From student to jury: Koji Yamamura returns to Shanghai with a story of animation, friendship

In 1988, Oscar-nominated Japanese animator Koji Yamamura traveled abroad for the first time, bringing his student film to Shanghai to participate in an animation festival. Thirty-seven years later, he returns to the city as a jury member for the animation section of the Shanghai International Film Festival. In an exclusive interview with CGTN, Yamamura shared rare photos he took in Shanghai decades ago and reflected on that early, hopeful moment when his animation first crossed borders.

"Animation is just a medium," he said. "It can combine different cultures and create new chemical reactions."

He hopes Chinese animation will continue to carry forward its traditional beauty and bloom with even more cultural sparks through international exchange.

Japanese Translation Contributor: Song Jingyu, Tan Siyu