YKK's Animation Fastening Days Now Playing Worldwide

TOKYO- YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Kanda Izumi-cho 1, “YKK”) has created a short animation titled “FASTENING DAYS” in an effort to enhance the recognition of the YKK® brand and YKK® fastening products.

The YKK Group produces YKK® brand fastening products and YKK AP® brand architectural products, and it currently operates in 71 countries/regions of the world including North, Central and South America, as well as Europe, the Middle East, Africa, China, Asia and Japan. Since our establishment eighty years ago, we have been providing the world with quality products that fasten things together. Our line of fastening products ranges from sliders, fiber and plastic products, to snaps and buttons. YKK carries out thorough quality control under a fully integrated manufacturing system in order to deliver our products to the world.

The short animation, “FASTENING DAYS,” was created around the theme “fastening” in order to convey YKK's brand message, “Little Parts. Big Difference.” to the world. The story takes place in a near future cosmopolitan city where people from many different countries live together. The main characters, Yoji and Kei, who help others with their handmade hi-tech machines, represent the message that small parts like zippers can “bring together” or “connect” things and be used to bridge differences and lead to a future full of possibilities.

The song, “Hurly Burly,” released by Japanese pop group, Perfume, who made their U.S. debut in September 2014, is the theme song of animation. Perfume has concluded their world tour, “Perfume WORLD TOUR 3rd" in New York City on Saturday, November 15, 2014.

When making this short animated film, YKK gathered together internationally known talent, including Hiroyasu Ishida from Studio Colorido, as the animation director. Ishida was awarded the Prize of Excellence in the Animation Category at the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival and a special mention at the Ottawa International Animation Festival for “Fumiko's Confession,” which he released as a student in 2009.

“FASTENING DAYS” was released on YKK's official YouTube channel(http://www.youtube.com/user/YKKfastening), Youku Channel (http://i.youku.com/u/UMTgzMTA0NzM0NA==) and on its website (http://www.ykkfastening.com/fd). It is available in Japanese, English, Spanish, French, and Chinese. It was released globally and will be used within commercials on YouTube in each country and region.

【Short Animation ”FASTENING DAYS”】

Title :FASTENING DAYS

Official Website :http://www.ykkfastening.com/fd

Director :Hiroyasu Ishida (“Fumiko's Confession” “Hinata no Aosigure”)

Production :Studio Colorido (http://colorido.co.jp)

Original Idea, screen play :Junichi Tanaka

Music :Yoshinori Sunahara

Theme music :“Hurly Burly” by Perfume

Countries Released :Worldwide

The characters' voices are available in Japanese and English and subtitled versions are available in Spanish,

French, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese.

Cast :Yoji:Fuyuka Oura / Kei: Ryoko Shiraishi / Anna:Sayuri Sadaoka (Japanese version)

Yoji:Danny Price / Kei:Lexie Sibley / Anna:Donna Burke (English version)

Story: Yoji and Kei live in a certain city in the near future with their foster mother, Anna. Yoji and Kei share a secret which they have hidden from Anna. They have a secret mission as guardians of their city. What are Yoji and Kei trying to protect with their bear-like partner robot, Oscar? Could these very young “heroes” overcome the approaching danger? Please enjoy our high speed sci-fi animation!

【Director Hiroyasu Ishida】

Born in 1988 at Aichi Prefecture, Hiroyasu Ishida studied animation at Kyoto Seika University. In 2009, his two and a half minute short film titled, "Fumiko no Kokuhaku" (Fumiko's Confession) garnered him attention internationally across the internet. He has won numerous awards including the Japanese YouTube Video Award, the Tokyo International Anime Award's Award of Excellence in 2010, and the Ottawa International Animation Festival Special Award for Students, as well as the 14th Cultural Affairs Agency's Animation Award. In 2011, he released “Rain Town” when he graduated, and the work has also been a sweeping success, winning him a number of awards including the New Face Award from the Cultural Affairs Agency. Currently, he is working on his latest work at Studio Colorido (http://colorido.co.jp/).

Comment by Director Ishida:

“I do not remember exactly when I came to know YKK's name. Before I knew about YKK, I was surrounded with products with the YKK name. I am so excited to work with the brand that many people in the world, including myself, have been very familiar with for their whole life. There were many new challenges for me in making the animation. It wasn't easy, but with the help of my great staff, I believe we were able to create a very light and entertaining piece of work. Please enjoy!”

【Theme song: “Hurly Burly,” by Perfume】

“Hurly Burly” is a B-side of Perfume's sixteenth single “Spending all my time” which was released on August 15th, 2012.

【Perfume Biography】

Perfume is a Japanese techno pop girl group from Hiroshima, consisting of A-CHAN, KASHIYUKA and NOCCHi. They have made their major debut in 2005.

Their “Perfume 5th Tour 2014, “Gurun Gurun” has been a great success, and their Blu-ray and DVD, “Perfume WORLD TOUR 2nd”, topped the Oricon weekly DVD / Blu-ray ranking. Recently, they have concluded “Perfume WORLD TOUR 3rd” through October 31st-November 15th, including their first U.S.dates. The last performance of the tour in New York had been live screened at theaters in Japan and Hong Kong.

Comments made by Perfume:

“When we got an offer to use ‘Hurly Burly’ as the theme song for YKK's animated film and found out its plot, I was truly moved by the main message 'Just like zippers collide together to make one, when people join together, they can achieve things they wouldn't be able to do on their own. They can even cross boarders!' Also, I was truly amazed by how a Japanese corporation puts so much effort and heart into the smallest of details just like how they make the zippers.”

“There are a lot of scenes during our show where we change into different outfits in only 10 seconds. All zippers used during our past World Tours are YKK® products. YKK's zippers are smooth and strong, so we can change without worries during our show. It is truly because of YKK that we can get through our shows without trouble, especially during our overseas shows when we are much more nervous.ヽ( ́o'; That's why it is no exaggeration to say that Perfume's fast change of outfits is only possible because of YKK's zippers!! Really! I am still not too sure if the song matches with the animation... (laughs), but people involved with this project wanted this song, so we gladly accepted the offer! We hope this song will reach many peoples' hearts throughout the world.” (* ́ー') (A-CHAN)

“I am happy to collaborate with one of the leading fastening products maker, YKK, in the making of the animation to connect people around the world. We too perform with the hopes that our music will unite all people, so we truly hope that this animation and our song, ‘Hurly Burly’, will catch people's hearts and give them an opportunity to bring them together.” (KASHIYUKA)

“I cannot express my appreciation enough by just saying ‘thank you’. Thank you YKK. This song was a B-side of'Spending all my time’ but is a very popular song for some really core fans (laughs), so I am happy that this song has come to the spot light. I hope that we can broaden the world of this animation with this song.” (NOCCHi)

【About YKK Corporation】

The YKK Group manufactures fastening products, including zippers, hook and loop fasteners, plastic notions, webbings, and snaps and buttons, as well as architectural products, such as architectural framing systems for commercial businesses and vinyl windows and doors for residences. YKK is located in 71 countries and regions and consists of 108 companies (20 in Japan/88 overseas).

Company name:YKK Corporation

President and CEO: Masayuki Sarumaru