The Initiation of a Pakistani

Style of Animation

By

Rumaisa Mughal

Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture

The Initiation of a Pakistani Style of Animation

By

Rumaisa Mughal

This Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

degree of BACHELOR OF COMMUNICATION DESIGN, from Indus

Valley School of Art and Architecture.

Internal Advisor : Tazeen Hussain

Arshad Farooqui

External Advisor : Khurram Khan

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION DESIGN

INDUS VALLEY SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE KARACHI PAKISTAN

2010

“Can the Initiation of a Pakistani Style

of Animation be Beneficial?”

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people because of whom this

dissertation became possible. First and foremost I would like to thank my advisor Tazeen

Hussain whose patience never wore off despite my stubbornness especially towards the

anime aspect of my dissertation. She backed me up at every point and supported me

throughout. Writing this research paper would have been impossible without the

overview and guidelines provided by Miss Aisha Dar - so a big thanks to her. My deepest

gratitude to Khurram Khan, my external advisor who guided me and put me on track, his

genuine concern encouraged me to strive for the best. I would also like to thank all my

interviewees who took time out from their busy schedules and shared their experience

and knowledge with me regarding this research paper. Last but not the least, the support

provided by my family and friends was the only thing that kept me going; particularly my

brother who I constantly annoyed and without whose encouragement and help I would

have given up. Thank you bhyya!

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1. ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3. LITERATURE REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3.1. Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3.2. Entertainment’s vis-à-vis Human Psyche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3.3. Pakistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3.4. India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3.5. France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3.6. Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3.6.1. Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

3.6.2. Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3.6.3. Influence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

3.6.4. Impact on Viewers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

5. ANALYSIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

6. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

8. APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

8.1. Appendix A

8.1.1. Interview with Khurram Khan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

8.1.2. Interview with Muzummil Ruheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

8.1.3. Interview with Khurram Alavi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

8.1.4. Interview with Saima Zaidi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

8.1.5. Interview with Omar Farooq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

8.2. Appendix B

8.2.1. Anime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 8.2.2. Pakistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

M U G H A L 1

L I S T O F F I G U R E S

Fig. 1: Multiple Cels used for drawing. (Page 10)

Dat Was Een Super DOmper! Web. 10 June 2010.

<http://www.kermitthefrog.co.uk/kaiga/artwork/artwork_preview_b1.htm>.

Fig. 2: Farooq Qaiser with his puppet Uncle Sargum (Page 12)

"Putli Tamasha/Puppet Shows." Lahore Metblogs. Web. 10 June 2010.

<http://lahore.metblogs.com/2005/09/16/putli-tamashapuppet-shows/>.

Fig. 3: Nigar Nazar‟s Gogi (Page 13)

"Gogi's Place - Goodbye!" Gogi's Place - Welcome! Web. 10 June 2010.

<http://www.gogicomics.com/exit.html>.

Fig. 4: Screenshots from the music video “Freestyle Dive” (Page 14)

Way... The. "YouTube - Sajid & Zeeshan - Freestyle Dive." YouTube -Web.

10June 2010.<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CgM0yDkU>.

Fig. 5: Commander Safeguard (Post Amazers) (Page 15)

"Commander Safeguard New Video Exclusive» KhailTamasha"KhailTamasha

Web. 10 June 2010. <http://khailtamasha.com/main/sports/pakistan/2414-

commander-safeguard-new-video-exclusive.html>.

M U G H A L 2

Fig. 6: Milkateer (Sharp Images) (Page 15)

BEST CARTOON TV SHOWS IN PAKISTAN." 3d Animation Studio in

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Digital Media Works. Web. 10 June 2010.

<http://www.sharpimageonline.com/web_tvshow_2008/home.htm>.

Fig. 7: Screenshot from Knorr Noodle Pot (H2O) (Page 16)

"YouTube - YouTube - Knorr Quest For The Noodle Pot Epsiode2.flv."

YouTube Broadcast Yourself.Web. 10 June 2010

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgaMok0nE>.

Fig. 8: Screenshots of Bankay Mian Qawaal (Page 16)

"Pakistani Funny Character Bankay Mian." Rafaqat. Web. 10 June 2010.

<http://rafaqat.com/pakistani-funny-character-bankay-mian/>.

Fig. 9: India‟s Hanuman and Ghatotkoch (Page 17)

"Hanuman Cartoon." Kohei-amarantos. Thewowconspiracy.com. Web.

<http://kohei-amarantos.thewowconspiracy.com/style/blog_sg/10060803/

hanuman-cartoon/>.

Fig. 10: Triplets of Belleville, Fears of the Dark and Persepolis. (Page 17)

"In Your Arms – French Animation « Swaleff.com." Swaleff.com.Web.

10 June 2010. <http://swaleff.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/in-your-arms-french-

animation/>.

M U G H A L 3

Fig. 11: Cinematic technique in Osamu Tezuka‟s Astro Boy (Page 19)

Susan J. Napier. "Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animatione."

ANIME from Akira to Princess Mononoke (2001). Print.

Fig. 12: Variation in strokes, an influence of Japanese calligraphy (Page 20)

"Bleach." Cartoon. Bleach. Video.

Fig. 13: Impressionistic background, enhancing the mood of the scene (Page21)

"Bleach." Cartoon. Bleach. Video.

Fig. 14: Large anime eyes, an inspiration from Bambi and Betty Boop (Page 21)

The Official Betty Boop Site. Web. 10 June 2010.

<http://www.bettyboop.com/forums/>.

Fig. 15: Various exaggerated facial expressions. (Page 22)

"Anime" Cartoon. Video.

Fig. 16: Range of camera angles and movements. (Page 22)

YouTube-Broadcast Yourself. Web.10 June 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/>.

Fig. 17: Various Anime Merchandise (Page 23)

"Anime Merchandise." Dannychoo.com - Your Portal to Japan. Web. 10 June

2010. <http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25297/Anime Merchandise.html>.

M U G H A L 4

Fig. 18: Screenshots from Hollywood‟s Animatrix and Kill Bill. (Page 24)

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 10 June 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/>.

Fig. 19: Cocomo (Sharp Images) (Page 33)

BEST CARTOON TV SHOWS IN PAKISTAN." 3d Animation Studio in

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Digital Media Works. Web. 10 June 2010.

<http://www.sharpimageonline.com/web_tvshow_2008/home.htm>.

Fig. 20: Milkateer (Sharp Images) and Ratatouille (Pixar) (Page 33)

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 10 June 2010<http://www.youtube.com/>.

Fig. 21: Chase (Putrajaya, Malaysia) and Mayfair Candy (Sharp Images) (Page 33)

Ahmad Hafiz, Nasrul Hakim, Chan Yi-Hann, and Mohd Rukhairy. "Chase."

Cartoon. Youtube. MMU Cyberjaya. Web.

<,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWpAbMaOuH4>.

Fig. 22: Ding Dong Bubble (Hong Kong) & Paddle Pop Ice Cream (Sydney) (Page 35)

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 10 June 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/>.

Fig. 23: Screenshots from various Indian animations (Page 36)

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 10 June 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/>.

M U G H A L 5

A B S T R A C T

Entertainment is essential and generalizable to all age groups and classes

whereas Animation is a very vast medium with promising potential. Pakistan is a

developing nation and right now it needs investments which bear fruit in the future and

animation can prove to be an ideal platform in that regard. Japan is perhaps an apt

example of that as it can be witnessed how anime has globalized and promoted Japan‟s

image and also provided boost to its economy. Pakistan‟s animation industry, still in a

prolonged embryonic stage, faces a number of unfortunate circumstances and thus, a

medium presenting endless possibilities has been restricted to the box of commercialism.

We must surpass the boundaries of human perception, enter the realm of imagination

and conceive creations that reflect our culture, tradition, values and beliefs. Creating a

stylistic identity for Pakistan should be given utmost importance. An animation style

which is unique to Pakistan should be pursued so that it would help promote the country

and helps us be recognized in the international market.

M U G H A L 6

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Animation is an essential medium of communication in the 21st

century. Various

countries use animation for different purposes and it is believed that the animation

industry will take over film eventually and there will no longer be a need to hire actors.

