For those who are interested in trying to animate light like this, it's called underlighting, "Underlighting (aka "Bipack Glow") is an animation technique that caught on in the 1980's, although it dates back much further. Some parts of an animated scene may need to glow. Traditionally, a glow was painstakingly drawn by an animator, who had to pay careful attention to get the fringe colors just right to make it convincing. Even in the best cases, a hand-drawn glow still didn't look very "glowy." The solution was to cut a hole in the background in the shape you wanted the glowing object to have, and then project a bright colored light from underneath the scene. The result was a rather awesome-looking glowing object, with tapering fringes that looked exactly as you'd expect a brightly glowing object to look.'
Are you sure about that? I find that unlikely. Maybe the rough animation drawings are, but the coloring and finished art is definitely digital. The newer episodes have a lot of CGI camera movements and effects as well.
Hopefully that BLADERUNNER sequel, BLADERUNNER 2049, will be good, especially since it's from a director who has been making good films (Sicario and Arrival to name a few) and was inspired by Ridley Scott films like BLADERUNNER.
Akira was the very first feature length anime I had ever seen (good possibility of it being the very first anime I had seen period) and when you see a person try to catch there spilling animated guts to put it back in their stomach, you know you're watching something special, especially after years of watching the tame cartoons on tv at the time. Saw it on Sci-Fi sooooooooo long ago (don't even remember what the channel was called before the name change) and seen Iria on it too not long after, so The Sci-Fi channel has a place in my heart regarding my introduction to anime, or at the very least my conscious recognition of it.
Akira was made in the golden days of animation The animations in the 80's, before japan's economic fall the modern day animation is based on the funds raised by fan service. Perhaps your dream will come true when people finally start buying expensive blu rays straight from japan and animation industry growing into a multi billion dollar business.One day when hentai wouldn't be just called fap material but respectable form of adult entertainment which could boast of a fleshed out story. Maybe one day when Japanese Manga art and animation is adopted by other developing countries and be integrated as one of the sources of their bread and butter,Then chances of animation being brought back to its original form might become a viable reality. Until then,We can hope.When trump can win presidency,there ain't a goddamn thing that isn't possible.
What according to you was the front face of the 80's? We aren't counting ghibli films because according to Hayao Miyazaki himself his films aren't anime, but simply animated Feature length films. Akira was the most expensive film of its time. And you say Girls Und Panzer is devoid of fan service. Well, Girls Und panzer is itself the promoter of high schoolers driving tanks, are you really that amateur to not understand the celebration of violence in the film.Anime fights are for the sake of plot convince given, but basing the theme of a Moe story with tank? if basing cute girls to promote a violent subliminal theme ain't also a fanservice I don't know what is. You say Monster Masume isn't competitive enough? have you ever looked up japan's population? Do you really think 5,434 is a less number when half of the world is streaming the manga and anime online for free or a paid subscription.Shit like Sword art online is selling a successful line up of products while things like Bleach are ended abruptly. Why are you trying to see things from the perspective of an outsider bro? why not research things up? reality ain't in numbers.Thats why attack on titan, although the manga being super famous,isn't having a second season.But leave it, its better to give up on people like you who just wander along the crevices of the modern day cliches and repertoire that aren't leading us anywhere? Animators in japan are dying because of bad health.Health issues caused due to overwork and underpaid jobs, thats where the multi billion dollar i was talking about should be focused onto, it isn''t.We are sitting here behind screens debating on useless topics meanwhile the anime makers are suffering a exhaustive and uninteresting array of endless fanservice to work on. Mangakas, Douga Makers,Genga makers,Animation planners, even directors are working on use less pile of moe shit because people demand for that shit.There is a production because there is a demand.But anime is art related entertainment ,you couldn't show the moe shit of this generation to the future generations. Frankly my friend,We have enough of this moe promotion and the last thing all of us should do is to show up numbers to say the anime is fine when it plainly isn't. I spend some time writing this, please without once objecting to my view, review your analysis of the anime, Watch the community understand the purposes of the animation and the restraints limiting the periphery of anime potential to bland protagonist, cheesy story and 2d dimensional character development. If you still feel i am wrong, please forgive me for wasting your time with this reply.But i feel unapologetic of my opinion. thanks.
Sir do you want me to really get into the nitty gritty detail of it all? You're provoking me at this point and a detail lengthy explanation of my opinion at this would only make things get messier. Chill out sir, keep your anime with you. i think thats the way you are and can be appreciated as.
That's why I'm so afraid of the live action adaptation. I'm not convinced that the movie will encapsulate the aesthetics or visual power of the original movie. Like the scene in 6:13 that looks like a refugees in World War 2 getting mowed down by a boarder partrol. Akira feels and looks hopeless, gritty and violent. So Hollywood will most likely turn it into a sterile PG 13 pseudo-Chronicles flick with generic asia-deco artstyle (kinda Ghost in the Shell with What's-her-name-again)
I'm an animator and we studied AKIRA a lot in school. For some of the lighting effects they actually used real light behind some of the cels to make it more vivid and real for example when the huge ball of light engulfs the city. Also not all of the animation is drawn on 24 frames per second. It's usually 12 frames per second unless it's a really fluid and fast moving scene.(Disney always drew on 24 frames per second) A lot of anime use even less frames per second but they still are able to capture the movement and poses really well. Instead of north america's 2 frames for each drawing in Japan it's usually 3 frames for each drawing. They use a lot of tricks to keep it fluid. The animation cycles on the hair moving in the wind or the clothes. So when a character turns it's head and stops. The drawing is just held there and then on another cel layer the hair will be moving in a cycle that repeats over and over.
If you liked it, check out the graphic novels. A good portion of the content was left out of the film for length reasons. It's truly an epic long form manga.
It truly is. Over time I began to strongly dislike anime and the baggage that comes with it. But in spite of that, Akira stands unmoved as a masterpiece of Cyberpunk.
