Worldbuilding Across Cultures: A Comparative Study of Western and Eastern Fantasy in the Animation and Film Industry
1. Introduction
Fantasy is one of the most globally consumed genres in contemporary cinema and animation. However, fantasy is not culturally neutral. The way fictional worlds are constructed—mythology, social hierarchy, magic systems, visual design, morality, and narrative structure—often reflects the cultural frameworks from which they emerge.
This thesis proposes to examine how Western and Eastern cultural traditions influence fantasy worldbuilding in animated and cinematic works, and how these differences shape audience perception, identity, and global media exchange.
2. Research Problem
While fantasy is frequently treated as universal escapism, its worldbuilding strategies often encode cultural values. Western fantasy frequently draws from medieval European traditions, Christian cosmology, and individualistic hero narratives. In contrast, Eastern fantasy—particularly from East Asia—often incorporates Shinto, Buddhist, Taoist, or Confucian philosophies, collective identity, animism, and cyclical views of time.
Despite increasing globalization in the animation and film industries, there is limited comparative research analyzing:
How cultural philosophy influences fantasy world construction
How mythological systems shape narrative structures
How globalization affects hybridization of fantasy aesthetics
This study aims to address that gap.
3. Research Questions
How do Western and Eastern cultural traditions influence fantasy worldbuilding in animation and film?
In what ways do narrative structures differ between Western and Eastern fantasy storytelling?
How do mythological, religious, and philosophical systems shape representations of magic, nature, and heroism?
How has globalization influenced cross-cultural fantasy production in contemporary animation?
*spacing first to see the relationship between each two poses, then adjust the timing to clearify the weightshift and the speed in animation.
blocking plus of the heavy object shot→
Facial Poses
some exaggeration is needed while making facial poses according to real human references. Also the muscles on the cheek should also be paid attention to.
some note: build the constraint before animation, use different parents to connect and disconnect the cup and the hand.
Heavy Object Blocking
Facial Pose in Animation
Facial animation is not only about changing the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth. A good facial pose should feel organic, readable, and emotionally clear. The face should work as one connected system, rather than separate parts moving independently.
1. Make the Face Organic
The main goal of facial posing is to make the expression feel alive. The face should not look stiff, robotic, or like a simple control slider has been pushed. Instead, every part of the face should support the same emotion.
2. Use Asymmetry
Perfect symmetry often makes a face look unnatural. Slight differences between the two sides of the face can make the pose more appealing and dynamic.
For example, one eyebrow can be higher, one eye can be more open, or one mouth corner can lift more than the other. This helps avoid a flat or mechanical expression.
3. Create a Facial Line of Action
Just like the body, the face can also have a line of action. The brows, eyes, nose, mouth, and chin can form a clear direction or flow.
This makes the expression stronger and easier to read. A good facial pose should have a clear visual rhythm, not just random feature movement.
4. Keep Facial Connectivity
Facial features should affect each other. When the mouth smiles, the cheeks should lift and the eyes may narrow slightly. When the brows move down, the eyelids and eye shape should also change.
This connectivity makes the face feel like muscle and flesh, rather than separate animated controls.
5. Maintain Volume
The face should not collapse during an expression. If one area is compressed, another area should push out or shift.
For example, a smile should not only move the mouth corners. It should also create cheek volume and affect the lower eyelids.
6. Design Clear Shapes
Strong facial poses use clear and graphic shapes. Avoid generic shapes, such as simple oval or “football-shaped” eyes and mouths.
It is often better to create contrast: one side bigger, one side smaller; one corner up, one corner down. This makes the emotion more specific and appealing.
7. Pay Attention to Eyelids and Teeth
The relationship between the upper eyelid and the pupil shows the character’s energy level and emotion. Small eyelid changes can make a face look tired, alert, suspicious, or surprised.
For mouth poses, keeping the upper teeth stable helps the expression feel believable. Hiding the lower teeth is often acceptable
In this version we add some shots to enhance the hunter to prey topic.
Some issues: some shots are a bit extra, and the body language didn’t really show the personality of the character, which still need to be improved.
Heavy Object Planning
References
1.pulling the door
2.dragging body
The rough blocking
The story is a bit dull in this version, I will incorporate a scene where an on-ground person stands up, opens the door, and then lies down again.
