2024/11/20

IP Production

こんにちは、「ぶれすと」編集部です。
今回は当社グループで導入している人事制度のうち、「Brave group Award（MVP制度）」に関するストーリーをお届けします！

About Brave group and the MVP System

First, a brief introduction to the “Brave group MVP Award”, our company’s human resources recognition.

As of November 20, 2024, Brave group operates over 30 services and projects across 16 group companies. As previously mentioned in the interview with Representative CEO Noguchi, Brave group’s organization and business are creating new businesses and integrating operations at a speed incomparable to typical startups. Consequently, we have welcomed many new colleagues to our group over the past year.

To recognize and honor project teams and members who have demonstrated outstanding performance and achievements, serving as benchmarks and role models within our group in Japan, we introduced the “Brave group Award” in October 2024.

This time, we interviewed Yuri Manase, who was nominated for the inaugural Brave group Award and received the special New Age Award* given to individual members. We asked her about her “impressions on the day of the awards ceremony” and our group’s “culture of celebrating colleagues and teams.”

*New Age Award: An award that honors employees who have provided new value or inspiration to society, having met the nomination criteria.

Drawn to “Team Unity” in a single work

── Could you please start by introducing yourself?

Manase: Currently, I am with LaRa Inc. where I am involved in video-related work for HIMEHINA, an IP Production operated by LaRa. As a leader, I am also responsible for quality checks and operational support for videos produced by our members. In the credits for music videos and other works, I am introduced as “Yurio.”

── Could you tell us about your specific work and production achievements?

Manase: Since joining the company, I have primarily been involved in video production for MVs and other works within the Megumi department, which consists mainly of graphic and video staff. Since the release of “WWW” in March 2023, I have also been responsible for direction in addition to video production. And for “LADY CRAZY,” released on November 15, I handled the editing.

── Speaking of direction, you were responsible for the overall direction of the live performance visuals for the recent HIMEHINA LIVE 2024 “Remember the tears.”

Manase: It was a live performance that many people, especially fans, watched! I created the direction while considering which parts of the songs would excite the fans and how. So, when I saw the audience’s reactions at the venue on both days, the entire team was deeply moved, thinking, “It got as exciting as we predicted!” The process of creating the videos and direction used in the live performance, and the check-back process until completion, were incredibly challenging, beyond words. But I believe we were able to complete it because we pushed through it together with the team members!

── It was very well received not only by the fans but also our colleagues across Brave group. Now, before joining LaRa, you worked at a production company that handled promotional videos, such as TV commercials. Why did you aim for the video industry, and what led you to join LaRa afterward?

Manase: I became interested in video works after casually watching an anime in high school. From there, I discovered a particular animator, and their video works, especially their MVs, captivated me. This sparked a desire to “create MVs in the music industry,” and I decided to pursue a career in the music and video industry. I then aimed for companies involved in MV production, but at that time, very few video production companies hired new graduates; most sought experienced professionals. So, I decided to gain a few years of experience first, joined my previous production company, and worked diligently.

── And then, two years later, you joined LaRa.

Manase: Yes. In the Entertainment industry at that time, the VTuber industry had the most momentum. Also, many of my friends were VTuber fans, and I myself watched streams from other companies’ IPs, so I vaguely considered the VTuber industry when looking for a new job. While listening to various companies, I encountered “Tanaka Koumu-ten,” the predecessor of LaRa. In other companies, tasks and production processes were vertically divided, with each person creating videos and MVs “as an individual professional.” However, LaRa, while also having vertical divisions, had an atmosphere of “unity where the entire team works as professionals to create a single work.” This appealed to me, and I decided to join.

“Nomination” news arrived while I was busy with work.

── Indeed, while the LaRa team is divided into departments by task and role, they seem to be united beyond their positions and departments, driven by their shared passion for HIMEHINA! And Ms. Manase, you recently received the special “New Age Award” at the Brave group Award 2024, held during the kick-off meeting and party. Congratulations again on your award!

Manase: Thank you!

── A few weeks before the kick-off meeting, you received a notification from the Brave group Award management saying, “You’ve been nominated for this MVP system!” What was your initial reaction to the news?

Manase: I was surprised, and at the same time, I thought, “What should I do?” (laughs). Actually, a major recording was scheduled for the same day as the party, so almost everyone at LaRa was planning not to attend. Also, in addition to my individual nomination, the project team was also nominated for “HIMEHINA Heart Pie Dancehall MV surpassing 10 million views,” so I thought we had to adjust the recording schedule. As a result, not only I but the entire team was able to attend the party!

── Thank you for adjusting your busy schedule! And the MVP awards ceremony was held at the kick-off meeting and party on October 11. What were your thoughts when your name was called as a nominee and then announced as the recipient of the New Age Award?

Manase: I was even more surprised than when I received the nomination notice! Especially when the award was announced, my superiors and team members came close to the stage, which made me very happy. Also, although the number of nominees for this system was announced beforehand, the scale of the party, the types of awards, and how they would be presented were not revealed until the day of, so I was nervous the whole time.

