The animated music video example that I have chosen to showcase today is the opening title for season one of “Beastars”, a Netflix original anime series based on popular manga series by Paru Itagaki (板垣 巴留).
This opening theme song titled “Wild Side” is composed and arranged by the multinational hip-hop/funk band “ALI” (Alien Liberty International), with lyrics by Imamura Leo and Inoue Jin. (Wild Side (Romanized) – ALI | Genius Lyrics) Unlike the anime itself, (animated in 3D by Studio Orange) this opening sequence was animated by “Dwarf Studios” in stop-motion. (Beastars -by Dwarf Studios | Stop Motion Magazine) I have seen Michiya Katou cited as the Director, storyboarder, and editor. I have also seen in an interview with Studio Orange producer Waki Sumitaka; ”We asked Michiya Kato of Cyclone Graphics to create this stop-motion animation” (クリエイターのこだわりを体感せよ！「『BEASTERS』展～東宝×オレンジの世界～展示会」 – れポたま！)
This may be down to a translation error, and for posterity, I will also be listing the unspecified names I found at the bottom of the opening posted on YouTube; Chikahiro Kobayashi, Ayaka Senbongi, Yuki Ono, Atsumi Tanezaki, Junya Enoki, Yuma Uchida, Takeo Otsuka, Naoto Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki Shimotsuma, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Fukushi Ochiai, Takaaki Torajima, Sayumi Watanabe, Genki Muro, Yuichi Iguchi, Yuko Hara, Ikuto Kanemasa, AkaneOuchi, Hibiki Yamamura, Sakura Ando, Akio Otsuka, Mitsuaki Hoshino, Keno Horiuchi.
Beastars as an anime series is already unique in its animation style; mostly 3D CG method with a lower framerate, and some 2D aspects incorporated. There has been some critique on the visual look, but it has a clean, expressive look making the adjustment bearable. This makes for the unique choice of an opening even more delightful in its rarity.
A stop-motion opening to an anime is unheard of, and the way they tell a story is incredibly cinematic and beautiful. The character animation is fluid, charming, and expressive. I don’t think it’s inaccurate to say that many anime (or any series opening in general) are less thoroughly planned out, and simply show cleaned-up scenes or showcase the characters. This certainly isn’t a problem but compared to the Beastars season 1 opening depicts the stories’ main conflict in a meaningful and visually exciting manner.
Part of the reason I adore this music video/opening so much is its attachment to the anime (I love the story), but the sheer artistry of this stop motion influences my love as well. It’s fluid, dramatic, and beautiful. It encapsulates the beats of a story I love and tells us the overarching theme in minutes.
Wild Side (Romanized) – ALI | Genius Lyrics
Beastars -by Dwarf Studios | Stop Motion Magazine
クリエイターのこだわりを体感せよ！「『BEASTERS』展～東宝×オレンジの世界～展示会」 – れポたま！
Studio Orange addresses the gripes about CG use in anime
Beastars (TV Series 2019– ) – Series Cast & Crew – IMDb