by Kochi Shinkin Bank announced on the 31st that it will start accepting applications for the “Kochi Anime Creator Award” from October 1st, which aims to discover and train animation creators. Up to 30 million yen in prize money will be prepared to support animation production. It was backing up aspiring and capable animation creators.
In the anime industry, work is often carried out by dividing roles among multiple companies, partly because of the relics of delivering finished works to broadcasting stations on tape media. Most affiliated companies still gather in Tokyo today.
On the other hand, living in the city, where the cost is high, is a high hurdle.
Kochi Shinkin Bank is working on the “Kochi Anime Creator Sacred Site Project” project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding, gather anime-related industries and leaders in the prefecture, create jobs, and revitalize the region. Various anime-related events have been held in multiple places so far, and this time was planned as part of that.
The application period is from October 1st to January 10th next year. Short animations of about 90 seconds to 15 minutes are targeted, and the expression method is free. Works completed after 2020 can be submitted regardless of age or place of residence, and applications for schools and circles are also accepted.
Professional judges active at the forefront select 30 nominated works, and after a general vote, the award-winning works, such as the Grand Prix, are decided. Creators selected for the Grand Prix will be granted the right to create animations to be announced at the “Anime Creator Awards 2025”, and their works will be released to the world.
At a press conference, Kochi Shinkin Bank Chairman Kurumi Yamazaki said, “I want this to be an opportunity to make discoveries and take on challenges.”
