The Making of "When It Rains"

In the process of animating, several frames and pictures are needed to build movement. And while the process is tedious, every frame counts. The opening scene of "When It Rains" doesn't use animated movie frames, instead using graphic images for the credits paired with the singing voice of the girl and the light patter of rain. The title pages opens up with the main title graphic, "Ame ga Futtara" in Japanese (translates to "When It Rains). The graphic design is simple and incorporates the basic, soft color scheme carried on throughout the film.

The introduction of the cat is subtle, there is little to no interaction with him in the first section of the movie, the main focus being Teru. However, as Teru is a stagnant form, the cat adds more movement  to the scenes he appears him. Pairing Teru and the cat together will predict the future interaction between them, showing that the cat has always been present in Teru's life. The cat first appears while the girl is singing the second verse of the song, quickly darting off screen as mysteriously as he appeared.

Simple animating is done to show the rain, again, done much like a children's book. This is also the first time the song is not sung in a particular scene, only the sound of the heavy rain. The opening moves to create suspense as the audience begins to feel how Teru's existence is in peril.

The scenes are simply drawn, simply animated, with few movements in some areas, which is very similar to the way a storybook flows. The art style is similar to the art that appears in children's book, of course, this time with movement.

The progress of the animation builds up with sound, song, and images, no dialect included. The introduction of Teru in his personified form appears later during the interaction between the cat and him. The personification is meant to portray his feelings and gratitude including the way the cat views him through his feline eyes.