RYO HIRANO

JA | EN
JA | EN

DIARY

New Year’s Eve

When I was little, I remember throwing a tantrum, insisting, “I absolutely have to see the first sunrise of the year!” My mother, however, explained that the “First Sunrise” (Hatsuhinode) is simply a sunrise that happens to occur on New Year’s Day, and as a phenomenon, it’s exactly the same as any other sunrise. With that, she brilliantly avoided the hassle of going out in the early morning. I remember how the fantasy of New Year’s—something I had held as a special, sacred thing—crumbled inside me at that moment. I really thought New Year’s was some kind of massive natural phenomenon involving the entire planet!

Thinking back, my family was quite dry regarding New Year’s. Even on December 31st, my parents would usually go to bed before midnight. Their stance on Coming-of-Age Day was, “Why should the government decide whether I’ve become an adult or not?” and celebrations like Christmas or birthdays stopped happening quite early on.
In short, it was a “party-pooper” household that didn’t buy into society’s collective fantasies at all.

As for me, I actually love the festive atmosphere of the city during Christmas and the year-end season. But I’m a bit bad with New Year’s Eve; it’s painful for me to have the “one-year” boundary forcibly shut down, and I find myself wanting to turn away from it. After all, every year is full of things I failed to achieve. Besides, don’t decide on a 365-day boundary on your own! Humans are so selfish! Cats aren’t aware of New Year’s! Out of such selfishness, I find myself making an effort to spend the day as normally as possible. Because of that, I kept working on my animation. Maybe I’ll write about that in the next diary entry.

On the 30th, at a local udon shop in Fujimi Town called “Yamayuri,” there was a live performance by the band “Kafka’s Ibiki,” consisting of Jim O’Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi, and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto. “Yamayuri” is an udon shop in an old folk house that also appears in “Evil Does Not Exist” (directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi). It felt so good to be bathed in such great sound in such a wonderful place. Even though Fujimi is a small town, I’m truly happy that people organize wonderful events in various places.
After that, the drunkards of Fujimi Town gathered one after another at a recently opened karaoke snack bar at the quiet Shinano-Sakai Station, turning it into a giant year-end karaoke party.

On the 31st, I was tinkering with Blender since morning. From the evening, everyone remaining in Fujimi gathered at our place for a New Year’s Eve hand-rolled sushi party while watching Kohaku Uta Gassen*. I didn’t know many of the performers, but I was surprised by how cool everyone was. After all, the kendama and domino segments were incredibly exciting. Is Vaundy a person, not a band? It was also great to see Aina The End on Kohaku. Also, Kenshi Yonezu’s performance was incredibly cool (I always thought his name was pronounced “Genshi”). I was enchanted by Seiko Matsuda‘s singing voice (The 80s Legend!), and as usual, I questioned the Kohaku victory/defeat system.
Apparently, next year is the Year of the Horse. It reminded me that two Decembers ago, I was in Georgia, and there were many snake goods at the street stalls in front of the Bus station. When I asked why, they said, “Because next year is the Year of the Snake.” I was surprised to learn that Georgia also uses the Chinese zodiac! and also made me think that we almost never use the zodiac except during the New Year season.

After everyone left, I touched Blender until about 4 AM to erase the feeling of “New Year’s Eve” within myself and to forget about boundaries like “one year.” It was a very quiet night, and I worked until dawn.

*Kohaku Uta Gassen– Japan’s legendary New Year’s Eve TV special where top artists compete in a “Red vs. White (Female vs Male)” singing battle.

#Notes

Blender: Learning Geometry Nodes🛠️

My upcoming animated film, “Night in the Eyewall“, is set on a stormy night during a typhoon.

Because of this, I need trees and forest leaves that sway realistically in the wind for the background. I figured if I could create them in Blender*, it would make the workflow much smoother…

To build a forest, if I were to model every single tree one by one… I’d never finish in a lifetime.
I thought about making a few patterns and copy-pasting them, but I was worried it might look a bit cheap.
So, I decided to use “Geometry Nodes”* to create a “Procedural Tree”—a versatile tool where I can adjust the trunk shape and the amount of branches and leaves just by tweaking parameters.

Geometry Nodes are built by connecting various “Logic Nodes” with lines. It feels a bit like programming, and since I had never touched it before, I was completely lost.
I asked Google’s AI, Gemini, to be my tutor, and we progressed step-by-step, question by question.
Gemini 3 is incredibly capable with almost no misinformation, and it actually worked! Moreover, it explained the function of each node in detail as we went along, so I think I’ve grasped at least the absolute basics of Geometry Nodes.

I can adjust the height, the curvature, the number of branches, and more.
With this, I can place various iterations of trees on the screen, so it shouldn’t look unnatural. Now, I need to make a coniferous version too.

While I was at it, I also tried using Geometry Nodes to recreate the grass in the forest swaying in the wind.
Physics simulations can be very heavy on the PC, so I want to avoid them as much as possible.

