News [2025]
- →2025.11.3 update
International Animation Day (IAD) 2025 - Coming Soon!
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On October 28th, 1892, a French inventor Emile Reynaud (1844 - 1918) made the first public
performance of animation at the Grevin Museum in Paris, using his own invention “Optical Theater.”
Since 2002, ASIFA and its National Groups have been celebrating this historical day as “International
Animation Day (IAD)” to promote and develop animation art all over the world ‘simultaneously.' Every
year, about 40 countries participate in this celebration.
“IAD 2025 in Japan” will be held at 6 venues in Kyoto, Atsugi, Osaka Minamikawachi, Hajinosato, Abeno, and Ooarai.
This year’s official IAD poster was created by Lucija Mrzljak (Croatia, ASIFA Member), and it will be
used around the world.
Let’s celebrate IAD 2025 together!
International Animation Day 2025
→ IAD 2025 in KYOTO
November 9th, at the Museum of Kyoto (BUNPAKU)
→ IAD 2025 in ATSUGI
November 11th, at Kanagawa Institute of Technology
→ IAD 2025 in OSAKA MINAMIKAWACHI
November 13th, at Osaka University of Arts
→IAD 2025 in Hajinosato
November 15th, at Nowhere Hajinosato
→ IAD 2025 in ABENO
November 22th, at Shitennoji University, Abeno Harukas Satellite Campus
→ IAD 2025 in OOARAI
November 29th, at Shiosai no YU/ Ancient fossil seawater hot spring
For more details about the International Animation Day 2025
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→2025.9.13 update
"ASIFA 65th Anniversary - Peace Messages from Animation Filmmakers” (film show + talks) will be held on September 28th!
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ASIFA/ Association Internationale du Film d'Animation was founded in 1960 as an international non-profit organization dedicated to fostering global friendship and peace through the development of the art of animation. This year marks its 65th anniversary, and to celebrate this milestone, Kyoto University of the Arts and ASIFA-JAPAN are collaborating to host a special event on Sunday, September 28th. The event will feature screenings of animation from around the world that convey messages for peace, followed by talks by filmmakers. We sincerely hope this will serve as an opportunity for everyone to think about peace, together with the filmmakers.
Please note that pre-registration is required. We encourage you to check the details and join us!
ASIFA 65th Anniversary - “Peace Messages from Animation Filmmakers”
Film Show and Talks hosted by Kyoto University of the Arts and ASIFA-JAPAN
Date: September 28th (Sun.), 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Venue: Tokyo Gaien Campus of the Kyoto University of the Arts
Classrooms 101 & 102
1-7-15 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
＊Parking and bicycle parking are not available.
Admission: Free
Registration: Please apply here by September 24th (Wed.).
＊The capacity is 100 seats. Registration will close once all seats are filled.
Inquiries: ASIFA-JAPAN (E-mail)
＊For inquiries related to Kyoto University of the Arts, please contact here.
Part 1:
11:00am - 12:10pm
Animation for Peace from Abroad
Moderator: Hiroshi Onishi Commentary: Makiko Nagao
"Animation Against War - 1” by Anonymous Filmmakers, 2022, 3:00
"Ex-Child” by Jacques Drouin, 1994, 4:57
“Babylon” by Peter Lord & David Sproxton, 1986, 13:17
"Bead Game” by Ishu Patel, 1977, 5:35
"The Hand” by Jiří Trnka, 1965, 18:00
“Neighbours” by Norman McLaren, 1952, 8:06
Part2:
13:00pm - 14:00pm
Animation for Peace from Japan
Moderator: Hiroshi Onishi
"What Happens Before War?” by What Happens Before War? Animation Project, 2015, 7:37
"journeymation Article 9” by Hiroshi Onishi, 2016, 4:48
“The Wild Rose” by Katsuo Takahashi, 1977, 19:00
“LET OUT” by Kotaro Sato, 2012, 00:35
“Teddy” by Taku Furukawa, 2005, 4:20
“Yin-Yang” by Nobar Yeganehbakhtiary, 2025, 4:40
"PICA DON” by Renzo Kinoshita & Sayoko Kinoshita, 1978, 9:25
“Huge Godzilla, Tiny Godzilla” by Kiyoshi Nishimoto, 2023, 3:51
14:00pm - 15:00pm
Talks and Q&A with Filmmakers
Moderator: Hiroshi Onishi
Part3:
15:10pm - 17:00pm
Reading and Talks on "If You Do Not Want War" by the late Isao Takahata
Reading and Talks by: Kouki Tange and Tomohiko Ishii
Organizer: ASIFA-JAPAN
Co-organizers:
Film and Image-making Course, Department of Cultural Content Creation, Correspondence Education, Kyoto University of the Arts
Image-Making and Media Content Research Field, Graduate School, Kyoto University of the Arts
flyer (A4 size, RGB)
poster (B2 size, RGB)
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→2025.8.23 update
The exhibition “Journey to the World of Edward Gorey”, organised by Setsuko Shibata and I.D.F. Inc., is now being held!
