KADOKAWA Manga Academy Turns Challenges of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Athletes into Manga

KADOKAWA Manga Academy, operated by Vantan Inc.—a company with a vision to "create the school closest to society in the world" by providing practical classes led by active creators—and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd., part of the MS&AD Insurance Group, have conducted an industry-academia collaborative project to adapt the para-triathlon challenges of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance para-athlete Satoru Yoneoka and triathlon coach Kohei Tsubaki into manga. By collaborating with students studying manga, novels, and screenwriting (hereinafter referred to as "members") to produce and distribute manga content based on the athletes' true stories, the project aims to contribute to the promotion of sports and the development of sports culture. 1. Purpose of the Initiative By expressing and sharing the challenges, efforts, and personal appeal of these athletes through "manga," a medium beloved by many, we aim to convey the value and charm of sports and athletes to society at large, deepen understanding, and enhance the overall value of sports. Furthermore, for the members, this provides an opportunity to improve their creative skills for the future and broaden their social perspectives through the experience of structuring and adapting true stories into manga. 2. Manga Overview (1) Number of participating members: 14 (2) Number of completed works: 5 (3) Where to view the works: - The "MS&AD x SPORTS" page - *Scheduled to be posted sequentially on the Instagram account "MS&AD SPORTS" (@msad_sports) in the future. (4) Future developments: - To ensure that visually impaired individuals can also enjoy these works, we plan to produce voice comics featuring members of the KADOKAWA Anime & Voice Actor Academy. [Images omitted] [Synopsis and Character Introduction] In 2016, Kohei Tsubaki of the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Triathlon Club fell ill. After a period of fighting his illness and returning to competition, he was confronted with the reality that he would not make the selection for the Japan national team, which had been the biggest goal of his athletic career. Meanwhile, Satoru Yoneoka, a para-athlete also affiliated with Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, was competing in both para-triathlon and blind marathons. In 2019, these two individuals with different backgrounds teamed up as athlete and guide to aim for the world stage in para-triathlon. [Images omitted] Major achievements as a pair: 2021 Asian Championships: Winner 2021 World Triathlon Para Series Yokohama: 4th Place 2021 Tokyo Paralympics: Bronze Medal 3. Completion Report and Exchange Meeting On Monday, March 16, a completion report and exchange meeting was held at the KADOKAWA Manga Academy Osaka Campus. [Images omitted] ◆ Satoru Yoneoka Thank you to everyone who worked on creating these pieces. Our challenges were not always fun, but they were experiences where we could feel our growth. I would be very happy if this project could provide even a small hint for the lives of those who participated in the production and those who will read the manga from now on. I will be cheering for the future lives of all the students with all my might, so please do your best. ◆ Kohei Tsubaki Thank you very much for this opportunity. I was surprised to see how the focus and expression differed depending on the artist, even though they were all based on the same facts. Although I am the model, there were parts that almost made me cry while reading, and I enjoyed it very much. Tournament results flow away as time passes. No matter the result, memories fade, but what I learned while challenging myself with Yoneoka-senshu at that time remains in my heart to this day. You all have had your own successes and difficulties while drawing these manga, but what is important is what you learn from here and how you connect it to the next step, so please keep working hard. ◆ Representative of Participating Members This was my first time working with a corporation, and it was a valuable experience to turn real athletes into manga characters. I struggled particularly with depicting the movements of the athletes, but I tried to cooperate with my team and choose words that would be easy for readers to understand. It was very fun to depict the passion the athletes have for the triathlon, and I hope many people will read it. ■ MS&AD Insurance Group: https://www.ms-ad-hd.com/ ■ Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd.: https://www.ms-ins.com/ The MS&AD Insurance Group creates a world-leading insurance and financial group that pursues sustainable growth and corporate value enhancement. Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance is the company responsible for its core business, non-life insurance. It leverages its comprehensive capabilities to develop global insurance and financial service businesses. "Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance's Sports Promotion" Sports have the power to connect diverse people and illuminate hope for the future. We believe that the inclusivity and indomitable spirit of sports are common to all things and are essential to our management philosophy of "supporting the development of a vibrant society and a healthy future for the planet." In this context, we are actively engaged in sports promotion to help foster athletes who are active on the front lines of the sports world and to contribute to the development and prosperity of global sports. Currently, we operate a Women's Judo Club (established 1989), a Women's Track and Field Club (established 1991), and a Triathlon Club (established 2014), and also have para-athletes and women's soccer players on our roster. All of them are employed as company staff and continue their athletic activities while working. ■ KADOKAWA Manga Academy KADOKAWA Manga Academy: https://school.kadokawa.co.jp/manga/ KADOKAWA Manga Academy High School Division*1: https://school.kadokawa.co.jp/manga/hs/ KADOKAWA Manga Academy University Division*2: https://school.kadokawa.co.jp/manga-university/ Opened in April 2024, this is a specialized school for manga, illustration, and novels (Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya campuses) that makes maximum use of KADOKAWA Group's services and content. Through classes supported by KADOKAWA Group editorial departments and practical education by active creators working at the forefront of the industry, we cultivate the manga artists, illustrators, novelists, and editors required by the coming era. *1: Obtain a high school diploma through the affiliated S High School. *2: Obtain a university degree through the affiliated correspondence university.