Therefore, the rapid growth and importance of this medium cannot be ignored.

Animation first originated in the west in the 1930's. Mickey Mouse being the

first Disney cartoon was followed by more characters as its popularity increased. The

cartoons were mainly made for children but they captured the attention of the general

public as well since the medium was new and exciting. As time passed and they became

popular, other countries started adopting it too. Japan thought of this as a great

opportunity, adapted their idea and evolved it to present a new, entirely Japanese style of

animation called Anime. Not only their illustration style but also their content reflected

Japanese culture, beliefs and history, making it a purely Japanese cartoon.

West allocated this medium solely for children‟s entertainment while Japan went

a step ahead and started producing cartoons for all age groups on various subjects like

fantasy, real life drama, deception, romance and action. Many other countries, France

and India for example, followed this trend and became very successful in achieving their

unique styles.

Like stories or films, these cartoons became so influential that people started

adopting them, by idolizing characters and imitating them. The messages in these stories

M U G H A L 7

were also well communicated, picked up and followed which shows that having one‟s

own style of animation can prove to be quite beneficial for a country‟s promotion and

recognition.

My dissertation is about the importance of animation mainly as a medium of

entertainment for Pakistanis and how affective it will be in conveying ideas and

messages. Initially, I will briefly talk about animation in general, the importance of

entertainment and the popularity of animation as a medium of entertainment. Later in the

same chapter, all sorts of local works in the commercial and non-commercial arenas are

explored showing that we lack neither talent nor technology. A glance at the animation

styles of France and India while studying Japan‟s animation industry and its evolution in

depth will give an insight to how having a unique style has been advantageous to these

countries and whether or not, following the same path would be beneficial for us.

Discussions with different professionals like Khurrum Khan, Khurram Alavi,

Saima Zaidi and Omar Farooq proved to be very helpful in answering my queries such

as; why we are stuck in the realm of commercialism, why do we not possess our own

style of animation and if we do initiate how beneficial a proper animation industry will

prove to be for Pakistan‟s promotion in various areas.

Considering the limitlessness of this strong medium animation should be used to

tell stories, communicate messages, instill values, discuss issues and reach hearts but

unfortunately in Pakistan it is majorly being used only to sell products. Pakistan

possesses talent but people are not ready to experiment and the clients refuse to risk

doing something new which is why we keep on producing the same atypical style over

M U G H A L 8

and over. Additionally, animation brings with it a number of benefits. First and

foremost, what cannot be shown in real life like fantasy for example is taken care of

through this medium. It has also cut down the cost of extensive sets in filmmaking.

Material that is either very controversial or impossible to shoot like sexual abuse or

biological features can now easily be achieved. Places that cannot be visited and people

that cannot be hired are no longer an issue. It may also turn out to be a highly influential

way to promote and propagate a country's traditions, culture, beliefs, values, history,

myths, language, ideology, events and more. Hence, anything and everything is possible.

M U G H A L 9

L I T E R A T U R E R E V I E W

Animation

Animation simply defined, is the movement of images in which, imagery and

motion are created and not recorded. Drawings are linked together in a series and

usually photographed. The drawings are slightly varied between individual frames so

that when played sequentially,1 they generate smooth and faultless illusions of motion.

(Bakst)

2D, 3D, cel2, model, and clay animation are just a few of the many types of

animation. cel animation is perhaps, one of the first and most widely used types of

animation. Though the movements created are constrained by the two dimensions of

height and width, the effect of perspective and depth can be created artistically.

In cel animation, a sheet of transparent cellulose acetate, also referred to as cel in

brief, is used as a medium for painting animation frames. It is made transparent so that it

could be laid conveniently over other cels or painted backgrounds, and then

photographed. Transparent overlays are used so that the character could be moved

without redrawing the background for each frame. (Bakst)

1 ideally 24 frames per second

2 a transparent sheet of celluloid on which objects are drawn or painted in the making of animated cartoons

M U G H A L 10

Fig. 1: Multiple Cels used for drawing.

Walt Disney‟s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was the first feature

length animated film to be released. Decades after its release CGI (Computer Generated

Imagery) revolutionized animation. Toy Story (1995) by Pixar was the first film done

completely in CGI.

No matter what the style, animation lays infinite power in hands of its creator by

merging all art genres into one. It blends art, storytelling, drawing, illustration, design,

graphics, sculpture, acting, staging, art directing and filmmaking into one wondrous

form capable of transforming the artist into a magician. It brings to life visions and ideas

freed of mental and physical gravity. Its only limitation perhaps is the creator‟s

imagination. It calls for fantasy, lore of tools and grasp of its infinite powers. In

exchange it offers total control over a world of artist's creation.

Entertainment’s vis-à-vis Human Psyche

In lexical terms, entertainment refers to a form of diversion. Entertainment may

refer to any activity, which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves

M U G H A L 11

in their leisure time. (Stormberg). There is no end to the problems we are subjected to

everyday, entertainment might just be a diversion from the daily hectic routine but its

importance cannot be ignored.

Entertainment through animation has gained wide acclaim from audience across

the globe. Considering its vast creative potential, it possesses the power to recreate

fantasies and draw us all out from our mundane realities. It makes us experience what

could not be experienced otherwise - sending its viewers on a mini expedition with a

bunch of awesome characters, travelling through space and time, seeking out new life

and new civilizations in other worldly dimensions or audaciously walking into uncharted

territories. What is critically essential is its ability to provide a kind of hiatus from our

bourgeoisie lifestyle while inspiring the willingness to change oneself and develop an

optimistic world view. (Sonia)

Pakistan

Pakistan being just 62 years of age though may not have a sound background in

animation or illustration, but does not imply either that we completely lack a stylistic

identity. The Pakistani Animation Industry is also starting to grow. In the last few years

media industry has experienced a great boom and lots of animations and quality post

production work has brought Pakistan at a level where we can easily compete with

the Asian markets. (Makin)

Entertainment has always been a prime objective of our showbiz. Puppets in this

regard, have been a very popular source of entertainment in Pakistan. They were

M U G H A L 12

introduced for the very first time by Farooq Qaiser. Though the traditional Putli

Tamasha had been out there since some time but what Farooq Qaiser conceived and

shared with the whole nation in the form of Uncle Sargum and Company was very

unique and far more interesting. Pakistan is among the very few countries that has its

own Puppet character or a show - our very own Kaliyaan. (Farooq Qaiser)

Kaliyaan was born in 1976, and ran from Rawalpindi station for four and a half

continuous years. It was popular for a number of reasons: It incorporated themes of

political satire, highlighted social issues, provided thoughtful entertainment to children

as well as teenagers and at the same time, Uncle Sargum always had a message to

convey. Somehow Farooq Qaiser managed to say things using his puppets which were

otherwise impossible to communicate to the masses during Gen. Zia‟s rule. (Farooq

Qaiser)

Kaliyaan has been going strong in some form or the other till today. The success

and popularity of such a show in our society proves that people are open to new ideas

and mediums as long as they are able to relate to the content and messages conveyed.

Fig. 2: Farooq Qaiser with his puppet Uncle Sargum

M U G H A L 13

It would be perhaps misleading to assume that no one today is working towards

constructing a Pakistani identity in the animation field. Nigar Nazar is one such

personality and the first woman cartoonist of Pakistan as well. In this field for over 30

years now, her highly expressive cartoons are an attempt to expose the inherent

hypocrisies of our society whereas; comical representations of these give it acceptance

within the masses.

Her character‟s name is Gogi. She first appeared in Karachi in the early 1970s

while her fashion sense kept evolving with the day‟s prevalent trends. Over the past

thirty years, Gogi has been internationalized and various representations exist not only

in Turkish, Libyan, and Russian languages, but also newspapers, periodicals and

television shows in Pakistan. Recently her cartoons have also been placed on the exterior

of seven buses in Pakistan. Nigar Nazar has also published two books, "Glad to Meetcha

Gogi" and "Gogi on the Go" which are a compilation of her comic strip.

