Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) has given life to countless video games, but now, this development engine is being applied to improve the anime production process. The Japanese studio Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab is at the forefront of this new approach, and the results of using UE5 in anime production can be seen in their series “I reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I could spend my time perfecting my magical skill.“.

In an extensive interview with Weekly ASCII, Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab president and producer of “7th Prince,” Tsukasa Sakurai, explained how the production process was very different from a conventional anime series. «For most anime television series, the script and directing/storyboarding team are usually different for each episode, but for this show, the same people worked on each episode.", commented Sakurai. Furthermore, the same team was able to work on areas that would normally be handled by separate specialists, all thanks to the use of Unreal Engine 5.

«We don't have a 3D team, but rather a production system where everyone can work in different conventional processes using Unreal Engine 5", Sakurai explained. The idea for Unreal Engine 5 came about when Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab participated in the Japanese government's Anime no Tane program in 2021, an initiative to develop the skills of young animators.

Sakurai discovered a demo of UE5 on YouTube and asked Naoki Tozuka, who is now in charge of series composition and art direction for “7th Prince,” to try using it to animate the background of a scene in the short they made for the project. . The result was a success. «From this, we were convinced that anyone could use it, so we decided to incorporate it into our television series production process.», Sakurai explained.

Unreal Engine 5 is relatively easy to learn compared to specialized 3D computer graphics tools. This accessibility makes it easier for anime creatives to create 3D models and backgrounds, allowing all team members to work together on a sequence.

They can also see how any changes affect the work in real time (instead of rendering after each change), making it easier to freely test new ideas. This also allows the animation team to instantly implement any changes based on the director's feedback, a process that could conventionally take days.

Overall, they found that using Unreal Engine 5 sped up the production process and improved the quality of the final product. «The backgrounds team is responsible for backgrounds, 3D background modeling and 2DCG graphics for the monitors.», Sakurai clarified. «The design team can also work on all aspects of computer animation.».

The director also uses Unreal Engine during the storyboarding phase, which is similar to location scouting for an anime. The animations are inspected by the team that made the original drawings, which is unusual. It seems like Unreal Engine 5's ease of use makes it easier to get everyone on the same page.

Naoki Tozuka explained that all the scenarios of the anime “7th Prince” were created in 3D with Unreal Engine 5 (except for image backgrounds used to express the characters' inner thoughts and emotions). To get an idea of what it looks like in the development phase, Tozuka uploaded a test video to Twitter, showing a 3D landscape model created in Unreal Engine 5.

• «I'm (Naoki) Tozuka, in charge of series composition and art direction for '7th Prince'. This is a test video of the scene where the barrier (animated by the animation team) escapes from the mansion, which is a 3D model created by the background team of Tsumugi Akita Anime Lab. It was made in UE5».

Why is it curious that Unreal Engine 5 was used in the production of an anime?

The curiosity lies in the fact that Unreal Engine 5 is a tool used predominantly in the video game industry, known for its ability to create highly detailed and realistic 3D environments in real time. Its use in anime production is innovative because Traditionally, Japanese animation follows a very specific set of techniques that typically do not include video game tools.

The fact that UE5 is relatively easy to learn and allows for real-time changes makes it a valuable tool for anime production, breaking with the traditional fragmentation of roles in the creation process. This methodology not only speeds up the production process, but also improves the quality of the final product allowing greater creative control and faster implementation of necessary changes and adjustments.

• «As technology advances and methods change, work has become more efficient. Furthermore, people who originally used other methods have learned these new techniques. I think this is a positive thing.».
• «Wow, who would have thought a game engine would be the best solution for creating anime? It has a better interface than specialized 3D programs and real-time rendering... well, yes, it's true. As machine specifications increase, this could be truly revolutionary.».
• «With the introduction of physics engines into anime production, equipment can be reduced, efficiency improved, and high quality achieved. Adding AI to this mix will certainly further reduce the time and staffing required.».
• «Unreal Engine has already saved video game companies like Square Enix, which wasted nearly a generation trying to make games with its own engine. Now, it's finally arriving in the anime industry.».
• «That's quite interesting. Unreal Engine, how much does it cost, roughly?».
• «I thought the animation was very well balanced, perhaps due to its efficiency. Although the script had some inconsistencies toward the end, overall it was a good piece.».
• «It was interesting. The anime industry is also changing at an incredible pace.».
• «Traditional animators have discovered UE5. Good thing! UE5 is truly suited for hand-drawn animation production. It's ideal for artists (not engineers). And if the Odyssey.Iliad hand-animation support plugin improves, there's nothing more to ask for.».
• «As someone who has been doing UE scenes for a long time, I've always wondered 'why aren't they using it?' for almost ten years now.».
• «I heard that starting with UE5.4, the license fee for non-game uses will be around 200,000 yen per person. Will they still use it?».
• «A famous example of Unreal Engine's use in a weekly anime is 'No Guns Life,' but in this case, it's been used in a special way. Up until UE5.3, it's free to use for animations, so if you only need the basic features, it's more than enough.».
• «So that was it. There are a lot of anime where the 3D parts don't fit well, so I hope there are more of those.».
• «Wow, this allows the individuality of the staff to shine through more and it's interesting.».
• «I understand, it's not necessary to render every time. The director and animation directors can make corrections directly.».

Source: Automaton Media