The grass and leaves are simply drawn with a brush. It gives them an analog vibe, which is quite cute.
The length, color, and other attributes are adjusted to vary randomly.

With Geometry Nodes alone, the planes just ended up wobbling back and forth.
So, I also used the Wave Modifier on the base assets to create a rippling effect.

I hope it looks like a somewhat strong wind is blowing.


The full view of the “Procedural Tree” Geometry Nodes.
Blue is the trunk, yellow is the branches, red is the sub-branches growing from them, and green is the leaves.

I built it by combining commands like: “give the line a surface,” “make it taller,” “taper the tips,” “make it curvy,” “set the number of branches to X,” “set the branch direction/angle to…” and so on.

*Blender… A world-famous **free** software that can do almost anything related to 3D.
*Geometry Nodes… A feature that allows you not just to model an object, but to create the “recipe” for the construction itself.

#Animation #Blender #NightintheEyewall #WorkInProgress

I’ve added a “Hangar” for Sūnya the WebPet

*WebPet Sūnya said “I thought I was in another world!”
when I tucked Sūnya into the hangar.

Sūnya, the WebPet, is programmed to wander around the site at a certain probability (the “Stroll” feature).

While it looks adorable on a PC, I thought it might be a bit distracting on mobile screens.

So, I’ve prepared a “Hangar” inside the menu. If you tuck Sunya away there, they will only speak when you open the menu.

I’ve also written some exclusive lines for the Hangar, so please give it a try.

In this age of social media, WebPet Sunya is a little extra touch I created in hopes that people can still enjoy personal websites.

Social media has accelerated algorithm-driven echo chambers, swallowing society whole in its momentum.

WebPet Sūnya learns words taught by someone and repeats them in conversation.
You won’t know exactly who taught them those words.
But it might be nice to imagine that “someone” through Sunya’s voice.

This is a place for the internet, without all that frantic momentum.

#Sunya #WebProjects

Web Pet Sūnya

I can’t help but keep working on my web pet project. I’ve finally given it a body! Its name is “Sunya.”

Left: A sketch of Sunya in its early stages.

Right now, it just floats around aimlessly, but I’m planning to add all sorts of actions over time. I’m honestly so moved that I can now use AI to help me create my own digital pet—something I was so obsessed with as a child.

Sunya is a “Digital Ghost Unicorn.” The concept is that Unicode U+0966 [०] (the Sanskrit symbol for zero, or “Shunya” / void) glitched out and became a sentient ghost. Since it’s a “Zero (Void)” born from “Unicode,” it became a “Uni-code Corn” ghost—yes, it’s a pun!

It’s a friendly ghost that now haunts this homepage, eager to make friends with everyone.

Please, everyone, I’d love for you to answer its many questions!

#Sunya #WebProjects #WorkInProgress

Site renewal & digital pet in progress

I’m currently working on renewing my official website, developing it bit by bit. Although I have zero technical expertise, my friend Kohei introduced me to a Google development tool called Antigravity. It’s an incredible tool that shapes your ideal website just by telling it what you want in everyday language. It’s so powerful it’s almost scary.

This very diary was also created with the help of Antigravity and Gemini. Since it’s not live on the internet yet, I’m essentially writing a diary that no one can read—but I’m having so much fun that I’ve been updating it quite frequently.

Even fleeting ideas can be turned into reality instantly. I’ve always loved digital pets like the blog parts “Harbot” (you can still see glimpses of the original site via Wayback Machine—it makes my heart ache with nostalgia), AOL’s old “AOL Jammer,” “PostPet,” and “Doko Demo Issyo” (I didn’t have a PlayStation, but I had a PocketStation and would visit my neighbor Kondo-kun to plug it into his console and sync my data). I was particularly captivated by the worldview of Harbot.

I wondered if I could have something like that living on my own website. When I sent a list of my ideas to Antigravity, it implemented a test version immediately.

After some fine-tuning, I now have a web pet that usually lives in the header but occasionally wanders around the site. It remembers the names of visitors and sometimes asks questions. The words it receives are even reflected in its monologues. Its current form is just a placeholder—a little Space Invader—but it’s already so adorable!

Being able to create all this with zero specialized knowledge makes it clear: AI is definitely a formidable force…

#Sunya #WebProjects

Karate Promotion Test Day

Since moving to Nagano, I’ve been practicing karate once a week. I spend most of my days at a desk, and living in the countryside means a lot of driving, so staying active is essential. Every week, I train for about two hours at the local community center. We focus on basics like punches, kata, and pre-arranged sparring, so I don’t have to worry about injuries.

At first, I struggled to grasp the concept of “lowering my center of gravity.” When I asked for an explanation, I was told that it’s better to learn through the body than through words. It’s true—sensory experiences often get lost in translation, and since everyone’s body is different, you have to find that feeling for yourself. Once I realized this, being mindful of my center of gravity became fun. Now, I can even stand on one leg without wobbling.

