Anime Cinematography Blog

In the Episode 7 and  Episode 8 write-ups I talked about the show's great sense of scale and speed, and usage of camera movements and slow-motion. The scene below exemplifies all of that but what stuck out to me happened around the 00:20 mark. The camera tracks Nagate as he avoids another attack, it then pans to the rest of the platoon that are about to enter the Gauna. I thought this was a good use of camera movement to transition from out pivotal moment to another.

I think an unnoticeable but very essential use of cinematography (right along with editing/storyboarding) is establishing a sense of rhythm in a scene. Different types of shots, angles, camera movement and lighting should blend together and make sense within the context of the scene. I think this is something Knights of Sidonia has done a good job with. The scene below I think is a good example of rhythm. The scene begins as the camera pans down on Nagate. The light on Nagate in the middle of darkness puts the focus on him and builds an air of mystery. The scene reveals Yure with a deep focus shot, this exudes a feeling that something is about to be revealed that concerns Nagate. The medium shot on Yure shows bubbles in the background, further building up the mystery and tension. The scene then cuts to a long shot to show scale, more tension building. Cuts to a medium shot of Nagate, light flashes and we see his shocked reaction. A long shot to finally show the Gauna Hybrid. All ...

Knights of Sidonia uses a variety of camera angles and movements to create intense and visceral action scenes. This was best exemplified by the Mecha battle in this episode. The scene below begins with a high angle shot of a Guana Mecha looking down at a destroyed Garde. This portrays the Gauna as an imposing figure which is further highlighted as the camera quickly moves in for a closeup. About 17 seconds into the video is where the show truly shines as it uses dynamic camera movements to a great effect. The action starts with an extreme long shot of Tanikaze's Garde, which quickly flies into the camera (full shot). The camera switches briefly to a follow shot of Tanikaze then pulls back, pans to the Gauna and moves in for a medium shot. These constant changes create an exciting sense of speed and hectic pace. The scene below shows a good application of slow-motion to transition from fast pace action to a more dramatic shot. Again, notice the great use of dynam...

The next few images illustrate the different ways the show gives a sense of scale.  A long shot of the Gardes formation being dwarfed by the Gauna.  A medium closeup of Nagate with the reflection of the Guana on his helmet.  A point of view shot from Nagate's cockpit.