“In the beginning there was nothing, only the idea”

As your probably beginning to see we love a good design story. As your going to see you will struggle to find a design story executed better than this one.

The History of Asics is wonderfully captured in this charming animation. The animation was created by Nordpol + Hamburg advertising studio, the origami was the creation of Mabona Origami .

Asics: Origami “In Pursuit of Perfection” to give it’s full title was launched back in 2008. For us at twentysomethingdesign it is still one the best examples of brilliantly executed animation. The animation mixes modern animation with true craftsmanship, origami. This blend of new and old strikes the perfect balance and reflects Asics harmony with their old traditions “the pursuit of perfection” and their forward thinking through their modern testing facilties. It is no surprise that the animation won a Grand Prix at the Eurobest, gold at the New York festival, gold at the London International Awards, silver at the Clio in Miami and two times bronze at ADC Germany back in 2008.

The success of the animation is largely down to the personal touch that is strikes throughout. From the beginning we are dropped into a place ( Kobe. Japan ) and a time ( 1949 ) with the founder Kihachiro Onitsuka. We learn of his ambition, that you could build something out of almost nothing, and where it all started, with the simple idea of the slice of Octupus stuck his dinner plate. The story is told effortlessly and is a joy to watch. The simple narration and the unobtrusive use of the origami allows the story to speak for itself.

Everything about the animation is so simple and humble. We enter the story with a man, his foster Dad’s desk, and his ambition. We leave the story with a man behind the Global Goliath Asics, and with his ambition still burning as brightly as when he sat as his foster Dad’s desk “But it’s the beginning of the end, when you start to appreciate your own achievements…the question comes up again what will be the next big idea”

“Origami In the Pursuit of Perfection” by mabonaorigami.com

Director: Tim Schierwater (Nordpol+ Hamburg)
Art Director: Sean Kirby (Nordpol+ Hamburg)
Producer: Florian Liertz (elemente-e Production)
Animation: André Junker, Chrisoffer Wolters (Nform)
Stopmotion: Kathrin Albers, Jim Lacy (Stoptrick)
Origami Artist: Sipho Mabona (Mabona Origami)