We are Japanese anime!

On March 20~22, 2015, Tokyo Big Sight will hold an event called AnimeJapan 2015. This is known as the largest anime event in Japan and has been officially launched since 2014. The first event, held in March last year, attracted 111,252 visitors, which was a huge success.

During the event, everything from information on the latest works, performances by popular voice actors and singers, and job hunting is included, and it is fair to say that all aspects of Japanese animation are included. So what are the goals of AnimeJapan, a comprehensive anime event, this year? And how do you operate it? Recently, some Japanese media interviewed Kenichiro Ikeuchi and Yuji Hirooka, who served as the comprehensive planners of the event, to solve the mystery from them!

■AnimeJapan 2015 is a way to show the sense of Japanese existence and make Japanese animation more widely disseminated

UNTIL 2013, JAPAN HELD COMPREHENSIVE ANIME EVENTS SUCH AS THE TOKYO INTERNATIONAL ANIME CARNIVAL AND ANIMECONTENTSEXPO. AnimeJapan took full advantage of the experience of these events and officially launched its doors in 2014.

So how does AnimeJapan differ from these events? What exactly is AnimeJapan? We conducted interviews on this issue.

Q: Let's start with the basics. What exactly is "AnimeJapan 2015"? A lot of people just know that it's a comprehensive anime event that takes place in the spring. But unexpectedly, I don't think a lot of people are very clear about the concept of this event. Can you tell us who is holding this event, who is it for, and who is it serving?

Hirooka: Last time we held the first event, and when we decided on the name of the event, there were many candidates. However, we decided on this name because we wanted to fully reflect the elements of Japan.

In the past, there were a variety of anime-related events overseas. However, although they use Japanese things, the Japanese sense of existence is very weak. That's why we wanted to hold an event that directly focused on Japan, and that's how "AnimeJapan" was born.

We hope that the purpose of this event is to achieve the following goals: people who have been fond of anime even more, and people who have never been exposed to anime before are also fascinated by anime. And as I said earlier, we want people from overseas to see the world's largest animation goods exhibition and show the sense of existence of the "MADEINJAPAN" event.

It's hard to summarize in one sentence who this is for, but I have an idea that we will continue to spread the anime forever from the perspective of Japanese culture, with this event as the center." ”

Ikeuchi: There is JAPANEXPO in France, AnimeExpo in the United States, and other animations in overseas regions are being held in the form of events. While Japanese animation is very popular overseas, local activities in Japan are relatively weak. And the way we usually enjoy animation requires rethinking and thinking of some breakthrough points.

This is the second year, and the benefits of the first edition (AnimeJapan 2014) will continue. In addition, starting in 2015, we will also make some changes. If the event can continue into 2016 and 2017, then we will retain the basic framework while incorporating some new elements of the animation market at that time.

Q: There are a variety of companies and organizations participating in the organizers. However, in terms of revenue, AnimeJapan is definitely not a profit-making activity. From the standpoint of a profit-making organization or company, I think, "It's better not to make money than to make money." "With this in mind, what is the point of hosting AnimeJapan?

Hirooka: Yes. While we also take into account the revenue side, it's not just that. From my personal point of view, I still want people to know not only the surface of anime, but also some of the inner mysteries, and think, "Animation is great, right?" Pretty powerful, right? "Then there is hope for the future of the industry as a whole.

Dozens of late-night animations are now released in a season, reflecting the boom in the animation market. But this was not the case in the past, and it is unknown whether this will be the case in the future. I think that in order to continue to produce animation, then we should look at the problem from a long-term perspective, so that everyone can have a vision for the industry, so as to directly link it to the future development.

Q: What is the difference between AnimeJapan and other anime events?

Ikeuchi: As with other events, we want our guests to enjoy anime. This fundamental problem is not going to change. If we have to say something different, then we should go one step further and let our guests know about animation as "work" in addition to "enjoyment". That's a difference.

For example, we'll have some places dedicated to explaining animations in as much detail as possible. Viewing animation from a job perspective allows those who want to work in animation-related fields in the future to understand the industry in an easy-to-understand way. As an organizer, although we spend manpower and material resources, we can't just think about profit. We hope to let you understand the animation work in the "プロダクションワークスストリート" link, so that you can know how to connect with the TV animation you usually watch.

Hirooka: It would be nice if you could see that there are many kinds of work related to animation.

The same is true for business docking, there are many companies that have not cooperated with anime before, but now the cooperation is increasing. Even if business people come here as ordinary guests, if they can enjoy anime, the possibilities are endless. People who say "nothing to do with me" may be able to find out that the products they make have something to do with the anime, and it would be great if our venue could do that.

■ Integrate the work of the planner and execute the planner's new attempt

AnimeJapan 2015 is already underway, and unlike the previous one, it is facing different challenges. The biggest difference from 2014 is the Executive Committee structure.

This time, in addition to the two general planners, different planners were arranged in the four fields of "overseas", "business", "entertainment", and "family". What changes will be made in this way?

Q: You are the overall planners of this project. So what is the role of the integrated planner?

Hirooka: That's a tough question (laughs).

Ikeuchi: We're always looking for answers and working at the same time.

