The renowned light novel editor and anime producer Kazuma Miki recently commented on current developments in the publishing industry and also shared his concern that he might soon become redundant. We summarize.
Power structure shifted
Since starting his career in 2000, Miki has published a number of successful titles, including “Sword Art Online”, “Shakugan no Shana”, “A Certain Magical Index” and “The Irregular at Magic High School”. He also founded the company Straight Edge, which manages and supports authors and their works from the original IP to any adaptations.
Due to his many years of experience, Miki is able to assess developments in the industry well. Recently, however, he expressed concerns about his own professional future. In his opinion, recent changes have meant that editors and producers are no longer absolutely necessary.
While it used to be common for authors to collaborate with them, today many creators publish their works themselves – be it on websites like Shosetsuka ni Narou, social media platforms or even Pixiv.
The consequence is that editors and producers have to compete significantly more closely for authors. As a result, the power structure has shifted so that the creatives now have a better negotiating position. Against this background, Miki had to fundamentally rethink his way of working:
»We must first make it clear why we are needed and what contribution we can make. Editors and producers must clearly show how they handle content and what benefits it can offer – otherwise it will no longer be needed. This development will certainly increase in the future.«
More on the topic:
Via Dengeki Online
© REKI KAWAHARA/PUBLISHED BY KADOKAWA CORPORATION ASCII MEDIA WORKS/SAO Project