top of page

— Discovering Future Creators Through Vertical Short Anime with Generative AI —

SPECIAL SPONSOR

2.png

Stories Will Become Even Freer.

The PocketANIME World Competition is a contest challenging creators to produce vertical short anime of up to two minutes using generative AI.

Selected works will be delivered to anime fans worldwide via the new streaming platform ‘PocketAnime,’ slated for launch in May 2025, as well as across various social media networks.

This competition aims to establish a brand-new genre of vertical short anime, pioneering the future of animation expression in collaboration with generative AI.

Under the special sponsorship of Vidu—praised by many creators as ‘undoubtedly the No.1 platform for anime generation’—outstanding participants will receive various benefits and opportunities to further develop their works.

Schedule

ENTRY Start: Wednesday, January 18, 2025

Applicants may submit multiple works during the open period.

Deadline: Sunday, March 30, 2025

Results Announcement: April 15, 2025 (Tentative)

PocketANIME Platform to Launch in Mid-May 2025

Competition Categories

名称未設定のデザイン (3).png
3.png
6.png

Judges

The works will be judged by a producer with a remarkable track record in the entertainment industry
and a creator shaping the new era of generative AI.

Ryoichi Wada

Jun CAO

Douglas Montgomery

《TOKYO EPIC.,INC 》

《Vidu AI》

《GLOBAL STAGE HOLLYWOOD》

Ryo is the original creator of the film “One Cut of the Dead” (Japanese title: “カメラを止めるな!”), produced on a budget of three million yen and grossing four billion yen at the box office. He is currently collaborating with a Hollywood studio on the anime series “NINJAMASX,” announced at the 2022 Cannes International Film Festival. The French remake of “One Cut of the Dead,” titled “FINAL CUT,” was selected as the opening film at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, and multinational remake projects are ongoing. Additionally, he won first place in the webtoon creator reality show “TOON GATE,” sponsored by Shogakukan and aired on Abema TV and Amazon Prime, outdoing even active manga artists. This victory earned him prize money and the right to serialize his work on LINE Manga. Under the banner “FROM JAPAN TO THE WORLD,” he founded TOKYO EPIC Inc. and is developing PocketANIME to establish short anime as a “new type of original work.”

Aesthetic Director of Shengshu Technology Master’s degree from the Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University. He is the Aesthetic Director at Shengshu Technology, responsible for the construction and definition of the aesthetic system of Gen-AI models, product aesthetic standards, and self-produced content creation, with cross-discipline experience in combining art and technology. Has been participated in the promotion and marketing of multiple film projects, including leading the marketing content production for the film Panda Project, co-produced by Maoyan Entertainment, as well as collaborating with Sony Pictures Venom: The Last Dance on Chinese-exclusive AI promotional video in a Chinese traditional style short film which garnered tens of millions of views and exposure across the global.

Douglas Montgomery is a veteran researcher and analyst with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment and retail industries. He spent 16 years at Warner Bros., working in three different countries (the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom) as an analyst for WB’s executives and major retail partners. In 2021, Montgomery founded Global Connects Media and assumed the role of CEO. Through strategic insights and research, Global Connects Media helps clients gain access to global entertainment and retail markets. Douglas also produces the “Global Stage Hollywood” film festival in Los Angeles. In 2023, Montgomery served as a jury member at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo, which is officially recognized by the Academy Awards, and delivered a keynote speech at the “Next Korea: Seoul” conference. Highlights in 2024 include moderating two panels at the world’s largest broadcast equipment exhibition, the NAB Show in Las Vegas, and the Historica Film Festival in Kyoto.

Frederico Lapenda

S I M O N   S W A R T

Andrew Cosby

《Producer》

《Producer》

《Producer/Writer》

With 20 years experience, award-winning producer Frederico Lapenda has built a global career in all areas of the entertainment industry. As a filmmaker, produced 20 films, eight (08) were released theatrically. His documentary ”Kidnapping" competed for the Oscar nomination. Lapenda was the founding partner of Mandalay Lone Runner, independent division of Mandalay, a company chaired by Peter Guber, former CEO of Sony Pictures. Mandalay produced Seven years in Tibet, with Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie in Beyond Boarders, Donny Brasco with Johnnie Depp, etc.. Lapenda also produced two video games with XBox, Fight Game Rivals and with Sony Ericsson, Fight Game Heroes.Hailed by many industry magazines as one of the originators of the style MMA, Lapenda produced over 100 MMA fights in countries like USA, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Brazil, etc. His TV show Channel 22 "COMBAT MORTALE has been in the air for more than 3 consecutive years in Los Angeles, achieving ratings of two digits and raising Lapenda as the first producer to telecast on broadcast in the United States MMA. He was the fourth producer of conveying his franchise WVC fights on pay per vew in the U.S. Introduced pay-per-view in Brazil in 1997 and in May 2011 produced the first pay-per-view on Youtube. This pay-per-view was televised live from Moscow. In the world of music Lapenda already produced 10 shows in Brazil and his latest co-production was in the city of Americana in partnership with the Brahma where Lapenda brought country singer Alan Jackson, who sang for an audience of 45 thousand people.

Simon Swart is a former Senior Studio Executive and Independent Producer with 30+ years of experience. He has overseen the release of blockbuster franchises such as "Star Wars," "Avatar," "James Bond," "Die Hard," "Aliens," "Planet of the Apes," and "X-Men," as well as acclaimed independent films like "Napoleon Dynamite," "Black Swan," and "Slumdog Millionaire." Additionally, he marketed popular TV franchises such as "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," "Firefly," "X-Files," and "Sons of Anarchy."   He has been a pioneer in digital media, championing new markets within entertainment and digital media delivery channels, with extensive experience in non-theatrical, digital, and streaming distribution.

Andrew Cosby is a prolific Hollywood filmmaker, cartoonist, and screenwriter. In 2006, the sci-fi TV series “Eureka” he created premiered on Syfy Channel and has since been running for five seasons, becoming the most-watched drama in the channels history and winning multiple awards. His first comic “Damn Nation” was serialized in Dark Horse Comics, and Paramount immediately acquired its film adaptation rights. Over the years, Andrew has participated in the development of film and television works of Disney, Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros, Lionsgate, New Regency, HBO, Showtime and Amazon. Andy presides over the reboot efforts of Lionsgate film “Hellboy” and the pre-development of the TV series of “Dungeons and Dragons” and animated series “Galaxy Rescue”

7.png
1.18 ENTRY OPEN (6).png

©︎2025 tokyoepic Co., Ltd

bottom of page