Posts Tagged ‘animation’
Oct13
Studio Ghibli artist Michiyo Yasuda passes away
2016 at 04:27 pm by admin | Comments Off
After decades of working on Studio Ghibli’s many films, the unfortunate news has come to light that prolific Ghibli artist Michiyo Yasuda has passed away earlier this month. Yasuda, who was 77 when she passed on October 5th, originally worked at Toei Doga in 1958, and became one of Studio Ghibli’s most influential color artists from the studio’s inception. Her work includes iconic Ghibli films like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Ponyo, and most recently The Wind Rises, along with other animated pieces like the Hols: Prince of the Sun and the Future Boy Conan series.
In total, Yasuda’s career at Ghibli spans 40 years and many films, and she as surely left her mark on Ghibi and the animated medium as a whole with her gorgeous color design and artwork. As Yasuda herself said in a 2009 interview, “Color has a meaning, and it makes the film more easily understood. Colors and pictures can enhance what the situation is on screen.” Her passing will be dearly missed by fans from all over the world, and her integral role in making Ghibli films what they are will not soon be forgotten.
Sep22
“The Red Turtle” to hit theaters in the US
2016 at 04:50 pm by admin | Comments Off
“The Red Turtle”, an animated film directed by Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit and co-produced by Studio Ghibli, will be coming to the United States! The announcement comes off the heels of the film’s official Japanese release on September 17th, as well as the film’s original debut at the 2016 69th annual Cannes Film Festival in France this past May. The film, which has received praise from viewers and critics alike from all over the world, follows the story of a marooned sailor and his day-to-day struggle to survive on a deserted island, as well as the mystery of a red sea turtle he encounters on one of his escape attempts. It was announced that “The Red Turtle” will be released at select theaters nationwide starting on January 20th, 2017. Mark your calendars to go see this awesome movie, and check out the release trailer below!
Sep13
Lost Dr. Who episodes to return as animation
2016 at 03:50 pm by admin | Comments Off
In 1974, a number of classic BBC shows and episodes were lost in an archive purge, among them several episodes of the highly renowned “Doctor Who” series of sci-fi dramas. In an effort to restore the episodes and recreate them for modern audiences, the BBC has announced that “The Power of the Daleks” lost episodes will be recreated in animation! These cartoons will use the original audio, as well as use shot composition and setup from the few surviving clips of these lost episodes in order to remain as faithful to the original as possible. “The Power of the Daleks” is a six-episode serial of the Doctor Who series that originally aired from November 5th to December 10th, 1966, and featured the Doctor taking on his eternal arch-rivals, the robotic Dalek species. In commemoration of the original episodes that aired 50 years ago, “The Power of the Daleks” animation will air on November 12th, making this fall one to remember for Who fans across the globe!
Aug18
Detective Pikachu movie in the works
2016 at 05:14 pm by admin | Comments Off
Legendary Films will be partnering with Nintendo in order to create a new Pokémon live-action movie based on the Nintendo 3DS game, “Great Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo”! The film, which was announced last month, has recently unveiled that scriptwriters Nicole Perlman and Alex Hirsch will be working on the film’s script! Perlman is best known for her work with Marvel films “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the upcoming Captain Marvel movie, while Hirsch is the creator of Disney’s popular “Gravity Falls” cartoon. Great Detective Pikachu follows the story of a talking Pikachu who works to solve mysteries around town with his human partner and sidekick, Tim Goodman. The game itself released in Japan this February, with no plans announced as of yet for an international release. Check out the trailer for the game below, and look forward to the Detective Pikachu movie’s release in 2017!
Aug15
Fans reimagine Akira in CG
2016 at 06:48 pm by admin | Comments Off
Animation team Brad Kremer and Dean Fowler have shown their love for the classic 1988 anime adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s “Akira” by recreating scenes from the movie in CG! The short film, which features shots from Akira’s iconic motorcycle chase scene, along with sweeping shots of Neo-Tokyo, is the result of several years of work between Kremer and Fowler. The most prominent feature of the film is the iconic red bike, featuring a fresh set of decals, paint, and animation for its CG debut! While not an official trailer or project, this fan-made tribute shows off Kremer’s and Fowler’s love for both the film and the medium in whole. Check it out below!
Aug01
Patlabor reboot coming this fall
2016 at 04:22 pm by admin | Comments Off
Coming off the heels of the 2014 live-action adaptation of the classic manga and anime Patlabor, anime project Japan Animator Expo has announced that a short animated reboot of Patlabor will release this fall! The project, headed by Hideki Anno’s Studio Khara, will debut at Japan Animator Expo’s week-long screening event starting on October 15th. Featuring a fresh look at the characters and scenario of the late 1980s franchise, the Patlabor short will feature the return of Patlabor’s original scriptwriter and composer, along with other big names in the anime industry!
Jul13
Buildings overgrow in artist’s animation
2016 at 05:19 pm by admin | Comments Off
3D animation artist AUJIK has released a new video titled “Spatial Bodies”, in which he transforms a seemingly normal city environment into a living, breathing ecosystem. In the animation, which has been a work in progress for the past 8 years, the building themselves come alive, expanding and growing into a wide variety of fantastical shapes and sizes. The video was created through a mix of CG animation and real life photography, shot with the use of a remote drone. AUJIK is known for his works in CG animation, with works in virtual reality being released as early as 2007. Check out the new work in the video below!
Jul05
Cartoon Network hosts Animation Jam
2016 at 05:19 pm by admin | Comments Off
In a move designed to inspire young artists and help promote the ever-growing animation business, Cartoon Network has announced their first Animation Jam collaborative event! In this event, Cartoon Network Studios will invite undergraduate animation artists from across the nation to their headquarters in Burbank, California to take part in a group project of creating a completely original 15-second animated short. The project, which will take place in the universe of the “O.K. KO! Let’s Be Heroes” cartoon, will be led by a creative team of animation mentors, including the creator of “O.K. KO!” Ian Jones-Quartey. The Animation Jam follows Cartoon Network’s Game Jam event in Portland, Oregon earlier this year, and will run from July 9th to July 11th, with the completed animation to be aired on Cartoon Network’s television channel later this year!