Insect art: Animated short explores common view on cockroaches

Have you ever wondered how life would look like from an insect’s perspective? Have you ever thought what goes on in a cockroach’s mind when it is confronted with a terrified human? And what would you do if you found yourself in that situation? An animated short film explores exactly that.

But before we get into the film, a short explanation why I am posting about it. There is a lot of unjustified hate when it comes to insects and arachnids. After a few years of sharing my photographs and stories online, trying to show their beauty as well as their importance for the healthy functioning of ecosystems on this planet, I realized that there will always be a subset of people who disagree with my point of view. That is fine. We all have our reasons. I do my best to explain better and educate that these animals are not out to get anyone, but sometimes it is not enough. Sometimes I fail. I often see people being bullied for their fascination with insects. Other times, I get bashing comments for posting photos of harmless jumping spiders. Let me tell you, after some time you get exhausted from having to deal with all this hate and negativity thrown at you. Maybe it is time to approach it from a different angle.

It means you no harm.

It means you no harm.

Completely by chance, my love for the animated art form (a topic for a future post) led me to this beautiful piece. The short film is titled “20min Walk From Nishi-Ogikubo Station, 2 Bedrooms, Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, 2 Months Deposit, No Pets Allowed”. It was written and directed by Takeshi Honda and Mahiro Maeda for Japan Animator Expo in 2014. The film’s plot takes place in an apartment, most likely at the address mentioned in the title, and follows a very simple animation style. Don’t expect slick animation here: there is no CG, no 3D animation, and no special effects. The animation was drawn entirely by hand. This short shows love for traditional animation methods, which are rarer nowadays. I do not want to spoil too much of the already simple plot, but if you have 8 minutes to spare this fun film is well worth you time (start watching from 1:28).

 

(You can also watch it here, in this case start watching from 2:02. I don’t know how long these clips will stay live.)

It is quite a ride, but what I really like about this animated short is that it makes you think about what you just watched. It is not perfectly clear what the main character is feeling at the end. Everyone I showed this to seemed to take something different from the ending. But they all agreed this is a thought-provoking piece. So the next time you find a cockroach on your floor, relax, and please take a brief moment to remember this video.

2 thoughts on “Insect art: Animated short explores common view on cockroaches

  1. Can you help mi with cockroach infestation problem in my apartment? What is the best and most ethical way to help them out?


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