View source for Production of Pokémon animation

This is a page that describes various terminology surrounding the production of the Pokémon series.

==BANK==
BANK animation, typically just referred to as '''BANK''', is an instance of partial or wholesale animation re-use in a 2D animated production,<ref name=IwaneCitation>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231211153755/https://twitter.com/animator1965/status/1405885886345093131 Pokémon animator Masaaki Iwane defining the term BANK on Twitter.]</ref><ref name=IwaneCitationMarshmallow>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231211153930/https://marshmallow-qa.com/messages/421946cc-cd25-4eaf-bbb6-3e572000f473?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=answer Pokémon animator Masaaki Iwane using the term BANK in response to a question on Marshmallow.]</ref><ref name=TagakiCitation>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231211154111/https://twitter.com/hamohamohamo/status/1108647396827779072 Pokémon director Hiroaki Takagi referencing the term BANK in a conversation on Twitter.]</ref> whether that be direct re-use of the original animation, or by tracing existing animation to be used again.<ref name=SakugaBooruTags>[https://sakugabooru.com/wiki/show?title=tag_guidelines Reference to the tags of SakugaBooru, which is the home for highly praised animation within the Japanese industry. Each tag is used to define something specific within an upload to the site, with all having an explanation on this page.]</ref> For instance, [[Z-Moves#In the anime|Z-Moves]] that are used in the anime will often look identical upon being used again, due to the complexity of the motion and camerawork involved. Occasionally, BANK animation is made a little less obvious, as it can also be used to describe the re-use of animation between different Pokémon, characters and scenes than the original animation was used for.

{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color}}; font-size:80%"
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| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:Harley Cacturne.png|x250px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:BANK Animation example.png|x250px]]
|-
| {{color2|000|AG103}}
| BANK in {{color2|000|AG121}}
|}

Very rarely, whole content may majorly comprised of BANK animation, such as "recap episodes" (often produced to save time and put the project further ahead of schedule) or, in the instance of [[M14]], is due to the choice to split one movie into two similar ones.

{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color}}; font-size:80%"
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| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:BANK Animation Example M14 Black.png|x250px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:BANK Animation Example M14 White.png|x250px]]
|-
| {{color2|000|M14}}'s opening<br>(Black)
| {{color2|000|M14}}'s opening<br>(White)
|}

==Genga==
'''Genga''', (Japanese: '''原画''' lit. ''"original pictures"'') is a term used to describe the Key Animation drawings used in 2D animation,<ref name=ANNCreditsFeature>[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2016-03-16/your-ultimate-guide-to-anime-ending-credits-part-i/.99852 Your Ultimate Guide to Anime Ending Credits: Part I -- by Kevin Cirugeda, ANN.]</ref> which take place after the layout phase.<ref name=SakugaBlog></ref> They are the moments that define the motion within a cut of animation drawn by the Key Animator, and are often corrected by those higher up on the production team, such as Animation Directors,<ref name=HiroyukiKitakobo>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213031949/https://twitter.com/LawofGreen/status/768781927100747777 Animator Hiroyuki Kitakobo referencing early use of the term Animation Director at Studio BONES.]</ref> (also referred to as Animation Supervisors)<ref name=ANNCreditsFeature></ref> Chief Animation Directors, or Character Designers.<ref name=SakugaBooruTags></ref> They are then traced by '''in-between''' (Japanese: '''原画''' ''douga'')<ref name=ANNCreditsFeature></ref> artists, who also draw the missing frames following the notes left by the Key Animator for timing and frame-pacing.

Occasionally, this production material is released officially,<ref name=GengaHZ31>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213032543/https://twitter.com/anipoke_PR/status/1730104372208730289 The JP AniPoké Twitter uploading the Genga for E31 of Pokémon Horiozons.]</ref><ref name=GengaHZ32>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213032621/https://twitter.com/anipoke_PR/status/1732641086424973703 The JP AniPoké Twitter uploading the Genga for E32 of Pokémon Horiozons.]</ref> and in some instances, by staff on the series after their work has been completed. 

