Hikari won with the story 'Kiichi no Ayamachi' about an oni boy who lives by human emotions
World Maker, the storyboarding application service for Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ imprint, announced on Wednesday that Hikari Storyboard's “Kiichi no Ayamachi” (Kiichi's Error) won the grand prize for the competition. Short anime film competition sponsored by Netflix.
Image via official World Maker blog
© Shueisha, Netflix
The story revolves around the cheerful and expressive middle school girl Aya, who meets an oni boy named Kiichi. Kiichi nurtures human emotions, but when he spends time with Aya, he realizes the true depth of human emotions.
Hikari will receive a cash prize of 500,000 yen (about US$3,300), and their storyboard will be adapted into an anime by Netflix.
“Uchūjin wa Bōshi o Kaburu Darō ka”(Aliens wear hats, right?) by Sydney Katonbo (Arisugawa-san to Arisugawa-san) by Usagi (Arisugawa and Arisugawa),”CLOVER”by Gyūsuke,”Zombie no Furi de Ikinobiru”(I will survive by pretending to be a zombie) by Sanmonzake and”Henshin Hero!” by Yokan. (Reply Hero) all earned honorable mentions, and each creator will receive an Amazon gift card worth 10,000 yen (about US$65).
The World Maker app launched on July 12. The app allows users (“even those who can't draw”) to create thumbnail layouts for manga or storyboards for animation, live-action shows acting, movies and commercials. To create draft thumbnails of manga in the service, the user sketches the page layout (or uses the provided templates), adjusts and drops the provided characters and other graphic elements, enters dialogue, add effects and then give the final result.
The staff claims that the app can also machine translate thumbnails and storyboards into 17 languages including English, Chinese, Korean, and French. Users can then share the results online for others to follow and comment on. According to staff, more than 20,000 users have created about 37,000 works in the first three months since the app launched.
World Maker also organizes the “Manga World Maker Contest” for thumbnails created using the app. The competition accepted applications from August 1 to October 1 last year. The grand prize winner will have a manga drawn by Taishi Tsutsui (We Never Learn) for release on Shonen Jump+ and will also receive a cash prize of 500,000 yen (about $3,300 USD). The storyboard “Gaming PC Mitai ni Hikaru Tako”(Squid that shines like a gaming PC) by Okari won the competition.
Similarly, World Maker is also holding a separate short film competition with TOHO, accepting applications from September 13 to November 12 last year. The grand prize winner will receive a cash prize of 500,000 yen (about US$3,300) and their storyboard will be turned into a live action short film by TOHO. Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island, expected live-action Hollywood Gundam film) along with the Shonen Jump+ editorial team will judge the entries. Kitarō's “Kao no Nai Machi”(Faceless Town) storyboard won the competition.
Source: World Maker official blog, Mantan Web
