Art-Eater  ➡️ ⬇️ ↘️ 🐲 👊

This is such a complex shot. Everything is in motion and shifting in proper perspective so dynamically. The sense of speed and movement are incredible. This isn't a dry technical exercise either. Every frame is full of VITALITY! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/aDxfEAD5yh

Look at those exquisitely drawn speed lines in the pencil test that didn't even make it into the final film! They probably would have drawn too much attention to themselves if they were inked, but you can still FEEL them in the finished shot! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/4R9SgiGEB6

It's hard enough to draw a motorcycle from a photo. Now imagine drawing the coolest bike in the world from your imagination, with someone riding it, all animating, shifting in perfect perspective, moving with weight & personality! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #PencilTest #2DAnimationpic.twitter.com/V0ydhJOkjn

This shot of Yamagata is so classic! Look at how much is going on in the shadows! The pencil test really lets you appreciate how much thought went into that cloth animation! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #PencilTest #2DAnimationpic.twitter.com/K1mRY72nNW

You can just luxuriate in this shot! So much going on! You can feel the wind in his hair. The friction of the road. And according to my good buddy @dasyellerdog (who animates & rides!) the way he leans in to accelerate, as well as steady himself for the attack is very authentic!pic.twitter.com/FWt47kLE1q

Oh man, the sequence with the stuffed animals! THIS IS THE STUFF OF LEGENDS! Imagine the skill, the guts, the endurance it must have taken to pull this out of the ether, through the tip of the artist's pencil! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/u8GoM1qSbQ

I NEVER NOTICED THIS BEFORE. Look at this delightful little robot that forms in the midst of this transformation sequence! There's so much love and craft tucked into every frame of this film! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #PencilTest #2DAnimationpic.twitter.com/RwkSsGOOhA

The way the little robot arches its back as it gracefully slides into place is so wonderful. Like it's accepting it's fate. There's an innocence mixed with weariness to it. It just ... it just works so well #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #PencilTest #2DAnimationpic.twitter.com/O3pZPnWflr

There's dozens of individually interesting animations happening in here, but they flow together so cohesively. All the motions are actually very gentle, but their combined effect is incredibly unsettling. #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #PencilTest #2DAnimationpic.twitter.com/L5XgYvmmqc

Piece by piece, this animation is actually ADORABLE. Look at how this elephant curls in its trunk as it settles down for a nice nap. #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #PencilTestpic.twitter.com/5KbDAEDNX4

So many interesting little pieces! Look at that little dinosaur burying its face and curling in its tail! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/v2dajUQZtF

WHOAH IS THAT LARVAL MOTHRA?? #Akira #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #Kaijupic.twitter.com/hv7CsNCbHC

Gotta love this maned fetal frog monster that emerges from the right arm! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラ #PencilTest #2DAnimationpic.twitter.com/1DzgPlnRkA

I love how its mouth bursts open to reveal its gnarled fangs! The little arms unfurling at this moment are a great touch too! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/eBkG1kHKv3

Upon further consideration this is obviously a horned lizard! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/NZjMbx0XGi

There's an oft shared quote on the use of CG in Akira: "CGI is used to animate the pattern indicator, and to plot the paths of falling objects, model parallax effects on backgrounds, and tweak lighting and lens flares." I wonder if "falling objects" refers to this shot? #Akirapic.twitter.com/n7lhZLx118

I've yet to see any direct examples explaining exactly how cg was used in Akira, but as a frame of reference, here's a shot from Tin Toy, the most sophisticated CG animation in the world circa 1988 (same year as Akira) #Pixarpic.twitter.com/xbq2VlKQ8B

Tin Toy was directed by John Lasseter and became the first CGI short to win an Academy Award. It is the direct ancestor of Toy Story (1995), which would change the world of animation forever, making 3d the new standard for Western animated features.pic.twitter.com/J860CiD0oQ

To tie it all back to Japanese pop culture, Lasseter's historic short film Tin Toy was inspired by his visit to the Tin Toy Museum in Yokohama. But that's not all ...pic.twitter.com/xchNhfYLYq

Little Known fact: Tin Toys have been popular in Japan since the 1800s. Most of those retro American tin robot toys were actually made in Japan!pic.twitter.com/W0lkZBNEiq

In fact, the oldest known tin robot toys ever produced originated in Japan. The world has loved Japanese mecha long before "anime" became a globally known concept! Source: https://blog.retroplanet.com/the-history-of-toy-robots/ … #mecha #ArtHistorypic.twitter.com/gRQEGUvBmb

Speaking of mecha--HOLY HECK! LOOK AT THIS. It's easy to assume this was cg assisted, but I don't think 3D CGI in Japan was sophisticated enough in the 80s to pull this off. As perfect as it looks, there's a warmth to it that tells me it's hand drawn. #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/0fAtselPKR

That's one of the things that makes anime from this era really stand out. There are so many shots that would be cg today that they just had to do by hand. And the results are often stunning! Here's a clip from the Five Star Stories movie (1989)pic.twitter.com/WnoVDQwoci

Here are the pencils for that iconic shot of the CD in the juke box. Look at how much thought went into every little detail! Look at those reflections in the pencil test that are just barely visible in the final shot! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/oSyHWGOKs1

The second half of the pencil test, where the CD starts descending and we see it shift in perspective from front to back perfectly ... this didn't even make it into the final film! #Akira #Akira30 #アキラpic.twitter.com/r2JcXsYm0H