Speakers	：	Yuichiro Saito, Producer/Executive director, STUDIO CHIZU, Tomohiko Ishii, Producer, Production I.G/STEVE N' STEVEN Koji Yamamoto, Editor, Fuji TV “Noitamina”
Host	：	Ryusuke Hikawa, Anime & Tokusatsu Critic

In the seminar, “The present (now) and the future (aspiration) of anime producers,” three producers closely involved with anime were invited in order to explore their focus as a producer, the current state of the anime industry, and their candid opinions as producers.
Firstly, the job of a producer and what they emphasize were explained. Saito described his job as, “creating a work in its best form and putting it out in the world in its best form.” Ishii stated that “realizing a project” was the most important thing for a producer to accomplish and defined ‘producer’ as “a starter and a finisher,” since a producer sees the work until its end, including sales. Yamamoto mentioned that it is important to clarify the intention of the production, which encompasses, “what kind of work is shown to whom and at what scale?” He added that daily analysis and the ability to make decisions are therefore important.
The two topics of “a work that became a turning point for them” and “originality within the anime industry” functioned to showcase the manner of engaging with anime that they believe in. Ishii stated that “a work can be produced by having the energy to start something,” describing anime production to be “a sensation of finding new land by getting on a ship together with a director.” Yamamoto preached the importance of an original anime series, explaining that, “It is important for an original work to exist. It all hinges on providing something that the audience can be surprised by. Original anime series is astounding because no one knows how its plot will develop or its ending.” For Saito, “The most important thing is to create a good film. Whether the piece of work is original or an adaptation is not within my first priority when planning a film.”
Lastly, the program concluded by having them talk about the state of the work they are currently working on and their enthusiasm. This program helped the audience learn the roles of producers from each company that are common among different producers, or dissimilar due to differences in their standpoints, as well as their efforts toward the future of animation.

Writer：Daisuke Iwakura

Speakers	：	Ikuko Ito, Animator, Illustration and character design Yoshimi Narita, screenwriter Kaori, Animation direction and illustration Akiko Saito, Sales Group, A-1 Pictures Tomoko Hasegawa, Music & Image Division, MarvelousAQL Inc.
Host	：	Hiromi Seki, Planning and Development Supervisor, TOEI ANIMATION CO., LTD.

　In “Real Haken Anime - Talks among women who work in the anime industry,” women who work in the anime industry took to the podium as the real version of Haken Anime ! (“haken” is a slang used among anime fans to refer to the best series within a particular season), a novel depicting the anime industry published serially in an.an (publisher: Magazine House) by a Naoki award-winning author, Mizuki Tsujimura. A talk session was conducted in which each speaker discussed the roles of their occupation and what they seek from young personnel.
Ito explained that the important thing when designing a character is for “the character to be a person and to be conscious of them having a life.” In addition, she said “the way in which you fight your battle is important” when she receives exceedingly difficult orders from directors. To those who aspire to become animators, she suggested, “rather than focusing on how to become an animator, I hope they would focus on having an objective of what they would like to do.”
Screenwriter Narita explained the difference between the manner in which adaption and original works are perceived: “When turning a manga series into an anime series, I am frequently asked to turn it into anime as it is. However, it is important to give a four-part narrative (introduction, development, turn and conclusion) to the story in a 30-minute anime show. With an original series, creativity and the skills of the writer are called into question.” She then described the current state in which there are not many female writers, giving words of encouragement to those who seek to become a screenwriter.
Director Kaori, who started out as an animator and currently is also in charge of direction and storyboards, stated “These days I am frequently regarded as a valuable asset since storyboard writers who were animators before draw boards very neatly. At the same time, crude storyboards can inspire the creativity of animators. So there are both advantages and disadvantages.” She concluded her talk by saying, “Although there are those who say that animators cannot earn a living, one can make a decent living if they get things right.”
Saito stated that her main tasks involve receiving orders of copyrighted illustrations from anime magazines, giving orders to animators, and delivering illustrations, such as those for goods. She talked about the difficulties in her job, such as getting into disputes with production assistants at times when anime production is busy. For those who aspire to work in the anime industry, she conveyed the hardship and joys of her job by saying, “If you pursue your ideal too much, you won’t last long. Although making things is hard, there is just as much joy in it.”
Concerning works of anime targeting children and those targeting adults, Hasegawa mentioned that there are no differences in advertisement between the two, and that advertisement is determined for each work. She mentioned that the timing to disclose information and scheduling related to events and research are frequently the things that are difficult in her job. Lastly, she concluded her talk by saying, “There are various occupations in the anime industry. Therefore, I would like for you to find a job that suits you the best by having a wide range of perspectives.”
After the session, a space was allocated next to the stage where the speakers answered the questions of the audience. Many audience members, not just female but also male audience members, were seen approaching this impromptu Q&A session.

