Extremely Short

Set against the sprawling urban landscape of Tokyo, Extremely Short follows a man consumed by a singular and unusual quest: to discover the shortest thing in the entire city. His relentless search drives him through the metropolis as he contemplates the nature of brevity and existence. The narrative reaches its poignant climax at the very end of his life, where his lifelong pursuit culminates in a single, final utterance—the word "da"—spoken just before he passes away. This distinctive film serves as the inaugural installment of Bungaku Bideo, an innovative collaborative project designed to bridge contemporary Japanese literature and animation. The work is built around a recitation of Totemo mijikai, an original literary piece written by acclaimed author Hideo Furukawa. Adding a deeply personal layer to the production, Furukawa himself performs the narration, delivering his own words directly to the audience. The visual dimension of the project is brought to life by renowned animator Koji Yamamura, whose artistic direction complements the spoken narrative. Together, the collaboration between Furukawa's evocative storytelling and Yamamura's animation creates a unique cinematic experience that seamlessly merges literary art with moving images.