How was Aku no Hana's rotoscoping received by other animators?


In the anime version of Aku no Hana, the animators chose to use a technique
called [Rotoscoping](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotoscoping):

> Rotoscoping is an animation technique in which animators trace over footage,
> frame by frame, for use in live-action and animated films. Originally,
> recorded live-action film images were projected onto a frosted glass panel
> and re-drawn by an animator. This projection equipment is called a
> rotoscope, although this device was eventually replaced by computers.

This resulted in the animation looking more realistic and quite different from
typical anime, as pictured below.

![Example](https://i.stack.imgur.com/I3E4V.jpg)

Online, I've seen both love and hate for the style, but I'm wondering: Have
any Japanese animators commented on it? [According to
TVTropes](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Rotoscoping), it has a
bad reputation in the West with animators such as [Richard
Williams](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RichardWilliams) and
[Milt Kahl](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DisneysNineOldMen), but
it makes no mention of Japanese animators.




There's not much information out there, perhaps because it is bad practise to
criticise fellow animators. But there is information from the people who were
involved:

Firstly, [The mangaka](http://justputithere.wordpress.com/2013/04/27/aku-no-
hana-hana-ga-saita-yo-kai-notes/) was satisfied with the way the anime was
animated, and [the studio](http://sgcafe.com/2013/08/interview-with-mappas-
masao-maruyama/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=interview-with-
mappas-masao-maruyama) itself was happy with the outcome, wanting [realism
without making it completely live action](http://www.japanator.com/aku-no-
hana-s-hiroshi-nagahama-talks-flowers-evil-28789.phtml) and wouldn't be
opposed to doing it again with another series, mentioning that Mushishi would
be a good candidate for the style.

Vertical Inc., who publish the manga in English, have also stated their
support for the stylistic adaption - [Vertical Inc. Tumblr](http://vertical-
inc.tumblr.com/post/47480925580/blog-post-on-the-flowers-of-evil-anime)

The industry as a whole isn't opposed to rotoscoping in the industry, Kuuchu
Baranko also implemented it for one character's appearance and there was
little outroar on the internet

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0W4Vr.jpg)

Kids on the Slope also used the technique for animating the characters playing
instruments, most notably the drums;

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iUJCH.gif)

It also wasn't the target of much negative feedback either.

Personally, I think that if a large unconvential stylistic choice was made for
an entire anime, there will always be negative feedback, and that makes a lot
more noise than positive ones.




There's not much information out there, perhaps because it is bad practise to
criticise fellow animators. But there is information from the people who were
involved:

Firstly, [The mangaka](http://justputithere.wordpress.com/2013/04/27/aku-no-
hana-hana-ga-saita-yo-kai-notes/) was satisfied with the way the anime was
animated, and [the studio](http://sgcafe.com/2013/08/interview-with-mappas-
masao-maruyama/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=interview-with-
mappas-masao-maruyama) itself was happy with the outcome, wanting [realism
without making it completely live action](http://www.japanator.com/aku-no-
hana-s-hiroshi-nagahama-talks-flowers-evil-28789.phtml) and wouldn't be
opposed to doing it again with another series, mentioning that Mushishi would
be a good candidate for the style.

Vertical Inc., who publish the manga in English, have also stated their
support for the stylistic adaption - [Vertical Inc. Tumblr](http://vertical-
inc.tumblr.com/post/47480925580/blog-post-on-the-flowers-of-evil-anime)

The industry as a whole isn't opposed to rotoscoping in the industry, Kuuchu
Baranko also implemented it for one character's appearance and there was
little outroar on the internet

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0W4Vr.jpg)

Kids on the Slope also used the technique for animating the characters playing
instruments, most notably the drums;

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iUJCH.gif)

It also wasn't the target of much negative feedback either.

Personally, I think that if a large unconvential stylistic choice was made for
an entire anime, there will always be negative feedback, and that makes a lot
more noise than positive ones.