Fig.3: Nigar Nazar‟s Gogi

Another noteworthy achievement in this regard is Pakistan‟s first animated music

video “Freestyle Dive” by Sajid and Zeeshan from Peshawar. It was directed by Zeeshan

M U G H A L 14

Pervez and released in 2005, and was nominated for the Best Music Video category for

quite a few renowned music awards of Pakistan. It also won the “Best Music Video”

category award at the First Indus Music Awards.

Fig. 4: Screenshots from the music video “Freestyle Dive”

Pakistan has quite a few animation houses that are producing good work

commercially in both the local and the international market. Commander Safeguard is

the first ever CGI (Computer Graphics Interface) movie made in Pakistan. It is

sponsored by Procter & Gamble Pakistan and is produced and animated by Post

Amazers to promote hand washing habits among children. The animated series was

created to augment the educational material on health and hygiene and it has proved to

be a huge commercial success so much so that in the light of Safeguard‟s success, other

products have tried their hand at creating an animated hero/mascot for themselves, albeit

unsuccessfully.

So far Commander Safeguard‟s 11 episodes of around 20 minutes have been

aired on many Pakistani Television channels. It is one of the most popular local TV

shows for children and has been very successful in conveying its message. It may not be

wrong to say that the Lower-Middle class setting of this show is a big reason for its

M U G H A L 15

success. The problems addressed and the language used is particularly relatable to the

target market. Since the basic message of the show is hygiene, it is targeted especially

towards the audience who needed to be taught about cleanliness. (Mitchell)

Fig. 5: Commander Safeguard (Post Amazers)

Similarly, Tetra Pack sponsored “Milkateer” is another popular series, which is

done by Sharp Images. The big idea of the show it to encourage people to drink

hygienically packed milk which they claim is the safest and healthiest choice for every

child around the country.

Fig. 6: Milkateer (Sharp Images)

M U G H A L 16

Knor‟s Noodle Pot is yet another new series produced by H2O productions. It is

based on 3 episodes and has very quickly gained a lot of popularity.

Fig. 7: Screenshots from Knorr Noodle Pot (H2O)

Bankay Mian is a character created by ICE Animations through motion capture3.

It is a small comedy sketch which is on-aired on Express News Channel. Bankay Mian

is qawaal with 3 members in his party. He is 50 plus and is a cynic figure. He comments

about the current social happenings and says it in a very cynical yet plain manner.

(Bankay Mian Ki Qawwali)

Fig. 8: Screenshots of Bankay Mian Qawaal

3 Term used to describe the process of recording movement and translating that movement onto a digital model.

M U G H A L 17

India

Animated films have started with their tryst with the Indian markets. Quite a

number of animated movies are being released every year along with the staple number

of Bollywood releases. Indian animation industry stood at US$ 1.5 billion in 2005 and it

is growing by the day. In 2006 India had 300 animation companies. According to

forecasts by NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies),

animation industry in India will grow beyond USD 1 billion by 2012 from an estimated

USD 494 million in 2008. (Report Linker)

Fig. 9: India‟s Hanuman and Ghatotkoch

France

The first French animated cartoon came out in 1908. Emile Cohl (1857-1938) is a

very important name in the French Animation Industry. (Chomet) The French have a

strong identity, just by looking at their animation one can tell that it is French and

neither British nor American. (Bell)

Fig. 10: Triplets of Belleville, Fears of the Dark and Persepolis.

M U G H A L 18

Japan:

Anime (ah-nee-may) is a Japanese word derived from the French word

“animated” and is known as “Japanese Animation”. Anime originated around 1917

while the term anime emerged in the 1970s. English-speakers referred to anime

as “Japanimation”, but this term now stands antiquated and has been replaced by the

term “Anime” globally. (Wikipedia)

Anime is basically the adaptation of manga on screen, which is the Japanese

word for comics. Anime is truly the Japanese form of animation and is generally

characterized by extremely stylized and exaggerated graphics and the use of vivacious

and vibrant colors. The graphics used depict energetic and dynamic characters that are

set in a large number of scenes and settings. (Pages)

Anime has been very successfully globalized which is perhaps one of the main

reasons for its popularity. The extent of globalization of anime can be measured by

studying its penetration into other societies which is why it is loved by people all over

the world and not just in Japan. Various obstacles have been overcome after the origin of

anime for example, the lack of Western looking actors made it almost impossible to

shoot films set in other countries or fantasy worlds, very much different from Japan.

Animation allowed artists to create all sorts of characters and settings. It is spanned over

many such genres that audiences in both east and west are accustomed to seeing in live-

action film; romance, comedy, tragedy, adventure, and horror, ranging from childhood

adventure to graphic pornography. Anime appeals to various types of audiences and

plays a notable role in Japanese popular culture. Anime not only presents a trans-cultural

M U G H A L 19

aesthetic, but also illustrates the internal human struggles and playfulness of the

postmodern era.

According to Japanese literary and cultural scholar Susan Napier (2001):

“Anime is the ideal artistic vehicle for expressing the hopes and nightmares of our

uneasy contemporary world”. (Napier)

Origin:

Japan started producing animations in the early 1910s, but it is said that the

noteworthy development of anime began in the 1960s. The current anime style differs

from the early animations done in Japan. This particular style was a result of technical

and financial issues in animation production also referred to as limited animation. It was

Osamu Tezuka‟s efforts and approach that led the origination of anime and therefore

today is considered the founder of anime and manga. (Finston)

Due to these limiting financial factors and technical constraints in the

developmental stage of the anime industry, Japanese animators tactically used fewer

drawings to illustrate motion and started applying cinematic techniques to enhance the

drama and movement in still drawings. These cinematic techniques were the reason

anime was established as an art form that expresses human internal thoughts and

emotions rather than simply depicting stories or plots.

M U G H A L 20

Fig. 11: Cinematic technique in Osamu Tezuka‟s Astro Boy

The more images an animation uses, the more it costs. Disney used twenty-four

images per second in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937), while Tezuka limited

his anime to five or six frames per second. It is this motionlessness that evolved into

anime‟s particular style rather than becoming a creative restriction. It emphasizes more

on smooth transitions of plots and interesting storylines than the fluidity of motion.

Style:

Many stylistic elements of anime have become so common that despite the

different titles and artists pursuing animation in their own styles, people still recognize

them as anime in general. However, this does not mean that all modern anime share one

strict, common art style. The influences of Japanese painting and calligraphy also depict

linear qualities of the anime style.

M U G H A L 21

Fig. 12: Variation in strokes, an influence of Japanese calligraphy

The popular and recognizable style of anime is very distinctive. Emphasis is

often placed on line over form, and the storytelling differs from those in other comics

throughout the world. Impressionistic and sketchy backgrounds are very common, as are

sequences in which the panel shows details of the setting rather than the characters.

Fig. 13: Impressionistic background, enhancing the mood of the scene

A common approach is the large eyes style drawn on many characters. Osamu

Tezuka is believed to have been the first to use this technique as he was inspired by the

exaggerated features of American cartoon characters such as Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse

M U G H A L 22

and Disney‟s Bambi. Tezuka discovered that large eyes style allowed his characters to

show emotions distinctly.

Fig. 14: Large anime eyes, an inspiration from Bambi and Betty Boop

Anime art can be incredibly realistic or cartoonish, but the most common form of

anime drawings include, exaggerated physical features such as large eyes, small noses,

tiny mouths, flat faces, elongated limbs and bizarre and abnormal colored hair. Also

dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines, abstract background effects and

onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography is unique and affective. Anime characters may

employ wide variety of facial expressions to denote moods and thoughts. (Boman)

Fig. 15: Various exaggerated facial expressions.

Anime is often categorized as a form of limited animation. That means that

stylistically, even in bigger productions the setting of limited animation is used to fool

M U G H A L 23

the eye into thinking there is more movement than there is. Camera angles, camera

movement, and lighting play an essential part in scenes. In addition, camera angles

show depth and perspective. Directors also choose camera effects, such as panning,

zooming, panoramic and facial close-up. (Boman)

Fig. 16: Range of camera angles and movements.

