Supersub LLC And Toonz Media Group Announce The Taste Of Water, An Animated Feature Documentary On Japan’s Sake Heritage
The film transforms live-action footage into anime-influenced animation using AI-assisted rotoscoping and 3DGS, blending documentary realism with immersive visual storytelling
ANNECY, France, 23rd June 2026 – Supersub LLC and Toonz Media Group have announced their collaboration on The Taste of Water, an animated feature documentary that explores the history, culture, and future of Japanese sake through a unique combination of live-action filmmaking, animation, and emerging visual technologies.
Directed by Riki Ohkanda, The Taste of Water is a Supersub LLC and Toonz Media Group co-production and is currently in production. The project is being presented at Annecy, where it continues a journey that began with Supersub’s growing presence at the world’s leading animation gathering.
The project’s journey has been closely intertwined with Annecy. Supersub LLC first gained recognition at the festival when its previous film, Who Said Death Is Beautiful? was officially selected for Annecy 2024. Building on that momentum, The Taste of Water was showcased at MIFA 2025 as part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Annecy exhibition programme. The announcement of Toonz Media Group as a co-production partner marks a significant new chapter in the film’s evolution, strengthening its international ambitions and expanding its global reach.
The Taste of Water is an emotional road movie that follows a journey into the heart of Japan’s sake culture. Structured across five chapters – The Basics of Sake, The History of Sake, Sake and Culture, The Crisis of Sake, and The Future of Sake, the film explores not only the craftsmanship behind Japan’s iconic beverage but also its profound cultural, historical, social, and emotional significance.
At the centre of the story is a simple yet compelling question: What does it mean when great sake “tastes like water”? Through encounters with brewers, historians, artists, distributors, and cultural experts across Japan, the film uncovers the traditions, philosophies, and human stories that have shaped sake over centuries.
Featuring real interviews and authentic sound bites from people whose lives are closely connected to sake, the animated feature documentary combines documentary filmmaking with imaginative visual storytelling to create a rich, multi-sensory cinematic experience. The film seeks to capture not only the taste of sake, but also its aroma, texture, history, and emotional resonance.
A key innovation behind the project is its production pipeline. Live-action footage shot across Japan will be transformed into anime-influenced animated visuals through a workflow combining AI-assisted rotoscoping and 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) technologies developed by Supersub LLC. The approach creates a distinctive visual language that blends the authenticity of documentary filmmaking with the expressive possibilities of animation.
At a time when the creative industries are actively exploring the possibilities of artificial intelligence, The Taste of Water demonstrates how technology can be used to enhance storytelling. Rather than replacing creativity, the film uses AI as a creative tool that helps filmmakers visualize memories, sensations, emotions, and cultural experiences that cannot easily be expressed through traditional documentary techniques.
“The story of sake is a story that engages all five senses,” said Executive Producer Ryo Nakajima. “Through this unique combination of live action, animation, and AI-assisted visual transformation, we can bring audiences closer to experiences that cannot be expressed through traditional filmmaking alone.”
Viswanath Rao of Toonz Media Group, added: “Artificial intelligence is one of the most discussed technologies in the creative industry today, yet there are few examples of its thoughtful application in storytelling. With The Taste of Water, we are demonstrating how AI can work alongside artists and filmmakers to create new forms of expression. The project combines technology, creativity, and cultural storytelling in a way that expands the possibilities of documentary filmmaking while preserving the human heart of the narrative.”
The collaboration also represents a unique creative partnership between Japan and India, bringing together Supersub’s expertise in innovative production technologies and Japanese cultural storytelling with Toonz Media Group’s global animation capabilities and international market reach. Together, the partners aim to create a film that resonates with audiences across cultures while celebrating one of Japan’s most enduring traditions.
“Animated feature documentary is one of the most exciting and underserved spaces in the international market right now. With The Taste of Water, we believe we have a film that can travel across festivals, platforms, and territories. We’re here at Annecy to find the right partners to take it there together,” said Gulshan David, VP Feature Films, Toonz Media Group.
The film is targeting major international documentary and animation festivals in 2027, with Berlin, Seattle, and San Sebastian among the key circuits under consideration. With its blend of cultural storytelling, visual innovation, and universal themes of craft and heritage, the film speaks to the growing adult audience for premium animated content, a space where streaming platforms and distributors worldwide are actively expanding their slates.