Animation Obsessive

Animation Obsessive is a Substack dedicated to exploring diverse facets of animation globally, from iconic studios and groundbreaking films to innovative animation techniques and the significance of storytelling in animation. It encompasses discussions on animation history, production challenges, artistic processes, and the evolution of animated storytelling across cultures.

Animation History Animation Techniques Storytelling in Animation Global Animation News Animated Film Reviews Animation Studios Independent Animation Cultural Impact of Animation

The hottest Substack posts of Animation Obsessive

And their main takeaways

When Japanese Animation Cracked the Oscars

6099 implied HN points β€’ 11 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film Influence
  1. Japanese animation made a significant impact at the Oscars when 'Spirited Away' won in 2003, marking the full acceptance of Japanese animation into Hollywood's mainstream.
  2. Koji Yamamura's film 'Mt. Head' brought Japanese independent animation into the spotlight, showcasing a unique style and storytelling approach that influenced a new generation of animators globally.
  3. The animation world mourned the passing of Akira Toriyama, a legendary manga artist known for 'Dragon Ball,' whose work has had a lasting impact on global animation and storytelling.

In China, Behind the Camera

3857 implied HN points β€’ 18 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation History Technique
  1. Chinese animation, particularly ink-wash animation, deserves more global recognition.
  2. Many iconic Chinese animated films go unnoticed or are underappreciated outside of China.
  3. Duan Xiaoxuan, a pioneer in Chinese animation history, played a crucial role in developing ink-wash animation techniques.

After Three Years, What's Left?

10943 implied HN points β€’ 15 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Newsletter Content creation
  1. The Animation Obsessive newsletter, even after three years, remains a small team passionate about sharing accessible stories on animation.
  2. Reader support has allowed the newsletter to grow into a full-fledged career, without ads or sponsorships with companies.
  3. The team highlights the continuous thrill of learning and discovering new aspects of animation, striving to keep delivering interesting content to their audience.

'Catnapped' Is Weird and Wonderful

4215 implied HN points β€’ 04 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Director Film Anime Character design
  1. 'Catnapped' is a unique and imaginative anime feature that is often underrated but holds a special place among fans.
  2. Director Takashi Nakamura's journey from being a core animator on 'Akira' to directing his own films like 'Catnapped' showcases his evolution as an artist with a distinct visual style.
  3. The making of 'Catnapped' involved a team of talented animators, art director, and composer who brought Nakamura's creative vision to life, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in animated filmmaking.

A Nigerian Tale on the World Stage

4574 implied HN points β€’ 16 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Visual art Film Design
  1. The animated film 'Moremi' tells a sci-fi version of the Nigerian Moremi Ajasoro tales, using a unique mix of 2D and 3D animation.
  2. Director Shofela Coker and art director Wian van Bergen collaborated to maintain a visually rich aesthetic, blending Nigerian motifs and traditional painting techniques into the film.
  3. The film's unique visual style was achieved through a custom compositing workflow, blending 3D characters with 2D backgrounds seamlessly, along with incorporating striking neon 2D special effects.
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A Master Animator's Masterwork

4126 implied HN points β€’ 19 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film Awards Artists Technique
  1. Art Babbitt, a renowned animator, considered his best work to be an animation sequence in a lesser-known UPA cartoon called 'Grizzly Golfer'.
  2. Babbitt's animation style for the bear chase scene was a blend of Disney's fluidity and UPA's limited animation approach, showcasing his technical skill and creativity.
  3. The UPA animation style, including 'limited animation,' was a deliberate artistic choice that differed from Disney's constant motion approach, providing a unique aesthetic to animated scenes.

The Origin of a Master Painter

5471 implied HN points β€’ 05 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Documentary Painter Director
  1. Background painter Nizo Yamamoto rose to prominence in Japanese animation industry and played a key role in iconic films.
  2. Yamamoto's journey into animation industry was filled with twists and turns, from attending vocational high school to becoming an art director.
  3. Animating for documentaries involves speed, character design, and efficient teamwork, as seen in the making of 'May the Lord Watch'.

The Nominee You Didn't See

6189 implied HN points β€’ 29 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film Storytelling
  1. The film 'Funny Birds' is a remarkable CΓ©sar nominee with rich realism and attention to detail.
  2. The creation of 'Funny Birds' involved deep research, natural sound recordings, and a documentary-like approach.
  3. The animation process of 'Funny Birds' focused on capturing spontaneous energy and specific performances from real-life sounds.