In a rough microcosm: I grew sick of cool-evil-smart-guy turning his back, pushing up the bridge of his glasses, and talking dismissively while brash-dumb-hero shouts 'bastard!' while he rages impotently, and everyone else quivers and stutters and gasps for a full 10 seconds. I dislike it's approach to characterization. When I stopped watching, it was a parade of taped-together tropes, rather than unique people. The genre feels incredibly rigid when it comes to characters. Characters seemed written to fit a pre-defined niche, paint by numbers - designed as a unit rather than born, relative to other storytelling media. And when it's not rigid, it's contrived. Rarely did the genre's characters occupy that happy middle ground of original but believable. I believe this balance can be struck, in spite of the wild diversity of premise that anime sports. I've seen other animated stories do it well. But I saw it rarely enough in 'anime' that I no longer find the genre worth watching. So it's possible that what I dislike more precisely is the Japanese approach to characters. There's more to it than characterization, like it's ham-handed approach to drama, or like the handling of theme that's about as well thought out as a high-school book report, in spite of pretenses of depth. But the breadth of what I find lacking in this particular brand of cartoons is difficult to describe. Which is a shame, because I love the wild explorations of premise. As for baggage, that's a discussion too large and wide-ranging for youtube comments. And it relates more to the fans and creators more than the media itself, so it exceeds the scope of this comment thread. Sorry!
For everyone saying “wait but this didn’t teach me how to animate light”, the “How To” means more so how light should be animated. It’s saying Akira is a prime example of how to animate light. Sure, upon first reading the title may suggest a tutorial on how to animate light but(and correct me if I’m wrong), this channel doesn’t really post tutorials on how to do technical things within film but rather breaks films down into their different film language components.
I've never seen an in-depth critique on animation films like this before, especially when it is focusing on the singularity of a detail (light) where no other critics seem to notice to much. I enjoyed it! And please also make one for PAPRIKA!
Outstanding analysis that wholly captures the excellence of the animation in this film. The meticulous way in which Katsuhiro Otomo almost manipulates light to bend around the themes and atmosphere of AKIRA is truly impressive. This is one of my favourite video essays of 2016 - and that's saying a lot coming from a fellow video essayist who consumes this form of media daily. Great stuff!
Meh, I know it's blasphemy, but I'm not sure I even finished Mushishi because I just don't enjoy episodic shows. Same with Bebop, except it was good enough for me to finish it.
I really like this video and your commentary. I particularly enjoy the format: not too short, not too long. A concentrate of information without fluff.
I've been binge-watching Nerdwriter videos. The dude has seriously taught me so much about developing appreciation for music, movies, art, and poetry. Thank you for these, man. They really are some of my favorite videos and some of the most quality content anywhere!
Ok, you have been building a strong regularly increasing subscriber base for a while now. Your on your way to 900,000 subs (early congrats) but I expect you reaching a million soon. Some big RUclipsrs lately have decided to slow down or even stop being "burnt out" and I hope you continue to do fine work and continue to receive the increasing followers you deserve for that work. As much as I would like to see more content cranked out I would rather maintain this quality with this current quantity. I remember it wasn't that long ago when you talked about being able to make RUclips videos full time leaving your job. I hope that choice stays viable and your still loving what your doing as much as we all enjoy watching it. Coming from a guy that doesn't comment much on anything positive or negative bravo sir!
Akira could also be written 晶 even though it's never written in kanji in the movie iirc It's a running theme in the movie that Japanese figured out a lot sooner than non-Japanese speakers
This was an orgasmically good breakdown, beautiful put together and filled with interesting moments. Akira must be one of the most stunning technical achievements in the entire history of the global animation industry. I never thought of what an unbelievable artistic and creative challenge the lighting would have presented, but now I just love the movie even more. Didn't know my adoration for a film could go above 100%, but well.... a fitting homage to a legendary film
_1:14__-__1:42_ He did mention it. Maybe if you had paid more attention you would've noticed the reference to Disney as well, where you could've found even more information on what you're looking for.
No, @@kylebroflovski6382 , the author does NOT say HOW they did the LIGHT, but describes how the end result looks like. I also do not see the answer in the video which was promised by the title.
I've seen the movie countless times and always felt fascinated by it's look but never caught on how much of it is due to it's lighting. Really great video!
I just wanted to write that I love your videos and the work you put into them, you're one of my favourite content creators and I'm always showing people your videos based on their own interests, because you cover so many different areas of art. Thanks for what you do, and good luck with everything.
Revolutionary Girl Utena. And not just the film, Adolescence of Utena, but the original TV series. There are multiple layers of the production that could be peeled back, from its symbolism rich direction to its character-focused plot, to its deconstructive look at fairy tails and magical girl tropes.
I'd like to see him do a video on Angel's Egg. Freaking loved that film. Didn't know it existed until you made video on it, though. Glad you watch good stuff. Big fan of what you do. It's quality work.
AnimeEveryday I think he could do a video on the art style alone. You know, things like the color palette. I've never seen another anime do something like it.
I would love a piece on American Psycho. That movie is utterly fascinating, full of interpretations. I also heard that Bateman fellow is a real smooth guy.
I've seen this movie so many times and I never consciously picked up on this thematic use of light. But now that you've pointed it out it's obvious, and it's a big part of what makes the film so visually cohesive and slightly surreal.
You never cease to amaze me with your reviews. I've watched Akira like 20 times since I was 12 years old and I never payed that much attention to the meaning of light in the film. Thanks for sharing your insight and knowledge!
I hoped would have mentioned the interesting new way the studio achieved that blurry neon shine around the light source itself. The channel Corridor crew dug deep into the making of the special effects, for example the light streeks behind their bikes
I always loved the way that moving lights were animated in this movie, with the afterglow streaks. Really stood out to me from anything else I've seen.
Gave me chills at the end, sir. You're a master. This is one of my top ten favorite films, and you analyzed it here so beautifully over a concept I had never truly considered.
Akira is a true work of art and solidified me as an anime fan. Robotech was my first intro to anime, but Akira was it. Knowing that this was all hand done is just amazing
It is a joyful circumstance that I came to acquire an Akira copy recently, for the sole purpuse to enjoy the animation. I actually barely remember any of it back when I first saw it, it was broadcasted dubbed and heavily censored by a local network in the mid 90s. And now, considering I've been enjoying myself with the Nerdwriter video essays of yours, I'll re watch it at once after all these years. Keep it the great work!
nice perspective, i never even thought of the lights factor in the dozen times I've watched AKIRA. Will watch again in a new light, thanks Nerdwriter1.