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I.D.F. Inc., represented by Setsuko Shibata, has been touring “Journey to the World of Edward Gorey” across Japan since 2023. From this October, it is scheduled to be shown at the Society of Illustrators in New York, but before that, as the final domestic venue, a special exhibition is being held at Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan from July to September, in four sessions, offering visitors the chance to view Gorey’s finely detailed original drawings in a setting different from those at museums.
In ‘Rm1925', a classroom at the Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan – an Important Cultural Property designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and coincidentally completed in the same year as Gorey’s birth – visitors can view a
selection of works from the touring exhibition, this time covered in acrylic frames without passepartout, at close range. Even if you have already visited the touring show, please take this opportunity to experience Gorey’s world anew, inside the architecture that evokes the era of his birth!
Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan – 100th Anniversary of Edward Gorey’s Birth
“Journey to the World of Edward Gorey” in a Frank Lloyd Wright's Classroom
Venue: Important Cultural Property – Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan ‘Rm1925'
2-31-3 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Planning and Coordination: I.D.F. Inc.
Special Cooperation: The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust,
The Edward Gorey House (Cape Cod)
Cooperation: Kawade Shobo Shinsha Publishers inc.
Dates:
* Sessions 1 and 2 have ended.
(Session 3) 26 (Tue) – 28 (Thu) August 2025
*Bookings available via the Peatix reservation system!
(Session 4)9 (Tue) – 11 (Thu) September 2025
*Bookings available via the Peatix reservation system!
Admission Fee:
･ Admission: ¥1,200
･ Admission + gift: ¥2,200
･ Admission + café service in the dining hall + gift: ¥3,300
Available only on the following dates and times:
28 August (Thu), 11 September (Thu)
12:30–13:30 (café from 13:00) / 13:45–14:45 (café from 14:15) / 15:00–16:00 (café from 15:30)
This is a rare chance to enjoy refreshments in the dining hall, where stained glass windows can be appreciated. We encourage you to take part.
* Please note that a separate fee is required for guided tours of the Myonichikan building.
Enquiries: I.D.F. Inc.
More details here
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→2025.8.16 update
Kawasaki City Museum will host a screening event: “Anime À la Carte! Turning, Connecting, Animation” !
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On Saturday, September 6, a screening event hosted by Kawasaki City Museum, “Anime À la Carte! Turning, Connecting, Animation”, will be held at Lazona Kawasaki Plaza Sol.
The theme is Independent Animation. Works by Yoji Kuri, Taku Furukawa, IKIF, and Mirai Mizue will be screened, and the artists themselves will also give commentary on their works.
In addition, “Anime À La Carte” (1989), which many ASIFA-JAPAN members participated in, will also be shown.
Advance registration is required. Please check the details and join us if you can!
Anime À la Carte! Turning, Connecting, Animation
Date & Time: September 6, 2025 (Sat) 14:00–16:00 (Doors open at 13:00)
Venue: Lazona Kawasaki Plaza Sol
72-1 Horikawa-cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki City
Lazona Kawasaki Plaza 5F
Admission Fees:
General: ¥600
Elementary & Junior High School Students: ¥400
(Preschool children, those with disability certificates + one caregiver are admitted free)
Advance Registration Period: July 30 (Wed) – August 19 (Tue) until 16:00
How to Participate: Apply for Advance Registration via this website - advance registrants will receive a dyed film bookmark as a special gift).
Organized by: Kawasaki City Museum
Technical Support: Suzuki Eiga
Inquiries: Kawasaki City Museum (email)
Website: https://www.kawasaki-museum.jp/cinema/32106/
More details here
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→2025.7.7 update
Full program and event details for VIDEO PARTY 11 have been provided by Yasuto Yura!
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VIDEO PARTY is a screening exhibition that began in 2013 as a non-juried open-call event.
According to Yasuto Yura: "Video as a form of expression holds vast potential, but opportunities for presentation remain limited. Many creators seek interaction with audiences and fellow artists that cannot be achieved through online showcases alone. We also hope to create a space where viewers can encounter unexpected works—beyond what is recommended by AI algorithms based on personal preferences. Moreover, we envision this platform as a way to encourage artists who have stepped away from creating to return to the world of expression. VIDEO PARTY was launched with these goals in mind."
