Week 1 Research (Part A) : Japanese Character Design

During the exploration this week, I paid attention to how the visual elements of the mascots in the street tell the personality of the character. After visiting Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum and had a reflection on the character design lessons, I also understand the charisma of Japanese anime characters.

Compared to classic western animation, Japanese creators use another approach to tell stories.  Audiences can still build up empathy for the characters. However, this kind of Japanese production pipeline is more effective with a lower cost.

It was fun to study different approaches used in Japanese animes and western animations.

Exploration Spots (Highlighted Research Spots) :

1. 心齋橋 Shinsaibashi

2. 絹谷幸二 天空美術館 Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum

3. 梅田 Umeda 

4. 梅田空中庭園 Umeda Sky Building

5. HEP FIVE 摩天輪 HEP FIVE FERRIS WHEEL

6. 露天神社（お初天神） Tsuyu Tenjinsha (Ohatsu Tenjin)

7. 手塚治虫記念館 Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum 

8. 生田神社 Ikuta Shrine 

9. 姬路城 Himeji Castle 

10. 四天王寺 Shitennō-ji
11. 安居神社

12. 通天閣 Tsūtenkaku

1. 心齋橋 Shinsaibashi

2. 絹谷幸二 天空美術館 
Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum

* Since photography is forbidden, some of the photos are taken from official website.

The museum is separated into different zones by red and blue colors. There is also a short 3D animation showcasing all his works and video illustrating how he makes the large-scaled printmaking.

3D Animation Experience from Official Website: http://www.kinutani-tenku.jp/

   

I love how Koji Kinutani uses vivid colors to produce large-scale mixed media artworks. Most of the characters in his works are gods, which have an outstanding personality through the colors, body languages, environment, props and costumes Koji Kinutani drawn.

For example, in the painting 黄金背景富嶽旭日・風神・雷神 Ougon Haikei Fugaku Kyokujitsu, Fuujin, Raijin, Fuujin (in the right) and Raijin (in the left) have different body colors and obvious props help people recognize their identities. Audiences can feel their powers as a god by looking at their fierce faces and powerful body languages. Colors also attract people to understand the characters too.

黄金背景富嶽旭日・風神・雷神 Painting from Koji Kinutani's Official Website: http://kinutani.jp/artwork/2015/01/post-496.html.

Characters in Koji Kinutani's works are interesting to read, not only because of the sharp colors, but also the characteristics of them can let readers associate with the story inside the painting. It is essential when we design a character for animation. It needs to have a clear personality and attractive, no matter it is good or evil.

Koji Kinutani has been studied at Japan and Italy, which nurtured his style combing Japanese and western cultures and arts, like the painting method is near oil painting style from western but it is painted on gold colors with Japanese gods as the theme.

It reminds me that there are a lot of possibilities when merging Eastern and Western cultures together. 

3. 梅田 Umeda 

4. 梅田空中庭園 

Umeda Sky Building

Appreciate how the man writes the instruction in different languages on the walls by hands. 

There are some pretty illustrations in the corridor, just like a mini gallery.

5. HEP FIVE 摩天輪
HEP FIVE FERRIS WHEEL

6. 露天神社（お初天神） 
Tsuyu Tenjinsha (Ohatsu Tenjin)

Tsuyu Tenjinsha is famous for the love suicide story at Sonezaki so people come here to pray for marriage. Although the shrine is quite small, I like how the statues of the couple Ohatsu and Tokubei were made. 

 

Ohatsu on the left was made to be formal and typical Japanese kabuki face. However, it was interesting to see the couple was transformed into the cute cartoon characters on the right. It makes things look less formal and boring.

 

Sometimes, the fox is used as a guide in Japanese tradition. However, it does not look terrible in this shrine.

7. 手塚治虫記念館 
Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum 

We arrived at Takarazuka-shi on a rainy day.

This is the first time I spent the time to know more about Osamu Tezuka. After seeing Osamu Tezuka's animal study and his childhood in Takarazuka-shi, I figured out how the creative world and his name came out.

Went up to the 2/F, there is a special showcase of an anime from Bandai.

           

Though the visuals look great, the characters are not as impressive as those in Osamu Tezuka's works. The silhouette and personality of each character look almost the same. The biggest difference is the hair colors. However, characters like Pinoko in Black Jack and Uran in Astro Boy have similar colors but their shapes can be recognized at first glance.

               

(Images from the Internet)

Pinoko in Black Jack (left) and Uran in Astro Boy (right) show clear character silhouette and personality through the body language.

Simple Animation Experience

  

Apart from animation study, good story and character come out from the inspiration of daily life. Osamu Tezuka is a good example of merging his life into the animation. He studied biology since he was young and he put his passion for science into animation. It can be seen in the character design of his works, especially Black Jack and Astro Boy show his love of anatomy and mechanics.

All characters of Osamu Tezuka. Image from the Internet.

I was inspired by Osamu Tezuka that he combined the things he loved into a touching story with unique character designs. We can find his spirit in every character he designed.