This collection charts the terrain of contemporary Japanese animation, one of the most explosive forms of visual culture to emerge at the crossroads of transnational cultural production in the last twenty-five years. The essays offer bold and insightful engagement with anime's concerns with gender identity, anxieties about body mutation and technological monstrosity, and apocalyptic fantasies. The contributors dismantle the distinction between "high" and "low" culture and offer compelling arguments for the value and importance of the study of anime and popular culture as a key link in the translation from the local to the global.

This collection charts the terrain of contemporary Japanese animation, one of the most explosive forms of visual culture to emerge at the crossroads of transnational cultural production in the last twenty-five years. The essays offer bold and insightful engagement with anime's concerns with gender identity, anxieties about body mutation and technological monstrosity, and apocalyptic fantasies of the end of history. The contributors dismantle the distinction between 'high' and 'low' culture and offer compelling arguments for the value and importance of the study of anime and popular culture as a key link in the translation from the local to the global.

This book describes the thematic and structural traits of a recent and popular development within the realm of anime: series adapted from visual novels. Visual novels are interactive fiction games in which players creatively control decisions and plot turning points. Endings alter according to the player's choices, providing a motivation to replay the game and opt for alternative decisions each time. Pictorial sumptuousness, plot depth and subtle characterization are vital aspects of the medium. Anime based on visual novels capitalize on the parent games' attributes, yielding thought-provoking yarns and complex personalities.

Anime and Manga are hot - the popularity of these media is only increasing. What is it about anime that is so appealing to a trans-national fan base? This book looks at anime fans and the place they occupy, both in terms of subculture in Japan and the West, and in relation to Western perceptions of Japan since the late 1800s.

This book examines the life and animated art of the late Adam K. Beckett. Beckett is known for his six award-winning animations, made between the years 1972-1975, that were ground-breaking at the time and that continue to influence artists today. He is also recognized for his contributions to the first Star Wars movie, as he was head of the animation and rotoscoping area. Beckett was a shooting star during a critical time of change; an innovative genius as well as a unique and compelling character. His life and work illuminates significant social and cultural changes of that time: the emerging independent animation movement of the 1970s in the United States; the rebirth of the visual effects industry; the intersection of animation with newly developed video imaging and computer graphics; and the intense Cultural Revolution that occurred in the 1960s. Beckett's work in animation and effects was pioneering. His premature death cemented his mythic reputation as a larger than life artist and personality. Key Features: A comprehensive biography of Adam Beckett, based on original research Photographs of and drawings by Beckett that are not yet published or available Critical look at his six primary films that include insight into his techniques and process Insight into the re-emerging visual effects field, through Beckett's work at Robert Abel and Associations and Industrial Light and Magic The emergence of a "golden age" of independent animation in the United States Key Features A comprehensive biography of Adam Beckett, based on original research Photographs of and drawings by Beckett that are not yet published or available Critical look at his six primary films that include insight into his techniques and process Insight into the re-emergin visual effects field, through Beckett's work at Robert Abel and Associations and Industrial Light and Magic The emergence of a "golden age" of independent animation in the United States

On Animation: The Director's Perspective is a collection of interviews with 21 animated feature-film directors. These extensive interviews were conducted over the past several years by filmmakers and educators (and peers to the directors interviewd) Tom Sito and Bill Kroyer. Interviews cover in-depth discussion of each director's career -- focusing on their creative development, their films, lesson learned and advice. The interviews were edited and produced by Ron Diamond. Key Features Interviews with the greatest living legends in animation Offers profound insight into the creative process of these giants Grants advice and lessons for inspiring animators

Aardman Animations are, unquestionably, one of the biggest success stories in animated films: their masterpieces include Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep, as well as much-loved characters such as Morph. Cracking Animation is entertaining, inspiring and essential reading for all Aardman enthusiasts, students of animation or anyone who wants to try making an animated film. This revised edition includes two new chapters. Chapter 7 looks in depth at the development and teamwork involved in a major animated film or television production, using The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! as an exemplar, and Chapter 8 presents exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into the making of Aardman's most recent feature film, Shaun the Sheep the Movie. Packed with practical, fully illustrated and step-by-step descriptions of all the elements involved, this is quite simply the best publication on stop-motion animation.

Once consigned almost exclusively to Saturday morning fare for young viewers, television animation has evolved over the last several decades as a programming form to be reckoned with. While many animated shows continue to entertain tots, the form also reaches a much wider audience, engaging viewers of all ages. Whether aimed at toddlers, teens, or adults, animated shows reflect an evolving expression of sophisticated wit, adult humor, and a variety of artistic techniques and styles. The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Series encompasses animated programs broadcast in the United States and Canada since 1948. From early cartoon series like Crusader Rabbit, Rocky and His Friends, and The Flintstones to 21st century stalwarts like The Simpsons, South Park, and Spongebob Squarepants, the wide range of shows can be found in this volume. Series from many networks-such as Comedy Central, the Disney Channel, Nickleodeon, and Cartoon Network- are included, representing both the diversity of programming and the broad spectrum of viewership. Each entry includes a list of cast and characters, credit information, a brief synopsis of the series, and a critical analysis. Additional details include network information and broadcast history. The volume also features one hundred images and an introduction containing an historical overview of animated programming since the inception of television. Highlighting an extensive array of shows from Animaniacs and Archer to The X-Men and Yogi Bear, The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Series is an essential resource for anyone interested in the history and evolution of this constantly expanding art form.

