Important Announcement:
The Future of the International Animation Festival in Japan - HIROSHIMA
We regret to announce that the International Animation Festival in Japan – HIROSHIMA (henceforth “Hiroshima Festival” or “the festival”), which we have held with the city of Hiroshima for 36 years beginning in 1984, came to an end after its 18th edition, which took place in August 2020.
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- →2024.09.23 update
Kotoko Nakamura Film Screening in Himeji
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A special screening of Kotoko Nakamura’s works will be held on Saturday, September 28th, at the Book Cafe Gallery Quiet Holiday in Himeji City.
This event will feature two programs that provide an overview of Kotoko Nakamura's career, to retrace her footsteps from the early production days and studio work to recent freelance activities, including her latest work, “The Magic Violet Rabbit” (2023).
Reservations are required, so please book as soon as possible to join!
Kotoko Nakamura Special Screening
Date: 28th September (Sat.) 2024
14:00- Program A
15:40- Program B
Venue: Book Cafe Gallery Quiet Holiday
68 Honmachi, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture
(10-minute walk towards Himeji Castle from JR/Sanyo Himeji Station)
Admission Fee:
1 Program: 1,000 yen
All Programs: 1,500 yen
(Both require a one-drink order)
Organizer (Reservations & Inquiries):
“Animation Runs!” Project (Himeji Cinema Club Office)
animation.runs@gmail.com
For more details (Japanese only)
- →2024.05.20 update
Yoji KURI's solo Exhibition will be held in Kamakura!
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From May 22nd (Wed.) to June 3rd (Mon.), Yoji Kuri's solo exhibition will be held at the Kaleidoscope Galerie Vivant in Kamakura.
The exhibition is said to be a collection of various works, mainly with animal motifs, from his current painting career.
Rare self-published books, collections of works, and original goods will also be on sale.
They seem to have a wide selection of colorful goods, including handkerchiefs that are perfect for early summer.
Please come and enjoy sightseeing in Kamakura, which is also a place where cartoonist are connected!
Yoji KURI Solo Exhibition
Period: May 22nd (Wed.) - June 3rd (Mon.) 2024
Time: 11:00 - 18:00
Venue: Galerie Vivant
*Closed on May 28th(Tue.)
*Closes at 16:00 on the last day
Address: Kotobuki House 1st floor, 1-6-13 Komachi, Kamakura, Kanagawa
Contact: vivant@g-vivant.com Tel:0467-22-2351
*Kuri Kobo staff will be in the gallery at irregular intervals on the first and last days, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays.
*We will inform you about the artist's presence on our X and instagram as soon as it becomes available.
For more details (Japanese only)
- →2024.05.08 update
Yoji KURI Exhibition "The world of love and humor of Yoji KURI, who turned 96 this year" will be held.
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Yoji Kuri's first solo exhibition in 2024 will be held at the 4th floor gallery of FEELSEEN, a lifestyle shop in Higashi Ginza, Tokyo.
"Love" and "humor” have been consistent themes throughout Yoji KURI's long career, which is rooted in his childhood war experiences and his longing for his snowy country hometown. We hope you will enjoy the loving world created by Yoji's imagination, and the humorous world, with vivid colors of the sunlight, which will make you laugh and smile.
This exhibition will feature mainly on Yoji’s paintings and prints, from the 1960s to recent years. Please also enjoy his latest works of “cats" that he creates energetically at the age of over 90. Those rare self-published books and original goods will be on sale as well.
Please come and join!
Yoji KURI Exhibition
"The world of love and humor of Yoji KURI, who turned 96 this year"
Period: May 9th (Thu.) - May 19th (Sun.) 2024
Time: 12:00 - 19:00
Venue: FEELSEEN Gallery
*Closed on Mondays
*Closes at 17:00 on the last day
Contact: FEELSEEN GINZA Tel. 03-6260-6335
For more details (Japanese only)
- →2024.05.06 update
A commemorative exhibition for the 45th anniversary of IKIF and the retirement of Tokumitsu Kifune will be held.
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From May 27th (Mon) to July 3rd (Wed), an exhibition to commemorate Kifune Tokumitsu's retirement from Tokyo Zokei University will be held at three venues: Tokyo Zokei University Art Museum, ZOKEI Gallery, and CS Gallery. This exhibition will also celebrate the 45th anniversary of IKIF, the animation production unit of Tokumitsu Kifune and Sonoko Kifune (Ishida).
The exhibition will provide an overview of the wide range of activities that they have engaged over the years, including their filmmaking, workshops, education, research, and screenings. During the exhibition period, artist talks and film screenings (advance registration required) will also be held.
