This anime was made with a video game engine

 

Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) has brought countless video games to life, but now, this development engine is being applied to improve the anime production process. Japanese studio Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab is at the forefront of this new approach, and the results of using UE5 in anime production can be seen in their series "I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability."

In an extensive interview with Weekly ASCII, the president of Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab and producer of "7th Prince," Tsukasa Sakurai, explained how the production process was very different from that of a conventional anime series. "For most TV anime series, the script and directing/storyboarding team are usually different for each episode, but for this show, the same people worked on all the episodes," Sakurai commented. In addition, the same staff was able to work in areas that would normally be handled by separate specialists, all thanks to the use of Unreal Engine 5.

«We don't have a team for 3D, but a production system where everyone can work in different conventional processes using Unreal Engine 5," Sakurai explained. The idea of using Unreal Engine 5 came about when Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab participated in the Japanese government's Anime no Tane program in 2021, an initiative to increase the skills of young animators.

Sakurai discovered a demo of UE5 on YouTube and asked Naoki Tozuka, who is now responsible for series composition and art direction for "7th Prince," to try using it to animate the background of a scene in the short film they made for the project. The result was successful. "From this, we were convinced that anyone could use it, so we decided to incorporate it into our production process for TV series," Sakurai explained.

Unreal Engine 5 is relatively easy to learn compared to specialized 3D computer graphics tools. This accessibility makes it easier for anime creatives to make 3D models and backgrounds, allowing all team members to work together in a sequence.

They can also see how any changes affect work in real-time (rather than rendering after each change), making it easy to test new ideas freely. This also allows animation staff to instantly implement any changes based on the director's feedback, a process that conventionally could take days.

Overall, they found that using Unreal Engine 5 sped up the production process and improved the quality of the final product. "The funds team is responsible for the backgrounds, 3D background modeling, and 2DCG graphics for the monitors," Sakurai clarified. "The drawing team can also work on all aspects of computer animation."

The director also uses Unreal Engine during the storyboarding stage, which is similar to conducting a location scouting for an anime. The animations are inspected by the team that made the original drawings, which is unusual. It seems that Unreal Engine 5's ease of use makes it easy for everyone to be on the same page.

Naoki Tozuka explained that all backgrounds for the "7th Prince" anime were created in 3D with Unreal Engine 5 (except for the image backgrounds used to express the characters' inner thoughts and emotions). To give an idea of what this looks like in the development stage, Tozuka uploaded a test video on Twitter, showing a 3D landscape model created in Unreal Engine 5.

• «I'm (Naoki) Tozuka, in charge of the series composition and art direction of '7th Prince'. This is a test video of the scene where the barrier (animated by the animation team) escapes from the mansion, which is a 3D model created by the Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab background team. It was made in UE5."

Why is it a curiosity that the Unreal Engine 5 has been used in the production of an anime?

The curiosity lies in the fact that Unreal Engine 5 is a tool predominantly used in the video game industry, known for its ability to create highly detailed and realistic 3D environments in real time. Its use in anime production is innovative because traditionally, Japanese animation has followed a very specific set of techniques that do not usually include video game tools.

The fact that UE5 is relatively easy to learn and allows for real-time changes makes it a valuable tool for anime production, breaking away from the traditional fragmentation of roles in the creation process. This methodology not only speeds up the production process but also improves the quality of the final product by allowing for greater creative control and faster implementation of necessary changes and adjustments.

• «With the advancement of technology and changing methods, work has become more efficient. In addition, people who originally used other methods have learned these new techniques. I think it's a positive thing."
• «Wow, who would have imagined that a game engine would be the best solution for anime creation. It has a better interface than specialized 3D programs and real-time rendering... Well, yes, it's true. With the increase in machine specifications, this could be truly revolutionary."
• «With the introduction of the physical engine in anime production, equipment can be downsized, efficiency improved, and high quality obtained. Add to this the AI, and it will surely reduce the time and number of people needed even further."
• «Unreal Engine has already saved companies in the video game industry, such as Square Enix, which wasted nearly a generation trying to make games with its own engine. Now, it has finally made its way into the anime industry."
• «It's quite interesting. Unreal Engine, how much does it cost more or less?"
• «I thought the balance in the animation was very good, perhaps because of the efficiency achieved. Although the script had some inconsistencies towards the end, overall, it was a good work."
• «It was interesting. The anime industry is also changing at an incredible rate."
• «Traditional animators have discovered UE5. Great! UE5 is really suitable for hand-held animation production. It is ideal for artists (not engineers). And if the Odyssey.Iliad hand-animation support plugin improves, there would be nothing more to ask for."
• «As someone who's been doing scenes with UE for a long time, I've always wondered 'why aren't they using it?' for almost ten years now."
• «I heard that starting with UE5.4, the license for non-gaming uses will be about 200,000 yen per person. Will they still use it?"
• «A famous example of the use of Unreal Engine in a weekly anime is 'No Guns Life', but in this case, it has been used in a special way. Up until UE5.3, it's free to use for animations, so if you only need the basic features, that's more than enough."
• «So that was it. There are a lot of anime where the 3D parts don't fit well, so hopefully there will be more of these."
• «Wow, this allows the individuality of the staff to stand out more and is interesting."
• «I see, you don't need to render every time. The animation director and directors can make corrections directly."

Source: Automaton Media