The Creation of a Two-Dimensional Short Animation 'Last Ronin'

Abstract

This study aims to create a short 2D animation titled 'Last Ronin,' which tells the journey of a last samurai seeking honor and revenge for his clan. The production process includes pre-production (scriptwriting, character design, and storyboarding), production (manual frame-by-frame animation using Toonboom Harmony and Clip Studio Paint), and post-production (adding visual effects and audio editing using CapCut). A cinematic visual style is applied through dynamic image composition, contrasting colors, and lighting to support the story's emotions.

The result is a 47-second animation uploaded on Instagram reels, receiving positive feedback from viewers, with over 1,000 Instagram users engaging with it. This project demonstrates that 2D animation can integrate deep narratives with strong cinematic elements, providing a reference for the development of similar animation works in the future.