Tokyo life starting with painting

The story structure of "Spirited Away" is actually not complicated.

What really makes it difficult is the exaggerated amount of hand-drawing.

Different from the computer CG painting that became popular in later generations, Hayao Miyazaki and his studio have always focused on original hand-painting, and rarely use computer CG painting.

In the entire "Spirited Away", at least 110,000 hand-drawn drawings were drawn, with an average of fifteen drawings switching every second - although there are a large number of repeated drawings, it is still difficult to do this. matter.

This is undoubtedly a huge amount of work.

Even in Higashinoji's time, there were people who said they couldn't understand Hayao Miyazaki.

After all, computer animation production is more convenient and can save a lot of production time. Why does Hayao Miyazaki still use hand-drawn production methods that are lagging behind the times.

Various people have explained these questions.

Some people say that it is because of Hayao Miyazaki's personal opinion that long-term use of mechanical painting will hinder people's progress. They say this is the other person's own opinion.

But Higashinoji doesn't think so.

As a comic book author and professional painter, Higashino actually understands the reason why Hayao Shirozaki insists on using hand-drawing.

Because there is a difference between hand-painted and computer-generated.

The bending changes of the lines, the hardness and softness of the scene lines are completely different when they are created by a computer and when an artist draws them on paper stroke by stroke!

Of course.

The feeling when you use a tool and when you actually do it with your hands are naturally different.

To give a simple analogy, when you draw by hand, you use your own hands to draw and feel the width, length, and hardness of the lines. This is a very intuitive feeling.

But using a computer to create is equivalent to holding someone else's hand with your own, and using someone else to draw instead of your hand is indirect.

The gap between them is like the gap between Li Kui and Li Gui, naturally very big.

Of course, Higashinoji is not biased against computer production.

At most, this is just his own opinion on animation and comics.

Regardless of the above thoughts, this is also an important reason why "Spirited Away" and other animated films by Hayao Miyazaki always have an indescribable charm.

Therefore, according to Higashino Tsukasa's idea, "Spirited Away" produced in this world also needs to be painted by hand.

To this end, Higashinoji has actually already been prepared.

From the beginning of "The Winner Is Justice" to the current "Unnatural Death", Higashinoji required the artist to hand-paint most of the time.

Except for the use of computers for special effects such as "Sunset", "Water Waves", and "Light and Shadow", "The Winner is Justice" and "Unnatural Death" were basically hand-painted by artists from Higashino Studio.

That's right.

The previous "Winner is Right" and "Unnatural Death" were training works to accumulate experience for "Spirited Away".

Higashinoji is such a person.

Make up your mind, lay the groundwork first slowly, and then put it into practice without hesitation.

He is not afraid of the failure of "Spirited Away". After all, everyone will fail sometimes, so it's best to keep working hard.

Moreover, Higashinoji doesn’t think that a masterpiece like “Spirited Away” will really fail.

After the production of two animations

Higashinoji felt that it was almost time for the painters at Higashino Studio to show their true skills.

"That's almost it."

Higashino put down the keyboard and looked at the plot of "Spirited Away" that he had typed intensively, and couldn't help but rub his temples.

One night was enough for him to write the first half of the plot of "Spirited Away".

But as mentioned before, Higashinoji did not have any talent for literature or words.

Although it is not too terrible to watch, what Higashinoji wrote is undoubtedly dry.

Therefore, he never considered becoming a TV screenwriter at all.

Because with this kind of writing, the producers probably didn’t even bother to take a look at it.

But it’s different at Higashino Studio.

This is where Higashinoji's dictatorship reigns.

Therefore, even if his writing is not very good, there will always be people who will take a serious look at what he writes.

This is the difference in status.

Although the writing style is not very good, from a practical point of view, the script of "Spirited Away" written by Higashinoji still clearly explains the outline of the story.

At least it can still be understood.

"This is enough."

Higashino nodded and raised his hand to save the document.

The next day.

Without much hesitation, Higashinoji called Hosokawa Koharu and others in a simple and straightforward manner and gave them the printed draft of the "Spirited Away" script for them to browse.

