class was simple, yet the delicate movements of the spheres and the color combinations made it a work that does not bore the viewer. In addition, there was an introduction to my favorite creators, Pixar and Hayao Miyazaki, and I was especially happy to learn a lot from this part of the class.

This week, I learned about story structure and film theory. Among them, I really interested in the content was the bar graph showing the rise and fall of a story from beginning to end. According to this graph, the story’s peak of excitement reached just before the end, O thought it looks like climbing up and down a mountain. Thanks to this graph, I could figure out it and visually graph helped me deepen my recognition.

Also, I surprised that the starting and ending heights are the same. I had always assumed that a story begins the most quiet and gradually builds up towards the ending. but in fact is a bit of different.

Additionally, I understood that, as shown in this diagram, the three elements are interrelated.