When did this become the music thread? Well I remember when they released that "Brook Special" CD that had 13 tracks to correspond with Thriller Bark so we might see a "mini" soundtrack like that down the road if we keep getting these mini pieces.
O-chan
Is Tanaka Kouhei still doing music for the franchise? It's been so long since the cartoon used any new music I have to wonder.
She/Her
Not many seem to be aware of this, even I wasn't until relatively recently, that One Piece actually has two composers. Tanaka appears to be the main one, but there's also a person named Shiro Hamaguchi who's listed beside him in the credits. I know the latter is credited for pretty much all of the action pieces in Movie Z.
~Stargazer~, ~Distance~ original stories.
3DS Friend Code: 2234-8294-8917
@Yuugi's:
Is Tanaka Kouhei still doing music for the franchise? It's been so long since the cartoon used any new music I have to wonder.
Not many seem to be aware of this, even I wasn't until relatively recently, that One Piece actually has two composers. Tanaka appears to be the main one, but there's also a person named Shiro Hamaguchi who's listed beside him in the credits. I know the latter is credited for pretty much all of the action pieces in Movie Z.
Yeah, also the anime gets new music everytime a new movie comes out. I think it's a common misconception among One Piece fans that we had 3 or 4 actual TV soundtracks and then somewhere around Alabasta they "stopped" when in actuality the movie soundtracks have always bled over into the main series since the first movie came out (which was after Usopp's intro arc). A good majority of music from Water Seven was Movie 6's soundtrack, Enies Lobby was Movie 7 and 8, and so on. Just like now that Z is out I wouldn't be surprised if Punk Hazard had a LOT of music from that movie.
My point is the movie soundtracks are, pretty much, the soundtrack for the TV series as well.
O-chan
Check out my artwork and my musings here:
Shiro Hamaguchi did some catchy pieces for the Final Fantasy series, though I wonder which specific tracks he did for One Piece.
[h=2]below is a screenshot of a scene of episode 581.[/h] 
I was curious about how close the anime is to overlapping with the manga, so I did a little research.
-Last week's episode, the first episode of the Punk Hazard arc (579) aired 11 months after the chapter's release (655). Currently 39 chapters away from the manga (694)
In comparison:
-The first episode of the time-skip (517) aired exactly 1 year after the chapters release (598). At the time it was 43 chapters away from the manga (641)
-During Enies Lobby, episode 278 aired just under 7 months after the chapter's release (399). At the time it was 29 chapters away from the manga (428).
The episode/chapter distance is currently similar to the start of the time skip, a little closer though, so we will definitely get the same pacing as Fishman Island for Punk Hazard, if not a little slower.
I can't see that pacing will pick up from 1episode1chapter for this arc. Unless the current manga arc finishes soon, with room for filler to fit in, or if there is a hiatus.
Toei isn't cutting it as close as they have been, but it will certainly make this arc a lot less enjoyable, what with the amount of action which is intended to be fast paced.
Things will get really bad if Oda takes more breaks. A lot of the current chapters have barely enough content to fit an episode as it is.
Wow. No wonder Enies Lobby got so slow in the second half. I remember the first half having a lot of 2 chapter/episode episodes.
I've never quite understood why they want to be a year behind the manga. What exactly is the "danger zone"?
@Galaxy:
What exactly is the "danger zone"?
I'd say Enies Lobby was the danger zone, those needless flashback episodes followed by the excruciatingly slow second-half of the arc, followed by some filler before setting off.
I'm not sure if the previews cut into episode time, but I'm sure the extra 15 seconds of the preview will help _a little.
EDIT:_ Would anyone happen to know how long the average production time of an episode from start to finish?
Now that I think about it, I think the real danger zone is when the distance between the manga and the episodes are almost equal or less than the production time of an episode. I'm guessing maybe 3 months to produce an episode?
The generic number I've seen is three months an episode. I believe I read somewhere that episode #521 (the one with Ootsuka Ken) took six months, although it wasn't exactly that impressive an episode so I'm a bit skeptical.
EDIT: It's not unheard of to simply run up to the comic, though. Bleach episode #366 aired only a few weeks after chapter #479 was released. I believe it was also noted that Toei Animation received Toriyama's names (rough drafts) on Dragon Ball. Dragon Ball Z episode #89 adapted chapter #311 (published February 18, 1991) and aired on May 1, meaning Toei and Studio Live churned out the episode in about nine or so weeks.
I'm not sure if the previews cut into episode time, but I'm sure the extra 15 seconds of the preview will help _a little.
EDIT:_ Would anyone happen to know how long the average production time of an episode from start to finish?
Now that I think about it, I think the real danger zone is when the distance between the manga and the episodes are almost equal or less than the production time of an episode. I'm guessing maybe 3 months to produce an episode?
I don't think the previews cut into anything. They are only shortened when Toei decides to throw an ad at the end for something.
3 months does sound about right, with certain exceptions as mentioned with Episode 521.
How close was Bleach to the manga when it got canceled? That would be the true "danger zone". (Not sure if it got canceled due to ratings, or just due to being too close to the manga.)
