What do you love about animated movies?

Off-Topic
#1

After binge watching Ghibli movies for the past 2 days, this question just kind of came to me while talking with one of my roommates. Being a film student, I watch a lot of movies, usually 2 or 3 a day. I think there is a lot of visual techniques that can only be found in animation, and the fact that some of my classmates ignore certain movies because they are animated baffles me. I feel like there is a lot to be learned by watching animated movies that can be brought to live action, whether it’s pacing, shot types, storyboards or what have you.

Satoshi Kon has influenced two huge live action action movies which are very similar to his own animated works. I find Black Swan is good adaptation of Kon’s Perfect Blue, and the same goes for Inception mirroring Paprika with a lot of it’s visuals and setting.

Here is a video that made me think on why animated movies are so unique and wonderful. It also helps that it uses my favorite movie of all time as an example.

Some of my favorites include Wolf Children, Princess Mononoke, Zootopia, End of Evangelion, Castle in the Sky, Mulan, Quest for Camelot (guilty pleasure), the Iron Giant and Madoka Magica: Rebellion.

Let me know what your thoughts are and share some of your favorite animated classics or your own.

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Rokkenjima, what are your favorite movies?
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#2

I tend to find myself more in favor of series than movies, they tend to just resonate better with me, though madoka magica Rebellion was great.

Though I will mention that I hate disney from the very bottom of my soul and if every single thing that disney ever made vanished off the face of the earth, I believe the world would be better off with it. Especially the adaptions of myths and folk tales they did, they’re all horrible imo. Then again, I study myths and such so bad adaptations that were whitewashed are a pet peeve of mine.

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#3

I completely agree about Disney, it’s so cheesy. I hate how ugly people are always bad there that it becomes cliche. Also they have furries, ew!

#4

I salute you for having impeccable taste and being a fellow warrior in the fight to purge the unclean furries. Have a free bolter and chainsword, or a flamer if you choose.

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#5

I can understand the hate for Disney. For me, it’s just matter of nostalgia, as bad as that sounds…

I just wish they would start putting out more movies as good as Zootopia. Mainly because it was an original story with a relevant message, and it wasn’t a princess movie. For all I find good in them, I really hate Disney princess stories, there’s more than enough.

#6

One thing I think is really great about animated movies tend to allow the viewer to suspend their disbelief more easily, which means some effects and characters that would otherwise be outside the scope of film -either due to technological or monetary restrictions become more feasible.

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#7

One thing I like about most animated movies (save some Western adult movies which just seem offensive to humanity) is that they generally don’t try to be only for children and are insulting to the viewers like a lot of Western kids shows are (I’m not including shows like Adventure Time in that, it’s more like every recent episode of Spongebob and most shows aimed at trying to educate kids). They generally aren’t beating you to death with morals, and they know how to get to the viewers’ emotions. Like the 2003 FMA anime movie Conqueror of Shamballa, kids could easily enjoy it, but it was combining magic with real life events and handled topics like death pretty well. And I have to say that some of the non-princess Disney movies are really good. Big Hero 6 wasn’t an original one, but it handled the topic of loss of a loved one well, Inside Out handled being able to express emotions well… and for Western non-Disney films, The Secret of Nimh is always a good one, and Anastasia is such a good “what if this historical person had lived” idea with great music that Rasputin being a weird necromancer in it, it doesn’t bother you unless you really can’t suspend your disbelief in movies.

And please don’t tear into me, but every time I watch and think over Rebellion, I just grow to hate it more. It was all flashy and fine arts majors level of pretentiousness with the “symbolism,” a lot of pandering over substance to the story, and the twist at the end was more groan-inducing than shocking, especially with how it was used to make room for more focus on these five girls rather than exploring among the world (and as much as I ADORE Nagisa Momoe and I would kill for her, she really has no character to her other than being a child and loving cheese). It’s fine if you enjoyed it, I respect you for it and wish I could do the same.