This year’s edition will feature 9 programs with a total of 121 works.
We warmly invite you to attend!
VIDEO PARTY 11
Dates: August 1 (Fri) – August 3 (Sun), 2025
Screening Times: Daily at 13:00 / 15:30 / 18:00
Program Schedule: Click here to view the full program (PDF)
Admission Fees:
General: ¥1,000 per program / ¥2,000 1-day pass / ¥4,000 3-day pass
Students: ¥500 per program / ¥1,000 1-day pass / ¥2,000 3-day pass
High school students and under: Free
Venue: FRAME in VOX
3rd Floor, Kawaramachi VOX Bldg., 44 Daikoku-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
TEL: 075-748-1581
Organized by: AF PLAN
In cooperation with: SHIN-SHIKAKU/ DENKI TOMBO Inc., Brand new day, tapetum works, ASIFA-JAPAN
Official Website: http://www.af-plan.com/vp/
Contact: info@af-plan.com
For updates, please visit official pages on Facebook、X(twitter)
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→2025.6.11 update
Kariko Takahashi will hold “The World of Katsuo Takahashi @Shinbashi Terakoya” (Screening & Talk)
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On Thursday, June 12th, Kariko Takahashi will be holding “The World of Katsuo Takahashi @Shinbashi Terakoya” (screening and talk). Many of Katsuo Takahashi’s precious works will be shown, including “Wan Way Street” (1957), nostalgic films created for the EXPO’70 Osaka, “Princess Kaguya” (1972), and more. Kariko Takahashi will share various behind-the-scenes episodes about those works. Online participation is also available. Please join!
photo:Katsuo Takahashi with Norman McLaren at the Montreal Expo ’67
The World of Katsuo Takahashi @Shimbashi Terakoya
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time: Part 1: 18:00 - 18:40 / Part 2: 18:50 - 19:40
Venue: Showa Book Cafe Shimbashi Terakoya (3rd floor, New Shimbashi Building)
2-16-1 Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004
- 1-minute walk from JR Shimbashi Station, Karasumori Exit
- 2-minute walk from Shimbashi Station, Exit 8
- 2-minute walk from Yurikamome Line, Exit 1A
* Please apply to Kariko Takahashi in advance.
Apply via email
* Remote participation is also available.
- →2025.5.11 update
Call for Entries: VIDEO PARTY 11 - organized by Yasuto Yura
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VIDEO PARTY 11, a video screening event organized by Yasuto Yura since 2013, is now accepting submissions. The exhibition will take place from August 1 to August 3, 2025, at FRAME in VOX, Kyoto.
VIDEO PARTY is open to the public and accepts originally created video works of up to 15 minutes in length. Basically, submissions are not subject to a selection or judging process. Works of any genre — such as drama, animation, or video art — are welcome. Since its launch, the event has shown 713 works and facilitated cultural exchange through screenings held in cities including Kyoto, Sapporo, Iwate, Tokyo, Macau, Taipei, Taichung, Shenzhen, Seoul, Busan, Richmond, and Berlin.
Opportunities to present independently created videos remain limited. VIDEO PARTY aims to provide a space where such works with various possibilities for expression can be showcased and shared.
For more details, please visit the official website.
We warmly welcome your participation, whether as a creator or as an audience member.
"Submission Guidelines for VIDEO PARTY 11"
Entry Registration: Pre-registration is required. Please complete the entry form.
Eligibility: Open to all individuals regardless of nationality, occupation, or affiliation. Students, working professionals, educators, and others are all welcome.
Length of Work: Maximum 15 minutes
Content Requirements:
Any content, technique or genre is acceptable. Any production year is also acceptable.
Only, the submitted work must be created originally by the applicant, and all copyright issues — including images, sound, and any other material used in the work — must be cleared by the applicant.
In principle, there will be no selection or review process.
Submission Fee: Free of charge.
Please note that the screening fee will not be provided.
Deadlines: Entry Registration Deadline: Saturday, May 31, 2025, Entry Form
Work & Information Submission Deadline: Sunday, July 20, 2025
(Submission instructions will be sent after registration.)
Screening Dates: August 1 (Fri) – August 3 (Sun), 2025
Venue: FRAME in VOX (Sanjo-Kawaramachi, Kyoto)
Contact: info@af-plan.com
Organizer: AF PLAN
Cooperation: SHIN-SHIKAKU / DENKI TOMBO Inc.
