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pacificpikachuI've been wanting to do this post for a long time, so I hope some of you find it interesting and enjoy it. :D However, just note that it requires you seriously suspend your belief.
Okay, so here's the deal. Somehow, your incredible talent for storytelling is discovered by some big, influential anime people in Japan. Suddenly you're a huge sensation, and you're given a nearly unlimited budget to work with. Also, pretty much every person who has ever been staff in anime ever is eager to work with you. You don't have to worry about how much your project will make or who will go see it; everyone is eagerly anticipating your work no matter what it is.
So...what sort of anime do you create? And who is your staff?
Some questions to get the brain juice flowing, though you certainly don't need to answer all (or even any) of these:
- What demographic will your story be aimed towards? (Shounen, seinen, shoujo, josei, etc.)
- What genre or mix of genres will your story be?
- What format would you choose? A movie, a thirteen-episode series, an OVA, a twenty-six episode series? A neverending series (LOL)?
- What will your characters be like? What ages will they be? Are you drawn to a certain character type you think you'd use?
- What are the settings? What time period does it take place in? Any specific color palette or "look" you'd want it to have?
- What are the important themes of the story (such as: man versus nature, people in relation to tragedy, people and technology, etc.)? What is important to you in storytelling that you'd want included (ie, strong character background stories, an overpowering message, a complex plot, etc.)?
- What sort of tone would your series have? (Dark, nostalgic, crazy, silly, sweet, etc.)
- What are your goals in creating this project? Do you want people to laugh, to cry, to think about _____, to consider something they might not have before?
And in relation to the staff, who would you like to be your:
- Co-director (as a note, they could be involved as little or as much as you'd want. You would always have main control over all aspects of the story and how it is told.)
- Character designer (What do you like about their character designs?)
- Soundtrack composer (And what type of music would it be?)
- OP/ED performances (And what would you want them to be like?)
- Any animation staff you'd want to be involved
- Seiyuu you'd want to be involved
- Background artist(s)?
- Which studio(s) would you like to be involved?
- ...Anyone else of note for other roles in animation production? (There's no way I'm listing every job you could have within an anime project.)
Feel free to be as vague or as specific as you want, and to answer only the questions you feel like answering. You can invent other ones if you'd like, as well. If you want to ramble on for twenty pages--please do! I welcome it and would like to read it! If you want to write a paragraph or two--hey, that's fine, too! I'm just hoping for some thoughtful, interesting responses to this regardless of length. :) You can reply in comments or in entries if you prefer. I guess a silly response or two is okay, but like I said I would love some thoughtful comments. This is sort of a roundabout getting-to-know-my-f-list-and-their-tastes post, after all.
I'm typically fond of seinen myself, and those tend to be the sorts of stories I'd like to tell. Aimed at a mature audience, but sort of transcendent in that they can appeal to either gender and many different types of people, not just one set audience. I really don't like having to "dumb down" or censor my stories to pander to a younger audience, so they'd be more-or-less out. Not that I'm typically that foul in my stories, but they do tend to be rather bizarre, sometimes violent, and...well, not the sorts of things most kids or even young teenagers would generally enjoy. A bit too emotionally/philosophically/morally complex.
I like a wide mix of genres, and prefer my stories to have a good mix. An intriguing plot is a must, as are complex but endearing characters. I'd definitely want my series to be a drama series of some sort in that it focuses on the emotions of the characters, but it would probably have smudges of mystery/horror, action, romance, supernatural, and maybe even adventure in there fairly prominently.
I like twenty-six episode series myself. Thirteen episodes is also nice to tell a short story, but I think twenty-six is ideal for developing characters, delving into the plot, and so on.
Oddly enough, I tend to skew younger rather than older with my characters; I prefer a cast of around 12-17 for whatever reason. I guess it's just because it's a time of change and a time where nothing quite feels certain. That's always a bit fun to play with, though I'm not interested in teenage angst or the typical teenage issues in the slightest (so I tend to move towards stranger subjects in that regard). I guess I just like my characters to where they're very fluid and can grow into themselves during the story, and young enough that stupid mistakes and eccentricities are fairly common. I tend to like characters that are bit oddball; usually with some sort of weird supernatural ability (but not something cool or useful, just weird. Things like seeing ghost cats or whatever), and a quiet, sweet, but very unusual personality. Bizarre beliefs and ideals abound. :P I think another reason I like younger characters is because of the nostalgia factor. I always approve of nostalgia.
I prefer rural settings in a nonspecific time period, probably because I grew up in a rural setting and that's where I'm comfortable. Main or supporting animal characters of some sort are a staple, and they're easier to find in rural places, and the simple beauty of nature is very meaningful and important to me. I think I'd work with a color palette sort of like that of Makoto Shinkai--I just adore his use of color. In fact, I think he might be a requirement for background art, haha. The nonspecific time period is important because I tend to focus very closely on what the characters are doing, and generally everything is put in the scale of their lives. Therefore it's not particularly important what the government is doing, what the current global events are, etc., unless those have a direct affect on the characters. Because they're in their early/mid teens generally, they're paying more attention to their current lives than the macroscale of things. Also, I must admit I hate to do research but I'd also hate to be historically inaccurate... And I don't know if I'm too fond of working with future settings.
