THE RING
THE LEGACY CONTINUES
A COLOSSAL PRODUCTION
“The Ring – The Legacy Continues” is a mixed-media tribute to the history of boxing, told through the pages of the iconic, century-old boxing magazine The Ring. The film unfolds through nine distinct animation styles, each inspired by different eras of the magazine and the legendary fighters featured on its covers. Every frame was crafted entirely by human hands, with no AI, and a strong emphasis on analog experimentation and tactile techniques.
THE MAGAZINE AS THE CREATIVE FOUNDATION
The art direction was developed by studying different eras of The Ring and its most iconic covers. Rather than recreating specific artworks, we drew inspiration from the visual language of each period: its illustration style, printing techniques, color palettes, and graphic compositions. Each segment of the film reflects the aesthetic spirit of a specific era, translating editorial history into animated form.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH & VISUAL AUTHENTICITY
Because the film speaks directly to boxing fans, authenticity was essential. The creative process began with extensive research into some of the most iconic fights and defining moments in boxing history. Many of the shots and character performances were carefully based on archival photography and real fight footage, creating immediate visual recognition and emotional resonance.
FILMING THE FIGHTERS
Capturing each fighter’s personality through movement was a key challenge. To ensure authenticity, we filmed real boxers in a working gym, studying posture, rhythm, and footwork. Particular attention was given to the distinct movement signatures of legendary athletes, from Muhammad Ali’s unmistakable footwork to the subtle physical attitudes that defined each champion. These recordings informed the animation process, grounding stylized visuals in real-world physicality.
THE MUSEUM CONCEPT
To frame the story as a tribute to boxing history, we designed a fictional museum as the narrative’s starting point. The space was meticulously built and art-directed, featuring historical objects such as gloves, robes, posters from iconic fights, statues, and memorabilia. Every detail was carefully curated to emphasize the deep connection between The Ring magazine and the evolution of modern boxing.
WATCH THE CASE STUDY
FROM 20'S TO 30'S
To capture the spirit of the magazine’s first era, we looked to the visual language of the time, with realistic black-and-white sketches that portrayed fighters with raw intensity. By using a charcoal painting technique and a slow, heartbeat-like animation, we recreated the texture, rhythm, and atmosphere of the period, evoking a sense of heritage and nostalgia.
FROM 40'S TO 50'S
To represent this era, we selected the color palette that dominated The Ring’s covers throughout those years. We drew inspiration from the textures and the more cartoon-driven visual language of the time, allowing traditional frame-by-frame 2D animation to also serve as a reflection of that moment in the animation art.
FROM 60'S TO 70'S
The magazine’s covers reflected a period of artistic disruption, featuring many illustrations with more organic forms and freer strokes. We brought this spirit into the animation through frame-by-frame oil painting, capturing the raw energy and fearless personality of Muhammad Ali.
FROM 80'S TO 90'S
The energy of ’90s video games and anime perfectly matched the force we wanted to capture for Mike Tyson, almost like an iconic superhero who dominated his opponents. Brought to life with traditional 2D animation, it celebrates the bold, nostalgic aesthetic of the decade and its larger-than-life energy.
FROM 2000'S TO 2010'S
Moving into the more recent era, we used clay as a material that could deform, echoing the way fighters’ faces change with every punch. Stop-motion bridged traditional technique with a contemporary reinterpretation, embracing exaggeration without concern for body proportions or any attachment to perfection.
TODAY
To represent the animation and art of our current era, we embraced a variety of styles and techniques, since there is no single visual path that defines our time. The mix of 2D and 3D animation, along with analog experiments using lenses and screens, creates a vibrant mosaic of contemporary art with no aesthetic and technique boundaries.
