A pan cel (panoramic cel) is an oversized animation cel designed for scenes requiring vertical or horizontal camera movement, allowing the artwork to extend beyond the standard frame. Unlike a conventional cel, which is generally produced to fit within a fixed camera frame, a pan cel provides a much larger working area so that the camera can move across the artwork, creating the impression of a continuous panoramic view. These cels were particularly useful for scenes depicting wide landscapes, long movements, sweeping backgrounds, or characters moving across an expansive setting.
Because of their larger dimensions, pan cels required additional care during both production and filming. Their size and specialized use also meant that they were produced in much smaller quantities than standard animation cels. As a result, original pan cels are relatively rare today. Their distinctive format, impressive scale, and close connection to the original animation process make them particularly desirable and highly sought after by collectors.
This iconic scene depicting numerous Kodama, or tree spirits, extends for approximately five seconds as the frame moves from right to left across the scene. While the Kodama themselves remain stationary, each spirit vibrates its head, and these subtle movements require multiple layers of cels to create the animation.