Shin Kubayashi, author of the original "Kindaichi" series, and others launch "Project ONE" to discover and train animation creators, aiming to create new IP with creators from the general public.

Nakayama: The scale of the Japanese animation market overseas has expanded to the same level as that of the Japanese domestic market. The manga and merchandising (goods, etc.) markets have also grown in the same way. How do you see the transition of the animation market?

Suwa: I have been involved in TV animation since 1986, so I am well aware of the changes in the TV animation market. In terms of broadcast times, there has certainly been a shift from primetime to Saturday and Sunday mornings, late at night, and so on. In terms of the market, of course it is important to obtain viewer ratings, but at the same time, it is also important to develop multiple animations and aim for explosive hits in order to link them to the business. I feel that each station is segregating itself in a repetitive process where stations that do not produce big titles are in a hurry and want something.

Nakayama: In the 2010s, especially with "Shinkoku no Kyojin," I feel that you opened the door to overseas markets.

Wada: "Shinkage no Kyojin" was created at the time when Wit Studio was established, but I don' t think the term "overseas sales" existed at that time. We were not even aware of overseas distribution, and the emphasis was on DVD and Blu-ray sales. In that context, "Shinkage no Kyojin" had a passionate overseas fan base, and I think it was one of the key factors that led to the development of events and other activities.

Hirasawa: Ten years ago, we were at the dawn of an era in which anime was being produced for distribution and to advertise major games, rather than being focused on DVD and Blu-ray sales. The animation industry has undergone a series of major shifts every 20 years or so. In 2006, 10 years after 1996, "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" was released. In 2006, 10 years after 1996, "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" and "Code Geass" appeared, both of which were compatible with the late-night anime market. I am excited about the possibility of " works that respond to the times " in the future.

Mr. Nakayama: You have worked not only with TV animation but also with global platforms such as Hulu, how has your relationship with platforms changed?

Jubayashi: Considering that we have gone from an era where commercials were broadcast within the framework of TV and even if they were, they were only reruns, to an era where they are distributed around the world, I think it's fair to say that more money can be spent. However, with the current method, it is inevitable that the station, the original creator, and the production company sign a contract... and then it all fits into the framework. I think that if the creators directly sell their work to companies and individuals, there will be a lot of people who will buy into the idea. Crowdfunding and other forms of direct connection between creators and users, with the addition of a platform. I would like to see this type of connection (where the creators who create content have more power), and I think it will happen. We live in an age where even a small number of people and a low budget can create wonderful works using the latest applications and AI, and it would be very interesting if things started to revolve around the creator side.

Mr. Nakayama: This may be a different genre, but when I interviewed the founder of Yoshimoto Sogo Gakuin (NSC), he told me that Downtown was a first-year student of NSC. He told me that the two out-of-control performers were created by allowing them to debut as they graduated from the school, and that they would not have been born if the apprenticeship system had been in place up to now. I think that the moment you change the format by letting the media shake things up once , there is a lot of potential for new talent to emerge.

Mr. Nakayama: AI is gradually beginning to be used in manga, animation, and game production. I know it's still a difficult time to mention it.

Ms. Jubayashi: In the beginning, each animation was handwritten, but at some point, we started using digital technology to streamline the process. And now, the time is coming soon when we will be able to express the scene itself well enough to have it created by a generation AI. Many companies are exploring this, and in fact, the staff of "Project ONE" is also approaching AI-related companies in CyberAgent. I think this is a field that is just beginning to develop, and I believe it is the ideas and individuality of young people that will make it happen. I would like to see works that show individuality, not just something that was created by using generative AI.

Mr. Nakayama: With AI, it is easy to get to about 50 points. But it is difficult to improve the quality from there. It is sometimes called "masterpiece face" (i.e., all the pictures created by AI are similar to each other).

Mr. Jubayashi: They are really the same (laughs). Even in advertisements, they all have the same face, with only a slight difference in body shape. I would like young people to approach us with their individuality and tastes.

Mr. Suwa: I am also a judge for the AI Art Grand Prix, and I thought it was wonderful that he sang with his wife who died in the past, as one of the ways of AI. On the other hand, there is certainly a problem of literacy, and I think there are different likes and dislikes depending on the work or scene. I think the most important thing is to master AI as a tool, so I am still learning how to use it in my own way.

Hirasawa: I think Japan is a country that is good at taking something that has been created from scratch and expanding it, eventually developing it as if it were a platform. In the anime industry, however, there are not many original works that are not based on manga, novels, or other original works. I would like to see more opportunities for those who are interested in how to polish their creativity and create animation without going through the process of creating manga or novels! The industry does not provide many opportunities for those who want to make animation without going through the process of creating manga or novels. It is very meaningful to offer this kind of opportunity to creators in the visual image field, and I am very much looking forward to it.

Mr. Wada: This is really a great project. If you apply, you will be able to meet and talk with Mr. Jubayashi and Mr. Suwa (laugh). It is rare to have the opportunity to work with such "legends" who are the keywords of "Project ONE" and have them " inherit" our work. I would be very happy if we can create interesting IP from this opportunity.

Mr. Suwa: I quit the company in September 2023 and became a freelancer at the same time I received an offer to join "Project ONE". Although I had gained some experience, I was worried about what I could do after quitting the company as someone who had been working on Ichihakus! It's a story that I couldn't have wished for. We will do our best to see to it that this is a fun project, so we are looking forward to hearing from you.

Mr. Jubayashi: Basically, I am a person who was good at creating "zero firsts," but as an editor, I have also worked to develop those firsts into "ten firsts. I have always wanted to work with young people, and the other day I worked with a person in his 20s on a flat basis. I don't know if I should say this myself, but I am not the type of person who gets nervous when people meet me (laughs).

Suwa: I think so.

Ms. Jubayashi: That's right, isn't it? (laughs) I've never been conscious of being higher or lower than others. I have never been conscious of being higher or lower than anyone else. But I don't want to say things in a blunt way. I hope to convey in short sentences some of the tips that I have cultivated in myself for making things interesting. I believe that there is also a role for the program to serve as an educational venue for picking up talent, and in this day and age, it can be done online without a classroom. It may take some time, but I have high expectations that it will definitely become something interesting.