Amsterdam Worldwide and PandaPanther have fashioned a campaign celebrating the 60th anniversary of Asics' Onitsuka Tiger sneaker. The effort draws on the brand's Japanese heritage, retelling the legend of the "Zodiac Race," in which 13 animals battle for one of 12 spots on the Zodiac calendar. TheLadders.com spokesmonster Guilala was the loser. Not really. The delightfully over-the-top three-minute animation above tells the whole story. It plays like a turbo-charged cross between a '60s Rankin/Bass special, cutting-edge anime and Hello Kitty. The 1-meter-long "Japan in a Sneaker" diorama (which will soon tour the world!) is pretty impressive, too, though the greenery makes me think of fungus—perhaps not the wisest choice for a manufacturer of athletic shoes.

—Posted by David Gianatasio