Influence:

A lot of non-Japanese works that borrow stylization from anime are commonly

referred to as "anime-influenced animation". It is quite usual for a viewer who does not

know the origin of such material to refer to it as simply "anime". Nowadays, almost all

Asian nations have their own editions of Japanese comics and their televisions show

Japanese animated series on a daily basis.

Merchandise of Japanese cartoon characters, such as Hello Kitty, Dragon ball,

Naruto, Pokemon, Digimon, etc. is very popular among Asian children and young

people while Asian businessmen also make use of Japanese cartoon characters to

promote their products or services.

M U G H A L 24

Fig. 17: Various Anime Merchandise

Research shows that anime has made significant impacts upon other cultures.

Worldwide, the number of people studying Japanese has also increased. In the 1960s

anime entered markets beyond Japan and grew as a major cultural export. (Netword)

According to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the anime market

for the United States alone is worth approximately US$2.89 billion (2007). (Industry).

Much of the fandom of anime has expanded through the Internet and therefore, it too has

played a significant role in the exposure of anime beyond Japan.

Even Hollywood has started incorporating “anime aesthetics” in recent movies.

Kill Bill (2003) and Animatrix (2003) for example. The Wachowski Brothers of Matrix

(1999) even claim their film was highly influenced by Akira (1988). (Industry)

Fig. 18: Screenshots from Hollywood‟s Animatrix and Kill Bill.

M U G H A L 25

Impact on Viewers:

Anime can change lives and deeply influence people and that too, not just in the

case of children. Most of the people watching anime are young, in Japan mostly between

10 and 22 and are thus impressionable as children in a number of different ways. Anime

is a mirror of society and culture. It reflects the hopes, fears, love and feelings of those

who create them and the world they live in. They may be grim at times, or even

throughout the entire run, but the characters evolve and grow and subsequently develop

more mature personalities. The coming of age story becomes the journey of becoming

an adult and hence, not just the characters but also the viewer finds himself growing up

with it. (Shen)

Most of the Japanese anime characters are strong, just as Hayao Miyazaki‟s

protagonists of his movies are likewise strong and often in an attacking mood. Girls and

women in today‟s Japanese anime are influenced by Miyazakis‟ independent and strong

women in his films. (Eliza)

M U G H A L 26

R E S E A R C H M E T H O D O L O G Y

My research is basically qualitative and empirical. After gathering all the

relevant data I will analyze and compare various projects amongst themselves. The

dissertation question I‟ve come up with is “can the initiation of a Pakistani style of

animation be beneficial?”

To answer this question I will be going through most primary and secondary

research done on animation, the importance of entertainment, the Pakistani Animation

Industry and its growing significance. After finding out where Pakistan currently stands

and what projects are being pursued, I will move on to other countries and talk about

animation styles of Japan, France and India and how they have been successful in

achieving their distinctive styles. I will be studying anime in depth because my goal is to

draw parallels with it and treat it as a model.

A lot of countries despite having a huge animation industry do not have their

own distinctive, national style. Animations from France may not be as popular and in

demand as the US animation films for example, but their illustration style, especially

how the anatomy of their characters vary, is quite distinct and experimental which is the

reason I have added France to my research.

The Indian animation industry, although small and still passing the embryonic

stage, it has managed to make their mark and stand out because of their strong culture

which they make sure is present in every project they pursue.

M U G H A L 27

Japan‟s anime being the foremost and the biggest industry of all, is the best

model to study and thus serves as a control for my study. I will also be studying the

origin, animation style, the impact and influences of anime on it audiences and how

Japan has been able to gain benefit out of it. The reason for choosing anime for such a

detailed study is its world wide popularity and demand. Studying a popular and

successful subject will bring forth the reasons which may help in deciding whether or

not Pakistan needs animation of its own and if and how would it prove to be a successful

venture

The research will mainly be done over the internet. The impact of anime on its

viewers will be taken into consideration. My target audience is mainly youth of Pakistan

but I will also be looking into children programs because that is the only audience

animation in Pakistan is done for.

I will be analyzing Pakistani projects like Captain Safeguard, Milkateers, Bankay

Mian Qawal along with a few commercials as well. The comparison of their animation

style with Pixar and other countries will also give us a better understanding of our

originality in design. Even though commercials are not my main concern but I will

analyze their animation style and talk about why we get most animation work out

sourced when it can be done locally.

Captain Safeguard and Milkateers is the most popular example of animation

done in Pakistan. Even though it is commercial but it also serves as a source of

entertainment for its audiences. Studying its success and impact will help me better

analyze the building market in Pakistan and judge where we stand and where we are

lacking.

M U G H A L 28

Once the research phase has been concluded and it becomes evident why and

how anime originated with what affects on its viewers, I will approach people from

different relevant fields to discuss if Pakistan should initiate animations and whether

they will be successful in our culture judging from the already initiated successful

animation projects in our region.

The people I will interview include Khurrum Khan, Khurram Alavi, Saima Zaidi

and Omar Farooq.

Khurram Khan, an illustrator by profession, is a graduate of the Indus Valley

School of Art and Architecture. He is the coordinator of Graphics at the Visual Studies

Department of Karachi University and also teaches Illustration there. Khurram Khan

being an illustrator and a teacher would give his point of view regarding animation in

general and its importance and effectiveness in our society. Also, being an anime viewer

himself, he can better relate to the topic and advise accordingly.

Khurram Alavi is also an Indus Valley School graduate and an illustrator by

profession. He is currently the head of the Illustration Department at the Indus Valley

School of Art and Architecture and is also working at ICE Animation. He has worked

for a number of local and international clients and therefore has profound understanding

of the business side of this industry works. Another important reason of interviewing

him is his series which he has been working on named “Parcham”. The basic plot and all

his characters are ready and he is currently in the phase of pursuing sponsors to be able

to air his series. He will provide an overview about the way things are done in the

market and what issues there are in this field. He is also an intent anime watcher

M U G H A L 29

therefore his views regarding the topic will hold great relevance to the model set and

will help in drawing parallels between the two industries.

Saima Zaidi, a communication designer, studied at the National College of Arts

(NCA), Lahore, and proceeded to do her Masters in typography from the Pratt Institute,

New York. She currently teaches at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and

the Visual Studies Department of the University of Karachi. Saima Zaidi following the

publication of her book Mazaar Bazaar, which is an inter-disciplinary study on design

and visual culture in Pakistan, makes an ideal candidate to guide the research and talk

about the Pakistani style of illustration, whether it exists or not and if it is essential. The

conclusion will state whether this new medium would prove to be helpful for the

Pakistani youth and how this could be achieved.

Omar Farooq, a Creative Consultant at PTV heads his own Animation House

called DigiNext. He will give an insight to the business side of the animation industry

and why only commercial animations are being done and not original ideas are being

accepted. He will also highlight the issues that people get to face in this field. Also what

are the major factors that have led us to the adoption of western style animations.

M U G H A L 30

A N A L Y S I S

Animation is a very important medium and its power cannot be denied because

of its limitlessness. It has no boundaries and therefore anything can be created using its

instruments. It is true that imagination is its only limitation but we must not forget that

illustration is the parent and animation is the child. A good animation thus, is always

backed by strong illustrations.

Some regard entertainment as a waste of time which in my view is not true. It is

perhaps an essential getaway, a hiatus from our daily mechanized routines and survival

would be so much harder without it. Entertainment through animation is very popular

these days as it too allows the viewer to escape reality and experience a new world.

Even if it is for some time it can prove to be quite beneficial.

Even though there is a lot of animation being done in Pakistan, we don‟t have a

unique style. People don‟t regard animation as a very important aspect these days but

Khurram Khan says that having a Pakistani style of illustration is as important as having

a Pakistani style of Graphic Design. Whatever the field is, Pakistan needs to build its

own cultural identity.

It is argued by many that Pakistan does not have a market for such a medium.

