Once upon a time, five girls made an animated film and it was so much fun that they pledged to get
jobs in animation so that someday they could make another film together. Now, two years later, Aoi,
Shizuka, Ema, Misa and Midori have learned the truth about the anime industry: it's not always fun,
it's anything but easy, and having talent isn't always enough to open the right doors.
Which is why Aoi's overwhelmed by her job as a production assistant, Shizuka's waiting on tables
between auditions, Midori's currently scriptless, Misa's switched to C.G., and Ema's working long
hours as a key animator. Is it what they imagined? No. But are they ready to give up? Not just yet!
Sometimes, when things happen in animation, they can happen in the most wonderful ways!
(Source: Sentai Filmworks)
~~~img1000(http://i.imgur.com/AxR60xA.jpg)~~~
[MINOR SPOILERS ABOUT CHARACTERS] Shirobako is one of the most unique anime I've seen, with a realistic take on the challenges people have to go through, especially as new high school/college grads. This isn't an anime about cute girls doing cute things at their jobs, like New Game is. Instead, it's about cute girls trying to achieve their dreams of making anime professionally and the sacrifices and hard work they put forward to try and make their dreams come true. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they fail, and sometimes the progress they've made towards their goal isn't what they wanted and they start to doubt themselves and their dreams. The way the main characters of this anime deal with failure and react to success feels so realistic and relatable that Shirobako could've been based on a true story. Each character has their own personal struggles and goals that they have to handle, along with maintaining their relationships with others at the same time. An example is one of the main characters, Sakaki Shizuka, an amateur voice actress who is struggling to find work and consequently has to work as a barmaid. While she acts like everything is going well with her friends, in reality she's frustrated and ashamed of her relative lack of success when compared to them, as they have steady full-time work in anime/graphic design. Despite her best attempts, she isn't finding work, and her shame forces her to lie about her situation even to her closest friends. This story really hits home because that's the harsh reality for a lot of people in real life who have to give up on their dreams, and Shirobako is full of these relatable, realistic stories. This style of superb writing for the main cast of characters is reason enough to watch Shirobako, but that's not all it has to offer. Having seen so much anime, I found the aspects of anime production shown to be simply fascinating. The audience is exposed to all the stages of creating an anime through the eyes of the main character Miyamori Aoi, a recent grad who is now an anime producer. We see almost everything, from the preproduction and storyboarding process with the director, to meetings with the artists that create the animation and music in anime, and how the work from innumerable people all comes together to form the final product that goes on air. Through Yasuhara Ema, an animator at the same company as Aoi, we're exposed to the struggles of a fledgling animator trying to learn the different techniques of animation while attempting to meet the expectations of her peers and animation director. The list goes on, and we get to learn about how much effort goes into things like background art, CGI, voice acting, and even explosions to name a few. It's captivating and shows the monumental amount of work that goes into making anime. Although I believe Shirobako's greatest strengths lie with its great main characters and its refreshing and unique setting, it does a great job in other aspects as well. The humor is great and tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at anime, the people working in anime, and the production process, despite Shirobako's staff going through literally the same things. The art and animation, while nothing too outstanding, is done well, with very effective character designs that work with their personalities. The music is used at the perfect times to provoke emotion and the soundtrack itself is full of beautiful tracks. The only shame is that the lack of leitmotifs in the music makes it less distinct and memorable. Shirobako's weakness, in my opinion, is mostly in the director (the character in the show, not Mizushima Tsutomu). The director's character is a tropey otaku whose actions and behavior clash with the complex, realistic main characters. The wackiness he brings to the show is funny and entertaining in its own right, but it feels incompatible with the deeper writing at play. It forms a huge dichotomy in the tone, where it's outrageous when he's present, whereas it's normally silly at most. This causes the show to feel inconsistent as he's technically the most important person in the studio, and that negatively impacted my investment in the story. However, I realize it's understandably difficult to write a story following the anime industry that is realistic yet still entertaining, as it's often brutal work with long hours and low pay, so the director's antics help prevent Shirobako from becoming too mundane. Another issue is the disproportionate time given to the different main characters. The five girls are presented as main characters, but it's hard to consider everyone equally important when Aoi and Ema get 80% of the screen time and the rest, while still excellently written, are only given a few minutes in a few episodes to have meaningful development. It's a nitpick, but definitely something that could've been improved on as these great characters are one of the best parts of the show. Overall, Shirobako is a wonderful breath of fresh air. It's one of the most unique takes on a coming-of-age story in anime and has some of the most human and relatable characters I've seen. It's surprisingly educational about anime production and the industry, and helped me gain a newfound appreciation for the people behind the works I love. Although not without its flaws, I wholeheartedly recommend Shirobako for any anime fan interested in well-written, realistic characters or the anime production process.
_Just my opinion:_ I would really recommend people to watch this anime after they have worked for at least a year or so. I personally feel that one will not be able to grasp what the anime wanted to portray if you were to watch the anime when you are still a student or have no working experience. ~~~img440(https://am23.akamaized.net/tms/cnt/uploads/2015/12/cheers-shirobako.gif)~~~ --- ~~~__PLEASE NOTE THAT MY REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR (Okay, MAJOR) SPOILER__~~~ --- This anime is basically an anime about making an anime with five female protagonists with the series mainly revolves/focuses on one of the protagonist - Aoi Miyamori. Her four other female protagonists may not have the same amount of screen time as Aoi but any more for them might be too much and can get boring. Overall, the anime has good character developments, really nice drawing styles and the story flows quite smoothly. I particularly like the story, it's refreshing, the pace is just nice; it's realistic and heartwarming at the same time. I also like the first ED song- "Animetic Love Letter" that gives a dreamy and hopeful feeling and the second OP song- "Treasure Box" gives me a 'I shouldn't give up, so that I can be closer to my dream' feeling, basically, I should be positive and I will eventually reach my goal :) Of course, the first OP song and the second ED song are good and pleasant to the ears too! I took a liking to almost all the characters except for one (okay, two maybe) but other than that, I really couldn't find what to hate about this anime. Taking into consideration that it's a 24 episodes long series, it's inevitable that there might be some boring parts here and there, but not to the extent that you will want to pause and stop watching it. Another thing is, as I am not really familiar with the animation industry and how things really work, I have to search for the terms online. It doesn't affect much on the flow of the story but the prickly me needs to know what is (e.g., in-between checks) what before I can move on with the series. Moving on the anime itself; Aoi and her four other friends knew each other when they were in high school. They joined an animation club and made an anime of their own. It feels like they finally realised that they want to be in the animation industry after they graduate from school and with the promise to each other that they will make an improvised version of the anime they made, we can see them getting a closer to their dreams. The other four female protagonists sort of already knew what they wanted to do in the animation industry except for Aoi, whom have no idea what she could exactly do. However, she mentioned that she can do everything/anything as long as she can be in the industry, she landed herself a job as a production assistant and eventually became a production manager. As for her other four friends, they encountered problems and were on the verge of giving up but pressed on and grew better at what they are doing. I feel like I can see myself in Aoi- I know I want to be in the media industry but as someone without any special talents, I don't know what I can do but I really really want to work in the media industry. I am sure that most of us can relate to Aoi's sense of loss while seeing others excelling in their field because not many of us are born geniuses or are given a special talent. You know, I kinda envy people who know what they want to do for the rest of their lives and are able to excel in it. ** I just have to mention this - in episode 23, when one of Aoi's four friends, Sakaki Shizuka, a voice actress who only get roles that have very minimal lines managed to get a notable role after going for endless auditions entered the recording studio, Aoi was shocked to see her and tears started to flow down uncontrollably because Shizuka has gotten a role that can make her shine. This is the most memorable scene because seeing someone fighting so hard, finally achieving what they wanted, is a feeling that it's hard to use words to describe. I even cried a little during this scene. The buildup from the front episodes were strong so I could feel as if I am Aoi during this particular scene. Lastly, a quote from the series to end my review, __"If you're able to eat doing something you love, it's a wonderful thing."__ (Sorry for the long wordy review!)