Masterpieces on the Cheap

7175 implied HN points β€’ 22 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Creators Storytelling Industry
  1. Animation masterpieces can be created on limited budgets, showcasing that money doesn't guarantee a great film.
  2. Artistry, vision, and talent are key to creating successful animated projects, sometimes taking risks can lead to unique and impactful films.
  3. Japanese anime industry often achieves expressive movement with small budgets, emphasizing creativity over financial resources.

Animating by Candlelight

3318 implied HN points β€’ 12 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Community Industry Filmmaking History
  1. During the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union, animators faced challenges adapting to life under capitalism with reduced state funding and support.
  2. Some animators, like Yuri Norstein and Priit PΓ€rn, expressed struggles and concerns about the impact of financial censorship in the capitalist system on their artistic work.
  3. Countries like Estonia benefited from renewed state support for artists, resulting in a thriving animation community that continues to produce award-winning films.

The Art of Animated Titles

986 implied HN points β€’ 15 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Design
  1. The post discusses the art of animated titles during the mid-century era, particularly focusing on the animated movie titles of that time.
  2. The newsletter references Saul Bass's title sequence for Bonjour Tristesse (1958) and how it inspired elements seen in modern films like Pixar's The Incredibles.
  3. There's an invitation to subscribe to the Animation Obsessive newsletter for a 7-day free trial to access more content on animated titles and their history.

Reiko Okuyama, Commercial Artist

1614 implied HN points β€’ 01 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Career Artistry
  1. Reiko Okuyama was a legendary Japanese animator who played a significant role in the early days of modern Japanese animation.
  2. Okuyama's career spanned years and she contributed to Studio Gh...
  3. To learn more about Reiko Okuyama and her artistry, consider subscribing to Animation Obsessive for a 7-day free trial.

The Cartoon That Inspired 'Wander'

1255 implied HN points β€’ 23 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Influence
  1. Professor Balthazar, a cartoon series from the former Yugoslavia, inspired Craig McCracken, the creator of The Powerpuff Girls.
  2. The series ran from 1967 to 1978 and made a significant impact by influencing popular modern animations.
  3. The episode discussed in this post sheds light on the link between older cartoons and the creative inspirations of modern animators.

How an American Changed Soviet Cartoons

717 implied HN points β€’ 08 Mar 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation History
  1. Lucille Cramer, an American, made a significant impact on Soviet cartoons in the 1930s by helping to industrialize animation in the USSR.
  2. Cramer's work in the Soviet Union led to the establishment of a lasting animation system that influenced classics like 'The Snow Queen' (1957).
  3. Cramer's journey and contributions to early Soviet animation showcase the global reach and influence of individuals in the field of entertainment.

Beaten by Beginners

1255 implied HN points β€’ 09 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film
  1. The Oscars have a long history with animation, dating back to 1932.
  2. Winning an Oscar for an animated film is prestigious but also contentious.
  3. Consider subscribing to Animation Obsessive for more insights on animation industry.

In Flux with Robert Sahakyants

1345 implied HN points β€’ 02 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Surrealism
  1. Robert Sahakyants was an influential animator known for his surreal, psychedelic, and stream-of-consciousness style.
  2. He was unique in the Soviet animation scene for coming from Armenia and not the more common regions like Russia or Ukraine.
  3. Sahakyants creatively employed transformations in his work to create effects that were ahead of his time before the advent of computer animation.

Learning From the Best

1614 implied HN points β€’ 19 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation
  1. The post discusses how a master director learned from another across different cultures and languages.
  2. It highlights the meeting between Kihachiro Kawamoto and JiΕ™Γ­ Trnka in the 1960s.
  3. Kawamoto sought out Trnka in communist Czechoslovakia to learn and study at his studio.

There's No Master Plan

6368 implied HN points β€’ 30 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film
  1. There's no master plan in creating the newsletter; it evolves organically.
  2. Good surprises came from unexpected topics that resonated with readers.
  3. Hidden themes emerged in the newsletter content, connecting different issues and topics.

