Yumi Shimokawa's popular picture book "Ne Ne Anone" (Kodansha) has been made into an anime and the short anime "Ani-Hon 'Hey Hey Anone'" began airing and streaming on January 24th. The book is directed by Namiko Ishidate, who served as animation director on "Penguin Highway" and "Bakeneko Anzu-chan", and produced by Fanworks, which also produced the " Sumikko Gurashi Movie" series and "Aggressive Retsuko". The anime is the fourth installment of "Ani-Hon", a project to turn Kodansha's picture books into short anime.
"Ne Ne Anone" is Shimokawara's debut work, and won the Grand Prize at the 7th KFS Picture Book Grand Prix in 2013. The story is about various animals expressing their love for each other and becoming connected by unconditional love. The book has gained popularity worldwide, with translation offers coming from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Bulgaria, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The anime has been produced in two versions: a short version of about 30 seconds and a long version of about two and a half minutes. The short version is broadcast on TV during commercial breaks nationwide, while the long version is available on YouTube. An English subtitled version has also been released.
Director Ishidate said, "I was very happy to have been able to help bring such a wonderful work as 'Hey Hey, Anone' to the screen. Nothing happens, and there's no grand story; it's just a relay of love that is passed on in a simple way! In fact, that's what makes this work so profound... and that's what's most wonderful about it. I worked hard to figure out how to express that in animation without losing that greatness. I would be happy if I was able to express through the movements not only the cuteness that is unique to the animals, but also the gentle, enveloping love between parent and child, which is the beginning and conclusion of this work. I hope that everyone who watches it will feel like telling someone they love, 'I love you'."
Original author Shimokawara commented, "When someone is kind to you, you want to be kind to them too, when someone is kind to you, you want to be kind to them too, when someone says they love you, you want to tell them that they love you too... This story was born from my desire to depict a world where such happiness circulates. When I heard that it would be made into an animation, I was a little worried about what it would turn out to be, but the animals, drawn with light strokes, look so free-spirited and happy when they move around! I hope that many people will enjoy watching it."