Release your inner stylist to design and colour all of the most fashionable characters in this official Disney The Fashion Collection Colouring Book! Packed with stunning images and icons from a whole host of stylish favourites so you can create your very own couture fashion collection. From sophisticated Princesses like Belle and Tiana to fashion-forward Villains, including Cruella De Vil and Maleficent, get creative and bring each fabulous design to life! With intricate patterns and sketchbook style art, this beautiful book will keep you entertained for hours. Also available: Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Colouring Book Coming soon: Disney Hocus Pocus Colouring Book

The golden age of animation stretched from the early 1930s to the mid-1950s, with movie cartoons reaching an extraordinarily high level of artistry and technique--far higher than today's TV cartoons, for instance. Nearly 1000 cartoons were produced by the seven major animation studios in the U.S. between January 1, 1939, and September 30, 1945--the immediate pre-World War II period up to the cessation of hostilities. More than a quarter of the cartoons substantially refer to the war, and thereby are invaluable in helping to understand American attitudes and Hollywood's reflection of them. The meat of Doing Their Bit is a filmography with extremely detailed summaries of the 260 or so commercially produced, animated, war-related shorts, 1939-1945. There is also a good bit of overall commentary on these films as a group. Two chapters wrap up animated cartoons of World War I and the general political tenor of animated talkies of the 1930s. This edition also includes a new chapter on the outrageous government-sponsored Pvt Snafus.

Anime: A Critical Introduction maps the genres that have thrived within Japanese animation culture, and shows how a wide range of commentators have made sense of anime through discussions of its generic landscape. From the battling robots that define the mecha genre through to Studio Ghibli's dominant genre-brand of plucky shojo (young girl) characters, this book charts the rise of anime as a globally significant category of animation. It further thinks through the differences between anime's local and global genres: from the less-considered niches like nichijo-kei (everyday style anime) through to the global popularity of science fiction anime, this book tackles the tensions between the markets and audiences for anime texts. Anime is consequently understood in this book as a complex cultural phenomenon: not simply a "genre," but as an always shifting and changing set of texts. Its inherent changeability makes anime an ideal contender for global dissemination, as it can be easily re-edited, translated and then newly understood as it moves through the world's animation markets. As such, Anime: A Critical Introduction explores anime through a range of debates that have emerged around its key film texts, through discussions of animation and violence, through debates about the cyborg and through the differences between local and global understandings of anime products. Anime: A Critical Introduction uses these debates to frame a different kind of understanding of anime, one rooted in contexts, rather than just texts. In this way, Anime: A Critical Introduction works to create a space in which we can rethink the meanings of anime as it travels around the world.

Make your animation say what you want it to say. Animation's potential as a powerful tool for communication is just beginning to be understood. This book reveals key principles, useful for both professionals and beginners, which will help you harness the full power of this exciting and ever expanding medium.

The art and commentary of Nell Brinkley (1886-1944) ran in American newspapers from 1907 through the 1930s. At the height of her popularity, "The Brinkley Girl" appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies and inspired poems and popular songs. Brinkley's name even sold hair curlers, and her delicate pen work influenced later women cartoonists. As early as 1913, Brinkley was drawing working women, from farm and factory workers to those pursuing careers, using her art to encourage decent pay, pensions, and housing for thousands of young women working for the war effort. This work covers her life and her work, which might upon first glance show pretty girls but on a closer inspection reveals a post-Victorian feminism. It also looks at her rise to popularity, the innocent sexuality of her Brinkley girls, the sugary and sentimental Betty and Billy series, and the beauty of her line drawings.

A Sight & Sound Book of the Year Jez Stewart charts the course of this extraordinarily fertile area of British film from early experiments with stop-motion and the flourishing of animated drawings during WWI. He reveals how the rockier interwar period set the shape of the industry in enduring ways, and how creatives like Len Lye and Lotte Reiniger brought art to advertising and sponsored films, building a foundation for such distinctive talents as Bob Godfrey, Alison De Vere and George Dunning to unleash their independent visions in the age of commercial TV. Stewart highlights the integral role of women in the industry, the crucial boost delivered by the arrival of Channel 4, the emergence of online animation and much more. The book features 'close-up' analyses of key animators such as Lancelot Speed and Richard Williams, as well as more thematic takes on art, politics and music. It builds a framework for better appreciating Britain's landmark contributions to the art of animation, including Halas and Batchelor's Animal Farm (1954), Dunning's Yellow Submarine (1968) and the creations of Aardman Animations.

