During the screening, Imaitoonz was preparing for the live drawing in the innermost part of the venue. He was very concentrated on his work with a small light aside to light his working space. His powers of concentration are always super. It seems a matter of course but he really loves drawing. In the opening of the exhibition in 2002 at Soso, he kept drawing even on the unscheduled space and it lasted till two in the morning.

Just after the film was finished, an acrylic panel on which he was drawing a preliminary sketch was hung on the centre wall. His powers of concentration was never interrupted. He kept drawing elaborately on a minute line drawing made by black poster colour, checking the entire balance by taking a step back from the panel sometimes.

I couldn’t recognize what he was drawing concretely but the picture which was gradually visualized on the panel and had a great power. At the finishing phase, he put some fluorescent colours of spray paint on the picture woven with many fine lines, checking the whole balance carefully again. After three hours from the start, the powerful and graceful masterpiece was completed.

From character design, animation, collaboration with apparel brands to this time film making, Imaitoonz has been broadening his activity field greatly. Now he has reached his 10 year anniversary as an illustrator and he now working on his first book. He commented that he would like to hold the exhibition in Sapporo again (probably the next showing will be solid works). What great activity will he have accomplished by the time of his next visit to Sapporo? We can’t miss his future activity.

Imai Toonz Exhibition/ DL-DAY Sapporo Landing Operations
Date: July 3rd – 30th, 2004
Open: 11:00 – 21:00
Place: Soso Cafe
Address: 1F Sansei Bld., South 1 West 13, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Tel: +81 (0)11 280 2240
Admission Free
https://www.shift.jp.org/soso/