The Sakkan, or Animation Director, is a key role in anime production, responsible for overseeing and correcting the quality of animation in a given episode or scene. They ensure that the character designs remain consistent, refine key animation, and maintain the overall visual style set by the Chief Animation Director and Character Designer.

Responsibilities

The Sakkan’s primary duties include:

• Correction of Key Animation: Reviewing and adjusting the work of Key Animators to ensure consistency in character proportions, expressions, and movements.
• Maintaining Visual Consistency: Ensuring that animation follows the intended designs and overall artistic direction.
• Collaboration with the Chief Animation Director: Implementing corrections based on feedback from the Chief Animation Director (if present in the production) to maintain a uniform quality across episodes.
• Scene Breakdown and Adjustments: Occasionally adjusting layouts, refining poses, or modifying key frames for fluidity and expressiveness.
• Communicating with the Animation Team: Providing guidance to Key Animators and sometimes working with In-Between Animators to improve overall quality.

Types of Sakkan

Depending on the production size and complexity, there can be different types of Animation Directors:

• Character Sakkan (キャラ作監, Chara Sakkan): Focuses on correcting character animation to match the official designs.
• Action Sakkan (アクション作監, Action Sakkan): Specializes in refining dynamic action sequences and fight scenes.
• Effects Sakkan (エフェクト作監, Effect Sakkan): Oversees animation of effects such as fire, water, smoke, and explosions.
• Chief Animation Director (総作画監督, Sōsaku Kantoku): A higher-level role responsible for ensuring consistency across an entire episode or series, supervising the work of multiple Sakkans.

Differences from Key Animator

While Key Animators create the foundational poses and movement for scenes, the Sakkan focuses on refining and correcting those drawings rather than creating them from scratch. Their work ensures the animation stays true to the artistic vision and maintains production quality.

Importance in Anime Production

A skilled Sakkan can greatly influence the visual appeal of an anime. Productions with experienced Animation Directors often have more polished and consistent animation, while those with limited corrections may have noticeable inconsistencies between scenes. Many well-known animators begin as Key Animators and later transition into the Sakkan role as they gain experience.

Conclusion

The Sakkan plays a vital role in maintaining animation quality and ensuring artistic consistency in anime. Their expertise and corrections help shape the final look of an episode, making them an indispensable part of any animation team.