Hirooka: I think one of the impressions of a leader is that they decide on the direction of things and say, "You come with me." However, during this event, there were 19 industry companies on the executive committee, and there were a variety of opinions and ideas. Then the traditional sense of the leader is not very suitable.

In addition to the opinions of each company, all the fans and the interests of the industry will give us motivation and make us feel "Let's do it!" "Come on!". This time, in addition to the general planners, we also had executive planners in each area of "overseas", "business", "entertainment", "family", and so on, and they also helped us a lot.

Ikeuchi: Mr. Hirooka always makes the committee lively. When we are confronted with an issue, sometimes we have a lively discussion, but some times we seem to be more negative. It's good if you can naturally liven up the atmosphere, but if there are things that need to be thought about more deeply and things that need to be put forward, in which case he needs to make the discussion lively.

Although the planners are in different fields, they also ask a variety of questions when carrying out their own tasks. These things need to be sorted out and judged in the end. In the end, I consulted with Mr. Hirooka to determine the method. I think this is the job that a general planner has to undertake.

Q: Unlike the previous edition, you have set up executive planners in various fields this time, so what is the reason for this?

Hirooka: We feel that on the one hand, there is a need for someone to manage the progress in each field, and on the other hand, the establishment of a person in charge of each area can improve the quality of activities in each field and thus improve the overall standard. There are about 40 people present at each executive committee, and if you have an executive planner, you can communicate with each other first, which is also an advantage.

Ikeuchi: Last time, we had to deal with business policies and entertainment measures one by one, and then we had to negotiate with 40 people, so it was too much work.

Hirooka: In addition, this time, we have added a new family-oriented area called the "Family Anime Carnival". In addition, the location of the commercial venue has been moved to a different location than the previous one, and the event will be held on Friday. The overall scale has been expanded, so it also contains the meaning of decentralization.

■Looking back at AnimeJapan2014, the subject has shifted to home**

The 2014 event was a huge success because it was aimed at 100,000 people, but it attracted more than 110,000 people.

However, we also heard introspection from the two integrated planners. So what do the two organizers think of AnimeJapan 2014? What kind of issues did the 2014 event create?

Q: AnimeJapan 2014 was visited by a large number of visitors, and it was a great success. So which of them are worthy of praise, and what are the problems worth improving?

Hirooka: First of all, I want to talk about the increase in the number of people who bring their families to the war. Just now, I was also talking about "What is this event for?" From the perspective of thinking about the future, we want to focus on the aspects where families can have fun together. We also had a family area for the last event, but to be honest, it wasn't anything but unprecedented.

Since we came up with the slogan "Animation is all about this", did those with children feel happy at the last event? It's worth thinking about that. In other words, do companies that exhibit mainly on household products find it meaningful to do so? When I think about it, I don't think it's been done very well.

This time, we divided half of the building and designed a special shape for the entrance, which was also called "Family Animation Carnival". It is also stated that it is free for elementary school students and younger. We've talked about earnings before, but to be honest, it's all about deficits (laughs).

Q: From a purely commercial point of view, this is still unbelievable.

Hirooka: If you can have a lot of people with your families and have fun here, then you will be able to connect with the future. The existence of this area is the biggest difference from the previous one.

Q: You mentioned the place of introspection first, but where is the good place?

Ikeuchi: The good thing is the business seminar. For companies that don't usually deal with animation, we provide them with "examples of working with animation". Although we are mainly targeting merchants, we also have ordinary customers who are there, which is beyond our imagination.

The creator experience lecture also welcomed a lot of people. In the animation production system, there will be a variety of content including painting, scripts, and planning, and this event is to recruit professional creators and provide them with a large-scale job fair.

At first, we were worried about whether there would be any attendance, but every lecture was crowded. We also prepared homework questions to be used in the job fair, and everyone answered them carefully, which won a good response. I think I can continue this project in this event.

Hirooka: In addition, we have set up a place for consultation for those who want to find a job, and for two days, we invite staff from specialized companies and factories to meet with them two-on-two for one and a half hours. This won unexpected popularity, too (laugh). In other words, we feel that there are many people in the industry who are very interested. It's just that there is a lot of burden on those who are in charge of interviews, so we won't do it this time (laughs).

Q: Interestingly, these experiments were held at the same time as the introduction of the latest works and the gorgeous stage performances.

Hirooka: I think that's also a plus. We were able to assemble a variety of elements in 3 days, which also showed a quality that was stronger than other activities. In addition, the Executive Committee is composed of a wide variety of companies in the industry.

This is a testament to the strength of the animation industry, but it's rare for competitors to come together and work for a purpose in other industries.

Thinking about it this way, everyone may have a sense of crisis in the industry. In other words, everyone has a positive idea that "we want to make the industry thrive together", so we are united. In terms of the results of the last year, the number of attendees exceeded our target of 100,000 to 111,250, and I think this result is a reflection of the support of all parties.

Q: Every industry has an international trade show, but I don't think it's common for an event like AnimeJapan to be held by industry professionals.

Ikeuchi: Sure enough, this kind of event would not have been possible without the enthusiasm of the staff. We need to thank the heads of each company on the Executive Committee.