If I had to use one word to describe Shirobako, it'd be Genuine. Shirobako starts off with 5 friends making an anime with their high school club and wanting to chase their dream and working together to make an anime professionally. The story is super grounded and realistic while not being overdramatic. As someone who is currently trying to search for a place in the working world, Shirobako's story and characters presents a slap to the face showing that the workplace is not a rose colored dream all the time. The show does a great job of portraying a ton of different challenges that people face in their careers - motivation, directionlessness, missing a goal, failure, apathy, feeling trapped, aging, and expectations vs reality of one's dream. I'm not a very emotional guy when I consume media, but Shirobako truly made me feel all kinds of emotions as I binged episode after episode. All of the adversity the characters face ranging from their initial outlook to their goals in life to their current abilities in the workplace really makes you want to cheer them on throughout the whole series. At points during the show I felt just as stressed out as the main cast does. When the crew encountered obstacles I genuinely got angry and frustrated (something that almost never happens), and when they overcame it I actually found myself grinning at the screen like an idiot. Near the end I even teared up when the ||voice actress got the job||. Speaking of the crew, Shirobako has a vast cast of characters, that are actually developed and not only caricatures. But whatever doubts I had about the quality of the characters were put to rest fairly early on. Shirobako is actually littered with humane and quirky characters that are never just an exaggerated archetype. The main character Miyamori has definitely become one of my fav characters in all of anime. The other 4 main girls are quite likeable as well and I found myself cheering for all of them. One small issue I guess is the disproportionate time given to the different main girls. I didn't care but some people might. The absolute majority of the side cast is developed and fleshed out during the duration of the anime. At multiple points, I was actually surprised that the creators managed to do so much with almost all characters in an actually short time, considering the numbers. The only problem I had was Kunogi (girl who can't speak properly), every time she was on screen I just got annoyed. Feel like they added her just to have an overly moe character. Small gripe though, no big deal since she has very little screen time. The storytelling is very grounded and relatable. I never found it overdramatic except once or twice, and it's only to provide a more impactful and interesting plot, and comes out quite charming since it's used sparingly. Every episode has something going on, and once the story picks up at ep 3 it never lets go - fantastic pacing for a show that is about literal work. There were some CGDCT scenes that I don't care for, but the show tried to have plot reasons that justified them, which I can respect. There's some unnecessary filler in eps 13 and 14 which was noticeable, but it was still enjoyable enough. The sound is where Shirobako was lacking a bit. While it made me feel all kinds of emotions, I think it could've been a 10/10 for me if it carried it all the way with some punchy music or inserts. I heaped all this praise and only just realized I forgot the standout point of Shirobako. It gives a great look into anime production. I'm not huge on educational shows but I actually enjoyed learning all the nuances of how an an anime is made. The show goes into the mind of the director and artists, showing how and why they make the decisions they make. It also touches on one of the things that is almost always shit on, **Anime only endings**. Definitely made me understand why those are a thing, and maybe I'll be more sympathetic to them in the future. Shirobako to me is a lot like Sorayori and Welcome to the NHK--an anime that encourages and empowers. It felt as though each person who worked on this wanted to tell me their story, their experiences with the industry. Shirobako does just about everything right, and I'd recommend it to anyone who liked my main Azrecommendation Sorayori, and even moreso if you wanna see how an anime is made. 9.5/10
>__I believe that talent, first and foremost, is the ability to take a chance and to be calm enough to learn from mistakes.__ ~~~img450(https://i.imgur.com/h2nJf49.png)~~~ An exceptional slice of life anime with the unique premise of following a friends group of young women as they try to make their high school dream of working in the anime industry together come true, with each main character pursuing a different dream position ranging from key animation to voice acting. ~~~img500(https://i2.wp.com/drunkenanimeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/shirobako-116501.jpg?resize=1080%2C404&ssl=1)~~~ It's an ensemble anime, so you'll be getting glimpses into a lot of characters' personality, job, struggles and progress over the runtime of the show, offering insights into the workings of the anime industry - the challenges, sacrifices and issues that come with working in it for each worker and the studio as a whole as they're trying to create anime. ~~~img500(https://i0.wp.com/drunkenanimeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/shirobako-aoi-having-a-rough-day.gif?fit=400%2C225&ssl=1)~~~ The depiction of their individual and shared struggles as well as unique challenges they face is portrayed very realistically and will hit close to home to anyone who has been trying to manage adult work life, worrying about sustaining yourself or learning as you go whilst trying to follow your goals at the same time. Shirobako is a working class anime at heart and it shows. Additionally, comedic elements and references are woven neatly into the show and keep the balance between the stressful aspects and the more lighthearted moments. The soundtrack overall is very beautiful and fitting to the show, with standout tracks for me being both OPs and pieces used during certain moments in the show. ~~~img500(https://i.imgur.com/t0P1m9B.png)~~~ Visually, this show is not only beautiful, it also boasts a very colourful palette which exacerbates the good and hopeful vibe this show keeps up, no matter how rough things get. It goes hand in hand with this being a very inspiring and motivating show as its messaging underlines the importance of not letting defeats be a cause for giving up in the long run as progress is not linear, learning from your mistakes and doing your best to move forward being good enough. >__Better to ask and be a fool once than never to ask and be a fool forever.__ ~~~img500(https://i.imgur.com/cYgCS6A.png)~~~ Another detail I want to add before wrapping this up: Refreshing I find the attention to detail shown with regards to the change of wardrobe in this anime as there are multiple outfits for characters (most notably, Aoi) breaking the mold of having the characters in the same outfit for the entirety of a show which is all too common within anime. ~~~img500(https://64.media.tumblr.com/623ffad1eaf317e137ace4eb707cd113/tumblr_nxur47U3s01t2rr2bo1_1280.png)~~~ Chances are, you'll find yourself rooting for these interesting and well-written characters and fall in love with this anime as I did, so I definitely recommend giving it a shot if you're looking for a new series to dive into!
