Directed and handled the compositing for the lyric video of BUMP OF CHICKEN’s “I,” the ending theme for the TV anime My Hero Academia. The video was crafted so that the various “Quirks” featured in the series would color the screen in sync with the lyrics. Packed with direction inspired by the story, it was created to deliver a level of visual impact that goes beyond the usual scope of a lyric video.

This work was created around the theme of the pupa, expressing the intersection of anticipation and unease surrounding Vocalist somunia’s new challenge and the changes that come with it. The complete metamorphosis from larva to pupa, and from pupa to adult, was a fitting motif for conveying a cool, sharp impression that stands in stark contrast to her previously adorable image. The anxiety of changing and the uncertainty of what lies ahead are expressed through the use of mist and clouds, whose far edges are hard to see clearly. At the same time, by viewing the pupa as something like a shell separating the outer world from the inner world, we aimed to depict the gap between inner turbulence and outer stillness. From a desire for what lies beyond her struggles to be something positive, light shines through the harsher spaces in each scene, expressing a hopeful attitude toward change. The pupa writhing within the rugged space dreams of one day spreading its wings as an adult, patiently and cunningly awaiting that moment. This piece was made with the hope that it would evoke that kind of impression—like the calm before the storm.