Bon Odori

Bon Odori is a 3D/2D animated short film that delves into the heart of Obon, a Japanese Buddhist festival that celebrates the memories of ancestors and loved ones who have passed away. The film's title, which translates to "Bon Dance," refers to the traditional folk dancing performed during the festival.

The story follows Kai, a young Japanese American boy struggling with the loss of his grandmother, and trying to navigate his first Obon without her.

  • Trent Osaki
    Director
  • Sally Thai
    Director
  • Trent Osaki
    Producer
  • Sally Thai
    Producer
  • Farah Hussain
    Production Assistant
  • Trent Osaki
    Story Lead
  • Hal Nguyen
    Story Artist
  • Sally Thai
    Story Artist
  • Cherise Punzalan
    Visual Development Lead
  • Jennifer Kwon
    Visual Development Artist
  • Sunny Liu
    Visual Development Artist
  • Shivangi Patel
    Visual Development Artist
  • Sally Thai
    Visual Development Artist
  • Elizabeth Yeung
    Visual Development Artist
  • Caitlyn Bui
    Modeling Lead
  • Brian Dang
    3D Modeler
  • Clare Korten
    3D Modeler
  • Sneha Krishnan
    3D Modeler
  • Jennifer Kwon
    3D Modeler
  • Sunny Liu
    3D Modeler
  • Mar Mancini
    3D Modeler
  • Shivangi Patel
    3D Modeler
  • Elizabeth Yeung
    3D Modeler
  • Fiona Rieta
    Animation Lead
  • Amelia Conaghan
    3D Animator
  • Adali Fuentes
    3D Animator
  • Ethan Gray
    3D Animator
  • Timn Lam
    3D Animator
  • Hal Nguyen
    3D Animator
  • Kevin Nguyen
    3D Animator
  • Trent Osaki
    3D Animator
  • Alex Ramelb
    3D Animator
  • Cassie Tang
    3D Animator
  • Phoebe Chou
    2D Animator
  • Maia Mallari
    2D Animator
  • Ashley Hua
    2D Animator
  • Frankie Vargas
    2D Animator
  • Trent Osaki
    2D Animator
  • Fiona Rieta
    2D Animator
  • Cherise Punzalan
    2D Clean Up Artist
  • Sally Thai
    2D Clean Up Artist
  • Trent Osaki
    2D Clean Up Artist
  • Frankie Vargas
    2D Clean Up Artist
  • Jennifer Kwon
    2D Clean Up Artist
  • Elizabeth Yeung
    2D Clean Up Artist
  • Caitlyn Bui
    Lighting Lead
  • Jennifer Kwon
    Lighting Artist
  • Justin Leung
    Lighting Artist
  • Sunny Liu
    Lighting Artist
  • Shivangi Patel
    Lighting Artist
  • Cherise Punzalan
    Lighting Artist
  • Trent Osaki
    Lighting Artist
  • Fiona Rieta
    Lighting Artist
  • Sally Thai
    Lighting Artist
  • Ellis Urquiaga
    Lighting Artist
  • Giselle Yang
    Lighting Artist
  • Elizabeth Yeung
    Lighting Artist
  • Caitlyn Bui
    Rendering and Compositing
  • Fiona Rieta
    Rendering and Compositing
  • Trent Osaki
    Rendering and Compositing
  • Frankie Vargas
    Rendering and Compositing
  • Farah Hussain
    Credits Sequence
  • Trent Osaki
    Credits Sequence
  • Hal Nguyen
    Technical Director
  • Victor Kong
    Composer
  • Zachary T. White
    Sound Designer
  • Jeff Biancalana
    Faculty Advisor
  • Raquel Coelho
    Faculty Advisor
  • David Chai
    Faculty Advisor
  • Jeff Sangalli
    Faculty Advisor
  • David Yee
    Special Thanks
  • Laura Swalley
    Special Thanks
  • Pamela Hoogeboom
    Special Thanks
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 23, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - San Jose State University
Director Biography - Trent Osaki, Sally Thai

Trent Osaki is a Japanese-American storyboard artist from Pleasanton, California. He graduated from the San Jose State University Animation/Illustration program in 2023, and enjoys creating stories that share his culture as well as inspire others to explore their own creativity.

Sally Thai is a visual development artist striving to work in feature or TV animation. She loves spending her time painting outdoors, walking, and discovering new places to spend time with friends. Sally hopes for her curiosity of the world to come through her work with lighting and color.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"After losing both my grandfathers this past year, I wanted to create a story that could resonate with others going through similar grief. In addition to exploring themes of loss and healing, Bon Odori also aims to share and celebrate an important aspect of my Japanese culture with a wider audience."

-Trent Osaki