Whereas if past projects are studied we find contradicting evidence and realize that

people have been accepting towards new mediums. “Kaliyaan” a very popular muppet

show which had aired on PTV in the past years, gained immense popularity in its time

and is still loved by all. Communicating through new means and not getting to witness

the same real faces was a novel and exciting experience for the viewers which they

M U G H A L 31

thoroughly enjoyed. Apart from its content which was funny and useful the idea of

muppets itself was the main reason of its success. This tells us that deviating from the

traditional norms and customs is sometimes necessary and far more appreciated than

what is real. Khurram Khan agrees that people sometimes need a change and the success

of Kaliyaan proves their acceptance towards a new medium therefore producing an

animated series will make people watch it.

“Uncle Sargum became Uncle Sargum just like Kermit became Kermit. We have done

this before and we can do this again” - Khurram Khan

Even if we revamp and animate Uncle Sargum for today‟s generation, it should

be a success. Adults will want to revisit owing to nostalgia and the new generation will

watch it not as entertainment alone but to close the intergenerational gap as well.

Kaliyaan is recently being on aired on radio and still has a very large listenership. This

shows that if there is to be an animated version it will also be a success. In fact, if other

Pakistani comedy hits like 50-50 and Aanghan Terha or simply our folk tales and

historical events are taken up and reproduced as animated series, they too will be loved

by all.

Kaliyaan initiated way back in 1976, but now considering more recent non

commercial projects, Nigar Nazar stands as an important source of knowledge. She

holds varied experiences and has worked in a number of diverse, though related fields.

Her character Gogi is young and fun. It has a speck of humor while also conveys

important messages. The only drawback of her character is that it isn‟t advertised or

publicized adequately, which is why it is not so popular. Not to mention, in a market like

M U G H A L 32

Pakistan, self generated funding is an extremely rare scenario therefore to make Gogi

popular she will have to secure sponsors thus also attach a product to it and hence

ending up commercializing it like most other brands. Gogi is humorous and always has a

message for both children and adults. For Nigar Nazar, who has been putting unstinted

efforts on animating her comic strips, bringing Gogi to life will be perhaps, another big

achievement for the industry.

“Freestyle Dive” by Sajid and Zeeshan is Pakistan‟s first animated music video.

They took considerable risk in pursuing this venture and despite a lot of negative

feedback to their idea, they went ahead with it and dared to do what a lot of people

wouldn‟t and in the end the risk was worth all their efforts as the video earned them both

awards and recognition. Soon they were followed by other artists - Ali Azmat‟s Teri

Parchaian directed by Zeeshan Pervez and Gallaan were a big success in this regard.

Commander Safeguard of Post Amazers and Milkateers of Sharp Images, even

the Noodle Pot by H2O has the same amount of product attachment. The animation is

getting better and refining overtime but what we lack is a style. Pakistan does not have

any specific style of animation but most of the animation done here is quite similar to

the Pixar style, which is why the Pixar style is now erroneously attached to the Pakistani

style even though it does not stand out in the international market. The problem remains

that the copied Pixar style will never stand out because not just Pakistan but a number of

other countries have started reproducing it according to their own contexts and therefore

it does not stand out as a unique style or element. The only factors that differ and make

it look Pakistani, are the costumes, skin tone, features, language, etc.

M U G H A L 33

Below are screenshots from a Pixar movie, three local animations and another

done in Malaysia. Note that the animation style of all five is extremely similar.

Fig. 19: Cocomo (Sharp Images)

Fig. 20: Milkateer (Sharp Images) and Ratatouille (Pixar)

Fig. 21: Chase (Putrajaya, Malaysia) and Mayfair Candy (Sharp Images)

However, the language and the environmental setting of these animations do

boast our „Pakistaniat‟ at some level. The character names, costumes and buildings are

identifiably Pakistani whereas the western element can still be witnessed in a lot of

places. However, the interesting thing to note is that the Pakistani element is only visible

M U G H A L 34

in settings that take place in lower middle class areas whereas the households and

environmental settings have a western touch to it. Additionally, to draw parallels

through an example, the hero costume of Milkateers is very similar to any other western

hero costume.

The success of Captain Safeguard and Milkateers is evident and cannot be

denied. What we can decipher from this is that the medium of animation is widely

accepted because even a lot of adults watch these shows regularly. Captain Safeguard is

for children and the messages it conveys are also for the same age group. If an animation

is produced for the mature youth with concepts and morals related to their age and

issues, perhaps that too will be appreciated.

The success of animated shows like Commander Safeguard, Milkateer and

Noodle Pot have proven that animation appeals to people of all ages and different social

strata; and if a new series as such is initiated and marketed well, people will be

interested and follow it. The potential and talent is available, what we lack are people

willing to invest in this area.

Another issue with these animations is that they being so commercial take the

importance of a sound storyline for granted and therefore most of the times, their script

is very superficial and generic. To gather an audience one must focus on individuals and

what might interest them and thus the story line needs to be strong and more personal so

that people are able to relate to it at a greater level.

Even though the commercial animation market is doing quite well there are still

many animated local television commercials which are being outsourced specially the

M U G H A L 35

2D animations. The sole reason of the 2D animation works being outsourced is because

it simply isn‟t done here. Our industry should work on being self sufficient so we don‟t

have to get any foreign help. Walls Paddle Pop Ice Cream (McCann Erickson, Sydney),

Mortein, Insurance (Euro RSCG, Sydney) and Hilal Ding Dong Bubble Gum (Film

Magic, Hong Kong) are some of the examples of such commercials.

Fig. 22: Ding Dong Bubble Gum (Hong Kong) and Paddle Pop Ice Cream (Sydney)

The development of a style is a very gradual process - It refines overtime and

always comes from the surroundings of the region. According to Khurram Khan if our

style has to be developed it could be derived from what we own. Our local crafts,

miniature or truck art for example because these are the things which we truly belong to

us and have a very strong identity therefore an animation style influenced by these will

result in being very Pakistani.

Even though India‟s animation industry has just begun to grow and despite their

not possessing one specific style of illustration or animation, they still manage to stand

out. The reason why Indian animation is distinctive is because their culture is very

strong and instead of blindly following the West, they prefer clinging to it and

promoting it. Their culture can be seen in everything they do, they‟re proud of it and

M U G H A L 36

they promote it as much as they can. As shown below, the four styles of animation are

very different yet stand out as very Indian.

Fig. 23: Screenshots from various Indian animations

The French are very similar to the Japanese. The sort of attitude they have is

“since they did it this way, we will do it the other way.” Therefore, like India and France

we should also hold on to our culture and promote it, not only in animation but also in

other areas. We should take a lesson from this and produce unique work, not just

replicating what has been successful in the past.

Japan deviated from US‟ “animation is only for kids” theory and moved on to

produce animation that is for all age groups spanning over various genres of the likes of

fantasy, real life drama, intrigue, romance, action and more. Anime‟s success is due to a

lot of reasons. Firstly anime‟s origin is an important aspect of its success. Considering

how Osamu Tezuka turned affects of the financial constraints upside down by limiting

the anime to 7 frames per second instead of 24, he did so with such dexterity that the

M U G H A L 37

quality did not get affected at all in fact it grew in popularity because of its unique style.

The setting of limited animation is used to fool the eye into thinking there is more

movement than there is. Also, the style of illustration is derived from their script; the

round ink brush by tradition used for writing Japanese script and for painting, produces a

stroke of widely varying thickness which can be seen in anime today. Their distinct

facial features and expressions, abstractions and experimental camera angels are what

makes the animation interesting and keep the viewer hooked on.

Anime has countless merchandise to support and advertise their projects. They

don‟t have funding issues which is why this is so easy and perhaps justify their ubiquity.

This is the point where Pakistan falls short. The few projects that people did start in

Pakistan, Quaid and Flash Graphic Novels from Lahore for example, died out even

before maturing due to lack of finances. Merchandise plays a huge role in the promotion

of a certain brand but the relation of merchandise‟s successful marketing and brand

image development is mutually reinforcing. If we keep these factors into consideration

for the future, we might be able to come up with a solid animation promotional strategy.

“Good marketing can do wonders and sell almost anything” - Muzummil Ruheel.