, Brand new day
, tapetum works, ASIFA-JAPAN
More Information, Facebook、X(twitter)
- →2025.4.17 update
IKIF Special Program “Playing with Light: Animation Experiments on Materials and Techniques” will be held!
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On April 20th, a special program of animation shorts by IKIF (Tokumitsu Kifune and Sonoko Kifune) entitled “Playing with Light: Animation Experiments on Materials and Techniques” will be held at the 'Experimental Film Viewing Group’ of the Study of Analogue Media, the Japan Society of Image Arts & Sciences.
This will be a rare opportunity to see IKIF’s representative 18 films, made between 1980 and 1992, all on 8 mm or 16 mm film projection. There will also be a talk by IKIF after the screening!
Reservations are required, so please register as soon as possible using the booking form in the details below.
Please enjoy!
“Playing with Light: Animation Experiments on Materials and Techniques”
Date: Sunday April 20th 2025 Screening from 14:00
Venue: Koganei City Nakamachi Tenjinmae Community Hall
1-7-7 Nakamachi, Koganei-shi, Tokyo
Reservation: Please make a reservation here
Admission Fee: 1,000yen (Please pay in cash on the day.)
Schedule
13:45 Doors Open
14:00~16:30 Screening and Commentary
16:30~16:45 Intermission
16:45~17:30 Talk and Q&A Session by IKIF (Facilitator: Tomohiro Nishimura)
Program (18 works, 74 minutes in total）
"ZOOII" 3:55/ 1980/ 8mm
"Mr. M's 3333" 2:30/ 1980/ 8mm
"CIRCLE" 4:00/ 1981/ 8mm
"FACE" 3:14/ 1981/ 8mm
"REVOLVING LANTERN (1)" 2:45/ 1982/ 8mm
"OVERLAPPING IMAGE (1)" 2:38/ 1983/ 8mm
"The Complate Encyclopedia of Animation 1980-83" 5:00/ 1980-83/ 8mm
"SCRIBBLE BOARD 3" 2:36/ 1986/ 8mm
"Rotation AB" 2:10/ 1983/ 8mm
"Ran PART2 RADIANCE" 9:00/ 1982/ 16mm
"Petrifaction 1" 5:30/ 1982/ 16mm
"Camera Obscura 3" 3:00/ 1984/ 16mm
"DIM" 4:00/ 1984/ 16mm
"At the bottom of the sea" 3:00/ 1985/ 16mm
"Animandala2" 5:21/ 1986/ 16mm
"QUICK-SAND" 6:00/ 1987/ 16mm
"SIGN" 4:00/ 1990/ 16mm
"Screen Tone Music" 5:00/ 1992/ 16mm
Organizer:
Study of Analogue Media, Japan Society of Image Arts and Sciences
https://www.facebook.com/analogmedia
https://twitter.com/analogmedia2022
8mm Film Koganei Kaido Project
http://shink-tank.cocolog-nifty.com/perforation/
https://twitter.com/8mmfkkp
More detais here (Japanese only)
- →2025.4.15 update
“KNYACKI! 30th Anniversary - Yuichi Ito Special Program” is now being held!
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On April 7th, 2025, Yuichi Ito’s beloved clay animation "Knyacki!" celebrated its 30th birthday.
Congratulations Yuichi!
To celebrate “Knyacki!”'s 30th anniversary, a special program of Yuichi Ito's clay animation is now being held at Stranger until Thursday, April 17 . In addition to “Knyacki!”, which has never been seen on the screen, Yuichi’s inspiring shorts are shown, including “Harbor Tale”, Ken Hirai's “Kimi wa tomodachi” music video, Shochiku's “Norabbits' Minutes” episodes 1-5, etc.
We hope you will enjoy!
KNYACKI! 30th Anniversary - Yuichi Ito Special Program
Date: April 11th (Fri) - April 17th (Thu), 2025
Time: Please refer to the screening schedule of Stranger.
Venue: Stranger
1F Kikugawa Kaikan Building, 3-7-1 Kikugawa, Sumida-ku
tel: 080-5295-0597
- April 11th (Fri) 19:00 ~ Special screening, followed by a talk by Ito,
and then from 20:30 ~ The famous "stop motion roundtable discussion”.
- April 16th (Wed) 17:05 ~ Special screening, followed by a talk by Ito.
Please make a reservation here
More details here
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→2025.3.29 update
Announcement of memorial events for Yoji KURI
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Two memorial events will be held to remember our encounter and farewell with Yoji Kuri, and we
ASIFA-JAPAN is also cooperating with the publicity, etc.
