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Animation Runner Kuromi 2
Anime DVD Review
This sequel to the popular and insightful Animation Runner Kuromi continues the misadventures of the newbie anime producer stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to get the animation done for the TV show that she is working on.
This time however, the studio is now working on three shows simultaneously, they are critically understaffed, and, if this wasn't enough stress, the boss brings in a maverick producer to get the jobs done, but he eschews quality control and direction, focusing on meeting the deadline at any cost.
 Any anime fan really needs to have this as a part of their collection. Not only is it a fairly accurate view of what goes on inside an average animation studio in Japan (when it's run by misfits), but it's a highly satirical look at the entire process of making a cartoon. From the constant compromises and sacrifices that have to be made in order to meet deadline to the personal problems that each artist may bring to the table, to the fact that everyone draws differently, and yet the final result needs to look seamless, Animation Runner Kuromi 2 covers all aspects of what happens while these cartoons get made, and yet it itself is a cartoon.
As with the previous version, the extras on the disk also make it worth the price - you get essentially a "Roman Album" worth of extra stills and sketches, character designs and model sheets.
If you ever thought of working "in the business", then you should definitely pick this up (along with the original), as Kuromi is an eye-opening, appealing, funny, biting look behind the scenes of anime production.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2006
Animation Runner Kuromi
Anime DVD Review
This charmer of an OVA is rife with inside-jokes about working at an animation studio in Japan. An Otaku-fantasy come true, Kuromi learns that it's hard work and requires more self-confidence than she thinks she has.
Anime fans who want to know how the magic happens will find the film, as well as the extras included on the disk, both insightful and just a little bit frightening.
Not since The Duck Factory have we been this pleased to see something that shows what it's like on the other side of the pencil. Kuromi deserves a spot on your shelf, right next to some books on how to draw and how to do animation.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, November 2003
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