The Wonderland

The Wonderland, known in Japan as Birthday Wonderland, was released in 2019 as a feature-length animated film produced by the studio Signal.MD. Directed by Keiichi Hara, the project was intended to bring the whimsical atmosphere of Sachiko Kashiwaba’s 1988 children's novel, Chikashitsu kara no Fushigi na Tabi, to a contemporary audience. The production sought to balance traditional hand-drawn animation aesthetics with modern digital compositing techniques to capture the story's surrealist, dreamlike quality.

The film's visual identity was heavily influenced by the work of Russian illustrator Ilya Kuvshinov, who served as the character and visual concept designer. His approach favored vibrant, expressive color palettes and distinct character silhouettes that aimed to differentiate the project from the more naturalistic house styles typical of the industry. Upon its release, the film was noted by critics for its ambitious artistic direction and its faithful attempt to recreate the sense of wonder inherent in Kashiwaba’s original literary work.