ZEN University HARC to Host Public Recording with i-mode Founders Mari Matsunaga, Keiichi Enoki, and Takeshi Natsuno

ZEN University's HARC will hold a public recording featuring the founders of i-mode on the final day of the service.
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  • 📰 Published: March 29, 2026 at 00:21

On March 31, 2026 (Tuesday), the day NTT Docomo's "i-mode(R)" service concludes, the ZEN University Content Industry History Archive Research Center (HARC) will host a public recording featuring Mari Matsunaga and Keiichi Enoki, who were central to the service's creation, alongside ZEN University Visiting Professor Takeshi Natsuno.

This event is a historic endeavor to document the legacy of i-mode, which led the digital industry not only in Japan but globally, and to share these invaluable testimonies with the public in real-time.

☑︎ The Origin of Mobile Internet: Reshaping Lifestyles Around Mobile Phones

i-mode is the foundation of a world-class mobile culture born in Japan. It was a groundbreaking service that allowed anyone to easily access the internet from their mobile phone, enabling the use of various content such as mobile banking, ticket reservations, news, weather forecasts, games, and horoscopes. Furthermore, in an era where internet services were expected to be free, it introduced a monthly subscription model for paid content, creating an entirely new market from scratch.

During this public recording, held on the very day the i-mode service ends, the founding members will discuss behind-the-scenes development stories, the evolution of the industry, and implications for the future digital society. These testimonies will be recorded as "living primary sources" for the development of the content industry, with the goal of passing them on to the next generation.

[Special Public Recording: "i-mode Ends 27 Years of History: Founders Discuss the Behind-the-Scenes of the 'Mobile Revolution'" Overview]

  • Date and Time: March 31, 2026 (Tuesday), 19:00–24:00 (Scheduled)
  • Speakers: Mari Matsunaga, Keiichi Enoki, Takeshi Natsuno (Visiting Professor, ZEN University)
    • First Half Interviewers: Satoshi Endo (HARC Researcher), Pyonta Takahashi (HARC Researcher)
    • Second Half Interviewer: Yoshitaka Kurita (Director, Dwango Co., Ltd. / Representative of Niconico Operations)

      • The first half will feature interviews by experts, while the second half will involve discussing the final moments while engaging with viewer comments.

      *Professor Natsuno is scheduled to join the discussion around 21:00.

  • Streaming URLs

❙ About ZEN University Content Industry History Archive Research Center (HARC)

Japan's content industry is a representative modern expressive culture that has had a significant impact on the world...

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