Sankaku Complex broke the news, but today I actually went to TOEI Animation Philippines and confirmed it. TOEI is producing Dragonball Z in High Definition. They no longer have the original cels or artwork, which means they are re-drawing on captured images from the existing videos. Some new art will be drawn to expand the dimensions to fit wide-screen aspect ratios. It’s hard to explain the process, but I actually got to do it myself.
Framed on the offices that have been in the Philippines since 1986 (note awesome JEEG image framed on the left)
I am totally owning this Gokou remastering. I make Dragonball Z HIGH DEFINITION!
The guy trolling me is mechafetish’s brother (and mechafetish, and my own wife). The twerp was holding the camera. The second video is me doing some excellent background artwork on One Piece episode 392 (if I’m not mistaken). If anyone can cap where this frame appears in that episode, I’ll find some way to reward the person.
My cousin-in-law Riza is a real background animator, working on the upcoming Fresh PreCure anime
There will be more content to come from our very educational and enlightening visit to TOEI Animation Philippines. Watch out for it! Thanks to Joey Hernandez who gave us a great tour, Jarlon and Riza Sison for extending the invitation; and Soya Satoshi Sachou for being such a gracious host and for being so generous of his time and being a game interviewee.
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Update:
The first episode is out, and I wrote a post just to celebrate!
Nice!
Most recent One Piece episode that aired was 387. But I’m a few episodes behind >.<
Now I can say I know someone over the internet who’s animated partial characteristics of TWO anime! Score!
Now I can say I knew someone over the internet who partially animated characteristics of TWO anime! Score!
Dude. That one piece of wood is going to be awesome.
Interesting that they’re choosing DBZ of all the classics; does it have something to do with the upcoming movie? Or maybe this is just proof of Dragonball’s importance in Japanese society even amongst other huge titles?
@ no name
Yeah it was fun. I may have to start watching these shows lol. I haven’t seen Dragonball Z in over a decade. I didn’t even finish the tv series. Maybe this time.
@ omisyth
Now I can say I knew someone who commented twice talking about TWO anime. Score.
@ TheBigN
Oh I’m excited about wood now. ^_^
@ Kiri
Maybe it’s just how huge the title is. DBZ is like printing money for them perhaps. TOEI Animation I feel is really a corporation amongst studios. The office really feels corporate, despite the sheer amount of posters and toys you can see all about.
Sweeeeeeeet.
I own two InuYasha cels but that’s as close as I’ve gotten to real animation XD
This is very cool. For the One Piece frame, what exactly were you doing there? It’s kinda hard to tell but it looks like a pencil drawing that they’d scanned in and you were tracing over. Is that right?
@ Sakura
Yeah it was pretty cool. In fact they told me if I could get my hands on the software (expensive) I could freelance for them from the comfort of my home.
@ Lbrevis
The process involves the storyboard people providing a hand-drawn layout page that the in-betweeners and background artists ‘draw-over’ like what you see I’m doing (terribly) with the One Piece frame.
It should be the same with Dragonball, but they’ve lost all or most of the original material. In succeeding posts I’ll put together the process. I’ve still a lot of material to organize. It was such an awesome trip.
I can’t wait to read more!
This kind of stuff has always fascinated me.
I went there a LONG time ago XD Are they still in Eastwood? ^^
@ Sakura
I just have a lot of data to organize, but I definitely will put out more.
@ picchar
Hello there! Yes they’re still in Eastwood. Tell me how it was when you went there. How long ago was it anyway?
Cool! That must have been quite the experience. I’m looking forward to the rest
It was so cool when I went there! There weren’t too many animators yet but everything was digital already. They were all using computers with tablets. The key frames were sent in from either Japan or South Korea then the animators in the Phils would fill in the other frames.
It was around 4-5 years ago when I went there. I got a poster of an anime I never heard of and a background painting from an anime (can’t remember which).
Digital is all nice an good, but I like the look and “feel” of cell animation ^^
@ ETERNAL
Pardon the delay, it’s taking a lot of work to organize the data into readable posts.
@ picchar
I know what you mean. I had enjoyed Macross Frontier’s amazing CG battles, but when I watched the remastered Macross Plus in its mostly hand-drawn dogfights, I was floored.
And kind of sad, knowing the likes of those scenes will never be seen again.
ZOMG!
it’s a trap!
kidding…
So it really IS true, that animationz are being made here in the Philippines
Where in the Philippines is TOEI?
I’m an aspiring animator, I want animationz as my career. Any Vacancy? LOL
by the way, Blogrolled!
They accept freelancers depending on the amount of work required – more on this here.
wow! are they accepting ‘working’ students? I’ll work just for this animation thingy..besides DBZ, what other animes are they animating? sounds weird..lol..
Look them up, I don’t really know if they do but they just might. Check out my interview with Toei Phils. President. as well as the Steps in Anime Production posts.
thanks but I just read those articles a few hours ago..love your site..I’ll just look them up then…
I notice that pinoy otakus doesn’t want to speak/type their native tongue, weird…maybe this shows that pinoy otakus are elitist…
No problem. I’m very happy you like the site ^_^
I write in english because it’s what I use every day speaking with mai waifu and our family, in addition to the fact that Filipinos are a tiny fraction of the readership of this blog.
I really don’t know about elitism.
Wow that is SO COOL! I never thought I’d get to see the process of animating Dragonball! X3 I actually didn’t even know that there was a Toei branch in the Philippines. Awesome, so awesome…! You’re so lucky to be a part of such a great project! Keep up the great work!
Yo the episode where you drew that is 390 heres a screen http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m289/star_eye/vlcsnap-1105405.png?t=1238373089
I would like my reward now lol
AMAZING. If you have a site, or an internet presence you want featured, let me know and I’ll pimp it!
OMG! THAT IS AN EPIC POST!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR This.. O.O
WOAH! Is that in Toon City or somethin.? I’ve been in Toon City..xDD
Thanks very much ^_^ Toei Phils. offices are in Eastwood City, Libis (Quezon City). Check out the trackbacks below the comments for other posts related to our visit to Toei.
WOW I had no idea DBZ Kai was being made here! I’ve seen 2 eps and they rock.
So what exactly were you doing in the first video? I’m interested in the process.
In the first video I was ‘drawing over’ a captured image from the original show. The result of this will be bolder lines and a fresher look (once color is treated for contrast). Without this you will end up seeing a very pale image. If you have access to the original show, go ahead and watch. You can tell the difference.
oh yeah btw, what is the brand of that tablet you’re using in the video?
Sorry I don’t know. I’ll ask Jay and I’ll get back to you.