Cherry And Virgin Director Masanao Kawajiri On Rotoscoping Sex
Kawajiri's film pairs rotoscoping with manga aesthetics to treat sexuality as a subject of emotional deconstruction, a formal choice that sets it apart from typical erotic animation.
Reporting from 1 source: Cartoon Brew.
Masanao Kawajiri's feature debut 'Cherry and Virgin' premiered at Fantasia Festival. The film follows two inexperienced artists who meet on a dating app, using rotoscoped performances and manga panel-style illustrations to depict their sexual anxieties. Kawajiri discussed the film's lengthy crowdfunded development, which was extended by the pandemic.
Masanao Kawajiri's feature debut 'Cherry and Virgin' had its world premiere at Fantasia Festival, where he spoke with Cartoon Brew about the film's unusual approach to depicting sex. The story follows Ryo, an erotic manga author, and Ami, a boys' love illustrator, both virgins who meet on a dating app. Their encounters are rendered through rotoscoped performances and manga panel-style illustrations, with character designs that shift as the couple reimagines each other.
Kawajiri cited 'Before Sunrise', 'Punch-Drunk Love', 'Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence', and 'When Harry Met Sally' as influences. The project was crowdfunded by Toei in 2021, and the pandemic extended its development, forcing the team to recruit collaborators online.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.