Kishi Bashi today shared a delightful new video for his song “Wait for Springtime,” directed by himself, illustrated by Phil Jasen, and animated by Geoff Hoskinson. The clip vibrantly brings to life classic Japanese folklore and Ukiyo-e influenced puppetry (created by the team of Jasen, Alan Guerra, and Klée Schell) through a shared adventure of various adorable woodland creatures. “Wait for Springtime” is off the acclaimed new Emigrant EP, released digitally on April 2nd and out today on vinyl via Joyful Noise Recordings.

“The tanuki (raccoon dog) and kappa (the river yokai) are a big part of Japanese folklore, and they’ve been in my consciousness alongside big foot, mermaids, and fairies,” explains Kishi Bashi. “Knowing that spring is coming—and all that it symbolizes, like rebirth and renewal—gives people the strength to endure a harsh winter. In this video, these creatures eventually find a new home after surviving a genocide of their monster species. Phil Jasen, the artist, is a wonderful puppeteer, and the shadow puppet story is based on the Japanese legend of ‘Tamamo-no-Mae,’ in which a shapeshifting fox seduced several kings throughout Asia, only to be ultimately vanquished by a Japanese samurai. Like in Princess Mononoke (and many Hayao Miyazaki films), magical creatures are constantly hunted until they are pacified and reborn into mythology and legend.”