January 9th, 2025 
Jackson Murphy 
One of this year’s 15 Best Animated Short Film Oscars finalists is Magic Candies, directed by Daisuke Nishio. A boy puts colorful pieces of candy in his mouth, and suddenly he can communicate with others like never before. The original story is based on Heena Baek’s picture book. This Animation Scoop Interview with Magic Candies producer Takashi Washio (executive director at Toei Animation) was conducted as an Email Q&A and was edited for length and clarity.
JM: What was it about this unique, innovative story that made you want to be part of “Magic Candies”?
TW: The Japanese publisher of “Magic Candies” introduced me to the original book. I read it and it blew my mind. It was the first time for me to read a Korean picture book. I was fascinated by the bizarre story of licking a mysterious candy ball and hearing the voices of objects, animals, and human minds. And its clay-animation-like style harmonized wonderfully with the story, portraying characters very vividly. I had never seen such a technique in any picture book before. I was eager to make an animated film of this book.
JM: Have you always wanted to know if your sofa talked?
TW: It is a scene from the original story, and I thought it would be great fun if the sofa or any furniture could talk. I don’t always use furniture carefully, so I might get a lot of complaints!
JM: This is a short film about communication — with those who are alive, those who come alive, and those who are no longer alive (like the boy’s grandmother). How do you feel about this aspect of the film?
TW: We all want to have conversations with people with whom we have connections, including someone from our past. There are times when we want to tell them something or get their advice. Dong-Dong, the main character in this story, in particular, is the type of child who has a hard time communicating with others. It was very important for Dong-Dong to communicate with someone who could save his feelings. I think that is how the fantasy of “licking the candy ball and hearing a mysterious voice” comes into the story to make his wish come true. The last scene of this film, in which we can see the change in Dong-Dong’s feelings, is a scene that will truly move and encourage children, and even adults, around the world.
JM: What was the most challenging scene to put together visually?
TW: We thought that the last scene of falling leaves was very significant and challenging at the same time. This film continuously portrays scenes from daily life, but this last scene needed to be very spectacular. I am sure it is a moving scene for everyone who watches the film.
JM: Is there a food, like the candy in this film, that gives you an incredible, out of body experience?
TW: Eating should be a wonderful experience for any person. It could be something very delicious, or it could be food that evokes memories of the past (In Japan, we say “just like mom used to make”). And I think those would be experiences that make your mind take a bigger leap than its taste itself. In my case, onion sauce used in meat dishes brings back my childhood memories of the sauce that my mother used to cook for me.
JM: What does the theme of friendship mean to you?
TW: It is the theme that makes me think about happiness in life. I believe that life is much happier with a few people who understand each other better than with many friends. And I believe that friendships can be formed not only with friends but also with family members or partners. For me, love and friendship are words that are very close to each other.
JM: How would you and the “Magic Candies” team feel about an Oscar nomination?
TW: I never imagined such a big event would happen in my life. I am sure everyone on the team feels the same way. The entire team has been working on this film with the sole intention of making a good film and having as many people as possible watch it. The same goes for the original author, Ms. Heena Baek. We were fortunate to [make] this film while sharing the same feeling with her, that we were blessed with a wonderful picture book. We hope to share this film with as many people as she did with the original book. If this film is nominated, it will be because of the unity of this team, including Ms. Baek. I was able to work with such a wonderful team.
- INTERVIEW: A Taste Of “Magic Candies” - January 9, 2025
- INTERVIEW: The Meaning Of “Percebes” - January 8, 2025
- INTERVIEW: Taking A Trip With “Beautiful Men” - January 7, 2025
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