Tokyo Marble Chocolate

Tokyo Marble Chocolate (東京マーブルチョコレート) is a Japanese anime OVA directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani and animated by Production I.G..

It was screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October, 2007 and released to DVD on December 5, 2007 in Japan.

The animation is a collaboration between Production I.G and BMG Japan in commemoration of both companies' 20th anniversaries. The story follows a boy and girl, both unlucky in love, as they begin to fall in love on Christmas Day - thanks to the intrusive actions of a Mini Donkey and the romantic backdrop of Tokyo Tower.

Chizuru loves Yuudai; Yuudai loves Chizuru. Yet neither of them can say it clearly because each is uncertain about the other’s feelings and is afraid of being hurt. Trapped by their insecurities in a relationship that’s going nowhere, they drift further and further apart. While Chizuru thinks this is the end of the road, Yuudai struggles desperately to overcome his cowardly nature before he loses what is most important to him. There are two stories to every relationship, but can love survive if they don’t meet halfway?

Staff

 * Naoyoshi Shiotani - Director and Mini Donkey character design
 * Fumiko Tanikawa - Character designer
 * Kyoji Asano - Animation director
 * Masaya Ozaki - Screenwriter
 * Production I.G - Original story
 * Takeshi Yanagawa - Music
 * Francesco Prandoni & Andrez Bergen - English edit

Awards
Tokyo Marble Chocolate was awarded the Grand Prize in the Feature Film Category of the 12th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF 2008), held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from May 21 to 25, 2008.

The jury was composed of Giannalberto Bendazzi (a professor of the history of animation at Milano State University in Italy), Noriko T. Wada (a Japanese producer) and Kyung-jo Min (a South Korean director). The award ceremony took place in Seoul on May 25, 2008.