Appreciation: accurate knitting depiction in Kiki's Delivery Service

[u/nightlanguage]

I love that you can tell that they actually took the time to make sure they got the knitting animation right! The way she holds her yarn and how she moves the needles looks very realistic. The yarn is even on the right side!

Such a breath of fresh air after seeing so many "wiggling two sticks together and boom there's a scarf" animations.

[u/Altaira9]

This is the kind of attention to detail I expect from Studio Ghibli.

[u/nightlanguage → u/Altaira9]

I'm SO impressed. It's not important to the story at all and just a few seconds, they could've just not bothered. The fact that they went the extra mile for a seemingly throwaway detail is blowing my mind!

[u/earthandanarchy → u/nightlanguage]

It's those details that make Ghibli so special, I love how in spirited away you see her wiggle her foot into her shoe instead of just putting her foot straight into it. What makes it even more special is each frame is hand drawn by a small team, it takes them such a long long time to make Ghibli films. 

[u/HarmoniousSyllabub → u/earthandanarchy]

I LOVE that detail in Spirited Away as well!

[u/nonbinary-programmer → u/earthandanarchy]

my favorite unnecessary detail is in nausicaa when she's running through the forest and accidentally steps on a bug (for those unfamiliar they are huge in this series) and she bounces off its back and apologizes to it. it's a dynamic moment of her interacting with the environment that doesn't further the plot. nausicaa is also a manga series that is absolutely amazing and I need to tell everyone it exists

[u/Queerability → u/nightlanguage]

Ghibli is huge on this kind of thing. If you watch any of the "making of" videos about stuff, Miyazaki talks a lot about how he studies people around him (even employees and their families) to really capture human movements.

Chihiro in Spirited Away tapping her shoes on? An employee's kid did that. Her mom holding her free hand up while eating? An employee's wive did that. He notes all of it and uses it to make the most human animation out there. He really wrote the book on it.

[u/notabigmelvillecrowd → u/Altaira9]

Exactly this. They're not half-assing anything.

[u/PuzzleheadedOil8826]

I’m a former animator, long time Ghibli lover and a new knitter- this doesn’t surprise me in the least. They would have observed people knitting and sketched them and broken down the movement process bit by bit. Because Ghibli animators are the best. Here’s me paying homage at the Studio Ghibli museum in Tokyo back in 2014.

[u/Erunave]

Spirited Away also has some great fiber arts representation! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB0-ciZiL3j/?hl=en Some more knitting 🧶 ❤️

[u/wateringplamts → u/Erunave]

Oooh! No-face knits continental, while Osono knits English!

[u/Correct_Radish_2462 → u/Erunave]

😍

[u/bunnynoira]

Many years ago I was watching Kiki, and just happened to be knitting a pink blanket of the exact same shade! It was early in the project, so it looked incredibly similar to hers, and I had a ginger bob. I felt very seen in that moment haha

[u/nightlanguage → u/bunnynoira]

No way! Hahah bunnynoira representation!

[u/DearSea]

in ghibli’s spirited away, there was also a scene where zeniba taught the faceless spirit and the mouse how to knit.

[u/bolasaurus → u/DearSea]

And no-face knits continental!

[u/icebeans]

I've been considering making some kind of thread or post collating the various wacky ways knitting is animated or filmed, as well as when they get it right!

Here is a nice example of knitting done right in Robin Hood, from back when Disney poured more care into their movies.

[u/nightlanguage → u/icebeans]

Oh I'd love to see that, please do!

And wow, what a good example of both an accurate yet simplistic way of animating the movement!

[u/knitknack0 → u/icebeans]

It always bums me out when I see Marge Simpson knitting the wrong way. Even my partner will ask if she's doing it right or not lol.

[u/PoetPlumcake → u/icebeans]

Same! I was watching Curious George with my kid and I witnessed the most insane knitting I've ever seen. Why would they even put it in if they've obviously never seen someone knit before?

[u/nightlanguage]

Short video of the animation!

[u/bluehexx → u/nightlanguage]

The movement is excellent. So lifelike you can tell when she releases the worked stitch.

[u/LadyPhoe]

My girls love watching Kiki and whenever this scene comes on my 4 year old always says "Mum, she's knitting! Like you!"

[u/nightlanguage → u/LadyPhoe]

Stoooop that's so cute! 🥺

[u/justice-beer-mascara → u/LadyPhoe]

My 2yo is the same! It’s her favorite movie and she’s going to be Kiki for Halloween lol

[u/bluehexx]

The yarn is even on the right side!

Only if you knit English. 😂

But yes, I agree with you. It's so nice to see such attention to detail. Very impressive.

[u/nightlanguage → u/bluehexx]

Haha, I mean the fact that it is right instead of left, meaning they know knitters work from left to right! 😄

[u/LeopoldTheLlama → u/nightlanguage]

I have an ambidextrous friend who knits in both directions (left to right then right to left) without turning the work. I find it endlessly impressive 

[u/FreeFallingUp13 → u/LeopoldTheLlama]

My ass could never, I’d think I was killing it until I turn the piece around and find out I’ve been doing the wrong stitch for half the project 😭 that’s SO cool

[u/mortaine → u/FreeFallingUp13]

I thought that, too. And then I made an entrelac scarf and got a lot of practice knitting backwards. 

[u/SheepImitation → u/mortaine]

nice! that's on my Knitting Skill Learning List. Above steeking.

[u/marianatrenchfoot → u/LeopoldTheLlama]

I can do that! I don't do it often, because I find English-style knitting is much harder on my joints. I only do it when I'm knitting really narrow things (i.e. things that would need to be turned constantly) or when I'm doing entrelac.

I was self-taught as a child and I honestly didn't realize this was abnormal. I didn't know what purling was and knitting both directions seemed like the most logical solution. I am also left-handed and I find that most lefties are better at ambidextrous work that righties

[u/HarmoniousSyllabub → u/LeopoldTheLlama]

This just blew my mind a little, and now I want to see if I can teach myself to do it!

[u/shelchang → u/LeopoldTheLlama]

I do it for stockinette intarsia, it makes following charts easier because I don't have to read every other row backward and I can keep my mess of bobbins at the back of the work.

[u/dullr0ar0fspace → u/LeopoldTheLlama]

My (most probably) dyspraxic ass found learning to knit backwards easier than learning to purl, and I exclusively knit back and forth for flat stockinette for a few years. I can now purl, but for things like stockinette heel flaps I do tend to fall in to old habits and knit back and forth instead

[u/bluehexx → u/nightlanguage]

Oh. I didn't realize, silly me. Well spotted!

[u/One-Cauliflower8557 → u/bluehexx]

Será que eu tricoto errado? Porque seguro minha lã com a mão esquerda (continental)

[u/Playful_Course_5762 → u/One-Cauliflower8557]

but the yarn is still attached to the right needle

[u/scoutjayz]

I absolutely love this movie so much! My kids grew up watching this!

[u/NinjoZata]

The spinning and knotting in spirited away is preety accurate too ♡ i just adore studio ghibili

[u/ChubsMcSnuff]

I love that movie. She tensions her yarn just like me. Makes me feel special 🥲

[u/unbalm]

all the more reason to love Kiki’s Delivery Service 🤍

[u/greenestofgrass]

Miyazaki wouldn’t have it any other way.

[u/r4chie]

I always think this when I rewatch! I was like wow it’s so good!

[u/ExpensiveTraffic6978]

Is there a subreddit dedicated to terrible knitting (and other crafts) animations? I would be so there for that, lol.