"Genius Party" is one of the most ambitious
Japanese animation anthologies ever. Produced by Studio 4°C, it
combines the talents of a dozen directors who were invited to make
original short films with no limits other than length - around 15
minutes maximum. Many of those directors have been featured on this
site in previous years -- Kazuto Nakazawa and his work on an episode of
the Animatrix and music videos, Shoji Kawamori and his direction of
Earth Girl Arjuna, along with his legendary work on Superdimension
Fortress Macross. This anthology had a uniquely distinguished place for
its premiere, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts along the
banks of the Potomac in Washington, D.C. "Genius Party's" animated
films were made in two groups and the first group had a world premiere
in Japan, but not all of the segments had been finished. The previously
unfinished segments had their first showing on the President's Day
weekend at the Kennedy Center. Three of the segments' directors -
Shinichiro Watanabe, Mahiro Maeda and Koji Morimoto -- traveled to
Washington to attend the premiere. This site also went to the arts
facility, where the center's press office set aside time on the
weekend's Friday afternoon to interview these directors.
The "Genius Party" debut was
part of a larger
festival titled "Japan! Culture + Hyperculture," which took a look at
how popular culture, art and technology have evolved in Japan in recent
years. There was an emphasis on the meaning of robotics in Japan,
beginning with this exhibit of Go Nagai robot toys on the left that
would be familiar to most anime fans. But equally familiar to anime
fans is the concept of a humanoid robot or android that is
indistinguishable from a human, and that also was on display at the
Kennedy Center in the form of the lifelike, gesturing Kokoro's Actroid
DER2, an android who answered questions from the audience.
This unique art display at the
Kennedy Center came from the imagination of Yayoi Kusama, whose
creations concentrate on polka dots. Her "Dots Obsession" display took
up two rooms in the center, each decorated with dots in a different
pattern, covering ceilings, floors and walls. Viewers had to maneuver
past balloons that also were covered with dots. Little doubt here which
installation was titled "Day" and which one was called "Night."
"Genius Party" is one of the most ambitious
Japanese animation anthologies ever. Produced by Studio 4°C, it
combines the talents of a dozen directors who were invited to make
original short films with no limits other than length - around 15
minutes maximum. Many of those directors have been featured on this
site in previous years -- Kazuto Nakazawa and his work on an episode of
the Animatrix and music videos, Shoji Kawamori and his direction of
Earth Girl Arjuna, along with his legendary work on Superdimension
Fortress Macross. This anthology had a uniquely distinguished place for
its premiere, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts along the
banks of the Potomac in Washington, D.C. "Genius Party's" animated
films were made in two groups and the first group had a world premiere
in Japan, but not all of the segments had been finished. The previously
unfinished segments had their first showing on the President's Day
weekend at the Kennedy Center. Three of the segments' directors -
Shinichiro Watanabe, Mahiro Maeda and Koji Morimoto -- traveled to
Washington to attend the premiere. This site also went to the arts
facility, where the center's press office set aside time on the
weekend's Friday afternoon to interview these directors.
The "Genius Party" debut was
part of a larger
festival titled "Japan! Culture + Hyperculture," which took a look at
how popular culture, art and technology have evolved in Japan in recent
years. There was an emphasis on the meaning of robotics in Japan,
beginning with this exhibit of Go Nagai robot toys on the left that
would be familiar to most anime fans. But equally familiar to anime
fans is the concept of a humanoid robot or android that is
indistinguishable from a human, and that also was on display at the
Kennedy Center in the form of the lifelike, gesturing Kokoro's Actroid
DER2, an android who answered questions from the audience. 
This unique art display at the
Kennedy Center came from the imagination of Yayoi Kusama, whose
creations concentrate on polka dots. Her "Dots Obsession" display took
up two rooms in the center, each decorated with dots in a different
pattern, covering ceilings, floors and walls. Viewers had to maneuver
past balloons that also were covered with dots. Little doubt here which
installation was titled "Day" and which one was called "Night."
