Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Student Project)

Designer: Emily Hendricks
Project Type: Student Project
School: Fort Hays State University
Course: History of Graphic Design
Tutor: Karrie Simpson Voth
Location: Hays
Packaging Contents: CD
Packaging Materials: Paper, foam

This CD packaging was influenced by styles of the designer, Charles S. Anderson for the musical artist, The Flaming Lips. As the name describes, a young girl named Yoshimi has to battle robots in order to save the world, which is suggested on the outside. Upon opening the packaging, you find Unit 3000-21 (from the album song) with its inner workings. The CD itself has imagery such as a glowing heart, burning furnace, and firing sparks, to show that Unit 3000-21 is learning to feel. Humor, color, and texture are incorporated as often as possible; to get the energy much like The Flaming Lips and Charles S. Anderson do with their work.

What’s Unique?
The unique quality of this packaging is the surprise upon opening the CD packaging. The arms and legs fold out with an openable control panel to expose the inside. The arms on the inside also carry over to the image on the outside, making it look as if the robot will capture Yoshimi. The inside flaps have screens, the right with the track list, and the left with “Yoshimi was here xoxo” spray-painted in pink on the screen. The entire packaging and CD have references to the original album artwork and the songs from the album, making it an experience for all The Flaming Lips fans.