Hashiri Hajimeta bakari no Kimi ni

Hashiri Hajimeta bakari no Kimi ni is a poignant animated short film produced by the Japanese studio Xebec, released in 2007. It was created as part of the 'Ani-Kuri 15' project, an ambitious collaboration between NHK and various animation studios designed to showcase the creative breadth of Japanese animation through a series of one-minute shorts. This specific piece was helmed by director Hiroshi Nishikiori, who sought to capture a fleeting, evocative moment of youthful introspection and transition, utilizing the brief format to emphasize atmosphere and character emotion over complex narrative arcs.

The visual aesthetic of the short reflects Xebec's technical proficiency during the mid-2000s, balancing clean, expressive character designs with a soft, cinematic color palette intended to evoke a sense of nostalgia. Within the context of the Ani-Kuri project, Nishikiori’s work was noted for its introspective tone, standing out as a quiet, lyrical departure from the more action-oriented or experimental shorts in the series. It remains a notable entry in Xebec's portfolio, representing a period where the studio experimented with short-form storytelling before its eventual integration into Sunrise.