img(https://otakuinreview.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/ojp.jpg) #__Introduction__ Shirobako brings a massive slew of techniques, ideas, and love to its product in an anime-about-anime. It feels like a high-level view of what goes into the creation of anime while always keeping the viewer entertained with problem after problem, character after character. There are so many aspects to talk about when discussing Shirobako that I will break down my thoughts in pieces in the following paragraphs. ##__Entertainment Value__ Shirobako is able to keep the momentum not only through plot obstacles but also by introducing a character to complement each new obstacle. The storytelling brings in a lot of creativity by adding outlandish imagery to passing conversations and thoughts, which transforms typical conversation into – quite literally – other-worldly exchanges. Realism and complexity of the workplace are often discarded for more light-hearted takes on issues and maintaining tone (very similar to NEW GAME! on this front). There are a ton of cuts so the pace never drops. Behind each frame, backgrounds are detailed and variegated, building a very realistic world in the meanwhile of not only the office, but the city in which characters visit many different buildings, shops, and have to travel through a lot as part of their work. The viewer gets to experience so many of the aspects that go into anime creation and sometimes in rich detail. It is very clear that the writers knew their stuff and weren’t just involved at the surface-level for the parts they might not have been directly familiar with. Director Tsutomu Mizushima has also chosen to offer a wide variety of shots through framing that showcases not only his creativity and experience, but also his skill at making things that may not be particularly interesting, interesting. Overall, Shirobako gives the viewer a lot of reason to be entertained throughout, so even if certain things may be lacking for a particular viewer, it gets covered easily by other bases. ##__First Half vs. Second Half__ There is a significant difference in quality, and therefore, entertainment in my viewing of first half vs. second half of Shirobako. The first half felt very carefully planned, that there was a logical flow of ideas and plot obstacles to move from episode to episode, and that every character insertion had meaning. Characters were being developed well, and there was great narrative structure that led to its extremely satisfying conclusion. As a standalone cour, this first half was outstanding. If the show had ended right after its first half, it’d probably be one of my favorite shows. However, the second half starts losing focus and feels a lot sloppier. Unlike the first half, which had more direction because of the nature of the problems they introduced, the second half feels like a bunch of parts randomly strung together, not helped by the problems occurring in the story. In order to not rehash the first half, Shirobako decided to introduce a completely different looming problem in the second half, which was the lack of good communication on the behalf of the original creator’s editing/publishing team. It doesn’t work out that well because it ends up being an inherently uninteresting/bothersome problem that isn’t any fun for the viewer. In this second half, we see some of the worst recurring characters: Hiraoka, who is written to be a complete piece-of-shit self-serving douchebag who would realistically be permanently unemployed and sadly gets an entire backstory and tons of screentime, and the original creator’s agent/editor, who has been given the most annoying catchphrase of all time and could literally be fined for unsatisfactory job performance, and additionally blacklisted in the anime industry and barred from any type of sales/client-facing work for the rest of his life (sorry, I’m still salty these 2 had so much screentime). Luckily, Tarou, who is also a pest we can’t get rid of, finally serves some purpose for helping Hiraoka (2 people we still couldn’t care less about) in this second half. There are some forced themes in the second half that weren’t in the first half that are hardly explored but instantly solved later, which was also unnecessary. There is still some redeeming face to the second half, which is its wonderfully crafted conclusion that makes the final episode and leading episode explosively exciting while answering questions and themes AND tying everything in. ##__Episode Inconsistency__ There is a very apparent episode inconsistency in Shirobako where we see episodes move from great to poor to bad to excellent and in similar patterns throughout. The first half doesn’t suffer from this that much, but it is very easy to pinpoint the good episodes out of the bad batch in the second half. This isn’t as much a problem if you had watched Shirobako while it was airing, but if you’re watching it quickly/episodes in batches, you’ll see days where your watching experience drags on and days where the episodes totally blow expectations out of the roof and evokes strong emotions. Overall, the tone is still maintained throughout the show, but this feeling is strange for a show that should technically be linear. ##__Characters, Realism, and Dialogue__ I have sort of a love-hate relationship with the characters in Shirobako. It is impossible to have this many characters and even think about having strong development for all of them, but at the same time, it adds realism to the show in terms of the world building. Most of this realism happens at the setting level. The workplace and industry should both be filled with many people, as it is in the show. Not only do we meet with characters from Musani, but we constantly see people from other companies through all levels of the workforce. Many one-off people are thrown in to serve the purpose of realism in negotiating deals (sales, publishers, external talent) or creating a more realistic side setting (workers in other companies, voice actresses brought in, random people in other characters’ lives that make their backstory more realistic). There’s probably over 100 different characters that speak in Shirobako, whether they be main cast, side cast, or even one-offs. A lot of the backstories are only used to serve the plot obstacles, which makes the side cast that get introduced in episodes feel like less like real people and more like plot serving 2D characters. They also try to make each character completely distinct from one another, which leads to characters that have too extreme characteristics and makes for a circus’ worth of acts in terms of characters. It’s not necessarily bad to have characters that are similar in a realistic setting because that’s the nature of the work, but this is again the conflict of Shirobako’s setting vs. character realism. Realism for characters also suffers heavily because of the dialogue, which often times is written too lightly to fit the tone but doesn’t fit the realism of the setting. A good chunk of the dialogue is corny and cringey, and these occurrences definitely hurt when thrown in the fair mix of natural dialogue. Ultimately, Shirobako walks a very thin line between setting realism and character realism, having trouble finding the middle ground for its dialogue throughout, often leaning on the unrealistic side. ##__Severity of Plot Obstacles__ Part of what makes characters unrealistic is the lack of severity of plot obstacles, which I alluded to briefly in my previous paragraph. Plot obstacles are solved INSTANTLY in Shirobako. They get introduced and solved in the same episode. That means the characters that are introduced with that plot obstacle only get development for that one episode then will only appear in the background or in passing every so often from then on. To serve the purpose of developing a character in one episode, many times the show resorts to cheap tactics to try to get the viewer to empathize, i.e. flashbacks or sad story, but it’s a herculean effort to make a character feel real in the span of 20 minutes. There’s hardly any real time spent with the character and overcoming something that feels like it can be solved in 20 minutes doesn’t help the empathy case. The characters in the main cast that are seen dealing with many issues across many episodes are the ones that start feeling more like real characters, but even then there are other factors that can lead to them feeling more unrealistic than realistic at the end of the day. It’s funny that even the overarching plot problem and “biggest obstacle” of the second half are solved in one episode (wasn’t a problem in the first half). At the end of the day, these feel realistic for the workplace – obstacles that individual people face naturally in their work that they can solve through a little bit of determination and time if it’s in their scope – but doesn’t help the feeling of linearity for the show at a high-level, creates the sense of disjointedness, and hurts character development. ##__Soundtrack__ I enjoyed OP1 the most out of the total 4 OPs + EDs. It really fits the tone of the show and has a really memorable chorus. Next out of the bunch would be ED2, which is pretty fun and really felt like it worked with the final episode. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy OP2 or ED1, which felt more generic and forgettable, and I proceeded to skip at each occurrence. Outside of the OPs and EDs, I really enjoyed the soundtrack, which many times evokes feelings of familiarity, which I think is exactly the theme of Shirobako. Shirobako places as much emphasis on its characters as it does on its plot and so by the end, the feeling of nostalgia is a great accompaniment to the family feeling you have with the final episode and in the passing time following your watch. There’s also a lot of fun variety in the soundtrack in terms of composition and instrumentation to accompany the wide range of emotions experienced while watching. Lucky for you, at the time of writing this, someone has posted the full Shirobako soundtrack to Youtube, so feel free to come back to this cozy feeling any time until it gets taken down. #__Conclusion__ In conclusion, Shirobako just barely makes it into my recommendable show category at 8/10. Without its superb ending to its second half, Shirobako would have suffered strongly from the extremely evident drop in quality and been unrecommendable. It has a stellar first half that is excellent in all regards, imaginative and variegated storytelling throughout, strong entertainment value, nostalgic and fitting soundtrack, and by the end of your watch, you will surely miss all the people you spent the time following during your watch.
