With the rise of the use of CGI in movies and in television, Japan's traditional special effects industry (tokusatsu) is in danger. Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Shinji Higuchi (Japan Sinks) requested immediate help in maintaining Japan's SFX traditions.
Anno and Higuchi organized a special museum exhibit featuring Japanese live-action cinematic traditions, which includes the use of miniatures and huge dioramas. During the process when they are organizing the exhibit, they discovered that CGI is used more often and there are lesser films involving the use of miniatures.
Because of the neglect of using such miniatures, all the specialized technological knowledge-base that took decades to accumulate is being fast forgotten. In addition, said props are not stored in proper housing/warehouse facilities and many of these are sold to collectors.
Because of the alarming state tokusatsu is in right now, Anno made an appeal to preserve Japan's traditional filming practices. Below is his appeal:
For more info about the alarming state tokusatsu is in right now, you can read this report entitled, "An Investigative Report regarding Japanese Tokusatsu" (sadly, it's in Japanese).
Source: Dan Kanemitsu
Special thanks to 4chan's /m/ board for the heads up!
Anno and Higuchi organized a special museum exhibit featuring Japanese live-action cinematic traditions, which includes the use of miniatures and huge dioramas. During the process when they are organizing the exhibit, they discovered that CGI is used more often and there are lesser films involving the use of miniatures.
Because of the neglect of using such miniatures, all the specialized technological knowledge-base that took decades to accumulate is being fast forgotten. In addition, said props are not stored in proper housing/warehouse facilities and many of these are sold to collectors.
A picture in Hideaki Anno's tokusatsu exhibit. More images can be seen here.
Because of the alarming state tokusatsu is in right now, Anno made an appeal to preserve Japan's traditional filming practices. Below is his appeal:
Please help.
The tokusatsu technology system is about to end.
A contents industry that Japan boasts to the world is about to disappear…
…It doesn’t matter if it’s the national government, local body, legal entity, or a corporation [that steps in to help]. Please help tokusatsu, as it helped inspire us and taught us so much. Please.
Please help as soon as possible especially regarding the preservation of miniatures [and other props.]
For more info about the alarming state tokusatsu is in right now, you can read this report entitled, "An Investigative Report regarding Japanese Tokusatsu" (sadly, it's in Japanese).
Source: Dan Kanemitsu
Special thanks to 4chan's /m/ board for the heads up!
