Dive into Masaaki Yuasa's wild, wonderful world with the man himself.

If you rubbed a magic lamp to free its genie, chances are good that Masaaki Yuasa would pop out. The Japanese animator has been blowing minds for well over two decades, proving that animation is the ultimate playground for boundless self-expression. Born in 1965 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, Yuasa exploded onto the animation scene with his feature debut Mind Game (2004), a joyful yet melancholic burst of creativity that unlocked new levels in anime. His fast-paced style reached new heights with The Tatami Galaxy (2010), a series so rapid-fire you might miss entire scenes with a single blink. In years since, Yuasa has continued to redefine the boundaries of animation with films like Night is Short, Walk on Girl (2017), Ride Your Wave (2019), and Inu-Oh (2021), smashing conventions with every frame.

Now’s your chance to dive into Yuasa’s wild, wonderful world with the man himself. In this masterclass, the anime powerhouse will reflect on his journey from in-between animator to world-revered director. He’ll unpack his creative process, from crafting surreal narratives to perfecting his fluid, expressionistic visual style. And who knows, you might even find out how Mind Game's infamous goldfish-cigarette-God scene came to life.

This program screened as part of Kaboom Animation Festival 2025