Are you still awake?
I was just about to sleep.
Okay. Well, I'm heading to work.
Have a safe trip.
Good night.
I've got snacks, too.
Let me put some fresh tea out.
That was cool!
What was?
Just now.
I'm sorry...
It's okay.
Grandma, can you do it again?
You're a silly girl.
Again!
Oh my... what a waste of tea.
Now, when you're nervous, your movements can get clunky,
so we're going to practice just getting up and sitting down.
Note the difference between standing right up and standing up slowly.
That was standing straight up.
Slowly, it's more like this.
You lean over first, and then stand.
Do you understand the difference? Then let's try it.
Ow!
Tsubame?
Okay, step, step, step.
You want to have your hands out and your chest up,
walking along a straight line. That's the pretty way to do it.
Motohashi, your head's swinging a bit too much from side to side.
Try to walk in a straight line.
It might be easier to sway like that, but does not look as nice.
Yamashiro, your head is moving, too.
Now, with a model's walk, your legs cross in front of you,
so even if your hips swing, your head has to stay steady.
So there you have it. The bottom line is...
Maeda did it!
I did it!
I'm not sure you're strong enough to help, honey.
Try leaning over more!
So that your head is this far down.
Wouldn't I fall over if I did that?
Look at this!
Oh, this is impressive.
You lean down like that, and then when your behind goes up, you straighten!
Like, bam, bam!
Bam...
Bam.
See! You were able to stand!
Wow...
Left, right, left, right...
You can sway all you want, okay?
You've got a knack for this, Tsubame.
When you go to the left, it pulls your right leg along,
and then to the right, with your left leg.
It's totally natural, and should be easier!
Okay!
Episode 7 I Have To Do It For Myself!
Keep
Your
Hands
Off
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
Student Council
Motor Vehicle Club
Thanks for the lift!
I'm going to unload this stuff, so it'll just be a minute.
Huh, this one says, "Eating bread crusts."
That ought to do it.
This one is the sound for eating a croissant...
Hey, stop that!
Get that stuff unpacked, and then get in here!
We need to have a sound meeting.
Right.
I think I get what you're going for.
I'll look into how the sounds for monsters and robots are done.
But in terms of specific sounds that will match your footage,
even for the more mundane scenes,
it's hard to know what'll be needed without seeing what you're dealing with.
And it'll be really tough to set you up without knowing the timing.
I see.
The dialog will also have to be balanced against the rest of the sound,
so if I knew the timing and volume you wanted, it'd be easier to figure out.
There are also the things that affect acoustics,
like the size of the location and its layout,
so even if it's just a broad outline, that'd be handy to know.
Understood. We'll get the dialog recorded as soon as we can.
That means it's time for edits.
Should we make a video out of the storyboard?
That way we can set the timing up for the sounds.
The timing is hard to guess at until it's actually animated...
But it needs to be done to get the sound ready in time,
so I'll figure something out!
How are we going to handle casting, anyway?
It's actually been settled already.
The client has demands.
Team
Darker than the last cut (but the power is still on) Monitor is lit brightly
Officer A
There have been reports of vibrations being detected underground!
Voice on the Radio: "It's a monster. A crab-type monster has appeared!"
It's a monster. A crab-type monster has appeared.
Time to blast out of the water!
Launch it from the catapult!
Cut!
Your ad-libs are things that will be conveyed in the footage,
Robot VS Monster (TBD) Voice Over Script
so you don't have to describe every moment.
And you don't have to vocalize the sound effects.
They'll overlap everyone else's dialog.
I think we'd be better off recording Seki and Goto's dialog
for cuts 12 through 21 separately.
Sorry about that!
Pile bunker!
We are honestly so excited about this!
Recoil start!
Can we adjust the volume differently per actor?
Of course.
But we need that storyboard video for him to practice with,
or it's going to be really hard to get him to match the timing of the animation.
Film
Wait, the song for the opening still isn't ready?
Not only is it not ready,
there was so much trouble putting it together that they said to forget about it.
Which means less work for us, thankfully.
If there's no opening, I kind like the idea of just—boom!
Chomp, chomp!
And starting with the monster showing up.
Mizusaki, how about the music?
I forgot! Let me ask now!
We'll use something from a free music library.
Doumeki, can you look into it?
Uh, sure. I can try.
Excuse us.
Oh, wow, nice.
U-Um...
About the sun, this would be the west, which would make this a sunset...
I was hoping it could be consistent.
I mean, is it really a problem?
W-Well, I think...
Since it's an actual location, and changes the connotation of the camera pan...