~~~__INT. STUDIO - NIGHT__~~~ ~~~Author~~~~~~ (Hunched over desk with ambient blue light) Why am I still watching anime?~~~ ~~~Somewhere along the line I fell out of the honeymoon phase where I finished a season every single day. ~~~ ~~~Burned by my waning interest in seasonal anime, I searched for that spark I first felt when watching my favorite shows for the first time.~~~ ~~~Churning through film after film in search of something that made my heart race. While watching interviews for inspiration something hit me.~~~ I’m Production Desk Mimico and this is— ~~~__Draw out your potential__ ~~~ webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/cdedf6a1a152a522cd1b786858eff7fd.mp4) ~~~__Mimi's Notes__~~~ 1. _An anime about anime, through the lenses of creators who are at the same time huge geeks of their craft._ 2. _Despite tackling many of the glaring issues of the industry, Shirobako never comes off as cynical. It's fitting the first ending is titled love letter—as the series pays tribute to so many productions and their staff._ 1. _If you find yourself in a creative rut, this show might just be the cure you need._ >Ep 7 Key animator Yasuhara struggles with maintaining quality and output, forcing retakes. Racked with feelings of failure she compares herself to someone regarded as a prodigy, with far more experience in the field. Sometimes living up a high standard leads to an artist losing sight of who they are to reach their goal. >Ep 8 ''When you second guess your art, nothing looks right.'' webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/41bd5be6f6043e7c7d1b5abb4de18eb1.mp4) >Ep 12 Out of desperation Miyamori tries to recruit [The Hideaki Anno](https://anilist.co/anime/30/Neon-Genesis-Evangelion/) to animate horses. She was only looking for anyone that could do it, not what the animator is uniquely good at. Draw bois (girls and everything inbetween) making Idiosyncratic motion is what makes anime so special. >(Anno specializes in explosions and mechanical movement) webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/e28075356a8fdd5e3cc586ad3fe8a1a0.webm) >Ep 15 Seeing Miyamori step into her own and mentor the new production assistants is really rewarding. >Ep 16 From time to time the production inevitably hits a bump, and staff are pushed to their limits. Taking time to set a new mindset or change of pace is a crucial part of not getting burnout as Iguchi points out. The schedule can be unforgiving, throwing even more strain on production desk, and those under them. _- There are 55 TV shows AIRING IN SPRING 2021 ALONE. Quite frankly, there is too much anime. And so, a short prayer for those that draw our precious cartoons._ img1080(https://otakuinreview.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/img_0177.jpg) ~~~つづく~~~ __~~~Ad break~~~ __ >Our director who art in Mappa Hallowed be thy name Thy kino come Thy will be done in the show As it is in script Give us this day our weekly episode And forgive us our critiques As we do those who mock us Lead us not into hatred But deliver us from despair Amen webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/ee80f81b78f7861109b2c4f1c96d45ba.webm) >Ep 16 (Director's Cut) Animation is made from love, anyone that would exploit that is made from a special kind of evil. The anime industry sucks, and under any sane system wouldn't even exist. It's held up by a supply of expendable animators who's biggest crime was being stupid /passionate enough to work in an industry that's on the verge of collapsing, because no country could possibly justify 200 animated shows a year. Even when anime is making record amounts of profit, capitalist vampires horde all the wealth. To paraphrase an [anime blog](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2019/08/31/the-fragmentation-of-anime-production-too-many-cooks-spoil-the-broth/)— >[anime’s riches mysteriously never trickle down to the people making it, most projects are rushed out the door with little conviction, and that’s caused theoretically valid choices like freelancing to morph into a harmful form of itself] - Kvin img1080(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/834635382804054026/837399405573046272/22a_1619559677_155473_3.gif) >Ep 18 Not so funny story, people have died under this workload before—and in the case of Wonder Egg’s [animator producer](https://twitter.com/animenews_news/status/1376957851172753422)—hospitalized under the stress. >If that sounds insane it's because it is. While not every studio ends up working it’s staff to the brink of death, things are rough on a good day. It's a testament to Shirobako that I didn't come out of my re-watch despising the animation industry more than I already do, but rather a deeper appreciation for the work involved. There are lots of moments sprinkled in that are quite honestly life affirming, alongside nuggets of wisdom. >Ep 20 Which segues into a character who's worldview is the inverse of heartwarming. >[It doesn't matter how much effort you do or don't do as long as they're drawn well from the neck up] - Hiraoka Anime productions cut corners, largely out of necessity. Techniques such as limited animation are utilized to overcome the limitations imposed by time and budget. But the truth is people can tell, and art you can't take pride in is barely worth making. webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/0a9674917778fa96c7882905cef5b3c3.webm) Anime is incredibly low budget. Generally below what is practically [[and morally](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/business/japan-anime.html)] possible. The fact that there are good anime punching several tiers above their weight class [[WEP](https://anilist.co/anime/124845/WONDER-EGG-PRIORITY/), [One Punch Man](https://anilist.co/anime/21087/OnePunch-Man/), [Violet Evergarden](https://anilist.co/anime/21827/Violet-Evergarden/)] is nothing short of a miracle. Everyone involved in these productions is trying their best, __even __when things melt and we get the jank that is Seven Deadly Sins and early Dragon Ball Super. Frankly, the word lazy should never be brought up in anime discourse. No one wants to turn in sloppy work, __especially __when reputation is on the line. img1080(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/834635382804054026/837399405065666570/VideoCapture_20210427-234850.jpg) >Ep 21 Zuka watching other people succeed in the career she wants so bad, and drowning in jealousy hits like a train. >[For fifty years there’s been a ten year old trying to take residence in my heart] - Ookura >[What scares me is not becoming a scriptwriter] - Diesel San Yasuhara is complimented by her senpai, as he tells her she’s created animation only she can draw. That's when I remembered I want to make art only I can do. >Ep 23 Cathartic and hilarious episode in which based director Kinoshita defeats the goons at the publishing company—striking a compromise with the author of the source material for much needed levity. I could never see something like this anywhere else, and that's why I love anime. webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/f8427b92293e1aade6d0449a68a7c0ae.mp4) > Ep 24 Everyone comes together to pull through for the delivery date, with a work load of 10,000 frames! Even the team’s jerk (Hiro not Taro this time) steps up for the sake of the team. Despite how draining it is everyone involved in the production just can't seem to quit. >The anime industry is full of hopeless immature weirdos, who are children at heart. - Yano ~~~__INT. STUDIO - MORNING__~~~ ~~~Author~~~~~~ (Writing tirelessly) I want to make art again, not because I feel like a failure otherwise, but because I want to see something that makes my heart race. A reflection of the things I see beauty in. A love letter to all the things that make life worth living at times I didn't think it was.~~~ ~~~If I can find a special goal to create I can move forward There are times when doing it for the sake of itself isn't enough A clenched fist won't help me Because I need an open hand to grab my pencil.~~~ >If I truly didn't care about the project I'm working on I wouldn't be so terrified of leaving it unfinished __~~~Mimico's recommendation!~~~ __ For best results watch back to back with [Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!](https://anilist.co/anime/109298/Keep-Your-Hands-Off-Eizouken/) webm(https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/9800628bd07d60f81935886228e603ab.mp4)
As it stands, _Shirobako_ (stylized _SHIROBAKO_) was, and still is, my favorite anime that aired in 2014. P.A. Works, which has produced other good anime like _Charlotte_ and _Nagi no Asukara_ (and has produced some real stinkers like _The Day I Became a God_ and the infamous _Glasslip_), has not had anything as good as _Shirobako_ since it aired. They know it as well, since they not-so-subtly tried to copy that formula for _Sakura Quest_, a 2017 anime that isn’t bad per se, but at the best is a _Shirobako_ derivative, and is quite average. What makes _Shirobako_ so enjoyable is a multitude of things. For one, it’s an anime that ‘normal people’ could watch and enjoy. You won’t have to shy away and stealthily change the screen to your GMail inbox when your roommate, partner, parent, etc. walks in your room. While it doesn’t go in on being ‘moe’, it also doesn’t go the route of being so rigid and tedious that it resembles a documentary. Characters are relatable and can be enjoyed for the real-life qualities that they have—not for being waifu-bait. An anime about an anime studio producing an anime is also an interesting concept (and funny for meta purposes). Whatever it is, _Shirobako_ does it well. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/dmnmuxQ.jpg) ~~~_Aoi and the other members of the Animation Club_~~~ _Shirobako_ starts with a cut to five girls (Aoi Miyamori, Ema Yasuhara, Shizuka Sakaki, Misa Toudo, and Midori Imai) that are members of the Animation Club at their high school. The first five minutes show them making a short anime for their high school’s cultural festival. All five girls have aspirations to work in the anime industry. Ema and Misa want to work as animators, Shizuka wants to be a seiyuu, and Midori wants to be a scriptwriter. Only Aoi has no idea what specific field of anime production she wants to pursue (which lands her the scorn of a potential employer when she says that she’ll ‘do anything’ for the anime production company she’s applying for). Fast forward around two years later, Aoi has landed a job in the industry at Musashino Animation as a Production Assistant. Her only friend that works with her is Midori, being a Key Animator. Musashino Animation, often shortened to MusAni, is a fledgling anime studio that only recently has gotten a chance to redeem itself by getting the chance to produce ‘Exodus!’