Hideo Kojima, George Miller, and other top creators to participate! "THU Storytelling" to be held in Kaga City!

"THU Storytelling" will be held from September 17th to 20th, 2025, in Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture, a city known for its traditional Japanese craftsmanship and hot springs. The event will bring together some of Japan's most creative and influential storytellers, known as "Sensei," who will share the secrets of storytelling through lectures and workshops.

What is "THU Storytelling"?

"THU Storytelling" is a unique, high-quality retreat for small groups. It offers cross-border learning and experiences centered around "narrative" and "storytelling." This is a new type of premium retreat event where participants spend the event camp-like with globally active Sensei with diverse perspectives and cultural backgrounds. The program's three pillars are lectures, workshops, and interactive activities. To maintain the high quality of the experience, the number of participants will be limited to 300.

CINEMORE participated in "THU JAPAN 2023," held two years ago. We actually went to THU JAPAN and experienced a retreat. Over the course of four days, we participated in seminars, workshops, and parties with approximately 200 creators from 21 countries and regions around the world, including not only Sensei but also animators, CG artists, actors, and illustrators. During the event, we conducted exclusive interviews with four of the many Senseis who are particularly familiar with film. We spoke with Kyle Balda, director of "Minions," Sadayuki Murai, screenwriter of "Perfect Blue," Chie Hayakawa, director of "PLAN 75," and Amy Aniobi, screenwriter, director, and executive producer of HBO's Emmy Award-nominated series "Insecure." You can read each interview here .

This year's lineup of top creators, Senseis, from around the world will include George Miller, the film director and screenwriter who shook the world with "Mad Max ." From The Game industry, the lineup includes Hideo Kojima, the world-renowned The Game creator and founder of Kojima Productions, Yoji Shinkawa, the production's art director, and illustrator/sculptor Entei Ryu. Also joining the lineup from the art scene are Red Hongyi, an artist known for his pencil-free drawings, and Katsuya Terada, a world-renowned illustrator/manga artist who has been confirmed to participate for the second year in a row.

Hideo Kojima

The Game creator and CEO of Kojima Productions. In 1987, he pioneered the stealth game genre with his first The Game, Metal Gear. He is also recognized as a pioneer of cinematic visual expression and storytelling, and has gained worldwide popularity. He has won numerous international The Game awards, including The Game of the Year. In 2020, he received the BAFTA Fellowship Award in recognition of his contributions to video The Game and visual media. He has also written numerous commentaries and recommendations for films, novels, and more. He is expanding his creative field into entertainment that transcends genres such as The Game and films.

George Miller

Filmmaker and storyteller, Miller is an Australian filmmaker with over 50 years of experience crafting stories across a wide range of genres. He redefined post-apocalyptic narrative with the Mad Max series, blending action, human drama, and mythical worlds. In 2015, he won six Academy Awards for Mad Max: Fury Road, and again in 2024 with its prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Miller's diverse career also includes the Golden Globe-winning Babe and the Academy Award-winning Happy Feet.

Yoji Shinkawa

Art director. Since joining KONAMI in 1994, he has worked as a character designer, mecha designer, and art director, many of whom have worked on productions alongside The Game creator Hideo Kojima. After leaving the company in 2015, he joined Kojima Hideo's new studio, Kojima Productions Co., Ltd. In November 2019, the studio released its first title, "DEATH STRANDING."

Entei Ryu

Based in Tokyo, he has worked as a concept artist on films and The Game both in Japan and overseas. He is currently affiliated with Kojima Productions and is primarily involved in the company's productions.

Katsuya Terada

Manga artist and illustrator. Inspired by the works of Moebius and Katsuhiro Otomo in his adolescence, he has gained fans with his unique style that combines lines and shading that blend East and West. While active in the fields of manga, The Game, film, and publishing, he also holds numerous exhibitions both in Japan and overseas every year. His published works include "Terada Katsuya Full-Size," "SKETCH," and "How to Make a Living by Drawing?" A new art book is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2025.

Red Hong Yi

Artist. Malaysian artist Hong Yi is known for her unique ability to "paint without a paintbrush." Combining traditional craftsmanship with digital technology, she transforms everyday materials like eggshells, chopsticks, and teabags into striking mixed-media installations that explore themes of heritage, memory, and social change. Hong Yi's work has been exhibited at venues including the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Saatchi Gallery in London, the Anchorage Museum in Alaska, and H Queen's Art Gallery in Hong Kong.

Other Sensei members include Tim Miller, the film director known for his blockbuster directorial debut, "Deadpool" (2016) and "The Terminator : Dark Fate" (2019); Jenova Chen, creator of "Journey," The Game visually stunning interactive The Game that redefined storytelling through fostering positive emotions and redefining storytelling, and "Sky: Children of the Light," which has racked up 260 million downloads; Simon Lee, a designer and thinker who has worked as a concept artist and creature designer on numerous acclaimed film projects, including "The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power" (Amazon Series, 2023) and "Godzilla vs. Kong." Also joining the Sensei team from Japan are Tomoki Misato, who recently announced his Netflix series "My Melody & Kuromi," and Ketch, a physical comedian/mime clown, director, and lecturer.

"THU Storytelling" aims to explore storytelling as an art form and the emotional connections that connect each story to the human heart. These days, storytelling is no longer confined to novels and movies, but is increasingly important in all aspects of business and life. We welcome participation from creative industries and business people of all ages (minors are not permitted), professionals and amateurs alike, who wish to deepen their storytelling skills in an international atmosphere! (Lectures and workshops will be held in both Japanese and English, with interpretation available for each.)

"THU Storytelling" will be held in partnership with THU, a European-based organization, and Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Population decline is a major issue for many regional cities. The partnership between THU and Kaga City aims to address this social issue by revitalizing the economy and society through creative industries.

THU Storytelling 2025 Event Overview

Date: September 17th-20th, 2025

Venue: Hotel Arrowle (5-1 Shibayamacho, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture)

Event page: https://bit.ly/ja-thustorytelling

Or, https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/ja/bootcamp/thu-storytelling-2025

(English and Japanese)

Ticket information & purchase link: €900 (+ transaction fee)

Payment can be made in installments at no extra cost. Purchase by August 31st and pay in up to 8 installments. Includes: All activities. Lunch and dinner during the event.

https://bit.ly/thu-tickets

THU Official website: https://www.trojan-unicorn.com

THU Instagram (Japanese): @thu_japan

X (English): https://twitter.com/Trojan_Unicorn

THU instagram (English): @thu_official