Got invited by my brother Endo, who’s based in Mexico, and directed the promo film for ASAI as part of the Japan team! Friends came and went, passing the camera like a relay baton, as we ran around Tokyo capturing moments together. That energy made it into the film — you can feel it. ASAI is a serene and beautiful Japanese restaurant in the heart of Mexico City. We just tried to match that quiet elegance with our visuals.

Got invited by my brother Endo, who’s based in Mexico, and directed the promo film for ASAI as part of the Japan team! Friends came and went, passing the camera like a relay baton, as we ran around Tokyo capturing moments together. That energy made it into the film — you can feel it. ASAI is a serene and beautiful Japanese restaurant in the heart of Mexico City. We just tried to match that quiet elegance with our visuals.

The joy of playing with miniature cars as a child. We brought that sense of immersion and excitement to the screen by fusing the warmth of handcraft with modern technology. The art direction was built by the director and production team using reclaimed materials. The character and background illustrations were also developed through repeated trial and error, down to the paper quality, printing, and finishing methods, in pursuit of textures that would suit the world of the film. Working with a small crew, we brought AI in as a “partner” for processes beyond our capacity. Rather than using the generated output as-is, we layered it with human touch, warmth, and texture, carefully bringing out the contours of each material. Taking into account the product’s size and structural constraints, we carried out extensive testing in the planning of the direction, aiming to create a cohesive on-set environment.