Those with their eye on the indie animation world have likely run into the sexually charged creations of Japan-based filmmaker Sawako Kabuki. With heart-shaped anuses, sexting dogs, and rainbow octopuses dancing amongst the debauchery, her eccentric style has been spicing up animation festivals around the world since 2013.
Kabuki’s latest piece is a music video for Kuricorder Quartet’s song “Southpaw,” which takes a tamer approach in its portrayal of natural animal instincts. Although it doesn’t allude to any taboo subjects, this joyful ditty still bears Sawako’s signature physicality and lack of inhibition. Our team was happy to present this film with the 2020 Staff Pick Award at Ottawa International Animation Festival for its undeniable sense of joie de vivre despite the gloominess of a rocky year.
We sat down for a chat with the director about the killer dance moves in this film and more. Read on for excerpts from our conversation.
On working with Kuricorder Quartet:
The band asked me to refrain from incorporating too many extreme or obscene expressions, but otherwise I was free to make what I wanted. One of the band members has a 4-year-old daughter, and she loved this music video so much that she said, “Show me the white creatures!” He was asked over and over again to do so. It’s always been a dream of mine to create something that kids can get addicted to or obsessed with, so I’m glad I did.
On movement and character design:
I asked my friend Manabu Himeda, to help me with the dance. He is an amazing person who can sing and dance and also make wonderful animation. And almost all his animations consist of his own song and dance. I made a similar-looking character in my film ‘Cockroach Calisthenics,’ but this design couldn’t be used for some reasons, so I made a similar one without the antennae and with different colors.
On addressing sexuality in her work:
In my work, I have been dealing with ‘sex’ and other taboo subjects that are part of our lives without being conscious of it. I haven’t set a specific line that I shouldn’t cross, but I don’t really like abstract paintings. That’s why I won’t draw a vagina directly, because a vagina is an abstraction for me. In Japan, drawing or expressing a vagina uncensored is a big no-no, so I think my approach to the pussy is just right. And I simply love butts, so I draw butts a lot.
On challenges faced:
It was the first time for me to make a music video that was entirely based on dance. I didn’t know what to do because it was so new to me. On the day we were filming the dance, I didn’t think about any instructions, I just gave instructions or asked the dancer to improvise on the spot. In the end, I believe it turned out to be a good thing.
On advice to aspiring filmmakers:
Don’t think too much before you start making it.
On what’s next:
I’m currently working on some client work and making an original short film. This short is my first documentary and is a bit longer than my previous films, at about 10 minutes of animation. The title is ‘I’m Late.’ I’m working on it with MIYU Productions in France.
