Frogman Flash Animation Moves To TV

[Mulboyne]

In an industry first, Asahi TV has hooked up with Dream Link Entertainment, to broadcast a flash animation series called The Frogman Show. DLE, a company set up by former Sony staffer Ryuta Shiiki, specializes in US-Japan co-productions but formed a joint venture called Kaeru Otoko Shokai with Shimane-based flash animator "Frogman", who had seen his website go from 15 hits a day to 40,000. The 30 minute TV broadcasts will feature popular clips like "Kofun Gal Coffy" and "Eagle Talon". These are now no longer on the web but you can still get a taste of his style from the others on his site or from this clip from "Sugai Kun and the Family Stone" which appears on Flux.

[Mulboyne]

Mutant Frog translates a Fuji Sankei article:

Animation Produced in Small Teams is a Breath of Fresh Air for the Industry: FROGMAN Co., Others Showcase A Powerful Individuality

Animation produced in small teams have been hitting the market one after the other recently, which is a new development as works are usually produced in production teams of dozens or even hundreds of people. The new works, which maintain a high level of quality while showcasing the creators’ intense vision in every nook and cranny, a feat that can only be achieved in a small team, are blowing a new wind throughout Japan’s animation industry.

...The films produced by FROGMAN Co, led by a man who goes by the same name, were also born of superior talent, a PC, and the Internet. The company creates animation using Flash, an animation software that can play simple video on a PC, and began offering programs on the Internet starting in 2004. These short films gained an following, and in April 2006 FROGMAN’s “Falcon’s Claw, Secret Society” (秘密結社鷹の爪) debuted on TV Asahi.

On March 17, “Falcon’s Claw, Secret Society The Movie: The Fuhrer Dies Twice” (総統は二度死ぬ) opens in theaters. FROGMAN spoke at a sneak preview held in Roppongi on March 4: “I’m so happy because cinema is the apex of film.” Just as in the TV version, FROGMAN does almost all the voices himself and drew most of the animation. He was overjoyed to see his brainchild up on the big screen.

The big-screen version of course cost more, but the costs were covered by including product placement within the film. Since it’s a comedy, the film blatantly displays company logos and products to make the crowd laugh. They even included a “budget gauge” on the side of the screen that dips during the more elaborate CGI scenes as a gag for the audience...more...

[Mulboyne]

The Yomiuri has no archive so here's the whole article follows. The Yawaraka Sensha series mentioned in the second part is actually a little controversial. Some believe that there is no real independent animator called Rareko and it is just a marketing ruse by a mainstream production company. The No-sword blog provides links to some of the cartoons on You Tube

Yomiuri: Anime conquers the Internet

Animation is no longer just about movies and TV: More and more creators are making animation on personal computers and showing it on the Web. These emerging animators use different styles than their conventional peers, doing most of the production process alone, allowing them to become hit-makers even if they are on a tight budget or live in a small town far from Tokyo. Frogman, a Web animator based in Shimane Prefecture, is one who has taken this path, and the credits for his creations make clear who's doing the work: "Writing, character design, sound recording, animation, editing, voicing and direction by Frogman." One of the series he has created is Himitsu Kessha Taka no Tsume (Eagle Talon), which was broadcast on TV last year. The series became a cult hit among night owls, and was subsequently released on DVD. A movie version came out earlier this month. "I wanted to prove that as long as creators have the right tools, they don't necessarily need a studio in Tokyo," Frogman told The Daily Yomiuri. Frogman's real name is Ryo Ono, 35. He started posting animation on his Web site in 2004 using software called Flash. His animation is relatively amateurish and stiff, but other aspects of his work more than cover the shortcomings. The stories are satirical and funny. He varies his voice from that of a boy to a middle-age man, and you won't realize it's the same person if you don't know in advance.

Taka no Tsume is basically a sketch comedy. It's the name of a secret society, whose three founding members are the leader, a little boy named Yoshida and a rapper named Philip. They aim to take over the world, but their plans are always interrupted by unexpected situations. Frogman's other series, Kofun Gyaru no Coffy, is even sillier. He says the characters represent walking, talking kofun (ancient burial mounds). The stories are about their school life and romances. Before he started making anime on the Web, Frogman worked in Tokyo for TV and movie production companies for more than 10 years. During those years, he became frustrated with the low pay and little recognition for production staff in comparison with producers. "I wondered why creators didn't get the credit they deserved. Eventually I came to the conclusion that the problem was that the creators were getting paid to do somebody else's bidding," Frogman says. "So I started looking for a way to create my own works without depending on other people's money." Later, on a location shoot in Shimane Prefecture, Frogman met the woman he would eventually marry. After staying on in the area to finish up some work related to the shoot, he decided he would settle there for good.