Research shows that anime has brought a huge boost to Japan‟s economy, the

number of people learning Japanese has increased and their culture is also being

promoted. Moreover, Hollywood has started to follow the anime style in different

aspects. Anime wouldn‟t have been so successful if it were devoid of its strong and

unique identity. If the content we wish to represent holds relevance to the society, we

might also be able to instigate a process of change, consequently boost our economy and

M U G H A L 38

promote our culture in other parts of the world. This ambitious aim calls for serious

efforts and hence, not merely adoption of other commercialized genres.

Khurram Khan believes that any medium can posses the power to instill a

process of change within society. He believes that anime by default isn‟t something that

can revolutionize but if we do initiate an animation series of our own, its agenda should

be bigger than what a normal animation‟s agenda would be.

“Media is very powerful. Any form of media can change many things in the

society.” - Khurram Khan

The fact that readership is decreasing by the day, the idea of initiating this

program aided by comics might not be such a success. Television is the most popular

medium and all age groups of all classes view it therefore there is no reason for an

animation series to not work on this platform.

Sadly the only kind of animation being done in Pakistan is commercial. There

are either television commercials or short paid films by sponsors, which have very high

involvement of the product. That is why we don‟t see any animation done which isn‟t

associated to a product. We need proper business plans and strategies to convince the

sponsors to invest in this medium. Perhaps a reason why this would be so difficult is that

people are scared of taking investment risks in third world countries, especially when it

involves an investment of an intellectual nature. Whereas the people who are in a

position to bring about such change, lack a proper vision. They have bigger self

conceived agendas and don‟t pay much heed to promotion, reproduction and distribution

of their national culture. To sell a concept to the producers who actually make it happen,

M U G H A L 39

you need a good business plan and rock solid communication convincing them how

affective a certain campaign could be. Not until we give it a chance will we be able to

find out how beneficial this venture could prove to be.

Also Khurram Khan highlights another huge problem we faced which may be the

sole reason why we don‟t have a style is because we skipped a complete phase of

traditional animation. Animation is not even taught in any of the local institutes.

Technical and creative animation is always balanced. People here are technically sound

but they don‟t have that creative element because most of them don‟t even know the

basics of drawing and rely on 3D templates to initiate their production careers.

“All we do is grab this and that from here and there. Nobody teaches traditional

animation in Pakistan even though it is so important. Pakistan skipped a whole

phase of animation. We started running before we learnt to crawl.”

– Khurram Khan

Everything can be traced back to market demands but we must remember that it

is us who create the market. If we keep going with the flow and continue to produce the

kind of work that is already being done then there will be no substantial progress for our

industry. At times clients can be very difficult to deal with but if the designer is good, it

is his job to convince the client and tell him what is better and why going with the flow

and producing the same old generic stuff isn‟t an intelligent choice.

M U G H A L 40

C O N C L U S I O N

Entertainment today is not regarded as something of peripheral importance rather

it has taken the shape of a multibillion dollar global industry. Animation though may not

be regarded as a genre of entertainment, has come up as an exciting platform to

represent our realities and fantasies. Its importance has grown manifold and will keep on

exponentiating owing to its limitlessness and the freedom of experimentation it avails to

the modern cinema industry.

Animation is a skill that is not impossible to learn and thus makes it possible for

everyone to become creators. Alas, the effortlessness associated with reproduction of

creative thought through animation has made it an easy target for opportunistic

capitalists who use it to multiply their fortunes. Also, its usage as a medium of

expression in backward countries too remains tenuous at best. This is so, as these nations

are unwilling to invest in something, the return of which lies in the far away future for

them.

The same goes for Pakistan, an economically progressing country but still

intellectually impoverished. Entertainment in Pakistan has suffered owing to many

factors such as political instability, lack of funds and the failed cinema experiment.

More than art entertainment has become more of a business that pays. Thus it does not

stand by itself but relies on the rationalizations and justifications residing in its ability to

generate wealth. However, even when such factors have been accounted for and brought

into consideration, it is not impossible to conceive Pakistan‟s own animation industry

and perhaps, its own animation brand in the longer run. What needs to be done is

M U G H A L 41

develop a long run strategy based on achievable short term goals. These short term goals

if reached successfully, will eventually lead to more ambitious projects and this gradual

evolution will thus pave way for the development of a clear vision for the industry

where it holds a unique stylistic Pakistani identity.

Acquisitive capitalists may not be seen as a barrier or threat, rather as a means to

an end. Sadly so, only they can help realize the long term goals by pouring in their

finances. They need to be made aware of the industries lucrative potential and that;

talent does exist locally to make it happen. Even so, there is no denying of the fact that

talent is only half trained. The infrastructure that would produce exemplary illustrators,

visualizers, copyrighters, animators is nonexistent and only sporadic efforts have been

made to organize the industry. Further it is impossible to create such an infrastructure

unless individuals see a future within it, coupled with financial stability. These are the

factors that have to be taken into consideration.

Question still remains if the form of animation should be one reflecting local

nuances or one borrowed from the western countries. As a beginning, it is important to

replicate and learn though it would not contribute towards the formation of a separate

identity for the Pakistani animation industry. Once, the talent has been refined enough

and the industry reaches a sustainable level of maturity, it would not be too difficult to

initiate our own style of animation. Only that would be a fair representation of our

culture and values as the current level of skill can only allow shallow and distorted

representations.

M U G H A L 42

My suggestion here does not imply the impossibility of creating our own style

but what I propose is to pursue that goal systematically, gradually and simultaneously

establishing ourselves financially and infrastructurally. It would allow penetration of

Pakistani culture into other world regions and let them be aware of our existence.

Analysis of animations by different countries and what they have achieved due to their

unique styles in animation shows what all we can achieve by creating our own style. Our

animation industry is doing quite well commercially. If more attention is paid towards

creativity we can do wonders and it will definitely benefit Pakistan. This is perhaps the

only vision that takes precedence over the vision of creating a self sustaining animation

industry.

M U G H A L 43

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M U G H A L 46

A P P E N D I X

Appendix A:

(Personal Interviews)

Khurram Khan:

Khurrum Khan, an illustrator and a teacher at Karachi University says that

having a Pakistani style of illustration is as important as having a Pakistani style of

Graphic Design and Advertising. We currently don‟t have any animation style. There is

a field in Graphic Design called Vernacular Design where you basically pin point the

elements that keep continuing in a particular region‟s design. They are the elements that

make up a region‟s cultural identity. He says he‟s sure that if someone applies that to our

material we could come up with these elements. He says it is not really about animation

or illustration; it is about creating a stylistic identity which Pakistan lacks.

When the elements of anime are pointed out, you can also find them in other

animations. Pakistan also has precedence in comics. In past, Flash comics from Lahore

and Graphic Novels of the Quaid came out but they went defunct solely because they

weren‟t advertised properly. Other than that, the west has had so much influence over

our society that people don‟t want anything that isn‟t western. We don‟t have a market

which is the reason why the comics I just mentioned went defunct. Reading is a very

niche market and within that there is a niche market of people who read comics and even

among those there are very few who will pick up something that is local. They might

work only if you have a good marketing strategy. Targeting the upper class only may not

M U G H A L 47

work because that‟ll be too small a market. You won‟t need to target only the upper

class if the marketing strategy is good.

In Khurram Khan‟s opinion animation houses will do anything as long as they

get the money. Every year there are students who wish to animate or start comic books

of their own but soon they realize that product placement is the only place where

funding comes from. This problem is only present in Pakistan. We don‟t see a single

animation that isn‟t associated to a product.

The biggest problem we‟ve faced as an industry is the extreme jump we‟ve made

from one level to the other. Initially we had no sort of animation in Pakistan and now

suddenly Maya and 3DMax came out and our generation skipped a complete phase of

2D animation. The illustrators and animators of our industry are not properly trained,

they don‟t know the basics of drawing, they aren‟t even aware of the human anatomy

and yet they are out there producing work through templates of software‟s like Maya

and 3DMax. One can never be original by working through templates as such. Before

jumping to the advanced stage we should get out basics fixed first. “Pakistan has

skipped a whole phase of animation. We started running before we learnt to crawl.”

