SK-II STUDIO's Animated Films Star Top Female Olympic Athletes In A Series Of Inspiring Stories

Societal pressure and oppressive beauty standards — these are some of the challenges women have to face daily, and SK-II is here to recognise all of that. The Japanese beauty brand has launched SK-II STUDIO, a new film studio division, and with it, an anthology series of six animated films, that features top Olympic athletes battling these challenges and more, now personified in the form of “kaiju”, or strange beasts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-d9AgXyZ64

The ‘VS’ Series sees the world’s most decorated gymnast Simone Biles up against demon-like Internet trolls for instance, or two-time Olympic medalist and table tennis player Ishikawa Kasumi going against the odds despite escalating pressure from all sides. Each film has its own independent universe and style, as SK-II STUDIO reminds us that “destiny is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice”.

These are also created in collaboration with world-class content creators, including animation studios such as Imaginary Forces, Passion Pictures, Platige Image and C3, while they feature original soundtracks by renowned musicians John Legend and Lexie Liu.

Here are the six films and what you can expect:

- World’s most decorated gymnast Simone Biles standing up against demon-like Internet trolls and body shaming
- Two-time Olympic medalist and table tennis player Ishikawa Kasumi going against the odds despite escalating pressure from all sides
- World-record swimmer Liu Xiang facing off against social media users’ obsession with her looks rather than her talent
- Surfer Mahina Maeda standing strong and defying societal rules and beauty standards
- Japan volleyball team Hinotori Nippon testing the limits of their physical ability through inner strength and willpower
- Badminton duo and Olympic gold medalists Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo finding their soul amidst a strict training programme that treats them like robots

Fans may also explore a virtual city, SK-II CITY, where visitors can watch the ‘VS’ Series in a virtual cineplex and take a backstage tour of the SK-II STUDIO to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content.