In this episode, we follow Murahama Shoji, who is an animation producer currently working as a manager at the Emon Studio. After working at Gainax on acclaimed anime series and founding the Gonzo studio, Murahama is now working on several anime series in this new international studio, aiming at bringing globalization to the anime industry. We will follow Murahama during a themed-game of airsoft, where players dressed as characters from various post-apocalyptic universes such as Mad Max or Fallout gather to play. After that, we will visit the Emon studio to learn more about the company's philosophy and its founder, Li Haolin, who will share with us his company mission, one of which is to nullify the borders of the animation industry. As a science-fiction lover, Murahama will also share with us his perception of imaginary worlds, and the thin line that separates them from the ordinary. PLACES WE WENT TO Airsoft field Desert Union, Inzai, Chiba-prefecture Emon Studio, Kichijoji Area
TODAY'S GUEST Yoshihiro Nishimura, Film Director & Special Effects PLACES WE WENT TO Central Building Food Market, Ameyoko Area Yoshihiro Nishimura's office - The second episode of our summer special series features Yoshihiro Nishimura, film director and effects artist on many horror films, including Tokyo Gore Police. We will hear his thoughts about his work and on the Japanese film industry. At night, Nishimura will invite a group of young directors, where they will discuss their latest projects and perspectives. - Nishimura's Official Website (JAPANESE) http://www.nishi-eizo.com/
Yoshiro Kimura is a game creator now turned indie, known for his work on moon, Chulip, Rule of Rose and more recently Dandy Dungeon and Million Onion Hotel. In this episode, Kimura will tell us about his career, a lifelong journey marked by many twists, companies and travels overseas. We will follow him to some of his favorite places in the city, including Mikado, a retro game center that still showcases many games from Kimura’s childhood.
Emi Kusano is the singer of the band Satellite Young, a “synthwave” music unit strongly inspired by the 80s, which she discovered through old music, clips and videos. We will follow her to Marubell-Do, a sanctuary of old photos of idols, singers and other celebrities, that still shoots 80s style photos to this day, before going to Harajuku and its iconic Boutique Takenoko, symbol of Japanese fashion and its “takenoko-zoku” fashion tribe. We will discover more about Kusano’s vision of a “retro-future”, a past vision of the future she is trying to recreate through her universe, combined to modern technology, and how it drives our lifestyle. Our last stop will be in the traditional district of Noge, in Yokohama, where we will head to Oeuf, a bar that features everyday performances ranging from juggling, pole dancing to tightrope walking.
AKI INOMATA is contemporary artist whose universe revolves around creating original works with animals and living creatures. Some of her most distinctive work includes building original "shelter" art pieces for hermit crabs or creating pieces of material from clothes to give them to bagworms. We will follow her to DMM.make AKIBA, a hardware development studio that hosts the latest 3D printers, laser cutters, among other technologies, where INOMATA works on her designs. We will then head over to HUNCH, her studio, before going to Terrada Art Complex, where INOMATA's work is showcased as part of the Asian Art Award finalists. INOMATA will tell us more about her views on living creatures and the relationships humans hold with their pets and animals, while on a tour a Intermediatheque, a museum with a focus on natural history born from a collaboration between Japan Post and Tokyo University.
Jiro Ishii is a game creator, known for 428: Shibuya Scramble, a unique visual novel adventure game using live action sequences. His work extends beyond games as he is also an author and scenario writer, working on both anime, film and theater projects. Ishii will take us to Cocomaru, a new theater that recently opened in the Kichijoji area, offering a curated selection of films in addition to an event space where Ishii and his friends gather to organize screenings. Long-time resident of the area, we will follow him to the Inokashira Park, where he often wanders looking for new ideas. Many of Ishii’s projects, in addition to 428, are set in Shibuya, which he sees as an area that is fit for any type of story. We will learn more about his career and his views on creative storytelling while exploring the city.
Yoshitoshi ABe is an illustrator, who also works as a mangaka, character designer, scriptwriter, in addition to teaching in university. He is renowned for his work in character design on iconic anime such as serial experiments lain or NieA_7, he is also the author of Haibane Renmei, a manga which was also turned into anime. We will first follow ABe to the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Achitectural Museum, which features an outdoors display of real-size traditional Japanese buildings, where ABe practices his recent passion for photography. He explains his struggles on the medium compared to the illustration process. ABe will then take us to the Jindaiji Temple and Botanical Garden, before telling us more about his 25-year long career and the encounters he made along the way.