If we initiate an animation series of our own, its agenda should be bigger that

what a normal animation‟s agenda would be. Khurram Khan believes that any medium

can change many things in society. He says that anime by default isn‟t something that

can revolutionize. I believe anything can change anything.

Keeping the country‟s current scenario in mind, a lot of people think animation

should be the least of our worries right now. Khurrum Khan justifies its importance by

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saying, “Media is very powerful. Any form of media can change many things in the

society.” It is not about getting animation to work here or people to start reading comics.

It is about creating a stylistic identity. Ding Dong and other animations that we even do

have are all outsourced. We don‟t have cell animation in Pakistan at all. To be able to do

cell animation you need to know how to draw and more than half the animators we have

don‟t know how to draw. They are the animators who come in this field by getting

excited on watching a few animated films or by playing video games. They aren‟t even

interested in this field.

We won‟t be left with anything unless we make our base strong. All we do is

grab this and that from here and there. Nobody teaches traditional animation in Pakistan

even though it is so important. Everything comes out from market demands. But we

forget that we create the market. We prepare our kids that „this is what‟s happening in

the market these days, so do this‟ instead we should tell them „this is what‟s not

happening in the market so do this‟. At the end of the day you have to make money so

you can completely get away from commercialism but you can always experiment. If

you‟re a good designer you need to convince the client and change the ethics of the

agency by telling him what‟s new and best for him instead of just going with the flow

and producing the same old generic stuff. You just might get more successful by

changing things.

A style develops over time. It is a very gradual process and it isn‟t easy. Our

style can be derived from our local crafts or truck art. We literally have a very strong

truck art identity because it has been there for so long. If not truck art, you can bring in

miniature.

M U G H A L 49

It‟s not necessary that just because anime came after manga our animation will

follow our comics too. Firstly, we need to know what makes a comic a comic. It is

basically sequential art. A comic is made up of images divided by panels. Each image

has a key sequence and there is text accompanying it. If this is what a comic is, then how

is it different from our miniature art? That is exactly what patrons in olden days used to

do.

Saima Zaidi would be an excellent person to point you towards different design

styles and guide you and tell you what the cultural things we have are.

India is good model to study. You should also definitely look into France. The

French also have a very strong identity. Just by looking at them you can tell that they‟re

French and neither British nor American. They are very similar to the Japanese. The sort

of attitude they have is “Since they did it this way, we will do it the other way.”

Khurrum Khan also says that right now, animation in Pakistan is only being done on a

commercial level. Finances are the major reason why sponsors don‟t invest in this field.

The other reason is that no one is making people realize what a flexible medium this is

that is why they think it‟s not important enough.

Khurrum Khan also talked about the success of the very popular muppet show,

Uncle Sargum in the early days of Pakistan Television. Uncle Sargum was loved by all

and holds his status high to this day. He was so popular that he even came in other

shows at a time. There was no famous voice over artist behind Uncle Sargum; he just

became Uncle Sargum like Kermit became Kermit. He says that “Kaliyaan” is a great

M U G H A L 50

example which attests to the fact that an animation series can also work in this region.

We have done this before and we can do this again.

Media has ruined us all. It is showing all sorts of nonsense these days. Neither

our English nor our Urdu is any good anymore. If an animation series is initiated with a

proper strategy, it certainly holds the power to have an influence on the change makers

of this country that is people between the ages of 16 and 30.

He also says that Pakistan right now being just 62 years old cannot have its own

identity. It is too early to be creating new things. He strongly emphasizes that we cannot

break away from our roots which lie in the subcontinent. We should start engaging

ourselves in it. Even the stories which didn‟t originate in Pakistan have been here so

long that we can call them our own. Cinderella and Aladdin were Chinese stories and

Disney just adopted them. If we start by taking up the subcontinent stories we can do

well because we can‟t create an identity in vacuum, our roots are in the subcontinent and

that cannot be ignored.

A Pakistani style of illustration must come from within our surroundings.

Miniature and truck art are the most original forms of art which truly belong to us.

Therefore, an illustration style derived from truck art can said to be very Pakistani.

Muzzumil Ruheel:

Muzummil Ruheel is a bachelor in Fine Art (Visual Studies) from BNU (Beacon

house National University) and a teacher at Indus Valley School says that selling a

M U G H A L 51

cartoon series with a local setting may be a very difficult task but it is not impossible.

Targeting only the upper class might work but if a series is meant to bring a social

change, it should start from the grass root level. If sponsors invest in this cause and the

series is marketed well there is no reason for it to fail. “Good marketing can do wonders

and sell almost anything”, says Muzummil.

It is very important for a country to have its own identity says Muzummil

Ruheel. He agrees that to put a mark on the world we must work towards developing our

own style in the different mediums of art. He says it is true that all sorts of initiations

and investments right now can prove to be beneficial for Pakistan in the future but at the

same time he also says, “Investing in our animation industry at this point is like adding

unnecessary creamer to the tea.”

Khurram Alavi:

Khurram Alavi a teacher and an illustrator says that having a unique Pakistani

style of animation is definitely important but unfortunately due to our labor not being

trained, somewhere along the line we started copying the Pixar style which has now

started to be known as our own. People often abuse their inspirations and start using it as

source material. This is exactly what has happened with the animation style we currently

have. The style is exactly like Pixar, costumes, skin tone, features, language, etc. Are the

only things that make it look Pakistani.

Technical and creative animation is always balanced. People here are technically

sound but they don‟t have that creative element because they don‟t know the basics of

M U G H A L 52

drawing, form or structure. And that is because traditional drawing isn‟t considered

seriously anymore; people think it‟s not important that is why they just use templates

because it‟s easier. Nobody has a degree, they are mostly self taught. Companies need to

invest in skilled people and train them so they produce better and original work in

future. ICE is currently working on training people on character modeling. Mostly,

people in Pakistan always give opinions and ideas but nobody does anything to change

the situation.

He says a Pakistani style of animation would definitely be beneficial but the

drawback is that we don‟t have the people for it. Lack of people is also the reason why

we don‟t have any original concepts. It is because people are scared of taking risks in

this third world country. Sadly, the people who are in a position to bring this change

don‟t have a vision. They have bigger agendas and they don‟t care about promotion and

distribution. To sell a concept to the producers who actually make it happen, you need a

good business plan and rock solid communication convincing them how effective a

certain campaign will be.

If an animation series for pure entertainment purpose is initiated, it must be kept

in mind that the major percent of the masses will not see it. The market always grows

slowly. The mature audience is always a very small percent but as long as the content

and story is good, the audience will not be a problem. The people between ages 11 to 25

need to be targeted because they are the major percent of this country. For a start,

cultural stories and history should be animated. As long as there‟s drama and action to

capture people‟s interest, they will watch anything.

M U G H A L 53

As for anime, it took a lot of years for it to mature. Anime has aesthetic sense

and no commercialism. It will take a lot of time for our industry to mature. Fortunately

Commander Safeguard has made a market which Sharp Images is keeping stable. Japan

and China as a nation are very hardworking people, while us, on the other hand are quite

impatient. A single person cannot do all the required labor. One person needs to lead and

train a team. The producer needs to be convinced first so that one gets to do things his

way and not in a sellout manner.

The characters of a story depend on the audience. Language and the script attract

the local market hence the style of illustration comes later. People in Pakistan are not

fond of reading books therefore the manga strategy Japan started with will not work in

our society. Interesting story line is the basic thing that needs to be kept in mind. Both

the story and the cinematography of anime are very dramatic and extreme which is the

reason people hold on to it. Dragging scenes, extra zoom and pan are what grasp the

viewer‟s attention and good content makes them come back to it.

Some people love Akira and some hate it. There‟s often no grey area when

anime is concerned. Also the huge reason for anime‟s success is because it targets

individuals and not masses. It gives one a sense of ownership. Other animations are too

widespread and commercial while anime is unique, mature and a real commodity.

Khurram Alavi says that anime has had a huge influence on him and that is the

main reason he joined this field. Anime characters are very strong; their technique

enhances their story telling and stylization has been applied really well. He says that

Princess Mononoke changed his approach and showed him how diverse anime can be.

