Animation Department 20th Anniversary CM

This project was created in my research class in 2025 for the 20th anniversary of the animation department at Tokyo Polytechnic University. I began with logo designs that looked for ways to represent animation through the number 20, then developed those ideas into a short 30-second promotional film.

From the storyboard to the final animation, the visual work was created in Procreate. The audio was produced separately in Logic Pro, and the piece was designed as a compact celebratory CM that could communicate the department’s energy, imagination, and sense of play in a very short time frame.

  • Role: Concept, story, animation, sound direction
  • Software: Procreate, Logic Pro
  • Format: 30-second CM
  • Year: 2025

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Storyboard

Planning the 30-second structure

The CM began with quick board sketches that blocked out the boy, the desk, the pencil, and the wave-like motion that transforms the space.

First storyboard page for the animation department anniversary CM.
Storyboard page 01
Second storyboard page for the animation department anniversary CM.
Storyboard page 02

Concept poster

Visual direction

This poster established the tone of the project and connected the anniversary identity to the more surreal imagery used in the film.

Concept poster for the 20th anniversary CM.
Concept poster

Character design

Exploring cast and motifs

These sheets test the CM’s playful cast of figures, graphic faces, and surreal forms before they were simplified into the final piece.

Character design sheet with a range of heads and stylized figures.
Character design exploration 01
Character design sheet showing distorted figures and expressive faces.
Character design exploration 02
Character and motif page showing hands, eyes, paper shapes, and animation department ideas.
Character and motif exploration 03

Final logo

Anniversary identity

The finished logo distills the project into a celebratory mark for Tokyo Polytechnic University’s animation department anniversary.

Final 20th anniversary logo for Tokyo Polytechnic University animation department.
Final anniversary logo

Final piece

Completed CM and thumbnail

The finished 30-second film was animated in Procreate, with the audio produced in Logic Pro and the final version published online for the department.

Final CM
Thumbnail image for the finished anniversary CM.
Thumbnail

Rough logo ideas

Research and early identity sketches

The design process started with many possible readings of “20,” using eyes, frames, motion lines, paper, and animation symbols to test what could best represent the department.

Large sheet of rough logo ideas and animation department anniversary sketches.
Rough logo ideation sheet

Layout concept video

Composited rough concept

This rough composite brings together the layouts and motion ideas as an early proof of concept before the final polish.

Layout composite / rough concept video