On October 1, 2023, JAXA marked its 20th anniversary and has been carrying out a wide range of initiatives in the field of space and aeronautics. To commemorate this 20-year milestone, we produced a video introducing JAXA’s activities, unfolding as they move farther away from the ground.

To mark the 55th anniversary of Aohata 55, this film presents its dedication to jam-making through a story-driven animation starring Ichigo-chan and Kaori-chan. The story focuses on Aohata’s proprietary “aroma restoration” technology.

Method: Risograph printing and stop-motion I adopted “stop-motion animation using risograph printing,” a technique I have been experimentally producing independently since around 2019, as the visual expression method for this work. By handling the footage physically, I was able to introduce a level of flexibility that digital methods do not allow, such as using different types of paper for each scene, which was a major gain from this production. Concept: “Life during the COVID-19 pandemic” In Video Creators 100, which presents representative creators for each year, what kind of year was 2021? I set this theme because I wanted to preserve it as a visual record. One year has passed since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. I am writing this text on May 29, 2021. The third state of emergency, which was initially supposed to last two weeks, has been extended by about another month and a half. In 2021, the infectious disease is still spreading, and the new lifestyle has become more deeply rooted. I think it has become normal for many people to enjoy entertainment through a screen. While continuing to stay at home, meetings, live events, and drinking parties have all been replaced by monitors. The present is what keeps and extends our lives through the screen, and I condensed 2021 into a teaser video with the hope for the future—that one day COVID will subside and we will be able to go বাইরে outside again.