I could probably fill a book with how Shirobako is an excellent representation of what it feels like for any young person at the beginning of a career and the way that they learn from the people around them, but I’m writing this post about five minutes before it’s supposed to go up on my blog since I didn’t write it last night the way I usually do with these things (I saw The Force Awakens instead. No regrets here), so lets just get this one out there!
One of the moments that stands out to me the most from Shirobako even months after finishing it is the episode where Ema loses a bit of her spark. She feels like everything she draws is crap and thinks that she’ll never reach the levels of her seniors in animation. She’s hit a slump and doesn’t know how to deal with it, which causes her to spiral down into self-doubt even more.
It’s not until she’s taken aside and shown that sometimes all you need to do is take a walk that she starts to snap out of it. Even pros have off days, but you have to take them as they come. While not explicitly referenced in Shirobako, this episode made me think of various things I’ve read about creativity and how when someone reaches a certain point, their output doesn’t match the quality that they want it to be at. While this is a frustrating phase, it’s also a turning point. Once someone becomes aware of what needs to be improved in their work, they either take it to the next level or decide that it’s too hard and give up.
Good thing Ema has plenty of people around her to help her be the former!
Screenshots are from Crunchyroll.com. Please support official simulcasts.
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