The journey of CGI in anime has been remarkable, and although 2D remains a favorite for many, creators like Gensho Yasuda demonstrate that the growing popularity of 3D isn’t merely a concession. After captivating millions with his viral Blender animations, Yasuda’s feature film, Make a Girl, is ready to showcase this concept in a compelling way.
Drawing from Yasuda’s 2020 short film, Make Love, Make a Girl emerged as a crowdfunding success in late 2022, collecting over 23.7 million yen, which was significantly above the 10 million yen goal. Yasuda, who has experience as a CG animator with Nitroplus, also made headlines recently with a set of Disney-approved anime shorts promoting Moana 2.
A Cyber-Romance With a Dark Twist
Make a Girl centers around Akira Mizutame, a young scientist who creates a sophisticated helper robot called Salt. Despite his impressive achievements, he encounters a creative block. When a friend recommends that he find a girlfriend, he takes the suggestion to heart and ends up inventing one instead. This leap in logic adds a humorous twist, which the film embraces, while also exploring the darker undertones of the idea, forming the core tension of the story.
The trailer starts off resembling a conventional love story, complete with the lush sounds of an orchestral soundtrack, only to suddenly take a sharp turn. No.0 starts to question her reality. Programmed to love Akira, she discovers that he made her solely to fulfill a detached wish for a “upgrade” to his own identity through the mere presence of a girlfriend. This dark concept paves the way for a fascinating storyline.
This leads to an exciting cyber-love narrative, packed with surprises as No.0’s coding battles against her growing awareness as a sentient being. At the same time, Akira wrestles with the consequences of his invention and attempts to support No.0 while an enigmatic third party pursues her. The trailer, aside from its initial twist, only offers a glimpse into the rich story that unfolds about Akira, No.0, and her path to self-discovery.
This Film Looks Gorgeous
The narrative of Make a Girl is compelling, but what truly captures attention is the animation. This isn’t unexpected for those familiar with Yasuda’s work, yet this film is exceptionally beautiful, even by his high standards. As noted on the official website, it boasts “300% pure Gensho Yasuda,” showcasing his talent when backed by a theatrical budget and a talented team, even if it consists of just “eight people,” as Yasuda mentions.
The animation captures the essence of hand-drawn anime so effectively that some frames are nearly identical to the original style. Although the distinction is more noticeable when in motion, it’s still incredibly engaging. Yasuda’s animated shorts found online shine with their lively, expressive, and often subtle character movements, along with his ability to tell stories through short vignettes that require minimal dialogue. Likewise, the characters in Make a Girl display a graceful fluidity in their expressions, hairstyles, and body movements.
From 2-Minute Short to Feature-Length Thriller
The film’s transformation from a short to a successful crowdfunding project adds an extra layer of fascination to its already intricate premise. It’s a rare feat for an independent animator to rise so swiftly to the position of director and writer for a feature-length film. This story echoes that of Atsuya Uki, who started as a character designer for Digimon and went on to direct the Cencoroll anime film series.
Originally a 26-minute short, Cencoroll was expanded into Cencroroll Connect in 2019, which combined the first film with a new sequel, resulting in a total length of about 75 minutes. The most impressive part is that, as far as anyone knows, Uki animated the entire film, except for some in-between scenes. Given that a third film was announced back in 2019, it’s probable that he’s still been busy with it over the years.
Make a Girl Feels Special
Yasuda’s remarkable achievement with Make a Girl mirrors Uki’s triumph in the realm of 2D animation. It showcases a unique creative vision that was allowed the time to develop and ultimately shine on a national platform, thanks to the strength of the artist’s body of work. While hard work certainly paid off, it’s important to recognize that success doesn’t always come swiftly. Gensho Yasuda acknowledges that his online supporters played a crucial role in advancing his work even further.
No matter if you’re landing commissions or getting the opportunity to contribute to a feature-length animation, the key is in how you promote your creativity and capture the attention of decision-makers. Social media offers a straightforward way to market yourself; the more followers you have, the more opportunities can come your way.
Make a Girl premiered at the Global Stage Hollywood 2024 Film Festival on November 3, followed closely by its showing at the Tokyo International Film Festival. While there’s no news on a broader international release just yet, it would certainly enhance an already impressive roster of anime films. In 2025, audiences can look forward to titles like Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man, and Madoka Magica hitting theaters, and it would be incredibly exciting to see Gensho Yasuda’s film featured alongside them on screens worldwide.