The Decline Of Visual Creativity in Anime 

I feel like a lot of fans operate like this: all the dialogue scenes must be 1:1 with the manga, no character acting or other creative approaches allowed like how "Night of the end" from Attack on Titan used interesting storyboards. No cgi characters. Action must be full of sakuga but it must be as close to Arifumi Imai's style as possible, no Naruto vs. Pain type of "inconsistent" sakuga.

Still saddens me that redline didn't get the success it deserves. It's my all-time favourite movie. The visuals just make me forget time and space altogether. It's a masterpiece that unfortunately has been brushed under the rug and, while forgotten by few, is undiscovered by most.

and whenever studios like mappa do something outstanding and cinematic the otakus start burning their butts

Trigun Stampede and The Fire Hunter gave me more hope in visual creativity for shows that aren't as hyped or with as many big names as Chainsaw Man.

You have the best takes on the visual and production sides of anime.

I discovered Kaina through Yorushika. Even if the story is interesting, the fact that the character cgi looks so good and lifelike really surprised me. *Also Kaina x Ririha best ship of the season*

From what I can see most people definitely DO want more creativity in anime, shown by the positive reactions to the visuals of Mob Psycho, Ranking of Kings, Bocchi, etc. The only reason some people don't like the Chainsaw Man adaptation is because they don't think the creative style that was chosen was the correct one to match the story -- not because it is visually 'too creative' or whatnot. But, I do agree it's annoying when people complain about creative and unique animation cuts or direction styles just because they weren't expecting it in that show (Naruto, AoT trees, etc.)

I think a big reason for this is because many of these character designs are from light novels, which tend to be more standardized in art style as well. Honestly I am a person who loves to explore different eras of a medium, so I’m not having this issue even though back in the 80s and 90s there are also shows that have very little creativity. And also while many of these shows can be well animated, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it was the correct narrative choice. Like sure the Pain fight was well animated, but it makes Naruto look like a Tom and Jerry cartoon. I can appreciate the animation while also not liking how they used it for the narrative.

For me monogatari series as a whole is most visually abstract it feels like watching anime after consuming 6 kg of class a narcotics and I love it the visual LSD would be my pick to describe it

I agree with everything lol. Its kinda frustrating atp. In a perfect world, production committees would cease to exist

Bro I watched DBS when it was airing and had literally zero idea why people said it looked terrible. Now I notice bad animation and still frames and I wish I don’t. I used to enjoy stuff much more than I do now.

The sad truth is that, the reason there’s more amount of basic-bitch-kirito-looking-ass shows each season, is that there’s an increasing demand for it. We “sakugatard” is heavily outnumbered by another NPCs salary man in Japan looking to watch another 100th isekai copy-paste shows…

I kinda miss the animation of anime during the 80s and 90s when they had goofy poses and faces.

Really great video man❤️. You've said everything that i couldn't explain exactly (if that's makes Sense). Also What do you think about OLM studio? I didn't know that they have been around for a long time. Would you make a video about them? They always usually seems to have a good to great Quality on their shows

Very well thought out and explained vid man. The Aniplex fiasco feels like the real cracks of this effect are starting to show

6:15 looks like you're triggered lmao. me too

Yesterday's sakuga becomes today's bare minimum standards. This is both good and bad because of what becomes possible also becomes what is expected. I use to play around with animating in my spare time as a kid. Animating was way more tedious back then. It has gotten easier since then, but it still requires effort and I don't think that not always doing their absolute best at all times means they're doing anything wrong or bad. Plus the blame for a lack of creativity for anime isn't fair if it's based on a manga. Blame the things that lead to the lack of creativity in the spurce material (be it publishers and editors stifling creativity, the mangaka for genuinely not being creative or even the fans for sending the message with their wallets that this or that is good enough.) I'm just saying that problems this common are probably more complex than just being the studio's fault and thus more complex to solve. Mangaka are free to make whatever they want, even if it's generic self-inserts, but if someone doesn't like that trope, they aren't obligated to support and encourage it.

