“Tokyo” is an animated music video produced for the legendary hip-hop artist Jeru the Damaja. The project was commissioned as a fully animated 2D frame-by-frame music video for his song of the same name. From the beginning, the goal was clear: create a studio-level anime-inspired visual experience that faithfully translates the lyrics into a cinematic narrative.​

 

Because the song takes place in Tokyo, we decided early on that an anime visual direction would be the most appropriate stylistic approach. This led me into extensive research not only into anime cinematography and stylistic conventions, but also the atmosphere, architecture, lighting, and visual identity of Tokyo itself. I wanted the world to feel believable while still embracing the heightened emotion and dramatic presentation commonly associated with anime storytelling.

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What makes this project particularly significant to me is the level of detail and polish involved. Compared to previous music videos I have produced, this animation demanded a far more ambitious production pipeline. Every shot was approached with a stronger emphasis on dynamic camera work, lighting, effects animation, detailed environments, and expressive character acting. While a previous collaboration with Jeru of a similar runtime took less than a month to complete, “Tokyo” evolved into a much larger-scale production due to the increased visual complexity and higher quality target.​

 

The song follows a very direct narrative structure, which made it possible to visually interpret the lyrics scene-by-scene. Rather than relying on abstract imagery alone, I focused on creating sequences that clearly communicate the events and emotions described throughout the track. My aim was to merge the storytelling clarity of traditional music videos with the immersive visual language of anime cinema.

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As a solo animator, this project became an exercise in endurance, discipline, time management, and artistic control. Balancing detailed animation with an ambitious production schedule required careful planning across every stage of the pipeline, from storyboarding and direction to animation and post-production.

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Tools Used: Procreate, Procreate Dreams, Adobe Premiere Pro
My Role: Script-writing, Storyboarding, Design, Animation, Video Editing
Music By: Jeru the Damaja

Production Time: 6 months