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In his new film, 'CHERRY AND VIRGIN', Director Kawajiri tackles a universal love story.

The film depicts the story of Ryo, an erotic manga artist with no romantic experience with women, and Ami, a fujoshi (female fan of boys love manga) who has a negative impression of real men. These two, both uncomfortable with realistic male-female relationships, meet by chance and, while bewildered, learn about the "pain" and "tenderness" of interacting with others, all through the lens of contemporary subculture. Ryo's art style is monochrome manga-like, while Ami's is full-color illustration-like. This romantic comedy film filled with Otaku references tells its story through unique animated visuals, with each character's design reflecting their individual art style. 

Like his previous work, “A Japanese Boy Who Draws” (2018) (video available on YouTube), the film is produced using rotoscoping techniques, which creates animation based on live-action footage. Kawajiri's original visual expression, which transcends the boundaries of conventional animation by incorporating elements of live-action and manga, is sure to create a sensation in the Japanese film industry!