I went into Chainsaw Man: Reze-hen with substantial expectations. That was inevitable given everything we knew in advance. What I'd forgotten is that the work of artists on this level just can't be summed up by presumption. Their output reminded me by speaking for itself.

(1/28) What I mean is that despite having a sense of exactly what the likes of Tatsuya Yoshihara, Sota Shigetsugu, and Takuya Niinuma excel at, the way their work affected me in the moment was a feeling that cannot be prepared for in advance. To me, that's a sign of a great film.

Jujutsu Kaisen S2 #13

From the ongoing war between an ambitious team and disastrous circumstances springs an episode that simply cannot be denied. Let's break down how Kazuto Arai and Takumi Sunakohara crafted an unforgettable showdown, and how it fell victim to time.

(1/58)





Occasionally found within high-profile productions are episodes that stand out on their own as events. 24 minutes produced by individuals with a vision that goes above and beyond the series baseline to create an experience that is itself a piece of animation history.

Jujutsu Kaisen S2 #05

A heavy arc conclusion brings arguably the series' strongest-ever showing from a production standpoint, and at the source stands a pair of staggeringly skilled animation directors. Let's break down how their efforts and others shape this all-timer.

(1/38)





The anime industry has undergone rapid and dramatic change throughout the past few years, about which one could easily write many thousands of words. What concerns us here is how that change has impacted the role of the animation director, essentially transforming its definition.

One Piece #1062

In the midst of an already demanding arc, Katsumi Ishizuka, Ryosuke Tanaka, and a team of remarkable talents managed to put together one of the most impressive animated action spectacles of the year. Let's break down how they made it happen.

(1/43)
#ONEPIECE First of all, it needs to be expressed that this sort of thing simply isn't possible for the vast majority of long-running series, especially not in the middle of such an action-heavy arc (with the most important content still yet to come). Not only did they manage to execute a-

Anime Highlights of 2022

[THREAD]

The past year was a hugely productive one for the medium of animation, so I figured I'd start 2023 with a look back at some of the works which brought me the most joy! I'll be formatting this in a similar way to the yearly SakugaBowl via anime/episode/OP of the year etc.
I'm also excluding Mob since, of course, my feelings on that are already well-established.

Mob Psycho 100 III #09

The calm before the storm; From a content and production standpoint, this is the final breather, effectively conveying Mob's growth and relationships before it all comes to a crashing halt. Let's break it down!

(1/14)
#mobpsycho





This week's episode was directed by Youhei Shindo, who directed #02, and storyboarded by Touko Yatabe. Yatabe recently worked as SB/ED for Chainsaw Man episode 2, and has also participated in high-profile projects like Evangelion 3.0+1.0 as an assistant director.

Mob Psycho 100 III #08

On rare occasions, an episode will release that isn't just well-produced, but truly special. Hakuyu Go is a creator with the rare ability to capture that feeling in each of his works, and this episode is no different. Let's analyze!

(1/31)
#mobpsycho100 The simple presence of Go's name on a production is enough to turn heads, having handled some of the biggest action spectacles of recent years. Since his first directorial work in MHA season 1, he has somehow managed to one-up himself with every new appearance.

Mob Psycho 100 III
Production breakdown threads
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⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ Episode 1

https://twitter.com/SakugaRelux/status/1577768799591440384

Mob Psycho 100 III #05

As the action ramps up for the penultimate episode of the ongoing Broccoli conflict, expectations rise with it. While not a major spectacle, Mob 3x5 delivers an effective and enjoyable adaptation of its source material. Time to analyze!

(1/22)
#mobpsycho Katsuya Shigehara is this week's storyboard artist and episode director, which is the perfect selection on paper. Shigehara has been a core participant in Mob since the beginning, handling episodes 3 and 10 of season 1, and episodes 2 and 10 of season 2.

Mob Psycho 100 III #04

Naoto Uchida proved his true capabilities as a director and storyboard artist by bringing us Mob III's best episode yet, and one of the best of the year overall. Let's analyze what makes this tense and eerie experience so effective!

(1/23)
#mobpsycho





To set the stage, it's important to have some context for Uchida's career. Its progression has been closely tied to Mob Psycho, as he was a key animator in season 1, an animation director in season 2, and finally a director and storyboard artist for season 3. His animation here.

Mob Psycho 100 III #01

Through tactfully implemented alterations and additions to the source material, Takahiro Hasui brings us a strong premiere that makes it feel like Mob never stopped airing.

Let's break it down!
(1/16)
#mobpsycho100 The list of key animators on this episode is unusually small, consisting of only 10 names. Knowing that animators like Hayate Nakamura and Toshiyuki Sato only handled a couple cuts, it stands to reason that a few of them animated major chunks of the episode on their own.