ANIMATION PRINCIPLES THAT CAUSE A SCENE: EMOTION & ACTING THROUGH SQUASH & STRETCH, POSE-TO-POSE AND ANTICIPATION

When we talk about character animation, we often focus on how a character moves, but also, in the same way, it is just as important as why they move the way they do. Movement isn’t just mechanics, it’s emotion. It’s performance, and that’s where three of the most vital animation principles come into play, which include, Squash & Stretch, Anticipation, and Pose-to-Pose.

Together, these principles form the emotional core of animated acting. They don’t just bring characters to life, they make characters feel alive.

The Performance Triangle: Squash, Anticipate, Pose

Squash & Stretch, Where The Body Speaks the Emotion

At first glance, squash and stretch may seem like a tool for elasticity and humor, which include the stuff of bouncy balls and slapstick gags. But when applied with subtlety and intent, it becomes one of the most powerful ways to convey feeling.

In Tarzan (1999), Glen Keane’s animation of the titular character shows squash and stretch not just in Tarzan’s jungle agility, but in his emotional vulnerability. His body doesn’t just move, it also responds. When Tarzan is startled, he momentarily compresses. When he swings from vines, his body elongates with the thrill of momentum and freedom. These motions don’t just serve physics, they serve the character, showing the wild, curious and instinctive nature.

Squash and stretch becomes a way to emphasize internal states, turning Tarzan’s physicality into a direct expression of his identity and emotional journey.

Anticipation: The Breath Before the Emotion

Anticipation sets up what’s about to happen, not just physically, but emotionally. It creates clarity, rhythm, and tension. Without anticipation, actions feel flat or abrupt. With anticipation, they gain meaning.

In Naruto, the use of anticipation before a dramatic attack or a big reveal adds suspense, but more importantly, it shows intent. A character drawing back for a punch isn’t just winding up a blow, they’re telegraphing their emotional state. Rage, fear, desperation and the likes. All of it is loaded into the moment before the action.

One of Naruto’s strengths as a series is how it gives time to this emotional breath. In emotional scenes, like Naruto’s breakdowns or confrontations with Sasuke, even the subtlest anticipatory movements carry weight, this includes, a lowered gaze, a shifting posture or a tense inhale. These moments of stillness or hesitation show that action isn't just about what happens next, it's about what it costs the character.

Pose-to-Pose: Visual Storytelling in Key Moments

Pose-to-pose animation is often thought of as a planning method, mapping out strong, readable keyframes before filling in the in-betweens. But when used with storytelling intent, those poses become emotional anchors, snapshots of a character’s internal world.

In Justice League Action, where the visual style is punchy and economical, pose-to-pose isn’t just a production technique, it’s a storytelling choice. Superman doesn’t just fly, but he holds a determined, broad-shouldered pose before launching. Batman’s cape settles into strong, angular shapes when he pauses, signaling tension, control, or readiness.

Because the show often delivers humor, action, and character beats in fast succession, pose-to-pose clarity ensures that every emotional beat reads instantly. The silhouette of a superhero in mid-action isn’t just cool design, it’s a statement of character intention.

Emotion Isn’t in the Face: It’s in the Whole Body

What links these principles together is their shared focus on character psychology through physicality. They each ask, the question, what is this character feeling, and how does their body express that emotion?

A well-executed facial expression can tell us a lot, but in animation, emotion lives just as much in the shoulders, the spine, the hands or the timing of a breath. Squash & stretch, anticipation, and pose-to-pose, give animators tools to create embodied emotion, where the whole body acts.

Why This Matters for Storytelling

When these principles are used with narrative intent, they do more than just make motion believable, they make characters compelling.

• A squash before a leap isn’t just force, it’s desire.
• A pause before a strike isn’t just timing, it’s hesitation.
• A held pose isn’t just visual clarity, it’s emotional emphasis.

Animation is often celebrated for what it can do visually — but its true storytelling power lies in how it makes us feel. These principles are the silent actors behind every performance.

Let’s Talk:

Where have you seen squash and stretch used to communicate deep emotion?
Which shows or moments made you feel something not because of the dialogue, but because of the movement?

Drop your thoughts, scenes, or favorite character moments in the comments. Let’s talk about the moments when animation didn’t just move, it acted.