M U G H A L 54

Street Fighter showed him how attentive to detail Japanese are because muscles and

forms don‟t get distorted in any frame. Cowboy Bebop shows how original and

interesting their story can be.

He says that the Japanese mythical stories, specially Hayao Miyazaki‟s work and

our childhood stories have quite a lot of similar content and characters like the ghosts

and fairies.

Khurram Alavi has been working on an animation series of his own, called

“Parcham” for past four years. The story revolves around the suicidal bombing in

Pakistan and the birth of a hero, called Parcham. Despite having a very relatable plot to

our society, Parcham being a 3D animation is quite expensive which is the reason why

sponsors are not ready to invest in it. Post Amazers agreed to buy Parcham on the

condition that they‟d change the Pakistani flag of Captain Parcham and sell it to another

country. Khurram Alavi straight up refused. He says, people acknowledge you only if

you show them your worth.

America has no specific style of animation, Japan does. Japan‟s style is very

anatomy intensive because people Japanese are very hardworking people and they can

produce that kind of work where as we can‟t.

Anime reflects that the Japanese society is very violent and perverted. Anime‟s

content isn‟t morally sound therefore it is not for kids. In fact, it may not be wrong say

that Japanese youth has become more violent after anime. The reason it is so mature is

because that‟s how their market and culture and society is. Kids in Pakistan cannot take

that sort of violence thus the content will have to be adjusted accordingly.

M U G H A L 55

Cartoon Network also has mature themes. Mr. Bean for example, is quite off

morally. Therefore, the thing to note here is that all these cartoons reflect their society,

therefore if a similar thing is initiated here, the style can be picked up but the content

will have to be modified in relevance to our society for it to work. Our content should

have a moral code so the people follow it. There should be flexibility in the content. Our

storytelling needs to be improved so the people relate to it more. Instead of fake flowery

language, scripts should be original like the ones in movies “Dil Chahta Hai” and “3

Idiots”.

Anime in general, is quite negative. For a lesson to be learnt there are always two

approaches, the negative and the positive which depend on the target market. If the

target market is kids, they need to be shown good with bad but if it is for adults, just

showing the negative can work. Either way, the audience needs to be controlled. The

ratings system in Pakistan isn‟t strict at all. If an adult theme cartoon is to be on aired, it

should have ratings and a watermark.

Saima Zaidi:

Saima Zaidi, a communication designer, studied at the National College of Arts

(NCA), Lahore, and proceeded to do her Masters in typography from the Pratt Institute,

New York. She currently teaches at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and

the Visual Studies

Department of the University of Karachi. She says Pakistan doesn‟t really have an

illustration style of its own but according to me the illustration style of Akhbar-e-Jahan

M U G H A L 56

and other fictional Urdu digests as a Pakistani style because it is look very Pakistani and

is very distinct. Lollywood movie posters and other hoardings done a few years ago is

also what I would categorize as a Pakistani style of illustration.

She says Japan has a huge following and it didn‟t just happen suddenly. Anime is

from the culture by the culture. Animation on its own as a medium may not bring any

sort of revolution but it can bring a change especially in rural areas. It all depends on

where you want to apply the style. For example, the text books are all illustrated now

and it helps understanding things better. But I don‟t see why you feel photography isn‟t

good enough and why we need illustration. Why do you feel animation is more

important? Illustration is just another way of communication in which you can apply

certain ideas and put them across. Painters are not being able to utilize their art work

since photography has taken over. Why don‟t you feel that‟s an issue? Safeguard type

stuff is much more fun but think about how this medium can be more productive than

others.

Omar Farooq:

Omar Farooq, a Creative Consultant at PTV heads his own Animation House

called DigiNext. He says the reason animation is difficult is because major human

resource is needed which is also why 2D could not take place in a country like Pakistan.

An extensive team is required for cel animation which is very hard to maintain because

it is expensive. Clients approach us with a fixed mindset most of the time which is very

hard to change. They would come and tell us “make something like Toy Story or

M U G H A L 57

Transformers”. This preconceived image in their head is mostly west influenced

because west is now so widespread.

Omar Farooq believes that gaming industry will soon hit Pakistan and the

animation industry will be raised high. An animation series can certainly work in our

region but only if it is for children. According to him funding is the sole reason why the

only stories being told here are related to product advertising. Also since animation is

time consuming clients prefer live action over it in most scenarios.

M U G H A L 58

Appendix B:

Anime:

Cell animation was invented by Bray and Hurd in 1910. Manga, literally

translated, means "whimsical pictures". It is considered as an artistic storytelling style

and is used as a generic term for all comic books and graphic novels that were originally

published in Japan. Manga are mainly printed in black and white although some full

color manga also exist. Anime borrows many of its elements from manga.

The style of character design in anime follows the proportions of the human

body. The height of the head is considered as the basic unit for measurement. Most

anime characters are seven to eight heads tall, while extreme heights are set around nine

heads tall. The large majority of anime uses traditional animation, which allows division

of labor, pose to pose approach and checking of drawings before they are shot in a far

affective way. This practice is also favored by the anime industry. Below is a page from

manga.

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Anime characters may employ wide variety of facial expressions to denote

moods and thoughts. There are numerous other stylistic elements that are common to

conventional anime as well but more often used in comedies. Love-hearts, stars, spirals,

X‟s and doe-eyes are sometimes used as an indication of the state. A face fault, vein or

stress mark, a bloody nose, massive sweat-drop and a visibly red blush are also some of

the many examples of exaggerated facial expressions used in anime, although some

anime, usually with political plots and other more serious subject matters, have

abandoned the use of these techniques.

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According to Tezuka himself,

“I felt that existing comics were limiting. Most were drawn as if seated in an

audience viewing from a stage, where the actors emerge from the wings and

interact. This made it impossible to create dramatic or psychological effects, so I

began to use cinematic techniques. I experimented with close-ups and different

angles, and instead of using only one frame for an action scene or the climax (as

was customary). I made a point of depicting a movement or facial expression

with many frames, even many pages”.

The character's eye sizes and shapes are sometimes symbolically used to

represent the character. For instance, bigger eyes usually symbolize beauty, innocence,

or purity, while smaller, narrower eyes typically represent coldness or evil.

Psychological and social research on facial attractiveness has pointed out that the

presence of childlike facial features adds to attractiveness. Then again not all anime have

large eyes. For example, some of the work of Toshiro Kawamoto and Hayao

Miyazaki are known for having realistically proportioned eyes, as well as realistic hair

colors on their characters. However, many audiences do associate anime with large

detailed eyes.

Japanese script strokes are similar to the anime illustration strokes

M U G H A L 61

Like all animation over the world, the production processes of storyboarding,

voice acting, character design, and cel production still apply. With advancements in

computer technology computer animation increased the efficiency of the whole

production process.

Akira (1988) is a legendary film written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo based

on his hit manga. Most anime is notorious for cutting production corners with limited

motion, such as having only the characters' mouths move while their faces remained

static. Akira broke from this trend with detailed scenes, lip-synched dialogue - a first for

an anime production - and super-fluid motion as realized in the film's more than 160,000

animation cels.

Screenshots from Akira (1988)

The anime market for the United States alone is worth approximately US$2.89

billion (2007) according to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). The report

suggests that, over time, the North American market may grow to twice the size of the

Japanese market. And that the worldwide anime market will soon be worth US$100

billion. The Internet has also played a huge and significant role in the exposure of anime

beyond Japan. Much of the fandom of anime grew through the Internet. As the Internet

M U G H A L 62

gained more widespread use, Internet advertising revenues grew from 1.6 billion yen to

over 180 billion yen between 1995 and 2005.

Typically the villains in Japanese Anime are most likely ambiguous characters

with redeeming values, as with Miyazaki‟s villains. Miyazaki‟s more pronounced

influence of Japanese anime was by promoting the exaggeration of the situations

of Japanese anime.

Pakistan:

Chulbulli, another outsourced television commercial for Clinic Plus Shampoo from

India.

Screenshots from Milkateers

The above references show how Pakistani element has been incorporated in the Pixar

animation style.