The Line has teamed up once more with MullenLowe to create another instalment of Chiaki’s Journey to celebrate the launch of Acura’s newest model: Integra Type S HRC. The latest episode, which premiered at the Monterey Car Show on Thursday 15th August 2024, follows Chiaki’s newly found fame in the racing scene after winning Pikes Peak.

This release marks THE LINE’s third collaboration with Acura and MullenLowe after Chiaki’s Journey II garnered over 40 million views online and scooped a CLIO Award for Art Direction earlier this year, adding to a Gold Effie for Season One in 2023.

Director JuanPe Arroyo (Overwatch 2’s Venture’s Adventures and The Great British Bake Off 2023 Promo) is behind the 3D cel-shaded short, “We wanted to recreate the Type S in all its glory but we didn’t just want to do a hyper-realistic rendition of the forms and qualities of the Type S materials. We wanted people to feel this was handmade and curated by artists, just as the car was”

A keen eye will spot creative easter eggs in the latest episode – look out for the stickers in Chaiki’s room, a 3D Chibi Chiaki and even a bespoke pixel art video game, produced especially for the short, in the background. The episode is packed with references of iconic Japanese car mags, game shows and icons, nodding to the anime roots that have been such an inspiration for the series.

Fans of the series will be pleased to see more of Chiaki as the previous season ended on a cliff hanger. From THE LINE, “We love seeing a car brand use animation to tell a story like this! We’re so glad we had the opportunity to build out the story even further and keep Chiaki’s journey going. The world has fallen in love with these characters and so have we. We’re endlessly grateful for this collaboration with the wonderful team at MullenLowe”