South Korean animator/director Sunghoo Park was very busy in 2020, having directed not only The God of High School, but the smash hit shonen series, Jujutsu Kaisen, as well as its film the following year. But ever since JJK's second season was announced, there have been fears that Park wouldn't return, fears that have been put to rest - not because he's back, but because of his replacement, Shota Goshozono.
Goshozono, or Gosso as they are called in the sakuga community, is a relatively recent icon within the anime industry, with some of their earliest credits dating as early back as 2015. But in the time since, they have ascended quicker than most, amassing a fan following through their work in Black Clover, SAO, Fate/Grand Order Babylonia, and many more to be discussed below.
A Race To The Top
It shouldn't be understated how impressive it is for any animator to become a director in this amount of time, and that's just based on what work Gosso is credited for on MyAnimeList and Anime News Network's databases. A lot of times, it takes years of in-between and key animation work before someone gets the chance to direct.
But times change, and every once in a while, the shifting tides of the industry can yield something absolutely delightful. Take, for instance, Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front - Babylonia, a series that was produced unlike anything else that year. For one thing, its production schedule was more generous than most, but more importantly, it was bolstered by a team brimming with young talent that might not have otherwise had the opportunity to shine.
Gosso was a part of that team and worked on six of Babylonia's 21 episodes, such as parts of the fight between Gilgamesh and Enkidu early on. And just one year later, they would find themselves working on Jujutsu Kaisen's first season, but what was especially notable about that was that he got to direct two episodes.
He directed episodes 8 and 17, the latter of which is arguably one of the season's best, not only for its character moments but some gorgeous fights that help it stand out in an arc already chock-full of action. From this point onward, it seems as if every year Gosso was further making a name for themselves as a director, just as much as an animator.
Ranking of Kings aired in the Fall of 2021 and Gosso storyboarded, directed, supervised, and partly animated episodes 7 and 21, the latter being one of the standout episodes of the series. Then, in the Fall of 2022, he got the chance to direct episode 8 of Chainsaw Man, one of the most striking episodes of the bunch and the most adept at nailing the filmic look that the series' director, Ryu Nakayama, was aiming for.
Gosso's ascension to the director's chair for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is a big deal, even if - in retrospect - it was only a matter of time before they got a chance like this. The milestones over just the past few years are the sign of an artist whose name is begging to be remembered. But what exactly about their work has propelled them to this point?
The Mark of A Director
Put simply, Goshozono's best qualities are experimentation, perspective, and patience. His earliest eye-catching works, like his cuts on #63 of Black Clover, are notable for the use of 3D blended with 2D to create unique kinds of shots not typically seen. The end result can be mixed, but without the freedom to experiment and possibly fail, there's less room to improve. [Clip]
Gosso's use of 3D would make a comeback in a big way in Jujutsu Kaisen #17, with a slow-mo tracking shot on a bullet hurling toward Maki. The bullet is rendered in 3D, but the characters are still hand-drawn, and while the bullet might stick out, the creative use of camerawork and the posing of the characters immediately makes an impression.
Things like the tracking shot through the barrel of the revolver, or the first-person perspective earlier when Mai takes a shot into the woods are superb creative touches. As a result, the audience isn't thinking about how much of the scene is 3D, like the gun being traced over, or parts of the forest being created in Blender when the camera zips through the tree line. [Clip A] [Clip B]
One of Gosso's hallmarks is how they use 3D software not just in the conventional sense of having 3D assets within a scene, but as a tool for constructing an environment in which to create 2D animation. By creating his own assets, he can envision the space where the scene takes place, where to place the actors, and how best to move through that space.
His choreography during action can be pretty great - especially in recent years - but just as integral to his style is the way he frames his scenes. As alluded to before, the way he moves the metaphorical camera is rarely - if ever - boring. Their command of perspective in creating believable physical spaces makes his cuts a lot more dynamic.
And these are qualities that extend beyond just action scenes. In his episode of Ousama Ranking, a lot of time and effort goes into creating a large volume of drawings for a single moment of character acting. In episode 8 of Jujutsu Kaisen, a simple cut of Gojo entering a room is made far more interesting thanks to the depth of the shot and the individual elements in the scene acting independently. [Clip]
This is more solidified by their work directing Chainsaw Man #8, which is half a triumph of gorgeous character acting, and half insane action spectacle. It's ambitious but at the same time a culmination of Gosso's talents over the years, and it may very well be what landed them the position of director on the new season of Jujutsu Kaisen. [Clip] [Screen caps]
While familiar, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 already looks different, just from the first trailer. The character designs, the line art, and the way sequences of levity are animated all look just different enough to make it clear that this ship has a new captain. But if fans should take anything away from this brief rundown of Goshozono's career, it is that they are exactly right for the job.
Sources: Sakuga Blog [Link 2]