The World of Harajuku Lovers

Friends With You designed and directed “The World of Harajuku Lovers,” a :45 opus of cuteness premiering on the web presence of Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers Fragrance.

This would probably be a Quickie if it wasn’t for all the people involved in making it. From the look of the credits, this was a rigorously collaborative effort: The CG animation was handled by PandaPanther while the cel animation was created by anime powerhouses Xebec in Tokyo. Given all the cooks in the kitchen, I’d say the whole thing gels together nicely.

It’s hard for me to tell who the target market is for this fragrance. Is it seven year-old girls who want to act like 17 year-old girls? Or is it 24 year-old girls who want to be seven again? I’m guessing it’s all the above.

Client: Harajuku Lovers
Title: “The World of Harajuku Lovers” :45
Airdate: Currently online
Director/Designer Team: FriendsWithYou, New York, NY/Miami, FL Samuel Albert Borkson & Arturo Sandoval III)
Producer: Dan Ruth
Agency: Laird + Partners, New York, NY
Creative Director: Trey Laird
Agency Producer: Leigh Donaldson
Production Company: Evolution Engine, New York, NY
Executive Producer: Mitch Lawin
Director of Photography: Jordan Levy

Animation/Editorial Studio: Pandapanther, New York, NY
Animation Directors: Jonathan Garin & Naomi Nishimura
Executive Producer: Lydia Holness
Production Manager: Natsu Takahashi
Storyboard Artist: Sookyoung Choi, Ari Hwang, Soyon Lee
3D Modeling, Texturing: Paul Liaw, Ari Hwang, Soyon Lee
3D Rigging: Guy Manly, Joshua Harvey
3D Animators: Han Hu, Michael Galbraith, Walter Lubinski, Joshua Harvey, Dylan Maxwell, Jonathan Garin
3DLayout & Design: Naomi Nishimura
3D Lighting, Rendering: Michal Finegold, Mirelle Underwood

Cell Animation Studio: Xebec, Tokyo
Cell Director: Nobuyoshi Habara