HIKKY Inc. CEO Yasushi Funakoshi / CVO (Chief Virtual Officer) Fio from The Moving Castle

Pursuing the possibilities of virtual reality: Bringing virtual reality into the real world

Twice a year, Virtual Market is a place where real products and 3D items can be bought and sold in the virtual world. With hundreds to thousands of amateur creators exhibiting and selling 3D models, and unprecedented participation from major companies and artists, the event attracts over 120 million visitors from around the world during the period, creating a lively atmosphere. It is a space that combines the best of both reality and virtuality. We spoke with Mr. Funakoshi, CEO of HIKKY Inc., which provides this dreamlike world, and Fio of Moving Castle, the company's CVO.

<HIKKY Inc. CEO Yasushi Funakoshi>

■ Entering the virtual world through encounter with "Fio from the Moving Castle"

When I was a student, I made a conscious effort to build networks outside of school. My parents ran a business, so I was exposed to management from junior high school onwards. I heard about working styles and salaries there, so I got a feel for the advantages and disadvantages of running a business. While I was still a student, I started several businesses, including a flower shop and a part-time job placement service, and all of them were successful. Then I closed everything down and got a job at a major telecommunications company to study. After leaving the company a while later, I started several creative companies. One of those was HIKKY.
Fio (Fio from the Moving Castle, hereafter referred to as Fio) helped me overcome my hesitation about starting a virtual reality job. To be honest, the VR business is difficult. However, Fio had a strong desire and plan to "live in the virtual world." I sensed Fio's sincerity, so I thought I could use the areas of expertise I had developed during my student days and while running a company to maximize the potential of the virtual world while also realizing his dream and what I wanted to do.

■ To make the products and works on the "Virtual Market" shine

We are creating a marketplace in the metaverse (virtual space) called "Virtual Market."
Originally, Virtual Market started as an event for general creators who make avatars and other 3D models, but seeing the creators' success, more and more companies became interested. I think we were able to achieve this because we worked together with the creators.
Companies have taken notice of the new way virtual reality can be used for PR and branding. Virtual Market collaborates with companies and organizations from a variety of industries, including cars, medicine, entertainment, games, music, local governments and government ministries. Our unique strength is that we can bring a variety of industries into the virtual world. This new initiative has become a hot topic on social media and in the media, and since receiving positive feedback, we have been grateful to see an increase in the number of visitors who want to exhibit at Virtual Market.
We hope to continue holding the Virtual Market with the desire to provide a place that is like a dreamland where people can have fun just by visiting. 

■ I want to work with people who are constantly pursuing and realizing the possibilities of virtual reality.

The creative world is constantly evolving. The virtual industry is also experiencing incredible growth. I want to work with people who are ready to take on new challenges and take action to further expand the virtual world and its possibilities.

■Message to university students

Times are changing considerably, and I feel that Japan is on the verge of economic decline. However, it is precisely in times of economic downturn that you can gain a great advantage by adopting a business mindset. I think it's a good idea to choose a company with such a forward-looking outlook as your place of employment, or even start your own business. Even in times like these, you can get by just fine if you change your mindset with hope. In fact, I feel that there are plenty of opportunities.

Student Newspaper Online, October 30, 2024, Interview by Toyo University, 3rd year student, Chisaki Hashimoto

<HIKKY Inc. CVO (Chief Virtual Officer) Fio from The Moving Castle>

■He was a professional magician during his student days?

I was a professional magician when I was a university student. At a welcome party for my university club, I saw someone putting fire out of his wallet. I was shocked and thought, "Who is that guy!?", so I asked him to teach me magic. I then apprenticed to a professional magician, and for my four years at university, I performed magic tricks at restaurants, bars, weddings, and other events. Magic tricks aren't enjoyable if they're just the basics, so I combine them with storytelling, presentation, and character to create a performance. I wasn't consciously doing something creative, but ever since I was little I've loved imagining my own worldviews and making things. I feel that the things I've enjoyed since I was young are what have kept me going to this day.

■ Trusting my intuition, I jumped into the virtual world

After leaving Recruit, where I had worked for six years, I wanted to pursue my passion for magic and other creative pursuits, so for a while I managed a magic bar. However, I later developed depression and social phobia, which not only made it impossible for me to work, but also made it impossible for me to look people in the eye when I spoke. While I continued to remain isolated, in 2018, VTubers began to appear in large numbers, and VR began to gain attention. When I saw that, I had a hunch that "this could be it!" I had only encountered VR once before, but relying solely on that intuition, I started studying from scratch and dove into the world of VR.
In virtual space, you're interacting with avatars, so you can communicate socially like before. As I gathered VR users and VTubers to create large-scale streaming projects, I began to seriously consider "living in virtual space." I'm good at creating things in virtual space and learning about avatar culture from the front lines, but I'm not good at business or going out and interacting with people. Meeting partners like Funakoshi and others who helped me with these areas of weakness helped me realize the world I had envisioned.

■“Vket” is a place where many new opportunities are born

Virtual Market (commonly known as Vket) is a market event in a virtual space that we run. Currently, many companies from various industries, such as Sony, Kao, and Suntory, have exhibited at the event, but it originally started as a flea market for individual creators. A virtual space has nothing unless someone creates something, so we want it to be a good opportunity for creators to get started. Vket There is a place to exhibit the works you have created, so many people have the goal of "Let's use this avatar at the next Vket!" Humans tend to work harder when they have a deadline, so this is a good opportunity for creators.
Exhibiting works also creates opportunities for users who visit Vket. When shopping online, you often only get recommended products, and chance encounters are rare. But in a virtual space, even though it's a digital space, you can browse like you're window shopping and discover the works and worldviews of creators you've never known before. For creators, users, and many people involved with Vket, it's a place where opportunities are born and lives are changed. This is the fundamental value of Vket. And because of this value, the number of exhibitors and visitors continues to grow. In fact, there are many people who say, "Vket has changed my life." I would like to continue creating such a place.

■Message to university students

Currently, only a small minority of people work in virtual reality, and it's still thought of as a pastime or a game. However, in the future, I hope to create a society where it's commonplace to choose to live in virtual space, get paid, and grow old in it. I'm excited about the arrival of this society. I encourage all university students to find what excites you the most and pursue it with all their heart. It will become the basis for how you approach things in your future life, and whether you succeed or fail, it will be an invaluable experience. I hope you cherish the present and spend these four years doing only what you love.　　　　

Student Newspaper Online December 30, 2024 Interview by Toyo University sophomore Rinno Koshiyama 

Yoshikazu Kamei, third-year student at Chuo University / Rinno Koshiyama, second-year student at Toyo University / Chisaki Hashimoto, third-year student at Toyo University