In anime, Genga (key animation) are the drawings that depict the key poses of movement. The Key Animator is in charge for the Genga.

Genga (Material)

The Genga contain 2 huge steps made by the Key Animator.

• Layout (LO) and Rough Genga together are sometimes called First Key Animation, Dai Ichi Genga (第一原画), Ichigen (一原) or LO Rough Gen (LOラフ原).
• Genga (called this way for non-japanese), but mainly called Second Key Animation, Dai Ni Genga (第二原画) or Nigen (二原).

Anime is drawn using the pose-to-pose method, and Genga are line drawings that correspond to the key poses. The frames are drawn at key points in the flow of movement that should be the most important. Because of this, you can get a sense of the overall picture of the animation by flipping through key drawings.

Key drawings are line drawings that accurately depict key poses, but they do not appear in the final video. The lines that appear in the final video are Douga (動画) that has been cleaned up from key drawings (frames between key drawings are drawn using inbetween frames). Depending on the production system, Rough Genga that serve as the rough outline of the key frames are drawn and supervised. In this method, the key frames are called second key animation to distinguish them from the rough original drawings.

Rough Genga

Rough Genga (ラフ原画) are rough outlines of 原画 drawn using simple drawings. Also called Rough Gen.

When rough Genga are used in the anime production process, they are checked by the director and animation director. This allows for early supervision of the movement (animation).