Please come and join!
Tokumitsu Kifune Retirement Exhibition
Focusing on the evolution of IKIF’s animation production methods over the past 45 years
-Tokyo Zokei University Art Museum
Period: May 27th (Mon) - July 3rd (Wed) 2024
Closed: Sundays, except June 9th (Sun)
-ZOKEI Gallery, 1st floor, Building 12, Tokyo Zokei University
-CS Gallery, 1st floor, Building 10, Tokyo Zokei University
Period: June 17th (Mon) - July 3rd (Wed) 2024
Closed: Sundays
[For all venues]
Opening hours: 10:00 - 16:30 (admission by 16:00)
Free admission
[Related events]
-Artist Talk
Date and time: June 20th (Thu) , 2024, at 13:30-15:00
Venue: Tokyo Zokei University Art Museum
Speakers: IKIF (Tokumitsu Kifune + Sonoko Kifune)
No advance registration required, free to attend
-IKIF Lecture and Film Show
Date and time: June 22 (Sat), 2024
Lecture 13:00-15:00, Film Show 15:00-17:00, with breaks
Venue: Tokyo Zokei University, Building 1, Room 102
Speakers: IKIF (Tokumitsu Kifune + Sonoko Kifune)
Free to attend, advance registration required
Capacity: 140 seats
For more details (Japanese only)
- →2024.2.29 update
Teppei Ikumasa’s feature animation “The Sea of Funagada” (2023, 85 min.) will be shown at the 13th Ekoda Film Festival.
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On March 6th, 8th, and 9th, Hidenobu Fukumoto, also known as Teppei Ikumasa, will have his feature animation “The Sea of Funagada” (2023, 85 min.) shown at the 13th Ekoda Film Festival. On the 8th, there will also be a talk by the director.
In the Hamadori Region of Fukushima, fishermen are called “funagada”. At the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, these brave funagadas risked their lives to protect their precious boats, placing them further out to sea. Now, after thirteen years, their new battle has begun to protect the sea of Fukushima.
What is the “sea” for fishermen…?
Searching an answer, Teppei Ikumasa, a picture-story show artist from Hiroshima has been visiting Fukushima since the nuclear accident and has created over 70 stories about the Fukushima nuclear accident. And, together with fishermen in Fukushima, he created an animation "The Sea of Funagada."
Please take a look.
Screening "The Sea of Funagada" at the 13th Ekoda Film Festival.
Date & time: March 6th (Wed), 2024, at 19:00-
March 8th (Fri) at 13:00- (a talk by Teppei Ikumasa at 14:40- )
March 9th (Sat) at 16:30-
Venue: Gallery Furuto
9-16 Sakaecho, Nerima-ku, Tokyo (diagonally in front of the main gate of the Musashi University.)
Admission Fee: Advance ticket: ¥1,000 per film
At-the-door ticket: ¥1,200 per film
University students and people with disabilities: ¥800
High school students and younger,
and evacuees from the Great East Japan Earthquake: Free.
Application: e-mail：fwge7555@nifty.com (Gallery Furuto)
tel: 03-3948-5328
Organizer: Ekoda Film Festival Organizing Committee
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- →2024.02.27 update
Nozomi Nagasaki's “The Fourth of the Narcissus Month” and Sayoko Kinoshita's “Pica Don” will be shown at the National Film Archive of Japan, within “Women Who Made Japanese Cinema [Part 2]: From the 1970s to the 1980s”!
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“Women Who Made Japanese Cinema [Part 2]: From the 1970s to the 1980s” features a total of 74 films (47 programs), ranging from fictions to documentaries, in which women filmmakers were involved in the production, mainly in the fields of directing, scriptwriting, and production. Among them, “The Fourth of the Narcissus Month” by Nozomi Nagasaki and “Pica Don” by Sayoko Kinoshita will be shown in “Program 32: Animation Works”.
Please come and join!
“Women Who Made Japanese Cinema [Part 2]: From the 1970s to the 1980s"
Date and time: February 29th, 2024 (Thursday) 12:30~, and March 5th (Tuesday) 18:30~
Venue: Nagase Memorial Theatre OZU (2nd floor), National Film Archive of Japan
Address: 3-7-6 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Access
Capacity: 310 seats (all seats reserved, tickets on sale online)
Admission fee: Adults 520 yen, etc.
For more details
- →2024.2.20 update
Takashi Fukumoto's final lecture and screening will be held at the Kanagawa Institute of Technology!
