Next Thursday, November 10th, ASIFA-Hollywood is staging a tribute to the pioneering anime series KIMBA THE WHITE LION at the Glendale library.KIMBA (aka Jungle Emperor Leo or Jungulu Taitei) was based on Osamu Tezuka’s epic 533 page serialized manga first published in 1951. After the success of ASTRO BOY as Tezuka’s (and Japan’s) first animated TV series, KIMBA was financed by NBC Films and produced by Tezuka’s own Mushi Productions, and became the first Japanese cartoon series produced in color. Ever since its debut in 1965, KIMBA has attracted a loyal cult following.The ASIFA event next Thursday is being presented by KIMBA’s original English-language producer, Fred Ladd. He will present clips from the series and discuss its origins with animator Sadao Miyamoto (an alumnus of Tezuka’s Mushi Productions), Jared Cook, translator & interpreter for Tezuka himself, Hollywood animator (and KIMBA expert) Shawn Keller, and Ms. Sonia Owens, an original voice-cast member from the classic series. For more information (admission prices, location, starting time) see ASIFA-Hollywood.org.

Jamiroquai’s first-ever animated music video is an old-school tribute to Osvaldo Cavandoli’s LA LINEA mixed up with mo-cap CGI. The video was directed by Partizan Lab UK’s Alex and Martin. Nothing revolutionary here, but the animation has nice snappy timing, and I like the fact that the CG characters are designed to have both eyes on one side of the head. Check out the Quicktime version HERE or Windows Media and Real versions HERE.
(Thanks, Edward B.)

With the recent SCOOBY DOO movies and the upcoming KING KONG remake, combining live action and animation has certainly come a long way from Pete’s Dragon.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is preparing a panel of experts (names to be announced) to discuss the dynamics of using animation in live action films, exploring the history of the technique(s) and past films - and current challenges of creating a realistic animated performance in the digital age. This screening and panel discussion will be held December 6th at 7:30pm in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theatre. For more information click here.

As usual on the first Thursday of every month, I’ll be showing several 16mm films at the Steve Allen Theatre (at 4773 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz) November 3rd at 8pm, preceeding a live concert by Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys.I usually run a few Fleischer cartoons to set the mood, then Janet and the band perform a few songs from the golden era. It’s a madcap, zany, fun-for-all good time.Join us!

The ever-innovative Michel Gagné has posted the twelve INSANELY TWISTED SHADOW PUPPETS interstitials and bumpers that he created for Nickelodeon’s “Halloween Shriekin Weekend.” They are short but ingenious pieces of Flash animation. Michel’s kinetic, in-your-face style of timing and animation creates an energetic mood unlike any other animated film I’ve seen recently. As part of his contract with MTV, Michel wisely negotiated that he be allowed to show the unedited spots on his website, and these “Director’s Cuts” versions currently on his site differ significantly from what aired on Nick. After watching them my only thought is, I want to see more Gagné animation!

Canadian cartoonist German Shible offers an eloquent visual response to TV critic Robert Lloyd’s clueless piece in the LA TIMES. German writes:

I just read the article at LA Times you listed on the brew and well… it pissed me off. Since I’m not a fella fer words, i decided to release my distaste via a lil’ doodle. i call it Portrait of a Critic (Kidz Club).

Today I’m launching a new blog, Cartoon Modern, dedicated solely to 1950s animation design. It is a supplement to my forthcoming book of the same name, CARTOON MODERN: STYLE AND DESIGN IN 1950S ANIMATION, which will be released by Chronicle Books in April 2006. I’ll be updating regularly and sharing all sorts of rare research and visual material that I’ve gathered during the course of writing the book. Over the coming year, expect to see lots of great artwork by the likes of John Hubley, Ward Kimball, Mary Blair, Tom Oreb, Eyvind Earle, Maurice Noble, Ed Benedict and many other lesser known (but equally talented) 1950s-era animation designers. The site address is:cartoonmodern.blogsome.com