Limitations and deadlines have Eizouken working overtime
What They Say:
With the budget committee review fast approaching, our three heroines begin working their fingers to the bone. The Eizouken is finally starting to look like a real animation studio – which comes with its share of crunch time, setbacks and sleepless nights. But with the team’s combined resolve and ingenuity, the fruits of their labor will not go unseen.
The Review
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!! kicked into high gear this week, as our ambition animators deal with ugliest word in the business – compromise. Episode four was a crushing reminder that no piece of media is made with full creative control. No matter how intricate a background Asakusa draws, or how fluid of movement Mizusaki creates – a deadline is a deadline. If the project isn’t “finished” in some form of the word, then it was all for nothing. Kanamori continues to steer the team in a realistic direction – which means they’ll have to cut corners. But in the entertainment industry, animation especially, cutting corners is an art of its own. And so the Eizouken hop on their tripod and give us a grand tour on how to animate as efficiently as possible! They say a magician should never reveal their hand, but that’s what I love so much about this show – to create compelling animation under numerous constraints deserves respect in its own right, and Eizouken wants you to see the beauty in that.
Despite banking on these crutches, creating animation remains a daunting endeavor, and so the Eizouken get to grinding. From Mizusaki’s bandaged fingers to Asakusa sleeping at the studio, these two had to work tooth and nail to make the deadline. Not only are they physically spent, but mentally as well. Mizusaki wants to impress people with her hand-drawn animation but her ambition can’t match her output. So she’s forced to use automated in-betweens to create her cuts in time. And while Asakusa wants her animation to tell a story, the preview’s limited runtime leaves no room for narratives. Kanamori’s gameplan may be strict and demoralizing, but even they understand what is and is not capable in their current state. The ability to compromise, cut corners, and meet the lowest common denominator – it’s a harsh reality that every artist must learn eventually. The difference is in the outcome – do you burn out and give in, or do you innovate under pressure and find the spirit to move forward? I think Asakusa speaks for many animators when she says this line:
“I’d say it’s less about finishing or completing the project, and more the outcome of passion crashing against compromise and resignation.”
With the preview animation complete, the next obstacle stands in front of them – the budget committee review. The student council has a scary reputation and seems eager to shoot down just about any club that comes to them with a half-baked budget proposal. Kanamori does an excellent job dodging questions and shifting blame onto the school’s own incompetence, but the student council continues to reprimand the Eizouken. It’s not until the shy Asakusa raises her voice that they’re put in their place. Her rant is passionately long-winded, but it boils down to this: “Don’t talk down on us until you’ve seen what we’ve done!” Surprisingly, the student council abides and they roll the tape.
The final version of the preview is a show-stopping ride from front to back. What were once early concepts and sketches are now fluid animations brimming with color and style. Even from its opening scene the audience is transported into the Eizouken’s world, captivating them with a glorious battle setpiece between Gasmask Girl and the tank. The once-rowdy council room is now completely silent. Even after the credits roll, the film club can’t help but discuss how things could have looked even better. It’s clear to the committee that this club isn’t here to mess around, they’re here to create anime. And with that, the Eizouken’s budget is approved!!
In Summary:
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!! continues to be a fascinating and uplifting preview of the animation landscape. Asakusa and Mizusaki have felt the worst of it, with ruthless deadlines and shelved ambitions. But from that slump, the up-and-coming animators find a way to make it all work out. An animator seldom has full say in their creative output. But those with the resolve to create, despite the limitations, are the ones who prove their mettle as artists. This is just the first step for the Eizouken.
Grade: A
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
