Anime is one of the few areas left where "traditional animation" is done. Traditional animation is a technique where each frame is drawn by hand. This method makes anime emphasized on how artistically it is made and allows more individuality to be expressed. Also, it clearly differentiates anime from cartoons, especially Disney animation which has more emphasis on the characters' movements. Even though computer animation is widely used these days as technology rises, the industry prefers traditional animation because the animators are generally more comfortable and able with this method, and it allows easier checking and correction of frames under sometimes tight schedules.[1]

According to a blogger, ghostlightning, the first stage in creating anime begins with the careful planning of the production team, which involves the identification of target market, and the overall marketing strategy.[2] Considering anime as an expensive business, producers make sure that after brainstorming, their plans are properly structured before starting the actual animation process. After arranging the core or main group involved (production company [e.g. Aniplex] ,staff, sponsors, anime studio, broadcasting and contributing companies), the next thing prepared is the script, which is written to bring the world and characters that were decided on in the planning stage to life.[3] The script is reviewed by the producers, director, and the author of the original work before being finalized. This usually takes 3 to 4 drafts to finalize.[1] And while the script is being set up for every episode of the anime, the characters and backgrounds are being drawn into detailed designs, of which the animators use for reference in their work. Some anime environments come from actual subjects and these places appear to be very consistent with the real environments even when fictional elements are applied, like the Ghost in the Shell movie's Hong Kong and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya's Nishinomiya, Japan.[4]

After creating the script, the next stage is storyboarding. Storyboards are like roughly-drawn blueprints, that are necessary to figure out how best to convey the ideas of the story through the “performance” of the characters, the number of cuts, camera angles, and time management. Because the number of drawings available for an episode is often fixed for the sake of budget management, the number of frames is also carefully considered in the storyboards. In order to continue any other work for the anime, it is necessary to complete the storyboards.[3]

When the storyboard is done, all the ingredients (including the designs of the environments and characters) are ready for art production, which consists of layout, key art and in-between animation. At this point, the director has the main role of making decisions about the compositions and angles. In the layout, the sketch of the storyboard is being drawn to the final size, referring to the designs made of the characters and surroundings, combining them into one picture.[5] After the layout is done, the key art or sometimes called key frames, key poses or extremes are made by the key animators. These can be imagined as the starting and finishing poses of characters during certain movements. In order to "fill the gaps" between the key frames or to create the missing drawings, the in-between animation is done. After finalizing the drawings, combining them makes the images move.[2]

Once the drawings are finalized, colors are added to them by the painting staff. Back then, it was a lot more difficult to do this because paint and brushed were used. But now that technology has advanced, the drawings are scanned and then colored digitally. By being digitalized, more interesting visual styles can be expressed easily.[1]

With all the drawings finally colored, the editing staff do the work of "filming" the anime or putting the numerous cuts in order of broadcast continuity with the help of computers. Filming follows necessary format strictly so that the anime runs perfectly during TV broadcasts. When the film is ready, the next stage undergone is recording of the voices in an anime studio. This stage is where voice actors lend their talents, which usually takes 2 to 3 hours for an episode. Other voices needed, like people in the streets are also done in this stage. Next to the recording is adding the recorded voices and other sound effects and background music necessary to the images, which is called dubbing. Sound is very important in an anime as it helps express the characters' personalities, actions and emotions and it also expresses things which images alone cannot represent. With this process, the anime comes to life.[6]

An anime episode which can be watched in less than 30 minutes undergoes a lot of preparations before it is finally ready for broadcasting. Efforts of groups of people and a lot of money is spent in order to produce it. With each episode having an average of 3000 frames per episode, which are really a lot [1], the artists and producers strictly do their jobs and truly do not have a moment to slack off.

Bibliography [1] (January 18, 2011). Anime Production – Detailed Guide to How Anime is Made and the Talent Behind it!. Washi's Blog. Retrieved January 5, 2013 from http://washiblog.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/anime-production-detailed-guide-to-how- anime-is-made-and-the-talent-behind-it/
[2] (March 10, 2009). Steps in Anime Production. We Remember Love. Retrieved February 19, 2013 from http://ghostlightning.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/steps-in-anime-production/
[3] The Making of Animation Take 1. Sunrise International Information. Retrieved February 20, 2013 from http://www.sunrise-inc.co.jp/international/sp02/index.html
[4] (February 26, 2010). The Strengths of Anime. Assessing the Anime. Retrieved January 6, 2013 from http://assessingtheanime.blogspot.com/2010/02/strengths-of-anime.html
[5] (2000). Anime production process - feature film. Production I.G. - Tokyo. Retrieved February 20, 2013 from http://www.huitula.com/productionIG2_page2.htm
[6] The Making of Animation Take 2. Sunrise International Information. Retrieved February 20, 2013 from http://www.sunrise-inc.co.jp/international/sp02/home2.html