Many people love watching Japanese anime. But do you know how they are made? This article will tell you the secret on flow of Japanese anime production. In Japan, there is an anime called Shirobako, which details the work and life of practitioners in the Japanese anime industry. Let us start with this example. There is a flowchart of anime production: アニメ制作について｜TVアニメ「SHIROBAKO」公式サイト
I translated it into English as follows:
Planning
The establishment of the work. It mainly determines the title, style, type, episodes number, story content and so on.
Screenplays
Create a story about each episode. There are usually one to three screenwriters for the creation of a story. In most of the works, the team will also setup a “Script Coordinator” position. Script Coordinator will create a synopsis and check scripts for each episode.
Settings
Design settings for all aspects of the anime. It includes conceptual design, character settings, mechanic settings, art settings and color design etc.
Character Settings
Design the main character. This work is to design the character draft as reference for animator. The design draft usually includes the whole body image on the front, side and back, as well as the characters’ general expressions. It is focusing on drafting the reference characters for animators. It will lose its meaning if the character drafts can’t become a template.
Mechanical Settings
Similar to character settings, but it’s not to design a character. Instead, it designs a variety of machinery, common robots, vehicles, aircraft, firearms and so on.
Art settings
Background settings.
Color Design
Design basic colors, such as the character’s hair, skin, eyes, clothes etc. Generally, the colors of normal, highlight, and shadow are specified as the reference for the color keys later.
Storyboard
The text of script is turned into a picture of a shot. The storyboard is the design of the whole work. It includes the positional relationship, background content, lines, camera mode, effect sound, lens length and so on.
Design Draft / Layout (L / O)
Draw the draft sketch according to storyboard. It includes exact position, specific actions and expressions of characters. Moreover, it includes specific content of background, specific use of lens, etc. It must be a clear draw. Because this is an important step in determining the quality of the finished picture.
Original Pictures / Key Frames
Draw the key frames according to L/O. For example, if the content of lens is the character running from left to right. Then all the key actions of the whole process should be drawn. It is a step in the transformation of the picture from static to dynamic, the core of anime production.
Background
Draw a background based on L/O. The background part is relatively independent. Background is created according to the art settings.
CG
Make CG animations according to the requirements of the storyboard. The CG part is also relatively independent.
In-between
The original painting only shows the key movements. The work of the in-between complements the transition between the movements, allowing the picture to move smoothly.
Color Keys
Responsible for the color of each episode, especially the color of the dynamic part, except the background. Color keys specifies the color of the specific environment, such as dusk, late night, daylight, and each color is varied in different environments.
Coloring
Coloring the sketches of the original paintings and in-betweens, except the background. The basis for coloring is the indication of the color keys.
Synthesis
Combine the original paintings, in-betweens, background, CG and other materials into one screen. And add special effects according to the requirements of the storyboard.
Edit
Connect all the shots into a complete animation. It includes adjusting the shot sequence, adding and deleting shots, and removing unwanted ones.
Recording
Invite voice actor to record after completion of animation.
Dubbing
Add effects sound, BGM, songs and so on.
Finally, please refer to the following flowchart below if you are interested in the production time of anime.