I have always been a big supporter of anime that tries something different, and it has bugged me for a while how stagnant anime visuals and directing has become. I call it SAO face syndrome. So many anime seems to be stuck on this style for some reason and makes the medium so dull. Characters lack diversity in face shape and features, body size and shape, and other characteristics that make people stand out. Most just swap hair color/style, eye color, and clothing and call it a day. They all look like dolls, not people. I really appreciate when anime has projects like Pokémon Concierge, CG animation from Studio Orange, Ranking of Kings, Mob Psycho, The Way of the Househusband, Aggrestsuko, Ping Pong: The Animation, Aku No Hana, Attack on Titan, and the upcoming Dandadan and Uzumaki. I got into anime due to the very unique style. I remember being fascinated with Dragonball Z's art style which is still iconic today. Like someone said, any deviance from the norm is looked down upon and asked to change by fans. It is kind of depressing. CG still has a heavy stigma despite continuously improving. Changes with direction and having character acting are seen as things to get rid of. I don't understand it. In the past several years I began watching more western animation and it has made me realize how stagnant anime has gotten. Arcane, Castlevania, and Invincible are some that really raised my expectations.

Simply cause don't have enough people, time, money, and this style is a common good for a lot of people. Don't know about the Boruto(I think people just hate it because it just milking Naruto franchise and find a way to hate it)although sometimes I would saw some bac animation from Boruto, Slam Dunk one I'm so disappointed the way to express Takehiko art style was in 2D but they not even gonna try(I know it's hard to) and just use cgi, for AOT one I'm really ok with that approach although it's a bit too much but I can totally accept that, CSM one I can just say they use the wrong art style to this at least just use it in fight scene don't need to make everything so serious, dark when it's not suitable for the scene ( for me it's just another Mappa one and doesn't make it unique ) I really hope I would see something unique from CSM but nope, The Mob Psycho III was so good in overall nice use of art style and approach (I don't think Mob Psycho 1 would get blacklash if it released nowadays the studio really put their hearts in it, they make a style that suit like the manga and evolve the animation without ruin the story from manga, for the season 3 yeah some of them was bit lack of good animation or PPT animation but when we need it they delivered it so good especially for the Eps 6 even Yutaka Nakamura animate some of the fight scene I thought he would never draw for series again, Just a little bit minus for episode 12 but overall is good). I really like that original movie that gonna come out for Mappa that Art style the music was so good (Alice no therese's Illusion Factory)

That's true cgi doesn't much matter much in shows, but the western cgi-hate problem is also leaking into indian fandoms, BTW I watched two garo shows after your recommendations it's looks good but they are a bit slow on story in the beginning and then get better in later halfs.

Whats your opinion on unique color palettes? I for one really enjoy it, example being Toilet bound hanako-kun

I think its also about the artists beeing not the driving force anymore, but the CEOs who are only interested in repeating what is easy to sell and produce, having the influence. Ai will make this much worse soon imo.

You're not even a veteran anime viewer but your takes have been a lot more valid than most weebs.

I remember a guy I somehow ended getting into an argument with online complaining about the wheat in Vinland Saga season 2 being CGI and it was just so ridiculous

Really interesting point of view, as always !

8:58 i think you don't need worry about it, ufotable is in the production committee of DS.

Wow jjk new ep is now being hated for being creative

Good creative we will appreciate it but trying to be creative or "too creative" is not good. Bocchi the Rock is the really good example for good creative. Isekai anime is just being toilet paper nothing good about that but yeah the problem they will dtill produced it cause they got the money from produce some easy isekai anime, they will stop it if no one gonna watch it

What I don't like about anime these days is the mediocre Character Design and Concept Art, yep it feels really not unique. I really appreciate character designs that are simple and easy to animate, but it still have strong expressions. Unfortunately, anime like this are rare in these days. Sometimes, when an anime uses highly detailed character designs that are difficult to animate, they often use a lot of still frames due to these limitations. At this time, I like Mushoku Tensei & Mob Psycho 100 for their character design and Made In Abyss & Tondemo Skill (yes, I'm serious about this) for their concept art.

