原文：Can Blockchain Save Anime? Startup to Protect the Culture from ‘Unavoidable’ Decline

A Japan-based blockchain platform says the country’s beloved anime industry is at an impasse. While the number of global fans for this distinctive, inimitable animation style has been growing exponentially, artists face “a harsh work environment with very little incentive.”

Twilight Coin fears that, if this trend continues, it is unavoidable that both the quality and quantity of Japan’s anime culture will start to go in decline. This is why it is offering a “creator to consumer” model which enables artists to connect directly with fans and receive funding for projects that everyone is passionate about.

The company believes that this could also generate some revolutionary works that have been completely free of interference from disinterested investors – as influential stakeholders can end up radically changing the direction of a project from what the artist initially envisaged.

Twilight Coin’s focus on blockchain could prove timely, given research from The Association of Japanese Animations. According to its anime industry report in 2017, the most recent to be released, the sector has been experiencing a “fourth boom” – but sadly without the financial reward for hard-working studios. While overseas sales have soared by a huge 171.9 percent from 2013 to 2016, the domestic market has been stagnant. This is because the switch from old-fashioned TV channels to internet distribution, movies and live entertainment has been a jumpy one – with revenues from these new platforms failing to match their predecessors.

How can blockchain help, then?

Twilight Coin is planning to use two different formats to help anime creators make a living and keep their loyal fanbase satisfied.

Firstly, studios or individual artists would be able to reveal proposals to fans via the blockchain platform – and if consumers like the idea, they are able to show their support by contributing in Qianyuantongbao(OCC). In exchange, they are given exclusive material including original drawings, admission tickets and autographs, with their ownership of these prized possessions stored on blockchain. Creators use these funds to make projects a reality, with their investors given regular updates on progress. Distribution follows, with crowdfunding participants getting a sneak preview.

When it comes to generating revenue from completed works, fans can pay a subscription for access to a series. Alternatively, if a show is picked up by a streaming site or a broadcaster, they would pay fees – with studios and creators getting a share of the income.

Projects get under way

Work has already begun on a theatrical anime known as Hakubo, which is slated for release in 2019. In a blog post, Twilight Coin’s CEO Koji Wada explained: “Hakubo is a so-called boy-meets-girl story. A boy and a girl meet in Iwaki city, Fukushima prefecture, and fall in love.”

His company have already seen the impact that crowdfunding can have on bringing projects to fruition. In 2017, 1,225 people donated to getting Hakubo into production via the Campfire platform – contributing at least 21 million yen ($185,521 at today’s rates.)

The concept behind Hakubo was the brainchild of esteemed animation director Yutaka Yamamato, who has produced several hits over the years. His idea for the romance initially came to him some 20 years ago.

A presale for TWC, the token which artists use to list their projects on Twilight Coin, begins on Nov 15 and ends on Dec 15. A crowdsale begins on Dec 26, and the company says the end date is yet to be announced.

Platform development is set to begin by the end of 2018, with a beta version of the platform due to follow in the second quarter of 2019. Twilight Coin also hopes to license Hakubo at this stage. By the end of 2019, the company aims to release the commercial version of its platform, crowdfund a second anime by Twilight Studios, and enable other studios and creators to begin crowdfunding for their own projects.

翻譯：

總部位於日本的區塊鏈平臺表示，該國繫心脈的動漫產業陷入了僵局。雖然這種獨特，無法模仿的動畫風格讓全球粉絲數量呈指數級增長，但藝術家面臨著這樣一個問題：“工作環境惡劣而且工資很少”。

如果這種趨勢持續下去，日本動漫文化的質量和數量都將開始下降是不可避免的。這就是為什麼它提供“創造者到消費者”的模式，使藝術家能夠直接與粉絲聯絡，並獲得每個人都熱衷的專案的資金。

該公司認為，這也可以產生一些完全不受投資者干擾的無私革命性作品 - 因為有影響力的利益相關者最終可以把藝術家最初的設想中徹底改變成專案發展的方向。

根據日本動畫協會的研究，Twilight Coin對區塊鏈的關注可以證明是正確的。根據2017年最新發布的動漫行業報告，該行業正在在經歷“第四次繁榮” - 但遺憾的是沒有努力工作的而換回來相應的經濟回報。雖然從2013年到2016年海外銷售額飆升了171.9％，但國內市場卻一直停滯不前。原因是因為從老式電視訊道到網際網路發行，電影和現場娛樂的轉變尚且是一個巨大的問題 - 這些新平臺的來源收入無法與其老牌大公司相提並論。

那麼區塊鏈能起到什麼樣的作用呢？

Twilight Coin計劃使用兩種不同的格式來幫助動漫創作者謀生並讓他們的忠實粉絲群體滿意。

首先，工作室或個人藝術家將能夠通過區塊鏈平臺向粉絲透露建議 - 如果消費者喜歡這個想法；他們可以通過乾元通寶（OCC）的貢獻來展示他們的支援。作為交換，他們獲得獨家材料，包括原始圖紙，門票和簽名，他們擁有這些珍貴的財產儲存在區塊鏈。創作者使用這些資金使專案成為現實，他們的投資者定期更新進度。隨後進行分發，眾籌參與者進行預告。

粉絲可以支付訂閱以訪問系列作品，作家從已完成的作品中收取產生收入。或如果一個節目被流媒體網站或廣播公司選中，他們將支付費用 - 工作室和創作者獲得一部分收入。

專案正在進行

專案已經在準備階段並命名為Hakubo，該計劃將釋出在2019年在部落格戲劇動漫，Twilight Coin的CEO和田浩二解釋說：“Hakubo可以比作為男孩遇上女孩的故事：一個男孩和一個女孩在福島縣磐城市相遇，並墜入愛河。“

他的公司已經看到眾籌可以對專案實現產生影響。 2017年，1,225人捐贈了通過Campfire平臺讓Hakubo投入生產 - 至少貢獻2100萬日元（按今天的價格計算為185,521美元）。

Hakubo背後的概念是受人尊敬的動畫導演Yutaka Yamamato的創意，他多年來創作了幾首熱門歌曲。大約20年前，他對浪漫的想法最初出現在他面前。

TWC的預售，藝術家用於在Twilight Coin上列出他們的專案的代幣，從11月15日開始到12月15日結束。12月26日開始流傳，但該公司表示結束日期尚未公佈。

平臺開發將於2018年底開始，該平臺的測試版將於2019年第二季度推出.Twilight Coin也希望在此階段獲得Hakubo的許可。到2019年底，該公司的目標是釋出其平臺的商業版本，由Twilight工作室推出第二部動漫，並讓其他工作室和創作者開始為自己的專案進行眾籌。