PIHOTEK Walking with the wind in the Arctic：A picture book turned into a short animated film: A day in the life of "me" walking alone in the North Pole

The picture book "PIHOTEK: Walking with the Wind in the North Pole" (Kodansha), written by polar adventurer Ogita Yasunaga and illustrated by Inoue Nana, has been made into a short animation. Ogita is an active Arctic adventurer who has traveled more than 10,000 km in both the North and South Poles, while Inoue is a talented author whose special edition of the picture book "Kuma-de no Osarai" (Be Nice) won a silver medal at the "World's Most Beautiful Book Competition" in Germany. The animation was directed by Hotchi Kazuhiro, who has worked on NHK's "Minna no Uta" and other programs, and produced by Fanworks, which also produced the animated film "Sumikko Gurashi." The work is a picture book that depicts a day in the life of a "person" walking alone in the North Pole, and won the grand prize at the 28th Japan Picture Book Awards. It will be animated as the third installment of Kodansha's "Ani-hon" project, which turns picture books into short animations. The animation uses 3DCG in some scenes to express depth and the majestic nature, and uses delicate and gentle colors to express the realism of living in the Arctic. A 30-second short version was broadcast as a TV commercial, and a 2-minute long version, the director's cut, was released on YouTube.

Ogita commented, "I was moved when I saw Nana Inoue's wonderful expression of the Arctic adventure that I had in my mind, completed as a picture book, but I never imagined that it would come to life as an animation. The animals, the darkness that descends from the sky, the world of uncertainty, and the wind blowing through. I would be very happy if this animation could serve as a catalyst for spreading the message of life, life and death, and the wind to the world. The act of adventure takes the adventurer to a world he never imagined. As the author, I am looking forward to seeing what kind of adventures 'PIHOTEK' will go on in the future."

Inoue said, "I was blessed with the happy opportunity to have the world I created turned into an animation, and I remember the days when I made countless sketches to turn 'PIHOTEK' into a picture book. The main character moves intently through the snow, breathing out white breath. The rabbits huddle together to keep warm. The wolf sprints at full speed and the caribou desperately trying to escape. When the animation was completed, I felt as if the 'world between the pages' of the picture book had been visualized, and my heart beat faster. In the world after the main character falls asleep in the tent, a world that can only be created in animation is expressed. I hope that this story will continue its journey around the world, befitting the title 'PIHOTEK: Walking with the Wind in the Arctic.'"