Yutaka Nakamura's 12 action animation principles

edited by ‪@supuupi‬

[@joshbenn3079]

this is like studying 12 principle's of animation to a whole new level

[@tocide]

you have to manipulate the principles and become the god of your work

[@Call_me_Fred]

1:55 1. Fast and Slow 2:58 2. Big and Small 3:56 3. Contrast of Colors 4:45 4. Geometric Shapes 6:36 5. Overlaying Geometric with Realistic 7:45 6. Visual Motif 9:08 7. Delayed Delivery 9:50 8. Layering 10:25 9. Exagerated Variation in Motion 11:11 10. Camera Inside of Action 11:51 11. Frames Having Direction 12:52 12. Camera Playing into Itself

[@user-pt5cl2ro6f]

Or simply for some of them: 1. Pacing 2. Scaling 3. Value Contrast - bc that's basically what it is. No matter what color you use, as long as they contrast in values then you're good to go. 11. Direction and focal point - which also ties into what he was saying about no. 3, with the direction of the action being the focal point and not the character, despite the contrast in values. 10 & 12 Framing and directing - is a given I'd say tho. That's part of basic animation.

[@renasmatevicius1012]

so to condense basically use contrast everywhere you can find it: shapes, movement, speed, light, framerate, etc. Than composition: framing, dynamic or static, relationship to the frame, shape language and clarity. Of course all the animation principles and finally camerawork: camera moves with the characters, wide lens, direction. These principles are used everywhere by great artists old and new, and Nakamura applies them very well in his field

[@Khinouille]

So basically get good ?

[@ruruyu59]

wishing someone would actually study the way Guzzu animates! they're not a well known japanese animator but they're here on yt!

[@masontoy1976]

guzzu aint japanese

[@herllara3373]

guzzu is indonesian

[@GingeryGinger]

@@masontoy1976he did not say that guzzu is Japanese?

[@jigglies4594]

guzzu is my goat

[@sirhatart]

guzzu's camera movement is actually insane

[@DimiArt]

Thanks, i'm a noobie animator that definitely looks up to Yutaka Nakamura and even more so "Norio Matsumoto" who animated the original naruto vs sasuke final valley and many other big fight scenes. Always been my 2 favorite animators.

[@poipop]

Nakamura would not exist without norio but at the same time norio only had a fraction of the directional capabilities that nakamura has both are phenomenal animators and action animation would not be where it is today if they didnt exist

[@skrollreaper]

@@poipop a fraction of the directional capabilities is a crazy statement man. different styles of direction but both are goats. from the work Norio put out theres no way he wasnt clued in on direction the same degree as Yutaka. you may not like his direction as much but no its not a fraction of it. just let it be that they are two legends in the game and thats what it is

[@poipop]

@@skrollreaper there is a reason the general public likes Nakamuras animation more than Norio’s even when Norio’s is technically better

[@skrollreaper]

@@poipop Yutaka is more relevant today because he has done more of todays anime, that means absolutely nothing in terms of his direction

[@CursedWithAGift]

Just in time for an animation I’m attempting to make

[@rogue-ish5713]

The not moving at all part is the hardest part in animation. Doing subtly without bubbling or popping, to keep it looking solid is the hard part.

[@ruruyu59]

lezgo we going in depth to not just yutapon cubes but the style as a whole w video

[@infamousyuu]

I JUST REALIZED YOU'RE THE DUDE WHO MADE THAT GOATED MAKIMA TWERK VIDEO AND NOW YOU'RE HERE LAYING DOWN TOP TIER FACTS ABOUT A TOP TIER ANIMATOR, ALSO VERY GREAT VIDEO. (makima part 2 when!?)

[@adroitws1367]

guys, dont do these 12 principle if you have no budget lol

[@kurozikoasu1887]

😭☠️​@Boxxyfan298

[@FunnyNFunky]

ur saying it as if Yutaka Nakamura wouldve colored and animated all the fights by himself- this is from the entire animation studio 😭😭

[@zenxmizuki]

he doesn't but he does have a say on how they are colored because a preproduced animation frame usually has certain number codes on them specifying what colors should be added on those frames. this can be done by the animation director or the key animator themselves and I believe nakamura fully direct his own shots

[@poipop]

Nakamura has a huge say in that when he boards a scene

[@normal_guy_streams]

very enlighting especially just getting into animation great analization

[@effortless4588]

Time to become the goat of animating Please cover Weilin Zhang, Vincent Chansard, Akihiro Ota next!!! We need more of this!!

[@poipop]

Planning on doing ota next

[@zazenbo]

I miss my wife

[@Phonsy_edits]

Rip

[@rrbcraftergames3361]

Bro u need more subs this is so high quality. The only thing I disagree with is 7:28, I don’t think people disliked Abe’s cut because of the slow motion, cause usually the point of all his cuts r to just be as fluid as possible. I think it was more so the flow between cuts was sorta nonexistent, making it feel less impactful.

