History Anime / Shirobako

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shirobako_a_1389.jpg]]

** As Aoi founds out firsthand, the animation industry isn't pretty, and production schedules can be held back if ''one'' person in the chain screws up. Taro's bungle in Episode 1 [[note]]Nnot telling anyone when an animator quit the project[[/note]], for example, disrupts ''weeks''' worth of pre-planning.

A 24-episode (though [[http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-30353.html it's been planned for 50 episodes originally]], so it might get a second season later) AnimeFirst production from Creator/PAWorks directed by Tsutomu Mizushima (known for his work on ''Manga/SquidGirl'' and ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer''), '''Shirobako''' (literally ''White Box'', after the white box that finalized production videocassetes are packaged in) takes a look at the workings of the Japanese animation industry, particularly on the studio side of things. It aired during the Fall2014Anime season.

* NotSoDifferent: Shimoyanagi and Endou might be [[TheRival rivals]], but they are actually pretty similar to each other and have the same interests, bonding over the Idepon Exhibit in Episode 6 -- it was a show that motivated both of them to take up animation, in fact. By the end of their argument arc they even asked each other to be taught with their respective disciplines.

* HeroicBSOD: A lot of staff members has this, which was resulted from various stages of RealityEnsues. Hence, most of the character arcs come from this, and can become easy [[TraumaButton PTSDs]] depending on the person:

If you are interested in understanding more about Japanese anime and manga related fields, we recommend ''Manga/SoreGaSeiyuu'' for voice acting, ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'' for manga production, and ''[[LightNovel/GirlishNumber Gi(a)rlish Numbers]]'' for a more cynical spin on anime production. See also ''Manga/KeepYourHandsOffEizouken'' for a look at animation ''specifically'' (not to mention an amateur project, rather than a professional work), as well as [[DeconReconSwitch a view of the ups and downs of artistic endeavour]].

* BreakOutTheMuseumPiece: Aria uses the Mitsubishi F-1, which is long outdated and out of service with the JASDF.

* PoorCommunicationKills: In episode 5, huge schism grows between the 2D and 3D department due to Tarou doing a really bad job relaying messages about who would do an important cut. 3D's opinion that them doing it would give 2D time for other cuts is relayed as 3D being much faster than 2D. 2D's response that doing it by hand leads to more expression is relayed as 3D being crappy and not as good as 2D. Tarou also falls prey to this trope when he calls Aoi when she's out drinking with her friends, since he fails to make it clear that he's dealing with a serious problem. Aoi assumes he's just jerking her around and ends up getting annoyed and hanging up on him, not realizing the seriousness of the situation until the next time she comes in to work..

* ArtStyleDissonance: The three main characters have cutesy designs that make them look as though they've stepped out of kid-oriented idol franchises like ''VideoGame/{{Aikatsu}}'' or ''[[Anime/HimeChenOtogiChikkuIdolLilpri Lilpri]]'', which contrasts with the murder mystery plot of the anime (as well as all the {{Fanservice}} the girls provide).

* BreakOutTheMuseumPice: Aria uses the Mitsubishi F-1, which is long outdated and out of service with the JASDF.

[[folder:Tropes Present in the Exodus OVA]]

[[folder:Tropes Present in the 3rd Aerial Girls Squad OVA]]

* ConspicuousCG: The cars are rendered in this method (see the ShoutOut entry below).
** The idea of CGI in otherwise 2D anime was also used as part of the conflict for a few episodes, and is shown on computer monitors in varying unfinished states.
** The ''Zoo Park Story'' sequence in episode 10 is also done up in a different style. Though unlike most of the show's examples, it's a self contained sequence.
** Also appears in the two one-off episodes as a result. Again, mostly used for vehicle animation.

If you are interested in understanding more about Japanese anime and manga related fields, we recommend ''Manga/SoreGaSeiyuu'' for voice acting, ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'' for manga production, and ''[[LightNovel/GirlishNumber Gi(a)rlish Numbers]]'' for a more cynical spin on anime production. See also ''Manga/KeepYourHandsOffEizouken'' for a look at animation ''specifically''(not to mention an amateur project, rather than a professional work), as well as [[DeconReconSwitch a view of the ups and downs of artistic endeavour]].

If you are interested in understanding more about Japanese anime and manga related fields, we recommend ''Manga/SoreGaSeiyuu'' for voice acting, ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'' for manga production, and ''[[LightNovel/GirlishNumber Gi(a)rlish Numbers]]'' for a more cynical spin on anime production. See also ''Manga/KeepYourHandsOffEizouken'' for a look at animation ''specifically'', as well as a more [[DeconReconSwitch nuanced]] view of the ups and downs of artistic endeavour.

