Earlier today, the Okamoto Kitchen food truck launched a Kickstarter campaign to produce an original animated series. The campaign, which runs through March 7, aims to raise $48,000 USD to produce a 10-episode series.
As of press time, the campaign stands at $508 across 21 backers, with an average contribution of $24.19 per backer.
Episode 0
The first episode of the Okamoto Kitchen series is available in its entirety. The episode introduces lead characters Haru and Honey. Haru delivers the major story beats, playing the part of both host and narrator.
Takuya Saito Interview
The six-minute video features an interview with Takuya Saito, after a brief introduction by Okamoto Kitchen co-founders Gerald and Chizuru Abraham.
Staff
Takuya Saito (Outlaw Star, Macross Zero) will provide character designs for Haru and Honey, while Azusa Saitou PN ‘ASA’ handles designs for Chizuru, Mickey, and the various Food Truck Teams. Cristina Vee will work as voice director for the project.
Gerald Abraham wrote the original story, and will serve as creative director on the project.
- Producer: Rumiko Kinoshita
- Voice Director: Cristina Vee
- Flashback Sequence Illustrator: Miho Abe
- Present Day Food Truck Sequence: Studio Engi
- Matte Painter: Toshiharu Yuda
- Original Character Design: PN ‘Kotobukisuzu’
- Story: Mykal Williams, Rafael Hernán Gamboa
- Theme song & Music: Layla Lane (Hidehito Ikumo & Valerie Stern)
- Assistant Producer: Marcus Chavez
- Editing: Industry Visual Effects
Cast
Cristina Vee will play Haru Umesaki in the series.
Character Visuals
Visuals for Haru, Honey, and the Food Truck Teams were revealed, which you can check out below.
Haru Umesaki
Honey
Food Truck Teams
Okamoto Kitchen describes the series as:
The webtoon series tells the story of Haru Umesaki, an optimistic girl hailing from Japan who immediately finds herself embroiled in an odd world of competing food truck teams and their eccentric band of owners in Los Angeles. Joined by Chizuru, the cooking mastermind behind Okamoto Kitchen, the hopelessly un-suave Mickey, and an unusually meditative canine companion named Honey, each episode follows Haru as she navigates a madcap menagerie of hopelessly out of fashion Japanese gangsters, preening idol girls, and provocative old ladies, all seeking their next favorite meal on wheels.
Okamoto Kitchen is a food truck that specializes in Japanese comfort foods. The Los Angeles based outfit was founded by Gerald and Chizuru Abraham in 2015.
Source: Okamoto Kitchen (Press Release)
Okamoto Kitchen Launches Kickstarter For Animated Web Series; First Episode Released – Samantha Ferreira
