Without much funding and still relatively inexperienced, we felt they had strong overall potential, so we decided that we could simply let them, dance, and the song carry the piece. With that in mind, we aimed to create visuals that were as stripped down and efficient as possible. The key point was the typographic treatment of the lyrics, which we translated into English in a way that anyone could understand, making it a gimmick that would keep viewers watching until the end.

JKD planned and produced the brand movie for the snowboard wear brand “ESTIVO.” Based on the concept “DESIGN YOUR WINTER,” the story follows two snowboarders whose trail colors the snow-covered mountains in vibrant hues. In collaboration with director Hideki Inaba, who has drawn attention both in Japan and overseas, the piece was crafted as a fully animated brand music video that pursues the synchronization of music and visuals, a hallmark of JKD’s work. The original soundtrack was produced by Metome.

It was so fun to make that I can barely think of any other project I’ve enjoyed creating this much. Once I got into the work, it came together in no time at all. I just kept digging deeper and deeper into my own sense of humor, making it based on whether I could laugh first and think, “This is amazing! So cool!!” When the ocean scene (0:56–) came together, it was so funny that I was moved. Seriously, so cool. That said, I think the members who can really embrace this kind of comedy are amazing. People like that are incredibly rare. I think it’s because of the breadth of everyone’s expressiveness. I mean, you can’t even tell whether they’re doing it as a joke or seriously, right? They’re all completely serious. That’s why I think it’s the best, and that’s what really moved me. By the way, although I made this look like low-quality VHS footage, it was actually shot in 8K with a Sony a1 camera.

A man is a wolf, a woman is a hunter. This is the story of a woman who lived with a hole in her heart, and was loved for the first and last time. A woman confident in her looks but lacking confidence in who she is turns her distorted self-esteem into aggression. A woman who keeps testing him, and a man who loves solitude and freedom, unable to endure being pushed to the point where his bare face (≈ true nature, essence) can be seen. In modern terms, this is nothing more and nothing less than a familiar romance— a woman with an anxious attachment style and a man with an avoidant one. The woman’s design is built around the choker. A weighty dependence that becomes her identity, offering up something important. When it is finally returned to her hands and worn again, its completed form reaffirms her true self. The red tears that fall at the end may be the love poured into the man, but what must not be forgotten is that the woman never returned to the way she was before being loved. She may have spilled a little, but it surely still remains within her. Having decided this would be her last love, and resolved, “I will become myself,” the woman’s final form is a painful yet beautiful completion.