About the animation style, I want to go for a more cartoony style, however the model is too realistic, so i may consider changing the model.
Storytelling
Storytelling is a basic part of human communication. Through stories, people share experiences, pass down cultural memories, and explore questions about life, morality, conflict, and change. In film and animation, story structure helps organize these ideas into a clear emotional journey for the audience.
1. Film Narrative Hierarchy
A story is made up of smaller narrative units. These units usually move from large to small:
Story → Act → Sequence → Scene → Shot → Beat / Frame
This hierarchy shows that storytelling is not only about the whole plot. Every scene, shot, and beat should support the larger narrative. A strong story structure helps creators control pacing, tension, emotion, and character development.
2. Three-Act Structure
The Three-Act Structure is one of the most common narrative models. It divides a story into three main parts:
Act 1: Setup This part introduces the world, the main character, and the central problem. The audience learns who the protagonist is and what their normal life looks like before change begins.
Act 2: Confrontation This is usually the longest part of the story. The protagonist faces obstacles, makes choices, and experiences increasing pressure. Conflict becomes stronger, and the character is pushed out of their comfort zone.
Act 3: Resolution The main conflict reaches its final stage and is resolved. The story shows whether the character succeeds, fails, or changes in some important way.
The core idea of this structure is simple: a story needs a clear beginning, middle, and end. It is especially useful for building rising tension through obstacles.
3. Hero’s Journey
The Hero’s Journey, also called the Monomyth, was developed by Joseph Campbell. It suggests that many myths and heroic stories share a similar pattern. A hero leaves their ordinary world, enters an unfamiliar world, faces trials, and returns transformed.
Christopher Vogler later simplified Campbell’s ideas into a more practical 12-step structure for screenwriting. These steps can be grouped into three larger stages:
Departure The hero begins in the ordinary world, receives a call to adventure, may refuse the call, meets a mentor, and finally crosses the threshold into a new world.
Initiation The hero faces tests, meets allies and enemies, approaches the most dangerous place, and experiences a major ordeal. This is where the hero confronts fear, danger, or inner weakness.
Return After gaining a reward or lesson, the hero returns home or enters a new stage of life. A final test proves whether the hero has truly changed.
The Hero’s Journey is useful for stories about growth, adventure, identity, and transformation. It works especially well in fantasy, action, coming-of-age stories, and myths.
4. Five-Act Structure
The Five-Act Structure is often connected with Freytag’s Pyramid. It offers a more detailed way to organize dramatic tension.
Act 1: Setup The protagonist, setting, and basic situation are introduced. An inciting incident begins the main conflict.
Act 2: Complication The conflict becomes more complex. The protagonist faces new challenges, and the pressure continues to rise.
Act 3: Peak / Climax The tension reaches its highest point. A major event changes the direction of the story and affects the characters deeply.
Act 4: Descent The story moves toward its inevitable result. The audience begins to feel that the consequences cannot be avoided.
Act 5: Resolution The conflict is completed. The audience experiences catharsis, which means the emotional pressure of the story is released.
This structure is useful for stories with strong emotional build-up, tragedy, irony, or dramatic consequences.
5. Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
Dan Harmon’s Story Circle is a simplified version of the Hero’s Journey. It turns the character’s emotional movement into eight clear steps:
You — A character is in a familiar comfort zone.
Need — The character wants something.
Go — The character enters an unfamiliar situation.
Search — The character adapts to the new world.
Find — The character gets what they wanted.
Take — The character pays a price.
Return — The character returns to a familiar situation.
Change — The character has changed.
The Story Circle is practical because it focuses on character change over time. It can be used for both large adventure stories and smaller emotional stories. The key idea is that a character should not end the story exactly the same as they began.
6. Kishōtenketsu
Kishōtenketsu is a four-part structure rooted in East Asian storytelling traditions. Unlike many Western structures, it does not rely mainly on conflict. Instead, it creates meaning through development, contrast, and a shift in perspective.
Its four parts are:
Ki — Introduction The basic situation, image, or idea is introduced.
Shō — Development The idea is expanded. More details are added, but the story does not necessarily move toward conflict.