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#8

#Let’s not talk about that continuity

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#9

[Titanic lady voice] It’s been 84 years…

I do have to agree that the 2003 anime was definitely a sign of the times and shows why animation studios should wait until the dang series is finished or you get edgy “oooh you resurrected a bunch of dead people and now they’re evil so you have to kill your mom ooooo”, but the movie was pretty decent story-wise (and dub-wise, I personally think the only good role Vic Mitochondria had was Junpei in Persona 3 where it’s not obviously him), though it was still a rather weird movie in hindsight. I’m not into FMA anymore but I’m at least glad that they started up the one series that as faithful to the manga, it kept a lot of the realistic themes like “you can’t bring the dead back, but you can keep hoping towards a better future” and a lot of the silly moments in the manga.

#10

I’m kinda surprised no one’s revived this thread yet.

So, one of my favorite animated things I’ve seen ever is the little Disney short known as The Little Match Girl. To me, the special thing about this 6 minute short is the fact that there is never a word spoken. Everything in it is conveyed through the animation and music alone. Even without any dialogue, this short still manages to tell a story. Everything you need to know is told through the music, and more importantly, the girl’s expressions.

I guess that’s why I think animation as a whole is so good as a medium. Animation truly puts emphasis on emotion. You don’t have to be told through dialogue what the characters are feeling. One of the best techniques in storytelling is to show something instead of explaining it. Animation does this perfectly.

That said, this does not apply to every animated movie/series out there. Animation doesn’t fix bad storytelling. I just think it really helps make good storytelling even better.

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#11

This is going to be somewhat a subset of this… but…

Tales of Hearts had two version, one with anime graphics and the other with 3d graphics. According to sales, the anime version sold over 10 times more. I guess it’s a matter of who are your target audience, but it’s still interesting. It may have to do with the kind of character design that are really good for something that is “anime” style and rather bad for something that attempts to be somewhat more “realistic”.

Compare if you want, I guess. May be interesting to hear various people’s opinion on this.

#12

I think I may have an idea as to why the anime art style is more appealing. I read a book once about something in psychology known as the “baby face bias”. Baby face bias is exactly what it sounds like. People really like babies and things that have baby-like characteristics (puppies, kittens, bunnies, tiny spiders, etc.) One of those characteristics happens to be giant eyes. The anime art style also has giant eyes, which is a part of what makes it distinct as an art style. I think that’s why people find the anime art style to be cutesy. Maybe that’s why people prefer it to the realistic style?

Who knows? But I do think the question of, “What makes the anime art style appealing?” to be an interesting one.

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#13

I don’t really watch movies much, anime movies to a even lesser extent, but the few I’ve watched like Your Name and Despicable Me and all? Pretty much loved those. Your Name, or Kimi no Na Wa in particular was breathtakingly beautiful in every way possible.

#14

If you liked Your Name I highly recommend you go through Shinkai’s other films. My personal favorite is Voices of Distant Star - which he basically made alone in his basement. The Place Promised in Our Early Days is another very strong entry, and 5 Centimeters per Second is one of the best simple high school love stories basically ever.

I can sit through anything he makes because his backgrounds are so good they can carry they could carry the movies even if they were terrible. But they arent terrible, they are the kinds of movies I feel confident in their overall quality I can heartily recommend them to people who are wishy-washy on anime as a whole.

#15

Got it~ I’ll be sure to check those out.

which he basically made alone in his basement.

Wait what? Seriously? Wow…

I’m a little overwhelmed b all those choices haha. It’ll take me some time to even go through those.

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#16

Shinkai is a favorite director of mine, so I tend to gush a bit. I hope you enjoy whichever one you decide to watch next from him :happy:

#17

The way animated movies convey emotions within body movement and facial expressions better than irl acting can. At least in my eyes

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#18

Animated movies are amazing because the creators can portray their ideas in the way they want to without worrying about what the actors look like or what can realistically be done on a set. Animation can achieve imagery and stylistic effects that simply can’t be done with live-action movies.
My favorite animated films are Kimi no Na wa, Princess Mononoke, Shrek (and not just for the meme value, though that’s definitely part of it), Love Live! The School Idol Movie, and Hunchback of Notre Dame (because I have a huge crush on Esmerelda oops).
I especially have a soft side for Princess Mononoke, as it was the first Ghibli film I watched and it still makes me cry to this day despite the fact that I’ve probably watched it over 50 times.

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