No book can transform a person lacking the talent into a skilled animator. No book can offer to be a comprehensive tome on the entire process of animation from conception to dialogue post-recording. (At least, no single book can.) Graphic's Drawing Anime, however, comes closest in offering a brief overview just substantive enough for those interested in entering the animation industry and yet nontechnical enough to be interesting and enjoyable for the layman.
Graphic has published numerous other art how-to books in the past, including an illustrative three-volume set on drawing manga. For this book, it assembled an impressive list of contributors and collaborators to lend their expertise. Kitazume Hiroyuki is best known for his character designs and production directing on the GUNDAM sequel series during the eighties. Okuda Itsusato has been the production director and character designer for Shurato and LEGEND of the GALACTIC HEROES. Finally, Izumi Akihiro has drawn the key point frames for the animation of SILENT MOBIUS, The HAKKENDEN, and AA! MEGAMISAMA (OH! MY GODDESS). Supporting this venture is Yoyogi Animation Gakuin (Institute) or YAG, perhaps the most prominent group of schools of its kind in Japan, and A.I.C., the creators behind TENCHI MUYOU! RYO-OH-KI and El HAZARD.
Most of the book is divided into an introduction and four main sections discussing drawing, coloring, animating of motion, and overall animation production. Where possible, actual production material is displayed as examples for the readers. Most of these come from ARMITAGE THE THIRD and MOLDIVER, although there are also a few examples from TENCHI MUYOU! RYO-OH-KI. There are even photographs of Kitazume animating and a section composed entirely of his tips and advice.
The introduction briefly diagrams the flowchart of production beginning from the planning committee and scripting through every step in between to post-production. Along the way, the books also explain the industry terminology and identify the tools of the trade. This section is especially useful to anime fans who don't have any particular artistic talents but want to know what it means when their favorite creator is credited with "genga" (key animation frame drawing) or "douga" (in-between animation frame drawing).
The first main section all too briefly describes the "proper" techniques to draw characters types, expressions, and poses. It first delves into sketching with tips on the right and wrong way to draw, and then it continues with an example of a Moldiver frame's pencil drawing that is taken from the raw sketch to the cleaned-up final version that is ready to be traced on acetate. If you are truly serious about learning to draw in perspective and character posing, however, you're better off picking up a manga drawing book or any basic figure drawing text.
The following section deals with colors and inking by using a particularly stunning close-up example cel from Armitage the Third and walking through the line tracing, coloring, and final airbrushing. Background painting is also covered as well as film special effects used to enhance lighting.
The third section covers what beginning animators are most likely interested in: the actual composing of action across frames. After determining the scene composition and action, the reader learns ways to depict motion via techniques including deforming and blurring. Vivid black-and-white examples (many exaggerated for the full effect) illustrate each point and technique.
The final section deals with some of the remaining elements needed to create animation. By equating animation with any other film medium, it describes basic composition and the essential timing of the action. It ends by very briefly touching upon character design and computer-assisted animation.
All in all, this book is a well-rounded overview of most elements of animation production for budding artists. (Unfortunately, this books glosses somewhat over the real grunt work of inbetweening and cel inking, which is where the majority of employed animators knuckle down and start their careers.) Even cel collectors who have no interest in entering the industry can use the book to identify the pencil drawings and yellow time sheets slipped between their cels, classify their cels by terms used in the industry, or decipher the timing and motion indicator marks on the pencil drawings.
Make no mistake; if you are looking to break into the anime industry, you stand a better chance of success by actually enrolling in YAG or another animation school (the Frazier technique), walking into your favorite studio with a portfolio (the Kawamori technique), or creating your own studio (the Anno technique) than by relying solely on this book. As it is though, this book excels as a reference to the avid animation enthusiast as well as an introductory guide for the aspiring animator.

DRAWING ANIME (Anime no Kakikata)
PRODUCED BY KITAZUME HIROYUKI, OKUDA ITSUSATO,
IZUMI AKIHIRO IN COOPERATION WITH
YOYOGI ANIMATION GAKUIN (Institute)/A.I.C
133 PAGES
ISBN4-7661-0914-7
GRAPHIC COMPANY
25 JUNE 1996
1650 YEN