. The only other girl with a job in the animation industry is Misa, who works at a company doing 3D Animation. Shizuka works part-time at a restaurant, still trying to break into the industry, and Midori is at university. Ninety-five percent of the anime is focused on Aoi (as she’s the main character), but her high school friends do come in handy for her at times. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/HAh6zTO.jpg) ~~~_It requires a team to make good anime_~~~ Along with her friends, Aoi works with many people at MusAni. So many that if I listed them all out, it would fill a whole page. I could spend ten thousand words describing all of them if I wanted to, but that would be boring. The ones that are important are: the fan favorites, who are Rinko Ogasawara, an Animation Supervisor who always dresses in gothic lolita style; Andou Tsubaki, a beginner that works in Production Support that gets brought on in the second half of the anime; and Erika Yano, a fellow Production Assistant who often gives Aoi useful advice when she’s in a pickle. There’s also Tarou Takanashi, a fellow Production Assistant who’s annoying yet lovable moron; Seiichi Kinoshita, Director whose past mistakes directing anime make him an infamous director in the industry; Shigeru Sugie, Senior Key Animator (keyword Senior), who has decades worth of experience in animation that he occasionally doles out to younger animators (he’s also the only person at MusAni who has a schedule that sort of resembles a 9-5). These are only a few of the people that Aoi works with, but they’re all worth getting to know. At the beginning of the series, we’re dropped in the middle of the production of the anime ‘Exodus!’. Aoi and MusAni staff are behind on production due to last-minute changes. Producing an anime is always a race against the clock, a ticking time bomb where one thing going wrong could force the anime studio to have to release a recap episode or a half-finished episode. Aoi’s job as a Production Assistant is keen on not only making sure that her schedule is on time, but other’s (Directors, Key Animators, Subcontractors, etc.) are as well. _Shirobako_ displays the difficulties of producing an anime; the first cour dealing with internal conflicts, and the second dealing with external conflicts. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/AHHIziE.jpg) Along with the overarching conflicts that are part of everyday anime production, there are secondary plot points that run across all of the anime. From learning how to draw animation cuts faster, dealing with companies that are subcontracted with your company, 2D animation versus 3D animation, and the granddaddy of them all: ___TIME CRUNCH___. One thing that’s universal for the anime industry, no matter what your position is, is that you’ll experience the dreaded time crunch trying to wrap up a project. Sometimes it’s self-inflicted, caused by months of procrastination and inclusion (and brain fog, which isn’t necessarily self-inflicted). Other times, it’s because of mismanagement by others or quickly changing situations that change up the whole timeline. Aoi, being a newbie to the industry and a striver, works long hours most days. She’s at work by 9 AM almost every day for the morning meeting, and works until well after the sunsets. For most anime, having an ensemble cast works against it, but in _Shirobako’s_ case, it’s quite the opposite. Having a small cast would cheapen the feel, and erase the immersive value that _Shirobako_ has. _Shirobako_ manages to be realistic (mostly, I’ll get to that later) while still being fun to watch. It isn’t as focused on the characters themselves, such as anime in the same ballpark as _New Game!_, which is an alright anime, but has as realistic of a take on creating games as the movie _Grandma’s Boy_ (just replace moe girls with 00s stoner culture). At the same time, it isn’t so keyed-in on the actual process of making an anime that it resembles a boring documentary on YouTube that ninety percent of the people watching do for ASMR purposes. While it’s a love letter to the industry, it doesn’t in any way resemble propaganda or make the idea of working in the anime industry desirable. You may ask, why does Aoi put herself through all of this? Having little to no work-life balance, working nearly every day up to 12-hours or more, having the stress of being responsible for delivering and receiving materials related to the anime, sourcing out potential people that could be contracted, and so forth. The simple answer is that she loves doing it. Creating anime is what her life’s goal has been for who knows how long. Being a Production Assistant, like many jobs at an animation studio, is a ‘bad job’, but it’s a different type of bad job than your typical bad job. The difference between the bad jobs that you’ve had (for the younger readers, the bad jobs you’ll likely have in the future) and the one Aoi has is that she’s fully invested in the finished product. Unlike a bad job at a retail store or whatever, where the ‘finished product’ is your bosses getting a bonus (and you getting a twenty-cent raise if you’re lucky), everyone at MusAni is emotionally (and some financially) invested in producing anime. And also like most bad jobs, MusAni is a ‘family’, but in this case, it’s actually somewhat true. Everyone has the same goal of making good anime. They knew going in that the anime industry isn’t a lucrative industry for many. The lion’s share of salary goes to those in the top echelon of an anime studio, like Chief Animators or Directors. Seiyuu make the most, since they’re often the face of an anime production-wise, their voice bringing in dedicated fan bases that might otherwise not be interested in said anime. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/1zlEysr.png) ~~~_Average annual income for professions inside the anime industry, 2014 numbers_~~~ ~! For Production Assistants like Aoi, the average they make is roughly $19,500 a year (2014 numbers, not accounting for inflation or rising pay rates), which would be $9.34 an hour if she worked forty-hour weeks, which we already know she doesn’t. It’s even worse for her friend Ema. Animators make on average $9,400 a year (again, 2014 numbers, etc.), which are starvation wages. Luckily for Ema, her parents support her financially. The only thing that makes Aoi’s salary not look as bad is the fact that the price of living in Tokyo is cheaper than most major American cities. Aoi has a small 1-bedroom apartment that’s somewhere outside of central Tokyo, which I assume is somewhere around $600 a month if the small amount of research I did is correct. Compare that to American cities like New York or San Francisco, where rent for a similar place would be around $2,000, or maybe more. While Aoi should be paid more, her living conditions aren’t as bad as they look. She still works too much though. !~What makes _Shirobako_ such an enjoyable watch is the amount of detail they put into showing the process of an anime being produced. As I stated before, it has the perfect split on time spent working on the anime and time focused on office relations, the lives of those at MusAni, Aoi’s increasingly non-existent social life, and so forth. The writing is also excellent, with MusAni staff bouncing ideas off one another, bickering, and sometimes even fighting. None of this dialogue seems stiff or shoehorned in, and can be quite hilarious at times. Of course, this anime is about making anime, so directors and scriptwriters will have more of a reference point than your average anime. They do manage to find the fun in the many banal meetings that MusAni holds (seemingly every episode), and get the viewer to embrace the absurdity that is producing a seasonal anime. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/19ebs7w.jpg) Another thing that makes _Shirobako_ fun is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It doesn’t do this as a reflex in the middle of a serious scene, but to add a sort of flair. The first scene in the anime (past the high school part) shows Aoi racing another Production Assistant from a rival animation studio, both driving like they’re characters from Initial D. There’s also Aoi’s two plush toys, who often come to life (in a metaphysical scene) to either talk to each other or to talk to Aoi when she’s in a rut. Along with visions that seemingly whole groups can see, someone working at quite literally a lightning pace, and other goofs, _Shirobako_ has many scenes that aren’t meant to be taken literally. They’re meant to symbolize something. A reason that I like _Shirobako_ that may be weird is that it shows that while Aoi is a go-getter that will ‘do her best’, it takes a team to complete a project. Much lazier anime would give Aoi a deus ex machina-like power, but as you already can assume, _Shirobako_ isn’t a lazy anime. Many of the issues in the anime aren’t solved by her—they’re solved by others with little help from Aoi. Other times, while she isn’t the one that solves the problem per se, she gets huge hints from unexpected people, and does in a sense save the day. The important thing is that Aoi is still a regular person. The only things remarkable about her are her driving skills and her drive to make anime. She’s someone, for better or worse, who still has the dream of producing the same anime she made with her friends in high school, but in a professional setting. While she can be worn thin, she hasn’t become jaded by the anime industry, which is notorious for overworking staff (Animators usually get the brunt of this, but Aoi also has to work long days. For recent examples of staff overwork, look up examples related to [Madhouse Production](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2019-04-22/madhouse-production-assistant-says-he-worked-393-hours-in-one-month/.145990) and [_Wonder Egg Priority_](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2021/03/13/tv-anime-a-deadly-landscape-even-for-high-profile-productions/)) and not having much room for moving up the hierarchy. She’s relatable. It’s hard to find any flaws with _Shirobako_. While it isn’t a perfect anime, it’s the best anime to come out in 2014, and the best workplace slice-of-life anime I’ve seen. A sequel, _Shirobako: The Movie_, was released last year in Japan, and was recently released in theaters in America. While I personally thought it was nowhere as good as the anime, most others enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of slice-of-lives, and you haven’t seen _Shirobako_ yet, then you’ve been missing out. _Shirobako_ is both a fun and serious look into the anime industry, with all of its quirks and goofs, eccentrics and weirdos, and highs and lows.
