From: rcfg@chem.ucsd.edu (Fahey group)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Subject: Re: "Farming out" animation to Korea, etc.
Date: 9 Apr 1992 21:52:48 GMT
Organization: University of California San Diego, Chemistry
NNTP-Posting-Host: chedccf0.ucsd.edu

In article <920409123246.20209c70@CCSVAX.SFASU.EDU> Z_BEDDOERJ%CCSVAX.SFASU.EDU@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU (Crusher Joe) writes:
>
>I am guilty of the same thing.  However, I haven't seen Gundam 0083, so I
>refrain from comment on it.  However, I do have Gundam F-91 ("Failure-91"?
>How great! :) )  and I can say that it looked good artwise.  It has been
>a while, so my memory of it isn't that great.  Too bad the plot put me
>to sleep. :)  I didn't notice in the credits where it was animated.
>I don't remember anything outstanding, however.

F-91 was finished in Korea and Taiwan, as mentinoned by Tomino himself in an 
interview. Tomino also complained young generation of Japanese animators (20-
27 years old) doesn't have much sense of responsibility, which slowed down the 
project horrendously.

>>So I guess it's a combination of these factors:
>>  1) Amount of money put in
>>  2) Which particular studio
>>  3) Amount of supervision
>
>I would say that 1) and 3) are the most important.  2) is of course a
>big factor, but the amount of money and supervision on any given project
>will have more bearing on the final project.  I imagine that there are more
>animators in Japan than you can shake a stick at, and most of them are very
>talented.  Soooo....I don't imagine that you would have a problem finding
>talented people to work for you, whatever studio you go to.  Now character
>and or mecha designers, etc. might be a different story...but that's kind
>of beyond the scope of my knowledge. :)

(2) and (3) are bascially same. Those studios with better talents (possibly 
with more otakus :-) will cost more than come-and-go studios which are basically 
no more than a group of drop-outs. However, even with same price, the quality 
varies, depending on studio.

As for the animators in Japan, only hard-core otakus or those people who 
who couldn't get a job elsewhere becomes animators in Japan these days. Check 
out the listing of animator income in Animage 92 Diary, you'll wonder how can 
one survive with such low income in Japan (Averaging around $1000-1200 per month 
for an animator with several years of experience).

And it isn't any cheaper to animate something in Korea than in Japan. The only
reason for Japanese animation company to use foreign companies to jobs is
because there isn't enough animators in Japan (not surprising when you consider
horrible working conditions).

>
>The amount of supervision that goes into "farmed out" work would probably
>be the most deciding factor in quality level.  If you can't control something, 
>you probably won't be as satisfied with the final product.  That's not to say
>that stuff done out of Japan can't be good, its just the tendecy has been
>that if it is done "in house", then it will be better.  The quality of the
>stuff from Ranma 1/2 Nettouhen since #92 (thanks for the correction, Robert!)
>has greatly improved, and according to my source, that was around the time
>that the work returned to being done "in house".  As for it being true in
>all cases, I can't say.

I fully agree. It's always to nice to have all the work done in one company
rather than dozens of companies spread all over Asia.

>
>Whatever the case, its great to see that Ranma is returning to its former
>glory. :)
>

Hmm...I guess it's time to start renting Ranma tapes again.


*****************************************************************
*                       Tonghyun "Vajra" Kim                    *
*                           Operation X                         *
*                                                               *
*               I'll OTAKUNIZE the entire human race...         *
*                  <Kubo from Otaku no Video 1985>              *
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