*** Aoi: Suddenly having massive responsibility thrust upon them.
*** Ema: Poor work putting her professional reputation at risk.

* QuitYourWhining: Endou ends up receiving this from an old colleague, telling him not to blame the rise of 3D animation for declining work opportunities.

Two [=OVA=]s were released for the series, both connected to the shows that the Musani staff animated, both bundled in as specials for the Blu-Ray release. The first OVA tackled an early episode of '''Exodus''', a Musani-original series, while the final Blu-Ray included the first episode of '''Third Aerial Girls' Squad''', the manga adaptation the studio worked on during the series' second half. A movie is currently in production and slated for release on February 29, 2020.

[[/folder]]

If you are interested in understanding more about Japanese anime and manga related fields, we recommend ''Manga/SoreGaSeiyuu'' for voice acting, ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'' for manga production, and ''[[LightNovel/GirlishNumber Gi(a)rlish Numbers]]'' for a more cynical spin on anime production. See also ''Manga/KeepYourHandsOffEizouken'' for a look at animation ''specificaly'', as well as an even more optimistic view of the joys of artistic endeavour.

Two [=OVA=]s were released for the series, both connected to the shows that the Musani staff animated, both bundled in as specials for the Blu-Ray release. The first OVA tackled an early episode of '''Exodus''', a Musani-original series, while the final Blu-Ray included the first episode of '''Third Aerial Girls' Squad''', the manga adaptation the studio worked on during the series' second half. A movie is currently in production and slated for release in Spring 2020.

* PoorCommunicationKills: In episode 5, huge schism grows between the 2D and 3D department due to Tarou doing a really bad job relaying messages about who would do an important cut. 3D's opinion that them doing it would give 2D time for other cuts is relayed as 3D being much faster than 2D. 2D's response that doing it by hand leads to more expression is relayed as 3D being crappy and not as good as 2D.

* UnlimitedWardrobe: Quite realistically varied: some characters are almost never seen in the same clothes, or at least regularly mix-and-match their available options. Others, OTOH, are characterized by their {{Iconic Outfit}}s.

If you are interested in understanding more about Japanese anime and manga related fields, we recommend ''Manga/SoreGaSeiyuu'' for voice acting, ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'' for manga production, and ''[[LightNovel/GirlishNumber Gi(a)rlish Numbers]]'' for a more cynical spin on anime production.

''Don-don-donuts, let's go nuts!''

* GenericCuteness: Completely incidental to the show's WorkCom plot, but ''all'' characters in the series are uniformly gorgeous. Even the elderly ones, like Marukawa and Sugie spouses are [[GrandpaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave pretty easy on the eyes]]. The only possible exceptions are the {{Joke Character}}s like Tarou and Tomigaya, but even they are HollywoodHomely at worst.

Two [=OVA=]s were released for the series, both connected to the shows that the Musani staff animated, both bundled in as specials for the Blu-Ray release. The first OVA tackled an early episode of '''Exodus''', a Musani-original series, while the final Blu-Ray included the first episode of '''Third Aerial Girls' Squad''', the manga adaptation the studio worked on during the series' second half. On April 28, 2018, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-04-28/shirobako-anime-gets-all-new-film-project/.130969 it was announced that a movie for Shirobako had been decided and just started production with no definite release date yet]].

** Episode 15's finale was one for the producers, after Katsuragi and Nabe-P learn that Takezou Nogame, author of their current project ''Third Aerial Girls' Squad'', didn't like the character designs af all, and ordered to redo them -- after the first episode already progressed well into key animation stage. The blame for this lies with [[TheLoad Shinsuke Chazawa]], Nogame's liaison and probably the worst man on the job after ''Manga/MonthlyGirlsNozakikun'''s Maeno, who airheadedly reassured [=MusAni=] that everything is OK ''without even consulting Nogame in the first place''.

-->'''[[Creator/MasayaMatsukaze Nabe-P]]:''' "A voice actor's top priority is his acting (, not [[IdolSinger singing]])."\\

* MemeticMutation: InUniverse, Yamada mentioned that his first stint as an episode director for anime was ''Jiggly Jiggly Heaven'' Episode 9. It was so full of OffModel the episode became famous for all the wrong reasons, and the InternetBackdraft burnt him so hard he lost the guts to read online feedback regarding his work ever since.