Buta no Shinju: TTFF 2024 Grand Prize Winner’s Vertical Short Anime Released

The grand prize-winning work from the TikTok TOHO Film Festival 2024 (TTFF 2024), Buta no Shinju (Pig’s Pearl), directed by Issun-saki wa Oji, has been released on the official TikTok of the festival and the official YouTube of TikTok Japan. This vertical short animation stars actress Saito Kyoko as the protagonist Chika, and weaves a world where cuteness and unease intersect.

The TikTok TOHO Film Festival is a vertical film festival held annually since 2021 by TikTok and Toho, with the aim of discovering new creators and co-creating films to energize the industry. As a prize for the grand winner, Toho’s talent support project GEMSTONE Creative Label provides the rights and production support for a new film. Buta no Shinju was produced under this initiative.

For TTFF 2024, approximately 400 works were submitted across a wide range of genres. The grand prize went to the animation Yuuenjin by Issun-saki wa Oji, marking the first time an animation work has won the top honor in the festival’s history. Now, the commemorative work Buta no Shinju is also an all-animation vertical short. The director teams up with Saito Kyoko to depict a protagonist who lives in conflict between the reality of living with her mother and the future she idealizes.

The production process for this work differs from live-action, with careful attention paid to character expressions, movements, backgrounds, art, sound, and screen design that makes full use of the smartphone’s vertical format. Saito Kyoko voices Chika with a delicate performance that conveys the character’s earnestness, inner conflict, and hidden strength. Ichiryusai Teiyu appears as the mother, adding depth to the relationships and narrative. The unique world of Issun-saki wa Oji—cute yet unsettling—is brought to life through the vertical animation and the cast’s voice acting.

Buta no Shinju is now streaming on the official TikTok of the TikTok TOHO Film Festival and the official YouTube of TikTok Japan. Enjoy this vertical short animation that is packed with the charm of the format.

Comments from the Director and Cast

Issun-saki wa Oji (Director)

This was my first time directing a hand-drawn animation work, and being able to work with the producers and the truly special production team was an invaluable experience. Through it, I was reminded of what I can do and what I still lack, and I am deeply grateful for this precious opportunity.

At the core of this work are the things I feel and experience every day. In modern society, money is essential for most people to live, but it also has a mysterious power that can sway people’s hearts and choices.

Earning to live, continuing to do what you love, cherishing your family—all of these are precious, and yet there are moments in life when you cannot choose as you wish. This work is not a story that provides answers.

I would be happy if this work leaves even a small question in your heart: What is truly important to you and to the people you care about?

Saito Kyoko (Chika)

I had the honor of voicing the protagonist Chika in Buta no Shinju. Unlike previous grand prize commemorative works, this time I participated as a voice actor for an animation work.

I approached the recording with the feeling of breathing life into the visuals and characters, cherishing each emotion. I was moved many times during the recording by the delicate world and expressive power that director Issun-saki wa Oji creates.

Buta no Shinju is a work that asks us what is truly important, especially in an era where money and virality are often valued. I hope that the protagonist’s struggles and her straightforward feelings for her mother reach many people, and that this work becomes a chance to reconsider what matters most.

Work Information