I don’t usually cover much anime-related news. Still, sometimes something comes around that’s just so significant it can’t be ignored. For those who still need to be made aware, TOHO is a Japanese company known for film production. TODO is best known outside of Japan as being the producer and distributor of many kaiju and tokusatsu films; the Chouseishin tokusatsu superhero television franchise; the films of Akira Kurosawa; and the anime films of Studio Ghibli.
TOHO’s most famous creation is the iconic Godzilla, and then ten years ago, TOHO Animation was started. TOHO Animation might not be a household name. Still, they are associated with some of the biggest names in anime, from Psycho-Pass to My Hero Academia to Spy x Family.
To celebrate a decade of Animation, TOHO Animation has taken to its YouTube channel to celebrate by releasing a series of five animated music videos as part of a collaboration between various directors, studios, and musical artists, with some pretty big names attached. Here are the music videos:
COLORS
Hiroyuki Sawano is undoubtedly one of the most beloved anime composers known for his distinct mix of genres. COLORs has an electronic, poppy sound unlike many of the works Hiroyuki Sawano is known for, making this new track nothing if not refreshing.
The video accompanying the song follows a high school girl who becomes convinced that the girl she’s enamoured with and the new boy in her class are the same people.
Stargazing
BUMP OF CHICKEN is a rock group with many anime-opening themes and music videos to their name. Just in the last few years, BUMP OF CHICKEN has created the opening of Spy x Family and the Pokémon music video GOTCHA!
Stargazing is the group’s third single and dates back to 2001. With Loundraw, An illustrator, animator, and founder of Flat Studio, the video they have created is nothing short of captivating.
Nana’s Secret Garden
Namiko Ishidate is an animation director who worked on the 2018 film Penguin Highway. In Nana’s Secret Garden, Namiko Ishidate tells the story of a young girl whose magical journey reveals the strained relationship between her, her mother, and her grandmother.
In contrast to the heavy story, the style is cutesy, and the pencil-drawn art helps make the video feel deeply personal.
Neko to Wakaise na
Neko to Wakaise na is far more comparable to a shirt film than a music video. However, there can be difficulty following the story because there are no English subtitles. The general gist of the story told is that a young man goes searching for his lost cat and reminisces about when he was younger.
Both stories happen simultaneously, and because “Wakaise” translates to “reconciliation” in Japanese, you can expect that to be the overall theme here.
Melodrama in a Random World
While the previous four videos have all embraced a more modern look and feel to their art, Melodrama in a Random World takes viewers back to a more retro feel and style. The video is composed with a 4:3 aspect ratio, giving it a nostalgic retro anime look.
Melodrama in a Random World is the only video entirely created in-house by TOHO Animation, and it’s sure to make viewers remember back to when they first fell in love with anime.
The TOHO Animation Music Films were created to celebrate the brand and showcase how far its come in only a decade. Each video crushes this and shows that TOHO Animation is one of the most potent and dynamic studios.
Which of these videos is your favourite? Let us know in the comments.