Writer：Daisuke Iwakura

Speakers

：

Megumi Onouchi, ADMINISTRATION OF ANIME BUSINESS PARTNERS FORUM HUMANMEDIA INC, PRESIDENT Kazuo Rikukawa, President and representative director of CHARACTER DATABANK, Ltd. Yasushiro Tanaka, Business planning group, Saitama Foundation For Culture and Industry

　Anime Business Partners Forum (hereafter, “ABPF”) is a forum that promotes the collaboration between the anime and character industries and other external industries with the aim of generating a new business. A year after its foundation, a presentation was given on the outcome of ABPF, its future prospects, and Anitama Festival (Anime and Manga Festival in Saitama) held in 2013.
　ABPF was launched in 2012 with the sponsorship from the Association of Japanese Animations. It is comprised of association member corporations and over 60 general participating corporations. The forum aims for the overseas Japanese anime market, which is currently said to be approximately 2.5 billion Japanese yen, to increase to 1 trillion yen, and to expand the domestic secondary usage fee (product commercialization) from approximately 61.2 billion Japanese yen to 1 trillion Japanese yen. The forum gives support for the anime and character industries in conjunction with their partner business operators to pursue maximization of their revenues.
　Rikukawa presented the accomplishments of ABPF activities, mentioning that six types of business projects were carried out as a series during its first term (November 2012 to February 2013), and that a total of 21 seminars were held in the second term (May to August 2013); three types of seminars for each of its seven topics. The content of the seminars included having members from industries other than anime and character industries gain a wide understanding of the anime business, presenting the possibilities of overseas expansion and licensing to corporations related to anime, and introducing companies from the two industry fields to each other at events such as a networking event. It was announced that new programs are being developed for the third term based on the theme of “Let’s advance it! Overseas business expansion, new business projects, and regional promotion.”
In addition, it was reported that in Japan Pavilion, a licensing expo held in Hong Kong in January, a total of 242 companies from 19 countries and the local region had opened stalls, with over 18,000 companies from over 100 countries participating in the expo. The revenue accrued was approximately 100 million Japanese yen, which is predicted to reach 1 billion Japanese yen when converted to the market size. It was also announced that Aeon Mall is holding an exhibition that showcases the locations where manga and anime series were set under the title of “Manga & Anime Character Archipelago: Japan.”
Tanaka gave a report on the Anitama Festival held in Omiya Sonic City on October 19 and 20 in 2013. In this event, series set in Saitama, such as Anohana: Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai and Lucky Star came together, holding various partnership and promotional programs. The number of visitors over the two day period was approximately 60,000, with the economic ripple effect reaching 134.34 million yen, generating a major economic effect through collaborative projects. It was announced that the second Anitama Festival will be held on October 11 and 12, 2014.

Writer：Daisuke Iwakura

Speakers	：	Makoto Matsuda, president and CEO, Nelke Palnning Co.,Ltd.
Director	：	Takashi Horigi, president and CEO, HoriPro Inc. Haruki Nakayama, chairman, MarvelousAQL Inc. Michiyuki Honma, CEO, president, Pierrot Co.,Ltd. Katsumi Kuroiwa, Rpresident, Avex Live Creative Inc. Tatsuya Sago, Director, Media and Content Industry Division Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Curator	：	Mitsuko Okamoto
Host	：	Miho Nakai