[@poipop]

A better example would have been someone like naotoshi shida

[@DevinH.420]

Very helpful thank you!

[@supuupi]

Fire video🔥🔥 You should make more your voice is rlly good for this

[@samzheng5803]

Nakamura is so good it’s unfair

[@jamaalsineke2405]

Saul Bass was a graphic designer....designed stuff for Apple and Pixar to name a few

[@sizat5729]

bro, really gud stuff, i was shocked to see such low subs, u deserve more, just keep up the quality. also i would love it if u added the sauces for the anime shots u used, i am a sucker for action anime-s

[@Lightphazer]

W this was awesome, U need to make more

[@DoctorMadness]

Great analysis and tips!! Subbed

[@theshowihaventnamedyet1610]

Love this video and going in depth into some of these scenes and techniques, super good stuff! But I also find it funny you say its "his own 12 princlibles" when half of them are just the 12 princibles of animation just slightly rephrased haha

[@poipop]

Idk not really tbh all the other 12 principles are for making a realistic phisical motion for the majority of it and even when it is taking part of portions of the original 12 principles im going into much more depth that just saying “make it more impactful and easier for the viewer to understand”

[@theshowihaventnamedyet1610]

@@poipop that’s true, I guess I see what you mean :)

[@JameelYa]

Awesome video👏, thanks Dude...

[@Lemmondevil]

Fire video 🔥

[@night-shinobi6038]

rally amazing video

[@MegaJackolope]

Holy. Lemme add this to my animation playlist.

[@idkwhatnamee6636]

lovely video

[@lavalambchops]

Great shit man I'm working my fucking ass off to become the best action animator I can possibly be, your observations are super valuable and that's definitely one thing I'm realizing is how fucking important intense contrast is, in just about everything from composition to color to speed to size etc. in addition to use of fundamental geometric shapes, direction, and added anticipation through delays.

[@user-uu2vf8rq2c]

Bro please start doing videos like those this is so helpful.

[@_Emit_]

actually amazing video

[@quimera963]

Great video

[@SleeveNash17]

elite vid man

[@Alan1naruto1piece]

Yutaka the goat

[@user-pt5cl2ro6f]

Artist here 5:26 saying his his shading is made up of triangles sounds like he intentionally and meticulously shapes them as triangles lol. It's a common hatch shading for a lot of animators so I think it's a bit of a stretch to say his shading are all triangles, despite being technically right 😅. Instead, I'd say he has a _preference_ for geometric shapes for his fxs. Idk I found that line funny for some reason 😂 Akin to art critics of modern times trying to put more meaning behind an artists' stroke than just it being..a stroke, lol.

[@poipop]

Well i mean technically hes just drawing the shadows the same way he does smears and as i said before in the video these aren’t things that Nakamura actively tries to do but its more rather just a definition of what he actually does do and this is for beginner animators who don’t understand everything yet so its all for the act of simplification and no its not “a common hatch shading for all animators since the production line makes it hard for those to be implemented and it makes it harder for people down the line like inbetweeners and cleanup artists but he gets special priority and doesn’t even use inbetweeners in the first place because he draws all the frames himself

[@Ilov534]

W video. please make more

[@Drezyy]

i never caught on to that 11th princable before, ill never not be able to notice it again XD

[@Fiyuki-nase]

Are you gonna keep making videos like this? If so seeing more of this would be cool

[@Alan1naruto1piece]

Yutaka is cool

[@brambleblaster]

Genuinely impressive analysis from a less than 1k sub channel. Kudos!!!

[@DestusG]

Bro you cooked a lot coming up with These principles. Thanks a lot for making this video

[@SuperEdo45]

Cool essay , not fully onboard with belittling other animators just to prop Nakamura up but regardless nice summary overall thanks!

[@poipop]

@@SuperEdo45im sorry you are totally right I should never speak my opinion or the opinions of others and need to glaze every piece of animation ever

[@riceblunt7859]

cool video

[@toolkitzanimations]

From 10:30 to 10:50 "But I want to have a life." poipop_: "Your animation is your life now."

[@effortless4588]

I really do pray he helps on Jujutsu Kaisen season 3

[@ricefieldworker7745]

Interesting observations! One thing that bothers me though is the part where you mention colors, as it's not something that Nakamura (or just animators in general) are responsible for as there's an entirely different team that handles the colors

[@poipop]

That’s technically true but when an animator wants something specific done they put it in the notes on the timesheet or tell someone another way but it is him when the colors are being manipulated

[@Alan1naruto1piece]

Wow

[@ppexe3221]

i didnt know u had a yt channel, yt just recomended it

[@No1.Husbando]

Can you put the 12 points under the video in description so I can visually see each point ? 😅

[@Bbentley81]

Can we get a list of the films/shows in this video?

