Balance
Studios brought their A-game when the ESPN Monday Night crew came to
town and wanted to do a pre-show highlight of then-Green Bay Packers'
player, Mike Daniels’ unabashed love of Japanese animation, or anime. With only 10 days to concept and create a three-and-a-half minute
animation, the Balance team welcomed the challenge to capture Daniels'
unique vision and create the characters he had dreamed of, all within
ESPN's tight, final-seconds timeline.
Working
with Daniels at his home, the Balance Studios team worked tirelessly to
understand and connect with the Defensive Lineman's characters, named
Big Mike and Cyron, so they could not only bring them to life, but do so in the anime
style that Daniels' loved. Daniels' brother, Sean, worked hand-in-hand
with the Balance team and took the lead to coordinate approvals and
field character examinations to ensure the final animation reflected his
brother's vision.
The result? An epic anime battle between Big Mike, Daniels' anime persona, and Cyron,
the villain he created, showcased on ESPN as Daniels shared his story
of how anime has helped him face the bullies of his youth and the
villains on the field. “Anime is my training; they go hand
in hand. These characters had a similar deal. They deal with these
goons who can pummel them to the dirt. And then they come back and
they're bigger, stronger, and way more prepared and confident than they
were before.”