The State of Japanese Animation in a Post-Miyazaki World

On April 6th I had the great honor to attend a panel hosted by Japan Society. The panel focus on the state of anime now that Miyazaki is gone. When legendary director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro) announced his retirement from Studio Ghibli, the world of Japanese animation mourned. But many also saw an opportunity for new talent to take center stage in the vacuum left by the famed director. In The State of Japanese Animation in a Post-Miyazaki World, scriptwriter Dai Sato and animator/producer Justin Leachdiscuss possibilities of Miyazaki's successor and the future of anime. You can hear the full audio below.

The presentation was great an insight on what direction the anime industry is going for. The 2.5D  seems to be the new standard in animation. Dai Sato showed us great examples of this new style such as Knights of Sidonia and how it incorporates 3D and 2D. Personally I consider myself a 2D purist. I love the look of a naturally hand drawn anime. You can never go wrong with classics like Grave of The Fireflies. The 2D for me is something that will never go out of style. However at the same time the 2.5D looks great especially with shows like Eureka Seven. With so many new directors, writers and animators in Japan the question was raised will anime fall off without Miyazaki. My take on the discussion is that anime at this point in time is going through a creative transition. I feel anime needs more directors, writers and animators that can be more innovative. Personally I see some of the same type of the storylines such as the magical girl, pop idol, the mech hero. However we do see a couple of shows that are a breath of fresh air such as One Punch Man and Erased. Anime needs more innovation and creators that are not afraid to take chances. From the shows and clips that are shown we are in for just that. In this new modern era we have independent creators taking to Youtube, Vimeo and other outlets to showcase their work. We're seeing anime style animations from all parts of the globe such as France, London and the United States. Soon anime won't just be a Japan. Anime style will be everywhere and we're starting to see that or different interpretation of the medium. I'm curious to see what is going to come next.

After the presentation guest were treated to a nice reception of snacks and drinks. I met some really cool new friends at the reception. I even had the chance to meet Dai Sato and talk a little bit about Eureka Seven. You can check out the pictures below. Also check out my new friend Tiffany from SuperheroineMagazine.com.