As for themes, I'm very fond of reality versus fiction, as well as the effect that beliefs have on the mind and the outside world. A lot of what I'm interested in has to do with the sometimes very vague line between what is actually happening and what the characters believe is happening. Weird religious cults are very interesting to me, and characters who don't believe normal things about the world (and how these beliefs affect those around them, the world around them in general, and so on). Nature is a natural theme for me as well (haha, very funny Kristin), with my strong beliefs about the unfairness with which humans treat other species and the environment as a whole. It has to be very subtle and carefully handled, though; as strong as my beliefs are on this issue, I think strong pushing of certain agendas can ruin a story quite thoroughly. (See: Arjuna.)
There always has to be something vague in my stories that leaves the viewers or readers wondering "Is that real? Or is it something the character is imagining?" I often bring in atypical, somewhat creepy supernatural forces for this role. I want my viewers to be slightly creeped out, but in a subtle way, and in a way that doesn't make them think "Ah, I've seen this sort of thing before." I also love urban legend or story-within-a-story elements.
In regards to tone, I love things that start out light and innocent and turn out bizarre, dark, and sometimes a little disturbing--but also emotional, beautiful, and very thought-provoking. I think the sort of tone Dennou Coil has going is a good example of what I mean. (Did they make that series for me? Seriously--look at how much it paralleled to this! Or at least it did in my head.) Tragic endings are a must for me, usually with at least one character death towards the end. I keep trying not to kill my characters for once, and I continually fail. XD
Like I mentioned before, animal characters are a must, generally as either main character(s) along with humans or as big supporting characters, and they deserve special mention. I'm extremely picky about animals in media. I like it to be apparent that they are intelligent, capable of communicating in some way, and have a personality. At the same time, however, I would demand realistic designs and animation on them and expect them to behave like the sort of animal they are. Talking is okay sometimes under certain circumstances (again, I'm very picky), but behaving and moving like the sort of animal they are is very important to me. I like them to be characters of their own as well with positive and negative attributes, not just pointless cute fodder. I don't want them to break out into song, I don't want them to act like wisecracking humans, and I want them to serve a relevant purpose in the story on their own merits. (Can anyone see why I'm not a Disney fan, and why I don't care for furries?)
I'd want my series to be the sort of series that makes the viewers cry a bit at the end, feel a tug of nostalgia and appreciate the beauty of the art and animation, creep them out, and also bring them to some important revelation and make them think about some aspects of life, reality, and so on that perhaps they didn't consider before. I'd want it to be the sort of story that makes a big impact on as many viewers as possible.
In regards to staff:
- Co-director: Satoshi Kon
Why? Because he's amazing at blending reality and fiction and I adore everything he's done. He has a brilliant touch that turns the most bland-sounding premise into gold, and I think he could bring a LOT to the project.
Mitsuo Iso would also be a great possibility, considering his work on Dennou Coil and RahXephon. He seems to be into the same types of storytelling as I do, apparently, and he does it extremely well!
- Character designer: Possibly either Range Murata or Yoshitoshi ABe, who both have soft, rounded-looking character designs that are also quite elegant. They're both great at drawing younger characters. Range Murata doesn't generally draw exactly the types of characters I have in mind, but he does have a great eye for costume and his work on Last Exile proves he's capable of drawing slightly more down-to-earth types of characters that aren't as fanservice-y as much of what he draws. This is a hard call to make, though, as I admire a number of character designers. I adore Toshihiro Kawamoto like crazy but don't know if he'd be right for this type of story.
- Composer: DO I EVEN NEED TO ANSWER THIS?
Yoko Kanno. Of course.
I'd want it to be...something sort of in between Wolf's Rain and Arjuna. Quiet, sweet, heartbreaking, poetic types of music with a lot of spirituality and life in it. Nothing super loud or epic.
- OP/ED:
Um. I need to think more about this. But one would certainly belong to Maaya Sakamoto. Possibly both. ♥ OP would probably be sweet and optimistic. ED...sad, haunting, gentle.
- Seiyuu:
I have too many I like and would want in the project. XD Mamoru Miyano and Maaya are a must, though, as my two favorites. I adore Paku Romi as well, and...so, so many others. Too many great seiyuu out there. All of the seiyuu I've met at conventions would be shoo-ins, because every seiyuu I've met has been insanely talented and great to be around.
- Makoto Shinkai gets to do all the background art for SUPER NOSTALGIA ATTACK and WHY IS THE WORLD SO BEAUTIFUL OMFG.
- BONES is my favorite studio and they seem to turn out great work the vast majority of the time. I'd love to be involved with them. (I love you all, GAINAX, and think you're insanely talented, but not for this sort of thing. XD) Madhouse might be a good fit as well.
I'm sure I'm leaving people out, but I'm too exhausted to remember who they might be. I'll go back and edit if I realize I left out anything significant.
Aaand it's 3 AM now. @__@
By the way, my wake up at 9 AM plan failed. Well, I did wake up at 9 AM, but I went back to sleep within about ten minutes and didn't wake until almost noon. .__.; I'm going to keep setting my alarm clock for 9 AM, however, and trust that within a few days I will actually start waking up at 9 AM! Yes, I am determined to get on this schedule, even thought my willpower in regards to sleep is very low.
Anyway, please respond to this prompt! I'm very curious what everyone has to say about their ideal anime project. :D
Off to bed with me. I can hardly keep my eyes open.
Okay, so here's the deal. Somehow, your incredible talent for storytelling is discovered by some big, influential anime people in Japan. Suddenly you're a huge sensation, and you're given a nearly unlimited budget to work with. Also, pretty much every person who has ever been staff in anime ever is eager to work with you. You don't have to worry about how much your project will make or who will go see it; everyone is eagerly anticipating your work no matter what it is.
