'Mechatsuku' Project Lets Fan Collaborate on Making a Mecha Anime

Smartphone novel production company Every Star began accepting applications on Tuesday for phase one of its anime creation contest "Bokutachi no Mitai Mecha Anime o Tsukurou Seisaku Iinkai" ('Let's make the mecha anime we want to see' production committee), or "Mechatsuku" for short. Phase one invites users to send proposals for an original, 60-minute mecha anime.

Proposals must include a title, simple outline, and straightforward descriptions of the subject matter, genre, and setting. Entries must be submitted by April 30.

Phase 2 two is currently slated for June 1-30 and will ask for character designs, mecha designs, and screenplay separately.

Entries will be chosen based on user votes, and several winning ideas will be made into two-minute short anime that will stream online. Users will then be able to vote on the short they would like to see made into a television anime. Voting will be held from November 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015.