As Japan gears up for 2020 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is also hard at work to bring in more Japanese flair to the games. In fact, they commissioned Studio Ponoc (Mary and the Witch’s Flower) to create and produce an animated short that features “Olympic Values“.

The short itself will be hand-drawn, and will also be part of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage’s Arts & Culture Programmes. It’s still in pre-production, though it will debut in the lead-up to the 2020 Summer Olympics. It will also serve as the studio’s first commissioned work. Ilympic Foundation director, Francis Gabet has said:

WE WANTED TO EXPLORE ANIMATION AS A CREATIVE VEHICLE TO EXPRESS THE OLYMPIC VALUES OF EXCELLENCE, FRIENDSHIP AND RESPECT FROM A DIFFERENT AESTHETIC AND NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE.

Japan is now in full-on Olympic mania. In fact, they have turned national flags into handsome anime boys, and even have anime and manga characters serve as official Olympic ambassadors.

source: Olympics official website