Literal art in motion.
Hand Drawn Animation: Enhanced
Anime and animation purists will slam me for saying this but the day I saw Appleseed Ex Machina, I was officially of the opinion that hand drawn art styles were better served with CGI. Naturally, VFX eye candy doesn't solve the problem of poor writing (cough, Netflix's Ghost in the Shell) but it is in part why I consider Vexille to be my favorite anime film of all time.
Similarly, Japanese game studio CyberConnect2 has developed some of the most beautiful adaptations of hand drawn anime in their fighting games using Unreal Engine, specifically the cel shaded art style of their Demon Slayer and Naruto Ninja Storm titles. These games are rendered so beautifully that they look “better” than the source material they are inspired by.
Yes, I know the net code for their games are terrible, and its borderline criminal how little they actually care, but these games are so gotdamn pretty! One of the designers who worked on Ninja Storm explained that the staff wanted to “remove the borderline between anime and actual gameplay,” and they most certainly succeeded.
Why Haven't Fighting Games Done This More Often?
Let’s be honest, anime characters can oftentimes animate like cardboard cutouts with moving lips. Understandable, given that animation as a general practice is expensive and time consuming. Expecting everything to have Disney-levels of fluidity might be unrealistic (and not always necessary), but this is also why I support the use of technology to give these designs more life.
CyberConnect2’s arena fighting games are “always in motion” even at a standstill. This type of animation doesn’t have to be limited to 3D games, nor an anime art style. More 2D fighters can benefit from this type of rendering rather than the hit stops and choppier animations we always get in sprite based games. For a visual engine that debuted in 2008, even the oldest Ninja Storm titles flow so much smoother than similarly styled 2.5D fighting games.
Are there are other IPs or art styles you think would benefit from a similar type of rendering? If so, please share in the comments!
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