Bananya Celebrates 10 Years at LA Femme Film Festival – Exclusive Masako Iwata Interview
An Exclusive Interview with TMS Entertainment Producer Masako Iwata
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 10/24/26 – Who would have imagined that tiny cats living inside bananas could capture hearts around the world for an entire decade? Yet that is precisely what the wonderfully imaginative Japanese anime series Bananya has accomplished. Now, as the beloved franchise celebrates its 10th anniversary at the LA Femme International Film Festival in Los Angeles, its creators are proving that even the smallest animated characters can deliver some of life’s biggest messages.
Produced by TMS Entertainment, Bananya is an unusual and irresistible combination of adorable feline characters, whimsical adventures and gentle storytelling designed to entertain children while providing adults with a welcome escape from everyday stress.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Masako Iwata, producer at TMS Entertainment, who traveled from Japan to Los Angeles for the festival. With interpretation assistance from Nihal Rahman, our Zoom conversation explored the inspiration behind the characters, the creative challenges of producing animation with virtually no spoken dialogue, and the meaningful new direction of the anniversary special.
What emerged was a delightful conversation about imagination, creativity, and the universal language of kindness.
At first glance, the premise of Bananya sounds almost too whimsical to believe. These magical little felines live inside bananas, popping out to explore their surroundings and embark on adventures that celebrate curiosity, friendship and the joy of simply being adorable.
But that simplicity is exactly what makes the concept so appealing.
Iwata explained that Bananya originated as a picture book before being adapted into an animated series a decade ago.
“Our goal was to create an adorable series that kids can enjoy. But also, we wanted to make a series for adults, where they can watch it and feel kind of healed,” she explained through her interpreter.
Click below for our exclusive interview:
That desire to provide emotional comfort to viewers of all ages has become one of the franchise’s defining qualities.
While children naturally gravitate toward the expressive characters and their playful adventures, adults can appreciate the comforting, uncomplicated nature of the storytelling.
And in a world that often feels overwhelming, spending a few minutes with a kitten tucked inside a banana might be exactly the kind of therapy we didn’t know we needed.
When I asked Iwata why these unusual little characters have captured the hearts of audiences around the world, her answer was wonderfully simple.
“I think it’s simply the fact that it’s this extremely unique concept of kitties in bananas. That’s really it.”
Sometimes the most successful creative ideas don’t require elaborate explanations. They simply make people smile.
One of the more fascinating aspects of Bananya is its unconventional approach to storytelling.
Unlike traditional animated characters, these adorable kittens don’t engage in lengthy conversations or deliver clever dialogue. Instead, they communicate primarily through cat sounds.
For the production team, that created an interesting challenge: how do you communicate an entertaining and emotionally meaningful story in just a few minutes when your central characters cannot actually speak?
Iwata acknowledged that developing this storytelling technique required experimentation.
“That was a big challenge on figuring out how to get a story going with a character that only speaks” in cat sounds, she explained.
The team eventually explored several creative approaches, including introducing a human narrator.
“We experimented [with] various things like including a human narrator in order to tell an effective story.”
The result is an animated world where movement, facial expressions, visual humor and physical interaction become essential storytelling tools.
What I find particularly charming about this approach is that it encourages audiences to pay attention to the smallest gestures.
A playful movement, a curious glance or a simple act of affection can communicate more than an entire conversation.
It also makes Bananya accessible across cultures. While spoken languages differ, the emotional expressions of a happy kitten are practically universal.
Because LA Femme International Film Festival celebrates the creative achievements of women in entertainment, I was especially interested in learning how Iwata’s personal experiences have shaped her work in Japan’s anime industry.
When I asked about her perspective as a female producer and the advice she might offer aspiring women filmmakers, her answer centered on something that has inspired her since childhood: a lifelong appreciation for cute things.
“As a woman and a former girl, I liked cute things ever since I was a child,” she shared through her interpreter.
That childhood fascination eventually became an important part of her professional creative process.
Iwata explained that she continually thinks about how to communicate cuteness through animation, not simply through how a character looks, but through the character’s movements, actions and behavior.
Her goal is to capture those subtle qualities that make an animated character immediately lovable.
She was thoughtful about whether this particular creative perspective came from being a woman, acknowledging that she could not definitively attribute it to gender.
Nevertheless, her personal experiences clearly influence how she approaches character development.
It is an encouraging perspective for young women pursuing careers in animation and filmmaking. The interests and creative instincts developed during childhood can become valuable tools in a professional career.
At a festival committed to recognizing women storytellers, Iwata’s work demonstrates the importance of bringing an individual artistic sensibility to the screen.
Perhaps the most meaningful revelation from our interview was that the Bananya 10th-anniversary special represents a creative evolution for the franchise.
While the original series focused heavily on the irresistible charm of its characters, Iwata and her team wanted the anniversary celebration to carry a deeper emotional message.
“Until now, we’ve been very particular about creating the cuteness for Bananya,” Iwata explained. “But for the 10th anniversary, we’ve been able to evolve this even more into a heartfelt story.”
