Background for “Ghost in the Shell” (1995), Shot No. 335, Gouache on paper, cut out, acrylic on transparent folio, 280 x 380 mm, Illustrator: Hiromasa Ogura © 1995 Shirow Masamune / Kodansha ∙ Bandai Visual ∙ Manga Entertainment Ltd.

The new temporary exhibition “Anime Architecture” at the Museum of Architectural Drawing in Berlin shows original drawings from renowned Japanese animation films, until October 16th. Since the films “Akira” (1988) and “Ghost in the Shell” (1995), Japanese anime has secured its place in international pop culture, attracting a growing public in Germany.

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The show focuses on a selection of superb renderings of urban architecture made for the screen. In drawings for the films “Patlabor” (1989), “Ghost in the Shell” (1995) and “Ghost in the Shell 2” – “Innocence” (2004), the megalopolis skyline is seen to be crushing in on what remains of traditional wooden housing. Industrial sites with endless labyrinths of cables and piping and utopian science-fiction constructions form backdrops for the dynamic film plots.

The exhibition presents works by Hiromasa Ogura (art director), Mamoru Oshii (director), Atsushi Takeuchi (layout) and Takashi Watabe (layout). These artists belong to a generation of illustrators who drew animation films almost only by hand. Although today computer graphics are additionally used across all areas of production, paper, pencil and brush remain their essential tools. The exhibited works demonstrate the four stages in the creative process of developing a background image: setting, image board, layout and background.

Anime Architecture
Date: July 23rd – October 16th, 2016
Open: 14:00 – 19:00 (Saturday and Sunday 13:00 – 17:00)
Place: Museum for Architectural Drawing
Address: Christinenstraße 18a, 10119 Berlin
Tel: +49 (0)30 4373 9090
https://www.tchoban-foundation.de