John what information do you have on anime production cells?

bytes · September 22nd, 2006, 06:49 AM

I bought a production cell at Otakon in Baltimore this year and thought I would like to buy more. I have read a few sights on the web warning of fakes and I have even found one or two that actually sell them. Do you have any reputable places you could suggest? Also is their a big market for production cells in Japan? I absolutely love Japanese artwork and have been following anime since the 70s with Star Blazers and Speed Racer. I thought it would be a nice addition to my office to have some cells framed and on the walls.

Thanks!

Dessa · September 22nd, 2006, 07:50 AM

At-convention dealers you can generally be assured are legit, since most conventions have anti-bootleg rules. I don't know of any specific online dealers (I buy my cells at-con), but you could ask in the conventions forum for people going to cons to get business cards of the cell dealers and post their websites.

Any behind-the-scenes info on cells I can give ya, though, considering I had to learn all about it as an animation student.

**John** · September 22nd, 2006, 10:02 AM

In my experience, production cel dealers will honestly tell you whether or not a cel is an actual original production cel or a commercial reproduction if you ask.

There really aren't that many online places dealing in production cels any more. There are fewer collectors now, largely because most of the current Japanese industry doesn't use acetate cels any longer.

Nichibei Anime Club is still around, but they've always been a bit pricey.

Also check out Animanga Services.

Paul Soth · September 22nd, 2006, 10:10 PM

Of course, there is a market for production art. Such as the key-frame line art that's scanned for digital coloring and editing.

bytes · September 23rd, 2006, 05:22 AM

Thanks for the information. I am not really up on how anime are created these days I just enjoy watching them. Is their any method of getting offical prints of the stuff the do on computers as that sounds like how it is done now?

Dessa · September 25th, 2006, 07:25 AM

Actual production cells of digital animation don't exist, of course, but some series do have prints that are made, but I've never seen ones that look like cells, and I don't know how to find those.

**John** · September 25th, 2006, 01:46 PM

As Paul Soth mentioned, these days most production studio artists hand draw "genga" colored pencil sketches on paper. Those colored pencil sketches are collectable. The color pencil sketches are scanned and colored and animated with PC software programs like Adobe Painter in order to make modern anime. So mostly, the only hand drawn and hand painted anime art still made today is:

genga colored pencil sketches

hanken cels (the hand painted promotional art cels used for CD and DVD covers and original art in magazines like Newtype and Animage)

background art

(But some anime is still completely hand made. For example, Sazae-san is still created in the traditional way, with 50 animators hand painting production cels.)

September 22nd, 2006, 06:49 AM	#1
bytes Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 2	John what information do you have on anime production cells? I bought a production cell at Otakon in Baltimore this year and thought I would like to buy more. I have read a few sights on the web warning of fakes and I have even found one or two that actually sell them. Do you have any reputable places you could suggest? Also is their a big market for production cells in Japan? I absolutely love Japanese artwork and have been following anime since the 70s with Star Blazers and Speed Racer. I thought it would be a nice addition to my office to have some cells framed and on the walls. Thanks!

September 22nd, 2006, 07:50 AM	#2
Dessa Ojamajo Ham~Ham Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Lost Jerusalem Posts: 279	At-convention dealers you can generally be assured are legit, since most conventions have anti-bootleg rules. I don't know of any specific online dealers (I buy my cells at-con), but you could ask in the conventions forum for people going to cons to get business cards of the cell dealers and post their websites. Any behind-the-scenes info on cells I can give ya, though, considering I had to learn all about it as an animation student. __________________ Shade and Sweet Water, Dessa XenoDomain, Home of the Rorupurei Gakuen RP Sakura-Con: The Northwest's Premier Anime Convention "Now, now, don't be rude to the cosplayers" -Hakkai (Gensomaden Saiyuki) "Help my Obi John Kenobi your my only hope" -ZeroRyoko1974 (Ask John Forum) "Birds fly, fish swim, I destroy gnosis by touching them." -chaos (Xenosaga Episode I, paraphrased)

September 25th, 2006, 07:25 AM	#6
Dessa Ojamajo Ham~Ham Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Lost Jerusalem Posts: 279	Actual production cells of digital animation don't exist, of course, but some series do have prints that are made, but I've never seen ones that look like cells, and I don't know how to find those. __________________ Shade and Sweet Water, Dessa XenoDomain, Home of the Rorupurei Gakuen RP Sakura-Con: The Northwest's Premier Anime Convention "Now, now, don't be rude to the cosplayers" -Hakkai (Gensomaden Saiyuki) "Help my Obi John Kenobi your my only hope" -ZeroRyoko1974 (Ask John Forum) "Birds fly, fish swim, I destroy gnosis by touching them." -chaos (Xenosaga Episode I, paraphrased)

September 22nd, 2006, 10:02 AM	#3
John Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,105	In my experience, production cel dealers will honestly tell you whether or not a cel is an actual original production cel or a commercial reproduction if you ask. There really aren't that many online places dealing in production cels any more. There are fewer collectors now, largely because most of the current Japanese industry doesn't use acetate cels any longer. Nichibei Anime Club is still around, but they've always been a bit pricey. Also check out Animanga Services.

September 22nd, 2006, 10:10 PM	#4
Paul Soth Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 23	Of course, there is a market for production art. Such as the key-frame line art that's scanned for digital coloring and editing.

September 23rd, 2006, 05:22 AM	#5
bytes Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 2	Thanks for the information. I am not really up on how anime are created these days I just enjoy watching them. Is their any method of getting offical prints of the stuff the do on computers as that sounds like how it is done now?

September 25th, 2006, 01:46 PM	#7
John Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,105	As Paul Soth mentioned, these days most production studio artists hand draw "genga" colored pencil sketches on paper. Those colored pencil sketches are collectable. The color pencil sketches are scanned and colored and animated with PC software programs like Adobe Painter in order to make modern anime. So mostly, the only hand drawn and hand painted anime art still made today is: genga colored pencil sketches hanken cels (the hand painted promotional art cels used for CD and DVD covers and original art in magazines like Newtype and Animage) background art (But some anime is still completely hand made. For example, Sazae-san is still created in the traditional way, with 50 animators hand painting production cels.)