OrigamiAnimated Short Film

Winner of the Student Academy Awards—the first Japanese work to receive the honor—and shortlisted for the 97th Academy Awards® in the Animated Short Film category.

A CGI-animated short film exploring the infinite possibilities of traditional Japanese paper folding. Every aspect of the film is based on real origami techniques. A unique workflow was developed to accurately simulate the thickness of paper and the internal structures formed by folding, ensuring that everything on screen can be folded from a real square sheet.

The film features an original character designed using authentic origami methods, alongside Japanese traditional models such as cranes and frogs.

It presents origami’s unique art form — from a square sheet transforming into countless forms, and back to a square when unfolded — as a metaphor for life rising from the earth and returning to the earth.

日本作品として初めて学生アカデミー賞を受賞し、第97回アカデミー賞®短編アニメーション部門のショートリストにも選ばれたフルCGアニメーション作品。

日本舞踊に合わせて、正方形の紙がさまざまな折紙の生き物へと折られていく様子を描く。折紙は「切る」という破壊的な工程を使わず、「折る」という変形だけで形を表現する。正方形からさまざまな形へと変化し、広げれば元の正方形に戻るという特徴を、土から生まれ土へ還る「生命」のイメージと重ねている。

紙の厚みや折り重なりによる内部構造を忠実に再現する独自のワークフローを構築。映像に登場するすべてのものが実際の正方形の紙から折ることができる。

オリジナルのメインキャラクターに加え、鶴や蛙などの伝承折紙も多数登場する。

Tools
Autodesk Maya, Houdini, Arnold, Nuke, Premiere Pro

Awards & Selections

•           97th Academy Awards — Animated Short Film Category — Shortlist

•           The 51st Student Academy Awards — Animation Category — Winner (Silver)

•           20th Annual Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival — Official Selection

•           SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater 2024 — Official Selection

•           Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2024 — Official Selection

•           30th Campus Genius Contest — Excellence Award — Winner