
DIE IN THE SEA by BAKUI
Animation Film January 24 2025
Intro
BAKUI, also known as SAKANA UO SAKANA, is a Japan-based cross-media artist whose work spans manga, illustration, animation, and music.
Over the past six years, BAKUI has released only 16 videos on YouTube — each one immersing viewers in an interconnected universe shaped by the artist’s own visual and sonic language.
Among these creations, DIE IN THE SEA, produced in early 2021, is a richly layered animated film, it pairs astonishing visual graphics with an extraordinary, original soundtrack. Remarkably, the story of twin brothers Shiro and Kuro unfolds without a single line in the film, and yet still delivers breathtaking narrative depth.
Entirely crafted — both music and animation — by BAKUI, DIE IN THE SEA is putting a new answer to how stories can be told.
DIE IN THE SEA(2021) & Original Soundtrack
SAKANA UO SAKANA also released the orginal soundtrack On https://sakanauosakana.bandcamp.com/
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app . Download & Purchase available in 16-bit/44.1kHz on Bandcamp.
Behind the Scenes
Interpretation
Late at night, Kuro sits hunched on the edge of his bed, shaking with cold sweat.
Every breath feels heavy as he remembers Shiro’s death— something he holds himself responsible for. In that dim, hushed room, his own thoughts taunt him, whispering blame until he can barely think straight. He can still sense Shiro’s anger and hurt lingering like a ghost in the corners of his mind.
Then the world seems to tilt. Kuro feels as if the bed slips away beneath him, tumbling into a dreamlike space. There, he sees Shiro. Before Kuro can speak, Shiro covers his face, as if to say, “I don’t want to see you.” It’s a knife to Kuro’s heart. He knows he can never cross back over the line that death has drawn between them. He will never get to say “I’m sorry.” Those words remain trapped inside, forever unspoken.
In this dreamlike space, everything seems exaggerated. Kuro rushes forward, ignoring how his own past words—cruel and sharp—turn back on him. He ignores the giant, mocking figures that loom above, laughing at his regret. He charges through it all, desperate to reach Shiro, because this dream is the only place left where he can try to hold his brother again.
Kuro stumbles, as if arrows prick his hands, though there’s no real blood. Still, he presses on, eyes locked on Shiro. He leaps forward and pulls his brother into his arms — tears welling up in both of their eyes. In that heart-stopping moment, Shiro seems to understand Kuro’s regret and love, as if feeling every word Kuro can’t bring himself to say. The old anger dissolves into tears, grief, and warmth trembling between them.
If Kuro’s struggle feels like a plea for forgiveness, Shiro’s emotions are like a restless sea, waves rising and falling, full of doubt and confusion. Once, Shiro might have wanted Kuro to vanish with him into the darkness. Yet the instant their eyes meet, that fury scatters like dust. The ocean beneath Shiro still surges, but no longer tries to drag Kuro under. It’s pain without cruelty.
Then Kuro wakes up. He stands at the edge of a cliff, watching wild waves crash below. He knows Shiro wouldn’t want him to simply surrender to despair. Still, Kuro must face a future empty of Shiro’s presence, left with nothing but regret and memories that can never be touched again. The silence weighs on him like a heavy cloak. He can only stand there, heart leaden.

“(海で死ぬ)は短期大学での卒業作品です。
ストーリー…
音楽が好きなクロとシロという2人の兄弟が喧嘩をしてしまい、 そのままシロは波に飲ま れて死を迎えます。 しかし、 ある日クロの元にシロの幽霊が現れるという話です。
プロジェクトの動機
祖父に聞かされた、 曽祖母の海での自死です。 それを聞いて受けたショックと、 「あの時、 こうしていれば。」 という後悔とどうにもできなかった祖父のやるせなさを代わ りに昇華したかったのだと思います。
しかし、 私は曽祖母の死を創作に使い、 消費するということはしたくなかったので、 作品 内ではその過去を忠実に再現をしていません。
DIE IN THE SEAの音楽
私は自然の様に最初(第一印象)は美しく、 しかし本来は恐ろしいものであると事実を知る 時や、 そのギャップが好きです。 これを音楽でも表したいと思い、 序盤の静かなメロディ から中盤にかけて激しい曲調にしています。
”DIE IN THE SEA is my graduation project from junior college.
Story
Two brothers, Kuro and Shiro, who love music, had a fight. Following the quarrel, Shiro was swallowed by the waves and died. However, one day, Shiro’s ghost appears before Kuro.
Motivation for the Project
The story was inspired by what my grandfather told me about my great-grandmother’s suicide at sea.
Hearing this shocked me deeply. I wanted to channel my grandfather’s helpless grief and the regret of thinking, ‘If only I had done something differently at that time...’ into something meaningful.
However, I didn’t want to exploit or consume my great-grandmother’s death for the sake of my art. Therefore, the story does not faithfully recreate the events of the past.
The Music of DIE IN THE SEA
To me, nature often appears beautiful at first glance but holds an underlying fear. I like the gap between that initial impression and the truth. I wanted to express this through the music — starting with a calm melody in the beginning, which builds up to an intense and dramatic sound midway through.
From the Artist
Outro
BAKUI told DART:
“「いいなぁ」と思う気持ちを純粋に表現することが好きです。自然や人類が紡いできた神話 などです。
これらを良いと思うのは、同時に私の記憶を呼び起こさせるからです。
アルバムに載った写真を見てノスタルジックな気持ちになる感覚や、何か惹かれるものをみて動悸がしてしまうような感覚..見た人をそういう気持ちにさせたくて、制作に取り組みました。”
“I love expressing feelings of pure admiration — whether it’s for nature, the myths woven by humanity, or other such stories.
What draws me to these things is that they simultaneously awaken my own memories.
It’s like the nostalgic feeling you get when looking at old photos in an album or the racing heartbeat when you encounter something captivating. I wanted to evoke such emotions in those who experience my work, which is why I approached this project with care and passion.”
Credits
Video By
BAKUI
Sound By
BAKUI
More Works on
Contact