■ AnimeJapan 2015 from the perspective of business activities

One of the characteristics of AnimeJapan is that it is a "business activity". While making the fans lively, it has also achieved good results in terms of commercial interests. And in 2015, the event will change a lot in terms of business. The event duration of the previous 2-day schedule has been extended to 3 days, Friday has been designated as a business day, and an area dedicated to business purposes has also been set up.

So what are the business functions of AnimeJapan? In response, we asked about business policies that are difficult for the outside world to understand.

Q: What is the impression of the two exhibitors in 2015?

Ikeuchi: Many companies that participated in the last edition will continue to participate this year. And there are also companies that come to participate in the exhibition for the first time.

Hirooka: Basically, there are factories, studios, copyright holders, licensees, TV stations, agents, and so on.

Ikeuchi: Some of them are not companies, but exhibit in the name of their works.

Q: Business days are held in places other than commercial areas. In this way, can it have a role in increasing the number of exhibitors?

Hirooka: The target for this year's edition is 120,000 people. We have to work hard to attract 120,000 people to the venue.

Q: In terms of business measures, what are you doing in detail?

Hirooka: The things we did in the business area were basically the same as last year. It's just that we want to have a lot of elements in one place, and we can do everything in one place. And if you come from overseas, it would be nice to be able to see the crowd at the scene.

On the other hand, if there are too many business negotiations, it will become more difficult to communicate with each other. With this in mind, we have set the business day on a non-weekend Friday. And it will make the business conversation more dynamic (laughs). For those who want to have business negotiations in a quiet environment, they can choose to come on Friday, while those who "want to see regular fans" can choose Saturday. You can also participate in events in the main areas where exhibitions and stage performances are held.

Q: When it comes to business, it always gives us the impression of an international trade fair. Can Japanese companies also participate? For example, if you want to collaborate with anime, but don't know where to start.

Hirooka: You need to apply in advance, but you should be fine. Rather, I want this to be a place to fulfill their purpose. We are planning to collaborate with traditional crafts and anime works that have already realized the "new business ideas".

Q: You just talked about the issue of employment, and the business seminar should be attended by many ordinary people, but this year, the seminar was held on a Friday, so many people may not see it. How do you deal with this?

Hirooka: No, in order to allow ordinary guests to hear the lecture as well, we only hold activities in the main area. As for the commercial part, our original intention is only to provide a platform for merchants to negotiate.

Ikeuchi: For those of you who found the business part of last year interesting, I don't think my mind will change.

■Whether it's family or music, AnimeJapan2015 will have a broader development

In addition to the commercial area, AnimeJapan 2015 will also be a large-scale challenge. In terms of topics, we have already listed family elements, and Odaiba ZeppTokyo will also hold a live stage event.

What are the goals of AnimeJapan in 2015? Finally, we asked the general planner this question.

Q: There will be a new event at ZeppTokyo on Friday. So what exactly is this used for?

Ikeuchi: It's the night before festival. It will turn the event into a music-centered anime song and DJ performance.

Hirooka: We're still working on it, so it would be nice if we could invite artists who sing anime songs. Considering that many people come from afar, this is a rare opportunity, and we hope that they can enjoy it the day before.

Q: In 2014, it was held for 2 days, but this year it will be 2.5 days.

Ikeuchi: That's how it feels (laughs).

Q: You've mentioned it many times, but we'd like to know what kind of form the Family Animation Carnival is going to take. Can you please ask us about this?

Hirooka: At this stage, we can only talk about the conceptual part. I want it to be like a festival. It would be great if we could let people do all kinds of things like going to a temple fair.

Speaking of temple fairs, don't we do all sorts of things like catching goldfish, shooting, eating sugar gourds, etc.? From AnimeJapan's point of view, we need to face people with their families and give them the opportunity to try various things in various works.

There will also be a stage for families! The children will be able to get up close and personal with the dolls and see some of the performances, so I think they will have fun too.

Ikeuchi: Since it's a festival fair, there is a fee for some of it, but even if you walk around, you will feel happy.

Q: Finally, could you please tell us about your ambitions for 2015?

Hirooka: Now we are discussing what measures to implement, and first of all, we will go beyond the previous one and bring new joy and discovery to everyone, and create a wonderful event.

In terms of personal goals, I would like to contribute to the commercial market, and if the attendees can connect animation with their own work, they think, "Wouldn't it be possible to collaborate with animation like this?" "That's great. It's not about "doing business" with anime, it's about "working with your favorite anime". We are trying to make AnimeJapan a stage where this idea can be concretized.

Also, in order to make the event a "fun event" in everyone's mind, bring your friends along with you. We also have to work hard to achieve this.

Ikeuchi: At the last edition, guests would ask, "What exactly is AnimeJapan?" And as far as we are concerned, it's just a matter of doing something else, just starting to implement it.

And in the next 2nd edition, as I said before, AnimeJapan is an event that promotes animation in many ways. It would be nice if the guests could understand this deeply. And we're working hard to make people aware of that. We want to make this year's AnimeJapan an event that everyone will want to come back to after watching it. That's what I'm aiming for.

Q: Thank you very much for your time today.