‘Magic Candies’ Producer Takashi Washio Shares the Sweet Surprises of His Oscar-Shortlisted Short

A loner kid opens up a new social reality when he discovers that the colorful candies he has bought give him the ability to talk to animals and even (formerly) inanimate objects in Magic Candies, the clay-textured CG short from two longtime Toei Animation talents: director Daisuke Nishio (Dragon Ball & One Piece franchises) and producer Takashi Washio (PreCure, Saint Seiya, Sailor Moon & One Piece franchises).

Animation Magazine caught up with Washio to learn more about the storybook inspirations and creation of the short, which made the Academy Awards shortlist after winning the Animated Short Jury Award at the New York International Children’s Film Festival.

Animation Magazine: Can you tell us how you came to create this short based on Heena Baek’s charming books?

Takashi Washio: The Japanese publisher of Magic Candies first introduced me to the original book, and it left a profound impression on me. It was my first experience with a Korean picture book, and I was captivated by its peculiar story of tasting a mysterious candy ball that lets the protagonist hear the thoughts of objects, animals, and people. The unique clay animation-like art style perfectly complemented the whimsical narrative, bringing the characters to life with striking vividness. I had never encountered such a technique in picture books before, and it sparked my passion to create an animated film based on this enchanting story.

What did you love about the original premise?

In the original book, I especially loved the scene where Dong-Dong gets to talk to his dog, Gusuri, and have a heart-to-heart. I think this is the dream of everyone who owns a pet. And when I read I Am a Dog, the prequel to the story of how Gusuri came to his house, came up with the idea to combine these two books into a single film, as it would create a wonderful story.

How long did it take to make the short and where was the animation produced?

We started preparing for production after meeting Ms. Heena Baek, the original author of Magic Candies, in 2019 and it took four years to complete the film. I asked Dandelion Animation Studio in Japan to produce the film because they are a CGI production with very talented crews. The finished film turned out to be outstanding, exceeding my expectations.

Can you discuss the beautiful animation style and how you achieved it?

Ms. Baek carefully supervised the characters, including facial expressions, standing postures and textures. The characters’ movements are very lively because their facial expressions are rich and their gestures are natural. I believe this is the result of the staff’s patient work in response to the director Daisuke Nishio’s detailed requests. For the study of art direction, we traveled to South Korea and worked hard to fully capture the environment and atmosphere in which Dong-Dong lives. The beauty of this film is the result of the staff’s uncompromising and meticulous work until the very end.

What were your biggest challenges?

One of the biggest challenges for us Japanese staff members was how to express the atmosphere that is uniquely Korean. The director Daisuke Nishio, in particular, places great importance on the atmosphere of his films. While we’re in Seoul, we had a chance to visit the room where a young boy of about Dong-Dong’s age was living. To recreate this atmosphere, we paid attention to the details of the room interior, the desk, the posters on the wall, the photos, and the textbooks, including the parts that will not be shown on the screen.

How many people worked on the short and how long did it take to make?

Including cast and crew, nearly 100 people were involved in this project.

It took three years to complete the film. Including the preparation period, the entire project took about four years.

What has been the most memorable reaction to the short?

The memorable moments were to see children laughing at film festivals overseas. I guess many kids can relate to Dong-Dong; like how he gets nagged by his father. I was also impressed by their parents. They were so moved by the scenes of Dong-Dong interacting with his father and Gusuri that they let their voices drop.

What do you love people to take away from Magic Candies?

Each audience can empathize with the different moments in the story by overlapping with their own experiences. However, the importance of taking a step forward on your own is a theme that impressed me strongly from the original book, so I would be more than happy if the audience could take that away.

Magic Candies is produced by Dandelion Animation Studio and presented by Toei Animation. Learn more at toei-anim.co.jp/movie/magic_candies.