__Shirobako (2014)__ [SPOILERS] Never have I experienced a story that so fully encapsulates what it means to be an artist than _Shirobako_. While being an anime about an animation studio, it not only provides insight into the complex nature of producing a creative project, but also delves deep into the real humanity of the people who create it. As someone who has been very passionate about art and animation my whole life, it felt like this show was made specifically for me. On a basic level, just seeing animators make faces and sounds in mirrors, drawing on peg bars to stopwatches, and filming their friends perform unique actions for reference, kept a constant smile on my face. But by additionally showing the full process, _Shirobako_ highlights every imaginable aspect that goes into production – the variety of people from all stages of life, the studio culture, the work itself, and then presents both the extreme challenges and rewarding payoffs they face every day. As much as _Shirobako_ is a show about creativity, it is a show about perspective. This is done brilliantly by focusing on Miyamori, a PA responsible for making sure all of the moving parts are done effectively and efficiently. The nature of her position allows for her to run around to every department, interact with everyone involved, and learn the best ways to work with them. This creates natural transitions to illuminate all of the various characters and their roles. She also serves as a great conduit for the audience who may not be artistic, but are still interested in art. It’s a testament to the writing that someone whose job mostly involves scheduling and phone calls is still captivating to follow. Beyond her charming personality, Miyamori remains consistently interesting because she is just as dedicated, if not more, than the creative staff. Anyone with even the most mundane of jobs can still relate to her, the immense stress she faces, and the ultimate pride when her efforts pay off in the final product. It is a true achievement that a show can analyze the full creative process from dozens of different perspectives with exceptional pace and authenticity. Every episode tends to showcase a specific portion of production, providing realistic, yet accessible examples of the people involved and the problems they face. In doing this, we are exposed to varying solutions and insight. So even though each episode tends to have a message, it still never feels episodic. I found myself addictively engaged with the flow of the story, even as it continuously jumps around. With just couple-second scenes, previous storylines are resolved while maintaining the overall momentum. All of the different departments are incorporated so elegantly that it always feels like there is an important reason to be focusing on them. This can easily be seen when the audio department requests an obscure instrument to record for the project, giving Miyamori a perfect excuse to check out the foley studio while she’s there. An eager audio engineer ropes her into recording various sound effects, while demonstrating to the larger audience an important role in animation that easily gets overlooked. This leads to the veteran engineer discussing his experience throughout the years and what he has learned about having a creative job for so long. It really feels like every time a specific role is shown off, the creators poured every ounce of their own experiences into it. Not just in the specific tasks being done and the type of people doing them, but also with an overall takeaway. As the series goes on, conversations like this become more frequent and more thoughtful, but never feel forced or preachy. This is done by never giving a definitive answer to the struggles people are dealing with. Instead, several characters give their own motivations and rationale, while allowing the audience to apply what works best for themselves. It was really refreshing to consume a story that so openly talks about having dreams and focusing on how to achieve them. The topic is presented immediately as the series begins with a flashback to the main characters creating an anime for their high school club. This inspired them to pursue their individual dreams of joining the industry, with the ultimate goal of making an anime together in the future. However, while the other friends have clear paths in mind, Miyamori struggles with knowing what she should be. This theme subtly comes up throughout the show and builds right up until the end. It’s very difficult to be surrounded by so many aspirational people and to still not know what you are working towards. It can be especially challenging to think about your future plans when you have to focus so much on the immediate tasks at hand. But upon speaking with her friends and more experienced coworkers, Miyamori learns that you need to picture your future in order to obtain it. Episode 20 serves as a brilliant exploration of this theme. Within the anime their studio is creating, a tragedy has caused the main character, a pilot, to never want to fly again. The writers are searching for a reason to inspire her to fly once more, creating a satisfying conclusion to the show. This battle is a perfect parallel to Miyamori, as she is searching for the reason she wants to continue working in animation. She begins to pose the question to all of the staff she runs into – what drives you to make anime? Naturally, she receives an array of different answers, from people who need stories and want to leave a mark on the world, to people who just ended up here. Although the range of responses is all over the place, everyone tended to be hesitant with their answers. The question is very important, but most people rarely think about it. By presenting so many different perspectives, we see how everyone’s unique experiences fuels their own ambitions, while allowing the viewer to reflect on their own. Another universal exercise in perspective is shown outstandingly when the studio needs to hire more staff. For the first time, I get to experience what it’s like on the opposing end of a job interview. We get to see the variety of potential hires and how they handle the pressure, while gaining insight into what the interviewers value. Miyamori, sitting in through the process, feels increasingly sympathetic as she recalls her past interviews. We see how her uncertainty lead to rejection, but can still remain hopeful as she eventually got to prove herself. Likewise, when casting for the lead role of their show, we get a taste of the ugly process behind the scenes. It quickly becomes clear that each producer is more interested in how the cast will benefit their specific businesses, as opposed to creating the best final product. Viewing both sides of the process demonstrates how _Shirobako_’s focus on unique perspectives is what makes it special. Yet, one of the most impactful viewpoints to see is from outside the studio. We get glimpses into other animation studios, some much larger and more established, while others being understaffed and poorly managed. This grants the viewer a greater appreciation for where our characters work, knowing situations can always be worse. However, the most crucial external perspective to me, is from the characters’ families. We are introduced to Miyamori’s parents when they call after watching her first project air. They didn’t really understand the plot or even the name of the show, but kept rewinding the credits to see her name. Similarly, after a key animator overcomes a long struggle with her abilities, we hear her confess to her mom that she doesn’t have to worry about her anymore. It’s so sad that she felt the need to say this, but we can still be proud as she is finally achieving success in the field. However brief these conversations are, we get a vivid depiction of their relationships. I couldn’t believe how perfectly accurate these exchanges were to any artist who has a generally supportive family. But, we also get to see more ignorant perceptions through Miyamori’s sister. Although also proud of Miyamori’s accomplishments, her high-paying finance job leads to offhand and condescending comments. Subtle things, like asserting, “it’s like a real company,” when learning about their demanding hours. The point is hammered home once they exhibit the nature of her sister’s office. The vibrant animation studio, full of exciting posters and flashy anime figures, is juxtaposed with dull, grey cubicles and an ungrateful boss. Even if she is financially successful, it is clear the job makes her unhappy. But the piercing touch is when a coworker begins to go on about a popular show she is watching. This is something I think about often – how many business-minded people do not appreciate artists, but then regularly gush about the music, movies, and shows they love. It never occurs to them, the creative work that goes into all of the things they enjoy, while continuing to view artistic jobs as inferior. It is the inclusion of these minor interactions that elevate every other major message the show presents. From a purely logistical standpoint, it is truly amazing that the show’s nearly 100 characters all feel so distinct from one another. Every personality is uniquely specific and genuinely authentic. Charming performances convey the range from honest enthusiasm to the nuance of presenting confidence while being very unsure of themselves. Standout character design makes regular, realistic people still easy to follow. Additionally, showing the characters’ names and positions whenever they first appear on screen is a nice and unintrusive way to simplify the exposition. Still overwhelming at first, learning more about the characters makes repeat viewings even more enjoyable. Either way, every character really comes to life with faithful movement and postures. Obviously a show about animation is going to have great motion and poses, but it’s the subtly distinct disposition of each character that is most notable. This is seen with little details, like a character resting their chin on a water bottle while exhaustively working at a desk, or another rubbing their hands on their pants before handling a final drawing. Without overused archetypes, each character feels like a real representation of the wide range of people you may actually encounter at work. The variety of experiences on display leads to numerous relatable characters, no matter your background. I found myself eerily comparable to Misa, a CG modeler and animator who finds herself working for a company that exclusively makes parts for cars. With the passion of creating narrative CG animation, Misa begins to realize that she will have to risk a secure, yet mundane job, to chase her dream. Taking this chance eventually pays off as she gets to work 3D modeling for anime. When creating a vehicle for the show, her supervisor recognizes the quality of the tires she made. This brief exchange leads