Realism

Junketsu no Maria (Maria the Virgin Witch)

One of the most important aspects of creating a high quality animation is making it feel realistic. If an animation makes the viewer feel like they are seeing another world then it has succeeded in its realism.

The quality of the designs of characters and scenery isn't necessarily the main factors in making an animation realistic. Designs can be average or very simple but so long as the movements of the characters are realisctic nothing else matters.

Animations made by studios like Studio Ghibli are a good example. The design of normal human characters may seem rather simplistic but it succeeds at creating a realistic world. Tiny details such as putting on shoes would be animate simply by most studios. However, in the film Spirited Away when the main girl character Chihiro puts her shoes on she doesn't simply slip them on. Hayao Miyuzaki (writer and director) makes sure that Chihiro puts them on like an actual little girl, i.e. she adjusts them so that they are comfy on her feet before running off.

This is shown at 5:36 on the following video:

 As shown in the very first image, Junketsu no Maria (Maria the Virgin Witch) presents a very realistic and authentic depiction of medieval warfare (specifically The Hundred Years' War). Besides an element of magic the weapons used, armour and clothing worn in the series are what you'd expect from that era and are used appropriately. The witch shown in the first image looks out of place because she is out of place. Not only the way she is dressed and her magic but how she tries to end the war which, in those days, no one would understand why you would do that.

Junketsu no Maria, battle scene depiction of The Hundred Years' War

Junketsu no Maria does well not to go towards unrealistic fantasy. The image to the left below, Guts the Black Swordsman, shows an example of an unrealistic weapon. Even if the character was able to pick up such a huge sword such a weapon would be incredible unbalanced and impossible to wield. The image to the right shows what is realistic and possible. The size of the sword shows it should have a reasonable amount of weight (light enough to wield but heavy enough to counter and attack enemies), it's not bulky and components like the guard isn't oversized but is still enough to provide protection. The knight is even shown to be fully protected with armour which is preferable. Guts however has gaps unprotected by armour like his head and especially his right arm which should be an obvious target for enemies. He has already lost his left arm so he should be more protective of his other arm!

Here is a video which explains fully how Junketsu no Maria shows realism with weapons, armour and fighting:



Weight is also an important factor to show realism so that it is believable.

Hair blows easily in air to show it is almost weightless.

Dress isn't completeley weightless so it sways gently.

The following video shows how important weight is within action sequences in the anime series Grimgar to make it feel real. It even shows emotional weight, like a heavy burden e.g. death of a loved one. The characters and background designs portray a very detailed world along with a storyline that has greater thematic depth than other anime, again increasing the realism. The very first fight scenes isn't portrayed as simply good versus evil but kill or be killed. They depict this by showing the humanity of the enemy (Goblin) in his struggle to survive just as much as the main characters, who show the weight of grief at the reality of killing another intelligent creature.