Geek Pictures Announces Branded Film 'LIGHT HOLE' for Kodansha Wins Bronze in Craft / Film Craft - Animation Category at Cannes Lions 2026

Geek Pictures Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Tamotsu Kosano) is pleased to announce that 'LIGHT HOLE,' a branded film produced by the company for Kodansha, has won a Bronze award in the Animation category of the Craft / Film Craft category at Cannes Lions 2026, one of the world’s largest advertising festivals.

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, established in 1954, is one of the world’s largest festivals for advertising and creativity. The 73rd edition was held over five days from June 22 to 26, receiving 20,050 entries from 92 countries worldwide. The festival honored outstanding achievements in innovative ideas and creativity across diverse fields including advertising, marketing, entertainment, media, and technology.

'LIGHT HOLE,' the branded film for Kodansha produced by Geek Pictures, is a full stop-motion film created using original manuscripts from over 100 works published by Kodansha. In an era dominated by digital content, this film transcends individual works (IPs) by visualizing the very experience of reading a story. By capturing the value of the tactile reading experience—holding a physical book and turning its pages—the film has been recognized as a brand communication that positions Kodansha not just as a publisher, but as a company that creates stories. It has earned a Bronze award in the Animation category of the Craft / Film Craft section.

Award Details

Craft / Film Craft Category · Animation Category (Bronze)

Client: Kodansha Ltd.

Title: Kodansha Branded Film 'LIGHT HOLE'

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIL_CB_YjFk

GEEK PICTURES STAFF:

Pr: Satoshi Otake PM: Kazu Umi, Mai Oshigoe, Mao Ogoyan

◾️Producer: Satoshi Otake

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture; graduated from the Faculty of Economics, Nihon University

Joined Geek Pictures in 2014

Active as a producer since 2020

Won the Grand Prix in the Vertical Video category at the 12th Brain Online Video Award in 2025

<Selected Works>

IKEA: 'I Love This House. The Chef’s Kitchen'

MERCARI CARD: 'It’s Great to Love – Idol'

Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium: Facility Concept Video 'A World Where Dreams Circulate'

<Award Comment>

Honestly, I feel both 'joy' and 'regret.' We aimed for Gold during production, so there remains a slight sense of disappointment at achieving Bronze.

At the same time, I am truly delighted that the hard work of our team—everyone who accepted difficult challenges and went above and beyond for this project—has been recognized on a global stage. I feel deep gratitude toward all who contributed, along with a sense of relief that their efforts may have been somewhat rewarded.

This film is a branded piece that visualizes numerous stories Kodansha has released over the years, using real books and manuscript paper in full stop-motion animation. We handcrafted each sheet of paper into three-dimensional forms, creating a visual journey where worlds emerge from paper and draw viewers into stories. What we focused on most was 'deliberately using paper as the medium.' Precisely because digital and AI-generated visuals are rapidly becoming mainstream, we wanted to emphasize the value of handmade creation. For a publisher like Kodansha, using authentic books and manuscripts—paper itself—as materials carries deep significance. We went to great lengths, even producing some sound effects entirely with paper, meticulously attending to every detail.

Finally, I hope to continue enjoying the creative process more than anyone else, challenging new forms of expression, and delivering videos that move people’s hearts.

Official Cannes Lions website: https://www.canneslions.com/

※Access to individual work URLs is restricted to members only.

◾️Company Overview

Geek Pictures Inc.

Address: 1-2-3 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Reception on 5F, Aoyama Building)

CEO: Tamotsu Kosano

Founded: February 5, 2007

Capital: 60 million JPY

Business Activities:

The company operates across diverse fields, including production of TV commercials, films, animation, music videos, and stage/LIVE events, as well as event planning, film distribution, and WEBCOMIC development. In recent years, it has expanded internationally, distributing films from Asia and India, and engaging in the import and export of art pieces.

Website: https://geekpictures.co.jp/jp/

【For media inquiries regarding this release】

Public Relations, Geek Pictures Inc. pr@geekpictures.co.jp