So...what sort of anime do you create? And who is your staff?
Some questions to get the brain juice flowing, though you certainly don't need to answer all (or even any) of these:
- What demographic will your story be aimed towards? (Shounen, seinen, shoujo, josei, etc.)
- What genre or mix of genres will your story be?
- What format would you choose? A movie, a thirteen-episode series, an OVA, a twenty-six episode series? A neverending series (LOL)?
- What will your characters be like? What ages will they be? Are you drawn to a certain character type you think you'd use?
- What are the settings? What time period does it take place in? Any specific color palette or "look" you'd want it to have?
- What are the important themes of the story (such as: man versus nature, people in relation to tragedy, people and technology, etc.)? What is important to you in storytelling that you'd want included (ie, strong character background stories, an overpowering message, a complex plot, etc.)?
- What sort of tone would your series have? (Dark, nostalgic, crazy, silly, sweet, etc.)
- What are your goals in creating this project? Do you want people to laugh, to cry, to think about _____, to consider something they might not have before?
And in relation to the staff, who would you like to be your:
- Co-director (as a note, they could be involved as little or as much as you'd want. You would always have main control over all aspects of the story and how it is told.)
- Character designer (What do you like about their character designs?)
- Soundtrack composer (And what type of music would it be?)
- OP/ED performances (And what would you want them to be like?)
- Any animation staff you'd want to be involved
- Seiyuu you'd want to be involved
- Background artist(s)?
- Which studio(s) would you like to be involved?
- ...Anyone else of note for other roles in animation production? (There's no way I'm listing every job you could have within an anime project.)
Feel free to be as vague or as specific as you want, and to answer only the questions you feel like answering. You can invent other ones if you'd like, as well. If you want to ramble on for twenty pages--please do! I welcome it and would like to read it! If you want to write a paragraph or two--hey, that's fine, too! I'm just hoping for some thoughtful, interesting responses to this regardless of length. :) You can reply in comments or in entries if you prefer. I guess a silly response or two is okay, but like I said I would love some thoughtful comments. This is sort of a roundabout getting-to-know-my-f-list-and-their-tastes post, after all.
I'm typically fond of seinen myself, and those tend to be the sorts of stories I'd like to tell. Aimed at a mature audience, but sort of transcendent in that they can appeal to either gender and many different types of people, not just one set audience. I really don't like having to "dumb down" or censor my stories to pander to a younger audience, so they'd be more-or-less out. Not that I'm typically that foul in my stories, but they do tend to be rather bizarre, sometimes violent, and...well, not the sorts of things most kids or even young teenagers would generally enjoy. A bit too emotionally/philosophically/morally complex.
I like a wide mix of genres, and prefer my stories to have a good mix. An intriguing plot is a must, as are complex but endearing characters. I'd definitely want my series to be a drama series of some sort in that it focuses on the emotions of the characters, but it would probably have smudges of mystery/horror, action, romance, supernatural, and maybe even adventure in there fairly prominently.
I like twenty-six episode series myself. Thirteen episodes is also nice to tell a short story, but I think twenty-six is ideal for developing characters, delving into the plot, and so on.
Oddly enough, I tend to skew younger rather than older with my characters; I prefer a cast of around 12-17 for whatever reason. I guess it's just because it's a time of change and a time where nothing quite feels certain. That's always a bit fun to play with, though I'm not interested in teenage angst or the typical teenage issues in the slightest (so I tend to move towards stranger subjects in that regard). I guess I just like my characters to where they're very fluid and can grow into themselves during the story, and young enough that stupid mistakes and eccentricities are fairly common. I tend to like characters that are bit oddball; usually with some sort of weird supernatural ability (but not something cool or useful, just weird. Things like seeing ghost cats or whatever), and a quiet, sweet, but very unusual personality. Bizarre beliefs and ideals abound. :P I think another reason I like younger characters is because of the nostalgia factor. I always approve of nostalgia.
I prefer rural settings in a nonspecific time period, probably because I grew up in a rural setting and that's where I'm comfortable. Main or supporting animal characters of some sort are a staple, and they're easier to find in rural places, and the simple beauty of nature is very meaningful and important to me. I think I'd work with a color palette sort of like that of Makoto Shinkai--I just adore his use of color. In fact, I think he might be a requirement for background art, haha. The nonspecific time period is important because I tend to focus very closely on what the characters are doing, and generally everything is put in the scale of their lives. Therefore it's not particularly important what the government is doing, what the current global events are, etc., unless those have a direct affect on the characters. Because they're in their early/mid teens generally, they're paying more attention to their current lives than the macroscale of things. Also, I must admit I hate to do research but I'd also hate to be historically inaccurate... And I don't know if I'm too fond of working with future settings.
As for themes, I'm very fond of reality versus fiction, as well as the effect that beliefs have on the mind and the outside world. A lot of what I'm interested in has to do with the sometimes very vague line between what is actually happening and what the characters believe is happening. Weird religious cults are very interesting to me, and characters who don't believe normal things about the world (and how these beliefs affect those around them, the world around them in general, and so on). Nature is a natural theme for me as well (haha, very funny Kristin), with my strong beliefs about the unfairness with which humans treat other species and the environment as a whole. It has to be very subtle and carefully handled, though; as strong as my beliefs are on this issue, I think strong pushing of certain agendas can ruin a story quite thoroughly. (See: Arjuna.)
There always has to be something vague in my stories that leaves the viewers or readers wondering "Is that real? Or is it something the character is imagining?" I often bring in atypical, somewhat creepy supernatural forces for this role. I want my viewers to be slightly creeped out, but in a subtle way, and in a way that doesn't make them think "Ah, I've seen this sort of thing before." I also love urban legend or story-within-a-story elements.
In regards to tone, I love things that start out light and innocent and turn out bizarre, dark, and sometimes a little disturbing--but also emotional, beautiful, and very thought-provoking. I think the sort of tone Dennou Coil has going is a good example of what I mean. (Did they make that series for me? Seriously--look at how much it paralleled to this! Or at least it did in my head.) Tragic endings are a must for me, usually with at least one character death towards the end. I keep trying not to kill my characters for once, and I continually fail. XD
Like I mentioned before, animal characters are a must, generally as either main character(s) along with humans or as big supporting characters, and they deserve special mention. I'm extremely picky about animals in media. I like it to be apparent that they are intelligent, capable of communicating in some way, and have a personality. At the same time, however, I would demand realistic designs and animation on them and expect them to behave like the sort of animal they are. Talking is okay sometimes under certain circumstances (again, I'm very picky), but behaving and moving like the sort of animal they are is very important to me. I like them to be characters of their own as well with positive and negative attributes, not just pointless cute fodder. I don't want them to break out into song, I don't want them to act like wisecracking humans, and I want them to serve a relevant purpose in the story on their own merits. (Can anyone see why I'm not a Disney fan, and why I don't care for furries?)
I'd want my series to be the sort of series that makes the viewers cry a bit at the end, feel a tug of nostalgia and appreciate the beauty of the art and animation, creep them out, and also bring them to some important revelation and make them think about some aspects of life, reality, and so on that perhaps they didn't consider before. I'd want it to be the sort of story that makes a big impact on as many viewers as possible.
In regards to staff:
- Co-director: Satoshi Kon
Why? Because he's amazing at blending reality and fiction and I adore everything he's done. He has a brilliant touch that turns the most bland-sounding premise into gold, and I think he could bring a LOT to the project.
Mitsuo Iso would also be a great possibility, considering his work on Dennou Coil and RahXephon. He seems to be into the same types of storytelling as I do, apparently, and he does it extremely well!
- Character designer: Possibly either Range Murata or Yoshitoshi ABe, who both have soft, rounded-looking character designs that are also quite elegant. They're both great at drawing younger characters. Range Murata doesn't generally draw exactly the types of characters I have in mind, but he does have a great eye for costume and his work on Last Exile proves he's capable of drawing slightly more down-to-earth types of characters that aren't as fanservice-y as much of what he draws. This is a hard call to make, though, as I admire a number of character designers. I adore Toshihiro Kawamoto like crazy but don't know if he'd be right for this type of story.
- Composer: DO I EVEN NEED TO ANSWER THIS?
Yoko Kanno. Of course.
I'd want it to be...something sort of in between Wolf's Rain and Arjuna. Quiet, sweet, heartbreaking, poetic types of music with a lot of spirituality and life in it. Nothing super loud or epic.
- OP/ED:
Um. I need to think more about this. But one would certainly belong to Maaya Sakamoto. Possibly both. ♥ OP would probably be sweet and optimistic. ED...sad, haunting, gentle.
- Seiyuu:
I have too many I like and would want in the project. XD Mamoru Miyano and Maaya are a must, though, as my two favorites. I adore Paku Romi as well, and...so, so many others. Too many great seiyuu out there. All of the seiyuu I've met at conventions would be shoo-ins, because every seiyuu I've met has been insanely talented and great to be around.
- Makoto Shinkai gets to do all the background art for SUPER NOSTALGIA ATTACK and WHY IS THE WORLD SO BEAUTIFUL OMFG.
- BONES is my favorite studio and they seem to turn out great work the vast majority of the time. I'd love to be involved with them. (I love you all, GAINAX, and think you're insanely talented, but not for this sort of thing. XD) Madhouse might be a good fit as well.
I'm sure I'm leaving people out, but I'm too exhausted to remember who they might be. I'll go back and edit if I realize I left out anything significant.
Aaand it's 3 AM now. @__@
By the way, my wake up at 9 AM plan failed. Well, I did wake up at 9 AM, but I went back to sleep within about ten minutes and didn't wake until almost noon. .__.; I'm going to keep setting my alarm clock for 9 AM, however, and trust that within a few days I will actually start waking up at 9 AM! Yes, I am determined to get on this schedule, even thought my willpower in regards to sleep is very low.
Anyway, please respond to this prompt! I'm very curious what everyone has to say about their ideal anime project. :D
Off to bed with me. I can hardly keep my eyes open.
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 10:57 am (UTC)But assuming you want a half-serious response...
Firstly a lot of what I'd pick would depend on what idea I want to do. I have a bunch of rather separate (and incredibly bad) ideas that would require different people and conditions...
But I'd definitely, definitely love to do something about nostalgia and the "lost past" discovered by younger people because it's something I identify very strongly with.
Actually, I actually had a proper idea for this involving some kind of old spiritual beliefs as well in my exam art coursework last year. Unfortunately that fell quite flat and while I think about it now and then I still don't always feel happy about it because of the failure associated with it (also, it has a rather laughable story).
Still, I had actually come up with almost everything basic for this storyline so I'll pretend it was this idea becoming an anime when answering your question.
