Halloween Anime Cartoon
The anime “Ugokie Kori no Tatehik” (1933) clearly shows the influence of Western animation on the Japanese while still maintain the spirit of the nation’s animation aesthetic. The animated works of Max Fleschier and Ub Iwerks probably played a significant role in the way the cartoon ended up. There are certain key aspects of the two animators works that end up being used in the film. The use of the horizontal multi-plane camera for the opening shot is similar to how Fleschier, who invented the machine, would film his cartoons. The very cartoony character design and animation style is remisncent of how both Fleschier and Iwerks characters looked and moved around. The surreal imagery involving the flying demon and the strange looking creatures I believe was similar to the bizarre visuals Iwerks would always play around with in his post Disney cartoons. The gun play and rowdy nature of the fight between the characters is very much in the spirit of the Fleschier cartoons which were known to be edgy and energized when compared to the more toned down approach with the Disney shorts. Alongside the American influence the Japanese style still remains dominant in other notable aspects. Like the plot for instance, which involves a cat & mouse game between the fox and raccoon spirits. It appears to have some connection with Japanese folklore given the nature of the creatures and spirits dwelling in the house. The old tales of the land have always been highly regarded by Japanese society and were a popular fodder for the animators to go to for their cartoons. It looks like this cartoon continues in that tradition The Japanese love to establish a moody or mysterious atmosphere with what appears to be water color rendered backgrounds. Interesting staging and unusual camera shots further emphasize the creepy nature of the house. There is also a very cool cinematic shot of the fight ensuring on the first floor from the perspective of the second floor that emphasizes both the action and the multiple players involved. And finally unlike American cartoons there isn’t always a soundtrack playing in the background and when it does it is often subtle and not wall to wall. Sometimes you’ll only get the voices and sound effects playing in the background which is a nice change from the wall to wall sounds we have come to expect from Western animation.
