Maiko Okada x Yoshimichi Kameda – Pioneering the Sustainable Future of Anime at Studio Kurm

― Studio Kurm is live. Your collaboration is making waves. What’s the origin story?

Okada: I have been working with Kameda-san for nearly two decades, starting from our time on Doraemon. Even then, he didn't just draw dynamic scenes; he internalized the director's intent and elevated it with his own flair. He delivered art that exceeded expectations. I recognized his extraordinary talent and potential early on.

Watching Kameda-san evolve into a main animator, I realized his strength wasn't just technical skill—it was his magnetic ability to rally a team. That kind of leadership is rare. So, when I decided to start fresh, he was my first call. "Shall we create something new together?" I asked. It wasn't a hard sell; our visions naturally aligned, and here we are.

― What was your reaction to the call?

Kameda: Honestly, I felt like it's the natural next step in a conversation we’d been having for years. We’re comrades who have always debated how to improve production environments. Okada-san is known for her intensity and passion. My stance was simple: If you're building it yourself, I'm in. It wasn't a leap of faith. It was rather a natural result of years of shared intent.

Okada: We felt frustrated by the limitations of traditional methods and a strong sense of crisis about the sustainability of anime production. Japanese animation is globally beloved thanks to the legacy built by our predecessors. We are driven by a determination to preserve this culture and connect it to the future. That’s why we launched this studio to be architects of an environment where creators can truly thrive.
 

― What are Okada-san's strengths as a producer?

Kameda: Firstly, having aspired to be an animator, she possesses a discerning eye for art, a unique strength for a producer. She constantly sends me X accounts and asks, "What do you think?" She’s digging for the diamonds in the rough that no one else has found yet.

― So, she's leveraging social media for talent discovery.

Kameda: Exactly. We’re always on the lookout for hidden talent, which gives the production team more options. But equally important is her ability to reverse-engineer a schedule. She’s incredible at it. She spots bottlenecks miles away and sounds the alarm pretty early. She’s strict about deadlines—borderline annoying (laughs)—, but that discipline buys us the very important time to polish the work at the very end.

Okada: Speed and quality are often trade-offs. If someone doesn't hold the timeline, the whole thing collapses.  

― What’s your policy on creative works?

Kameda: I prioritize the animator's sense over visual uniformity. It can be a radical idea. But I like variance in the art. I’d rather have a screen full of unique, breathing lines than kill the energy by forcing everyone into the same box.
We ensure a quality baseline. But of course, that's not enough. Through communication with the team, we decide what to fix and what to keep. We build works where you can see the fingerprints of the people who made them.

Okada: Kameda-san is a master at this. Drawing from extensive experience, he identifies what is essential for the work and allows animators artistic freedom. He knows how to maintain individual creative space while ensuring the final product succeeds. It gives animators a sense of ownership—"That's my cut." It greatly motivates them. 

Kameda: We’ve done numerous TV series and movies. We have the confidence to turn any raw material into a workable product. That confidence allows us to turn the quirks of young talent into compelling assets rather than suppressing them.  

─ Who do you think belongs at Studio Kurm?

Okada: Number one is passion. Pure energy. We look for people with a strong desire to contribute and create, and who don't just follow orders but add their own spin. We value those who ask, "How would I approach this?"

Kameda: Technically, young talents are terrifyingly good. They live in a different information ecosystem. They can Google the right answer instantly. They know exactly who animated which cut. The summit they aim for is crystal clear, so the floor has risen dramatically.

― They have access to models of success from the start.

Kameda: Exactly. Think of it like climbing a mountain. We hiked from the bottom in the mud; they drove a car to the sixth station. They’re starting fresh with full gear. Thanks to the indie anime boom, many have been producing since college or collaborating globally. The starting line has shifted, and it’s impressive.  

― What do you think about the synergy with CyberAgent?

Kameda: I'm an old-school guy with a traditional approach to making anime. Precisely for this reason, I'm interested in new technologies to modernize the creative process. While some may hesitate, we believe it is vital to keep technology within reach.  If you only stick to the old ways, your world shrinks. We need to keep our options open. If we use these tools right, the potential for animation explodes. We want to tune ourselves to the times, evolve, and build works that travel the globe. 

Okada: Absolutely. And it’s not just tech. Having CyberAgent back us on team management and operations means we can focus purely on the creativity. That’s a massive synergy.