While the newest animated addition to the VOCALOID universe is proving to be a hit, Zunda Horizon‘s producers have a vision to take it a step (or several steps) further with their crowdfunding campaign! By upgrading equipment, improving production, and tons more, Tohoku Zunko and the Horizon cast need your help to ensure that the project reaches its greatest potential it deserves!

What is Zunda Horizon?

Zunda Horizon is a 30-minute animation produced as a joint effort between Wao! World, Studio Live, and Zunko’s promotional company SSS LLC. Part of a four-series lineup of the “Anime Tamago 2017” project, it is the first musical animation that incorporates singing synthesis software, such as VOCALOID and UTAU. The AHS VOCALOID and Zunda Horizon‘s main character, Tohoku Zunko, sings using her VOCALOID software, while the rest of the cast sing using UTAU.

If you haven’t seen Zunda Horizon yet, there are official videos available on YouTube and niconico. However, be quick! They will only be up for a month.

If you liked what you saw, head on over to the campaign site and start donating! Of course, supporting the project will come with its perks.

Crowdfunding Goals

1st Goal: ¥8,000,000 JPY

Upgrade from 2ch Stereo to 5.1 surround sound.

2nd Goal: ¥12,000,000 JPY

Movie screening in Miyagi Prefecture and additional end roll pictures.

3rd Goal: ¥15,000,000 JPY

Addition of a “Warning” segment (e.g. requesting audience members to silence their cellphones) before the movie begins.

4th Goal: ¥20,000,000 JPY

Creation of scripts, storyboards, and character image sketches for the anime sequel. All of them will be distributed to all ¥5,000 JPY and above backers.

5th Goal: ¥35,000,000 JPY

Creation of the anime sequel.

In addition, the original animation sketches will be sent to Tohoku Region organizations upon the project’s conclusion (this is to encourage anime enthusiasts to travel to Tohoku and catch a glimpse of the creative production process)!

The eleven cast characters’ UTAU voice banks will also be released to the public for free use.

Crowdfunding Routes & Rewards

For General Supporters

Those who donate ¥30,000 JPY or more will be given the copies of the original animation sketches. Those who donate ¥100,000 JPY or more will receive a *cut bag of all the materials used in the animation.

T/N: A “cut bag” is a bag (typically a file folder) that animators use to store storyboards, time-sheets, and still or transitional sketches.

¥500 JPY: The “Concept Art Revealed” Route

Those who take this route will receive downloads of the anime’s concept art.

¥5,000 JPY: The “Gonna Watch the Anime!” Route

Those who take this route will receive…

Digital download of the current version of Zunda Horizon

Digital download of the 5.1 surround sound version of Zunda Horizon

Digital download of the script and storyboard

Digital download of the anime’s concept art

¥30,000 JPY: “Getting Special Zunda Horizon Creation Material” Route

Those who take this route will receive…

Animation sketches

Zunda Horizon on Blu-ray

Their names shown in the end-roll credits

Everything in the “Gonna Watch the Anime!” route

¥50,000 JPY: “Director Autographed Blu-ray” Route

Those who take this route will receive…

Zunda Horizon on Blu-ray, autographed by the director

Everything in the “Getting Special Zunda Horizon Creation Material” route

¥100,000 JPY: “Getting LOTSA Special Zunda Horizon Creation Material” Route

Those who take this route will receive…

Two cuts of ALL of the creation material (everything included in the *cut bag) used when creating the anime

Everything in the “Getting Special Zunda Horizon Creation Material” route

¥300,000 JPY: “Behind the Scenes Tour of Zunda Horizon” Route

Those who take this route will receive…

A tour of WAO Studios, and the privilege of participating in director and producer meetings

Everything in the “Getting LOTSA Special Zunda Horizon Creation Material” route

¥1,000,000 JPY: “Getting Hand Drawn End Card Illustrations” Route

Those who take this route will receive…

A framed picture of all the end card illustrations, hand-drawn by the director of animation and character design, Risa Suzuki

Everything in the “Behind the Scenes Tour of Zunda Horizon” route

*¥30,000 JPY: Special “How to Get Zunda Horizon Digital Content” Route

Digital downloads of Zunda Horizon‘s transitional animation sketches, both in greyscale and color (14,000 frames each for a total of 28,000 frames)

Digital downloads of Zunda Horizon still sketches

Note: These sketches are useful for machine learning, studying how to draw anime, or just looking at for fun. As long as they are not used for commercial purposes, you are free to use these sketches, rarely seen by the public, however you’d like.

The crowdfunding campaign will end on June 12th at 23:59 JST. Until that time, let’s continue to support Zunko and her friends’ endeavors in the hopeful sequel!

Note: At the time of writing this article, the project is already currently 71% completed in reaching its target amount of ¥8,000,000 JPY.

If you would like more information on the anime or wish to contribute to the campaign, check out the official links below.

Official Links

Zunda Horizon‘s Website

Zunda Horizon Crowdfunding Page