Week Six - Filip (Part Two)

Contd.


Finally, with reference to Cavallaro (2006), what distinguishes Mononoke technically as being – it is generally agreed – a great work of anime?

Aside from its large budget of ~$20 million and even higher grossing of $150 million ‘in a country with one-half the U.S. population and less than one-tenth the number of screens’, the film’s value comes from the complexity of its characters and themes.
‘Mononoke does not really feature what one could in all faith call a bad guy.’, citing Miyazaki himself ‘...It’s not bad people who are destroying forests... Hard-working people have been doing it. During the Edo era, many beautiful forests were raised, but that was because trees were planted to finance a Han (feudal domain). So if someone cut even one branch off, they cut his arm or head off... Because of such terrible power, the forests were born... [Today] it is exactly the problem of the environmental destruction we are facing on a global scale.’
The medium of animation facilitates the existential drama, demonstrating ‘...powers inherent in animation, which no other form of cinema may mimic, let alone equal.’
The film dealt with the cultural gap with English audiences by including additional expositional lines in the dub ‘...the script for the adaptation into English had to spell out the act’s symbolic significance.’

The animation is done traditionally through the use of cels (celluloid sheets), seen increasingly less often in western animation where animation using computer programs like Flash is very popular. The crafting of each individual frame allows for a deliberation Miyazaki takes full advantage of. The film is littered with subtle expressions and movement. X refers to a recount by Steve Biodrowski which remembers a scene where Ashitaka’s mount ‘goes paralysed with fear at the sight of the monster [Tatarigami] – which would not be surprising in and of itself. What is surprising is that the look of the character immediately convinces us of Yakul’s inherent nobility and courage. Somehow, you know this is not a creature easily frightened; therefore, to see it quivering in fear, unable to move to save itself, increases our own fear at the approaching threat.’ (Biodrowski 1999b).

‘The film makes judicious use of CGI, ensuring that this complements the hand-drawn elements instead of overwhelming them... Thus, the overall style maintains an artistic, hand-crafted feel even as it keeps up with the times.’

I was fascinated to read about the animation process.

3D Rendering:
3D Rendering was used, with new software developed in a collaboration by Studio Ghibli and Microsoft. (Cavallaro, 2006) This software, called Toonshader, served to give what CG parts were necessary a more authentic look which was of the utmost importance to the art directors.

Morphing:
Morphing augmented to the fluidity of the animation by making ‘in-betweens by reshaping and overlapping the key pictures.’ (Cavallaro, 2006) Which saved the need for a lot of cells.

Particles:
The technique of particle systems gave realism to dynamically moving gas such as steam or clouds. The convenience of this technique allowed for its application on the sporadic twinkles in the god, with a wireframe of the hand-drawn creature used for anchorage, wherein the effects of wind and gravity would be emulated. (Cavallaro, 2006) The result on-screen was a pleasure to look at.

Digital Composition:
Composition typically consists of finished character cells against backgrounds, with the occasional addition of cels for objects in motion. Digital Composition allowed for several layers cels to be used and arranged cleanly for a livelier picture. Many of the staggering 144,000 hand-drawn cels produced would have been used for the layers of detail here. (Cavallaro, 2006) What a mammoth undertaking. Good grief.

Texture Mapping:
Backgrounds in cartoons have the problem of being stagnant, save for when a scene would demand motion and looping would occur (‘Didn’t we go past that sign already?”). Here, the illusion of motion is achieved through the creation of an entire 3D model of the terrain to serve as reference for the characters in motion as the background moves with the camera.


With my appreciation of this delightful film deepened by the insight into its production, I’m compelled to agree Princess Mononoke is truly a great work of anime on several levels (and layers, good grief!)