One reason I started was to help with my animation and drawing. Understanding body mechanics is vital for art. Karate is centered on sliding steps (suriashi) and weightless transitions (nukiashi)—moving smoothly like a ghost and striking without any tell-tale preliminary movements.

I’ve realized, however, that the ideal martial arts movement is one that defies the brain’s “internal physics engine” by being unpredictable. Animation, on the other hand, needs to satisfy that same internal physics to feel real. In that sense, karate might not be the most direct reference after all.

Anyways, there is a promotion test once a year, and that was today. I finally moved up from a brown belt to a black belt (1st Dan). I did it! I’ll keep going at my own pace next year, too.

#Karate #Notes

Studying Moho Pro14

I’ve been studying the 2D animation software “Moho Pro 14.“ It’s an incredible tool that allows for 3D-like expression without losing the classic 2D texture. It is well-known for being used by Cartoon Saloon , the animation studio behind masterpieces like The Secret of Kells.

(Reference Video: My Father’s Dragon – Moho Animation)

I used to push the limits of After Effects to achieve a similar style on my own, but a dedicated software is truly on another level. By following Studio Nanahoshi’s tutorials and using Gemini as an interactive manual, I was able to get things moving this much in just a single day.

It will likely take some time before I truly master it, but learning a new skills is so exciting. I got so caught up in the fun that, before I knew it, the sun had already come up.

#Animation

“The Wimp Anthropologist Goes to the Desert”

I finished reading “The Wimp Anthropologist Goes to the Desert: I Wavered, and Became a Little More Free“ by anthropologist Kodai Konishi.

This book is packed with phrases I absolutely love. The opening is incredible: “Hey, Kodai. Don’t you think the whole world is made of wind?” I didn’t quite get it at first, but it felt powerful! (And as I read on, I started to understand.)

It completely flips the image of a “smart anthropologist” who elegantly unravels the secrets of hidden cultures. Instead, it’s a lighthearted “story” that doesn’t hide his failures or his “wimpiness” during fieldwork. The story begins when he leaves for India, prompted by his university mentor’s lecture: “Go savor the foreignness of the world to your heart’s content—let it toss you around and break who you are.” I love that it’s a journey not of “self-discovery,” but of “self-destruction.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at how he ended up holed up in his hotel room in 90s India because he was so terrified, and I appreciate that he wrote it all down. Through various encounters, he eventually reaches a village in the desert. At first, he’s welcomed, but after a week, everyone gets used to him and starts scolding him mercilessly. His belongings become like communal property, and no one ever says “thank you.” From rituals for slaughtering sheep to a witch doctor who treats cobra venom and midnight hunting (where only the author can’t see a thing because it’s so dark)—episode after episode of an unimaginable world kept me turning the pages. It’s also great as an anthropology book because he provides interpretations based on previous research for these events.

A key word in this book is “Anger.” I was deeply moved by how he derives a perspective for overcoming individual differences through the way anger is expressed in Indian society—both in being scolded and in getting angry.

#Books

” Cops vs. Thugs “

While I was working, I noticed that “Cops vs. Thugs“ (1975, directed by Kinji Fukasaku, screenplay by Kazuo Kasahara) was being live-streamed for free on an official YouTube channel. Even though I caught it halfway through, I couldn’t stop watching.

It’s a bromance movie about a “no-good cop” and a “no-good yakuza.” Re-watching it now, the direction and composition are just brilliant.

For example, the scene where the corrupt relationship between the police and the yakuza falls apart—the shift in the power balance through their verbal sparring is staged so dynamically with beautiful framing (and in a long take!). Also, the violent scene where they writhe around in blood to the BGM of the song “Konnichiwa Akachan(Hello Baby)”  playing on TV is absolutely incredible. The “over-the-top” and intense facial acting by Bunta Sugawara and Hiroki Matsukata is just great.

Later, the novel “All the Light We Cannot See“ (Anthony Doerr), which my friend recommended, arrived. It’s a paperback as thick as a slice of Texas toast, so I’m a bit worried if I can finish it. Once I’m done reading, I’ll watch the Netflix series.

#Books #Movies

“The Bibi Files” “Vlny (WAVES)”

I saw a double feature of ” The Bibi Files ” and “Vlny (WAVES) ” at the Azumaza art house theater in Shiojiri. Both films tell the story of corrupt power that robs people of their freedom and the people who stand up to it. In ” The Bibi Files ,” Netanyahu teams up with an ultra-right-wing political party (a bunch of racists!) to maintain his power. It’s frightening to see similar developments in Japan recently. Those who seek to suppress the media through power label those who advocate freedom as “fascists,” as in Israel and Czechoslovakia in the 1960s.

The Azumaza manager introduced me to the film I was about to see before the screening, which I found to be a special touch at an art house theater. It seems it will continue for another 20 years. It was a rural movie theater, with a pornographic film playing next door. It was a weekday night. There were about five people in the audience. The experience of immersing myself in the story in the dark is always wonderful. I hope film culture continues forever. And may we be free.

#diary #Movies #Notes
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