As can be seen below, the color of each line or filled material represent a different intent when the artwork is to be colored. It shares these colors and their definitions with can be found in the [[Appendix:Glossary (Production)#Settei|Settei section.]]

{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color}}; font-size:80%"
|-
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{electric color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:HZ Genga E015.jpg|x250px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{electric color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:Iono Horizons.jpg|x250px]]
|-
| Genga from [[HZ015]] <br> by [[Masaaki Iwane]]<ref name=IwaneSoloAnimate>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230905123110/https://fullfrontal.moe/nakano/ Interview with Satoshi Nakano explaining that Iwane is still a solo-animator.]</ref>
| The final outcome in [[HZ015]] 
|}

''A list of Genga uploaded to Bulbapedia can be found '''[[a:Category:Genga|here]].'''''

==Layouts==
A '''layout''' is a term for the immediate next step of the animation process following a storyboard.<ref name=SakugaBlog></ref><ref name=SakugaBooruTags></ref> Now that a cut or scene has been planned out, it is up to the job of an animator to create a layout that acts as the skeleton of the scene, for artists to follow when further down in the production line. These often feature more intense detail, depth and perspective than the initial storyboard. When compiled, layouts are often animated with rudimentary motion of specific parts in order to aid animators in the next immediate step.<ref name=SakugaBooruTagLayout>[https://sakugabooru.com/post?tags=layout+ SakugaBooru tag showing various layouts drawn by animation staff.]</ref>

Additionally, the context of what defines a layout may change depending on where the production is held. For instance, western artists may refer to layouts and storyboards interchangeably, including use of the term '''animatic.'''<ref name=Animatic>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213032757/https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-an-animatic-definition/ What is an Animatic - How To Bring Your Storyboard to Life --
by Brent Dunham, studiobinder.]</ref>


{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color}}; font-size:80%"
|-
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:PE06 Layout.png|x250px]]
|-
| Layout from {{color2|000|PE06}}
|}

==Sakuga==
'''Sakuga''', (Japanese: '''作画''' lit. ''"sakuga"'') <ref name=SakugaBlog>[https://blog.sakugabooru.com/glossary/ Reference to Sakugablog's glossary, which contains a variety of references from the most prominent JP animation community online]</ref> is the term used to refer to Key Animation. Amongst both animators and the animation community, it is often used as slang to refer to high quality or otherwise exceptional cuts of animation.<ref name=SakugaBooruTags></ref>

==Settei==
'''Settei''', (Japanese: '''設定''' lit. ''"setting materials"'') is a term used to describe detailed reference material of designs, objects and locations from a variety of angles given to artists in order to create consistent and accurate work. This is integral for both 2D and 3D artists alike.<ref name=SakugaBooruTags></ref><ref name=SakugaBooruTagSettei>[https://sakugabooru.com/post?tags=settei+ SakugaBooru tag showing various settei drawn by animation staff.]</ref>

Often, the settei officially released by [[The Pokémon Company]] in various art books are slightly different than the original settei, as can be seen below with [[Hapu]] from [[Pokémon Sun and Moon]].

{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color}}; font-size:80%"
|-
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:Hapu concept art.png|x250px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:Hapu concept art USUM Art Book.jpg|x250px]]
|-
| Sun and Moon Artbook
| Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Artbook
|}

In settei for animated productions, where flat colors are used, the color of each line or filled material represent a different intent when the artwork is to be colored, further arming the artist using the settei with additional context to aid their work.

* '''Black Lines''' are used for lines that are not meant to disappear when colored.
* '''<span style="color:#f46b65">Red</span> Lines''' are often, though not always, used for specific particular color fills, such as highlights from exterior lighting within a scene whenever applicable.
* '''<span style="color:#88a6fc">Blue</span> Lines''' best denote a division between a dark and light area, used for shadows. They're invisible when the figure has been fully painted or colored.

* '''<span style="color:#000000; background:#70df90">Green</span>''' or '''<span style="color:#000000; background:#9aebec">Blue</span> Fills''' are used for shadowed areas.
* '''<span style="color:#000000; background:#fffdbc">Yellow</span> Fills''' denote areas that serve as highlights.