I think my reply would be ultra long and I'd rather post it at my journal so I'll go do that. (I'm in the middle of typing another one so it'll be after that though, I'm afraid)
But generally speaking I'd prefer something aimed at seinen. I would like to include adult characters that act like adults as much as possible (one of my ideas was of a disillusioned 30-something brusque woman suddenly getting magical powers. She hardly participated in heroics and instead was a general ass to all the other teenage superpower folks, destroying their dreams)
And I would take very special pains to make sure that technical details and the social fabric (if society plays a part) are realistic - I like it when anime uses technology and thinks about its real capabilities and consequences, for example. (Dennou Coil also felt like it was tailor-made for me, considering it did that AND combined it deftly with my favourite topic of nostalgia and lost roads etc. Seriously it hit on almost everything I wanted and never imagined would appear in an anime)
I would also prefer an art-style that is cut-down and simple, not with lots of pretty highlights and shadows. Something like Noein's or Tetsuwan Birdy -DECODE-'s character design. Colour style depends greatly on the type of show but I would like to avoid those light-floods that are overused in cheap anime.
And I don't demand smooth or realistic movement and firm adherence to character models, but I would like every pose and action to really have a purpose and to properly convey the moment. Even still images with well-thought-out poses are better than glossy but hackneyed animated sequences. (It's a tall order, I know)
I'd cry if I could also get a zabadak song used in an anime, and I'd like any BGM as long as it's good. Maybe not Yoko Kanno but perhaps something like Haibane Renmei or Kaiba's BGM - nothing too awesome that it steals the scene but something that firmly etches it into people's minds. I'd kill for some progressive music...
There's way too mcuh I could say on this subject x_x I can't even think clearly now, now that you have me thinking about such a sinful idea (it's like the ultimate fantasy)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 07:54 pm (UTC)Sounds like you've got a similar obsession with nostalgia and spiritual beliefs as I do. :) It makes me happy I'm not alone in that! I feel completely the same way about Dennou Coil. I'm amazed by how many aspects within it were things I wanted to see in an anime but didn't expect to see all in one place. I think Mitsuo Iso tapped into our brains! Or something.
I'm certainly looking forward to your longer response. I'll be keeping an eye out for it! Take your time, and like I said, don't limit yourself on length.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-21 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 11:52 am (UTC)I think if I created my own anime or story whatever it would probably be some type of metaphorical growing up story (so the characters would be teens or adolescents) since I tend to appreciate those the best. I am not sure where it would take place. I like fantasy stories but I would want to create my own world not recreate one that has already been done before, although I like world's that somewhat mirror real life historical places.
I guess the target audience would be young adult but I don't like stories that talk down to their audience just because they are younger. I think a stories for kids and young adults can be enjoyed by people of all ages I mean there might not be as much violence or sex but that doesn't mean the story would be simple and I would want the characters to have to face hard decisions and not always make the right decisions and see the consequences of this.
Yeah I think my story sounds pretty cliche LOL. But then since I love the growing up type story I think I would like to try my hand at that. Not that I ever will actually write it.
Oh and there would be some grayish character that's a given. XD
no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 08:00 pm (UTC)I agree about stories that don't talk down to the audience because they're younger. Some of my favorite stories in the world (such as The Last Unicorn) are easy for everyone to enjoy, but also filled with meaning. I tend to tell those sorts of stories as well, but somehow they always become too dark and a tad too violent or bizarre for children to handle, even if that's not what I was going for initially. ^^;
Growing up types of stories are wonderful, and a lot of my favorite series fall into that category. :) And it's fine that it's a little cliché. Some of the best stories in the world are a bit cliché, but they still manage to tell an engaging enough story that no one minds.
Thanks for the response!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 04:05 pm (UTC)Now manga is another story, but I just don't want anything to do with the anime-making process. Kind of surprising even to me, hehe.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 08:09 pm (UTC)If you'd like to talk about what sort of a manga you would want to create within this hypothetical situation, that would be great as well and I'd love to hear it. Especially because I enjoy your art a lot and I'd like to get an idea of what the stories are behind some of the recurring characters I've seen in your art posts. As I said, this is more to get an idea of what's important to my f-list and what types of stories they'd want to tell if given a chance, as opposed to it being just limited to anime. I just chose anime because it's most relevant to my f-list's interests and it has the most aspects to think about--story, art, animation, music, voice acting, etc. Allows a lot of freedom to figure out the type of story and throw in good comparisons to existing works in certain aspects.
It's up to you, though--it's not as though this is an obligation, haha.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-25 06:30 pm (UTC)I actually have (right now, and I'm sure more will pop up sooner or later...) 3.5 fleshed-out worlds/storylines, and I have the plots and characters worked out, sometimes in absurd detail, for all of them. I'm just too bad at writing or too bad at art to do anything with them right now, so they're put on hold indefinitely while I try to get my skills up. I would love to write novels or draw comics for them some day, but I don't know if I'll ever get my technical skills up enough. Suffice to say, though, I have a LOT crammed into my head, and I think most people would be surprised to realize that I basically have finished novels floating around, haha. :[
I couldn't really say anything specific about what kind of characters/plot/ideas I have that would cover all of my worlds because just about everything about them is, well... different. About the only things they have in common are the fact that they're either sci-fi or fantasy worlds, and a very big theme in all of them is religion/spirituality, and not in a positive light. I'm very interested in the "opiate of the masses" and how people justify religious beliefs when they are at direct odds with science/reality. I also have a lot of fascination with the blindness of faith without questioning, and these are the kinds of themes prevalent in my stories. So in that respect, it's safe to say that my demographic, if there were one, would have to be people who aren't likely to take offense at me portraying organized religion in an extremely negative way. My worlds often feature religious cults/figureheads, theocracies, and the deities themselves popping up.