Brah i animate shit too, Iv been working so hard on my newest project, Its a 11 min OVA i was commissioned for but i was given complete freedom so for this film iv only worked on it only if iv taken/ are on acid, shrooms or dmt, this will be the masterpiece that sets me apart from the pack! Even if i become insane in the process its all for the art! This is the pinnacle
K Dub - didn't become an animator but this movie, specifically one unlikely scene, did challenge my drawing. Tetsuo stumbles down the rectangular hallway, then he creates an invisible force that is spherical which manipulates the walls & ceiling to take the same spherical shape. This blew my mind. .
This is a *wonderful* thesis on not just animation and filmmaking, but underlying themes of dystopia coveyed/communicated through art and semiotics.... This piece: *powerfully cogent* and I hope everyone/anyone may ingest and incorporate its salience.... .... Nerdwriter.... *You Did It* *Again* 🎩👌💫
I've seen Akira maybe a handful of times but recently was able to catch it in a theater via projection. It wasn't a large screen at all or anything of that nature, but for some reason the coloring of the lights just hit different. Every time I see that movie I am impressed by some facet or another that I somehow didn't see before. It's a masterpiece
A encompassing sphere that erases the 'light of neo-tokyo'? spawning the rebirth of the city and the light within it? I guess you could call it a Neon Genesis.
Excellent video, your narration is fluid (consequence of the light but rich text) it really engages the viewer. I´ve already seen Akira and i´ve already noticed the game he plays with the light but you really nailed it by putting his idea into words. Tonight it´s Akira's night again because of your video, thank you
Great job! Amira was my first exposure to anime, which quickly became an obsession. I've read about,seen,and studied it countless times, yet your analysis showed me something new about it. Thanks
Yeah it was pretty misleading. Was waiting for his metaphorical rambling to finish and start getting to the technical part. Until I realized that it was the entire video. The whole narrative is just way too bloated. Lights are bright and futuristic the end.
Oh. My. Lord. ... @Nerdwriter1, this is a FANTASTIC critique of the manifestation of light within this "Akira" world of Neo Tokyo. I have been talking about the layers of animation cels, and the layers of meaning in Akira to anyone who will listen for years. I'm happy to know that someone as eloquent and educated as you chose to address it. Please... keep up this pursuit. Your insights are fantastic and much needed in this era of cultural miasma & muddling of message.
Akira will always be one of my favorite movies of all time. I don't think I've ever seen any film as well animated as it. It''s such an experience to watch it with full 1080HD it's absolutely godlike.
The use of light in your name is the best use of computer aided light in animation I've ever seen. Its simultaneously hyper realistic and truly awesome and subtly striking when needed. Its the complete opposite of akira: its overly natural and realistic to the point where it becomes striking yet again.
This was fucking phenomenal. Thank you. Akira is a treasure of mine - dating to my upbringing. This has brought new meaning to an old classic of mine. I appreciate this a whole lot and will soon again watch Akira to observe its ripe saturation of both meaning and light.
Excellent video. You're right, the lighting is integral to the story. I saw Akira for the first time when I was a pre-teen and I remember the lighting captivating me before I even knew how to explain or quantify it.
This video is quite timely! I watched this video by pure coincidence just before I watched 'Your Name (Kimi no Na wa)' on the big screen, and it gave me a newfound appreciation for lighting in an animated film. Makoto Shinkai really takes it to a whole new level in that film.
But the relation between video and title is correct, it's an answer to "how to animate light": with meaning, symbolism and attention to detail, using it as a narrative tool. It is a "how to" video - not as in a tutorial, but focusing on theoretical analysis.
I love Neo Tokyo, especially "The Runnung Man" with all of the neon on dark goodness. Fun fact for all of you at home, ""Construction Cancellation Order" in Neo Tokyo was directed by Katsuhiro Otomo himself, which I find is pretty awesome. I've always been fascinated with the harsh neon lighting effect that was used in traditional animation. I forgot what the method was called, but it was basically light being introduced into the camera directly, rather than painted on. The earliest that I have ever seen this personally used was in "Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro" (1979), though only very briefly. I feel like I have seen it used in earlier pieces, but I can't recall at this time. By the time the 80's came around, the method was pretty commonplace.
Crowborn we still get some amazing looking anime nowadays, just look at stuff like studio ghibli, garden of words, Redline, studio trigger or 5 centimeters per second (or 5 wallpapers a second, as I like to call it) And the average anime from the 80s and 90s didn't exactly look amazing either, stuff like Akira and neo Tokyo where the exceptions, not the norm
much like sound effect editing, it goes un noticed often but thats what makes it good, it syncs up so well with our brains. great perspective on the light!
First of your vids I've seen, and I must say, that was a well thought and written piece. Looking forward to checking out your previous uploads, if they are as impressive as this, I'll have no choice but to put some change into the patreon pot. Subbed.
This. Please. The visions of the future you refer to here, soaked with "neon" (drink every time he says 'neon', everyone), just made me think of the attempts of present day technology to look more natural and streamlined-- woods and glasses and stone. It's used in Arrival. Also Arrival was a perfect combination of two other stories I'd love to see your take on (the novel version of Solaris, and either version of Contact)---with its own twists.
Amazing work here Nerdwriter, consider yourself having a new subscriber. I agree that the light could be considered a character in this film, and in fact IS a character in AKIRA. Usually a movie focuses on the main character, or at minimum a character of interest to propel the plot. In AKIRA though, the light is a main character, always highlighting and focusing on the scene and action the viewer is looking at, and at times has an overabundance of presence that screams "LOOK AT ME!" This is really clear in the Hallway scene, where Tetsuo kills the three men and the light from the scene, once vibrant and clear, has now become dark, with lots of greys and blues. Signifying his transition from a main character to the villain of the film. Id say more but its been so long since I analyzed this film I don't remember many other instances that make light a character.
I don't usually like vids like this but this was seriously beautiful to watch and listen to and gave me a more profound appreciation for one of my all time favorite movies.
you could do so much about Cowboy Bebop. You could talk about the Newar or setting or the music involved in each scene or how the characters move fluently. Bottom line you should make an episode about Cowboy Bebop
I've watched Akira 3 times and never tought about the importance of light in it, in the 4th rewatch will pay more attention to that, in fact it is a theme always present and very well used aesthetically.
