Short Pick Of The Day: ‘Hai Yorokonde’ by Kazuya Kanehisa

In just under three months the retro-styled music video “Hai Yorokonde” has amassed over 67 million views. Let’s see what all the buzz is about.

Japanese animator Kazuya Kanehisa has created a vibrant vintage design that captures the essence of a lost animated VHS tape from the 1970s/1980s. Beneath the bubbly visuals and catchy soundtrack, courtesy of Kocchi No Kento, lie lyrics that touch upon the constant pressure people face, having to suppress their inner Larry David no matter how unpleasant the situation or people they encounter.

While the song may not offer much more than mild comfort, its bouncy melody and nostalgic visuals invite you to lose yourself in the catchy chorus (“get it, get it done, get it done, get it done”). The old-school aesthetic, reminiscent of 1960s and 1970s Japanese comics and comic strips, is further enhanced by character movements that echo the style of Japanese animation from that era, with a touch of Fleischer Studios influence.

Says Kanehisa, “I have developed my own filters in After Effects to create a ‘film-like’ or ‘VHS-like’ image. For example, I reproduced the grain and dust of film, as well as the ghost noise and light blurring characteristic of old VHF broadcasts.”

Kanehisa has a deep interest in classic films and 20th-century popular culture, particularly in classic commercial animation. Alongside his writing work, which aims to “convey the fun of animation,” he started producing videos in 2022. His videos, which blend modern society with a nostalgic 1930s and 1940s aesthetic, are garnering plenty of attention.

The video was commissioned directly by Kocchi No Kento.