　A press conference was held to commemorate the newly established Japan 2.5-Dimensional Musical Association. 2.5-dimensional musical refers to “a general term for shows that have turned the world depicted in a two-dimensional medium of manga, anime, and video game into a stage performance.” In 2013, there were approximately 70 total showings of musicals based on manga and anime, with the total number of audiences reaching 1.6 million. Thus, it has been established as a specific genre within Japan. Presently, there have been a number of inquiries from overseas.
Representative Director Matsuda explained the first objective behind the establishment of the association was to even out the market by improving the quality of 2.5-dimensional musical. The second objective was to export musicals to the rest of the world.
Each director stated their visions for the future and the plans that are currently in development.
Hori stated that, “Currently, 20 performances and approximately 600 stages are being produced, with performances also being held overseas. Next year, we will produce a stage adaptation of DEATH NOTE with Japanese directors, Japanese and Korean staff members, and a Broadway composer.” It was announced that the musical performances will start in April of next year, with performances also being held in Seoul.
Nakayama commented on his ambition, saying, “We deal with a wide range of entertainment such as music, films, video games, and amusement facilities. We would like to attempt to make a new stage that combines these elements successfully. Furthermore, since we are a company that deals with video games, we would also like to incorporate scripts from video games.”
During the press conference, Honma stated, “I would like to give out messages from the standpoint of an anime production company. Furthermore, we would like to send out NARUTO , a title we produce, as an action musical next year and the following year after that.”
Meanwhile, Kuroiwa claimed, “Creating a live stage for artists is our main activity. In recent years, we have been holding live performances in countries overseas, including Asian countries. By combining the Japanese contents with creative elements from overseas, we would like to produce something new for the audiences.”
In addition, it was announced that the Association intends to encourage the participation of many domestic Japanese corporations and share the know-how in order to establish 2.5-dimensional musicals as content particular to Japan.
How will this new entertainment format created in Japan develop and reach countries across the world? The anticipation toward the future activities of the Association continues to grow.
In addition, there was a surprise during the photography session in which the cast of The Prince of Tennis musical appeared, creating a spectacular stage.

Writer：Daisuke Iwakura

Speakers	：	Kazuhiko Shimazaki, SHUEISHA Koichiro Natsume, Aniplex
Guest	：	Rena Matsui, SKE48
Host	：	Yuma Takahashi, Aniplex

　At the “Conference on the anti-piracy measures on manga and anime,” the current state of the piracy of manga and anime was reported. Thereafter, specific methods for delivering official products and goals were discussed.
Concerning the pirated versions of anime series, Shimazaki’s opinion was that, “Although distributors who provide illegal products infuriate me, I am not upset with the people who enjoy the products. I am grateful for them enjoying the products.” He stated that simply the crackdown of distributors was the first priority. Natsume explained the current state of the pirated anime product overseas in which a video with subtitles are illegally uploaded within a few hours after the episode is aired in Japan. He alleged that such piracy usurps business opportunities and destroys the talent of the creators.
　What the two speakers both claimed was that they wanted the audience to support the series and the creators by purchasing official products, even if in a small amount. Thereafter, they mentioned that they could not appreciate enough the fans that are fond of the work and presented a special video that expressed their feelings of gratitude. At this point, Rena Matsui from the Japanese pop group SKE48 appeared on the stage as a special guest and watched the video with the audience members in which various anime characters gave their thanks. Matsui commented that, “Because characters from various anime and manga series appeared regardless of the years they were made, I was surprised to see this type of collaborative work.”
　Furthermore, Manga-Anime Guardians Project (hereafter, “M.A.G”) was announced as a countermeasure in which the manga industry and the anime industry joined forces against piracy. With the banner of developing the future of manga and anime together with the fans both within and outside of Japan, this project calls for audience to read/watch and purchase the official contents. As a specific measure, a site entitled “Manga-Anime Here,” which provides link to official version of the contents, is planned to launch in the summer of this year. In addition, M.A.G is preparing a collaborative illustration project across various industrial boundaries, with characters from anime series, such as ONE PIECE , NARUTO , Detective Conan , Attack on Titan , and Sword Art Online , all gather together. M.A.G is just like a “seal of pledge” given to the loyal fans that have supported this project.
　Just as Natsume had described this project as being something innovative that is about to occur, anti-piracy measures are about to take a giant leap. The development of such measures in the future is something to watch out for.

Writer：Daisuke Iwakura

Speakers	：	Kenji Uchida, President, SUNRISE INC. Masahiko Minami, President, BONES INC. Yasuyuki Ueda, Chief Producer, NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan LLC Hikaru Kondo, Director, ufotable,Inc
Host	：	Ryota Fujitsu, anime critic

