Another reminder that not everyone needs to draw or animate the same way folks like Richard Williams did. He’s great but these designs and the comedic antics are still as charming and as fun with their more frantic energy.

Zagreb Film's YouTube channel is a goldmine of restored classics from the '50s onward

if you're like me and enjoy those videos of stickmen fighting, PLEASE give this article a read. it's really good!

A lovely write-up about one of the most influential artists of the 00s internet artpunk era

I remember when these stick animations started to make the rounds in the late 90s. Animation Obsessive, as usual, exposes the story few of us knew about Xiao Xiao, the inspirations, and complexities of a style that becomes a commodity. Check it out!

It wasn't deep. It didn't have much to say. But Xiao Xiao inspired millions to try Flash animation for themselves. A Beijing artist made this series -- and turned stick fights into a phenomenon. We're exploring why and how he did it: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/when-stick...

Character designs by Carter Goodrich and Annette Marnat for Hotel Transylvania (2012), dir. Genndy Tartakovsky, Sony Pictures Animation

Visual development art by Chris Appelhans and Jon Klassen for Coraline (2009), dir. Henry Selick, Laika

Concept art by Mary Blair for Alice in Wonderland (1951), dir. Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske, Walt Disney Productions

12 seconds from 8 stop-motion films (1968–present) across the career of animator Yuri Norstein

In the '70s, Hayao Miyazaki tried to revive the cartoons of his youth. And he kept mentioning Fleischer's Mr. Bug Goes to Town. He loved its animation and use of "space," and the physical way its characters navigate its world. We look into the story: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/miyazaki-a...

From: Angel's Egg (1985), dir. Mamoru Oshii, Studio Deen Oshii's career suffered after this film flopped in the '80s -- but it became one of his defining works

The bird takes its revenge on the kings in The Thieving Magpie (1964), dir. Emanuele Luzzati and Giulio Gianini Federico Fellini loved this film: "it makes me furious that I don't know how to draw so I could resolve my films in the same way"

From: Gauche the Cellist (1982), dir. Isao Takahata, Oh! Production

Better than every single effects shot in Avengers: Endgame.

From: The Dream of a Ridiculous Man (1992), dir. Alexander Petrov, Sverdlovsk Film Studio

Great interview by @ani-obsessive.bsky.social with Aaron Blaise. While I get what he's saying here (you want character out-boost everything else), *all I do* is look at the drawings. It's how I watch animation even more-so as I get older. I'm infatuated with the drawings—especially the good ones.

This is an awesome interview with legendary animator Aaron Blaise about the classics and his latest masterpiece SNOW BEAR animationobsessive.substack.com/p/aaron-blai...

You've seen Aaron Blaise's animation—he was a big deal on Disney's Mulan, Beauty and the Beast and more. Behind his work is a whole creative philosophy. Blaise broke it down for us, and explained why his new film is the most rewarding he's ever done: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/aaron-blai...

From: The Nose (1963), dir. Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker

Dug this @ani-obsessive.bsky.social article out cuz I'm seeing 'Nobody' this Sunday. And man does it resonate. America invented them medium and perfected it into feature when Disney made Pinocchio. Hollywood bring back hand-drawn! animationobsessive.substack.com/p/the-hand-d...

Why you really should consider a subscription to Animation Obsessive: cool stuff like this.

Design sketches for Hilda from Horus: Prince of the Sun (1968), dir. Isao Takahata, Toei Doga Art by Yoichi Kotabe

Great piece on - for what my money's worth - is one of the finest sequences in all of animation (probably even trumping the city montage from GITS, too)

Great article about Patlabor 2 and the martial law sequence.

Mamoru Oshii planned it. A young Satoshi Kon took the lead on its layouts. The result: a stunning moment from Patlabor 2. We're looking inside the film's martial law sequence, including storyboards and production art: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/life-under...

From: Fair, then Partly Piggy (1988), dir. Toshio Hirata, Oh! Production

From: Labyrinth Labyrinthos (1987), dir. Rintaro, Madhouse

The dance floor sequence from Blood: The Last Vampire (2000), dir. Hiroyuki Kitakubo, Production I.G

Pencil and final animation: Tokyo Godfathers (2003), dir. Satoshi Kon, Madhouse Animation by Shinji Otsuka

Studio Ghibli fell in love with this film and gave its director a movie deal. Master animators like Yuri Norstein call it a favorite. Its name is Father and Daughter, and we've explored its story: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/the-rise-o...

Design sketches by Yoshitaka Amano from early in his career Art from Daredaman (unreleased) and Camiera (unreleased)

From: The Miner's Daughter (1950), dir. Bobe Cannon, UPA

From: Patlabor 2 (1993), dir. Mamoru Oshii, Production I.G

Hermína Týrlová was a stop-motion legend -- and she used wool to create pure magic. Her wool animation was part of her career rebound in her 60s. We're exploring these wonderful films and what makes them so special: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/a-legends-...

From: Taro the Dragon Boy (1979), dir. Kirio Urayama, Toei Doga

Backgrounds by Mónica Armiño for Puffin Rock (2015–), created by Lily Bernard, Tomm Moore and Paul Young, Cartoon Saloon

Concept art for Giacomo's Secret (unreleased), dir. Sergio Pablos, The SPA Studios

Concept art by Leonid Shvartsman for the Cheburashka and Gena the Crocodile series (1969–1983), dir. Roman Kachanov, Soyuzmultfilm

The Blackbird is a simple, masterful gem of stop motion. Only Norman McLaren could've made it. But the film took him a decade to figure out. We explore the story, and the personal struggles, behind the work: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/a-little-p...

A pencil test by Glen Keane for Treasure Planet (2002), dir. Ron Clements and John Musker, Walt Disney Feature Animation

404 Media, Hell Gate, New Yorker, Vogue, Wired and several newspapers cause print still matters damnit! @ani-obsessive.bsky.social yearly subscription is a new brainer for any animation and art fans. Also the grey lady much as she irritates me.

A pencil test by Jorge A. Capote for Klaus (2019), dir. Sergio Pablos, SPA Studios

Background paintings from the first run of Samurai Jack (2001–2004), created by Genndy Tartakovsky, Cartoon Network Studios Pieces by Scott Wills, Richard Daskas and Jenny Gase-Baker

Character design work by Mary Blair for Cinderella (1950), dir. Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson, Walt Disney Productions

Classic Polish animation is wild, one-of-a-kind stuff. And hundreds of these films are streaming for free in restored quality. We've taken a brief tour of the work available, with links to watch some of our favorites: animationobsessive.substack.com/p/polish-ani...

Character concept art by Toshihiro Kawamoto for Cowboy Bebop (1998–1999), dir. Shinichiro Watanabe, Sunrise

Visual development art by Carol Wyatt for Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (2004–2009), created by Craig McCracken, Cartoon Network Studios

Totally knocked out by the latest newsletter from @ani-obsessive.bsky.social highlighting animation director and #anime scholar Tim Eldred's work on the first #anime fanzine, Fantoche, edited by Takashi Namiki, released in 1975, inspired by France's Phantasmagorie. animationobsessive.substack.com

From: Christopher Crumpet (1953), dir. Bobe Cannon, UPA