My characters are very varied. I like characters of a variety of ages and backgrounds coming together. I like to keep an even mix of sexualities in my characters, as I REALLY REALLY REALLY hate (my biggest literary pet peeve, actually) that in fantasy/sci-fi literature, the only time a gay character appears is when being gay is on the list of stereotypical "evil traits" for a character the author wants you to dislike. And bisexual characters? Well, those don't exist, period. I don't think that people are so black and white in sexuality and attraction in real life, so I make an effort to have some characters who wouldn't even be able to put themselves in a box if they had to. I also like to have characters of different races/nationalities in their respective worlds because I hate fantasy/sci-fi where every person is Caucasian, in the WHOLE WORLD. In terms of fantasy races/species in my main characters, I've got some humans, some elves, some orcs, a minotaur, and even a few dragons/animals/demons. A few of my characters are shapeshifters.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-25 06:31 pm (UTC)My stories would have dark tones and be pretty fast-paced/adventure-oriented, with a lot of travel. For my sci-fi world I'd want a style that's really dark and crisp, with a low-key colour palette when relevant, as it's a really harsh, gritty place. I would want something soft and simple for my other universes, with exaggerated features and scenery. What's important to me in a story is complex characters, a thorough plot, a meaningful message or theme, and keeping away from a jillion pages of pointless political description. Lots of action because who doesn't like Stuff Happening? As far as romance goes, I don't like a big romantic focus, as it's really not my thing, so I would keep it subtle or leave things vague enough for the reader to interpret it as they liked... Even if I know what the characters are really thinking, haha.
ANYWAY, SEE, now that you have me going I will never shut up, and I haven't even said anything about any one specific story, aaahh!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-20 07:53 pm (UTC)- The audience should be Seinen. I prefer more mature stories and I don't do well trying to aim to a younger audience...
- The genre is pretty much Psychological Thriller, I guess?
- Hmm, probably go by 26 episode series for as long as it takes.
- The characters are all adults, from ages 23 to 70. The main characters are 24 and 36, and the antagonist is 64, so.
- Hmm... The setting would be in the mid-western US, in the near future, and I would prefer the appearance emulate my art as much as feasible. The way I draw for comics, anyway. :P Which seems like an odd choice because my style for comics is like... much less detailed and almost cute when it comes to some characters, but... hm. I don't like it when an anime makes a huge departure from the original artist's work, so.
- Well, it follows the Man vs Man sort of thing. Ahahahah. I'm not really sure what to say about themes since it's about a detective trying to catch a serial killer, but it's actually lot more complicated than that and I don't really... want to divulge to anyone right now. :P
Um, for things that have to be kept in, I definitely think the character backgrounds are important. Also, complex plot.
- Dark, but it's not like I wouldn't throw some humor in there. Lightening the mood every now and again is very important, since no one can take that much stress. Too much suspense or so on will drive you batty. :P
And I seriously don't know enough about people who work on Anime to say who I'd like to work with. D:
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Date: 2008-07-20 08:26 pm (UTC)It sounds like a promising idea, and I do adore psychological thrillers and stories in general that relate to crime. Also, it's good that you use adult characters, as they are vastly underappreciated in anime (probably in part as a result of demographics, but still).
I'm guessing you'd want to do your own character designs for the anime, so it wouldn't deviate from the source? I considered doing my own designs as well (because it would be fun!), but truth be told I'm awful with figuring out costumes and there are other artists who are far more proficient at the type of style I'd be aiming for anyway.
Thanks for responding! :D
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Date: 2008-07-20 11:54 pm (UTC):3
Adult characters are vastly underappreciated. I feel a little out of place watching shows that usually feature high schoolers all the time. ^.^;
Oh yes, definitely. I love doing character designs. :3
No problem. ^.^
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Date: 2008-07-20 11:06 pm (UTC)...But that's not answering your question. So. There's this one kindasorta story in my head I'd love to see animated -- it's my Naruto cyberpunk AUverse. Obviously I can't do Naruto exactly, but it's in this world that I want to see on screen -- moving, gritty, dirty and techy. XP
So, my Naruto Cyberpunk AUverse, stripped of Naruto (XP), would still be a top-secret military/government branch in a sci-fi future. The story/anime would basically be centered on an overriding mission/goal and the people/teams to accomplish them. Early episodes would focus on certain teams/groups, foreshadowing The Big Danger/Goal later to come. Mid-way the "secret"/Other Bad Organization (like the mafia or whatnot) would be revealed, and everyone starts focusing on that goal -- of course, there'd be mini-problems as stuff gets pushed back for The Big Goal, and there'd be a Great Big KABOOM of Stuff Happening in the end, The Goal is Achieved, and life goes back to "normal" missions (of course, with changes).
Is the Big Goal man vs man or man vs technology or whatever? I'm not sure. Being episodic and partly character-driven, there could be multiple themes. All I know is that there's a Goal and a story set on achieving it.