Jeffie Jeff's Art omg that is amazing, man! How do you know that? I wish there was a behind the scenes video of how they did all those sfx like that one ! It really looked like those scenes were below water. very convincing effect.
eladbari I am an animator. I studied about it in school and I thought all the special effects were so cool. Maybe there are some behind the scenes on youtube somewhere. This is what disney did back in the day.
Jeffie Jeff's Art thats awesome. i didnt find any BTS footage of special effects. only the normal handmade animation. Closest thing i found was a BTS of HBO title intro. very fascinating. they show 1 sfx of how they animated some sparks and some lights. but its not what i was looking for... very cool they taught you also about classic animation..and not 3d straight away. do you work in this industry now?
Jeffie Jeff's Art if it's not to much to ask, how did they do the lens flare effect in old anime/cartoons? Those effects weren't used in Akira, but I've seen them used in a lot of retro anime that doesn't look like it was hand drawn, but instead composited in the shot.
in short, Akira is lit
毒液Withba lol literally
Yes, boom! Done. Nuff said. Comment section is now closed.
It's Litt up
Heh heh
Best TL:DR ever
For those who are interested in trying to animate light like this, it's called underlighting, "Underlighting (aka "Bipack Glow") is an animation technique that caught on in the 1980's, although it dates back much further.
Some parts of an animated scene may need to glow. Traditionally, a glow was painstakingly drawn by an animator, who had to pay careful attention to get the fringe colors just right to make it convincing. Even in the best cases, a hand-drawn glow still didn't look very "glowy."
The solution was to cut a hole in the background in the shape you wanted the glowing object to have, and then project a bright colored light from underneath the scene. The result was a rather awesome-looking glowing object, with tapering fringes that looked exactly as you'd expect a brightly glowing object to look.'
the exact comment i needed
Thank you! Ive been tryimg to find the terminology used for it for a while now.
Type in backlit animation
Do you know of any books or websites that go into deeper detail on backlit animation, that would be very appreciated!!
Thank you for the info
The hand drawn aesthetic will never get old. Akira is one of my favorite examples of hand drawn animation.
Did you know shows like Family Guy are still hand drawn on paper?
Peter Brown yeah but unlike Family Guy Akira is actually good
Are you sure about that? I find that unlikely. Maybe the rough animation drawings are, but the coloring and finished art is definitely digital. The newer episodes have a lot of CGI camera movements and effects as well.
I think the old studio ghibli movies, like princess mononoke, are also hand drawn, and they're awesome too :)
If you like this aesthetic, I'd recommend trying out Macross plus(!), the Ghost in the Shell movies, anything by Ghibli, and Redline
AKIRA's opening chase sequence is the very definition of how you set up your movie atmosphere, tone and characters with awesome background music.
still one of the best cyberpunk movies ever
Hopefully that BLADERUNNER sequel, BLADERUNNER 2049, will be good, especially since it's from a director who has been making good films (Sicario and Arrival to name a few) and was inspired by Ridley Scott films like BLADERUNNER.
Bruce Wayne totally agree. Just today in fact I lent the bluray to a friend insisting he watch it.
Bruce Wayne Eh, Gits is better.
I like GitS better but Akira is more mindblowing for me. Both are exceptional movies, even among masterpieces..
Akira was the very first feature length anime I had ever seen (good possibility of it being the very first anime I had seen period) and when you see a person try to catch there spilling animated guts to put it back in their stomach, you know you're watching something special, especially after years of watching the tame cartoons on tv at the time. Saw it on Sci-Fi sooooooooo long ago (don't even remember what the channel was called before the name change) and seen Iria on it too not long after, so The Sci-Fi channel has a place in my heart regarding my introduction to anime, or at the very least my conscious recognition of it.
AKIRA is always been one of my favorite movies. a true masterpiece not only of animation but of cinematography.
I just wish the entire manga story was adapted to the same quality animation. Its a pipe dream but damn that would be have been amazing.
Akira was made in the golden days of animation
The animations in the 80's, before japan's economic fall
the modern day animation is based on the funds raised by fan service.
Perhaps your dream will come true when people finally start buying expensive blu rays straight from japan and animation industry growing into a multi billion dollar business.One day when hentai wouldn't be just called fap material but respectable form of adult entertainment which could boast of a fleshed out story.
Maybe one day when Japanese Manga art and animation is adopted by other developing countries and be integrated as one of the sources of their bread and butter,Then chances of animation being brought back to its original form might become a viable reality.
Until then,We can hope.When trump can win presidency,there ain't a goddamn thing that isn't possible.
What according to you was the front face of the 80's? We aren't counting ghibli films
because according to Hayao Miyazaki himself
his films aren't anime, but simply animated Feature length films.
Akira was the most expensive film of its time.
And you say Girls Und Panzer is devoid of fan service. Well, Girls Und panzer is itself the promoter of high schoolers driving tanks, are you really that amateur to not understand the celebration of violence in the film.Anime fights are for the sake of plot convince given, but basing the theme of a Moe story with tank?
if basing cute girls to promote a violent subliminal theme ain't also a fanservice
I don't know what is.
You say Monster Masume isn't competitive enough? have you ever looked up japan's population? Do you really think 5,434 is a less number when half of the world is streaming the manga and anime online for free or a paid subscription.Shit like Sword art online is selling a successful line up of products while things like Bleach are ended abruptly.
Why are you trying to see things from the perspective of an outsider bro?
why not research things up? reality ain't in numbers.Thats why attack on titan, although the manga being super famous,isn't having a second season.But leave it, its better to give up on people like you who just wander along the crevices of the modern day cliches and repertoire that aren't leading us anywhere?
Animators in japan are dying because of bad health.Health issues caused due to overwork and underpaid jobs, thats where the multi billion dollar i was talking about should be focused onto, it isn''t.We are sitting here behind screens debating on useless topics meanwhile the anime makers are suffering a exhaustive and uninteresting array of endless fanservice to work on. Mangakas, Douga Makers,Genga makers,Animation planners, even directors are working on use less pile of moe shit because people demand for that shit.There is a production because there is a demand.But anime is art related entertainment ,you couldn't show the moe shit of this generation to the future generations.
