The Dog and the Boy · review
The new cooperation project by WIT Studios and Netflix is a music video that mixes technological advances to create a futuristic piece. Though the artistic quality of Inu to Shounen is not stellar, one has to say the artistic direction is interesting and even culturally and historically important. Anime suffers from an animation shortage, which leads to outsourcing and delays, as well as the inability for studios to grow in-house talent. Netflix has by the past claimed to help out with the animation shortage by financing the training program of WIT Studio for 10 animators, but the choice to use AI-art generation for backgrounds wasperhaps to cut costs, something that has defined anime throughout the years. Inu to Shounen shines more light to the application of technologies in the process that goes behind backgrounds, as well as more light to the importance of backgrounds, something unique enough to be valued more than at its surface-level. Another interesting thing to note is how AI is also involved in the singing, with a vocal bank like vocaloids use. Overall an interesting MV to watch with awareness of its context.