Couldn't agree with this more tbh. Some people really don't know what they want

8:45 I give u kiss in the cheek if you tell me the name of this anime

The entertainment industry is now all about greed anime is no exception I miss the variety of the 90's to early 2000's now everything is an action shounen with teenage boys I out grew that years ago this why Asian and indie comics are the way to go these days.

Does anyone know where the clips of Nanami and Suguru at 8:37 are from? I don't seem to find it

What is the show at 3:42

Great video. I agree with everything you said except that the people don't want creativity. Sure there are some people who just complain about CGI and whatnot. But I am pretty sure in CSM's case, that wasn't the issue. I can't even watch Angel next door or any similar shows cause they look so stale and I think many people feel the same. Atleast the ones I have interacted with(I don't use twitter or reddit). But from what I know, people have more issue with the overall tone and direction of CSM rather than animation or CGI. And I agree with them. For some people, removing the campiness from the series means taking away what worked for them in the first place. I think there should be a balance. Sure creativity and ambitiousness is welcomed as long as it doesn't interfere with what made the material good. But that's just my opinion ofc. I am excited for Hells paradise next month since I am not watching any anime this season.

Great video man

KnY is one of the most creative visualization of creative vizual

some anime youtuber hate mappa because that use cgi . This is why anime design do not change This is same problem in India cinema .

8:07 i don't see kadokawa or ANIPLEX on the production committee. So i hope it will look decent at least

Minor things: Most fundomental thing like lineart and color

Perfect example: Devil is a part timer 2 vs season 1

Why tf is mob there???

Look how they overshadowed zom100

Can someone please tell me the name of the anime at 1:23 and 1:40

Bro pls watch fairy tail if you haven’t yet

Demon slayer followes the characters designs from the manga and doesnt do anything to insane with character animation. Now if they went with the CSM like realistic character animation itll just look off. Fun fact: CSm and tanjiro in S01 both had several cuts with CGI characters but no one noticed in ds cause they only use it for far away shots

5:01 I just watched this episode today and I noticed it🤣

At least it's coming back...

7:30 i worry about chainsaw man season 2 because chainsaw man s1 is not will received from audience What you think about chainsaw man season 2

aniplex moment, that's what I like to call it

0:34 bro said aod.

What is the anime at 1:37?

1:27 - 1:30 what anime is this?

Your contents are good W

I would say that anime visuals and overall direction was best between 1990-2010. Every anime between that period those to innovate.

What is the show with that stone golem looking guy?

Totally agreed :)

Great video dude

kill la kill disproves this whole video

I almost fully blame the isekai genre for anime beginning to look like the “factory basics”

I think its sad that ppl still dont realize how good sao is.

visual creativity isn't cheap crappy CGI. And yes anime was much more creative in 2000s and I think visually more better in 90th

Also i just want to mention, glad there's someone else that thinks that Mob Psycho new season looked underwhelming compared to the previous seasons.. it's not just me yayyyy. First season is still my favourite. It was absolute insanity when it came to animation and fights, so much more entertaining and funnier than the newer seasons especially third.

Chainsaw man is ... a weird adaptation. I don't know what to make of it, it has problems like weird slow pacing,excesive amount of character acting (which i still don't know why they wasted their time making something like that look that good in a story like Chainsaw man especially that early instead polishing and making the 3D and the fights better.. it hurt the paicng man) disappointing amount of episodes (it feels incomplete as a "season") and yes the cgi trully was bad a lot of times and took me right out of it. Why am i mentioning this ? I don't know, i still enyojed it and thought it was wayyyyyy more interesting than any new shounen anime recently especially from that bore fest Jujutsu Kasien but i still was disappointed a bit, if it only had much faster pacing and more epsiodes i would have absolutely loved it !

Can u draw the same size tree with same build on the ground and make new designs for it for 10,000 times