An Introduction to UPA

4664 implied HN points β€’ 07 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Design History TV Comics
  1. UPA studio revolutionized animation in the 1940s and 1950s with modern art influences and unique storytelling.
  2. The UPA animation style focused on emotion over anatomy, leading to groundbreaking visuals and storytelling.
  3. UPA's work extended beyond well-known films like Mr. Magoo, encompassing TV commercials, series, and experimental shows.

Writing 'Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends'

4036 implied HN points β€’ 12 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Writing News Industry Culture
  1. Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends was a script-driven animated series with a personal touch from the creators.
  2. The animation news highlighted 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' success globally and updates from various countries.
  3. The writing process for animation, such as the scripting, revisions, and voice recordings, is crucial for creating successful animated series.

The Phantom Legacy of Errol Le Cain

2780 implied HN points β€’ 31 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Visual art Anime
  1. Errol Le Cain was an influential illustrator and animator, known for his work on Richard Williams' films like The Thief and the Cobbler.
  2. He had a unique artistic process that deeply involved his personal experiences and cultural background.
  3. Animation in Africa is experiencing a significant growth, with projects like Kizazi Moto and Supa Team 4 gaining international attention.

How 'Chicken Run' Stayed Aardman

3857 implied HN points β€’ 22 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film Hollywood Character design
  1. When creating 'Chicken Run,' Aardman faced the challenge of maintaining their unique style amidst growth and Hollywood partnership.
  2. Nick Park and the Aardman team worked hard to preserve their quirky, British humor while collaborating on 'Chicken Run.'
  3. The film 'Chicken Run' is considered a successful example of balancing creative vision with external influences, retaining the essence of Aardman's work.

Four Magical Minutes from Cartoon Saloon

3498 implied HN points β€’ 05 Jun 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Film Industry Visual Arts Entertainment
  1. Cartoon Saloon created a visually stunning four-minute sequence in 'On Love' within the film 'The Prophet'.
  2. The project was made possible by a Hollywood production of 'The Prophet' without a screenplay or director attached, allowing indie teams like Cartoon Saloon to participate.
  3. The success of 'On Love' paved the way for Cartoon Saloon's larger projects, including 'Wolfwalkers'.

'Run, Melos!' Shows the Power of Animated Realism

3677 implied HN points β€’ 08 May 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Realism Anime Director
  1. 'Run, Melos!' is a buried treasure of realist anime that breaks away from cliches like high school and superpowers.
  2. The film showcases the perfection of animated realism unique to Japanese animation, creating a solid, three-dimensional world with detailed characters.
  3. The production of 'Run, Melos!' involved a team of talented animators and artists who focused on creating realistic characters, backgrounds, and storytelling.

When Rotoscoping Goes Very, Very Right

3587 implied HN points β€’ 06 Feb 23
  1. Rotoscoping can be a powerful tool in animation when used creatively and intentionally.
  2. Independent animators face challenges but can produce impactful work, like the film "Drone."
  3. Animation news from around the world highlights diverse and impressive projects.

'The Man Who Planted Trees' Was an Impossible Task

3049 implied HN points β€’ 20 Feb 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Filmmaking Environmentalism Activism Influences
  1. FrΓ©dΓ©ric Back made a significant impact in animation through his film 'The Man Who Planted Trees'.
  2. The film, 'The Man Who Planted Trees,' took Back five years to make and was a labor of love that symbolized the good humans can achieve.
  3. The task of animating 'The Man Who Planted Trees' was a challenging and historic endeavor, showcasing Back's dedication and artistic brilliance.

'Quentin Tarantino Would Not Like It at All!'

2601 implied HN points β€’ 24 Apr 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Screenwriting Visual art Music videos
  1. Screenwriting for animation is important and can influence the flow and feel of a project.
  2. Good storytelling is crucial in both live-action and animated films, but making a good animated movie is often harder due to the various elements that need to align.
  3. The indie animation scene in China is gaining recognition, with a viral music video highlighting the success of independent animators.

Writing 'Teen Titans'

1 HN point β€’ 26 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Animation Character design Comics Visual storytelling Illustration
  1. Writing for children's TV animation requires a delicate balance between engaging kids without talking down to them and appealing to a broader audience.
  2. The 'Teen Titans' series focused on creating iconic and relatable characters that were easily understood by a young audience.
  3. The show's success stemmed from storytelling that dealt with real-world themes in a relatable way, aiming to resonate emotionally with viewers of all ages.