[@rishabhkhatri]

Who will talk about those god dam impact frames?

[@ChilledBacon]

9:15 delayed delivery is known as anticipation

[@poipop]

Not really, anticipation not only is intended for human/ animal movements but it requires the act of physically pushing the body part back rather than something like slowing down the scene or clever camera positioning/ movement

[@sketchhope]

​@@poipop hello sir, from another animator, anticipation can refer to just anticipation in any way, theres no particular reason to believe that it is only intended for organic movements, it is a principle that can be applied to anything! :) It is up to the person to interpret the principle and where they wish to portray it! I see your argument, since you probably interpret it in such a way. Some people will feel differently, is all

[@heikoy]

hope they brought this guy for Gachiakuta anime

[@gutentag5301]

Bruh i was expecting more animator analysis on your channel since i liked this video but zamn dat makima 💀💀💀💀💀😳😳😳

[@felipe6040]

Wait, where can I find the pokémon one?

[@EmmanuelChadee]

What book did he wrote this in ?

[@mechajay3358]

This is a pretty informative video. It actually breaks dowm the fundamentals of how Nakamura does animations and why they look so incredible.

[@Hoichael]

funny how almost all of these are different forms of the same abstract principle (contrast or its inverse, sameness), namely applications of contrast regarding different aspects of animation (time, shape, color, etc . . .) Framing all these different applications as an organic result of the same abstract idea (rather than artificially forcing them into "separate things") would probably provide the viewer with a more accurate window into the actual mindset of a great animator but such criticism might be a little pedantic and maybe even misplaced. After all, principles in art are never to be taken as rigid rules but should rather serve as impetus for "guided thinking" to ultimately arrive at some greater understanding of the particular art form. So i dunno, maybe your video is perfect as it is :D

[@poipop]

Alot of people don’t know where to start creating their own action scenes without basically stealing from scenes that already exist but with this i hope more people can decide to start thinking up new action rather than just ripping off the ones which already exist, it is as you said, not rigid rules but rather for “guided thinking”

[@riceontopstew]

where did you find this clip 5:52-5:54

[@chilfang2422]

TLDR: Contrast contrast contrast, add on the contrast!

[@sensensen3494]

I thought the number 1 was gonna be "impact frames" xD.

[@jeremiah.4l]

😭🔥

[@vinceraineing]

What anime is shown at 1:03????

[@cellshade87]

This is a good video.👍 As an animator, I know why Nakamura uses a lot of basic shapes like say the debris are mainly square shaped. The whole scene needs to be animated, backgrounds, characters, everything. That's a lot to animate and they have very limited time because of strict deadlines. By having everything as basic shapes it's easier and faster to map out markers for other animators like the inbetweeners to follow the supervisors drawings, keyframes and breakdowns. The most likely reason he also has realistic fluid motions like the Space Dandy scene is probably because the studio or Nakamura himself hires actors or gets people in the studio to wear similar clothes as his characters then act out the scene. After you have your reference you need it's easier to draw and animate over top of your reference. Not quite like rotoscoping but very close.

[@FalseXII]

3rd Principle: He doesn't even color his own gengas tho.

[@poipop]

He has a huge say in the coloring

[@zxck_ae]

POIPOP IS ON KZbin??? MY GOATTTT

[@effortless4588]

5:51 JESUS

[@magentaplatinum1430]

It is a great video all throughout, but I feel that the visual motif part was a bit lacking with Nakamura's examples. I didn't really get to point out how and where he uses the visual motifs in his action scenes, and how it helps him to be visually appealing. And from what I understood, there might be a ton of types of visual motifs? I'm pretty much a newbie an animation and I would like to get into it, so I unfortunately still don't know all of my basics properly... Could you please help me by helping me understand how Nakamura implements it in his animation style??

[@magentaplatinum1430]

Great vid btw!

[@poipop]

I get this tbh after looking over the vid i do wish i would have went into it more but to put it simply a visual motif is just a motif like in literature but for visuals so (A motif is a repeated pattern-an image, sound, word, or symbol that comes back again and again within a particular story) but with something visual like in deku vs todoroki both of them had their hands consistently at the center of the screen to tie in the climax of the fight, with the one piece opening its less of something thats physical and more of something that is put into the composition of the scene that helps tie together the opening sequence separately from the rest of the show but since it’s pretty hard to use effectively unless you are really experienced for 99% of people dont try to use it and some of the time it might even come naturally as you storyboard a sequence

[@magentaplatinum1430]

@@poipop ahhhhhh, thank you so much for clearing it up!! this will help me a lot! Keep up the great work!!

[@Matthew12c]

you cooked bro

[@jeremymichael520]

Great presentation. Consider just removing "that's enough about this principle" and just jump to the next one. Either a clean, related transition, or none at all would really take your pacing to a new level. Also consider adding timestamps -- this is a phenomenal resource to come back to!