Seo Daigo and Yano Ryuichi both looked at Higashinoji with some doubts. Did he really write it in one night?

This is not very scientific.

The two of them were half-convinced, but Hosokawa Koharu didn't hesitate much. He took the draft of the script from the other person's hand and scanned it at a glance.

When Seo Daigo and the others saw this, they also looked through the typescripts in their hands.

After a while, apart from Hosokawa Koharu, Seo Daigo and the others couldn't help but frown.

Nothing else.

Although this draft of Higashinoji's script is a draft.

But this

Isn't it too rough?

Judging from the writing skills of this manuscript, Higashinoji is indeed not suitable for writing scripts.

But put aside your writing skills and just watch the plot

Seo Daigo and Yano Ryuichi were surprised to find that the plot was really good.

According to Higashinoji, this is only the first half of the copy.

But it was only the description of the buildings and magic in the first half of the copy, which seemed to bring them into that weird and mysterious world.

A bathhouse where you can serve the gods and ghosts and wash away the filth on your body.

The elf of soot, the boiler grandpa with six arms, the river god of Amber River.

A world where gods and monsters coexist.

"Teacher Higashino about this hot spring house"

Seo Daigo raised his head and prepared to ask Higashinoji about the details of the hothouse. After all, this is the main stage of the story. According to this plot, the overall setting of the hothouse must be perfected.

It's just that Higashinoji's writing skills are really hard to talk about.

He couldn't imagine it for the time being, so he wanted to ask Higashino if he had any ideas.

Then

Then he saw Higashino pull a piece of paper from the side and draw fiercely.

Almost ten minutes later, a strange yet luxurious building with a strong fantasy style, constructed with pencils, was vividly drawn on paper.

Looking at this exquisitely crafted hot spring house, even Seo Daigo, who just spoke, felt a little speechless.

He just wanted to ask for specifics.

But I never thought that Higashinoji could actually draw it completely.

This really surprised Seo Daigo.

You must know that a description of a picture needs to be transformed from text into a pen and paper picture. This cannot be done just by talking.

It's like you write a novel.

Although I have an idea, it takes a long time to think about it and turn it into a complete novel.

The key is that the finished product painted by Higashinoji is so excellent.

"As expected of Mr. Higashino"

Seo Daigo sighed.

Although his writing skills are average, Higashinoji is still Higashinoji, and his skills are not weak at all.

It's amazing that he was able to draw such a detailed finished product in such a short time.

"Yano-san, Seo-san, what do you think?"

Higashinoji didn't pay attention to Seo Daigo's praise. He just drew the character settings of other characters one after another, took them out and asked.

"I think there is no problem. The plot of the story is very interesting and should be very attractive to children."

Yano Ryuichi answered straightforwardly.

"I also think there is no problem with the theme and moral of the movie."

Seo Daigo roughly turned over the script in his hand again, and couldn't help but nodded: "If this story develops, it should be about Chihiro Ogino's transformation from a little girl who knew nothing to a girl while working in a soup house. Strong, brave, confident and fearless, this is very much like a picture book fairy tale."

Both of them naturally thought of the animation "Spirited Away" as a young animated film.

And they were both right.

Originally this work was about the growth story of Ogino Chihiro.

But "Spirited Away" is not just a work for young people.

Just when Higashinoji wanted to explain, Hosokawa Koharu on the other side frowned and suddenly spoke: "Teacher Higashino, do you want to make an animated film after the bubble economy?"

oh?

Higashinoji looked at Hosokawa Koharu with some surprise.

Should I say that he is worthy of being the editor he has been working with for three years? You can see his thoughts at a glance.

"After the bubble economy.?"

Seo Daigo and Yano Ryuichi looked at each other, not quite understanding what Hosokawa Koharu meant.

"Chihiro Ogino is a ten-year-old girl who lived in 1991."

1991 was the beginning of Japan's bubble economic downturn.

Scholars call it the Lost Decade.

And ‘ten years old’, does this age also exist to hint at Japan’s ‘lost decade’ from 1991 to 2000?

Seo Daigo and Yano Ryuichi had obviously thought of this, and they were both stunned.

