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Ghibli Animator Directs Kumamoto Union's 'Nikoyaka Shokudō' Anime Ad

The Kumamoto Prefecture Agricultural Cooperative Union's website began streaming an anime commercial titled 'Nikoyaka Shokudō' (Smiling Restaurant) on Wednesday. The commercial is intended to highlight produce grown in the prefecture, including meat (niku), rice (kome), vegetables (yasai), and fruit (kajitsu). The first characters of each of the words spell "nikoyaka" (smiling).

The commercial will begin airing in Japanese television on Friday.

Production for the video began in February, before the earthquakes in Kumamoto on April 14 and 16. The commercial's debut was postponed due to these earthquakes.

Koji Aritomi directed and storyboarded the commercial. Aritomi began his career as production assistant on Studio Ghibli films such as Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Whisper of the Heart, and Princess Mononoke. He has served as episode directors for such anime as Space Brothers and My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU. Encourage Films animated the commercial.

Source: Animate Times