I have no idea the demographic it would be aimed at because quite honestly this idea is COMPLETE WISH FULFILLMENT. I also am in favor of the story rather than the demographic. If the story happens to be shounen, it is; if it isn't, it isn't. Likely, in the world I have, it's...certainly not going to be the bubbly shoujo type of stuff. XP I still want to have romance though because I am a Big Sap, and also because the shipping lulz will be lulz indeed. Likely, the show will be rather episodic/arc-based, which gives me the flexibility to have different genres for different arcs/episodes -- I can have a more mystery type arc and a more tech-based arc in another. Since I like having "The End" to stories, it'd probably be at least 26 episode series, since there'll be a rather large character cast and needed time to develop them.
SHNIZZDIZZ WENT OVER THE CHARACTER LIMIT
Date: 2008-07-20 11:06 pm (UTC)As for the world said characters are situated in -- it's not the dim, dreery outlook a lot of cyberpunk worlds seem to be in. (So I'm probably using the word "cyberpunk" incorrectly, but whatever...^^:;;) It's a sci-fi world, basically, and Tech Is Cool And Awesome. A lot of black/silver/blue; some white. The underground still exists, but it's not the DUN DUN DUN EVIIIL underground that a lot of futuristic worlds seem to have (say like, DOGS) -- it is how it is today -- with the black market, the mafia, the gangs, the dirt and grime and payback and elusiveness. It is in this war that my cyberpunk characters fight in (world wars are the focus of a different military branch). I guess my characters would be more like "Super-Police" -- police that have higher links to the government than the regulars (which still exist; my characters would be called on for the really weird/dangerous stuff).
As for tone? I guess it'd be mostly action. How will they make it, will they make it, them verus us here and now, that sort of stuff. However, humor will inevitably get in there (probably lots of dry humor). I want people to go, "THAT WAS COOL" when the episode ends -- and if they laughed somewhere in the middle, that's good too.
...I know nothing about staff/OP/EP/animation/whatevers because I never pay attention to the credits (only the pretty stuff running in the background) so I know nothing. XP However, opening sequence would be remarkably similiar to "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" by Tomoyasu Hotei, famously used in Kill Bill, because everytime I hear that song now, I can literaly see the Naruto Cyberpunk AUverse characters in my head in their glory. XP
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Date: 2008-07-21 03:06 am (UTC)Short answer: SOMETHING LIKE AVATAR. AVATAR THE MOST AMAZING SHOW EVER THAT ENDED WITH THE BEST EPILOGUE/ENDING EVER, PWNING THE HARRY POTTER EPILOGUE WITH THE PWN OF OVER 9,000 SUNS :ALKDJF:ALDKJF:DLAKFJ (the finale of Avatar aired last night, I'm still in agony that it's over and on a high that it ended SO WELL. You should give this series a go someday. *twitchtwitch*)
Long Answer:
- What demographic will your story be aimed towards?
Either shounen or seinen. I actually am not sure what exactly qualifies seinen... a little more serious and less cliche, I suppose is what it is. I'd definately prefer that to shounen.
- What genre or mix of genres will your story be?
Action, drama, ...psychological/sentimental/Idon'tknow? Whichever best matches the ups and downs of the human spirit. Probably a liiiittle humor from time to time to make the series less of a chore, but nothing over the top. I'm thinking the kind of vibe you get from the more serious episodes of Samurai Champloo (the 2-parter with the blind assassin, the last couple of episodes).
- What format would you choose? A movie, a thirteen-episode series, an OVA, a twenty-six episode series? A neverending series (LOL)?
NOT A MOVIE unless I was super brilliant. I love animation but I actually find that a lot of animated movies don't make good MOVIES, because it gets so caught-up in the animation aspect of it, that by the end of the movie, things cease to make as much sense or be plausible. It turns into a visual spiritual journey, or a visual fest that somehow resolves the conflict. It's awfully pretty to watch, but I feel like it's not as effective in some cases. I think my opinion differs with a lot of anime fans... I guess they often feel connected enough to accept the way the movie is ended. Don't stone me for this, but I kind of felt this way near the ending of Tekkonkinkreet. It was a gorgeous movie, with incredible and moving imagery, symbolism, characters... but after it got to Shiro and Kuro's simultaneous break down... T_T I MEAN, IT WAS REALLY PRETTY. I understood what was going on, that Kuro was battling himself. But somehow... I felt disconnected from it. It was psychadelic, and a great thing about animation is that it can portray those emotions in color and shifting visuals... but it didn't cut it for me as a sastisfactory way to resolve the conflict of the movie's plot itself. I did like the ultimate ending with the seashells, and the ambiguity of whether Kuro and Shiro really did get their house on the beach... but the part when Kuro was facing down the demon-faced version of himself, I couldn't get into it emotionally. It was very pretty and got the message through. But I don't know. It didn't click with me. D:
I think I would choose a 26 episode series. It's long enough to really develop everything (or near everything) that you'd like to develop, and short enough to be succinct and sweet. A 13 episode series is a little too short to do that, I would think anime that length would be left too ambiguous for my personal tastes, anyway.
- What will your characters be like? What ages will they be? Are you drawn to a certain character type you think you'd use?
I think I'd choose a near-end-of-high-school girl. 18 years old. And I'd want the series to show her progress for maybe a few years of her life, until she's an adult in her 20's. I'd make her a late-bloomer type character, so it would be a series about maturity. I wouldn't make her a spazz or klutz type character; she could be clumsy and mess up time to time, but it wouldn't be the cliche thing. I'd make her insecure but not openly. She'd be a character you read from her actions rather than her spilling her guts to the other characters and having them give her shounen-style peptalks. It would be about her conquering herself mostly on her own, but with the help (and sometimes unintentional help) of the supporting cast. I'd want some adult characters that still have relatable issues to an audience in their teens. A couple of preteens maybe. Certainly not an all high-school cast. Nobody perfect or a hero.
