Beyond Cel-Shading: The Quest for the True Anime Aesthetic
For years, the gaming industry has chased the “anime look,” but the results have often felt like approximations. While titles like Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball FighterZ made valiant attempts with cel-shading, there has remained a gap between a game that looks like anime and one that feels like a playable episode of a shonen series.
The benchmark for this level of stylistic fidelity is often compared to Cuphead, which successfully mirrored its vintage animation inspiration. Now, the industry is seeing a shift toward more complex layering. The upcoming Switch 2 exclusive, Orbitals, exemplifies this trend by combining hand-painted static backgrounds with moving 3D assets and individual anime cels layered over character models.
This approach, which incorporates a soft VHS grain and “juddery” cartoon-style movement, suggests a future where games move away from clean digital lines in favor of the nostalgic, tactile perceive of a dog-eared anime VHS tape.
Co-Development: When Animation Houses Become Game Partners
The relationship between game developers and animation studios is evolving from simple outsourcing to true co-development. In the past, studios might have provided assets or concept art, but the creation of Orbitals by Shapefarm shows a deeper integration.
By partnering with Studio Massket, Shapefarm didn’t just buy assets; they integrated animation production logistics into their game development. This included learning how to structure character sheets for anime and scanning hand-painted backgrounds directly into the game’s UI.
The involvement of legendary creators is similarly becoming a key differentiator. Bringing on Tôru Yoshida—renowned for his hand-drawn work on the original Gundam—allows games to capture an authentic 80s-inspired retro-futurism that is challenging to replicate without firsthand expertise from that era of animation.
The Legacy of Cross-Media Influence
This synergy is not entirely new, but It’s becoming more sophisticated. The link between anime and games is intrinsic, evidenced by Akira Toriyama lending his “spikey-haired designs” to Chrono Trigger and his work on the Dragon Quest series. Similarly, Hayao Miyazaki’s influence has long been felt in the design of airships within the Final Fantasy franchise.
Redefining Co-op: From Reflexes to Collaboration
The landscape of cooperative gaming is shifting. While the genre has been dominated by the high-energy, reflex-testing platforming seen in Josef Fares’ Hazelight titles like It Takes Two, a new trend is emerging that prioritizes tool-based collaboration over raw agility.
Orbitals, directed by Hazelight alumnus Jakob Lundgren, moves away from platformer-focused gameplay. Instead, it emphasizes the use of distinct tools—such as a gigantic beam cannon for soldering electrics and a grappling hook cannon for manipulating the environment. This creates a “gentler” experience where the focus is on how players collaborate using their specific abilities.
The goal is the creation of “couch moments”—those unique shared memories and conversations that happen between players during gameplay. This shift suggests a future for co-op titles that value emotional connection and collaborative puzzle-solving over mechanical difficulty.
The Role of Nostalgia in Modern Game Design
Nostalgia is no longer just a marketing tool; it is becoming a mechanical and aesthetic driver. The influence of the original Dragon Ball series, for instance, inspired Creative Director Marcos Ramos to embrace “playful abandon”—the idea of including “awesome” elements like anthropomorphic animals and cool machines without being strictly bound by lore or science.
This philosophy manifests in “homely” game hubs filled with distractions, from anime Easter eggs on bookshelves to DDR-inspired dance-offs. By blending 80s and 90s aesthetics with modern hardware like the Switch 2, developers are creating experiences that feel both alien and familiar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Orbitals?
Orbitals is a co-op only interstellar adventure developed by Shapefarm and published by Kepler Interactive, exclusive to the Switch 2.
How does Orbitals achieve its unique anime look?
It uses a combination of hand-painted static backgrounds, 3D assets with layered anime cels, and a soft VHS grain to mimic the look of classic animation.
Who is Tôru Yoshida?
Tôru Yoshida is a legendary anime creator known for his hand-drawn work on the original Gundam, who provided the cutscenes for Orbitals.
How does the gameplay in Orbitals differ from other co-op games?
Unlike reflex-heavy platformers, Orbitals focuses on tool-based collaboration using items like a beam cannon and a grappling hook to solve puzzles.
Do you suppose the industry is moving toward more “playable anime” experiences, or do you prefer the traditional cel-shaded look? Let us know in the comments below or subscribe to our newsletter for more deep dives into gaming trends!
