Yuko Miyamura is a voice actor known for playing a number of popular characters, such as Soryu Asuka Langley from the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” series, Toyama Kazuha from the “Detective Conan” series, and Parfait from the “VS Knight Ramune” series. Currently, on X (formerly Twitter), I am posting the state of my eldest son who is in the 6th grade of elementary school taking the junior high school entrance exam, and it has become a hot topic. Mr. Miyamura is actively communicating on the internet, and it seems that Fanicon's community “MIYAMURA YUKO Corp.” can be more natural than X. I asked you why.
──Why did you decide to try using Fanicon?
It's 2023/11, and 6 years have passed since I opened “MIYAMURA YUKO Corp.” with Fanicon. I think there are many services similar to Fanicon now, but back then, there weren't enough services to choose from. I asked him about his story and said, “How revolutionary!” I remember being moved. There used to be my fan club, which was run by the label I belonged to, but everything was analog, such as publishing newsletters and mailing them. Rather than interacting with fans, it felt like a one-sided message.
── In the past, when it came to “fan clubs,” they were like that.
Many of my fans have been running with me in my youth, and at first they used smartphone apps and asked, “Can everyone follow me?” I was also worried, but when I think about it now, I had nothing to worry about. So much so that all the fans know more!
── Did you originally use SNS frequently?
Well, I often send messages with X. I was living in Australia when there was a boom in social media in Japan. At that time, my manager told me, “You can also send messages from overseas, so it's a good idea to use Twitter,” and I started. When I'm overseas, it's hard to get information about Japan's so-called “otaku culture.”
“Since there's an internet, you can watch it anywhere in the world, right?” It's easy to think, but even when I tried to watch Japanese videos on the Australian line at the time, I spent a lot of time reading it round and round... so I'm glad Twitter was just easy. Probably because I was used to SNS on Twitter that way, even when invited by Fanicon, I was like, “What can I do?” I was able to start while being excited.
── You run a community with the theme of “company,” such as “MIYAMURA YUKO Corp.,” but how did you come up with the idea to make it a “company”?
Many of my fans are working people, so I thought it would be more comfortable to use a “company.” I am the “president,” and all the fans are “employees” of our company. The image is that everyone is supporting an unreliable president.
──What features do you often use with Fanicon?
In my community, group chats are called “gourmet chats,” and as the name suggests, everyone casually posts what they have eaten. Everyone is familiar, so we can both understand “this person likes this food.” But as I get older, “I haven't been feeling well lately,” and “are you eating properly?” Like, we've come to care about each other's health.
── It conveys the good atmosphere of the community.
But this year, the story of “The President's Son” junior high school entrance exam is the main topic. I haven't studied much, so I don't understand anything... In the group chat, “People who understand this problem!” If you ask the question, an employee will tell you. There are plenty of human resources, such as cram school instructors and professionals like teachers, and people who are good at math, and I really think our employees are excellent.
── Even as a fan, I'm sure you'll be happy to have the experience of being able to support Mr. Miyamura.
The reason you can think so is because it's a closed community called Fanicon. If this were X, I wouldn't be able to ask this question. There may be people who don't like it, and conversely, it's a problem even if there are so many comments... I am very thankful to be able to interact with employees as easily as if I were talking to a family member.
── Other than your son's entrance exam, is there anything you can get help from fans?
For example, they tell me how to use Windows when they don't know how to use it, and they tell me how to respond when there is a problem with home appliances. Even when I'm thinking about doing an event, when I say “please make a presentation about what you want them to do,” they even prepare materials and make a really proper “presentation.” Everyone knows things, or rather... they are all very good members of society.
── Exactly a “great employee.”
That's because it's an age where everyone ran through youth with me. Nonetheless, there are also people of the new generation who have joined us from “Shin Evangelion.” When people from the younger generation send “nice to meet you” stickers in group chats, everyone is very welcome, saying, “If there's anything you don't understand, ask me anything.” I think it's a cozy community where even people who join later can easily get used to it.
── It's a cozy company.
But the employees don't feel like they're that lazy; it's just the right distance. I'm really thankful for that too. I've been doing radio programs for a long time, so I also do live streaming on an irregular basis. My son is taking the junior high school entrance exam right now, isn't he? That's why we sometimes get into big fights, but even in such circumstances, I dare to do live streaming.
── Eh!!!
Sometimes I can't do anything when I'm alone with my son. They're both emotional, so it won't subside unless a third party is included. When I live stream at that time, everyone listens to my opinions and my son's. When my son starts talking like this, “My old man used to be like this, so I understand how you feel,” or “I also took the junior high school entrance exam, and it was like this,” or “Mom wasn't angry because she wanted to get angry. They say, “I just want them to keep their promises,” and while snuggling up, they give me advice... it's like there are a lot of dads, moms, older sisters, and older brothers.
── You definitely can't do that on an open SNS.
Yes, that's right. Since I always keep posting private things, I think everyone will follow me on the sudden “parent-child fight broadcast.” X is also posting about junior high school entrance exams, but it's completely different. After all, X is a strange face, or rather, it makes me think “the content must be interesting even if it is sent to the outside world.” However, even if Fanicon isn't really interesting, I can send it as it is, even when I'm having a hard time or when I want to complain. Nevertheless, everyone understood, and people who have had similar experiences give advice. I'm a fan, but I'm also a family member and friend. It's such a relationship, isn't it?
──Fanicon is a pretty free place for Miyamura. Nonetheless, is there anything you keep in mind, such as “I try not to just do this”?
Honestly, it's not there. It really frees me up. As is the case in any part of the world, I think it would be bad to do so-called “serious love sales.” But I'm out of date in terms of age, and I know it's not good, so I hardly reply personally. All statements are made in an open group chat.
── So aren't the “1on1” functions used very often?
“1on1” is a scratch prize, isn't it? But rather than wanting to talk to me, everyone often requests “I want you to curse me” (laughs).
── There is such a request! By the way, events are also being held in the community, right?
Yes. A birthday event is held every year in December. However, due to COVID-19, it took 3 years before we were able to host an event where we could meet in person. Before COVID-19, there were also cherry blossom viewing events such as “employee trips” where I was a bus guide and went to Hakone. Starting this year, I hope we can increase it again.
Fanicon staff actively cooperate with the event, so it's really safe to host the event. In addition, as I mentioned earlier, I would like to plan and make various events a reality in the future through “presentations” from employees.
── The “presentation” matches precisely because the community theme is “company,” doesn't it? I was surprised that “MIYAMURA YUKO Corp.” far surpassed the concept of a “fan club”!
I think the appeal of Fanicon is, after all, its “high degree of freedom.” In addition to using it to interact with fans, for example, people who want to promote their work can also promote it by preparing commemorative scratches etc. for the work they will perform. Also, if you are a voice actor, you may be delighted if you give an original voice message as a prize.
The staff at Fanicon are very friendly, so once you discuss what you want to do, they will cooperate with “let's do it” at events and product sales. I think it's a wonderful tool for finding your own way to use it.
── Thank you so much for today!
Interview/text by Emi Uemura
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If you want to deepen interaction with fans and want to make running a fan club easier than it is now, then Fanicon is useful.