[@poipop]

Yeah I’m still learning about youtube but i will definitely be doing both of these tips thanks 🙏

[@supuupi]

Hello guys, the editor here. Please give me some feedback, tell me what you thought of the video. I will try and use that feedback to improve for the next video!

[@shadowstar1286]

appreciate the video and the time and effort that went into it. please remove redundant statements where the voice over states things like "that's enough yapping" or self-evident statements. for ex. "color contrast is what it sounds like, it's colors that contrast." ironically drawing attention to how much he yaps just makes it worse. it will feel a lot better if you just cut that.

[@supuupi]

@shadowstar1286 i have actually cut about half of that out 😅. But i struggled with some others since they wouldn't form actual sentences anymore if i removed them. I was given the audio fragment so i just went with that and didn't ask for any retakes of parts. But thank you i will try to cut out even more!

[@poipop]

@@shadowstar1286it was worse before ☠️

[@navi7402]

put timestamps

[@shadowstar1286]

@@supuupi dang, well you did the best you could. no issues with the editing other than that

[@SogonD.Zunatsu]

He's great, but he also has the luxury of not having to clean up his own drawings and can dedicate himself to the fun part. Very earned of course.

[@poipop]

No idea where you got this from but he almost always cleans up his work when he does the genga? Even when 2nd key animators are called in due to a lack of a good schedule nakamura usually tries to make the layout pretty detailed just like any other animator

[@adriotx]

​@@poipopThis ^^ he doesn't get chosen for a job to make storyboards.

[@user-ql5cx4ty1j]

Video starts at 2:00 😐

[@SimGunther]

Technically 1:55, but yeah, total life saver! ❤

[@khromex]

wait does nakamura even do the coloring process?

[@poipop]

no but he tells the people who do color it what to do in the story board

[@khromex]

@@poipop I see thanks

[@therealKrak]

2:19 what's the name of this anime?

[@anandjitrajbhar3910]

concrete revolutio choujin gensou

[@therealKrak]

@@anandjitrajbhar3910 Thanks

[@g0jozl]

Now I can say I get more views than poipop (on KZbin at least)

[@Alan1naruto1piece]

Weilin zhang better

[@jordanasumani]

No one likes nozume abe u joking buddy majority of people likes his animation and many didn't complains this man is a also a really good animator, yutaka Nakamura isn't eveb the God of animation ir peak, it don't matter this is a bold statement 😂

[@poipop]

When abe does a sequence with the same timing throughout alot of people dont like on on things like twitter, same goes for people like naotoshi shida. And claiming that nakamura hadn’t done as much as he has is literally insane not only did he basically make what all action animation is today but he has an argument for being one of the most technically proficient animators in the industry

[@jordanasumani]

@@poipop he is not the one who made what action anime is today he barely does many work and his works are rare, the one who made what action anime is today is takeshi Honda they are the one who I spire many to draw and u even got, norio Matsumoto who even add more into the inspiration, weiling Zhang at the age of 16 already proofed himself to, downing other animator for Nakamura is a bias take, as if his animation alone isn't also repetive just like nozume Abe, he may be good at 2d animation so are the rest he is not the best at it either, because his style is also not liked by others, we gotta be neutral with this things, acting like we forgot what the meaning of sakuga is a slang. Horrible takes but I liked the video still horrible take on that part, mf be glazing over over Nakamura like he's the top dawg of animation that a lie.

[@user-zr1el2fj6c]

Norio matsumoto is better and kanada is the most influential

[@poipop]

@@user-zr1el2fj6c norio from a technical standpoint is in literally no way better and kanada was influential in a time where there was no influence to begin with while Nakamura birthed an entire generation of action animators

[@user-zr1el2fj6c]

@@poipop you're argument about kanada's influence makes no sense, he's the Beatles of Japanese animation, they made an entire studio based on his animation and he's influence spans every generation, that's your opinion on norio but imo they're technical ability is equal, norio like yutapon has also mastered effects like debris, water, fire, wind, etc, mastered the fast and slow sequences, crowd animation, camera movement, character acting, and I don't have to mention the action animation, etc. He made kagenashi popular with naruto, He has solo animated entire episodes before (eat-man ep 7, Yama no Susume Next Summit #05), and he's just as influential as nakumaru, dude literally mentored the first 3 webgen animators ryo-timo, kenichi kutsuna, shingo yamashita, mentored hiroyuki yamashita, kenichi fujisawa, and naoki kobayashi, and influenced animators like samual deats, Spencer wan, k1ro watanabe, chengxi huang, etc

[@Alan1naruto1piece]

Your KZbin has way less views than your tiktok

[@SuperEdo45]

Cool essay , not fully onboard with belittling other animators just to prop Nakamura up but regardless nice summary overall thanks!