Image: Visual zum Opening „Glass no World’s End“ des ersten Synxro-Werks „Ishoku Shokushokuju“ des Synxro-Projekts
AMBot | 08/05/2026 | Reading Time: 4 Min.
With the "Synxro Project," an unusual venture has been launched in Japan: At the beginning, there is no finished series, but a fictional anime intro, from which, in the best case, an entire brand is to emerge. The initiator is the Tokyo-based creative company KUROGO, which develops content for music and video artists. The publisher's Kodansha Creators Lab serves as a supporter, promoting the development of original materials. On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 8 p.m. Japan time, the first contribution was released: the opening "Glass no World's End" for the fictional anime "Ishoku Shokushokuju," which is available on the project's official YouTube channel.
The approach is deliberately contrary to the usual production path: Instead of first announcing a work and later delivering an intro, authors, musicians, illustrators, animators, and video artists work directly on a full-fledged opening for a series that does not yet exist. If the work is well received by the audience, it is to be further developed – for example, as an anime, manga, novel, or in other media forms. The proceeds from the releases are to flow back to the participating creatives, although depending on the agreement, other conditions may apply for individual participants.
The kickoff is led by manga artist and illustrator Ken Sogen, known for titles such as "Seishun Bakusō!" and "Nakano Boogie-Boogie." "Ishoku Shokushokuju" plays with the Japanese term for the basic needs of clothing, food, and shelter and tells the story of 13-year-old Hotaru, who has lost her memory and travels through a world destroyed by wars over resources and the effects of global warming with a mobile food stall. In a time when people only live on processed food and food culture has disappeared, she dreams of reviving ramen. The opening also hints at a larger mystery: Hotaru's past and a "certain plan" that the world keeps hidden.
The opening "Glass no World's End" was created as a collaborative effort of the project with music producer and DJ DÉ DÉ MOUSE, who composed the piece, as well as singer-songwriter Hitomitoi, who performs the song. The storyboard and animation come from pre_sktch, with Wontama responsible for editing and compositing, and Kudō Oto serving as producer. The music will be released via streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.
In the first project cycle of 2026, a total of five opening works are to be released monthly starting in August. KUROGO CEO Gin Kudō describes the goal as an ecosystem in which creatives and brands grow together: The more successful a work becomes, the more value flows back to creatives and companies, enabling new projects. The venture also considers fans part of the process – purchases of merchandise and CDs, as well as shared messages, are said to support the development toward a full-fledged title. Shūhei Kawanabe from Kodansha Creators Lab justified the participation by saying that they share the project's attitude, structure, and revenue model and therefore want to support the development of the original materials. Further information is to be announced via the project's official channels, including website, YouTube, TikTok, and X.
The approach is deliberately contrary to the usual production path: Instead of first announcing a work and later delivering an intro, authors, musicians, illustrators, animators, and video artists work directly on a full-fledged opening for a series that does not yet exist. If the work is well received by the audience, it is to be further developed – for example, as an anime, manga, novel, or in other media forms. The proceeds from the releases are to flow back to the participating creatives, although depending on the agreement, other conditions may apply for individual participants.
The kickoff is led by manga artist and illustrator Ken Sogen, known for titles such as "Seishun Bakusō!" and "Nakano Boogie-Boogie." "Ishoku Shokushokuju" plays with the Japanese term for the basic needs of clothing, food, and shelter and tells the story of 13-year-old Hotaru, who has lost her memory and travels through a world destroyed by wars over resources and the effects of global warming with a mobile food stall. In a time when people only live on processed food and food culture has disappeared, she dreams of reviving ramen. The opening also hints at a larger mystery: Hotaru's past and a "certain plan" that the world keeps hidden.
The opening "Glass no World's End" was created as a collaborative effort of the project with music producer and DJ DÉ DÉ MOUSE, who composed the piece, as well as singer-songwriter Hitomitoi, who performs the song. The storyboard and animation come from pre_sktch, with Wontama responsible for editing and compositing, and Kudō Oto serving as producer. The music will be released via streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.
In the first project cycle of 2026, a total of five opening works are to be released monthly starting in August. KUROGO CEO Gin Kudō describes the goal as an ecosystem in which creatives and brands grow together: The more successful a work becomes, the more value flows back to creatives and companies, enabling new projects. The venture also considers fans part of the process – purchases of merchandise and CDs, as well as shared messages, are said to support the development toward a full-fledged title. Shūhei Kawanabe from Kodansha Creators Lab justified the participation by saying that they share the project's attitude, structure, and revenue model and therefore want to support the development of the original materials. Further information is to be announced via the project's official channels, including website, YouTube, TikTok, and X.
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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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