Chihei Hatakeyama is an ambient musician originally from the Kanagawa prefecture, now based in Tokyo. We will follow him to the roots of his universe, in the Kamakura and Enoshima areas, where he grew up. Originally inspired by bands such as The Velvet Underground or My Bloody Valentine, Hatakeyama progressively eliminated both vocals and rhythm from his music creation process, leading to his ambient style, taking listeners on an acoustic journey. His work holds a deep relation with nature, as both visual scenery and sounds are translated into his music, as his continues to pursue new sounds.
Max Watanabe is a modeler, writer and founder of Max Factory, one of Japan’s leading figure manufacturing companies. Starting his career as a writer at a young age, we will learn about the beginnings of Max Factory, which started as a gathering of friends in a small apartment. We will then head towards Yellow Submarine in Akihabara, a store specialized in figures and plastic models, that Max has known since the early days of Max Factory. Besides being passionate for figures and plastic models, Max also actively practices triathlon, training at the Cittec cycling gym to improve his bike times, essential for a better race, one of which we followed Max to in Choshi, on the eastern side of Chiba prefecture. PLACES WE WENT TO Yellow Submarine, Akihabara Area Cittec / Cafe Galibier, Minowa Area Choshi Marina Triathlon, Choshi Area
Koji Yamamura is an independent animator known for his short films such as Mount Head, A Country's Doctor or more recently Muybridge's Strings. After visiting his atelier, we will follow Yamamura in the Jiyugaoka area, where he set his atelier and opened the Au Praxinoscope store, which aspires to diffuse independent animation culture and sells DVDs, books and illustrations. As a professor at Tokyo Arts University, Koji Yamamura was a founding member of the animation department where he supports post-graduate students in the creation of their worlds. PLACES WE WENT TO Joshinji Temple, Kuhombutsu Area Nekojarashi Park, Kuhombutsu Area Au Praxinoscope, Jiyugaoka Area Tokyo University of the arts, Bankokubashi Campus, Bashamichi Area
Known for his work on alpinism manga “Kokou no Hito” or “Innocent”, set in the French Revolution, Shinichi Sakamoto is a mangaka with a unique approach, we spent time with him to discover the themes & motivations behind his work. PLACES WE WENT TO Little Nap COFFEE STAND, Yoyogi Area Yoyogi Hachimangu Shrine, Yoyogi Area Sakamoto’s atelier
PLACES WE WENT TO Royal Host Baji Koen, Yoga Area Futako-Tamagawa River Banks, Futako-Tamagawa Area Ins Studio, Shibuya Area
Atsushi Kaneko is a mangaka known for his work on Bambi, Soil, Wet Moon or Deathco. With a singular style rallying strong influences that range from punk rock and cinema to lowbrow art, Kaneko created his own universe, with themes including rage, loss of control and an adversity against the world. His passion for cinema also led him to direct “Mushi”, a segment part of the anthology film “Rampo Noir”, where he leveraged his past mangaka experience, which in turn influenced his manga career onwards. Working completely alone, Kaneko will introduce us to his process and the balance he creates with his free time, as we followed him to a rock concert, one his DJ events or a dinner with friends, while he also tries to keep an open window on the world walking alongside Meguro river. Places: Shimokitazawa Club Que, Shimokitazawa Area Meguro River, Naka-Meguro Area Red Shoes, Minami-Aoyama Area Katsu Shimokitazawa, Shimokitazawa Area
Guest: Keiichi Okabe, Composer Places: Rinshi no Mori Park, Musashi-Koyama Area Tokyo Gate Bridge, Koto Area - Keiichi Okabe is a music composer who started his career at Namco. He is renowned for his work on the NieR series and Drakengard 3 game soundtracks. This is the final episode of the toco toco series. Thank you for supporting toco toco over the years, we hope you'll enjoy what's coming next. - - Keiichi Okabe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/monaca_okabe - MONACA Official Website: http://www.monaca.jp
