jordan rui hachimura
- Digital
- video
Documentary produced for the NBA and Jordan Brand, chronicling the inspiring journey of rising Japanese basketball star Rui Hachimura. It tells the story of his humble beginnings in the quaint historical town of Toyama and the people that shaped the man he went on to become.
This is a part of poweredby.tokyo’s continued effort to grow Japan’s love affair for the game of basketball.
FROM JAPAN TO THE NBA: RUI HACHIMURA’S JOURNEY
Nike has had a strong presence in street culture, telling stories of passionate leaders in sports since 1964. poweredby.tokyo was tasked to tell the story of Rui Hachimura, “Toyama’s Hero”, the first Japanese player to be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. With a local production team on the ground and a satellite team in the US, our mission was to craft a compelling story of humble beginnings and big dreams that resonated with a global audience. The video follows Hachimura’s journey from his hometown in Toyama to the NBA, capturing Rui's heroic influence in his hometown.
We traveled through Rui Hachimura's roots in Toyama Prefecture, interviewing key figures like Coach Sakamoto who shaped his childhood and basketball career. By touching base with Rui’s old team, peers, and supporters the video unveils the thriving basketball culture in Toyama that both brought up and was boosted by Hachimura. The film explores Rui’s first touchpoint with basketball and unearths the emotional and meaningful relationships that paved his way to stardom.
Produced in mid-August 2022, we produced and released the documentary before the Japan Games in October, marking the NBA's return to international play post-COVID. The preseason game between the Warriors and the Wizards was a much-anticipated homecoming for Rui Hachimura. Despite no direct access to Rui due to his pre-season schedule, our goal was to deepen fans' understanding of his Japanese background.
HOMETOWN HERO
We conducted extensive research and interviews, weaving together vignettes from Rui's childhood. By speaking with community members, the film demonstrates the legacy Rui left behind and aims to motivate the international community that Rui has built over the years throughout his journey to the NBA. The result is a heartfelt visual journey through Toyama from Rui's perspective, connecting youth and adult fans to his inspiring story.
Client
NBA
Jordan Brand
Role
Creative Direction, Film production, Photography, Casting
Team
Director and DoP: (JPN) Jeremy Rubier
Director: (US) Michael Medoway
B-Cam: Christoph Gelep
Editor: Issam Kechouri
Sound Record & Sound Design: Nicolas Amblard
Photography & Drone Operator: Steve Gaudin
Creative & Executive Producer: Chace Fedor
Producer: David Dicembre
Project Manager: Shion Kimura, Utana Kishino
Associate Producer: Hibiki Kato
Music Composer: Jeremy Rubier