Detailing the contributions of Disney, DreamWorks, LAIKA and Pixar, amongst others, Brown establishes a nuanced history that promotes a rich understanding of computer-based, hand-drawn, and stop-motion animation in equal measure.'Chris Pallant, Canterbury Christ Church UniversityUntil the 1990s, animation occupied a relatively marginal presence in Hollywood. Today, it is at the very heart of both the film industry and contemporary popular culture. Charting the major changes and continuities in Hollywood animation over the past thirty years, this groundbreaking book offers an authoritative history of Hollywood animation since the 1990s. Analysing dozens of key films, including The Lion King, Toy Story, Shrek, Despicable Me, Frozen and Moana, it examines the emergence of new genres and stylistic approaches, as well as the ongoing blurring of boundaries between animation and live-action. Identifying narrative and thematic patterns, and developments in industry and style, the book explores how animation in the United States both responds to and recapitulates the values, beliefs, hopes and fears of the nation.

With never-before-seen development art, character sketches, storyboards, and color scripts, The Art Raya and the Last Dragon gives fans a front-row view of the making of the Disney animated feature.  

• Art book from Disney's The Art of Raya and the Last Dragon
• Features colorful concept art from the all-original fantasy adventure
• Includes fascinating facts and details from the creators

This book examines the popular and critically acclaimed films of Pixar Animation Studios in their cultural and historical context. Whether interventionist sheriff dolls liberating oppressed toys (Toy Story) or exceptionally talented rodents hoping to fulfill their dreams (Ratatouille), these cinematic texts draw on popular myths and symbols of American culture. As Pixar films refashion traditional American figures, motifs and narratives for contemporary audiences, this book looks at their politics - from the frontier myth in light of traditional gender roles (WALL-E) to the notion of voluntary associations and neoliberalism (The Incredibles). Through close readings, this volume considers the aesthetics of digital animation, including voice-acting and the simulation of camera work, as further mediations of the traditional themes and motifs of American culture in novel form. Dietmar Meinel explores the ways in which Pixar films come to reanimate and remediate prominent myths and symbols of American culture in all their cinematic, ideological and narrative complexity.

Animation is one of the fastest-growing fields in film and television, and it is also integral to video games and web development. Once an esoteric and hard-won skill, technology has advanced to the point that simple animated projects can now be produced on a home PC. Its many enthusiasts have fuelled a range of new courses in universities, and in public and private colleges. Drawing on their extensive experience in the field, the authors offer a systematic overview of the role of the animation producer and the production process. They explain how to develop a concept, pitch it to obtain funding, and find a market. They offer detailed advice on recruiting a team, managing different stages of production (including overseas suppliers), quality control, budgeting and scheduling. They also outline the key aspects of 2D and 3D production.From project development, seeking investment to pre- and post-production, for film, television, and the web, The Animation Producer's Handbook is the 'one-stop shop' for budding animators everywhere.

Contemporary Disney Animation: Genre, Gender and Hollywood is the first in-depth study of Disney's latest animated output from the perspective of genre theory. Analysing a decade in Disney's history (2008-2018), Benhamou examines the multifaceted interactions between animated films, Disney properties such as Pixar and Marvel, and popular genres including the romantic comedy, the superhero film and the cop buddy film. Through this extensive critical lens, combined with a focus on gender, she provides illuminating and original insights on films such as Tangled, Frozen and Moana. Informed by wider discourses on contemporary Hollywood and post-feminism, this book challenges conventional approaches to Disney, and foregrounds the importance of animation in understandings of film genres.

Omar Sayfo textually analyses around 40 animation productions in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, the Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, from the 1930s until recently. He shows how rival notions of national, pan-Arab and Islamic identities have been advocated, challenged and fused by Arab animated cartoons.

This book will explore the creative, educational, technical and critical issues at stake in 're-imagining animation'. The moving image pieces will be presented as a range of case studies looking at the production process from the initial choice and selection of the creative stimulus, through the discussion and decision informing the aesthetic and technical facilitation of the work, to the final outcome. These will then be analysed in meaning, purpose, and affect, and as part of a wider engagement with moving image culture. These case studies will represent a detailed evaluation of experimental work as it moves from 'script to screen', simultaneously addressing the interfaces between animation, film, graphic design and art-making in general, and it is this which essentially constitutes the 'advanced' level of the book in not merely foregrounding progressive contemporary work, but stressing innovative approaches to pedagogy and production. This book is suitable for students of animation, established professional animators, and anyone with an interest in animation.

Soviet Animation and the Thaw of the 1960s examines the remarkable animation that emerged during the post-Stalin period of liberalization in the Soviet Union as an avenue of expression for a new spirit of aesthetic freedom. Drawing on extensive archival research, Laura Pontieri reconstructs the dynamics inside Soviet animation studios and the relationships between the animators and the political establishment. Pontieri offers a meticulous study of Soviet animated films of the period, using the world of Soviet animation as a lens for viewing the historical moment of the thaw from a fresh and less conventional point of view.