Would anyone happen to know how long the average production time of an episode from start to finish?
Now that I think about it, I think the real danger zone is when the distance between the manga and the episodes are almost equal or less than the production time of an episode. I'm guessing maybe 3 months to produce an episode?
"An episode airs about four weeks after we finish it."
"There are an average of three hundred shots in a roughly 22-minute tv episode, but only about one month is allotted to complete the animation for the entire episode from start to finish."
"An episode airs about four weeks after we finish it."
- A TAP employee
"There are an average of three hundred shots in a roughly 22-minute tv episode, but only about one month is allotted to complete the animation for the entire episode from start to finish."
- Cindy Yamaguchi
Considering it's a TAP employee, then he is talking about inbetweening. There are some episodes which are finished at the last week. You could clearly tell from some rare previews.
So they mean the animation part only. I think the storyboard have to be made first, then the script, then the ep gets animated, after that adding music and VA recording Which take a while as well, which leaves it around an average of 3 months. With some exceptions.
There is a lot of things as well, which I don't have the time to check what they are.
I guess there's no problem with the latest eps. :D The animation has been far better than it was before :D And you can bet , its gonna get better and better in The New World :ninja:
Nothing special in the animation department. Maybe it's just the crappy upload, but the colors haven't been very good in a long time.
She/Her
@Yuugi's:
Nothing special in the animation department. Maybe it's just the crappy upload, but the colors haven't been very good in a long time.
Yeah. They've been using brighter colors ever since 517.
Here's the HD preview from last week (tomorrow's episode), which is basically the same animation.
@Yuugi's:
Nothing special in the animation department. Maybe it's just the crappy upload, but the colors haven't been very good in a long time.
You know, I made a nice little discovery this week. Normally I watch the feed off of onepieceofficial.com because that gets the episodes the fastest but I've always been disappointed by the lack of HD quality. Yesterday I used my WiiU to watch last weeks episode off of Hulu Plus and the quality was dramatically improved. I think I might start making that my primary source to watch One Piece on.
O-chan
581 was superb in the animation department. Hopefully it'll stay at this constant level of goodness for a good while.
Edit: Quick animation question. In episode 152 when the whirlpool is first shown, the animation changes to a cgi ish look. What in the world was that?
Yeah, it was a step up from the past few episodes. Still, nothing impressive, not that it required anything impressive.
Also, Kazuya Hisada's role as Chief AD is coming into play, I noticed his touches throughout the episodes.
Yeah, it was a step up from the past few episodes. Still, nothing impressive, not that it required anything impressive.
Also, Kazuya Hisada's role as Chief AD is coming into play, I noticed his touches throughout the episodes.
I think I have a good idea what you mean but could you elaborate on what his specific touches are?
O-chan
Check out my artwork and my musings here:
If I may say the anime looks good what you can say for marineford,fishman,shabondy, and more
hope they will keep it that way and maybe the change is because Hisada? I hope!
I actually thought they did Sabaody quite well.
Fishman Island was terrible though.
@Galaxy:
I actually thought they did Sabaody quite well.
Fishman Island was terrible though.
Sabaody didn't feet my expectations I thought it will be top animation.
Sabaody had many moments of great animation.
The only episode that i felt was lackluster there was the one where the crew beat the first PX.
@o-chan & @Mr. Luffy
By touches, I meant his charachter design, and I think he might have fixed some frames here and there. It's hard to say for sure, but some of the characters looked on model compared to the usual Takagi.
I think Takagi manages to draw Luffy good sometimes, so it's a bit tricky. But, it's rare to see a good looking Zoro or Nami.
It bothers me how Takagi draws Zoro, and with this episode I noticed a difference. specially the chin and face width.
!
It doesn't look like Hisada drew it from scratch, but it looks like correction.
Usual Zoro by Takagi. Round edge.
!
!
Takagi style makes the faces look wider.
Takagi doesn't draw Nami's face properly most of the time, she doesn't look cute at all in his style, but she looked different in 581, well for this cut only.
!
Usual Nami by Takagi.
!
Possible corrections by Hisada from 581
!
Sabaody had many moments of great animation.
The only episode that i felt was lackluster there was the one where the crew beat the first PX.
He means Return to Sabaody.
Jesus, that serves to remind me that I've fallen so, so far behind in compiling those reference sheets for the animation directors.
Speaking of, we haven't seen Ide for quite a while, have we? Same with Shimanuki to a lesser extent. I wonder if Murakami was brought back to replace one of them for a time?
Also, has a key animator list for Z been released (or leaked) yet? The animation for
! Z purging his arm reminded me of Hisashi Mori's style a bit, so I'm curious to know whether he worked on the movie or not.
~Stargazer~, ~Distance~ original stories.
3DS Friend Code: 2234-8294-8917
So, is Hisada being the new Chief Animation Director a permanent thing now or is it just a temporary position?
I think it's permanent given that he's credited as both character designer and chief animation director simultaneously. Whenever he was the chief AD in the past, like in 575, his credit for that position was separate.