The special features a more elaborate narrative built around a universal message.
“It has a more elaborate story with a theme of caring for each other. And we believe that this theme will be able to cross borders and reach everybody across the world.”
That creative decision is what makes this anniversary project especially appealing.
Rather than relying exclusively on the novelty of adorable banana-dwelling kittens, the filmmakers are embracing themes of compassion, connection and appreciating the people who matter in our lives.
The idea is beautifully simple.
Friendship matters. Kindness matters. Caring for one another matters.
And sometimes those lessons are most effectively communicated through characters who don’t speak a single recognizable word.
From a storytelling perspective, the anniversary special’s emphasis on emotional connection is a natural progression for a franchise that has always sought to bring viewers comfort.
Its appeal lies not in complicated storytelling but in the ability to make audiences feel something genuine through an imaginative and playful animated world.
The anniversary special also demonstrates how family-friendly animation can communicate meaningful ideas without sacrificing humor, charm or accessibility.
For viewers unfamiliar with the franchise, this milestone offers an inviting introduction to Bananya’s uniquely imaginative universe.
For longtime fans, it promises a celebration of the qualities that have made these characters lovable for the past decade.
Of course, I couldn’t resist having a little fun during our conversation.
Since Iwata had traveled from Japan to Los Angeles, I asked her a particularly Hollywood-inspired question.
If she could create an entirely new Bananya character inspired by Hollywood, what would it look like, and what would she name it?
Perhaps a glamorous banana kitten wearing sunglasses and strolling down the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
Or maybe a tiny feline movie star with a director’s chair and its own miniature red carpet?
Iwata found the question delightfully challenging.
“That’s a hard question,” came the response through her interpreter.
I encouraged her to think about it and get back to me before returning to Japan.
After all, Hollywood has welcomed countless memorable characters over the years. Surely there’s room for one more, especially one living inside a banana!
Whether that little creative challenge eventually inspires a new character remains to be seen, but it certainly added a fun moment to our conversation.
With an entire decade of animation behind the franchise, I asked Iwata what audiences might expect from Bananya in the future.
Her response was encouraging for fans who aren’t ready to say goodbye to their favorite banana-dwelling kittens.
“We’ve just really reached the 10th anniversary milestone of Bananya, but we’d like to continue providing the world with plenty of Bananya content and merch in order to entertain kids and heal all the adults around the world.”
The goal, she explained, is to continue developing animation and merchandise that bring happiness to children while offering adults those small moments of emotional comfort that have always been central to the franchise.
It is a fitting ambition for a creative property that has thrived by embracing imagination and warmth.
What makes Banany so special isn’t simply the novelty of cats living inside bananas, although that premise is undeniably entertaining.
Its lasting appeal comes from the sincerity behind the concept.
The creative team understands that animation doesn’t always need dramatic conflicts, elaborate dialogue or sophisticated visual spectacle to reach an audience.
Sometimes a tiny character, a simple movement and a thoughtful message are enough.
The 10th-anniversary special’s emphasis on caring for others adds another layer of meaning to the franchise, reminding viewers that kindness and connection are universal experiences.
My conversation with Masako Iwata reinforced my appreciation for the tremendous thought and creativity that go into producing even the shortest animated stories.
Her commitment to making audiences smile while creating something emotionally meaningful is a wonderful reflection of the artistic spirit celebrated at LA Femme International Film Festival.
As a media partner of the festival, The Hollywood Times is delighted to spotlight filmmakers and producers whose work demonstrates the diversity and imagination of women working in entertainment around the world.
And as Bananya celebrates its first decade, I suspect these adorable little kittens have plenty of adventures still ahead.
After all, who says a banana can’t hold a little happiness?
Happy 10th anniversary, Bananya! Here’s to another decade of adorable adventures, heartfelt storytelling and plenty of meows.
About LA Femme International Film Festival
LA Femme International Film Festival celebrates and supports women filmmakers, producers, writers and other creative professionals working in the entertainment industry. Through film screenings, educational opportunities and industry networking, the festival provides a platform for women’s voices and stories from around the world.
About TMS Entertainment
TMS Entertainment is a Japanese animation production company recognized internationally for its contributions to anime and animated storytelling. Its portfolio includes numerous acclaimed productions and franchises enjoyed by audiences worldwide.
Exclusive Interview: Valerie Milano with Masako Iwata, producer of Bananya, TMS Entertainment. Interpretation assistance provided by Nihal Rahman.
Websites: The Hollywood Times | LA Femme International Film Festival
Bananya celebrates its 10th anniversary at LA Femme International Film Festival. Producer Masako Iwata discusses the beloved anime, its heartwarming message and future adventures.
Editorial note: Interview quotations are drawn from the English interpretation in the Zoom transcript, with minor edits for readability. The available notes support the themes and creative intentions discussed above, but do not contain a detailed scene-by-scene account of the anniversary special.
