Top Japanese animation experts share secrets at SAC

The session saw speakers – Tomomi Kimpara, Tsuyoshi Nishimura and Ryosuke Tsuda – walk participants through the stages of building a complete animated sequence, highlighting how lighting, texture, and perspective unify character and environment into one cohesive frame.

Explaining the meticulous craft behind smooth animation, Kimpara emphasised the importance of “nakawari” – the in-between animation that smooths out motion between major poses and the time sheet. “In Japanese animation, where many teams work across layers and sequences, getting this right is what gives characters their signature fluidity, and then the time sheet is everything because it keeps all the teams in sync,” said the seasoned animation producer and game developer.

Tsuda, compositing director at ComixWave Films, gave the audience an insider’s look at satsuei – a Japanese term that traditionally means “photography” but in the world of animation refers to the post-production process where visual effects are layered to enhance a scene’s mood and realism. “Today’s satsuei is basically Photoshop for animation,” Tsuda said. “We use it to add things like sea reflections, lens flares, falling snow – small touches that make the world feel alive without distracting from the story.”

Using real-time examples and clips from their past projects, the trio then showcased how subtle shifts in background lighting or character posture can dramatically affect mood and pacing. Attendees, many of them aspiring animators and students from across the region, responded with awe and admiration.

“It was like watching magic unravel,” said Egyptian Judy Mohammad, a 13-year-old high school student, who found the behind-the-scenes breakdown both eye-opening and inspiring. “I never realised how much thought goes into every little visual effect. It makes me appreciate animated films even more.”

For 23-year-old animation student from Yemen Fatima Hassan, the session offered a deeper appreciation of the technical artistry behind every frame. “Seeing the behind-the-scenes process helped me understand how much effort goes into making even the smallest animation moment,” she said.

Meanwhile, Emirati internal auditor Mansoor Saleh who paints as a hobby, said the session opened up a new perspective on the animation world. “I learned how to think about a whole scene, not just the character. The background has a role in storytelling too, and they showed us how to make it part of the action.”