Kodansha Ltd. has so far produced two branded films as part of global expansion efforts. Its third and latest branded film, LIGHT HOLE, is the winner of Kodansha’s global film contest, chosen from over 150 entries from within Japan and overseas. Combining live action with papercraft stop-motion animation, the film provides a cinematic experience that has never been seen before.
LIGHT HOLE, the third Kodansha branded film
The film begins with a girl opening a book. When she becomes immersed in the world in the story, a light hole opens up. That light hole is an entrance to the world of imagination, a portal between the real world and the worlds in stories.
Live action was combined with papercraft stop-motion animation to create a surreal setting that juxtaposes the real world with the worlds in stories. It is a world where figments of the imagination become possible, a world where a girl’s fantasies run free.
The movie world expressed with paper brings together over 100 works by Kodansha, including AKIRA, Attack on Titan, and Blue Period. In addition to our manga, the film captures the essence of a wide range of Kodansha’s genres, from journalism to fashion, beauty, literature, arts and sciences, and children’s books. Each time you watch it, you’ll notice something new. Popular manga artists also appear in this exciting film.
Kodansha’s Branded Film series
Since Kodansha was first established in 1909, it has emphasized stories that are both interesting and beneficial to readers, a brand purpose that Kodansha expresses as “Inspire Impossible Stories” in English. This reflects Kodansha’s commitment to being a company that continuously inspires new discoveries and creativity in both creators and readers, sparking impossible stories that have never been seen before.
Kodansha began initiatives to express this brand purpose in films in 2021. This is where Kodansha’s branded films come in, as an exciting endeavor where Kodansha works together with talented creators to bring to life Kodansha’s vision for the future of publishers.
An editor worked with the creator throughout the production process. Like with books, the editor brainstormed with the creator to capture the world the creator wanted to bring to the screen. This process was overseen by the Creators’ Lab, our department for creating new businesses. This project exemplified our stance of “The Creative Collaborator,” where the creator and the publisher work together to create a new story.
Film 1: Taking Flight (released 2021)
Film 2: Story Tree (released 2025)
Film 3: LIGHT HOLE (this film, released 2026)
In contrast to our previous film, LIGHT HOLE was produced for a domestic audience, placing the characters and worlds of Kodansha’s works, such as AKIRA and Attack on Titan, front and center.
Directed by Toru Katori, the independent creator who was selected from over 150 entries from within Japan and overseas, the film uses a unique combination of live action and papercraft stop-motion animation to capture a reader’s immersion in the world of a story. It is the first film in the series for which applications were accepted from directors around the world.
Director’s message (from Toru Katori)
The concept for this film was the way stories connect the reader and the creator.
In LIGHT HOLE, paper media like books and manuscripts are shown in 3D, creating that world. What begins as a story on a page takes on various new forms that impact reality. I wanted to take Kodansha’s approach to stories, where nothing is impossible and anything can be created, and depict that in a film. I think this work is what it is because of everyone at Creators’ Lab who believed in this project and accompanied me on it, and the ideas of the staff.
Profiles of the production team
Director: Toru Katori
Joined THE DIRECTORS GUILD after working for a design studio. His projects include production of live-action works, along with production of illustration-based character designs and animation, stop motion, and puppetry. He works on a wide range of media including commercials, music videos, and short movies.
Animation director: Takuro Oishi
Established Lunch Box Studios LLP. in 2013. His work centers on stop-motion animation but spans a wide range of areas including 3D modeling and illustrations. In 2024, he was the animation director for the opening sequence of the TV drama Unmet.
Production company: GEEK PICTURES
Producer: Satoshi Otake
Joined GEEK PICTURES in 2014 and began working as a producer in 2020. Works on planning and production of media, primarily movies and commercials, for purposes such as brand communication.
He was involved in the overseas promotion of GACHIAKUTA in 2025.
About KODANSHA Ltd.
Based in Tokyo, KODANSHA Ltd. is Japan’s leading publishing house, having delivered stories into ready hands across the globe with a wide variety of content from comic books to novels, fashion magazines, news journals and picture books for children, as well as video games and anime series and movies.
KODANSHA Ltd. was founded in 1909 to “Inspire Impossible Stories”, and is globally recognized as the licensor of some of the world’s most loved comic book IPs, including AKIRA, Attack on Titan and The Ghost in the Shell.