to the realization that although her previous work seemed pointless at the time, it was still a valuable experience. I have personally struggled with this while making 3D models for a furniture company, but still aspiring for something more creatively fulfilling. It was shocking to see such a specific experience of mine shown so directly. Whether you’re an actor, an animator, a writer, or any other type of creative person, there is an equally specific example for you presented. Showcasing the sheer amount of people involved in production not only provides a vast range of experiences, but also emphasizes a critical point – animation is a team effort. Everyone has their own expertise and has to rely on each other to create the best final product. You see how studio culture can be like a family, with both the caring bonds and bitter disputes. By showcasing both the good and the bad, we get a realistic depiction of what it takes to work well with others. Early on in the series, this is touched on with the perfect animation parallel. Due to poor communication, the animation director and CG director begin to feud over which style of effect should be used for a scene. The perpetual debate of 2D vs. 3D animation emerges, halting all of their work. But after attending an exhibition of the anime that got them both into the business, they realize the benefits of both avenues and begin to learn from each other. We constantly see the importance of supporting and trusting each other, which is crucial to any relationship. _Shirobako_ strikes the perfect balance of celebrating the inspired legacy of anime without glorifying the harsh realities of the industry. Just in the first episode, an animation director passes out from the physical exhaustion of her work. But like many dedicated artists, she is still determined to continue working for the sake of the product. This extreme is also evident with the recurring sexism and alcoholism that is ever-present in the industry. But even on the more moderate end of this spectrum, the pressure of the job is shown by getting called and expected to work on your one day off. Circumstances like this are what fuel the existential questions of why they continue to work in animation. Your passions become much more difficult when they are your job. The senior staff share their experiences about having your dream job. After a while, just doing something you like will not be enough. You’ll eventually need a new goal to keep you going. We see characters who are jaded after the industry has beaten the passion out of them, while others who outright quit. But, the majority that persevere despite all of this illustrate a remarkably inspirational message. There is a constant battle in animation that is seemingly impossible to master – speed vs. quality. Being expected to draw hundreds of frames at a time to meet deadlines can ultimately lead to a dip in quality. A dip in quality can lead to retakes that double the amount of time to get done. This back and forth leaves many animators feeling like they are not good enough. Especially being surrounded by so many other talented people who seem to have everything figured out. This theme is examined thoroughly with Ema, a rookie animator who sits next to Sugie, the eldest, most experienced animator there. Although most people overlook him, Sugie provides Ema with many helpful lessons when he notices her struggling. This character serves as the most direct source of the show's messages, while always feeling like just a natural conversation between them. Late in the series, he begins to break down what it really takes to be an artist. He talks about how every artist is sensitive, but is constantly demanded, criticized, and rejected. This leads to the extreme feeling of inadequacy many artists encounter. Sugie claims that real talent comes from taking chances and learning from your mistakes. He remembers all of the skilled artists who missed out on great opportunities because they were too self-conscious to take the chance. I’m sure every artist in the world can relate to this, but it feels extra poignant when it’s expressed so bluntly. The simple choice of having these two characters sit next to each other highlights the brilliance of _Shirobako_. This allows for many thoughtful discussions about creativity, work, and purpose, without ever feeling manufactured. Although _Shirobako_ is littered with these heavy topics, it is still extremely digestible. These intense examinations of artistry are rarely at the forefront of the plot, packing a punch whenever they do reveal themselves. There is an overall lighthearted nature to the show that shines equally as bright. Characters are exaggerated to accentuate how eccentric artists can be, without ever feeling inauthentic. The humor ranges from subtle visual gags very specific to animation, to over the top absurdity within Miyamori’s imagination. I was astonished to see this done with a peek into major studios, featuring actual anime characters like Astro Boy, Doraemon, and Gundam mobile suits, all censored with blurs. Hard cuts back to reality emphasize the insanity of these moments in a hilarious way. Metanarratives can be difficult to pull off without becoming annoyingly overt or alienating. Again, _Shirobako_ succeeds in walking this line with believable characters and conversations. Much of the dialogue has direct meaning beyond the plot, but always feels relevant in-world. You can share in the excitement the characters feel after their show begins to air, knowing the creators are mirroring their own experiences. The meta nature of the show only becomes obvious for comedic beats or to present larger statements on the industry. Much of this is done with parodies of existing properties, like the studios Varner Siblings, Pexar, and Sunup. The most wild however, is a scene where Miyamori has an insightful conversation with NGE creator, Hideaki Anno, deemed Kanno in the show. Although the most direct, many of the other characters are also loosely based on notable figures in anime, giving much more context to their personalities. Another clever way to contextualize more direct commentary is with Miyamori’s two childhood toys. They become animated as her personified thoughts, while serving as a reflection of how many creative people give things personality to enhance everyday activities. It’s a simple yet enjoyable way to convey her inner battles. Similarly, when characters overcome creative blocks with imaginative outbursts, there is a visual manifestation of their work that leaves you feeling genuinely inspired. These fantastical elements never take you out of the world. In fact, they help better illustrate the whimsical mindsets of characters. There is so much attention to detail that I could go on forever. The intricacy of the different studios is spot on, down to the software we see the characters using. Specific techniques are displayed, such as masking highlights or adjusting animation curves in the graph editor. But what makes _Shirobako_ successful is how well it captures the gratification of expressing yourself through art. Without this, all of the other themes, the metanarratives, the hardships, wouldn’t have any impact. Starting with the characters’ high school club, we see the inception of their interest in animation. This serves as a baseline whenever the real-world obstacles make them doubt their goals. But then little moments reignite their enthusiasm, such as rewatching the movie they made in school, or hearing the cast promote their project on the radio. All of these little touches compile to the overall feeling of genuine passion. I get to bask in their excitement as I hope to one day achieve similar accomplishments myself. The most powerful example of this is with Shizuka, Miyamori’s high school friend and aspiring voice actor. While her other friends continue to make progress in their fields, Shizuka endures the constant rejection of the audition process. Throughout the whole series, we periodically see her make small strides towards landing a role, but she always comes up short. All of her continued determination finally pays off in the end, as she is casted for a last-second addition to the anime all her friends are working on. With an emotional performance, Shizuka brings the new character to life with the line, “I’m now one step closer to my dream.” A beautiful statement for the role she’s playing, echoing the entire personal journey she went on to get here. This emotional culmination is how _Shirobako_ perfectly represents creative and personal fulfillment. As production approaches its end, the studio president takes Miyamori to the company’s old studio, now used for storage. Shelves full of faded cels and old film reels hold decades of animation history. This moment serves as a beautiful tribute to the legacy of animation, insinuating how technology has revolutionized the medium. The president affirms that even though the glory days of anime are romanticized, the creators still dealt with the same personal and production problems they do now. This refreshing perspective reminds Miyamori that although it seems like the time of great anime is over, she can still be a part of something just as impactful, if not more, today. She is overwhelmed with the inspiration to live in the present and hopes for the future. Finally, Miyamori begins to realize that her love for the medium and the people she gets to work with is what drives her to create anime. After their project comes to a close, Miyamori has succeeded in heading the latest production. For the first time, we get to see nearly every character celebrating in the same space. We are visually reminded just how much of a team effort animation is. Upon thanking all of the staff that made it possible, Miyamori also honors the decades of animation that went on to inspire the hundreds of people involved. Every individual took from their own experiences and together, were able to create something completely new. Now that new piece of art will be passed on to inspire future generations. This final celebration excellently emphasizes the whole point of the show – through all the personal and creative hardships, through a painfully demanding industry, through the hours and the doubts and the rejection, being able to make something new is truly special. Anything that openly discusses the themes of ambition, legacy, and purpose, through the lens of being an artist, has a lasting impact on me. However, I have never seen it done as extensively as it is here. With realistic characters, authentic passion, and unique perspectives, _Shirobako_ parallels a compelling story with inspiring analysis. Amazing detail captures the feeling of being an artist, while embracing the difficulties that come with it. Yet, even if you’re not creative yourself, the universal themes will leave you with endless inspiration and appreciation for the art you cherish.
