Shino’s Journey: Editor’s Note

Through a lively discussion with Shino-san about characters and works, I gained very deep insights into the role of animators in the animation production process.

I learned a lot about how Shino-san meticulously depicts the movements and emotions of characters. It can be said that Shino-san plays the role of an “actor” rather than just being an animator.

In many parts of the animation industry, technical division of labor is advanced, and each animator specializes in specific skills or actions. However, in Shino-san’s case, there is an emphasis on telling stories through the psychology and emotions of characters. This is very close to the idea of “animator = actor” seen in North America. Each movement in Shino-san’s work has meaning, and there is a deep background to “why this movement”.

The expression “actor-like animation” that Shino-san mentioned during the recording captures animation as something beyond just moving characters, opening up the potential as a rich artistic form of emotional expression. I feel that how much we respect and utilize the creativity and individuality of animators in animation production will greatly contribute to the future development of the animation industry.

What Shino-san particularly emphasizes is the instantaneous interaction between characters and situations. Rather than long-term emotional movements, they are interested in how to capture and express each moment. This approach seems to draw out a new charm of animation (though new, it is actually a primitive charm) and suggests the possibility of providing viewers with a new experience. Can it make a significant impact on the current story-driven anime?

Finally, I feel once again that animation is not just a means of entertainment, but a powerful medium that enables emotional resonance and artistic expression. When animators pour their hearts into every gesture of the characters, their works gain depth and become unforgettable for viewers.

Through this recording, I was able to reaffirm the importance of the creative process in animation production and how crucial the expressiveness of each animator is.

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