This show is so good and the work is incredibly integrated and their dedication to historical accuracy in creating the visual effects for the show. They studied historical artworks, particularly the Cano w blocks, to design and develop the digital world of ancient 17th century Osaka.
Thousands of highly detailed assets were created, including temples, mansions, bridges, and season-specific foliage, using intricate maps and a customizable 2D system.
VFX supervisor Michael Cliett and his team spent three years researching historical details.
Historical Accuracy
The objective was to bring ancient 17th century Osaka back to life by constructing the city from the ground up, ensuring every detail was accurate. They used intricate maps and a customizable 2D system to recreate the city’s layout and generate new layouts for Osaka in minutes.
Thousands of unique, highly detailed assets were created, including temples, mansions, bridges, and season-specific foliage. The team ensured the interaction between real and CG environments appeared natural and believable, adding subtle elements that were visually convincing and integral to the narrative.
Ships were also a fundamental part of the show, and the team studied real-world references to understand their movement through water and create procedural simulations for significant flexibility and control over the water’s appearance. Nearly 150 crew members worked on the show.
The design team constructed an accurate digital representation of Osaka, focusing on temples, mansions, and bridges.
The layout was informed by intricate maps that illustrated Japan’s advancements in the 1600s and utilized a customizable 2D system in Houdini for efficient map recreation. The innovative use of 2D maps and Houdini for constructing Osaka reveals the power of technology in modern VFX, showcasing how traditional methods can evolve through digital tools.
Modular asset creation allowed for thousands of unique buildings and maintained the city’s liveliness through strategically placed foliage.
Watch the breakdown here :