Frankly my friend,We have enough of this moe promotion and the last thing all of us should do is to show up numbers to say the anime is fine when it plainly isn't.
I spend some time writing this, please without once objecting to my view, review your analysis of the anime, Watch the community understand the purposes of the animation and the restraints limiting the periphery of anime potential to bland protagonist, cheesy story and 2d dimensional character development.
If you still feel i am wrong, please forgive me for wasting your time with this reply.But i feel unapologetic of my opinion.
thanks.
Sir do you want me to really get into the nitty gritty detail of it all?
You're provoking me at this point and a detail lengthy explanation of my opinion at this would only make things get messier.
Chill out sir, keep your anime with you. i think thats the way you are and can be appreciated as.
That's why I'm so afraid of the live action adaptation. I'm not convinced that the movie will encapsulate the aesthetics or visual power of the original movie. Like the scene in 6:13 that looks like a refugees in World War 2 getting mowed down by a boarder partrol. Akira feels and looks hopeless, gritty and violent. So Hollywood will most likely turn it into a sterile PG 13 pseudo-Chronicles flick with generic asia-deco artstyle (kinda Ghost in the Shell with What's-her-name-again)
fun Fact : AKIRA in Japanese meaning "Bright" "Brightness" etc...so similar meaning and u got it pretty much right lol
This is basically the theme of the whole movie and what Akira's powers are
I'm an animator and we studied AKIRA a lot in school. For some of the lighting effects they actually used real light behind some of the cels to make it more vivid and real for example when the huge ball of light engulfs the city. Also not all of the animation is drawn on 24 frames per second. It's usually 12 frames per second unless it's a really fluid and fast moving scene.(Disney always drew on 24 frames per second) A lot of anime use even less frames per second but they still are able to capture the movement and poses really well. Instead of north america's 2 frames for each drawing in Japan it's usually 3 frames for each drawing. They use a lot of tricks to keep it fluid. The animation cycles on the hair moving in the wind or the clothes. So when a character turns it's head and stops. The drawing is just held there and then on another cel layer the hair will be moving in a cycle that repeats over and over.
i wasn't even listening to you all my senses were invested in the video
All your senses except for hearing then. So, just the sense of sight is what you're saying.
i think he means all his attention was invested into the movie, and was tuning him out.
versace 666 ayy
me too
At the beginning of the video I actually had this same thing happen. Didn't tune back in until it switched to The Conformer
I recently watched Akira for the first time. Amazing film.
If you liked it, check out the graphic novels. A good portion of the content was left out of the film for length reasons. It's truly an epic long form manga.
It truly is. Over time I began to strongly dislike anime and the baggage that comes with it. But in spite of that, Akira stands unmoved as a masterpiece of Cyberpunk.
Better late than never mate :D
Miles Kelley Could you elaborate? Curious why you don't like it anymore and what's the baggage
In a rough microcosm: I grew sick of cool-evil-smart-guy turning his back, pushing up the bridge of his glasses, and talking dismissively while brash-dumb-hero shouts 'bastard!' while he rages impotently, and everyone else quivers and stutters and gasps for a full 10 seconds.
I dislike it's approach to characterization. When I stopped watching, it was a parade of taped-together tropes, rather than unique people. The genre feels incredibly rigid when it comes to characters. Characters seemed written to fit a pre-defined niche, paint by numbers - designed as a unit rather than born, relative to other storytelling media. And when it's not rigid, it's contrived. Rarely did the genre's characters occupy that happy middle ground of original but believable.
I believe this balance can be struck, in spite of the wild diversity of premise that anime sports. I've seen other animated stories do it well. But I saw it rarely enough in 'anime' that I no longer find the genre worth watching. So it's possible that what I dislike more precisely is the Japanese approach to characters.
There's more to it than characterization, like it's ham-handed approach to drama, or like the handling of theme that's about as well thought out as a high-school book report, in spite of pretenses of depth. But the breadth of what I find lacking in this particular brand of cartoons is difficult to describe.
Which is a shame, because I love the wild explorations of premise.
As for baggage, that's a discussion too large and wide-ranging for youtube comments. And it relates more to the fans and creators more than the media itself, so it exceeds the scope of this comment thread. Sorry!
You're videos are very interesting to watch. Very good work.
You are videos, lol
no
For everyone saying “wait but this didn’t teach me how to animate light”, the “How To” means more so how light should be animated. It’s saying Akira is a prime example of how to animate light. Sure, upon first reading the title may suggest a tutorial on how to animate light but(and correct me if I’m wrong), this channel doesn’t really post tutorials on how to do technical things within film but rather breaks films down into their different film language components.
This guys should make a video on Evangelion
And Lain, we should all love Lain.
+Knights_of_Eastern_Calculus I marathoned Lain when I was like 15 or so. Had a headache, but yeah, good miniseries!
How long is lain? I've actually never seen it. @everyone
I think it is a trilogy, if I recall correctly
it's 13 episodes.
00:46 that distant background plate is actually HUGE and you only ever see a sliver of it at a time. Madness. MADNESS.
MUSIC:
Blue Wednesday, "Sweet Berry Wine"
soundcloud.com/bluewednesday/sweet-berry-wine
Joey Pecoraro, "The Bishop"
soundcloud.com/joeypecoraro/the-bishop
I hope you eventually do a video essay on NEON GENESIS EVANGELION.
Please review Samurai Champloo
thanks for adding this
Nerdwriter1 These are amazing videos. Thanks for sharing this.
What's the song (or is it just a singe soundfile) that starts at around 3:54? It sounds like a siren.
I've never seen an in-depth critique on animation films like this before, especially when it is focusing on the singularity of a detail (light) where no other critics seem to notice to much. I enjoyed it! And please also make one for PAPRIKA!
Outstanding analysis that wholly captures the excellence of the animation in this film. The meticulous way in which Katsuhiro Otomo almost manipulates light to bend around the themes and atmosphere of AKIRA is truly impressive. This is one of my favourite video essays of 2016 - and that's saying a lot coming from a fellow video essayist who consumes this form of media daily. Great stuff!
This was incredible. I just realized the theme of light connects with the name of the film and manga, "Akira," which means "bright light" in Japanese.
Like, seriously...right before you recommended Cowboy Bebop, I literally said to myself, "I hope he does an essay on Mushishi and Cowboy Bebop".
Btw, if you do eventually do one for CB, you HAVE to talk about the Seatbelts.
You can't talk about a Watanabe work without mentioning the music he uses. It's as part of his art as everything else.
Meh, I know it's blasphemy, but I'm not sure I even finished Mushishi because I just don't enjoy episodic shows. Same with Bebop, except it was good enough for me to finish it.
Steven Dunn We all did, because who doesn't enjoy Akira?
mushishi is one of the best pieces of anime ever created. i just love it so much. i hope he does a piece on its amazingness
I really like this video and your commentary. I particularly enjoy the format: not too short, not too long. A concentrate of information without fluff.
Each Nerdwriter video is so high quality that I feel like each video is better than the best lecture in a college film class.
I've been binge-watching Nerdwriter videos. The dude has seriously taught me so much about developing appreciation for music, movies, art, and poetry. Thank you for these, man. They really are some of my favorite videos and some of the most quality content anywhere!
Ok, you have been building a strong regularly increasing subscriber base for a while now. Your on your way to 900,000 subs (early congrats) but I expect you reaching a million soon. Some big RUclipsrs lately have decided to slow down or even stop being "burnt out" and I hope you continue to do fine work and continue to receive the increasing followers you deserve for that work. As much as I would like to see more content cranked out I would rather maintain this quality with this current quantity. I remember it wasn't that long ago when you talked about being able to make RUclips videos full time leaving your job. I hope that choice stays viable and your still loving what your doing as much as we all enjoy watching it. Coming from a guy that doesn't comment much on anything positive or negative bravo sir!
You have such an amazing way of putting feelings into words.
KANEDAAAAAAAA!
Duncan Graham AKIRAAAAAAAAAA
Duncan Graham Kakarotoooooo!!!!
SASUKEEEEE!
KEVVVVIIIIIIIIN! (Hollywood version)
KHAAAAN!
Akira is literally my favourite movie. Great video, I really enjoyed your analysis.
Isn't akira a form of the Japanese word 明 for "bright light"? Surprised the video didn't mention that if so.
Akira could also be written 晶 even though it's never written in kanji in the movie iirc
It's a running theme in the movie that Japanese figured out a lot sooner than non-Japanese speakers
Akira - 明（あかるい）- Akarui. Not too obviously but possibly yes.
Maximum Casualties 明 can also be read akira in some cases; though I think the kanji 旦 for daybreak/dawn has that as a full reading.
there are more than a hundred kanji that have an Akira name reading. you could probably ascribe any meaning to the name if you wanted to.
Bestmann3n shit, I've been spotted!
This was an orgasmically good breakdown, beautiful put together and filled with interesting moments. Akira must be one of the most stunning technical achievements in the entire history of the global animation industry.
I never thought of what an unbelievable artistic and creative challenge the lighting would have presented, but now I just love the movie even more. Didn't know my adoration for a film could go above 100%, but well.... a fitting homage to a legendary film
I literally watched it this morning and was thinking when you were gonna make a video on Akira! What a coincidence
This, to me, is eargasmic. The intelligence, the analytical eloquence and the poetry are just so satisfying to listen to.
Do Bebop, do bebop now!
I still dont know how they made the light in the movie.
White paint ;)
hollandscottthomas
thanks
*****
Thank you. The video didnt say any of that stuff. I thought that was what the video was about.
_1:14__-__1:42_ He did mention it.
Maybe if you had paid more attention you would've noticed the reference to Disney as well, where you could've found even more information on what you're looking for.
No, @@kylebroflovski6382 , the author does NOT say HOW they did the LIGHT, but describes how the end result looks like. I also do not see the answer in the video which was promised by the title.
This shit is lit...
ay lmao
It's MEGA lit.
U r8 muh niga
I've seen the movie countless times and always felt fascinated by it's look but never caught on how much of it is due to it's lighting. Really great video!
*Nerdwriter1* makes me glad to be human, breathing and still alive. thank you for this, sir. thank you.
I just wanted to write that I love your videos and the work you put into them, you're one of my favourite content creators and I'm always showing people your videos based on their own interests, because you cover so many different areas of art. Thanks for what you do, and good luck with everything.
Animes for you to make videos about: Cowboy Bebop; Neon Genesis Evangelion; Psycho Pass.
Ugh, who wants to talk about Evangelion? ;)
Animes everyone wants him to make videos about: pretty much every one.
I do , hella
Revolutionary Girl Utena.
And not just the film, Adolescence of Utena, but the original TV series. There are multiple layers of the production that could be peeled back, from its symbolism rich direction to its character-focused plot, to its deconstructive look at fairy tails and magical girl tropes.
Steven Universe
this made me realize that Akira is one of the best things Ive ever seen
Brilliant work once again Evan!
Would love to see that Bebop video too
I'd like to see him do a video on Angel's Egg. Freaking loved that film. Didn't know it existed until you made video on it, though. Glad you watch good stuff. Big fan of what you do. It's quality work.
Angel's Egg would be equally brilliant
AnimeEveryday I think he could do a video on the art style alone. You know, things like the color palette. I've never seen another anime do something like it.
I would love a piece on American Psycho. That movie is utterly fascinating, full of interpretations. I also heard that Bateman fellow is a real smooth guy.
Akira is still one of the best animated movies ever.
I've seen this movie so many times and I never consciously picked up on this thematic use of light. But now that you've pointed it out it's obvious, and it's a big part of what makes the film so visually cohesive and slightly surreal.
first time Ive ever watched a video because my phone recommended it the second it came out
Lik and subscreib
Akira has always been one of my favourite animations.
Loved this!
Surely some of your best work.
Glad your channel is doing so well!
You never cease to amaze me with your reviews. I've watched Akira like 20 times since I was 12 years old and I never payed that much attention to the meaning of light in the film. Thanks for sharing your insight and knowledge!
Watched it just yesterday, amazing timing.
I hoped would have mentioned the interesting new way the studio achieved that blurry neon shine around the light source itself. The channel Corridor crew dug deep into the making of the special effects, for example the light streeks behind their bikes
That's my favorite animated movie, it blows my mind every time! Thank you for using the clips in their original Japanese language.
I usually dont expect much, even less of a youtube cinematographic analysis. This was very high quality, congrats.
