An illustrated scroll-like two-dimensional world of storytelling, expressed through extensive use of 2D animation.

Since this was the music video for the opening theme of the hit anime *Ya Boy Kongming!*, we prepared costumes inspired by all kinds of party people. I thought this was the kind of project that avex is often known for, where they force a Japanese cover onto a foreign dance track like MAX’s “TACATA’” or DA PUMP’s “U.S.A.,” so rather than making it feel like a standard female idol dance MV, I wanted it to have a sort of joke-like quality. That’s why I took the feel of a Para Para instruction video, or those avex trance MEGAMIX videos that were everywhere in the ’90s and 2000s, and warped it through a 2022 sensibility to create a kind of outrageous spectacle you’ve never seen before. The background is constantly shimmering and insanely acidic, creating a totally incomprehensible cutting-edge design where momentum, madness, coolness, lameness, and stylishness all exist at the same time. The animation near the end, which shows Shibuya—the setting of *Ya Boy Kongming!*—being covered in hearts by a kaiju’s heart attack, was created by Rapparu!!!!! Thanks to this animation, the MV gained so much depth and became a very moving piece of footage. Rapparu’s animation is truly the best.

2025 Asia Digital Art Award FUKUOKA Award Winner Mitaka no Mori Animation Festa 2026, 24th Indies Animation Festa Award Winner "The Seed of Stars" One day, these words casually spoken by my daughter gently planted a seed within me. Drawn in by their tenderness and a poetic afterglow, I began to imagine stars descending into a quiet forest, and the landscapes where small creatures live. The story begins with stars drifting softly down from the night sky into the forest. There, the stars become tiny seeds on the ground, eventually sprouting and blooming into “star flowers.” The creatures living in the forest quietly keep them company, making music and watching over the flowers. I wanted to portray a serene, warm world filled with light, sound, and the slow flow of air in the night forest. For the visual production, I used Blender, which I have been using for many years. I expressed the natural elements I love—forests, stars, flowers, and small living creatures—in a simple, unadorned style, and by focusing on light, shadow, and texture, I created a landscape that seems to drift between reality and imagination. Rather than aligning the music and visuals perfectly, I aimed for a relationship in which they gently resonate with one another while remaining quietly close. The music was composed by cokiyu, a musician with whom I have long collaborated, and who has also provided music for the film Confessions (directed by Tetsuya Nakashima). In this work, her transparent vocals gently layer over delicate piano melodies suited to a forest at night. The lyrics carry the theme of this story, and each word resonates softly, as if speaking directly to the listener. The presence of the voice subtly deepens the visual atmosphere, conveying the depth of the imagery, time, and the world of "The Seed of Stars" more richly. I would be delighted if "The Seed of Stars" could quietly take root in the hearts of viewers as well, allowing free imagination and feeling to gently spread from there. This work was selected as an award-winning entry at the 2025 Asia Digital Art Award FUKUOKA and the Mitaka no Mori Animation Festa 2026, 24th Indies Animation Festa.