Little Tanuki, to the Summer Campaign. A 5-second firework says "Thanks for the Like"

I have officially declared my participation in the
2nd Like Video Contest: Summer Campaign.

It is a project to create a short video that plays when you click the Like button on note, with the theme of "Summer".

Sounds fun.
I'm in!

…That was as far as I got when I raised my hand.

Now then.What should I make?

The beach?
Watermelon?
Shaved ice?
Cumulonimbus clouds?

After thinking about it for a while—

This is what I came up with.

A tanuki wearing a yukata is watching fireworks.
There is a heart in the night sky.
And then,
"Thanks for the Like"

Well, it is a tanuki, after all.

If you are reading my article for the first time,
you might be thinking,
"Why a tanuki?"

For those who read my work regularly, no explanation is needed.
It is because I am a little tanuki.
I am 150 years old.
When I turn back into a tanuki, I look like I am seven.
I usually live disguised as a human.
And I am also spreading the "Tanuki Teachings".

Please see this magazine for more about the Tanuki Teachings.

Since that is who I am, when it came time to "make a summer video,"
I couldn't have beautiful people running along the beach.

A tanuki has to appear.
It cannot be helped.
It is my true form, after all.

Since it is summer, yukata and fireworks.

Once the tanuki was decided, the rest was quick.
Summer.
Night.
Yukata.
Lanterns.
Fireworks.
It is quite classic.

Perhaps I could have done something a bit more unusual.
Like popping out of a giant watermelon.
Or getting buried in shaved ice.
Or being launched into the sky along with the fireworks.

But,
I don't want to be launched with fireworks, even at 150 years old.
I decided to just watch them normally.
I thought about having him hold some yakisoba from a food stall, but he wouldn't be able to finish it in 5 seconds.

So, I won't make him work too hard, and instead, I'll let the night sky do the work.

I left the thank you to the night sky.

What I found interesting about this project is the idea of treating a 'Like video' asa '5-second hospitality'.concept.

Giving a few seconds of thanks to someone who read the article and even pressed the Like button. That's nice, isn't it?

So, this time, I simply included
'Thanks for the Like'.
in it.

And in the night sky, heart-shaped fireworks.
Meanwhile, the little tanuki below is—

Watching.
Just watching.

He doesn't run.
He doesn't dance.
He doesn't even wink.
The thank you is almost entirely left to the night sky.

When you reach 150, you learn the art of letting the background do the work instead of moving yourself.
But I feel like this is just right.

Press the Like button.
A summer festival begins for just 5 seconds.
Fireworks go off.

'Thanks for the Like'.
Beside it, the tanuki is staring blankly.

Life doesn't change.
But the fireworks go off.

That is enough.

A little bit like Tanuki-ism

I realized after making it that this video is a little bit likeTanuki-ism.Tanuki-ism is a teaching that affirms not trying too hard.
Please see here for details.

If someone is tired, instead of forcing them to pull themselves up,
you sit down next to them.

This time, it's something like that, too.
'Thank you for the Like! Let's do our best tomorrow!'
Instead of that,
'Well, why don't you stay and watch the fireworks?'
Something like that.

Sit next to me for just 5 seconds.
Say thank you properly.
But, don't do anything more than that.

I feel like this became a 'Like' video that is unexpectedly 'me'.

Creating a little tanuki's summer with AI

Being able to play around like this is one of the interesting things about generative AI.

The scene I had in my head,
'A little tanuki in a yukata watching fireworks at a summer festival'I turned that into an image, made it move, and made it something I could actually see.

Of course, along the way,
'No, that's not it'
a different tanuki might be born.

Who are you?
I try while saying that, and little by little, I get closer to the scene in my head.

Rather than creating something amazing with AI, I think what I enjoy isgradually expanding the world of the little tanukilike this.

This time, a 'summer festival' has been added to it.

For now, I'll head out with this.

This GIF is
'a piece I made with a relaxed attitude because I said I would participate'.

When it comes to a contest,
I start thinking, 'Should I have made it more elaborate?'
'Should I have made it move more?'

But 'more' and comparing myself to others goes against the teachings of the Tanuki faith.

Besides, it's boring if I think too much and can't create anything.
Create first.
Try putting it out there.
If it's fun, create again.

The collaborative magazine is gathering each participant's 'summer'.

In that case, I will also
leave one of my own summers behind.

A little tanuki in a yukata.
A heart-shaped firework.
'Thanks for the Like'.
Running time, 5 seconds.

I would be happy if the person who pressed the Like button could enjoy it for just those 5 seconds,
'Oh, fireworks'.
and feel a little bit of joy.

And if you
'somehow, this tanuki is nice'
and end up thinking that.
Then the proselytizing of the Tanuki religion is also a success.

Killing two birds with one stone.
Even though I'm a tanuki.

Well then.
After the Like, just for 5 seconds.
Please enjoy the little tanuki and the fireworks.

To the Summer Campaign.
Poof.

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