Renowned anime director Makoto Shinkai took to his official X account on May 30, 2024, to express his admiration for the latest Uma musume Pretty Derby anime film, titled Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning Of A New Era.
In his tweet, Shinkai praised the film’s cel animation, describing it as a perfect example of how animation should be done. He also commended the sound design, direction, writing, and especially the film’s color palette.
“I just watched the movie ‘Uma Musume Pretty Derby: New Era’s Door’ without knowing anything about it, and it was absolutely stunning. It exemplified how cel animation should be, with truly remarkable visuals. The sound, direction, and storytelling were all executed with a confident touch. What moved me the most was the color design.“
He was particularly impressed by the interplay of light and shadow in key scenes, such as the opening underground tunnel sequence and the intense race scenes.
One aspect that caught Shinkai off guard was the sudden inclusion of a live performance within the film. Despite his initial surprise, he found it incredibly enjoyable, likening the experience to encountering a different culture.
“The interplay of light and shadow in the opening underground tunnel scene and the race scenes, which made the view feel narrow and almost suffocating, were electrifying. I was also taken aback by the sudden live performance, but it was incredibly enjoyable, like encountering a different culture. I’m so glad I watched it!“
Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning Of A New Era film hit the Japanese theatres on May 24, 2024.
It is animated by CygamesPictures and directed by Ken Yamamoto, with Kiyoko Yoshimura writing the scripts, Tetsuya Kobari supervising the scripts and serving as scenario director, Jun Yamazaki designing the characters and serving as chief animation director, and Masaru Yokoyama composing the music.
Source: X