"PARCO" opened its doors in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, in 1969. Fifty-seven years later… it has undergone a major renovation, with both its tenants and atmosphere completely revitalized. To mark this momentous occasion, the campaign visuals were created by "Tsuri-bu Tokyo," a creative team that spans CG, video, and graphic design. We spoke with four members of the team to find out how these somewhat unfamiliar pond creatures that appeared inside the building came to be, and what detours they took along the way to create the visuals.
- Photo_Tatsuki Nakata
- Text_Keisuke Kimura
- Edit_Yuri Sudo
PROFILE: Tokyo Fishing Club
A visual production collective focused primarily on video production. Experimentally crossing multiple disciplines—including CG, live-action, graphic design, and spatial design—they create artwork, music videos, motion design, live event production, exhibition direction, and short films. In the top photo, from right to left: Representative Takashi Matsunaga, Ayaki Takahashi, Katsuya Watanabe, and Yuma Murakami.
Official Site
Official Instagram
A long email from “Ikebukuro PARCO” that made me think, “I can’t back out of this.”
—Could you tell us how you came to be in charge of the visuals for “Ikebukuro PARCO”?
Matsunaga: It started with an email. Around last fall, the person in charge contacted me and said, “We’d like to ask you to design our relaunch campaign.” It was a very passionate, lengthy message.
—Do you all decide together whether to accept a request?
Matsunaga: Basically, yes. This time, Takahashi was the one who said, “Let’s definitely do this.”
Takahashi: “PARCO” has a long history of graphic design, and I’ve always loved looking at it, so I was really happy when I was asked to do this project.
Matsunaga: The email said that this was the biggest event for “Ikebukuro PARCO” since its founding, and that they wanted to leave their mark on the creative history of “PARCO,” starting with Eiko Ishioka. I thought, “I can’t back down from this—I have to do it” (laughs).
—Did you receive any specific orders?
Matsunaga: Ikebukuro isn’t just about fashion—it also has elements of subculture, making it a neighborhood where all kinds of cultures coexist in a diverse mix. I’d like you to express that.
A corner of the Tsurube Tokyo office.
It's neither an ocean nor a lake—it's definitely a "pond."
—How did the brainstorming process work?
Matsunaga: First, we all started by brainstorming ideas and concepts rather than focusing on visual references. That might have been the part that took the longest—we spent about two months on it.
Takahashi: We went back and forth, didn't we?
Matsunaga: Although a different proposal was ultimately chosen, I submitted several suggestions, such as “Celebratory Tempura” and “Bird Balloon.” The idea was that Ikebukuro is a place where all kinds of people and things come together, forming loose groups within the framework of Ikebukuro. With tempura, even though the fillings are all different, they become “friends” just because they share the same batter, right? That’s the kind of feeling I was going for.
"Festive and Elegant Tempura" Draft
"Bird Balloon" Draft
Watanabe: At one point, we even joked, “Since ‘PARCO’ sells clothes too, it must be a clothing store.”
Takahashi: That brings back memories (laughs)
Matsunaga: Also, since this was a rare opportunity for a renovation, I wanted to incorporate some positive and celebratory elements. As I was mulling this over, the tagline “NEW FRIENDS” came to mind. It conveys the idea that both our existing tenants and new tenants are “NEW FRIENDS,” and that this is also a place where people can discover things they haven’t encountered yet.
—In your opinion, what specific aspects of Ikebukuro make it such a diverse neighborhood?
Matsunaga: First of all, while Shibuya and Shinjuku are also eclectic, they have a fast turnover and high fluidity. Ikebukuro, on the other hand, is eclectic too, but I get the impression that people tend to linger there a bit more. The buildings aren’t all new, and while the area is flashy, it isn’t exactly sparkling. It’s a huge station, but it clearly has a unique character compared to other stations.
Watanabe: We spent the whole meeting talking about what exactly “the Ikebukuro vibe” is, didn’t we?
Takahashi: When it came to deciding on the basis for the design, I ended up settling on a “pond.” At first, it was for a silly reason—just “Ikebukuro, so a pond”—but the more I thought about it, the more it evolved into a discussion of the neighborhood’s atmosphere and a certain sense of stagnation, and I realized that this neighborhood isn’t the ocean or a lake—it really is a pond.
Matsunaga: Including the feeling that some kind of mysterious life form might appear.
Takahashi: The creatures that live in ponds are kind of plain, aren’t they? Catfish, medaka, pond snails, water striders… I thought it was interesting that creatures that don’t usually get much attention could be featured in an ad.
Murakami: Watanabe and I created the insects and other animals using CG. There are about 15 of them in total.
Watanabe: The first thing I created was a bird, and I feel like that served as a guide for the other creatures. I tried to make one small detail a bit unusual, while avoiding making it look like any specific creature. I was aiming for a universal, stylized creature.
Cut it with scissors and let the water drip.
—I heard that everything except the living creatures is live-action.
Takahashi: Together with photographer Takashi Terauchi, we visited botanical gardens and other warm places, where he took a vast number of photos of the sky and ponds.
—How did you go about blending the scenery and the creatures?
Takahashi: I took photos of the scenery, as well as the creatures the two of them created—I printed them out and placed them on top of multiple layers of acrylic sheets. Those photos are what’s being used as the visuals.
*Photography: Tsurube Tokyo
*Photography: Tsurube Tokyo
*Photography: Tsurube Tokyo
Matsunaga: Also, I take photos by dripping water onto the very top of an acrylic sheet. This is quite a challenge, too, because it’s water, so the shape changes every time. Anyway, I take photos of lots of different water patterns and select the best ones from among them.
—It seems like everything could be handled digitally, so why did you choose to stick with analog methods?
Matsunaga: I wanted to create something that never gets old. For example, (Mr. Ishioka’s) “PARCO” ads still have a strong impact even decades later, don’t they? This is just my personal feeling, but I often find that when a piece is created entirely with CG, it starts to feel dated within a few years. This time, I thought that using photography might make the piece feel fresh even after many years have passed.
—When you saw the finished visuals, did you feel a sense of accomplishment?
Takahashi: When you actually see the posters displayed on a large scale, you can tell that the paper cutouts are a little crooked or that there are visible scraps of paper. I really like that sense of imperfection that’s unique to analog art. I definitely hope people will take the time to look at them closely.
Watanabe: Murakami and I were creating these designs without realizing that living creatures would end up looking like this, so we were surprised when we saw the result and thought, “Oh, so this is how it turns out.”
Murakami: That's so true.
*This notice will be taken down on November 1, 2026.
Matsunaga: Looking back, the parts I didn’t control tend to be the most interesting. The creatures I asked the two of them to create turned out a little different from what I had envisioned. But in the end, it worked out well. I want to continue to value leaving some room for interpretation in my work.
—By the way, do the animals have names?
Matsunaga: Since it’s used as a metaphor for all sorts of things, I’ve deliberately chosen not to give it a name.
Takahashi: It’s included in the calendar being handed out as a promotional item at “Ikebukuro PARCO.”
Matsunaga: Huh, you put that on? (laughs)
