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Look Back Director Kiyotaka Oshiyama Animates Short Honoring Childhood Home (Updated)

Kiyotaka Oshiyama debuted the new short animation "Aka no Kioku" (Red Memory, or "The Red That Remembers") for Fukushima Prefecture's variety magazine Fukushima Map on Thursday. The short features the song "Aka no Kiwoku" by edda, and the short credits Rina Hon'izumi for voice-acting despite having no dialogue. (Fukushima is Oshiyama and Hon'izumi's birthplace.)

Oshiyama not only directed the short at his Studio Durian, but also wrote the script, designed the characters, drafted the storyboards, handled the key animation, and created the backgrounds. The director co-wrote the lyrics to the theme song with edda. The short serves as the "brand movie" for Fukushima Map, and Oshiyama said it conveys the feelings he felt for Fukushima during and after the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.

The Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs honored Oshiyama with a newcomer award at the 75th annual awards this year.

Oshiyama is the founder of Studio Durian. He made his directorial debut with the Flip Flappers anime, and he directed the "Look Back" anime film. He is the director and writer of the "Shishigari" (Lion Hunter) anime short. Oshiyama was also the devil animation director for DEVILMAN crybaby and the cyborg designer of Deca-Dence. He is a mechanical designer on the Make My Day anime film.

Update: Oshiyama presented the short film "Aka no Kioku" at the Anime Central event on May 17, 2025 with the translated name "The Red That Remembers."

Sources: Kiyotaka Oshiyama's X/Twitter account, Fukushima Prefecture's YouTube channel, Comic Natalie