“Bungaku Bideo” is a new series of animated shorts that pairs short literary works in Japanese, read when possible by their authors, with animation by innovative artists from Japan and beyond.

The first film in the series is Extremely Short by the world-renowned animator Yamamura Kōji and based on a short story by prize-winning author Furukawa Hideo. The full film will be made available on the Yanai Initiative website soon; for the time being, you can watch the

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The Yanai Initiative is thrilled to announce that Extremely Short has been selected for the 56th

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DIRECTOR
KOJI YAMAMURA
Born in 1964, Koji Yamamura is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and is a professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts. Nominated for an Oscar, his short “Mt. Head” won grand prizes and was selected for 100 Films for a Century of Animation. His first feature film Dozens of Norths won the Grand Prize at the Ottawa and the Annecy International Animation Film Festivals. In total, his films have won over 140 awards.

TEXT & VOICE
FURUKAWA HIDEO
Born in Fukushima Prefecture in 1966, Furukawa Hideo is the prolific author of dozens works of fiction, including everything from short shorts to very long novels, as well as plays, poetry, and non-fiction. Known for his dynamic readings, he often partners with musicians and other artists in collaborative performances.

MUSIC
ISAJI SUNAO
Isaji Sunao’s activities range from contemporary music composition and improvisation to live performances of Showa songs, children’s songs, and Brazilian music. He is also a lover of soccer, movies, and folklore. He has received the Akutagawa Composition Award, the Idemitsu Music Award, and the Keizo Saji Award for “Nanban Gekijo – Sunao Isaji Solo Exhibition.

“Totemo mijikai" (2010) by Furukawa Hideo
Planning & English translation Michael Emmerich
Producer Yamamura Kōji
Assistant Producer Yamamura San
Co-Production Yamamura Animation
Project Managers, The Yanai Initiative Jōkō Yumi, Yamasaki San
Production The Yanai Initiative at UCLA + Waseda University
Voice Recording Eric Siercks at the Waseda International House of Literature
Music by Isaji Sunao, Niimi Keiko
Music Mixing by Isobe Hideaki at Aoi Studio, Tokyo
Sound Mixing by Shimada Masashi at Aoi Studio, Tokyo
Color Grading, DCP lab Assist