Representation of Animation

About sixty animation are shown at movie theaters in Japan this year.  Some of them including Hollywood films were already released.  As far as I am concerned, I don't much care for ones with 3D-type and video-game-type characters.  In other words, I prefer Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937) to "Toy Story" (1995) as a computer-animated film. 

It isn't a matter of my reminiscence about the good old days but the technique of the Manga, comic book/cartoon.  "Traditional" animation, whether or not it is difference of the number of exposures, gives the viewers more imagination of the story.  Computer-made animation seems to be too realistic.  It is like moving dolls or puppet.  I don't know exactly the difference of the production cost between them, and there are always the pros and cons of the representation, but I think one made by the computer doesn't give viewers dream and/or the taste of "a-castle-in-the air" at all.  The production staff of the Manga should realize that new technology is not always superior to old ones, and they should more focus on the quality of the story, seeking for fhe essence of the human being, rather than the image technique.     #YS

Lovely "Tom & Jerry" and "Woody Woodpecker"

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Since early 1950's, I have been watching lots of American and Japanese animated cartoons. Among fine animations by Walt Disney, Osamu Tezuka and many others, I still love to see the shorts of "Tom & Jerry" by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and of "Woody Woodpecker" by Walter Lantz.

The short films of "Tom & Jerry" center on a never-ending rivarly between a housecat (Tom) and a mouse (Jerry) whose chases and battles often involve comic violence. While, "Woody Woodpecker" is a noisy woodpecker who bores holes in all kinds of things.

The two cartoons are similar in every point:
- the shorts run only for 7 ~ 8 minutes
- they tend to use vivid/original colors
- every-second scene has a sense of humor and wits
- main characters are active in high spirits
- they are big stars: "Tom & Jerry" got Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Short Subject: Cartoons for seven times! And, "Woody" has a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

I highly appreciate that the U.S. TV stations still show us the animations from time to time.#

Japanese animation in the U.S.

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Japanese animation aired on American TV or screened at theaters in the U.S.:

[Year][Title when shown in the U.S.][Japanese Title]
1963 ASTRO BOY (Tetsuwan Atom)
1966 Gigantor (Tetsujin 28-Go)
1967 Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go)
1981 Galaxy Express 999 (Ginga Tetsudo 999)
1986 Warriors of the Wind (Kaze no Tani no Naushika)
1992 The Professional: Golgo 13 (Gorugo 13)
1995 Dragon Ball (Dragon Ball)
1995 Sailor Moon (Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon)
1998 Pokemon (Pocket Monster)
2001 Mobile Suit Gundam (Kido Senshi Gundam)
2002 Kinnikuman: Ultimate Muscle (Kinnikuman)
2002 Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi)
2003 Lupin the 3rd (Rupan 3-Sei)
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American comics

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The American comics started as "comic strip" (in magazines and newspapers) in the early twentieth century. The American comic book (booklet with dozens of pages) became very popular in late 1930's when superheros like 'Superman' and 'Batman' came out. Those books are usually sold at newsstands/kiosque, never at regular bookstores.

In early 50's, because of horror and violent crime in comics, the comic circle was severely criticized by the society. The comic publishers made up their comic code to restrict the representation. This movement got away comic artists' freedom and interfered the development of the American comics.

In 1960's the new type of heros such as 'Fantastic Four,' 'Spiderman,' 'Hulk,' 'X-Men,' and others emerged. And then, the underground comics and the alternative comics as new genre have developed since late 60's and 1980's respectively.

The Japanese MANGA got its reputation in the U.S., especially monthly book "Shonen Jump" published in 2003 and "Shojo Beat" (for female readers) in 2005.#

second visit to Kyoto International Manga Museum

Once again, I went to the museum that is going to celebrate its second anniversary this month. The Manga Museum, which establised at the site of former Tatsuike Elementary School, still keeps some of the 1929 buildings. Currently it is holding an exhibit called "HEIAN - Grace & Mystery of MANGA in the ancient KYOTO," show casing Manga from Kyoto during the era that the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) was written in the Heian Period (794-1180). It was quite interesting and mysterious for me to see such an exhibit (1000-year old) in a building (100-year old). It is said that over 450,000 people visited the museum since then, and yesterday, I witnessed over 100 visitors including foreign tourists there despite of a weekday.#

Visit to Kyoto International Manga Museum

I had a chance to visit Kyoto International Manga Museum where an exhibit called "World Manga Exhibition: The Summit of Manga" was held. It was quite interesting to see a variety of Manga from the U.S., France, Germany, Belgium, Australia and Southeast Asian countries. I found out that some of them were Japanese Manga with English, French, German and other languages. My heart leaped up when I saw many editions of "Superman," who was my hero in early childhood, on the shelves. Manga characters could give a great impact on the people, especially when they are young. And I highly respect the idea to establish such a unique museum in Kyoto.#

Visit to the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum

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I have taken an American, who was a bestseller and visited Japan for few months to research Manga culture, to the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture. I had known the museum for a long time, but it was also my first visit there. The director of the museum showed us the collections starting with a history of Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989), the godfather of modern Japanese Manga. Tezuka's great works such as "New Treasure Island (Shin-Takarajima)," "Kimba, the White Lion (Jungle Taitei)," "Princess Knight (Ribbon-no-Kishi)," "Black Jack" and others were well displayed. http://en-f.tezuka.co.jp/ Right after the World War II, "Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom)" became a Manga hero for the Japanese kids including me. The director saw us off at the front door of the museum after taking a group photo in front of a big figure of "Phoenix (Hi-no-Tori)" which was also Tezuka's masterpiece.#