We hope that all of you will be able to attend these events.
(1) "Yoji Kuri - Hello Farewell Party"
Date and time: Monday, April 14, 2025, 11:30–20:00
Party from 17:00
Venue: art space kimura ASK?
2F Kimura Building, 3-6-5 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031
Inquiries: asku@oak.ocn.ne.jp (Representative: Kimura)
Organizer: Yoji Kuri - Hello Farewell Party Organizing Committee
More details here
(2) "Yoji Kuri - Goodpai Screening"
Date and time: Monday, April 28, 2025
doors open at 15:00, screenings at 16:00-21:00
Venue: Suginami Public Hall, Large Hall
1-23-15 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0043
Tel: 03-3220-0401
Organizer: Yoji Kuri - Goodpai Screening Organizing Committee
Tel: 03-5761-8924
More details here
- →2025.3.17 update
This year again, "Anime A-La-Carte" will be shown in a special program organized by Kawasaki City Museum!
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On Saturday, March 22nd, a co-created animation film "Anime A-La-Carte" (directed by Hal Fukushima, 1989, 10 minutes) will be shown again in a special program organized by Kawasaki City Museum.
This work was created by 25 animators and workshop participants, based on the museum's logo, and many ASIFA-JAPAN members also participated, including Nobuhiro Aihara, Yoshimasa Akiyama, Kosei Ono, IKIF (Tokumitsu Kifune and Sonoko Kifune), Yoji Kuri, Shinichi Suzuki, Seiichi Hayashi, Masaki Fujihata, Taku Furukawa, Koji Yamamura, and Iwao Yamaki.
This year's special program focuses on film coloring techniques such as film tinting, Kodacolor, etc., and almost all of the works will be projected on film.
Other titles include "The Dull Sword" (1917, Junichi Kouchi), "Two Worlds" (1929, Yasuji Murata), “Spring Song" (1931, Noburo Ofuji), "AN EXPRESSION" (1935, Shigeji Ogino), "The Making of a Color Animation" (1937, Shigeji Ogino), “Begone Dull Care" (1949, Norman McLaren), and “The Phantom Ship" (1956, Noburo Ofuji).
Anime A La Carte! Animation and Color
Date and time: Saturday, March 22, 2025, 13:30- (doors open at 12:30)
Venue: Kawasaki City Community Center Hall (nearest station: Musashi-Kosugi Station)
Advance application: *Application period is over.
Organizer: Kawasaki City Museum
Inquiries: Kawasaki City Museum (Mail)
More details here (Japanese only)
- →2025.3.10 update
Congratulations to Masashige Hiranuma on his film "Noragurumi" receiving the YouTube Silver Creator Award!
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We are pleased to announce that “Noragurumi,” an original short animation directed by Masashige Hiranuma, has received a Silver Plaque for having over 100,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel!
Also, the number of followers on SNS has exceeded 200,000. Congratulations!
We hope you enjoy “Noragurumi”!
Masashige Hiranuma is the founder and CEO of Welz Animation Studio, and is also an accomplished novelist as well.
More details here
- →2025.2.26 update
With Yasuto Yura in charge of moving images, the experimental stage “Une Nuit Terrible” was performed !
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On Saturday, February 15th, the experimental stage “Une Nuit Terrible” was performed, and Yasuto Yura created its moving images.
“Une Nuit Terrible” was realized by experts in various fields, including filmmakers, projection mapping creators, media artists, designers, dancers, and others, from Japan and Korea. This stage was inspired by the works of Georges Méliès, both in its title and concept, and was a perfect fusion of theater, literature, art, and moving images, transforming the theater itself into a large screen to unfold a world of fantasy. It was truly 'as Méliès once created a dreamlike world with cinematic tricks'…!
This work was performed as part of the Kyoto University of the Arts - Kyoto Performing Arts Center (KPAC) - the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Performing Arts' Theater Experimental Project 2024 “Moving Image and Theater — Exploration of Multilayered Illusionary Space — Projection Mapping and Performance — Starting with Georges Méliès" (Research Representative: Keita Hayashi), and Yasuto Yura was responsible for creating moving images as a Research Collaborator.
Une Nuit Terrible
Date: Saturday, February 15th, 2025
Venue: Kyoto Art Theater - Shunjuza (Kyoto University of the Arts)
More details here (Japanese only)
![ASIFA-JAPAN [Internationale Association du Film d'Animation - Japan Branch]](/en/common/images/img_logo.gif){kind=logo}
