by The Department of Occupational Therapy at Niigata University of Health and Welfare (Niigata City) collaborated with Kaisei University’s School of Animation and Manga to produce an original animation (4 minutes to 28 minutes) to promote the work and appeal of occupational therapists widely.
The animation answers questions such as, “What kind of work does an occupational therapist do?” and “What situations do they work in?” It clearly expresses the role of occupational therapists in the medical field, supporting each patient’s “ability.” The resulting work is both realistic and approachable. Taking advantage of the rich expressive power of animation, the animation aims to convey specialized content in an accessible way for high school students and the general public.
The animation is available on Niigata University of Health and Welfare’s official YouTube channel. Kakeru is on his way home from basketball practice. He is involved in a traffic accident, suffering severe spinal cord damage. He is diagnosed with paraplegia and is at risk of having difficulty walking.
The occupational therapist helps Kakeru recover his motor functions. Kakeru’s carefree behavior and resignation make the occupational therapist in charge of him approach him repeatedly, despite his own worries and conflicts. Kakeru’s smile at the end of the anime makes you want to root for him and wonder what happens next.