This was back when broadband Internet was just catching on, making video a viable medium for the Web. "So I thought I might be able to use the Internet to attract fans directly--bypassing the mass media--and make money on my own first, and then go on to start negotiations with major companies for a joint project on an equal basis," he says. But things didn't work out as planned. For a long time, Frogman had to survive on odd jobs such as designing business cards and directing ads for local politicians. Only when some established Web sites introduced his work to their viewers and directed them to his site did he get the breakthrough that led to Taka no Tsume. "I've proved that a regional creator can make a hit, and the next challenge is how to sell it to the world," Frogman says. In cooperation with a marketing company named DLE, Frogman is in the final stages of negotiations with U.S. cable channel G4 to air Taka no Tsume. "Whether anime is made in Shimane or Tokyo, it's 'Japanimation' in the eyes of foreigners. So I encourage other regional creators to do the same."

'Soft Tanks' go cutely into battle

Another anime series, Yawaraka Sensha, is also a mostly solo work, in this case by a Flash animator known only as Rareko. (Rareko declines to reveal to the public his or her real name, gender or location.) Yawaraka Sensha can be roughly translated as "soft tanks." The title characters are white marshmallowlike creatures with caterpillar tracks. They go into battle alongside regular tanks, but withdraw as soon as the enemy attacks. Their withdrawal is accompanied by a jolly theme song. The series is mainly popular among young people, though the fan base is actually fairly broad. The cute characters appeal to women, and Rareko occasionally receives fan mail from men in their 40s. The characters have been made into stuffed toys and other goods and the first DVD went on sale last week. Rareko is not interested in expanding to TV or movies. "I'm more interested in how much I can do on the Net," the animator says. "If it goes on TV, each episode has to have a fixed length. But some of my works are as short as one minute, and others are much longer. I like that looseness."

Before becoming a Web animator, Rareko tried to become a manga artist, but was unsuccessful. However, when the artist started to put works on the Web, the situation began to change. Rareko says: "When I draw manga for the print media, I have to wait for a response. But on the Internet, I receive a response the same day--or even within a minute. So I'm encouraged and come up with a new development in the story. Yawaraka Sensha was born in such a lively interaction." If interaction is so valuable, why does Rareko work alone? "Because it allows me to be carefree. If you want to produce exactly what you have in your mind, it's best to do it yourself even though it may take you a long time. And it's easier to decide to reshoot because it's sometimes hard to reject someone's work and tell that person to start over when they've spent all day on it." But as more companies start to see business opportunities in merchandising connected to Web anime, it's becoming increasingly difficult for the creators to do everything by themselves.

For Rareko, who is very busy not just with animation but also with illustrations and writing in preparation for a merchandising launch, the answer was to appoint a Tokyo-based company, Fanworks, to mediate between the animator and business partners. Fanworks Chief Executive Officer Akira Takayama says: "When animators release their work on a major portal site or TV, or when a merchandising project is planned, a lot of miscellaneous work needs to be done--marketing, contracts, schedule management, negotiation with partners, and copyright handling, for example. I thought it would be the best if we took over these miscellaneous tasks so that the creators can concentrate on their work."

A 'Flash' of genius

While intermediary companies help on the business side, the Flash software is the key tool for animators. Much Web anime is made with Flash--originally a relatively small program intended for Web site design. Animator Aruji Morino is one of the first people who came up with the idea of using the software for animation. "I liked drawing, and I wondered if I could make a comic strip or slide show type of work with Flash," Morino said in an e-mail to The Daily Yomiuri. "I gave it a go and found that it was easier than I expected, so I tried to create some proper animation." Morino released an animation titled Tsukinohashizuku in 2001. He recalls, "At that time, Internet surfing meant browsing text and photos. Viewers must have been surprised to find themselves watching a movie."

Based in southern Osaka Prefecture, Morino visits Tokyo once or twice a month to meet his business partners, and handles everything else by phone and e-mail. Since he started doing business this way, a lot of animators have followed in his footsteps. "The Internet has become faster, and more and more Web sites are showing movies. Whether it's Flash anime or other types of anime or live action, they're all considered Web movies now," he says. "As long as we produce works that are different from what you see on TV, Web anime will continue to grow." Now Morino forecasts that Web anime will expand to mobile phones. The world of Web anime looks set to keep expanding.