Mecha
Mechanical
Design refers to the design of all non-organic elements, including but not
limited to giant robots, planes, cars, weapons, buildings, streetlights,
telephones, and even beer cans! Yes, everything down to the most miniscule
object is painstakingly rendered as accurately and with the most obscure
detail as possible.
Anime designs are often based on real world designs and often even branded
with real world logos like the motorcycle from Akira pictured above. Even
fantasy designs like the beautiful Macross VF-1 Strike Valkyrie also pictured
above was based on a F-41 Tomcat. This dedication to realism helps to connect
the anime to the real world and is a testimony to the otaku nature of the
animators themselves. In fact, many of the most famous mechanical designers
were engineers in college, before pursuing careers in the anime industry!
Also, a major influence in anime design is Hollywood, specifically the design
work of Syd Mead, a
futurist and designer whose work on films like Blade Runner and Aliens
inspired many anime creators as seen in Bubble Gum Crisis and Akira. Syd Mead
is so highly regarded that he has done design work for Gundam and Yamato, two
of the most famous and highly regarded Science-Fiction anime series. |