{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color}}; font-size:80%"
|-
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:M12 Arceus Settei Comparison.png|x300px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:Iono anime expression sheet.png|x300px]]
|-
| A comparison of two poses from different settei sheets of Arceus from {{color2|000|M12}}<br>to best illustrate the purpose of differently colored lines and filled areas
| {{color2|000|Iono}}'s settei from ''{{color2|000|Pokémon Horizons: The Series}}''
|}

==Sprites==
A '''sprite''' is a two-dimensional bitmap texture in a game, as an image that is part of an otherwise larger scene. Regarding Pokémon, the term '''sprite''' was often equated with pixel-art until the release of [[Pokémon X and Y]], where the series made a transition to full 3D. Nevertheless, sprites persist in the games to this day, usually in the form of UI objects or other two-dimensional game assets, such as textures.<ref name=BDSPMenuSprite></ref> An asset is still considered a sprite even if it is a 2D interpretation of a 3D model, so long as the asset itself is two-dimensional.<ref name=LADexSprite></ref>

{| border=1 width="100%" class="sortable roundy" style="margin:auto; background: #FFF; border:3px solid #49392f; border-collapse:collapse; text-align:center"
|-
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{dark color dark}}; background:#{{ghost color}}" | [[File:Spr 5b 442.png]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{dark color dark}}; background:#{{ghost color}}" | [[File:442MSBDSP.png|x150px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{dark color dark}}; background:#{{ghost color}}" | [[File:Spr 8a 442.png|x150px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{dark color dark}}; background:#{{ghost color}}" | [[File:Mdl 8 BDSP 442.png|x150px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{dark color dark}}; background:#{{ghost color}}" | [[File:0442Spiritomb.png|x150px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{dark color dark}}; background:#{{ghost color}}" | [[File:Grudge VII.png|x150px]]
|-  style="background-color: #{{white color}}"
| {{pcolor|Spiritomb|000}}'s sprite from<br>{{color2|000|Pokémon Black and White Versions|Black and White}}
| {{pcolor|Spiritomb|000}}'s menu sprite from<br>{{color2|000|Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl|Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl}}<ref name=BDSPMenuSprite>Opening the Unity assetbundle from a romfs dump of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond defines '''pm0442_00_00_00''' as a ''Sprite'', as located in the '''texturemass''' file found at '''\romfs\data\StreamingAssets\AssetAssistant\UIs\textures_mass''', done using [https://github.com/Perfare/AssetStudio AssetStudio.]</ref>
| {{pcolor|Spiritomb|000}}'s {{color2|000|Pokédex}} sprite from<br>{{color2|000|Pokémon Legends: Arceus|Legends: Arceus}}<ref name=LADexSprite>Opening '''pokeicon_l_0442_000_000_n_00000000_fn_n.btnx''' from a romfs dump of Pokémon Legend Arceus defines it as a ''Texture'', file found at '''\romfs\bin\appli\res_pokemon\icon_pokemon_l''', done using [https://github.com/KillzXGaming/Switch-Toolbox Switch Toolbox.]</ref>
| {{pcolor|Spiritomb|000}}'s model from<br>{{color2|000|Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl|Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl}}<ref name=BDSPModel>Opening the Unity assetbundle from a romfs dump of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond defines '''pm0442_00_00_BodyAomoteSkin'' as a model ''Mesh'', as located in the '''pm0442_00''' assetbundle found at '''\romfs\data\StreamingAssets\AssetAssistant\Pokemon Database\pokemons\common''', done using [https://github.com/Perfare/AssetStudio AssetStudio.]</ref>
| {{pcolor|Spiritomb|000}}'s artwork from<br>{{color2|000|Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions|Diamond and Pearl}}
| A screenshot of {{pcolor|Spiritomb|000}} in<br>{{color2|000|Pokémon Sun and Moon|Sun and Moon}}
|-
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|}

