There are many different types of fans regarding cartoons. Some love children's cartoons and can't understand the visual appeal of Japanese anime. Some love anime and only anime, and will not watch any animation not from Japan. Some are dedicated fans to one or two anime shows, and declare themselves fans of anime without having seen much of what the medium has to offer. But I think that these fans all (or at least those who can count more than a couple favorite shows) at least have some fascination or understanding to how animation is made.But "Shirobako" was a bit of a phenomenon when it was broadcast between 2014 and 2015. The story loosely followed five young women, friends since high school, all working in (or trying to enter) the anime industry. This is more of a sub-thread in a show that revolves entirely around the production of an anime, the characters of "Shirobako" being the entirety of the staff, from directors to animators to producers. This isn't the first anime to focus on the production of anime/games/manga, but I don't think any take the subject matter so literally. Through "Shirobako," we see a fictional company through every step of the process, from bidding for new projects, to character design, to storyboarding, to voice casting, to keyframes, to in-between, to outsourcing, to 3D modeling, to voice acting, to editing, to broadcast. I already knew the individual steps in making an animated film or show, but never had an idea of what it might be like in a team of dozens of people. This show provides some insight into the long hours, the endless meetings, the scheduling conflicts and conflicting personalities and agendas. Naturally, it's a stressful business, but every character has a reason to want to be a part of it. Despite being fictional, the writers based many of the secondary fictional studios, directors and artists on real people, some easily recognizable by anime fans, others lesser-known easter eggs that you can have fun researching.Given the subject matter and the attention to detail lifted from the current state of the industry, it's understandable why many fans and critics deemed "Shirobako" the best anime of its year. It helps that the characters are all young adults entering the workforce, NOT high school kids, appealing to a different but still relatable demographic. However, even though I live and breathe animation, I couldn't help but find the first several episodes surprisingly boring. The details of the animation process are spelled out and repeated, sometimes through two imaginary mascot characters from the mind of the lead producer, making the show feel like an educational video rather than an anime with a story. The show references current trends against 2D and 3D animation, as well as the pre-digital way of animating, all of which instantly dates the show (although this makes it the most important "cultural" anime of its decade). Most of the characters are frustratingly one-dimensional, and in some cases annoying. More irratating is how about half of the characters feel grounded and real, both in their acting and design, and the other half feels like chirppy, high-pitched, exaggerated characters with traits that make them feel like... well, like they belong in an anime. It doesn't help that there is no English dub available for the show, so details and conversations come faster than most people could properly read. Despite the detail and unique character designs, the visuals were surprisingly bland, and the animation as well was held back.But I couldn't stay mad at "Shirobako" for long. The characters do grow on you as the first production comes to a close, and you can't help but root for the studio when they get close to the finish line. By the second half of the series, the studio takes on a new production, and somehow the show got a lot funnier, perhaps because of the new characters introduced, or because less stress was induced in the early months of the animation process. Some of the scenes nearly made me fall out of my chair, making it one of the most geniunely funny shows of its season. The different story threads, from lack of confidence as a key animator to the struggle to break into voice-acting, all come to a predictable but satisfying close in the final episodes. If I was only mildly interested during the first few episodes, then I was cheering by the final scenes.
What I take out of all of this is that animation in real life is a stressful, boring affair with little time for sleep, but it is also one of the most magical professions in real life. For a love of the craft, "Shirobako" is a special series that deserves a place on everyone's shelf, especially for those who are at all fascinated with what the industry is like. It can also be a chore to watch, and isn't nearly the masterpiece it was taken as upon its initial release. However, not many shows can portray the hardships of starting a career and keeping the magic alive after getting a dream job, and even if it is written from the pretty vineer of an anime, it rings true, making this a great choice for mature young adults to watch.