Baku Hirai, Executive Officer and COO of LINE Digital Frontier Corporation

2022.04.01

Providing services that people can enjoy

Executive Officer and COO, LINE Digital Frontier Corporation　**Baku Hirai**(Hirai Baku)

■ Profile

After graduating from university, he worked on the production of digital photo books and other products, before taking charge of planning the official digital manga service for a mobile carrier. In 2013, he joined LINE Corporation and was in charge of LINE Manga. In 2018, he was seconded to LINE Digital Frontier Corporation following the company's spin-off. In February 2019, he was appointed Executive Officer of the company, and in 2020, he was appointed COO.

Many people have probably read manga on the app "LINE Manga." It boasts the top market share in Japan as an electronic comic service, and it's no exaggeration to say that it's one of the services that created the habit of reading manga on smartphones. We spoke to COO Hirai, who provides the "LINE Manga" service, about the appeal and dreams that only an industry leader can share.

　To be honest, I wasn't a very serious student when I was a university student. I spent my time in classes, playing in a band, working part-time, and generally living a free student life, and on graduation day I even had a live band performance in Hiroshima (laughs). Because of that, I didn't look for a job and just continued with music. After graduating from university, I worked part-time at an editing production company while continuing to play music, producing company yearbooks and doing phone interviews.
　However, when I turned 26, the band broke up. I didn't intend to quit music completely, but I wanted to work properly, so I joined an IT company that created mobile services for publishing companies. The reason I joined was because I'd always loved entertainment, I was interested in the publishing industry, and mobile was an industry that seemed like it would be fun at the time, as it was expected to grow in the future. After that, I changed jobs to several companies, and although there were changes, such as my involvement in digital comics, I personally loved creating services, and I have been involved in "service creation" ever since, including now.

■Providing services that everyone can enjoy

　IT technology has evolved from flip phones in the past to smartphones now, but the core of how good a service we can create remains the same. I want to create a service that everyone can enjoy and get excited about, and with that in mind, I feel like I'm always coming up with various ideas. With digital comics, it's not just that paper has been replaced by digital, but there are things that are possible because they are now online services. I want to find those things and provide something that is even more enjoyable.
　We are in a period of change where manga culture is spreading around the world and the way it is produced is gradually changing, and I feel that it is rewarding to be able to take the initiative in this industry and be involved in the development of manga. I don't see the changes in technology and the times as a struggle; in fact, I would say that it is the changes that make it fun.

■ Expanding manga globally

　Currently, LINE Manga distributes over 70 titles, including over 700 original, exclusive, and pre-release works (as of January 22.1). We hope to continue to develop the platform as a place where new works are created and where it offers benefits to users, authors, and businesses alike.
　In particular, when viewed globally, I believe our company has the potential to be at the center of this movement. We can distribute original works overseas, and conversely, we can distribute overseas works in Japan. This is because "WEBTOON worldwide service," a global group of digital comic platforms to which "LINE Manga" belongs,The total number of app downloads has exceeded 200 million, making us the overwhelming leader in the industry. Because we are in such a global position, we want to continue expanding globally, further improve the performance of manga content, and provide a good environment for both users and artists. We also want to become a company that provides the number one service that users choose. This is my own dream, and I would be happy if we can achieve results that will make me say, "I did it!"

■ What we look for is teamwork

　If I were to work with someone, I'd like someone who likes manga. I also think it would be better if they like thinking up services and feel that this job is suited to them. However, when creating a service, there is a limit to what one person can do alone, so teamwork is important. For this reason, I would like to work with people who can demonstrate teamwork.
　Furthermore, successful experiences such as users accepting a feature or service you've created increase motivation and lead to a sense of fulfillment. Previously, when we revamped "LINE Manga," we saw clear results, such as sales doubling, which left a strong impression on me. Of course, there is a lot to learn from failures, too, and each one is important. I hope we can all work together to create services in this way.

■Message

　I got into music when I was a student and did a variety of part-time jobs. Looking back, I think all those experiences have helped me in my current job. I feel like I had the most time during my student days, and once you start working, there are a lot of things you want to do but can't. I want you to do what you want to do during your student days. There are many experiences that will come in handy later in life. I encourage you to try and do what you want to do.

Student newspaper April 2022 issue Honoka Hama, 2nd year student at Toyo University