"Sakuga", when translated into English, literally means "drawing pictures". Sakuga is known for being the moments in anime where the animation is at its most fluid, which is why it's typically reserved for the most important moments in a show. There are several talented key animators to call on during these moments, many of whom have a specialty unique to their craft.
While most shonen anime are known for making use of sakuga for flashy fight sequences, there are several other anime of different genres that make use of it in quieter moments. Here's a look at some key animators who are best known not for flashy fight scenes, but for the moments that come with everyday life.
Tetsuya Takeuchi (Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou)
Tetsuya Takeuchi, also known as the "One-Episode Man" is known for his expressive style that makes use of limited animation. As his moniker suggests, he's animated entire episodes on his own from start to finish. One such example would be Episode 10 of Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou, which many viewers noted to have a different art and animation style compared to the rest of the series. It really showcases Takeuchi's abilities as an animator, with some of the most fluid and intricately animated scenes in the entire series.
In addition to that episode, he also animated the entire opening sequence for that season, which can be viewed above. His style is best utilized for scenes that bring out a character's personality, such as lively hangouts with friends or a girl blushing and fidgeting around her crush. Takeuchi's expressive style allows for even seemingly simple movements, like shaking one's head or putting on a coat, to give viewers a proper impression of the character's personality. He's the ideal person to call on for making a simple conversation look artistic.
Ryouma Ebata (Princess Principal, Madoka Magica)
Ryouma Ebata is probably best known for his stylistic walk cycle, which many of his fans have lovingly coined as "the Ebata walk." For 2D and 3D animators alike, the walk cycle is one of the hardest parts of the animation process to perfect, but Ebata has somehow managed to hone his skills well enough to be the go-to guy for a nice, clean walk.
His lines and movements often appear clean and crisp, sometimes appearing as sharp and fast or soft and bouncy when needed. Ebata has also animated several opening and closing themes on his own, with his style often blending in best with slice-of-life and magical girl anime -- especially if said series has cute girls in it.
Nami Iwasaki (A Silent Voice, Violet Evergarden)
Nami Iwasaki was an animator associated with Kyoto Animation who started at only 21 years old. She specialized in animating expressions -- especially for emotionally charged scenes -- and was a gifted character animator. From the way a character's eyes begin to crinkle as tears start to form, to the way their mouths tilt up to a smile, Iwasaki knew just how to best express a character's emotion in a way that felt realistic.
Her understanding of human expression and emotions allowed for the scenes she animated to deliver more emotional impact and made the characters seem much more relatable to the audience. Iwasaki tragically passed away during the arson attack on Kyoto Animation on July 18, 2019. Her works will continue to touch and inspire the hearts of many.
Masayuki Nonaka (Wonder Egg Priority)
Masayuki Nonaka is a character animator through and through, successfully nailing down the proper movements that come from everyday conversations. He's always able to convey a character's emotions from simplistic mouth movements to loud and animated gestures. Nonaka has mostly worked on slice-of-life anime like Wonder Egg Priority and The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, but even during the few times he's animated for action anime, it has always been moments that showcase simple movements rather than a flashy fighting sequence.
By focusing on little details like hand gestures or using the right character angles, Nonaka brings a sense of realism to the way characters move and act. Whether the characters are expressing happiness, anger, sadness or panic, Nonaka nails the proper acting for any possible emotion and does so in a way that would make any on-screen actor want to take notes.
Megumi Kouno (idolm@ster)
Megumi Kouno is an animator who's best known for dynamic movement and actions. Be it running, kicking, dancing or singing, Kouno has managed to animate all of these types of actions beautifully. The way she animates movement is often bouncy, with hair rising and falling realistically, often accompanied by dynamic camera action to give the viewer a perfect seat to all the action happening on screen.
She's also incredibly gifted at animating transformation and dance sequences, which are some of the most difficult and time-consuming actions to animate. This is especially notable in her work on the idolm@ster series, which is known for never utilizing 3D animation for its dance sequences, a feat very few idol anime have accomplished.
In fact, because dancing sequences in particular are so difficult and take so much time to complete, most anime prefer using 3D animation instead. So if Kouno is involved with a project, especially an idol-related one, the viewer can rest assured they will be in for a visual treat and some well-animated dances.
Takashi Kojima (Your Lie in April)
While Takashi Kojima has done his fair share of action sequences, he's just as talented at crafting scenes that involve simple day-to-day activities, as best showcased in his work on Your Lie in April. Even some of the sillier and more comedic moments in One Piece feature his personal touch in the way that characters move a little more smoothly when talking excitedly or making silly gestures.
Like Kouno, Kojima is also talented at animating dance sequences, especially the hand gestures, although he interestingly hasn't worked on many idol-related anime. He's a truly versatile animator, able to properly craft scenes that fit any mood and any possible genre from action to slice-of-life.
Sakuga is essential to any anime, regardless of genre. During moments of happiness, sadness, anger or during moments when the characters go about their everyday lives, it's a tool meant to make the cast appear more relatable. There are many more excellent key animators out there, and anyone interested in learning more about them is welcome to check out more of their works through sakugabooru.