Rare 16mm Film Screening & Creator Talk Event to be Held!

As a related event to the "What is Stop-Motion? Exhibition" (July-September) held at SKIP CITY Visual Plaza (Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture), we will host "Stop-Motion Masterpiece Appreciation & Talk on 16mm Film" on Sunday, July 26th. Masterpieces shining in the history of Japanese stop-motion animation will be screened on 16mm film, which is now rare. Furthermore, after the screening, a talk session will be held featuring leading Japanese stop-motion animation masters and creators, offering insights and behind-the-scenes stories that can only be heard here. This is a special day where you can participate for free (advance reservation required).

Screening Programs (16mm Film)

Morning Session (11:00 AM - 12:30 PM)

(C) Sakura Eigasha Co., Ltd. Echo Co., Ltd.

'Okonjo Ruri'

1982 / 26 minutes

Director: Tadanari Okamoto

A heartwarming story woven by an Itako medium and a fox skilled in Joruri. Considered by many to be Director Tadanari Okamoto's masterpiece, this is an immortal classic shining in the history of Japanese animation.

(C) Kawamoto Production LLC

'Hana Ori' (Flower Folding)

1968 / 14 minutes

Director: Kihachiro Kawamoto

Based on the "Hana Ori" Noh play, this is a commemorative work, the first independent animation by doll artist Kihachiro Kawamoto, depicting a comical incident surrounding cherry blossoms involving a young monk, a head priest, a daimyo, and a servant. (This is the director's first independent animation.)

Afternoon Session (2:00 PM - 3:30 PM)

(C) Sakura Eigasha Co., Ltd. Echo Co., Ltd.

'Iken no Oki ni Tsuite' (About the Restaurant)

1991 / 19 minutes

Director: Tadanari Okamoto

Supervisor: Kihachiro Kawamoto

A cinematic adaptation of Kenji Miyazawa's famous work of the same name. Inheriting the will of Director Tadanari Okamoto, who passed away suddenly before its completion, his close friend Director Kihachiro Kawamoto completed this miraculous collaborative work by two giants of the puppet animation world.

© Magari Office, 1983

'Kuma no Ko Ufu' (Ufu the Bear Cub)

1982 / 18 minutes

Director: Fumiko Magari (真賀里文子)

Adapted from Toshiko Kanzawa's long-selling children's literature. Directed by Fumiko Magari, a leading Japanese doll animator, this heartwarming masterpiece, which lovingly depicts "the wonder of life," can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Speaker Profiles

Fumiko Magari (まがり ふみこ)

Doll animator and director. Her range is wide, from children's works to commercials and special effects animation, having been involved in over 1,000 works including commercials. In recent years, she has also been actively involved in animation education and training activities such as workshops and lectures, with the Magari Juku being part of this effort.

[Doll Animation Films]

'The Nutcracker' (1979), 'Kitty and Mimi's New Umbrella' (1981), 'Kuma no Ko Ufu' (1983), etc.

[Films] 'Teito Monogatari' (1988), 'The Peacock King' (1988), etc.

[Commercials] 'Honda', 'Suntory', 'Contac', 'Docodake', 'Isodine', etc.

Toshikatsu Wada (わだ としかつ)

Animation artist

Born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1966. Graduated from Waseda University, Faculty of Law. Inspired by Director Tadanari Okamoto's short animated films, he joined Dentsu Prox Video Planning and Directing Department. Since 1996, he has been producing animation using his own unique methods. His "Petit Petit Anime" series 'Bip and Bop' won awards and was selected at animation film festivals both domestically and internationally. He also served as the planner and director for the documentary section of the second part of Director Kihachiro Kawamoto's 'Winter Days'. In 2007, his work 'Porta in the Land of Gaps', based on the original by Ryoji Arai, received the Excellence Award at the 10th Japan Media Arts Festival. He is also active in the animation creation group "G9+1" with nine veteran animation artists. He left Dentsu Tec in 2011. He is a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Zokei University. He is a director of the Japan Animation Association and the secretary-general of the Japan Animation Society.

Yuichi Ito (いとう ゆういち / Moderator)

Born in Tokyo in 1962. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Design. After working in VFX and CG video production, he established I.TOON Ltd. in 1995 and serves as its representative. He creates animations and character designs that fuse claymation with digital technology. His representative works include NHK E Tele's 'Nyakki!' (Excellence Award in the Animation Division at the 1st Japan Media Arts Festival), 'Pompom Lion' (Mister Donut), 'Harbor Tale' (Grand Prize for Best Animated Film and Audience Award at the ZLIN FILM FESTIVAL in the Czech Republic), and 'Garden Bear' (Official character for the 2017 Yokohama Urban Greening Fair), among others. He is a professor at the Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts. He is a supervisor for the Japan Animation Association and a director for ASIFA-JAPAN.

Time Schedule: Sunday, July 26, 2026

Morning Session (11:00 AM - 12:30 PM)

10:30 AM

Doors Open

11:00 AM - 11:26 AM

Screening of 'Okonjo Ruri' (26 minutes)

11:26 AM - 11:46 AM

Break / Film Change (20 minutes)

11:46 AM - 12:00 PM

Screening of 'Hana Ori' (14 minutes)

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

Talk (30 minutes)

Guests: Fumiko Magari, Toshikatsu Wada

Moderator: Yuichi Ito

Afternoon Session (2:00 PM - 3:30 PM)

1:30 PM

Doors Open

2:00 PM - 2:19 PM

Screening of 'Iken no Oki ni Tsuite' (19 minutes)

2:19 PM - 2:39 PM

Break / Film Change (20 minutes)

2:39 PM - 2:57 PM

Screening of 'Kuma no Ko Ufu' (18 minutes)

2:57 PM - 3:27 PM

Talk (30 minutes)

Guests: Fumiko Magari, Toshikatsu Wada

Moderator: Yuichi Ito

Event Overview

Event Name

Related Event to "What is Stop-Motion? Exhibition"

"Stop-Motion Masterpiece Appreciation & Talk on 16mm Film"

Date and Time

Sunday, July 26

Morning Session (11:00 AM - 12:30 PM): 'Okonjo Ruri', 'Hana Ori'

Afternoon Session (2:00 PM - 3:30 PM): 'Iken no Oki ni Tsuite', 'Kuma no Ko Ufu'

*Screening programs are subject to change without notice.

Venue

Saitama Visual Plaza 4F, Video Hall

Fee

Free

Reservations

[Advance Application] Online only / All seats reserved / First-come, first-served basis *Application Period: July 17 (Fri) 12:00 PM - July 25 (Sat) 11:59 PM [Same-day Application] Accepted at the venue if seats are available

https://dss.sboticket.net/top?type=title

Capacity

293 people per session

Cooperation

Saitama Prefectural Library (holds 16mm films)

WEB

Exhibition "What is Stop-Motion? Exhibition - The Secrets of Stop-Motion Animation -"

https://www.skipcity.jp/event/vm/komadori/

Inquiries

048-265-2591 (Saitama Visual Plaza / Weekdays 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM)