Digital Ehon Award Interview Series, Vol. 11

“A Digital Ehon is one where the reader is the main character.”

Children search the illustrations to find the thieving cat. The strong character of “Doro”—who is both annoying and adorable—along with fun animations and sounds, captivates children.The Digital Ehon “Neko Mikke,” which won the Runner-up Grand Prize in the Planning Category at the 1st Digital Ehon Awards, reached No. 1 in the App Store’s Free Education category. We spoke with Ms. Takihara, the creator of “Neko Mikke,” and Mr. Kondo, President of Axis Co., Ltd., the development company.

　When meeting creators of Digital Ehon, conversations often revolve around how much they “have always loved picture books…” However, Takihara admits she wasn’t particularly fond of them. “All I remember from my childhood is being forced to read picture books to learn my letters,” she says.
“I used to envy my friends whose mothers read to them. But just as it was for me, not all children have someone to read to them. That’s why I designed the app so that the characters drive the story forward themselves.”

In “Nekomikke,” Doro’s location changes every time.Readers can enjoy various short stories based on where they find the cat and how long it takes them to do so. As the reader taps the screen to follow the character, the story naturally unfolds. Rather than simply finding the cat and ending there, Takihara designed the app so that the story continues after the discovery, creating a sense of intimacy—as if the character were having a conversation with the reader.
　However, Mr. Takihara’s true wish is for people to “read this aloud to children and enjoy reading it together with them.” That’s why the app includes a feature that lets users hide the cat wherever they like and have family or friends search for it.

　While planning the project, one question arose: What is the difference between a Digital Ehon and a game?
　“If you increase the number of choices and create multiple story paths, it starts to feel like a game. But I didn’t want ‘Neko Mikke’ to be a game—I wanted it to be a Digital Ehon.” Takihara concluded that the difference between a game and a Digital Ehon lies in “whether or not the reader is the protagonist.”“In a game, a character acting as your avatar speaks on its own, expresses opinions, and goes on adventures without your input. For example, the hero might say, ‘I can’t forgive the Demon King—I’m going to defeat that guy.’ But children might not feel that way.Instead, I wanted to create a ‘Digital Ehon’ where the reader decides for themselves how to proceed and how to interpret the story. The reader is, after all, the protagonist. ‘Neko’ is not the protagonist—it’s merely a playmate for the reader, who is the true protagonist.”
　The fact that the reader is the protagonist means that how to play is also up to the reader. “It’s a game where you look for a cat, but you don’t have to actually look for it. In a typical game, you usually aim for a single goal, but in ‘Neko Mikke,’ you can simply tap the screen or just watch the cat’s reactions.”

　In fact, new ways of playing that Mr. Takihara hadn’t imagined are emerging.
“Nekomikke” features a “Hide Mode” where the reader hides the cat and has a friend look for it.In this “Hide-and-Seek Mode,” children are reportedly having fun by getting creative with the cat’s poses and hiding spots, giving the character its own personality, and creating their own unique stories. “By hiding the cat in the bathtub in a slightly odd pose or placing it on the bed in a sleeping pose, they seem to be giving the cat a personality. I’ve heard that this really sparks lively conversations with their friends.We’ve received many reports of children playing while asking each other, ‘Why did you hide it there?’ and sharing the stories they’d imagined.”
This app was originally created with the hope of fostering communication between parents and children. Hearing this is the greatest reward for a creator.

“Neko Mikke” won the Runner-up Grand Prize in the Planning Category.Although the award itself didn’t guarantee the project’s realization, Axis Co., Ltd.—where Ms. Takihara works—brought it to life. President Kondo explained, “There were voices within the company saying, ‘We’re willing to work overtime to make this a reality.’ We felt it would be meaningless unless we brought the proposal to life and let many people experience it, so we decided to give it a try.”“When it comes to digital technology, quite a few people are opposed to it out of prejudice. It’s very easy to reject something you haven’t tried. However, there are many things in the world that didn’t exist in the past but are now common sense. First and foremost, I want people to give it a try,” is President Kondo’s message.

“Of course, it’s meaningless to make the physical devices—like smartphones and tablets—the main focus; what’s inside is what matters.I want to keep that in mind as we develop the product.” Regarding that essential content, he expressed a desire to create something that promotes communication.
　“I believe social apps and games are meaningless. They leave no lasting value. While they are tools for connecting people, in reality, they sometimes only create superficial connections.I believe this Digital Ehon goes beyond mere connection; it serves as a tool that fosters everyday conversation and brings people closer together. We want to provide such experiences to both children and adults,” he said, sharing his vision for the future.

　Development of “Nekomikke” took place in Croatia, a beautiful country bordering the Adriatic Sea.“Everyone enjoyed the development process, and I truly felt that we could understand each other even without a common language,” said Mr. Kondo.
　Digital technology has the power to connect people all over the world. I sincerely hope that Digital Ehon will become one of the tools that facilitate communication and deepen connections among people worldwide.