Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Director of Bushiroad Inc.

As an IP developer, we bring entertainment to everyone.

■ Profile

Born in Tochigi Prefecture in 1964. After graduating from the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University, he worked at IBM Japan before founding COSPA Co., Ltd. in 1995. He became Representative Director and President, pioneering the early anime and game peripheral markets. In 2006, he became Representative Director and President of Tablier Communications (now COSPA Group Co., Ltd.). He served as an advisor to Bushiroad Co., Ltd. from January 2012, and as a director of the company from September 2015, before becoming Representative Director and President of the company in October 2017. From July 2022, he will be Director and Head of Corporate Planning, overseeing business planning, human resources, general affairs, legal affairs, and systems.

Bushiroad Inc. has grown significantly through the production and sale of trading card games. As an IP (intellectual property) developer, they have grown even further through a variety of businesses, including manga, anime, live music, and professional wrestling. We spoke to them about their current business activities and future plans.

■Successfully increased awareness through promotion using all media

With IP (intellectual property) content at its core, we handle everything from planning to launching trading card games such as "Cardfight!! Vanguard" and music content-focused "BanG Dream!", as well as merchandise sales, etc. We also develop original content and license it for commercialization.
On the other hand, with card games, old and rare cards have asset value, and the longer the history, the greater the number of users, so card game titles with a long history have an advantage in the market. For this reason, it can be said that it is an extremely difficult market for new entrants. Therefore, in order to raise awareness of the product among customers and encourage them to pick it up and play, a vertical launch is necessary. For example, we create opportunities to raise awareness by running many advertisements per day, such as TV anime broadcasts and commercials, and signs in train stations. Furthermore, in sales, we communicate with specialty stores and provide extensive support even after sales.

■ Comicalization is part of the promotion

Manga and anime, which are part of our business, are defined as part of our promotional activities. For example, by turning the original "BanG Dream!" into a comic, we can fully convey the story that cannot be fully conveyed through the game to users through manga and anime. By "visualizing" the story in this way, we are creating an opportunity for customers to learn more about our services.

■What are the benefits of running your own voice actor agency?

There are three main benefits to running your own voice actor agency. The first is that by having your own voice actors, you don't have to outsource work to other companies. The second is that your voice actors can share information when launching new content. The third is that by training your actors in-house, you can work with a deep understanding of our company.
For example, timing is crucial when launching content and making it a hit. One strategy is to have voice actors promote it on social media once it starts to gain attention online. However, if we use voice actors from other companies, we might miss the opportunity because we'd have to get a proposal approved. With our own voice actors, we can take action immediately without having to prepare a proposal, allowing us to seize the opportunity. For these reasons, we operate "Hibiki" ourselves. Furthermore, as part of our advertising activities, we hold seminars and events at card game specialty stores where our products are sold, and our voice actors sometimes visit them. We make every effort to ensure user enjoyment by encouraging direct communication between customers and voice actors, such as by having them compete in card games.

■Unknown market - Breaking open the blue ocean

Our company not only creates new IP from scratch, but also engages in the production business of restoring the once popular IP of other companies. The pro-wrestling business is a prime example of this. For example, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, which is part of our group, saw attendance numbers decline compared to its heyday due to the mixed martial arts boom of the 2000s. As a company with an IP developer strategy, we leveraged our IP production know-how to help boost the pro-wrestling industry and, by extension, Japan as a whole, and led New Japan Pro-Wrestling to a V-shaped recovery. New Japan Pro-Wrestling still holds over 150 tournaments a year both domestically and internationally, conveying the appeal of pro-wrestling to people throughout Japan and around the world.
Markets known as blue oceans are often niche or have little-known content, and it's unclear whether they will grow into a market. Entering them requires courage. However, if you can analyze them well, you can develop the market and achieve significant growth in sales.

■ Creating an environment where young people can communicate

Our market is supported by relatively young users. Without the foresight of young people, it is impossible to predict the market. For this reason, we want young people to take charge of our future business, and we are working to "rejuvenate" our company. We, the management team, would like to support young people in creating a work environment in terms of human resources and management, as well as in sales, so that they can thrive in planning and other areas.

■Message to university students

I have two pieces of advice for you. First, make an effort to acquire global skills. The domestic market is expected to shrink in the future due to the declining population, which is also a social issue in Japan. On the other hand, markets around the world are open and there is ample potential for development. Therefore, I would like you to develop an eye for trends in overseas markets and to acquire the necessary skills to go along with that.
The second is to acquire expertise. Going forward, society will move towards an era in which work content and results will be priced. Until now, seniority-based systems have been the norm, but this is changing towards a merit-based, professional qualification system in which people with skills and abilities will thrive. See this social trend as an opportunity, and young people should start studying for qualifications, developing their strengths, and gaining a wide range of experiences. If you can develop expertise in just one area, I believe you will be able to have a fruitful future.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on October 14, 2022 by Ryusei Nishiyama, a third-year student at Musashino University and Ryota Minematsu, a third-year student at Kokugakuin University