Superflat First Love by Takashi Murakami for Louis Vuitton
Full short film celebrating six years of collaboration between Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton. "Titled: First Love, the short film features a Murakami character that plays matchmaker between the young Louis Vuitton designer and girl." (Source: Juxtapoz) ... So cute, can? *man-gush* ... CLICK THRU for a story-summary and a look at the characters in this Kaikai Kiki-produced animation!
STORY: "It’s been six years since the young girl Aya was swallowed by a Giant Panda who appeared on Tokyo’s Omotesando. Having returned to the real world from her trek through the Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolore universe, Aya is now a middle school student and has recently been assisting the maidens of a local shrine.
She has continued to search for the gateway to the fantasy world she discovered, frequently walking past the entrance to the Louis Vuitton store, but the giant panda has never reappeared. The photo she took with her cell phone has disappeared as well, leading her, at last, to the faint conclusion that the whole episode was but a mere dream.
One day, having finally forgotten everything, Aya is once again walking past the Louis Vuitton store in Omotesando when she runs into a small, adorable creature, not unlike the ones she encountered before. Staring her in the face is a tiny panda and she is unable to resist the urge to lift it in a great hug. It is then that Aya is swallowed yet again.
The world that unfolds is the same Multicolore dimension that greeted her six years previous. “It wasn’t a dream, after all!” Just as this thought runs though her mind, the giant panda that she remembered so well comes bounding into her path… Looking around, she also notices several of the familiar creatures with the flower hats.
But wait – has this already strange world become even more mysterious?! That’s right; the Multicolore Universe has grown with each passing day, building wormhole passages to several worlds. It has even found a way to bridge the intervals in time itself. And then there’s the location… for some reason… Paris.
The year is 1897..." [Read the rest of the story via Kaikai Kiki]
Featuring original story and directed by Takashi Murakami and produced by Kaikai Kiki, with music by Tomoyuki Tanaka（of Fantastic Plastic Machine / wiki) - SUPERFLAT FIRST LOVE is the animated sequel to the 2003's SUPERFLAT MONOGRAM animation ("born from a collaboration between Marc Jacobs and Takashi Murakami for the company’s Spring/Summer collection"):
[First blogged in 2007]
"Now, 6 years after the original event, Louis Vuitton will celebrate the spring of 2009 with the release of a colorful new design for small items, MULTICOLORE SPRING PALETTE. In conjunction with the release of this line of products, a new animated sequel, SUPERFLAT FIRST LOVE, was made available for viewing on Japanese mobile phones from April 28. This same animation will now be shown at Shimokitazawa Tollywood, as part of our lineup of screened works."
[All above info and quoted-text via Kaikai Kiki]
Panda Geant: A lively, colorful panda who appeared suddenly on Tokyo’s Omotesando six years ago and swallowed then elementary school student Aya, bringing her with him into the Monogram Multicolore universe.
Petit Panda: Making his first appearance, Petit Panda is the child of Panda Geant. After listening to his father’s story, his inquisitive and cheerful nature leads him off to Omotesando, where he aims to meet Aya himself. His energy is simply uncontainable.
Gaston Louis Vuitton: At work in the 1897 Louis Vuitton factory, Gaston is the company’s third generation owner. The monogram created by his ancestors has become a tremendous hit and, at the wishes of his father, he is training himself to carry on the family tradition.
Aya-chan: 6 years ago, Aya was swallowed by a giant panda on Omotesando and carried into the Monogram Multicolore universe. Now a middle school student, this time she finds herself travelling through a time warp to 19th century Paris!
- See & read the rest of the characters @ Kaikai Kiki! (all text & images via)
