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Okinawa Resident Launches Crowdfunding to Make Manga, Anime About Okinawan Culture

Julia Aimi Olivares, an Okinawa resident, launched a crowdfunding campaign this month for a manga and anime project about traditional Okinawan culture. The project, named "Tedashiro no Kuniuta Project" ("The Song of the Sun Goddess Project") or "Tedauta Project," seeks to raise 1 million yen (about US$9,000) by August 1 to fund the project. If successful, Olivares aims to publish a manga e-book by February 2018 that will serve as a prequel to an eventual 2019 anime.

TENTunTEN Inc., the production company Olivares founded for the project, has also launched a crowdfunding page in English, aiming to raise US$10,000. The English crowdfunding page stated that if the anime is made, TENTunTEN Inc. plans to stream the anime online in the U.S., and will sell physical packages outside of Japan. TENTunTEN Inc. also plans to submit the film to international animation festivals and conventions, and to have a booth at Anime Expo.

The project also has an English website.

The project's story centers around Maka Arakaki, a female art college student, and Ba Kensai, an official from the Ryukyu Kingdom (the independent kingdom that once held present-day Okinawa Prefecture) who time travels to the modern day. Both find themselves flung back to the 14th century, where they seek to revive the omoro (prayer) known as the "Tedashiro no Kuniuta" that will save the kingdom.

Olivares' mother Kazumi Mechler hails from Okinawa as well. Olivares lived in Okinawa for 10 years, and won a Ryukyu buyo dance competition. Olivares returned to Okinawa in 2015 and set up TENTunTEN Inc.

Source: The Japan Times (The Okinawa Times)