Overall Review from Judges

AOI YAMADA

It was truly enjoyable to be part of the judging process this time.
As I viewed many works, I could clearly feel through each piece how deeply the hairstylists, photographers, and models understood the theme copy.
Since I often serve as a subject myself, I value standing in front of the camera with a full understanding of the theme and the creator’s intent.
I believe that in photography, even a single glance from the model can convey “what they are seeing.”
Are they looking at a wall, at the sun, or at their own limits—
Such subtle nuances appear in the work, which is why I feel that choosing the right model comes with responsibility, and that models themselves need to understand the theme.
Moving forward, I want to continue creating works while cherishing communication in the creative process.
Thank you very much.

LESLIE KEE

The theme copy this time, “Beyond the Limit” is a phrase I personally love.
I live each day thinking about how far I can push myself and challenge my own boundaries.
Among the four years I’ve served as a judge, this year’s theme resonated with me the most.
Encountering new works made the judging process truly enjoyable and inspiring.
Compared to previous years, I strongly felt the “evolution of graphic design” in many of this year’s entries.
I saw many new forms of expression that I had never seen before, giving the impression that the works were moving in a three-dimensional way.
Art still holds great freedom, and because there are no limits to expression,I will continue to support everyone’s creative challenges!

MITSUI, Akiko

Beyond the Limits
As the theme suggests, I was looking forward to encountering works filled with challenges and creativity that transcend limits.
The submitted entries were diverse, captivating, and so impressive that judging was more difficult than ever before.
On the day of the judging, I was unable to attend in person due to the impact of COVID-19 and had to participate online.
What truly moved my weakened heart were the works that conveyed not only “positivity” but also a sense of “strength.”
The positive energy radiated by the works gave me great hope and power.
The messages expressed this time are not only relevant to the beauty industry, but also deliver courage to many people living in the present.
I feel they are truly a light that illuminates our times.
Thank you for all the wonderful creations!

OKUDAIRA Masayoshi

As I judged the entries overall this time, I saw works that were thoroughly thought out and carefully crafted,while others seemed to have drawn ideas from existing sources, giving the impression they were made with reference rather than originality.
This made the level of commitment to each work clearly visible.
Especially, the pieces that deeply understood the theme copy had persuasive structure and expression,and I could sense the repeated trial and error behind them.
On the other hand, some works didn’t fully convey the intent of the theme, and I believe this difference greatly affected the overall quality.
In the student category, many works gave the impression of “putting everything they wanted to do into one piece,”but I think that’s perfectly fine for students.
Thinking with your own mind, facing your feelings honestly, and exploring how to shape them—
this process leads to technical growth. Through continued trial and error, you begin to subtract what’s unnecessary,and that leads to more refined expression.
If you focus more on shaping ideas with your own strength, even more interesting works will emerge.
In fact, the pieces that caught my eye had that kind of attitude,so even if you didn’t win an award this time, please keep pushing forward!