Koichiro Tsujikawa (辻川来幸一郎) started out in graphic design and moved into directing short films in 1999. Like most animation artists, Tsujikawa funds his work mainly by producing commercial work and music videos. He was featured in Boards as one of 20 directors to watch in October of last year for his extensive creative output for everything from commercials for big brand names to mesmerizing videos for experimental music artists. The artist he most works in collaboration with is exploratory and experimental musical artist Cornelius (aka Keigo Oyamada /小山田圭吾).
Tsujikawa’s most recent project is Kimagure Robot (きぐれロボット). It is an adaptation of a story by acclaimed science fiction writer (and friend of Osamu Tezuka) Shinichi Hoshi (星新一). The film is only available by download onto keitais in Japan in eight 5-minute installments. This short film format suits the work of Hoshi, who is famous for his short-short story style. During his lifetime (1926-1997), he wrote over a thousand short stories. Kimagure Robot has been adapted into animation before (by Studio 4C in 2004), but this adaptation seems to mix animation and live actors, a technique Tsujikawa uses often in his work.
I don't have a full review of Tsujikawa's style for you yet, as I have only recently discovered his oeuvre and he has certainly been prolific. His style ranges from stop motion to CGI. His subject matter can range from playful animation of every day objects to the surreal. This filmography is a work in progress from information I found on Tsujikawa’s official website. If you click on some of the titles below you can watch his films on YouTube. I learned about Koichiro Tsujikawa’s work via PingMag’s postings of Tsujikawa’s recent foray into audiovisual performance. You can catch the first short clip here.
Filmography: Commercials
2007
Source Smirnoff (Smirnoff)
2006
Hop Field Documentary (Sapporo Namashibori)
Haku (Shiseido)
Foma Stick (Sony Ericsson)
Twenty-Four Hour Clock (24)
Majolica Majorca (Shiseido; with music by Cornelius)
2005
Search to Discover (Goo – the One Spot Project, NTT Resonant)
Meiji Milk Chocolate (Meiji)
Group Promotion (Hitachi)
Yebisu Beer (Sapporo)
Untitled (Parco)
Untitled (Kagome)
Morinaga Choco Ball (Morinaga)
2004
Daito Giken
Ripple of a Smile (NTT East Japan)
2003
Bed Merry (Tower Records)
Filmography: Music Videos (for Cornelius, unless otherwise noted)
2008
Blonde Friendly Collie Bear (Quantine Rabbit)
2007
Like a Rolling Stone
2006
Sleep Warm
Sensuous
Fit Song
Beep It
Gum
Breezin’
Music
2005
我は行く (Mikio Hirama)
2004
Wonderword (Supercar)
Galaxy (Rip Slyme)
2003
Mars (Sketch Show)
Ekot (Sketch Show)
Trapéziste (Kahimi Karie)
I hate hate
2002
閃光 (Flash of Light by UA)
2001
Tone Twilight Zone
Drop (Do It Again)
Short Films
2004
Eyes (Getty Images, music by Cornelius)
Untitled (commissioned by Panasonic for the 2004 Olympics)
Filmography: Other work for TV
2004
カチカチ アサラト パンチ (Space Shower TV Station)
琴篇 (Space Shower TV Station)
ギター篇 (Space Shower TV Station)
控室篇 (Nippon Television)
Red (Nippon Television)
