Japanese Animation and New Media
Lecture Four: Chapter Eight: Giving Up the Gun
We initially looked at cinematism and animetism in a fairly simple way, on the basis of movement of the viewing position, in terms of a tendency toward movement into depth (cinematism) versus a tendency toward movement over depth (animetism). But, as we looked closer, it became clear that each tendency is complex, comprising a number of different techniques. And these tendencies never occur in a pure state. They are always mixed.
And so, I gradually introduced four general parameters (or sites) for the analysis of animation techniques: compositing, character animation, mecha design, and mise-en-scène. Gradually, as we looked closer, we have that each of them mobilizes a certain series of techniques. And each of them implies a certain degree of tension between polarized tendencies.
By way of review, let’s look at each of these sites in turn, drawing examples from other Miyazaki animation and especially from Mononoke-hime or Princess Mononoke, which we saw last week.