Does a simple character age setting have such profound meaning?

Has Higashinoji considered it so broadly?

To be honest, Seo Daigo and Yano Ryuichi were a little reluctant to believe it.

After all, it's just one night.

How could Higashinoji think so carefully?

But if you dig deeper.

Only then did Seo Daigo and Yano Ryuichi discover that Higashinoji's script was full of hints.

"Then the title of "Spirited Away" is also like this. "Spirited Away" adds up to exactly the year 2000 at the turn of the century."

Yano Ryuichi murmured to himself, a little shocked by Higashinoji's idea.

"That's not all. Don't forget the word 'Shen Yin' in the title."

Seo Daigo tapped the table gently: "Kamiyin also means 'lost'."

After Japan's bubble economy, some Japanese scholars called the decade of the bubble economy the "lost decade." Similarly, the generation born in this decade was also called the "lost generation."

The character Chihiro is the representative of Japan’s “lost generation”.

Spirited Away is alluding to Japan’s exploration at the turn of the century.

Higashinoji describes the process of Ogino Chi's search for a way out. But this is not just a story about a little girl finding a way out after being 'lost', but more about how the lost generation of Japan can complete the redemption after the country of Japan is lost. story.

This core suddenly looks a lot taller!

Even Yano Ryuichi and Seo Daigo were somewhat convinced.

As we all know, any creation requires a creative core.

All plots serve this core.

This is the upper limit of the work.

Higashinoji's "Spirited Away" directly uses the entire Japan as a metaphor. The style and upper limit are too broad.

There is nothing wrong with adding the finishing touch.

The situation of a little girl lost in the world of gods has been promoted to the whole of Japan

And it was hinted so cleverly

How did Higashinoji's brain grow?

"Spirited Away" is like Shang Fang's sword.

You can really kick the entire Japanese ass with it!

That's a kick in the ass of Japan. How could it not make people feel excited?

Moreover, if I kicked my butt, many people would probably give me a thumbs up and praise me as ‘good kick’ and ‘wonderful kick’.

Even the producers like them must have benefited from it!

Why doesn't this make Yano Ryuichi and the others excited?

And think about this.

Seo Daigo, who was used to big scenes, couldn't help but sigh:

"Teacher Higashikata, sometimes I really can't understand what you are thinking."

Just now, they were just sighing that Higashinoji came up with a good story in one night.

But after understanding the core of Higashinoji's story, they just felt that it was incredible that Higashinoji could come up with such an excellent script in one night.

Are they really aliens?

If murder wasn't illegal, they would have had the urge to crack open Higashinoji's head to see what alien creature was inside.

"That's such an exaggeration."

Higashinoji did not expect that Seo Daigo and Yano Ryuu would lift "Spirited Away" to such a high level in one fell swoop.

But when he thought about it again, he felt that this was quite normal.

Because "Spirited Away" is not only the pinnacle of animated films in Japan, but also around the world.

At that time, it was an unshakable masterpiece in the minds of many Japanese.

"Let's not talk about this for now. What do you think? Should you do it or not?"

Tonoji shook his head, put aside his messy thoughts, and simply asked.

"Of course we have to make it!"

Seo Daigo was the first to express his thoughts.

Animated movies are different from mere animation.

If it can be successfully produced, it will be a great opportunity to make a name for itself!

Of course he wants to make it! And you have to do it seriously!

"I have the same idea as Seo-san. With such an excellent script in front of me, if I don't put in the effort to produce it, it would make me a little uncomfortable."

Yano Ryuichi was the second to raise his hand.

He is a pure animation supervisor, so of course his hands will feel itchy when he sees such an excellent script.

good!

Two people have now taken a stand.

In this regard, Hosokawa Koharu did not hesitate and directly raised his hand.

If you can participate in this kind of project and succeed in becoming an editor, there will be absolutely no problem!

In this way, the four of them, Higashinoji and Seo Daigo, joined forces.

Start seriously discussing how to kick Japan and its people in the butt through "Spirited Away"

Isn’t this a masterpiece that will shock the nation?

Thanks to Dark Night Chenyin for the tip! Thank you so much!