-Yukiko Takahashi
Animator and leader of group "kocka"
Attendee of graduate school at Hokkaido University of Education
Special residency program at ICC since September
Began kocka with two research partners from Hokkaido University of Education.
Specializes in a warm analog style.
Kocka means kitten in Czech.
"Russian animation led by characters like Cheburashka and Czech animation agree with my style," says Takahashi. The roots of kocka's style seem to lie in Czech animation.
-Deciding To Become A Creator
Takahashi always felt attracted toward watercolors and illustrations.
"When I was little, I always painted with water colors and wanted to become a painter. I saw student animation at my college and thought, I could make animation! And that led to where I am now." Says Takahashi.
Days of trial and error ensued, and there were many errors to be made before success.
Returning to her roots and thinking about animation, she came up with her watercolor painting style.
Just as production was reaching a peak for her, she graduated from college. As she planned to stay for graduate school and her friends would go on to other things, she decided to keep the group together by making animation.
Ryusuke Ito, Takahashi's instructor and ICC advisor, recommended Takahashi, along with her group kocka, begin a residency program with ICC.
Looking back on the past.
-Works
With a smile, Takahashi says she could never leave Hokkaido because her work focuses on scenic depiction. Animals that live near the cities of Hokkaido, as well as the nature of the area are what personify her art style.
Her main piece is titled "Megurimichi"
In this piece, she painted backgrounds with watercolors, then used a camera to shoot them. Movement was added by altering the color stroke by stroke or moving the paper little by little. This process is essential to add warmth to the piece.
"I hope the audience can connect my artwork with their own memories, feeling things like smell, air, and humidity that people don't normally expect to feel from watching animation." Says Takahashi.
A scene from Megurimichi
-Recent Activities
Members of kocka produce their own work, as well. Takahashi paints backgrounds for animation works and has a puppet animation project in development with a TV station.
"Television gives my artwork the opportunity to be seen by many people. On the other hand, there is a downside that a video may play over and over with no one to watch," says Takahashi.
She wishes to communicate the appeal to her audiences, especially if they have never seen her work.
Takahashi's picture book piece and animation storyboards.
-Dream
The first thing is for my artwork to become my source of income.
Then, to keep creating work that I can be 100% satisfied with would be a dream come true, she says.
Takahashi, on her future self.
Written by Kohei Kuramoto
Translated by David Neptune
