Goro Goro started out as a loose combination of two themes: dreams and Japanese mythology.

I’ve always had a soft spot for stories about dreams coming true. It’s such a universal experience, and yet it can come in so many shapes and sizes. I knew if I ever were to make a film, that’s what I wanted it to be about.


I also knew I wanted to incorporate Japanese folktales and mythology into it, specifically the ones I grew up reading about in picture books. To me, they represent my childhood, my cultural background, and my sensibilities as an artist, so it felt like a full-circle moment to have them in my senior film.

A few sketchbooks later, the story boiled down to an ancient tale of a baby thunder god who wants to make his own thunder.

But I was a little hesitant to make a film about Japan. I thought there were too many Japan-themed films out there, and more importantly, I thought it would make the film too personal. If the film was too close to me, I wondered if anybody would want to work on it. Would there be anything for the crew to see themselves in? Would they ever be able to call it their own?

But the more people I pitched the idea to, the more I realized people resonate with stories that feel personal. It gives it specificity and heart that you can’t get from trying to make something generic.

Little did I know, the film would go on to become so much more personal throughout production. As the crew poured themselves into it, Goro Goro became richer with everyone’s personalities and experiences. It became incredibly personal not just to me but to everyone that worked on it.

In animation, everything you see on screen is created by someone. The characters, the lightning, the clouds, the village, the instruments, the sounds, even the stars in the sky. I think that’s the true beauty of this medium—that in every inch of the film, you can find a bit of the artist who was behind it.

To see artists who you trust and respect improving the film every step of the way in ways you could have never imagined is such a rewarding feeling that I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced. Goro Goro
may have started out as a doodle in my sketchbook, but I believe the film is now theirs more so than it is
mine.

I can’t possibly describe how excited I am for you to see what’s in this book. Inside you’ll find the dreamers who made the film happen, all of their hard work and fond memories, and the beautiful art I’ve had the privilege to watch them create. I hope it may inspire you to pursue your dreams as well.

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- Ryotaro Sawada,  Co-Director