I am an anime fan. A connoisseur. A weeb if you will. During the time I have spent in this community, I can say one thing for sure. An anime is typically judged according to these criteria: plot, character development, length, recognition, and animation. After reading the title, you might have guessed what this article will focus on. The animation! What defines good animation? It is more than the artistic quality of each frame. The animation should tie into the story. For example, Kimetsu no Yaiba or Demon Slayer has beautiful animation. Yet what makes it feel more special is the way that the design team connected an Edo-period-themed art style to a story about traditional sword fighting. It fits. So here I plan on telling you about an anime that, in my opinion, takes animation to the next level.
Firstly, Kaijuu no Kodomo, or in English, Children of the Sea. Just wow. After three minutes of watching, I was enchanted. The opening scene, young Ruka gazing into a tank of vibrantly colored fish, foreshadows the level of animation employed in the movie. Lively, detailed, and vivid. Things such as the light’s reflection glimmering across her face, and the way the fish’s tail moves. You could take any frame from this movie and it’d seem like an artist’s best work. The downside to this movie is the plot. Although the animation clearly fits the summer seaside theme, the story itself is quite confusing. Without deciding on a clear direction for the narrative, the writers included many philosophical points. After I watched two-thirds of the movie, I was completely lost. In short, people start to die, but not really die. If you want the whole experience, I would advise you to pay attention to the minute details. If you are only watching to enjoy the animation, don’t stress. You don’t need to understand the film’s interpretation of the universe to enjoy it’s otherworldly artistic style.
My next recommendation is Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana wo Kazaru. More popularly known as Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms. While the previous anime had more of a wow factor, this one felt like drinking a cup of tea during a storm. Personally, this animation was more my taste. Simple and elegant, like the flowing white hair of the lorph, and the sun dyed hibiol. The creators of this story chose to keep it uncomplicated, and they really pulled it off, because each change was so apparent. It must be said before watching that this film does contain some dark themes. Some of which include war and grief. In order to change the emotion of the atmosphere in a second, all that is needed is a change of color. A Renato is at the brink of insanity, and all that changes is the color of its eyes. Blue to red. When Maquia is faced with a scene of sadness or difficulties, the lighting changes from bright to dark, day to night. The changes aren’t complex, but they hit an emotional soft spot of many. Furthermore, they provide foreshadowing to future events. When Maquia is confronted with clamor while sneaking around in the dark, you already know something terrible is brewing. The detailed simplicity of this film ties in expertly with the storyline. If you ever feel like shedding a few, or a lot of tears, then watch Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms.
Lastly, I chose a bit of an outlier to end this article with. Houseki no Kuni is also known as Land of Lustrous. This is a twelve-episode series rather than a movie. However, that isn’t the only thing that differentiates it from the other anime I’ve mentioned. It is made completely and wholly using CGI, or Computer Generated Imagery. To say the least, poorly done CGI sticks out like a sore thumb. However, this show somehow does it well. Most studios wouldn’t dare to use CGI more than once per episode, but Orange (the animation studio), chose to explore this new medium. Everything from the shine in Diamond’s hair to the Lunarians beautiful crystals. No other means of animation could display this story the same. Speaking of the story, it is exactly what I long for out of anime. The pacing is wonderful, and materfully hooks watchers like me into the story. The protagonist’s character development is not only displayed in the increasingly saddening story, It is also shown by the progression of the way he is represented. He starts as an innocent and naive yet passionate jewel. Notably, he is whole. None of himself is missing. As the story progresses, he loses more of himself physically and mentally. Ending without his memories, friends, and limbs, all for power he had hoped to gain, It makes the viewer wonder, was it all really worth it? If you are looking for an anime that uses a new animation style, as well as new concepts, I’d recommend The Land of Lustrous.
Although there many other anime that have great animation as well, these were my top picks. When you have time for a movie or a show, check out Children of the Sea, Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, or Land of Lustrous. Unless you despise good animation, then stay far away from them. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed.
