>>2261709The analogy that I personally like to use is that Western character animation is like theater, and Japanese character animation is like film.
In theater, when an actor is for example looking for something, he will dart around the stage on his toes, one hand on his hip and the other on the forehead. When someone is surprised she might literally jump a little. When a person is talking he might gesture wide motions and arcs with his hands. etc etc. That's how western character animation looks and feels like to me.
In film, when an actor acts he does so with far less emphasis than with theater. Emotions and intentions can be conveyed with subtle gestures and reactions. A good actor wont look like he is acting. The very low-key style of Japanese character animation reminds me of that.
The problem with western character animation for me is that the acting looks as if the characters were going "oh look at me how I am moving and gesturing and acting aren't I alive and lovely", with its big arcs and constant moving. Like it feels a bit "forced" almost. Where as the problem with Japanese character animation is that the characters can't convey emotion with the low-key style of live-action acting, obviously due to lacking the level of detail and nuance that reality provides you with.
Western character animation is undeniably better, though, because a great animator can make the acting seem natural and expressive without looking forced.
