By Andy Hanley

I’m sure we all have moments when we cast a cynical eye over the ceaseless light novel adaptations, sequels and the like which dominate every new season of TV anime, sigh wistfully and ask “where has all the creativity gone?”

Thankfully, there are still places where an animator or director can turn to find the creative freedom that they might desire – the Young Animator Training Project (or so-called “Anime Mirai Project”) has boasted a number of successes such as Little Witch Academia and Death Billiards, and now Studio Khara has opened the door to anyone with the desire to do something different within the anime industry with their own Japan Animator Exhibition, a project that will accept original works, spin-offs, music videos and more besides. With twelve short films added to the project’s web site at the time of writing – all complete with English subtitles – and more to come after a brief hiatus, now seems like a perfect time to delve into some of the fascinating content which has surfaced in its name, from a collection of Gundam key animation cels through to an unexpected Evangelion spin-off. Continue Reading