Art and Animation: Jetlag Productions' The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The animation appears smoother in this GIF than in the movie

I mentioned in the introduction to this review that the animation was produced in Japan. Japanese animation is typically limited. While there is a place and certainly a market for that, it's not really my thing and I can accept that.

What I can't except is laziness, which this particular production screams of. Frames are repeated frequently and motion is kept to a minimum.Cost saving techniques like mouth flapping and close ups also are present. While these quirks are good for cutting costs, it's terrible for audience engagement.

The animation is in a sort of uncanny valley, far from fluid motion, bur also not quite lifeless.

Artistically, it fairs a bit better. The coloring is consistent and vibrant, which is surprising for such a low rent production. There are a few background paintings which are quite nice. They're not anything memorable, but the backgrounds are well done and easy on the eyes. Character design, while also not spectacular, is serviceable. Unlike most of the adaptations made to cash in on the Disney film, Jetlag Productions do not directly take inspiration (rip off) Disney's character design.

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