Beginning next month, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK will air a series of animated shorts with the hope of stirring interest in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Titled Ani x Para: Who Is Your Hero?, the 5-minute stories will convey the appeal of participating in and watching para-sports. And NHK has tapped some of the top manga artists to bring these stories to life.
Details of the first two shorts have been revealed, with more to come.
First up will be “Football 5-a-Side” by Yoichi Takahashi (Captain Tsubasa): The Japanese team faces the Brazilians with their pass-oriented soccer which they mastered through their sharp sense of hearing. And what exactly is the special move that came about from years of strenuous training? Theme song: “Turn Up” by OKAMOTO’S.
The second short will be “Para Athletics” by Eisaku Kubonouchi (Chocolat): A young girl with impairment in her leg, discovers the joy of feeling the wind and matures through sports. Theme song: “Just the Way We Are” by Sakura Fujiwara.