CREDITS
THE RING - The Legacy Continues
Production Company: THE YOUTH
Animation Company: COLOSSAL
Director: YUCA
Art Director: YUCA
Animation Director: YUCA
Executive Creative Director: João Machado, Eduardo Lubiazi
Executive Producer: João Machado, Daniel Maia, Eduardo Lubiazi, Carol Cherobim
Head of Production: Daniel Maia
Producer: Daniel Maia, Yasmim Uehara, Kazu Yamashita
Post Production Supervisor: Yasmim Uehara
Post Production Coordination: Nicole Lia Rêgo da Silva, Karla Milkem, Pamela de Almeida
Assistant Line Producers: Eduardo Harger, Alan José Dias, Everton Ricardo Sabino
DOP: YUCA
3D Coordinator: Yasmim Uehara, Livia Portugal
VFX Supervisor: Rodrigo Stradiotto, Boris Handsome, Lucas Almeida, Daniel Barros
2D Animation Supervisor: Felipe Simões, Bruno Brasil
Cleanup and Texture Supervisor: Denis Bargos
Project Manager: Amanda de Oliveira
Assistant Art Director: Janaína da Veiga
Production Coordinator: Carol Cherobim
Assistant Coordinator: Camila Pires, Lu Krasa
Account: Carol Cherobim, Camila Pires e Lu Krasa
Finance Department: Iza Lubiazi
Head of art: João Machado + YUCA
Screenplay: YUCA
Editor: Leonardo Salomão
Conform and Delivery: Ricardo Jug, Victor Balestrin, Leonardo Mariani
Conform Assistant: Maikon Miranda
Storyboard: Walfrido Monteiro
Concept Artist: Bruno Rosal, Fabio Miraglia, Diogo Saraiva, Natália Lima e Júnior Sapo Lendário, Antonio Luvs, Rhuan Gonçalves, Leonardo Vincensi, Boris Handsome
Texture Artist: Diones Ignacio, Mateuz Fernandes, Rhuan Gonçalves, Cassiel Costa dos Santos, Edu Souza, Paula Miya, Fabio Soro, Siddhartha Ahearne, Marcela Luiza Mendes
2D Animation Rough: André "Ruivo" Franco, Robb Reis, Alexandre Salles, Lucas Moraes, Diones Ignacio, Marcela Luiza Mendes, Siddhartha Ahearne, Ton Presley, Nana Siqueira
2D Animation Tie Down: Jeff Mouky, André "Ruivo" Franco, Robb Reis, Alexandre Salles, Lucas Moraes, Diones Ignacio, Siddhartha Ahearne, Ton Presley, Nana Siqueira, Marcela Luiza Mendes, Bruna Goddini, Eduardo Querubins, Alex Santos De Souza
2D Animation Clean-up: Mateuz Fernandes, Luiz Henrique Alvares, Ulisses Jucá, Willian Lieder, Carol Caporrino, Giovanna Jahjah, Taiza Nogueira, JP Andre, Moacyr Machado Cardoso Neto, Andressa Ataucei, Moacir Barros, Pedro Solano, Diones Ignacio, Ton Presley, Bruna Goddini
2D VFX Animation: Rodrigo Toporcov, Jeff Mouky, Robb Reis, Siddhartha Ahearne
3D Environment Modeling: Lucas Lira "Peronio"
3D Character Modeling: Giovani Kososki, Tiago da Silva
Lookdev: Boris Handsome, Pedro Conti, Giovani Kososki, Lucas Lira "Peronio", Diego Esteves
Grooming: Giovani Kososki, Paulo Lima
Fur Simulation: Marcelo Souza
Clothes Simulation: Advaldo Vieira Alves, Marcos Leite
3D Props Simulation: Vini Lavor, Marcos Leite, Vinicius Abdala, Lucas Girotto, Gustavo Costa, Gabriel Leite
Rigging: Felipe Papa Gimenes, Everton Schneider
3D Animation Lead: Alexandre Eschenbach
3D Animation Supervisor: Lucas Almeida, Felipe Simões
3D Animation: Alexandre Eschenbach, Kawe de Sá, Bruno Cornelsen, Danila Ribeiro
Lighting and Rendering: Lucas Almeida, Diego Esteves, Thiago de Sul
Nuke Compositing: Michel Takahashi, Rodrigo Ridolpho, Beta Lewis, Fernando Leka, Jason Moreira, Nícolas Braga de Medeiros Nicolak, Matheus Silva
After Effects Compositing: Adelir Boeira "Cherry", Guilherme Carneiro, Gabriel Rocha, Diego Loz
Motion Graphics: Janaina da Veiga,
Image Stabilizer: Everton Ricardo Sabino
Colorist: Johann Stollmeier, Erick Moraes
Printing Studio: Farbewerk Fine Art Lab
Printing Producer: Daniel Farbewerk
Painting Studio: ATELIÊ 39
Painting Artists: Ana Beatriz Artigas João Paulo de Carvalho
Stop Motion: Pedro Peluso, Ana Barroso Calle
Analogical Studies: YUCA, Gabriel Rolim
Stop Motion Retoucher: Siso
Posters Designer: “Xinoby” Alexander Dias
Boxing Gym: Boxe Training Club
Unit Director : YUCA
Fighters: Cristiano Simões, Marlos Simões, Ricardo Conan, Luana Barbosa, Gabriel Segalla
Mkof: Melvin Quaresma, Jheni Andrade
Music & Sound Company: Bumblebeat
Composers: Henrique Tanji, Lucas Sfair, Leonardo Lima
Sound Design: Henrique Tanji, Lucas Sfair, Leonardo Lima
Voice over: Michael Buffer
Mr Vergara's Voice: Jed Herold
Audio Executive Producer: Luisa Hacket
Sound Mix: Bumblebeat Team
Client:
Chairman of the Ring: H.E Turki AlAlShikh
CEO: Mohammed Sehly
CCO: Rayyan Aoun
Big Time:
Creative Director: Saymon Medeiros
Associate Creative Director: Eoin Cronolly
Associate Creative Director: Fadi Abdeen
Art Director: Bruno Freitas
Production Lead: Inas Nagy
Executive Director of Operations: Ehab Armanious
Senior Business Director: Ziad Chehab
Social Media Director: Nael Girgis
Senior Account Executive: Salman Alarrak