Shirobako is, by its nature, a unique show. Not just due to its subject matter about making anime, but the questions the show poses its creators. Although the summary presents the show as a character-centric narrative, it is actually more premise and concept driven. While Aoi's is the primary perspective we follow, the focus is firmly on anime production and its challenges instead of an intimate character journey. The same problems and questions the characters in Shirobako are challenged by were also undoubtedly faced by P.A. Works to some extent. While the answer to the series more abstract question: why artists create, is not particularly complex, the metanarrative still makes it intriguing to think about. What elements of the anime industry do they celebrate, and what are they critical of? How in-depth do they go into the creation process? Even the choice of shows Musashino Animations makes within Shirobako reflect some element of the writer's outlook. All of this goes beyond the usual ideas of authorial intent since this show draws attention to questions about its construction that other anime do not. It is interesting to look into the background of the director and producers of the show, being industry veterans. Their experience and understanding bleeds into the show, allowing it to exude the feeling of authenticity, for lack of a better term. Like almost every other anime, Shirobako is some level of heightened and idealised reality. Despite that, the show can successfully convince the viewer that what happens on screen are struggles faced by animation and production staff. Not just on an intuitive level where the problems that arise seem logical, but on an emotional level, to the point where it resonates with anyone who has attempted a creative endeavour before. By extension, the compelling portrayal of anime production helps to support the wide cast of characters. We empathise with everyone in Musashino Animation because we are made to understand the challenges of making anime. This approach to anchor the narrative is the opposite of most shows which rely on compelling characters to invest viewers in the premise or plot. The framing and focus all confirm that the core of Shirobako is in its premise, with characters being essentially a supporting element. The characters in Shirobako are numerous, and beyond recognising their appearance and roles in the company, it is hard to remember many of their names without putting in some effort. Although there are visual reminders with their names and positions being flashed on screen, a la Legend of the Galactic Heroes, none of it really sinks in until well into the series. While this would be detrimental for a character-driven narrative, this actually adds to Shirobako's style. It captures what it's like to be a new employee or in a company, only recognising people by their roles for some time while also highlight the sheer amount of people required to produce animation. As a result, we never feel that Musashino Animation exists solely for the viewer's or narrative's benefit. Through opening midway in production just as Musani airs their latest work, the series introduction provides an organic entry point and perspective to this world. It avoids any excessive background and dives headlong into the immediate crunch faced by Aoi and the rest of the Musani team. While this is mildly challenging to follow, it succeeds at creating a cheery but tense atmosphere that draws the viewer in. We get the feeling that Musani has existed long before Aoi joined and will continue making more shows even after the series closes. All this culminates in creating an incredibly compelling and believable narrative and setting clearly based on real experiences. With a wide cast of characters, it's understandable that many of their personalities have some degree of exaggeration; Both for entertainment and better distinguish them. While the core cast is endearing and compelling, they all have distinctly less depth than most anime that focuses on real-life topics. More than anything, the cast serves the purpose of exploring anime production. The show is not afraid to write characters out midway to add to its atmosphere of working in an industry with high turnover. While this understanding becomes quickly apparent, the show's opening undermines this by initially framing Shirobako as a story following five friends as they enter the anime industry. Ultimately, this point barely factors in until the second half of the season, and even then is not a vital part of the show's emotional core. One possibility is that this is a residual plot threat from the show's initial conceptualisation that made it through. What makes this speculation more interesting is that Shirobako draws attention to itself as a constructed narrative. It writes the characters in Musani creating a story that evolves as they progress. While this narrative within a narrative makes everything Shirobako presents doubly interesting, the opening's focus on Aoi and her friends does not do any favours in conveying what kind of show it intends to be. While most shows would aim to create an immersive story, with the goal of creating a complete suspension of disbelief in the moment, Shirobako toes a fine line. For instance, the unrealistic frantic driving scenes, full of air time and drifting, are references and homage to Initial D. Similarly, there are military references peppered throughout the first half of the season, culminating in Musani taking on a project involving military aircraft. When you consider the Shirobako's director also directed Girls Und Panzer, it seems hardly surprising. While all this is clearly a bit indulgent, it also strangely supports the show on another level since it reinforces the idea that Shirobako was made by people who love and understand their field of work enough to put in these references. It gives the show a self-aware, meta-referential quality that runs parallel to its own internal narrative. While a lesser production would probably bungle that, Shirobako seems to balance the two effortlessly. Amazingly, it invests the viewer in the characters' struggles while also keeping them aware that all elements within it are intentional creative decisions. Although definitely an idealisation of what it is like to work in the animation industry, it still asks you to consider why it chooses to polish out or leave in the roughness of specific areas. Shirobako consistently paints working at Musani as demanding and unpredictable. All the characters are run ragged throughout the series and late nights are ubiquitous. Though part of this is Japanese work culture in general, they show the animation industry to be particularly frantic, cutting close to deadlines despite their best efforts. Yet despite all this, all the characters come to a positive conclusion about their work: that it is fulfilling and challenges them to grow. Of course, this is to be expected since it would be somewhat contradictory to make a bleak narrative about this subject. Even then, they never question the value of their work or its merits, merely the toll it takes to produce it, a refreshing secure perspective that does not feel the need to excessively justify its existence. They know that their work entertains and makes people happy, and that's enough most of the time. It also shows the difficulty of breaking through as a voice actor and the pressure on newer actors. A testament to the skill of VAs, who at times are playing a character who is voice acting a character, which also makes you think about what kind of emotions the real VAs must be feeling. They definitely experienced the same struggles and may be feeling it as they performed since all those close to home roles are fairly minor members of the supporting cast. All these elements are effective at engendering sympathy for not just the characters but the real-life creators as well, tying together the two parallel layers of the show. Despite these strengths, they feel almost academic at times, which creates a feeling of distance from the character narrative. Even though the internal story is compelling and certainly above average, the struggles and growth of the characters lack the emotional punch to really make Shirobako outstanding. Part of this is the choice of plot in the series, covering the production of two shows as its focus instead of following a specific character journey. While this gives clear plot goals and an intuitive opening and closing to the series, this is not well integrated as a personal narrative. It might have been better to compress the first twelve episodes into as few as four to serve as an opening act, a taster to set the atmosphere, introduce the cast, and establish the start of their arcs. This could have been followed up by expanding on the second half of the season, having the girls cross paths to fulfil their character motivated goals. In particular, the current narrative feels like it sidelines Shizuka specifically since she never gets the breakthrough the other characters do. While probably realistic and adding to the show's visceral atmosphere, it is also not very narratively satisfying to have her come in only at the last moment. This approach would create a stronger emotional throughline and journey while preserving a lot of the series' charm, allowing it to achieve the best of both worlds. However, their current structure is also entirely understandable since it allows them to explore the differences between creating an original work and an adaptation. In the end, the lack of a deeper exploration into characters is missed potential instead of a flaw. The current cast are all endearing and captivating in their current iterations, no easy feat with such a large number of characters, but fall short of truly dynamic characters. As the show attempts to explore their motivations, it stops after a surface-level glance, largely concluding they do it for passion. While this is perfectly fine, and in a way accurate since many creatives are motivated by feelings that are hard to precisely articulate, it also feels lacking. The absence of major pushback in questioning the drive of the team prevents a deeper level of characterisation since the main obstacles to them mostly become external. There are some internal struggles but they mostly deal with self-doubt in their abilities than in their goals. Of course, this is a bit unfair to Shirobako since its tone and narrative focus does not lend itself to a deep character struggle. Yet its lack of bite in this area leaves it feeling incomplete, not quite surpassing its trappings of a feel-good show with an interesting premise to strike an excellent balance that would make it outstanding. In the end, Shirobako's focus lies in showcasing how anime is produced and does so with a rare authenticity in its tone. It succeeds tremendously, creating not just an entertaining show but one that makes viewers ponder more about the media they consume and how they treat or view its makers. Personally, it made me appreciate the unique structure and quality KyoAni has even more. Despite the fascinating subject matter and how undeniably effective it is at managing its different layers, Shirobako is still part character journey. With the depth of their characters and exploration into them feeling lacking, it is hard to give it a 10 out of 10. Even then, this is one of the few shows that everyone should watch since its subject directly relates to all anime, regardless of their preferred genres.