── Your team members were all holding cameras in front of the stage, determined not to miss the moment you received the trophy! During the nomination and award announcement, a recommendation comment from your superior, LaRa Director Ms. Kawamura, was also revealed. Did you read the comment after the awards ceremony?

Manase: Of course, I read it! I was deeply moved that he recognized how I, along with the entire team, created a detailed production for HIMEHINA LIVE 2024 “Remember the tears,” despite facing endless check-backs, and how I diligently tackled the role of overall director, a task I had never experienced before! Although the “New Age Award” was given to me, I consider it an award received by all members of LaRa.

── Speaking of all members, the HIMEHINA Heart Pie Dancehall MV surpassing 10 million views also received the “Impressive Team Award” for the project team! Did you communicate with the LaRa team after receiving the award?

Manase: They celebrated me both at the party venue and in the office after the party! They also sent me many videos and photos from the awards ceremony (laughs). “Heart Pie Dancehall” has now surpassed 30 million views, and we shared our determination to aim for 100 million views among the members. Also, after receiving the award, Ms. Kawamura gave me and the team congratulatory words, saying, “Let’s continue to work together as a team to create impressive works that will last for a long time and ensure that HIMEHINA continues to exist for a long time.”

Approaching video production with even more Heart

── Ms. Kawamura gave you wonderful encouragement! Now, Ms. Manase, you received the “New Age Award” at the Brave group Award 2024. Did your approach or mindset towards video production and creativity change before and after receiving the award?

Manase: It didn’t particularly change, but I became even more motivated! (laughs) In fact, for the MV I’m currently working on and for the HIMEHINA National Tour 2024 (West) “Remember the tears,” I decided to continue creating even better works than before. Actually, before and after the party, we had continuous long hours of recording and production, and the entire team couldn’t let their guard down for a moment. However, being nominated for this system and receiving the award, which recognized and honored the entire team’s achievements and the efforts leading up to them, made me feel as if all our past efforts and challenges had been rewarded. And with the encouragement from my superior, I resolved to continue production with even more heartfelt dedication to HIMEHINA than ever before!

── As a fan, I’m also looking forward to your heartfelt works! Could you also share your impressions of this system, which was introduced for the first time?

Manase: I think this system embodies one of our group’s values, “Respect First.” I felt it was wonderful to have an atmosphere where we celebrate each other across organizational boundaries, and this awards ceremony also provided an opportunity to communicate with people from other group companies outside of LaRa, which made me very happy. Above all, being grandly celebrated by the directors of Brave group and others, I believe, can further enhance our motivation to contribute to the business and organization, and our passion for video production.

As one team, Creating works that keep raising the bar
── I’m very happy that this award has become a good opportunity to connect across the company. Now, after receiving the award, could you tell us what you would like to challenge within our group and at LaRa?

Manase: For both MV production and live performance overall direction, I always want to continue creating works as a team that exceed the quality of the previous MV or live performance. I want to seriously commit to creating live performances, and since “Heart Pie Dancehall,” we haven’t delivered new MVs to our fans, so I want to increase the number of video works. I’m thinking of creating works that will surprise fans and the industry, together with the entire team, including Ms. Hime and Ms. Hina.

── Those are very high goals! Could you tell us if there are any specific works or technologies you particularly want to challenge?

Manase: There are three things I want to challenge.

First, I want to leverage the group’s synergy to convey the charm of HIMEHINA to even more people. For example, our group includes Brave pictures Inc., which produces anime. I hope that someday we can create an MV that fuses 3D visuals with 2D animation, delivering new aspects of HIMEHINA’s charm to our fans.

Second, I want to improve the overall team’s technical skills. As Mr. Nakamura from Brave group Studio Department mentioned in his interview, the VTuber industry continues to significantly level up its modeling and live streaming technologies daily. To keep up with the industry’s advancements, we want to continue improving our skills as a team, including Unity, and keep releasing video works that pay attention to every pixel.

Third, I want to create a live performance where HIMEHINA interacts with the real space. For example, it would be amazing if HIMEHINA could walk down the stage runway, high-five the audience, ride a trolley around the venue, or directly interact with their fans (laughs). Once I start thinking, there’s no end to it, but I want to research new directions and technologies that haven’t been seen in the VTuber industry with the team, and surprise fans and the industry through live performances.

── It seems you’ll put a lot of effort into realizing these three goals, but it also sounds very rewarding! Finally, please give a message to those who are currently in the selection process for our group, or job seekers who want to challenge and grow in this industry.

Manase: For those who, like me, love HIMEHINA and want to pursue creativity as a team, surprise the world through creativity, and deliver inspiration to fans, LaRa’s environment is the optimal place. Also, through this MVP system, I reaffirmed that our group has an environment that celebrates, encourages, and supports the efforts and achievements of each individual and team. Above all, after receiving the “New Age Award” myself, I resolved to continue challenging myself to create works that strike wonder in fans’ hearts and define an era, together with the entire team.