The dark child-like vision of Akino Kondoh

by Chris MaGee

One of the things I like most about the Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow blog is finding exciting new filmmakers to spotlight and share with you all. Believe me when I say that it's just as much a learning experience for me as I hope it is for evryone out there. And in that capacity of bringing lesser known voices of contemporary Japanese cinema to you attention I'm pleased to introduce you to illustrator, animator, and manga artist Akino Kondoh.

Born in 1980 in Chiba Prefecture Kondoh studied at the Tama Art University, graduating in 2003 with a bachelor's in graphic design. This design background can be felt strongly in her bold, mostly black and white illustrations that combine the playfulness of a children's picture book with the ornate, gothic illustrations of Edward Gorey and Aubrey Beardsley.

She has exhibited her work worldwide and has been awarded the 2nd AX Manga Newcomer’s Award / Encouragement Award in 2000 and the Yayoi Kusama Award from the GEISAI-1 GP amongst others.

The short film below from 2002 is titled "Densha Kamo Shirenai (Maybe a Train)" and if it intrigues you as much as it did me then head over to Kondoh's website for more details about this very talented artist.