Uh, the car here was supposed to be drawn as a cel.
It looked a little barren, composition-wise, without it.
But the cels will be animated,
so if it's in the background too, there'll be two of them.
So is it not gonna work?
If we erase the car...
Huh, that doesn't look right.
Did you cut the image board out for this?
Oh, I see. You copied Asakusa's board and then stuck it on there.
Is that a problem?
It's just kind of blurry...
And the texture is...
Wait, is this line right?
A character's supposed to pop out from there.
I made it so the light was shining down, like you said.
Pretty good, right?
Or isn't it? That's what you asked for, right?
It's just... it's turning into a different film...
Oh, this isn't gonna work!
But Asakusa, you said the details were up to me, right?
Yes, but while following the image board,
and keeping the layout lines in mind.
This sounds different from what you were asking about before.
So there's no room for expression?
Hey...
Um, let me know if there's anything else that needs fixing.
I can adjust it digitally.
You're gonna change it?!
Just making a few changes to the general look!
S-Sure. That'd be a big help.
I like that Kubo girl. She's willing to make corrections.
That should help take care of some of it.
That said...
You didn't need to take over all of these!
Doing it myself is faster than explaining how to fix it.
A director needs to be able to give directions to other artists.
You're supposed to be helping with animation,
and handling the photography,
on top of the edit!
I get how she feels, though. It's just faster to redraw it yourself.
You do realize that
our delays are due to being behind schedule with animation, yes?
The PC room where the animation needs to be done won't be free forever.
If you don't get in there soon, you won't finish all the art we need.
For the record, if we fall any further behind,
the dozens of cuts you have cooking in that tablet
are never going to see the light of day.
No way!
I'm gonna draw it all!
And with that being the case...
All right, we'll continue next time.
Time to chow down!
Let's sit somewhere we can see the lightning.
I'm gonna work on this a bit more...
I guess I should work on the backgrounds.
Uh, we have a bit of news.
There's a warning for torrential rain,
so classes are canceled for the rest of the day.
All students are to head home as quickly as possible.
With the amount of work we have to do,
we can't just take the rest of the day off.
What do you think will happen to the food they had ready for lunch?
It's raining!
At times like this, you shouldn't be caught without...
A rain poncho!
Rain Coat
Super Durable
Evasive maneuvers!
Since we've got our gym clothes, you want to hang out until the rain stops?
Ugh, I'm freezing!
Please use the actual entrance
I'm going to use the bathhouse before heading home.
A bathhouse?! I've never been to one before!
I'm going, too!
One sec, gotta notify Mom.
Hey, it's me. Can I stop by the bathhouse before going home?
Are Asakusa's parents strict or something?
With Kanamori and Mizusaki.
It's just a matter of keeping them informed.
Class let out early because of the rain warning.
As long as she keeps in touch, they won't be upset.
Huh, that's not like my parents at all.
She said it's okay!
Please use the actual entrance
Ongyoku Bathhouse
Oh.
We had to take the indoor route.
Reception
Must be rough out in that rain.
Three students.
Huh, wooden plates.
When you take them, they lock.
Enjoying some fun with your friends today?
No.
Enjoy yourselves!
Sponge
Kanamori, what is this thing?
Gentlemen
Ladies
The key for your locker.
You pull here to get the key to come out.
That's adorable!
"Ladies"!
Ladies
The "ladies" curtain that's so famous!
You put your clothes in here? That's neat!
Do you think they'd mind if I took pictures inside?
They sure as hell would!
So I can jump in here?
That's the rinsing water.
You're supposed to wash off first.
Rules for the Bathhouse
You'll see rules along those lines in just about any bathhouse.
Like a tutorial...
Check this out!
A bucket in each hand!
I have all I need to clean off in one fell swoop!
You're trying to save water when you paid to bathe in a bathhouse?!
Stop showing off!
Kanamori, could you do that again?
One more time!
Enough already!
Sorry! The movement of the water was just...
Can it! And take this!
By the way, Mizusaki,
will your parents be mad about your clothes getting soaked?
Nah. My parents give me a lot of freedom.
The only times I can remember them being mad...
is when I tried to push the house with a car in preschool and broke a wall.
And when I tried hatch an egg, but it rotted instead.
The egg thing! I did that, too.
They said we couldn't have an ostrich as a pet.
An ostrich egg?!
I tried to raise pigs for meat once.
Who does that?!
You know, other than forbidding anime,
your parents seem pretty lenient, Mizusaki.
Yeah. They generally let me do what I want.
I think this stuff about me being an actress
is my dad's idea of trying to make my mom's dream come true.