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Date: 2008-07-21 03:06 am (UTC)- What are the settings? What time period does it take place in? Any specific color palette or "look" you'd want it to have?
I'm picturing a city at night, so darkened colors like purple and blue, and black of course. Some grays. Whatever it is, it can't be pastelly like the Naruto Wave Arc. XDDDDDD
- What are the important themes of the story (such as: man versus nature, people in relation to tragedy, people and technology, etc.)? What is important to you in storytelling that you'd want included (ie, strong character background stories, an overpowering message, a complex plot, etc.)?
Nature, Tragedy, Individual vs. Self, vs. Others... The plot wouldn't have to exactly be "complex"- it could even be supernaturally ambiguous. o_o But definately an important moral/message. Character development is a must, so probably some backstory.
- What sort of tone would your series have? (Dark, nostalgic, crazy, silly, sweet, etc.)
Mystery, nostalgic, funky. Wow, where'd that word come from? I guess I've decided right now that the series I'm describing needs something uplifting! I declare that it has a funky, sometimes jazzy soundtrack. Since the series is kind of psychological, it has to be psychadelic in many ways. So funky.
- What are your goals in creating this project? Do you want people to laugh, to cry, to think about _____, to consider something they might not have before?
To think about... life and progress. How to evaluate yourself. I want the message to be optimistic if not positive, so hopefully it would leave viewers with a decisive idea.
And in relation to the staff:
I don't know a lot of the big names, so no idea.
-Soundtrack
Something hauntingly pretty (no Noir-like music though, that would be a rip off) with strings to play during action sequences. A few jazzy tracks to end the episode with (a tune from the ova Blue Submarine 6 keeps popping in...). Oh heck, I'd hire Yoko Kanno. She can do everything.
- OP/ED performances (And what would you want them to be like?)
They have to have sillhouettes! And the characters must never be seen full bodied and facing you (or doing cute poses/movements, GAH NO). If they are facing you, they must be partially covered in shadow. The music has to be "serious". Rock, Alternative, something croony, maaaaaaayyybe a light techno piece.
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Yeah, I have no clue what I'm even talking about. XDD I'd just want a serious anime about human life. wala.
;)
Date: 2008-07-21 07:50 pm (UTC)Probably whatever crowd Lain, Boogiepop, and Evangelion fall in. I'm not sure if mindf*ck is a catergory.
- What genre or mix of genres will your story be?
Romance, Psychological
- What format would you choose? A movie, a thirteen-episode series, an OVA, a twenty-six episode series? A neverending series (LOL)?
I'm fond of the 13 episode series, but it would be more like a really long OVA for me lol
- What will your characters be like? What ages will they be? Are you drawn to a certain character type you think you'd use?
I've typically got an angst ridden main character with some kind of love interest that takes interest in him/her and a small group of friends that either helps or (more often) fails to get them through their problem of choice. <-- Wow, I have some kind of lame formula going. But as far as age, probably ranging from 16 to an upwards of 40. I like working with teenagers forced into adult level problems.
- What are the settings? What time period does it take place in? Any specific color palette or "look" you'd want it to have?
Most likely a modern setting, probably somewhere remote like a small town. Lots of golds, reds, blues, and grays.
- What are the important themes of the story (such as: man versus nature, people in relation to tragedy, people and technology, etc.)? What is important to you in storytelling that you'd want included (ie, strong character background stories, an overpowering message, a complex plot, etc.)?
Peoplw in relation to tragedy describes it best. I'd like to focus almost completely on characterization, then plot, but good music and well drawn art are important.
- What sort of tone would your series have? (Dark, nostalgic, crazy, silly, sweet, etc.)
Dark and silly and sweet. Some kind of angst ridden thing with fluff thrown in at points to lighten the mood.
- What are your goals in creating this project? Do you want people to laugh, to cry, to think about _____, to consider something they might not have before?
I'd like to show people what not to do when facing a problem, I guess. I'd like to make them go "What the Hell just happened? I thought it was about this, now its about something completely different. I love how these characters connect to eachother."
And in relation to the staff, who would you like to be your:
- Co-director (as a note, they could be involved as little or as much as you'd want. You would always have main control over all aspects of the story and how it is told.) I'm not sure, probably my girlfriend Angel, actually. Someone who knows me and likes what I like.
- Character designer (What do you like about their character designs?) I'd like to do basic designs, but my dream designer would be Yoshitoshi ABe. His work is amazing.
- Soundtrack composer (And what type of music would it be?) The one who did either Chrono Cross or Illusion of Gaia. It would be very powerful with a variety of "sorrowful" sounding instruments like piano, flutes, and violins.
- OP/ED performances (And what would you want them to be like?) This is a really cool question... Depends if US artists or JP were doing them. US) Cold for the opening, Seether for the ending. JP) Nightmare for the opening, Ayumi Hamasaki for the ending.
- Any animation staff you'd want to be involved
- Seiyuu you'd want to be involved
- Background artist(s)?
- Which studio(s) would you like to be involved?
- ...Anyone else of note for other roles in animation production? (There's no way I'm listing every job you could have within an anime project.)
I'd like Chiaki Konaka to work on the script ;) His work is amazing too. I know he gets along well with ABe, so I think both of them interpreting my ideas into an anime would be my dream.