PLANET ADVENTURE – Ryunosuke: Imagining Courage, Exploration, and Hope Through Character Design

At the Future Art & Design Award 2025 Winter Season, Black Label Production Company and designer Chan Wing Chiu received the Gold Prize in Character Art & Creative Design for PLANET ADVENTURE – Ryunosuke, a character-driven work that transforms the idea of adventure into a visual narrative of resilience, imagination, and personal growth.

Rather than treating adventure as spectacle alone, PLANET ADVENTURE – Ryunosuke approaches it as a metaphor for life—one that speaks directly to children and young audiences navigating uncertainty, curiosity, and self-discovery. Through careful character construction, symbolic colour, and narrative clarity, the project builds a fictional universe where exploration becomes an emotional experience, and where courage is quietly cultivated rather than loudly declared.

Below, Chan Wing Chiu shares the inspiration, challenges, and reflections behind the creation of PLANET ADVENTURE – Ryunosuke.

Q: What initially inspired this project?

Chan:

The idea for PLANET ADVENTURE – Ryunosuke Date was born out of my fascination with adventure. I have always been drawn to the way adventure stories open doors to imagination, courage and discovery. My aim was to capture that spirit and translate it into a vivid visual universe where exploration feels both exciting and meaningful. This character is only one of the protagonists within my adventure story, and I hope that through these protagonists, children and young people may find hope and resilience in life. For me, adventure is not merely a backdrop but a metaphor for life itself, reminding us to cross boundaries bravely and to seek our own paths.

Q: What was the most exciting or most challenging aspect of bringing this work to life?

Chan:

The most exciting aspect was turning the abstract notion of adventure into something tangible. Through character design, atmosphere and the symbolic use of colour, I sought to create a world that feels both playful and reflective. When viewers engage with the work, they are not simply looking at an image; they are embarking on a journey across an imagined planet.

The greatest challenge lay in striking the right balance between technical detail and narrative depth. The project required sufficient intricacy to sustain the sense of exploration – the tension of colours, the layering of composition, the shaping of characters – yet it also needed clarity to remain accessible. Ryunosuke Date, in particular, had to embody both a distinctive personal identity and a universal spirit of discovery. This character is only one of the protagonists within my adventure story, and I hope that through these protagonists, children and young people may be inspired with hope and resilience in life. Achieving this dual role demanded constant refinement and careful adjustment.

Q: How was your experience taking part in the Future Art & Design Award UK?

Chan:

Taking part in the Future Art & Design Award UK was both inspiring and rewarding. The platform not only celebrates creativity but also encourages dialogue among artists from diverse cultural backgrounds. I greatly valued the opportunity to share my vision with an international audience and to learn from the perspectives of fellow participants. The recognition has not only affirmed my efforts but has also motivated me to consider how the spirit of adventure might be extended into future projects, building stronger connections with audiences across the world.

Chan Wing Chiu（MIC）, Director of Black Label Production Company, began product design in 1997. He entered the international stage in 2002 with a World Cup statue, and has since designed lighters for brands such as Cohiba, Davidoff and Dunhill. From 2005 he expanded into consumer electronics with firms like BLACK & DECKER, STANLEY and Caterpillar. His work has earned awards including the Dongguan Cup Bronze Medal and Japanese patents, and in 2015 he founded his own brand Black label production company securing national design patents.

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planet__adventure

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mic-chan-545861227

- Website: http://www.blacklabel-production.com/