AC-bu
AC-bu is a unit formed by three students at Tama Art University in 1999: Toru Adachi, Shunsuke Itakura and Makoto Ando. Their computer graphics have a surrealistic, intense touch. In 2000 their “Euro Boys” won the Grand Prize in NHK’s “Digital Stadium Awards.” Since then AC-bu has been active in a broad array of fields including TV, commercials, music videos and online. Among their representative works are “Ama-zones,” “Philosophizing Baboon” (NHK/”Minna no uta”), and “Sma anime/Cool Dudes” (TV Asahi/”SmaSTATION!!).

Jun Aoki
Born in 1981, Jun Aoki graduated from the Design course of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 2007. Upon graduation he founded Space Neko Company. Aoki creates “pop and cute” animations intended to be entertaining for everyone. He has won or been a finalist in a variety of competitions. His representative works include “NEO – Office Chuckles” (NHK/opening title), “KOTETSUNEKO,” “Hashire” and “Adachin” (official mascot of Adachi Ward).

Kanako Ishibashi
After graduating from Kyoto University of the Arts in 2005, Kanako Ishibashi moved to Tokyo and became a freelance video creator and illustrator. Her unique, erotically charged illustrations have many female fans and are highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad. She has won the “Digital Stadium Best Section Award” twice: in 2005 for “Kuchigenka” and 2007 for “GO.” Her representative works are “Hasami” and “Chocolat” (Nippon Television/opening, key visual).

Hiroco Ichinose
Born in 1985, Hiroco Ichinose completed the graduate program of Tokyo University of the Arts with a concentration in Animation Media. She studied animation under Taku Furukawa. She has created numerous video works featuring her graffiti-like illustrations drawn with unfettered freedom. Among her many awards received to date, “The Last Breakfast” (2006) won a Tokyo Anime Award, and “ushi-nichi” (2007) garnered an Excellence Award at the 11th Japan Media Arts Festival.

Noriaki Okamoto
Noriaki Okamoto was born in 1983 and graduated from Tama Art University, majoring in Graphic Design, in 2008. Among the many awards he has received to date is an Excellence Award at the Japan Media Arts Festival for “ALGOL,” which was his graduation project. He has won great acclaim for the brilliant way he expresses his worldview through his unique visuals and sound. He also performs music under the name “okamotonoriaki.” His most recent work is “PLATFORM” (soon to be completed).

Ryu Kato
Born in 1980, Ryu Kato graduated from Tama Art University with a concentration in Graphic Design and completed a Master’s degree in Design at Tokyo University of the Arts. His powerful visuals derive from his use of hand-written design by pen and pencil. While working freelance in the realms of TV, online and music videos, he also creates original works on an independent basis. In 2008 his “Recorder” was selected for inclusion in the student category at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. His representative work is “THE CLOCKWORK CITY,” used as the opening title of NHK’s “New Three Musketeers” (series to begin this October).

Tomoyoshi Joko
Tomoyoshi Joko was born in 1984. He completed the graduate course in Animation Media at Tokyo University of the Arts. His animations are meticulously hand-drawn, page by page. His “Mr. Cloud and Mr. Rain” (2007) and “BUILDINGS” (2008) received “Digital Stadium” Best Selection Awards, and his works have been selected in numerous competitions both in Japan and abroad. He is a member of the Japan Animation Association (JAA) and teaches part-time in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts.

Mitsuo Toyama
Mitsuo Toyama was born in 1982. He graduated from Toho Gakuen Professional Training College of Film and immediately began a freelance career as a filmmaker. In 2005 he won Grand Prize in NHK’s “Digital Stadium Awards” in the animation category. As a filmmaker he created the opening animation for a program on NHK’s educational channel, a music video for the Moonriders rock band, etc., and he has also expanded his scope of artistic activity to include authoring a picture book.

Toshiaki Hanzaki
Born in 1981, Toshiaki Hanzaki earned a Master’s Degree from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. After his noncommissioned works “Birds” (2005) and “Birthday” (2007) won the top prize in numerous competitions, he began working freelance as a video artist. He creates commercials and music videos using richly expressive animation. His representative works include “Hana no nioi” (Scent of Flowers / Mr. Children) and “STORY OF ORGANIC COTTON” (kurkku).

PANTOGRAPH
PANTOGRAPH is a creative unit that excels in model making. They have created numerous image visuals for advertisements, magazine cover, CD jackets, etc. (“Nikkei Personal Computing,” “sotokoto,” POLYSICS, BEAT CRUSADERS, HALCALI). In stop motion animation, they are active in a wide range of areas including short animations and commercials (“Google Chrome” TV commercials). They prefer the aura exuded by “real things,” producing works apart from those created by the current trends toward computer graphics and Flash animation.

Tayuta Mikage
Tayuta Mikage was born in 1974. His works have been acclaimed both in Japan and abroad. In 2001 he received a special jury award at the “Digital Stadium Awards,” and in 2006 his “Beyond the Train Tracks” was a finalist in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. His creative style – with its incomparable expressiveness, worldview, and combination of freshness and nostalgia – has garnered attention not only within animation circles but throughout the broader video industry. In 2006 a collection of his works, titled “Beyond the Train Tracks,” was released on DVD.

Masashi Yokota
Born in 1983, Masashi Yokota graduated from Tokyo Zokei University with a concentration in Design. Two works he created during his student years, “ikuemi” (2007) and “Kioku zenkei” (2008), were shown at many competitions in Japan and overseas and won prizes including a Digital Stadium Best Selection Award, Most Outstanding Award in the 14th Student CG Contest, and the Chie Morimoto Prize at Amuse Art Jam 2007 in Kyoto. Most recently, he is active in the video unit goeno with Chie Morimoto and is in charge of a segment of NHK educational TV’s children’s program “Shakeen!”

Yasuhiro Yoshiura
Yasuhiro Yoshiura was born in 1980 and graduated from Kyushu Institute of Design (now Kyushu University School of Design). His “Aquatic Language,” which he created during his student years, received an “Excellent Work Award” in the animated film category – alongside commercially produced contenders – at the 2003 Tokyo International Anime Fair. “Pale Cocoon” (2006), his first commercially produced anime (invited to participate in the Tokyo International Film Festival) has been released on DVD. In terms of both visual expression and screenwriting, the work is of a quality far superior to other works by creators working independently. His latest work, “Time of Eve,” is available online and proving phenomenally popular.