And your mother doesn't care?
She totally lets me have my freedom.
I'm more of a grandma's girl, anyway.
An impenetrable barrier!
A barrier...
You're pretty tough.
Right back at you.
Huh? Kanamori, are you getting out already?
I haven't eaten yet.
Dining Hall
Dibs on the window seat!
Huh...
Look at this!
American All the Red Crawfish You Can Catch
600 Yen per person
• You can eat any crawfish you catch! • Boiling and deep frying on the house!
What a wonderful setup.
Got one! We got one!
These are the ones we caught?
I'd wager they make them purge mud for a good long while,
so the ones we caught will go to someone else.
We should've marked them!
I'll add a note to the bathhouse log.
Dining Hall
A specially made paddle boat for hot water!
Hey, the rain's stopped.
We should head home.
I guess so.
Asakusa isn't waking up.
Leave her.
We have to take her back with us...
Asakusa!
No good. Guess I'm carrying her.
Upsy-daisy...
Ongyoku Bathhouse
Thanks.
People are heavy.
Her bag is stupidly heavy, too.
Not lost...
Did you wake up?
Exploring...
Culture
High School
And... then...
Blargh!
Pull yourself together!
What's wrong, Mizusaki?
Well, it's about the chainsaw's movement...
I didn't want it to just breeze by like "bzzzt" and "shwooom"
but more like... grind, grind, crunch, crunch, with rocks flying around and stuff,
but I can't get it right.
What about making the screen pan around?
I thought about that!
But then it makes the movement of the treads more smooth, and less impactful.
Come on over, Kanamori.
How am I supposed to be able to help?
There you go again. Isn't a producer supposed to develop a discerning eye?
Fair enough.
I just won an argument
with Kanamori
To be honest, I can't imagine what else you might want to add.
The big movements are satisfying to look at,
so I don't see a problem with just going with what you have.
I dunno.
Let's try adding sound to it.
As it is?
It changes the whole feel it gives off.
She's right.
Animation otaku go as far as to mute the sound when they look at something.
It definitely helps convey the impression of movement.
A technique unto itself.
Having proper sound takes some of the burden off an animator.
I... I hate to admit it, though!
You do realize film basically consists of images and sound, right?
Have you considered that your vision for animation
is too technical for people to understand, Mizusaki?
But the people who can understand do, y'know? Everyone does it.
Think about how pretty it is when a goldfish's tail is fluttering.
Or swirls of cherry blossom petals...
Dancing, too! That's all a performance of motion!
And anime is another way to appreciate movement?
I'd say it's the best way to appreciate it!
Certainly, considering that every single motion is something
intentionally depicted by an artist.
It can be a pretty subtle movement, without a lot of exaggeration,
but the fact that someone had to draw it out
in order to make it move gives it a bigger impact.
That's the big difference from live action.
Think about a rocket. The rocket itself isn't the cool part.
Yes, it is!
Well, yeah, but what I'm saying is...
The trail and clouds of smoke it gives off are all part of why it's cool!
Exactly!
Which is why this won't cut it!
You want a long shot, like this!
Then a close-up!
And then the... uh...
The nozzle's skirt.
Mizu
Asa
You see that vibrate!
Kana
You see all of this white smoke coming from the rocket,
spreading and billowing outwards,
and depending on the location, it shakes like it's a solid shape!
A big portion of the white smoke near the launchpad is actually steam
that was vaporized by the rocket as part of the water sound suppression system.
The water sound suppression system being—
Stop.
The shake of the security camera!
And as it starts to tilt,
the angle of the rocket and its exhaust stop being vertical!
The tilt is a big deal.
It continues to expel smoke!
"This is the coolest part of a rocket!"
You've got to make the art give that kind of feeling!
Then it's like, "Yeah, you really get it!"
"I don't know who you are, or where you are,"
"but I appreciate your attention to detail!"
That's why I want to make animation.
As unpleasant as I find artistic passion, I think I grasp the concept.
Would you prefer if I said, "I want to make lots of people smile with my anime!"?
That would actually be more gross, yes.
I think I'm starting to get you, Kanamori!
You have to draw the greatest world you imagine yourself, after all.
So, Mizusaki, you don't want to make anime,
but are more concerned with animation, huh?
That's what I've been saying this whole time!
There might be someone out there dying to see the vibrations of a chainsaw.
I want to see the teeth of the chainsaw jump around,
and those kinds of details are how I'll survive.
Even if most people don't appreciate it,
I have to do it for myself!
I have to proclaim "Here I am!"
to the people who can appreciate each individual movement!
Illustration by Kenji Maeba