PROGRAM

Bento Artist and Animation Director.
After completing her graduate studies at the Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Film and New Media in 2014, she has built a unique career blending food and art.
Since 2003, she has been creating "Bento that brings joy to both the maker and the eater," using lunch boxes as a canvas to depict the changing seasons, moments of happiness, and small daily discoveries.
In 2012, she began producing animations featuring her original Bento characters. Since 2014, her series "Konigiri-kun", which features a small rice ball as the protagonist, has been broadcasting on NHK.
She actively shares her expertise globally, holding lectures and workshops on Bento in cities such as London, Zagreb, and Manila.
Her innovative work has received numerous accolades, including the COOL JAPAN AWARD, the Blue Wing Award, and the Grand Prix in the Young Audiences category at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
She is also the author of many Bento recipe books and children's picture books.

While working primarily as a live-action commercial director at Taiyo Kikaku Co., Ltd., he has explored various stop-motion animation techniques. In 2012, he began producing puppet animation in earnest. In 2015, he established the animation studio TECARAT within Taiyo Kikaku, and his work now centers on puppet animation. In addition to writing and directing, he is deeply involved in production design, animating, and sculpting puppets from wood. By prioritizing the tangible textures of handcrafted art, he strives to create visual experiences that can only be achieved through the unique medium of stop-motion animation.

Born in Tokyo. His graduation project from Tokyo University of the Arts, "My Little Goat" (2018), won awards in Asia, Europe, and other regions, attracting attention. He received the Young Guns international award for young creators under the age of 30. In 2021, he rose to prominence with his first TV anime as director, "PUI PUI Molcar," and in the same year, he established the stop-motion animation studio "TORUKU" at WIT STUDIO. In 2025, he directed the Netflix series "My Melody & Kuromi," and in 2026, the TV anime "Candy Caries."

Sijia Luo was born in China and currently resides in Tokyo. She received her master’s degree from the Department of Animation at Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Film and New Media. Her practice centers on animated short films, video, and installation works, and also extends to sound-related formats such as music videos, sound design, and VJ performance. By getting inspiration from other art forms, she develops her films through experiments and seeks liberation from visual language.

With Japanese painting as my foundation, I create works that explore movement born from rhythm, and rhythm born from movement, regardless of the medium, including animation and animatronics.

Animation artist. Born in 1984, lives in Japan.
She creates paper-cut animations that transcend time and space, from folk tales to outer space.
Her short animated film "Black Long Skirt" and music video "Sprig time-old man" have been screened internationally, and her Pocari Sweat web movie "Scuffing song" has won numerous international advertising awards.
She works on a wide range of projects, including web movies and animated series for children's programs.

A video production team formed in 2010 by Ayumu Arisaka, Oita Mai, and Kohata Ren. They create organically moving video works by fusing hand-drawn animation with stop-motion animation using people, props, and other elements. Their music video "Yakenohara 'RELAXIN'" won the New Face Award in the Entertainment Division at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival. They also won the Grand Prix at the Nanao Tabito "Search Boy" PV Contest.

Yoshihiro Haku | M.A., Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts
Sachiko Hiraoka | M.A., Graduate School of Art and Design, Musashino Art University

Operating as the creative unit OTAMIRAMS since 2008, the duo specializes in video production with a focus on animation.
Combining their expertise in illustration, picture books, and graphic design, Yoshihiro Haku and Sachiko Hiraoka collaborate to create a wide range of visual works.

Graduated from Tama Art University Graduate School, Department of Graphic Design in 2013. Studied at the German Film Academy in 2018 as a trainee dispatched by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Currently affiliated with mimoid. While working on advertising videos, she creates her own works, which have been screened, published, and awarded at film festivals and media outlets both in Japan and abroad, including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Representative works include King Gnu's "PrayerX," Millennium Parade's "Trepanation," the opening video for OddTaxi, and NHK's Anime in the Dark "A Story of Seeing Sound."

A low-resolution video artist. Utilizing the pixel art skills acquired in game development, he continuously creates low-resolution animations, primarily on social media, and also works on music videos and TV commercials. He views pixel art as the most free and primal art material for digital natives, transcending the boundaries of computer games, and engages in experimental video expression.

An animation artist. Graduated from the Department of Design at Joshibi University of Art and Design, and completed the Animation major at the Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts. She creates animation for short films, television, and music videos. She pursues animation expression that utilizes rhythm and movement, using dance, typography, and food as her themes.

Born in 1993.
Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University,Department of Animation in 2016 and completed the M.A. program at the same university in 2018.
Joined the media production company DIRECTIONS CO LTD., where he works as director, animator and illustrator for children’s programs aired on NHK Educational TV and TV Tokyo.
His graduation work “GoodLuckYonpey” (2018) was screened at the Annecy International Animation Festival’s WTF program.

Illustrator. Known for directing and creating the music videos for Snail's House's "METEORGIRL" and Tokyo Manaka's "Doomer". His representative work is the manga series "Seaside Beta"(Umibe no Beta).

Bivi is a video production unit formed by anime artist and character designer Shimaguchi Nike and video artist Bivi. Their theme is "popular experimental video," and they create experimental and challenging works that are not bound by techniques or common sense.

Born in Aichi Prefecture and currently based in Tokyo. Since childhood, she has enjoyed drawing and playing with video cameras, which led her to find joy in animation. Her work is created using a wide range of art materials and mediums, inspired by her daily observations and feelings. Her major works include "See ya Mr. Banno!", "Zdrastvuyte!", and "A Snowflake into the Night".
Her short film In "In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-Weeny Pocket", inspired by her own illustrated journals, premiered at the 75th Locarno Film Festival and went on to be an official selection at the 40th Sundance Film Festival and win the Grand Prix at the Tokyo TDC Awards 2023. Her latest film, "Mwah to My New House! " is set for completion in the fall of 2025. She is also currently responsible for the manga and illustrations in the series Hello Witches!! ~21st Century Witches~, currently serialized on Kasama Shoin’s Note.

Born in Aichi Prefecture. She graduated from the Graduate School of Film and New Media at Tokyo University of the Arts with a major in Animation in 2015.
Her major works include "Fox Fears"(2015), "Through the Windows" (2014), and "Ano Neno Kabocha: Japanese Word Games" (2018).

Born in 1994
Founded animation studio rhythmos in 2024.
Involved in music video and advertising production. Creates animations themed around real-world existence, the movement and uncertainty of living things.

Graduated from Musashino Art University, Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Moving Image.
Freelance filmmaker specializing in stop-motion animation.

Born in 1996 and currently affiliated with TOHO animation STUDIO.
While still a student, he began their career as a key animator on commercial projects such as "YuruYuri♪♪". Building on extensive experience across numerous titles, they have recently expanded into direction. He have served as a storyboard artist and episode director for hit anime series including "The Apothecary Diaries" and "Puniru is a Cute Slime".
As the youngest director selected for "GEMNIBUS vol.1"—a short film omnibus featuring acclaimed up-and-coming creators— he directed the animated segment "First Line". He is one of the most highly anticipated new directors in the industry today.

Born in 1960. Specially Appointed Professor and Senior Research Fellow at Nihon University College of Art. Began his career while still in university, writing screenplays for the TV anime series Sherlock Hound (1984).
As a director, his feature films include Princess Arete (2001), Mai Mai Miracle (2009), In This Corner of the World (2016), and In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World (2019). Currently directing The Mourning Children: Nagiko and the Girls Wearing Tsurubami Black, a film that depicts people living through a plague a thousand years ago.