Ten — Twist / Turn A new perspective, contrast, or unexpected element appears. This changes how the audience understands the earlier parts.
Ketsu — Conclusion The different parts are brought together. The meaning becomes clear through connection rather than confrontation.
Kishōtenketsu is especially useful for quiet, poetic, slice-of-life, or observational stories. Its main strength is that it shows how a story can be meaningful without needing a major battle, villain, or direct conflict.
7. Comparison of the Structures
Different structures serve different storytelling goals.
The Three-Act Structure is driven by conflict and resolution. The Hero’s Journey is driven by adventure and personal growth. The Five-Act Structure is driven by rising and falling dramatic tension. The Story Circle is driven by emotional change. Kishōtenketsu is driven by contrast, perspective, and subtle transformation.
These models should not be treated as fixed rules. They are tools that help writers, filmmakers, and animators organize ideas. The best structure depends on the kind of story being told and the emotional experience the creator wants to give the audience.
Conclusion
Story structure helps transform events into meaningful narrative experiences. A clear structure can guide the audience through conflict, discovery, change, or reflection. Some structures emphasize tension and resolution, while others focus on transformation or a shift in perspective. For creators, understanding different story structures makes it easier to control pacing, shape character arcs, and build stronger emotional impact.
1. Story is about cause, not just sequence A good story is not a list of events. It should not rely on “and then.” Instead, events should be connected by cause and effect, using ideas like “therefore” and “but.” This makes the story meaningful and engaging.
2. Narrative vs. chronicle A chronicle simply records what happens. A narrative gives meaning to what happens. In a strong story, every event should lead to the next one, instead of existing on its own.
3. Let the character drive the story Stories should be shaped by what the character wants and the choices they make. Events should not just happen to the character. Instead, the story should develop because of the character’s actions, desires, and flaws.
4. Conflict is essential A story begins when a character wants something but cannot easily get it. This creates conflict. Conflict can be internal (inside the character) or external (from the outside world). Without conflict, there is no story.
5. Use a simple structure (SWBST) A useful way to build a story is:
Somebody (who is the story about)
Wanted (what do they want)
But (what stops them)
So (what do they do)
Then (what happens in the end)
This helps turn ideas into a clear story.
6. Different story structures exist There are many ways to structure a story, such as the three-act structure or the hero’s journey. But all of them follow the same basic idea: conflict, development, and change.
7. Storytelling needs practice Good stories are not created instantly. You need to try different versions, improve them, and connect events more clearly. Storyboarding and rewriting can help make the story stronger.
Previs: Hunter to Pray
First draft of the storyboard
Futher adjustments: the major character needs to be more like a pray, we plan to add the plot of the guy try to hit the cat.
This lecture we learn about camera language. There are a few vital elements while we decide how to set the camera, including focus, focal length, geometry, and movement.
While deciding the focus of the camera, the Depth of Field (DOF) is somthing we need to pay attention to, which is decided by the Aperture, Focal length and the Distance to the object.
Different types of focus: Deep focus: lots of details, able to see the whole stage shallow focus: tunnel vision effect rack focus: guides the viewer’s eye through the 3D space to follow the logic of the scene
Diffferent types of shots: Dolly, Zoom, Hand Held, Whip Pan, Establishing Shots, Arc Shot
5+5 challange is to use 5 shots, each lasts five seconds to create a small story conveying a certain emotiom. There will be no dialogue and very little character movements. Below is the storyboard i made.
The first storyboard is trying to describe a lonly man in a bar, drinking alone, i’m trying to creat a lonely atmosphere by using simple shots with slow or no movements. The second one is a celeberation secen, I will use some hand held shot, joggle the camera a little to create a euphoric vibe.
Tips: using close-up shots to show the what and who, using wide shots to show the where.
To help with the final project, due to the limited time and resources, it is meaningful to dig into short films with small narratives, one character and none dialogue, and learn about how they tell a story. Below is the animated short I find.
To complete this project, first I use MAYA to modle the two major characters. Then is the rigging and animating, which is also done in MAYA.
After that I use Unreal Engine to create the environment, including the lighting, terrian, and the plants. Then I import the animation file into the engine and use the engine to complete the rendering.
At last, I use Adobe Premier Pro to do the sound editing.
