Toei Animation is celebrating its 70th anniversary with something new: a fresh creative voice. The studio has officially launched ETERNA Animation, a brand dedicated to original productions and nurturing emerging talent, with its debut short film FOXING: Kitsuné-tsuki making the rounds on the international festival circuit.
Directed by Takeru Shinozuka in his directorial debut, the short follows Shinano, a 26-year-old animator whose fading sense of purpose is challenged by Koyami, a mischievous fox-masked figure born from her own sketches. As imagination and reality blur, she confronts the dreams and identities she believed she had left behind.
Shinozuka, born in 1994, joined Toei Animation after graduating from Tokyo Zokei University and previously worked on character design for Digimon Ghost Game and key animation for ONE PIECE FAN LETTER.
The film has already secured official selections at multiple prestigious North American festivals:
- Fantasia International Film Festival (Montreal) – Official Selection, Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation
- Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indianapolis) – Official Selection; this festival is Academy Award, BAFTA, and Goya qualifying
- Regina International Film Festival & Awards (Saskatchewan) – Official Competition, Animated Shorts
The brand name reflects Toei Animation’s ambition to create works that linger in viewers’ hearts. Producer Yoshihide Moriyama framed it as a long-term commitment: “FOXING represents exactly the kind of original voice ETERNA Animation was created to support. As Toei Animation celebrates its 70th anniversary, we are proud to introduce a new generation of creators to audiences around the world”.
Shinozuka’s directorial debut is off to a strong start. With festival screenings running through summer 2026 and potential Oscar qualification in play, FOXING: Kitsuné-tsuki is one to watch.
Additional festival selections are expected to be announced separately. For now, the film screens at Fantasia on July 18, Indy Shorts on July 22-23, and RIFFA in August.
Source: Toei Animation