AKIRA is still to this day one of the greatest animations ever.
What about today? 20/04/2021
I always loved the way that moving lights were animated in this movie, with the afterglow streaks. Really stood out to me from anything else I've seen.
You've got to analyse Cowboy Bebop! One of my favourite shows 😁
Gave me chills at the end, sir. You're a master. This is one of my top ten favorite films, and you analyzed it here so beautifully over a concept I had never truly considered.
I have a feeling you'll do a ghost in the shell video in the near future.
He already did, and it was great. Check his past uploads :)
Akira is a true work of art and solidified me as an anime fan. Robotech was my first intro to anime, but Akira was it. Knowing that this was all hand done is just amazing
Nice video, thank you for shining new light on a classic
It is a joyful circumstance that I came to acquire an Akira copy recently, for the sole purpuse to enjoy the animation. I actually barely remember any of it back when I first saw it, it was broadcasted dubbed and heavily censored by a local network in the mid 90s. And now, considering I've been enjoying myself with the Nerdwriter video essays of yours, I'll re watch it at once after all these years. Keep it the great work!
honestly Akira is the best Anime Film I've seen
nice perspective, i never even thought of the lights factor in the dozen times I've watched AKIRA. Will watch again in a new light,
thanks Nerdwriter1.
I think this film was the main reason I became an animator.
Brah i animate shit too, Iv been working so hard on my newest project, Its a 11 min OVA i was commissioned for but i was given complete freedom so for this film iv only worked on it only if iv taken/ are on acid, shrooms or dmt, this will be the masterpiece that sets me apart from the pack! Even if i become insane in the process its all for the art! This is the pinnacle
TyeDye Errthing, well, you've certainly got me looking forward to it now.
!!! where can I see it once it's finished?
you two should tell us who were dealing with. Are you professionals or hobby animators like me?
K Dub - didn't become an animator but this movie, specifically one unlikely scene, did challenge my drawing. Tetsuo stumbles down the rectangular hallway, then he creates an invisible force that is spherical which manipulates the walls & ceiling to take the same spherical shape. This blew my mind. .
Been waiting for a new video. I would like a kendrick lamar video, could this be done Evan?
sebastian hybel I'd rather have a Tribe Called Quest video, with the new album coming out and everything.
he's already done a Kendrick essay.
This is a *wonderful* thesis on not just animation and filmmaking, but underlying themes of dystopia coveyed/communicated through art and semiotics....
This piece: *powerfully cogent* and I hope everyone/anyone may ingest and incorporate its salience....
.... Nerdwriter.... *You Did It* *Again*
🎩👌💫
This is one of my all time favourite mangas and one of my all time favourite Anime films! Thanks for the great analysis!
I've seen Akira maybe a handful of times but recently was able to catch it in a theater via projection. It wasn't a large screen at all or anything of that nature, but for some reason the coloring of the lights just hit different. Every time I see that movie I am impressed by some facet or another that I somehow didn't see before. It's a masterpiece
A encompassing sphere that erases the 'light of neo-tokyo'? spawning the rebirth of the city and the light within it?
I guess you could call it a Neon Genesis.
animayo you sir deserve a bunch of medals
animayo Bravo!!!
Neon Genesis is just a fancy translation for New Era
the way you cut the Akira clips to fit your narrative was... beautiful.
I wish anime looked more like Akira then sword art online. Like specifically with the explosions
Akira still remains in my mind as one of the greatest arts ive ever encountered the attention to detail is unreal
One of the kanji for Akira means bright. ICYDK.
The only Kanji actually 明, it's a real name
There are more than a dozen Kanji for "akira", and they're all pretty common names.
Lester Lee 明 was the one used
What is ICYDK?
In Case You Didn't Know
Akira's animation makes me cry. I never get tired of it.
We owe a lot of our childhood moments to Japanese animators
Excellent video, your narration is fluid (consequence of the light but rich text) it really engages the viewer. I´ve already seen Akira and i´ve already noticed the game he plays with the light but you really nailed it by putting his idea into words. Tonight it´s Akira's night again because of your video, thank you
Please! What a track play on 2:40 ?
i also want to know :p
Winds over Neo-Tokyo by Yamashiro Shoji.
It's the opening track of the movie.
Mecha Tengu not the same song.
Mauricio Soares Oh! Sorry! I accidentally put it in another part of the video. Well, at least I can say that it's not from the Akira Soundtrack.
Sweet Berry Wine by Blue Wednesday
He has links to both songs he used in the video in the description.
Great job! Amira was my first exposure to anime, which quickly became an obsession. I've read about,seen,and studied it countless times, yet your analysis showed me something new about it. Thanks
I thought this would be a video describing the process and techniques used to animate light...not the symbolism of the depiction light in a story...
Haha, I think you'll find Nerdwriter focuses on the theoretical rather than the technical.
Then he should rethink his title. Its misleading. Maybe a better title is "an explanation of light". Whatever, thumbs down.
Yeah it was pretty misleading. Was waiting for his metaphorical rambling to finish and start getting to the technical part. Until I realized that it was the entire video. The whole narrative is just way too bloated. Lights are bright and futuristic the end.
Franklin Blankenship the word 'animate' has meaning besides the one you expected ... and in this context, it is a perfectly correct use
gotta learn what to do before you learn how to do it
Oh. My. Lord. ... @Nerdwriter1, this is a FANTASTIC critique of the manifestation of light within this "Akira" world of Neo Tokyo. I have been talking about the layers of animation cels, and the layers of meaning in Akira to anyone who will listen for years. I'm happy to know that someone as eloquent and educated as you chose to address it.
Please... keep up this pursuit. Your insights are fantastic and much needed in this era of cultural miasma & muddling of message.
Man this video was lit..
Akira will always be one of my favorite movies of all time. I don't think I've ever seen any film as well animated as it. It''s such an experience to watch it with full 1080HD it's absolutely godlike.
I clicked on this so fucking fast
pepe the frog same with me
pepe the frog I was about to comment the same thing
pepe the frog Same
*fucking
pepe the frog You live on the internet, don't you?
The use of light in your name is the best use of computer aided light in animation I've ever seen. Its simultaneously hyper realistic and truly awesome and subtly striking when needed. Its the complete opposite of akira: its overly natural and realistic to the point where it becomes striking yet again.
