Otsuka Pharmaceutical has been making various efforts towards achieving a circular economy. As part of these efforts, they launched the sale of returnable bottles in 2022. This initiative aims to promote the recycling of glass containers, reduce waste, and minimize the use of plastics. However, after the launch, we identified a challenge where consumers had limited understanding of the collection system. To address this, we have decided to produce a video that not only solves this challenge but also raises awareness about the concept of a circular economy.

The creation of this cutout animation, all done by hand, involves enlarging or reducing images with a printer to make parts, projecting light onto cutouts with a projector, and using glass plates to create shadows for a unique three-dimensional effect. The reunion scene between the boy and Bottle-kun incorporates dynamic camera work and a fisheye lens for a novel expression in cutout animation. Some scenes, lasting only 7 seconds, took 20 days to create, culminating in a 2-minute 35-second story completed over about four and a half months.