Creative Process

(Straw Hat Item Animation)

Originl Boards

  • (Loop Start) Board 1: Luffy to Nami

  • Board 2: Nami to Franky

  • Board 3: Franky to Usopp

  • Board 4: Usopp to Brook

  • Board 5: Brook to Sanji

  • Board 6: Sanji to Jinbe

  • Board 7: Jinbe to Robin

  • Board 8: Robin to Chopper

  • Board 9: Chopper to Zoro

  • (Loop End) Board 10: Zoro to Luffy

Board 1: Luffy to Nami

Luffy

I wanted the scene to start really simple with the strawhat. The insignia of the whole crew and the item that started Luffy’s adventure.

Luffy to Nami

Nami is the first primary character we see in the anime so I wanted her to be our first transition. I wanted this transition to capture Luffy’s boundless energy and I thought it would be a lot of fun to show how that influencess the log pose.

Nami

I chose the log pose for Nami because her goal is to map the whole world. She is the navigator of the ship so I wanted her compass needle to start by shaking violently and eventually come to a rest in her hands.

Board 2: Nami to Franky

Nami

Nami is a character that values wealth so I wanted her text to feel very glamorous. That is why I added the shine and chose a font that I felt captures her penchant for posing

Nami to Franky

This transition was easy to do from a technical stand point, as the shapes were simmilar. But difficult to make a connection between. I wanted to show how they both value travel/sailing. But struggled to figure out how to make that come across.

Franky

For Franky’s item I chose to use a bottle of Cola. It is the fuel for both the Strawhats ship and Franky himself. It also made for an easy transition from Nami’s log pose.

Board 3: Franky to Usopp

Franky

For Franky’s font I wanted something big and blocky. But I also wanted it to represent his spirit as an engineer. So I made his text also function like a rocketship count down.

Franky to Usopp

This was the concept I was most proud of. Usopp and Franky share a bond as inventors/mechanists. So I made the transition into a form of “rocket launch” with the cap of the soda. The best part of it is that when the cap errupts with soda I could use that soda to transition to the next scene.

Usopp

For Usopp’s item I chose his Kabuto Slingshot as it is his singature weapon. I also like that it is a menacing looking weapon when in reality it is just a slingshot. It is the perfect item for the bold faced liar.

Board 4: Usopp to Brook

Usopp

For Usopp’s text I wanted to have big bold letters that were empty to illustrate how he makes bold bluffs. Also as the slingshot builds tension the letters shake to illustrate his fearful nature.

Usopp to Brook

For this transition I wanted to take advantage of the slingshot’s momentum. Both Brook and Usopp are eratic characters so I wanted to make the transition happen quickly as well.

Brook

For Brook’s item I chose his cane. It is his weapon but it is also the tool he uses to play music. Brook’s cane waves around whimsically which I felt matched his nature.

Board 5: Brook to Sanji

Brook

For Brook’s Font I wanted to find something that gave me the same vibes as an old school british gentleman. I also wanted to kind of make it look like it was a note on a piece of sheet music.

Brook to Sanji

I had a golden opportunity to do Brook’s signature attack on the background so I took it. I chose to transition from Brook to Sanji because they share a “lecherous” nature. I also chose to hide Sanji’s item behind the background to illustrate his sneaky nature.

Sanji

For Sanji’s item I chose a cigarette because it is rare to ever see him without one. As for the moment I wanted it to be soft and percise to show his “cool nature”

Board 6: Sanji to Jinbe

Sanji

For Sanji’s text I wanted to have it look like it was his signature in the corner of a cook book. I also love that I was able to find a font with a swirl like his eyebrows.

Sanji to Jinbe

For this transition I wanted to use the heat of Sanji’s cigarette to “brand” Jinbe. This captures Sanji’s passion/heat, his negative feelings towards Jinbe and most importantly it also captures Jinbe’s history

Jinbe

For Jinbe’s item/symbol I chose his sun pirates tatoo. It is a mark that ties him to his past and also shows what kind of person he is. I also wanted his movement to be really smooth and steady because he is a patient person.

Board 7: Jinbe to Robin

Jinbe

For Jinbe’s Font I wanted to get something I could see being used in an atlantean society. It feels older but a little noble to me.

Jinbe to Robin

I wanted to capture the energy that both Jinbe and Robin had to live out of the spotlight. I shrunk Jinbe’s scene down to a super small size, I wanted it to feel like Robin snuck out a book.

Robin

For Robin’s item I chose a book because it represents her thirst for knowledge. I also like that as it opens up it lands softly on both sides. Not super bombastic but playful.

Board 8: Robin to Chopper

Robin

For Robin’s text I wanted to have it be “uncovered” as Robin reads through the book. I also had the book pages be turned by a gust of wind with petals because she has the powers of the flower flower fruit.

Robin to Chopper

I transitioned from Robin to Chopper using a shape morph. I thought it was fun to transition from the biggest book reader to the second biggest book reader. I wanted Chopper’s transition to be really bouncy and cartoon like to show his child like character.

Chopper

For Chopper’s item I chose his hat. It might be surface level but it is the thing that I think gives him mascot energy. It also shows his reindeer qualities which are crucial to his character.

Board 9: Chopper to Zoro

Chopper

For Chopper’s Font I picked one that I feel like would be used in a cartoon like Rocky and Bullwinkle. I imagine that is the kind of font he would choose for himself. I also added snow to allude to Chopper’s home island.

Chopper to Zoro

Chopper’s role model in the crew has always been Zoro. So I felt like a transition between these two would be natural. I thought it would be really fun to take the pirate mark on Chopper’s hat and use it as a match cut for Zoro’s swords would be super fitting for their relationship.

Zoro

There is no choice for Zoro other than his three swords. It is what defines his character. I wanted his sword movements to all feel very percise and intentional but I also wanted his swords to feel like they had weight behind them so there is a little bounce in their movements.

Board 10: Zoro to Luffy

Zoro

For Zoro’s text I wanted it to feel like it wasn’t in it’s final place/form until Zoro had all three swords. I also thought it would be really fitting to have Zoro’s text enter the third dimension when his third sword joins the party.

Zoro to Luffy

I knew from the very beginning that this was going to be the final transition. Zoro is Luffy’s anchor and always puts his captain first. It was really fun to have Zoro’s swords perform his strongest technique and then have the brim pop out of Luffy’s hat like an old timey cartoon who is immune to death.

Luffy

For Luffy’s text I wanted it to feel bouncy and fun but also like we are at sea. I really tried to make Luffy’s feel like the beginning of our journey. So some of the elements are more simple. If Luffy' was the final person in our adventure I’d have all the text bounce on in a very noodly/ruberhose way.