Shimanuki and Ide are probably working on Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. If not as key animators than as Animation Supervisors.
Shida worked on Smile PreCure! #47 from what I've heard, but he might also still be working on Battle of Gods, so I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't return to One Piece soon.
@Galaxy:
He means Return to Sabaody.
I'm not sure about that, he just said Sabaody.
2nd Sabaody was, what, 5 episodes. There was only one (super short) fight that required better than average animation, and it was fine.
@o-chan & @Mr. Luffy
By touches, I meant his charachter design, and I think he might have fixed some frames here and there. It's hard to say for sure, but some of the characters looked on model compared to the usual Takagi.
I think Takagi manages to draw Luffy good sometimes, so it's a bit tricky. But, it's rare to see a good looking Zoro or Nami.It bothers me how Takagi draws Zoro, and with this episode I noticed a difference. specially the chin and face width.
!
It doesn't look like Hisada drew it from scratch, but it looks like correction.Usual Zoro by Takagi. Round edge.
!
!
Takagi style makes the faces look wider.Takagi doesn't draw Nami's face properly most of the time, she doesn't look cute at all in his style, but she looked different in 581, well for this cut only.
!
Usual Nami by Takagi.
!
Possible corrections by Hisada from 581
!
Okay, now I can make commentary on this. Somewhere in between the Duval mini-arc and Marineford Hisada refined his style to be more in line with the manga. It became really obvious in Luffy's profile and how his eyes looked (it's hard to describe but Hisada tended to not connect Luffy's pupils to the line of his top and bottom eyelid) which helps me discern Hisada's style. The general idea from this post is that the overall character designs look more streamlined and less "clay-like" which they have been for awhile now.
O-chan
I know what you mean, that's how I used to recognize him as well. but I think he refined his style now.
Speaking of, we haven't seen Ide for quite a while, have we? Same with Shimanuki to a lesser extent. I wonder if Murakami was brought back to replace one of them for a time?
Also, has a key animator list for Z been released (or leaked) yet? The animation for
! Z purging his arm reminded me of Hisashi Mori's style a bit, so I'm curious to know whether he worked on the movie or not.
yeah, definitely. They might be doing some assistance animation direction.
Yeah, a partial list is out. and I already know what some of the best animators have done, but I was waiting for the bluray release to share the info.
Anyway, that was indeed Hisashi Mori,
! he have done as well the strawhats wearing the final gear, Zoro vs. Ain finisher, and Kizaru's final attack on Z.
! Sato told me that Shintani was responsible for the ship interior battle with Z, hence why he only worked once on FI, I think this is his best work so far. He also told me that Ishigami, Mr. Park(still figuring out who), and Yamashita (Kaneda style animator) were responsible for the second luffy vs Z.
! The awesome Onishi did his best work so far, and that was the battle of Z vs Kizaru.
! Umakoshi did the final fist fight probably starts after Z's recollection to the conclusion.
There is a lot more, but let's just wait for the bluray.
Yamashita? As in Megumi? O.o Awesome. She was trained by Kanada style animators, so it'd make sense she could help out there.
It's also nice knowing who did the fight inside the Sunny's galley. That was one mean fight.
She/Her
@Yuugi's:
Yamashita? As in Megumi? O.o Awesome. She was trained by Kanada style animators, so it'd make sense she could help out there.
It's also nice knowing who did the fight inside the Sunny's galley. That was one mean fight.
lol, No, Megumi is an average animator. I meant 山下将仁 Masahito Yamashita, he is a mecha animator, he is old school.
I also think he did
! Franky Shogun Vs. PX-Z fight. I'm 95% sure.
Ah, I see. It would be a little strange, considering how much she's been working on the TV series. 
I can barely notice Ishizuka's style, Probably Hisada's new role have something to do with this(But I don't see Hisada touches). Or she didn't do a good job this ep.
Probably she is not having her usual team.
Alabasta Arc had the best Art and Animation in my opinion. I like re-watching that arc just because of how good the art was.
When the preview for 584 will be out?
When the preview for 584 will be out?
I guess will not come out Friday and Saturday, perhaps from now on will only come out on Sunday with new episode out
Fuck so episode 583 will be almost full filler
When the preview for 584 will be out?
It fluctuates between Thursday morning and Friday morning. Sometimes they don't upload it until early Friday morning, so I don't get a chance to upload it until just before I go to school, and sometimes they do it early Thursday morning, which I also upload at the same time.
If you don't see it in here Thursday, then assume Friday.
So, I wonder if the One Piece half of Dream 9 Toriko & One Piece & Dragon Ball Z Chou Collaboration Special!! will get a good budget and staff? Typically Toriko's gotten the bulk of the good animation with the last two specials. I also wonder if Yamamuro Tadayoshi will be involved? He's been an Animation Supervisor on both shows and is the current Dragon Ball character designer. So much to consider, I can't wait for more info!
Yeah, this will definitely look good, well part of it at least, let's just hope by April, nothing important happens around the special.
