Kaho Yoshida: a director in motion

Can you tell us a bit about your career journey so far? 

In 2015, right after earning my bachelor's degree in animation, I dove into freelancing. I knew I wanted to make stop-motion and mixed-media animation, but there wasn’t any studio or company that was making things that aligned with my creative goal. I also love the whole process of animation from concept, character design, storyboarding to animation. 

My goal has always been to tell stories in a relatable and humorous way. 

Most importantly, storytelling is what I am most passionate about and I love being able to craft the visual aspect to enhance the story. It made sense to me to be a freelancer and the projects I undertook organically led me to adopt the title of director. 

How has your style evolved since the start of your career?

I think the core of what I make largely remains unchanged, but it has become more polished and refined overall. My goal has always been to tell stories in a relatable and humorous way. I guess I used to be more afraid of what people might think when I was younger, but I have gotten more comfortable and unapologetic with my approach and subject matter. 

I still regularly find myself being the only WOC creative in meetings, and that is tricky to navigate.

In terms of visual style, I now make more cel animation than I used to when I was starting out. That is because I have gotten so much better at cel animation, but I’m eager to get back into making more stop-motion.

Above: A still from Yoshida's animation, Tongue. 

What has your experience of entering the industry been like? What were the challenges?

Entering the industry has been a bit daunting, as I didn’t really know many people who were freelancing and doing what I wanted to do. But those whom I did know have been really helpful and kind, so that made the experience easier. 

Trends come and go, and chasing the them can obscure one’s creative identity.

One of the challenges was that I hardly ever saw any representations of WOC directors. When I was starting out, I would visit the websites of agencies and studios that I admired, and see that all the directors were men, and often always white men. Things are a little better now, but I still regularly find myself being the only WOC creative in meetings, and that is tricky to navigate. 

Who are your inspirations?

I get inspiration from different places, but I love Yoriko Mizushiri’s work. She creates such a unique world and her work makes me want to live in her animation. I’m also inspired by my animation friends who keep pushing themselves. I see their work online and it motivates me to keep going. 

It's more important to stay true to your personal style. Trends come and go, and chasing the trends can obscure one’s creative identity.

Do you need to have a specific style and voice to make it as an animation director?

Absolutely, it helps to have a certain style and point of view. The directors I admire have very unique styles, and individual ways to tell stories, you can tell that they are passionate about what they make. 

Above: A still from Yoshida's animation, Berlin Playground.

Do you think it's more important to stay true to your personal style or focus on what’s popular in the industry?

It's more important to stay true to your personal style. Trends come and go, and chasing the them can obscure one’s creative identity. I do think it’s important to know what is popular and why that might be, especially if you work in advertising. It is easier to adapt your style and pepper in trendy elements than to reinvent your style every time a different trend comes around.