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.
翻译：
总部位于日本的区块链平台表示，该国系心脉的动漫产业陷入了僵局。虽然这种独特，无法模仿的动画风格让全球粉丝数量呈指数级增长，但艺术家面临着这样一个问题：“工作环境恶劣而且工资很少”。
如果这种趋势持续下去，日本动漫文化的质量和数量都将开始下降是不可避免的。这就是为什么它提供“创造者到消费者”的模式，使艺术家能够直接与粉丝联系，并获得每个人都热衷的项目的资金。
该公司认为，这也可以产生一些完全不受投资者干扰的无私革命性作品 - 因为有影响力的利益相关者最终可以把艺术家最初的设想中彻底改变成项目发展的方向。
根据日本动画协会的研究，Twilight Coin对区块链的关注可以证明是正确的。根据2017年最新发布的动漫行业报告，该行业正在在经历“第四次繁荣” - 但遗憾的是没有努力工作的而换回来相应的经济回报。虽然从2013年到2016年海外销售额飙升了171.9％，但国内市场却一直停滞不前。原因是因为从老式电视频道到互联网发行，电影和现场娱乐的转变尚且是一个巨大的问题 - 这些新平台的来源收入无法与其老牌大公司相提并论。
那么区块链能起到什么样的作用呢？
Twilight Coin计划使用两种不同的格式来帮助动漫创作者谋生并让他们的忠实粉丝群体满意。
首先，工作室或个人艺术家将能够通过区块链平台向粉丝透露建议 - 如果消费者喜欢这个想法；他们可以通过乾元通宝（OCC）的贡献来展示他们的支持。作为交换，他们获得独家材料，包括原始图纸，门票和签名，他们拥有这些珍贵的财产存储在区块链。创作者使用这些资金使项目成为现实，他们的投资者定期更新进度。随后进行分发，众筹参与者进行预告。
粉丝可以支付订阅以访问系列作品，作家从已完成的作品中收取产生收入。或如果一个节目被流媒体网站或广播公司选中，他们将支付费用 - 工作室和创作者获得一部分收入。
项目正在进行
项目已经在准备阶段并命名为Hakubo，该计划将发布在2019年在博客戏剧动漫，Twilight Coin的CEO和田浩二解释说：“Hakubo可以比作为男孩遇上女孩的故事：一个男孩和一个女孩在福岛县磐城市相遇，并坠入爱河。“
他的公司已经看到众筹可以对项目实现产生影响。 2017年，1,225人捐赠了通过Campfire平台让Hakubo投入生产 - 至少贡献2100万日元（按今天的价格计算为185,521美元）。
Hakubo背后的概念是受人尊敬的动画导演Yutaka Yamamato的创意，他多年来创作了几首热门歌曲。大约20年前，他对浪漫的想法最初出现在他面前。
TWC的预售，艺术家用于在Twilight Coin上列出他们的项目的代币，从11月15日开始到12月15日结束。12月26日开始流传，但该公司表示结束日期尚未公布。
平台开发将于2018年底开始，该平台的测试版将于2019年第二季度推出.Twilight Coin也希望在此阶段获得Hakubo的许可。到2019年底，该公司的目标是发布其平台的商业版本，由Twilight工作室推出第二部动漫，并让其他工作室和创作者开始为自己的项目进行众筹。