In the two years since we last spoke to him for our Japan special, Koichiro Tsujikawa has helmed a raft of highly acclaimed music videos, solidified his reputation as one of Japan's directing elite and showcased his unique and expanding body of work at a variety of exhibitions throughout Japan. We checked in with the cutting-edge visual master to find out how exactly he came to shoot for Smirnoff in the States.

It takes skill, and perhaps just a splash of eccentricity, to knit a legacy out of bouncing breasts, bubbles, finger puppets and sugar cubes, but that's precisely what Koichiro Tsujikawa has managed to do. Starting out as a designer with a bent for interior design for shop windows and the stage, Tsujikawa made the leap to visuals in 1997 when a musician friend approached him with the opportunity to shoot a music vid. He's since gone on to shoot numerous promos for his friend Keigo Oyamada, aka Japan's leading experimental rock-cum-electro crossover kid Cornelius. "Keigo was originally a friend of a friend, so after getting to know each other we've been friends and working together for quite a while," he elaborates. "Collaborating with him is fun for me, like continuously working with one of your oldest and best mates."

Tsujikawa makes finger puppers for Rip Slyme's track Galaxy

In addition to a veritable library of promos, Tsujikawa has also helmed visually arresting commercial spots for Tower Records, Sony Ericsson and Hitachi to name but a few. With an enthusiasm and flair matched only by the volume of his output, it seems inevitable that sooner or later his reputation would outgrow the confines of Japan. Tsujikawa has just shot the latest TV campaign for Smirnoff through JWT New York, a three spot sting that develops an idea he first trialled in the promo for Cornelius's Drop (Do It Again) track.

Hands also make an appearance in his Drop promo for Cornelius

So just how did the job come about? "I was exposed to Koichiro's work through the alternative Japanese DVD magazine GAS about six years ago," explains JWT creative director Mitchell Ratchik. "After reading the brief, we decided a simple, direct approach would be the best and I remembered how amazing his Cornelius [Drop] video was. He was the obvious choice."

"Their request was to let water dance," Tsujikawa reveals. "Shooting a wide variety of water motion with many set-ups took us almost two days." The shoot itself took place in Tokyo, with the on-line completed in New York. "Working with Koichiro was a really collaborative experience," Ratchik adds, "The guy is a total professional and dedicated to the craft of film. He made it look easy."

The :15 Drink Responsibly spot for Smirnoff (click to view)

On top of the Smirnoff work, Tsujikawa's been juggling several other projects. "I've been making ten 45-second short films about the environment and ecology which will be on-air from September. I've also been making a new short film/installation for an exhibition in China set for October." And just in case that little list wasn't enough to keep him busy for the foreseeable he adds, "I'm preparing to make a feature film in the near future, so I'm developing scripts and ideas." Just what the ideas will look like on paper is anyone's guess, though we're sure as heck thirsty for the final outcome.

The :30 Whoo Alright spot for Smirnoff (click to view)