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Since the dawn of computer graphics in Japan, Takashi Fukumoto has been producing CG animation as a director and producer, working together with engineers developing those systems dedicated to CG. Many of his works produced at Toyo Links, Polygon Pictures, Links Digiworks, etc., have won awards and been selected for international film festivals in Japan and abroad. Fukumoto has always shown an exceptional talent in merging cutting-edge technology with creativity. Since 2000, he has also been active in education and research activities at Osaka University of Arts and Kanagawa Institute of Technology.
On the occasion of his retirement from the Kanagawa Institute of Technology this spring, he will give his final lecture. After the lecture, there will be a reception as well (reservation required).
Please join!
Takashi Fukumoto Final Lecture & Screening
"Challenges in the Early Days of Japanese CG: Linking Creators and Engineers"
Date & time: March 5th, 2024, at 15:00 - 16:30 (Open at: 14:30)
Venue: Kanagawa Institute of Technology Media Hall (Bldg K1, Room 1201)
1030 Shimoogino, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa Access map
Organizer: Department of Information Media, Kanagawa Institute of Technology
Contact: d-jimu@ic.kanagawa-it.ac.jp
*Reception to be held afterwards. (16:40-18:30)
To attend the reception, please apply here by February 25th.
(If you will be attending only the final lecture, no application is required.)
Venue: Cafeteria (12th floor, Bldg K1)
Admission: 4,000 yen (at the registration desk on the day)
- →2024.2.15 update
The "Animation A-La-Carte" will be screened in a special program hosted by Kawasaki City Museum!
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The very nostalgic co-created animation film "Anime A-La-Carte" (directed by Hal Fukushima, 1989, 10 min.) will be shown in a special programme organized by Kawasaki City Museum. This film was created by 25 animation filmmakers and workshop participants, based on the museum's logo. Many ASIFA-JAPAN members also participated, including Nobuhiro Aihara, Yoshimasa Akiyama, Kosei Ono, IKIF (Tokumitsu Kifune, Sonoko Kifune), Yoji Kuri, Shinichi Suzuki, Seiichi Hayashi, Masaki Fujihata, Taku Furukawa, Koji Yamamura. And, Iwao Yamaki cooperated in the production.
In addition, Emile Cole's short films (1908-1912), "The Adventures of Sho-chan,” “Will Power" (dir. Noburo Ofuji, 1931), and “Chameko no Ichinichi" (dir. Kiyoji Nishikura, 1931) will be shown as well.
Please enjoy!
"Anime A La Carte! The World of Animation with Music and Film"
Date & time: March 2nd, 2024, at 13:30 - 14:40
Venue: Nakahara Civic Center Multipurpose Hall
(3 min. walk from Musashi Kosugi Station)
Park City Musashi Kosugi Mid Sky Tower 1&2F, 3-1100-12
Shin-Maruko Higashi, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki, 211-0004, Japan
Access Map
Capacity: 150 seats
Admission: Adults 600 yen, etc.
(payment at the venue on the day, cash only)
*Advance application is required via the application form (Japanese only).
Application period: Monday, Feb. 5th, 10:00 - Monday, Feb. 19th, 16:00
The application form can be accessed from Monday, Feb. 5, 2024 at 10:00.
Contact: Kawasaki City Museum, tel 044-712-2800
For more details (Japanese only)
- →2024.2.8 update
”Nishi-Maizuru Animation Day 2024,” planned and organised by Ryusuke Imai, will be held on March 3rd!
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With a research grant from Kyoto University of the Arts, Ryusuke Imai will hold an animation program at Seis x Cine Grulla, a mini-theatre in Nishi-Maizuru, Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture. The program consists of excellent animation shorts by those postgraduates of the Kyoto University of the Arts, that Imai has been involved with, and was produced during 2017 - 2024. A selection of 20 films, approximately 96 minutes in total, will be shown. A talk event by those directors is also planned.
Please come and join!
“Nishi-Maizuru Animation Day 2024”
Date & time: March 3rd, 2024, at 14:00 - 16:30 (13:30 doors open.)
Venue: Seis x Cine Grulla
24-2 Takeya, Maizuru, Kyoto 624-0928
Cooperation: Seis x Cine Grulla
Supported by: Maizuru Tourism Association
Contact: TEL 0773-60-5566
info@cinegrulla.com (Seis x Cine Grulla)
Addmission Free
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![“Women Who Made Japanese Cinema [Part 2]: From the 1970s to the 1980s”](/en//images/topics_240222.jpg)