　In the seminar “Working with anime and the future of the anime industry,” four speakers that represent production companies and video production held a discussion panel on the current status of the industry and the necessary human resources for students and anime fans that aspire to work in the anime industry.
　The first topic covered was, “With ‘this’, the current anime industry will improve a lot.” What both Uchida and Minami agreed will improve the present industry was business expansion overseas. Uchida preached the importance of interpersonal exchanges, saying, “There is a need for anime to be produced together with the people overseas, including (foreign) directors.” Meanwhile, Minami explained the current state in which the budget in the industry remains unchanged despite there being more series titles. He shared his idea, stating that “Not only with personnel, but we have to expand the market itself into overseas.” Ueda claimed that creating illustration banks and background libraries, as well as maintaining equality among royalties, are pressing tasks from the perspective of making reforms to the industrial administration. On the other hand, Kondo stressed that “it is important to make a work in which the viewers cannot imagine and won’t become bored,” rather than establishing equality among royalties.
　Next, the topic of personnel desired for the anime industry was discussed. Kondo said that the anime industry seeks people who “can believe in themselves” without being swayed by the values a society holds. He recommended those who have something they would like to accomplish go to a production company, even if to work just as an intern. Minami held the same viewpoint, stating that he would want future employees to derive joy from other people looking at their own work, even while they devote themselves to working behind the scene, after having added a preface that he hopes for people who love videos to work in the industry. Since the industry size itself is small, Uchida emphasized people to enter the industry with a mentality of working in the anime industry and not for a particular anime company. He stressed industry-aspirators to “not be bound to the common sense that exists at the present,” since the industry still has various possibilities in terms of techniques and because there are many areas in which a set route has not yet established.
　The last topic to be discussed was things the speakers wanted to preserve for the next generation. Ueda analyzed the current anime industry as booming, stating that he believes that good work will stay behind without doing a thing. Minami stated that, “because my company (BONES) is a company that simply produces works, our first priority is to produce a work that will remain 10 or 20 years later.” From a slightly different perspective, Uchida stated that what he wanted to preserve was “human resource”: “Rather than preserving or making things last, I would like for people to enter this industry.” Kondo said that he would like to cherish sincerely delivering things that he would like others to see and that he would like to preserve “something that others cannot imagine.”
　In addition to general visitors, this program attracted numerous audience members from the anime industry. Judging from the vitality seen at the event, the passion of the speakers has definitely reached the present audience.

Writer：Daisuke Iwakura

Speakers	：	Kun Gao, CEO, CRUNCHROLL (US) Olivier Cervantes, President, WAKANIM TV (France) Toshiki Ota, Director, CPO, DWANGO (Japan) Ben Kim, Contents Acquisition Manager, HULU (US)
Host	：	Tadashi Sudo, Editor in chief, Anime! Anime!

　Major anime distributors from around the world were invited for this seminar, in which the present and the future of anime business were discussed from the perspective of video distribution.
　For this seminar, four distributors who have been successful in their countries gathered around to share their keys to success. Kim explained the reason why Hulu focused on anime is because they learned that keywords such as NARUTO and anime appeared among the top searched terms in Google. Through this finding, the company discovered a value in anime at the same level as popular overseas drama series. WAKANIM TV started its distribution business in 2009, with business picking up just within three years. Cervantes attributed the reason behind this to the company providing a high-quality anime within a single platform. Presently, the company has established a framework in which an anime episode broadcasted in Japan is distributed an hour later with French subtitles. The site is free to use for 30 days. Afterward, it costs a dollar to stream each episode, with an episode purchasable with 2 dollars for each download.
　Although DWANGO did not distribute anime to countries overseas, Ota revealed that the company is currently engaged in an activity similar that of a trading firm that licenses video to China. He informed that when Sword Art Online was distributed, it was viewed 10 million times. As a secret behind this success, Ota cited establishing thorough measures related to rights. He stated, “China is not a land of lawlessness. As long as one can prove they have the rights, it becomes easier to delete videos on illegal sites.” CRUNCHYROLL originally used to be a site in which users uploaded their content; it now distributes numerous series officially in North America, South America, and Europe. Gao explained that, “this was largely due to having had to run around Japan to make formal transactions with anime companies and entering into partnerships.”
　The discussion also extended to the revenue structure of each company, with Ota commenting that perhaps the subscription service (a fixed-rate system in which revenue is distributed depending on the view counts) that DWANGO has in China and HULU incorporated will become important in the future. On the other hand, paid membership and advertisement serve as two major pillars for Crunchyroll. Cervantes from WAKANIM TV received questions on the current state of the European market, in which he reported that France currently broadcasts four channels simultaneously and that the French market has expanded.
　Lastly, each distributor gave their predictions that the overseas anime market will expand. This talk session concluded with them sharing their foresight in which they wished to strengthen the systems that enable them to contribute to anime production companies.

Writer：Daisuke Iwakura