UlasanAnime.com – Kickstarter is not a concept confined to obscurity; it’s a significant global phenomenon, frequently featured in worldwide news. It was only a matter of time before a fine arts project like Japanese animation found its way onto the platform, and in a legitimate and substantial manner. For Masaaki Yuasa’s Kickstarter campaign, a particular write-up accurately reflects the general sentiment surrounding it, though the implications extend beyond that.
Naturally, as a pioneering effort of its kind, Yuasa’s Kickstarter focused on a high-art short film from an acclaimed animator and director. The campaign itself was quite basic, lacking the sophisticated strategies employed by well-established Kickstarter projects that often include tiered backer incentives and incremental updates to encourage community promotion. Its conservative Japanese approach permeated the endeavor. The assessment of “low risk” lent an air of inevitability, suggesting that the project might have secured funding eventually, regardless of the platform.
However, this perspective undersells the potential of anime Kickstarter campaigns. While the concept of “patronage” is relevant, the primary concern for Kickstarter as an organization is to avoid becoming merely a retail outlet or an empty marketing facade. For many of us, backing projects on Kickstarter aligns with this retail mode. Yet, this concern is largely irrelevant for anime projects like this one, as it directly addresses the core purpose. We can discuss risk shifting, but that’s secondary; all established Japanese companies are deeply committed to their audience. The crucial element here is the interface. Typically, Kickstarter’s greatest strength lies in providing creators with a direct channel to fans and consumers, often bypassing traditional publishers or distributors. This model is prevalent in the indie game scene, encompassing both digital and tabletop gaming. It’s highly unlikely that anyone doubts Production IG’s involvement behind Yuasa’s Kickstarter, even though they wisely allowed Yuasa to take center stage. The copyright notices on the promotional images certainly indicate as much.
The true value of Kickstarter for anime, as I perceive it, lies in its existing framework that enables a global audience to participate in Yuasa’s project or any future endeavors. As a side note, Kickstarter mandates that payments be processed by a US individual or corporation, thus highlighting the importance of IG’s international reach. Kickstarter offers a glimpse of hope through the often-opaque channels of anime marketing overseas, providing a way for international fans to directly engage with and support anime projects. They are no longer hindered by regional licensing agreements; instead, they can connect directly through the internet, a testament to Kickstarter’s effectiveness, rather than a clumsy Japanese attempt at Web 2.0. This creates a win-win situation for both creators and fans. Kickstarter serves as an exceptionally low-cost method to gauge interest and present marketing concepts without causing offense. It also directly taps into the sophisticated arthouse market that Japanese anime has consistently appealed to. The Kickstarter page prominently features French, and prior to that, Japanese. This allows IG the freedom to market it as unconventionally as they wish, without concern for its popularity among a hypothetical mass market—a market that may not even exist.
Naturally, like all art-focused Kickstarter campaigns, the value proposition can be questionable. However, in this instance, it is clearly articulated. For the majority of us, the typical consumption model for anime video purchases involves viewing the content first to determine if it’s worth buying. This opportunity is absent here. Instead of being motivated by the “Sins of A Solar Copyright Empire” to “support the industry,” we can simply support it by directly contributing funds to the creators we admire (after Kickstarter takes its commission). In this particular case, we receive no tangible product in return, at least not yet.
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The unfortunate reality behind anime produced by major companies is not a well-guarded secret. So, individuals like Dave or Daryl might be perfectly content. For me, however, the situation is more complex.
My primary concern lies with the content itself. To illustrate, consider a concurrent example: a highly successful Kickstarter campaign for “Project Eternity,” an isometric PC RPG reminiscent of classics like Neverwinter Nights, Temple of Elemental Evil, Baldur’s Gate, and Icewind Dale, developed by some of the original creators. As I genuinely enjoy these types of games, I contributed to the project. Their stated reason for turning to Kickstarter was the inability to find a publisher willing to back another isometric game, which they deemed a “dated” game dynamic. [As a side note, this reason is somewhat difficult to accept, especially given the success of Firaxis’s XCOM reboot.] On the first day, the Kickstarter offered an “early bird” option for $20, a price point I found reasonable for such a game, prompting my immediate backing. However, as the Kickstarter gained momentum, becoming one of the top-grossing live campaigns, more information was released. The more I read, the less I found myself liking it. To put it in perspective, I deeply enjoyed the first Baldur’s Gate and Temple of Elemental Evil; those are precisely my kind of games. I found Icewind Dale enjoyable initially, but it eventually became a rather tedious experience due to its repetitiveness. While the difficulty gradually increased, it tested patience rather than skill or intelligence. Frankly, I had my fill after Icewind Dale 1. Neverwinter Nights was another series I managed to complete but largely disliked throughout, until its second expansion (the first was not much better), which finally became enjoyable. By the time Neverwinter Nights 2 was released, I had already lost interest in “more of the same.” Ultimately, what I desire is not far from what many others want: another Planescape: Torment. Unfortunately, “Project Eternity’s” teasers offer no indication that they will create a game along those lines; if anything, they seem to be heading in the opposite direction.
Similarly, the more I learn about “Kick Heart,” the more intrigued (albeit delightfully so) I become. I anticipate it will be an entertaining short film to watch, and perhaps even to own (disclosure: I backed the $30 tier). However, this is not where I would allocate my funds, especially when compared to, for instance, a Kickstarter for a Kaiba localization, which I would consider far more valuable. The fundamental point is that Yuasa and Production IG must still earn our support by delivering something of commensurate value, rather than simply attempting something novel or aiming to improve the status quo of anime marketing and funding. Actions like “selling” us a potentially Japanese-produced Blu-ray disc (which they are doing) or offering a chance to have dinner with Mamoru Oshii represent tangible value. Because they are undertaking such initiatives, I believe this “Kick Heart” Kickstarter campaign will indeed be very successful.
In essence, the “Kick Heart” Kickstarter offers a glimpse into a meta-level of engagement.