==Storyboards==
[[File:Evolutions E07 Storyboard.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A part of [[PE07]]'s storyboard drawn by [[Tetsuya Wakano]], depicting a [[Kimono Girl]] and her {{p|Espeon}}]]
[[File:SME89 Ekonte.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A part of [[SM089]]'s E-konte drawn by [[Masaaki Iwane]]<ref name=SM89Ekonte>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213034153/https://twitter.com/you_director/status/1091922667941163008?t=87IbncVfI7kxhRKpakknPQ E-Konte, drawn by Masaaki Iwane, posted by Yuji Asada]</ref>]]
'''Storyboards''' are the one of the earliest types of minimal production material used for various media to allow artists to better visualize scenes that are going to be developed further, typically by background artists, modelers, animators or a compositing team.<ref name=SakugaBlog></ref><ref name=SakugaBooruTags></ref> They often, though not always, come after settei in the production line. With productions that involve 2D animation, they precede the layout phase.<ref name=KianaMaiPTTPBoards>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213033103/https://twitter.com/kianamaiart/status/1692241395258646910 Kiana Khansmith's Path to the Peak storyboards.]</ref> In Japanese productions, this is as part of the '''E-konte'''<ref name=JPWikiEKonte>[https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B5%B5%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86 Japanese Wikipedia page for E-konte, lit. 絵コンテ]</ref> (Japanese: '''絵コンテ''' lit. ''"drawing continuity"'') which is a sequenced series of storyboards that include specific details to assist with the process further down the production line, including planned dialogue and acting instructions.<ref name=SakugaBooruTagStoryboards>[https://sakugabooru.com/post?tags=storyboard SakugaBooru tag showing various storyboards drawn by animation staff.]</ref>

Additionally, the context of what defines a storyboard may change depending on where the production is held. For instance, western artists may refer to storyboards and layouts interchangeably, including use of the term '''animatic.'''<ref name=Animatic></ref>

{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color}}; font-size:80%"
|-
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:Horizons E12 Storyboard-1.jpg|x250px]]
| style="{{roundy|2px}} border:2px solid #{{white color dark}}; background:#{{white color light}}" | [[File:Path to the Peak E02 Storyboard-1.png|x250px]]
|-
| colspan=2 | Storyboard from {{color2|000|HZ012}} by {{color2|000|Yoshikazu Miyao}} compared to {{color2|000|PTP02}} by {{color2|000|Kiana Khansmith}}
|}
{{-}}

==Unreleased game material==
[[File:GoldDemoTitle.png|thumb|Title screen of the [[Pokémon Gold and Silver Spaceworld '97 demo]] prototype]]
A variety of terminology is used to describe various states of unreleased, or preliminary material.

The term '''prototype''' is the most general term used to refer to material of this nature, and covers any and all content prior to a game's release, {{wp|Video Game Development|particularly in the pre-production period.}} This can include, but is not limited to; completely unreleased games, such as {{OBP|Pokémon Picross|Game Boy Color}}, publicly playable demos prior to the release of the final game, such as the [[Pokémon Gold and Silver Spaceworld '97 demo]], physical production material that later goes unused (concept art, unreleased settei etc.) or private source code, even including entire development repositories.

'''Beta''' is a term used to describe a significant period during a game's development in which a game's overall functionality is included, (and to a lesser extent, optimized) prior to the final debugging phase, though is still largely unfinished.<ref name=MicrosoftBeta>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213034547/https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/games-apps/game-setup-and-play/understanding-betas-demos-and-trials#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20beta%20(or,to%20help%20test%20their%20game. Microsoft giving their definition of a Beta or Alpha on their Xbox site.]</ref><ref name=EABeta>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213034716/https://help.ea.com/en-gb/help/faq/what-is-a-closed-beta/#:~:text=In%20the%20beta%20stage%20of,mission%2C%20and%20some%20online%20multiplayer. Microsoft giving their definition of a Beta their site.]</ref> It is not used to refer to unreleased game material from every instance of development prior to the release of the final game.
{{-}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Terminology pages|production]]