Tokyo - a center of trade, technology, tourism and.'toons? Apparently so. As the Universe Explorer nuzzles into port, the Road Rulers are nestled inside their cabin, clue in hand. With enthusiastic cheers and hollers, the kids celebrate as they learn that they will be taking part in an authentic Japanese animated feature. Anticipating their forthcoming mission, the smiling travelers hustle to meet their mayors, Yugi and Jonathan, who will be directing the cartoon. Ushered inside a bustling office, the Roadies are given an overview of the tedious animation process. But we're not talking a few machine-replicated Crayola sketches here. This intensive procedure involves thousands of cells, painstakingly colored and reproduced by hand. Yes, an artist himself, is particularly awed by the strenuous effort it takes to produce an entire ""Animae."" Time is money, and the mayors remind them of that as they instruct the Rulers to write their own script to accompany a currently plot-less Animae.