This was fucking phenomenal.
Thank you. Akira is a treasure of mine - dating to my upbringing. This has brought new meaning to an old classic of mine. I appreciate this a whole lot and will soon again watch Akira to observe its ripe saturation of both meaning and light.
Excellent video. You're right, the lighting is integral to the story. I saw Akira for the first time when I was a pre-teen and I remember the lighting captivating me before I even knew how to explain or quantify it.
This. Was. So. Interessting. I LOVE THIS CHANNEL SO MUCH EVERY VIDEO MAKES ME GRAB MY CHIN AND MAKE ME GO "OH!! I SEE! WOAH THIS HAS ME THINKING 🤔 "
Lu Kubin that's pretty much the idea of an essay
pirateKaiser doesn't keep others from making crappy ones
Lu Kubin well if you're good at something, someone is bound to copy you... which is kind of a compliment I guess
This video is quite timely! I watched this video by pure coincidence just before I watched 'Your Name (Kimi no Na wa)' on the big screen, and it gave me a newfound appreciation for lighting in an animated film. Makoto Shinkai really takes it to a whole new level in that film.
This is less "Akira: How To Animate Light" and more "Akira: Light Animated."
Great video as always, just not the most fitting title.
But the relation between video and title is correct, it's an answer to "how to animate light": with meaning, symbolism and attention to detail, using it as a narrative tool. It is a "how to" video - not as in a tutorial, but focusing on theoretical analysis.
Just watched Akira for the first time last week. Great animation. Amazing to know it's over 28 years old now.
Great video as always, but I'm still waiting for your hour long frame by frame analysis of Ghost in the shell though :P
It's amazing how Akira is such a good movie that you can even realise it from the light.
Of course, it is also the talent of the analyst.
Good video!!
80s Anime films had some amazing light effects... just look at Neo Tokyo... the film not the city...
I love Neo Tokyo, especially "The Runnung Man" with all of the neon on dark goodness. Fun fact for all of you at home, ""Construction Cancellation Order" in Neo Tokyo was directed by Katsuhiro Otomo himself, which I find is pretty awesome.
I've always been fascinated with the harsh neon lighting effect that was used in traditional animation. I forgot what the method was called, but it was basically light being introduced into the camera directly, rather than painted on. The earliest that I have ever seen this personally used was in "Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro" (1979), though only very briefly. I feel like I have seen it used in earlier pieces, but I can't recall at this time. By the time the 80's came around, the method was pretty commonplace.
DJGhostingFish oh yes just the reflections in running man makes it worth watching
DJGhostingFish That's amazing. I hate modern anime because its so lazy when compared to the old titles. Those were mindblowing.
Crowborn we still get some amazing looking anime nowadays, just look at stuff like studio ghibli, garden of words, Redline, studio trigger or 5 centimeters per second (or 5 wallpapers a second, as I like to call it)
And the average anime from the 80s and 90s didn't exactly look amazing either, stuff like Akira and neo Tokyo where the exceptions, not the norm
much like sound effect editing, it goes un noticed often but thats what makes it good, it syncs up so well with our brains. great perspective on the light!
First of your vids I've seen, and I must say, that was a well thought and written piece. Looking forward to checking out your previous uploads, if they are as impressive as this, I'll have no choice but to put some change into the patreon pot. Subbed.
The guy narrating the Donald duck sequence: that guys voice is how EVERYONE sounded in the 30s
You have to do arrival
This. Please. The visions of the future you refer to here, soaked with "neon" (drink every time he says 'neon', everyone), just made me think of the attempts of present day technology to look more natural and streamlined-- woods and glasses and stone. It's used in Arrival. Also Arrival was a perfect combination of two other stories I'd love to see your take on (the novel version of Solaris, and either version of Contact)---with its own twists.
Amazing work here Nerdwriter, consider yourself having a new subscriber. I agree that the light could be considered a character in this film, and in fact IS a character in AKIRA. Usually a movie focuses on the main character, or at minimum a character of interest to propel the plot. In AKIRA though, the light is a main character, always highlighting and focusing on the scene and action the viewer is looking at, and at times has an overabundance of presence that screams "LOOK AT ME!" This is really clear in the Hallway scene, where Tetsuo kills the three men and the light from the scene, once vibrant and clear, has now become dark, with lots of greys and blues. Signifying his transition from a main character to the villain of the film. Id say more but its been so long since I analyzed this film I don't remember many other instances that make light a character.
I really want to see what you have to say about Gankutsuou, Mushishi, or Kyousougiga. All three are on crunchyroll.
Vighnesh Sivakumar Seconding Kyosougiga. Such a beautiful series, and extremely underrated too
I don't usually like vids like this but this was seriously beautiful to watch and listen to and gave me a more profound appreciation for one of my all time favorite movies.
you could do so much about Cowboy Bebop. You could talk about the Newar or setting or the music involved in each scene or how the characters move fluently. Bottom line you should make an episode about Cowboy Bebop
I've watched Akira 3 times and never tought about the importance of light in it, in the 4th rewatch will pay more attention to that, in fact it is a theme always present and very well used aesthetically.
I've ALWAYS wondered how they drew that blurry underwater effect in old cartoons! Anyone knows?
They used a rippled glass overtop of the drawings and moved it slowly each time they took a picture with the camera.
Jeffie Jeff's Art omg that is amazing, man! How do you know that?
I wish there was a behind the scenes video of how they did all those sfx like that one ! It really looked like those scenes were below water. very convincing effect.
eladbari I am an animator. I studied about it in school and I thought all the special effects were so cool. Maybe there are some behind the scenes on youtube somewhere. This is what disney did back in the day.
Jeffie Jeff's Art thats awesome. i didnt find any BTS footage of special effects. only the normal handmade animation.
Closest thing i found was a BTS of HBO title intro. very fascinating. they show 1 sfx of how they animated some sparks and some lights. but its not what i was looking for...
very cool they taught you also about classic animation..and not 3d straight away. do you work in this industry now?
Jeffie Jeff's Art if it's not to much to ask, how did they do the lens
flare effect in old anime/cartoons? Those effects weren't used in Akira, but I've seen them used in a lot of retro anime that doesn't look like it was hand drawn, but instead composited in the shot.