HM Hero’s Story

Shanghai HM Hero’s was founded in 2014. As a domestic original comic and IP operation company, it is committed to developing 、 vivid stories to the young audience. Mr. Xiaofei Han,the founder of HM Hero’s and the Chief Operation Director talked to us today about their views on the Chinese animation industry.

（Mr Xiaofei Han, COO of HM Hero’s)

CGGE: Hello! Can you briefly introduce your company ?

Mr. Han: HM Hero’s is an animation company devoting to the development of the original content. The team is focus on the animation of 3D rendered to 2D.

（images from shorts of “Gazing at the Stras” a 3D rendered to 2D animation）

CGGE: Does the name of HM Hero’s have any special meaning?

Mr. Han: Content creation itself has a whimsy, brainstorming process, and we hope to bring the audience into a fantasy world with our creativity.

HM means A horse galloping freely in a fantasy world;

Hero: No matter the creative team or our fans, they all hope to be their own heroes, responsible for they love, families and friends. Society: it’s a community that a group of people who love animation and love to stay with the friends who are interested in creating something. .

(logo of HM Hero’s)

CGGE: Your work spans 2D and 3D, with the concept of pan-entertainment. Under such a business structure, how it helps the company’s development?

Mr. Han: Accurately speaking, it is about a multi-dimensional and multi-angles creative concept. Our aim is to make touching stories with beautiful pictures, as well as interesting characters. Whether it is a 2D, 2. 5D or 3D, it is all depend on the style of the story. It is also decided by the creative team to present that they are good at. It can attract the audiences with different backgrounds. We are creating the stories with different themes, such as the inspirational sports theme, romantic love theme, intense sci-fi theme, mysterious fantasy adventure theme, realistic ideal workplace theme, etc. Last year and this year, we cooperate with Tencent Penguin Film and Television in our animation project “Skating Boy” and “Gazing at the Stars“, which are bold attempts of some new types. In the future, original comic projects such as “ZERO ” and “Flame” will also be adapted to animation projects.

(Poste of “Skating Boy” 3D render 2D animation Short )

（Poster of “Glaring at the Star” 3D render 2D animation short）

（Poster of Comic ”Zeor“）

（Poster of Comic “Chi Ling”)

CGGE: What was the most important experience during the past four years ?

Mr. Han: Time flies and it has been four years since the establishment of Hm Hero’s. To run a company is not easy and the process of creative development is “aching”. We need to considerate how to realize our expectation and meet the requirements from the market. it’s a process mattering trail and error. It keeps reviewing the market feedback and balance among quality, budget and schedule. That is to say to we must produce a good product with the reasonable schedule and limited budget. We keep challenging ourselves and presenting a new concept in every works. The team gives full play of the members’ advantages and cooperate with each other. With the same goal and the same direction, the team can focus on the works itself and give out a “best” works.

CGGE: Your company has produced a lot of comics, and the fans’ responses are very good; for example, the suspicious sci-fi type of “ZERO“, the female-targeted “Heart of the Other Side”, then in the title franchising, how do you operate the IP layout?

Mr. Han: Different stories have different worldviews, we hope to direct connect these worldviews with stories. Through series connection, one story iterate with more stories and arise a cumulative effect of the brand. In the transition from the original static comics to the animated series , the readers transfer to the audience, we expands the influence of the works, promotes the popularity and commercial realization of IP.

(Poster of “Heart of the Other Side–Cats’ Summber”)

（Poster of “Heart of the Other Side: Thunder Kingdom”）

CGGE: Your company has produced a lot of comics, and the response is very good; for example, the suspense sci-fi type of “ZERO Zero”, the female to the “the other side of the heart”, then in the brand IP of the work, how do you layout?

Mr. Han: Different stories have their own set of worldviews, and hope to improve the direct connection of the worldview through more stories, when enough stories appear to be connected in series. The iterations of a single work and the cumulative effect of the brand. In the transition from the original static comics to animated videos, the conversion from readers to viewers expands the influence and promotes the popularity and commercial realization of IP.

（Mr. Yuichi Oshiyama in HM Hero’s class）

（Mr. Hideyuki Matsu in HM Hero’s class）

（Mr. Kazushi Hagiwara in HM Hero’s class）

（Mr. Yanshu Yu in in HM Hero’s class ）

CGGE: Your company also trains people. What is your opinion on the training business?

Mr. Han: The vocational training of animation is an extension of university and enterprises training. It breaks down the training system and let more young people who want to enter this industry in contact with the real production. Through the previous four-year’s training business, we have summarized many experience in curriculum design, management and recruitment. In the coming year, we will set up an animation training course, covering from the story boarding to the pre-production art, assets, animation, rendering, composite and other aspects with primary and intermediate training as well as intensified training.We want to provide more opportunities to those who want to entertain animation industry and those who want to improve themselves in the profession side. And we give the chances the students to enter the animation companies after graduation.

（Mr Han with Mr. Makoto Ogino, the author of “Spirit Warrior”）

（Mr. Junichi Hayama and Mr. Yokota Mamoru in HM Hero’s）

（HM Hero’s Painting Wall）

CGGE: You cooperate closely with the overseas clients, such as Japan. For the current market and future development of Chinese comics , is there anything specialties compared to overseas markets?

Mr. Han:The domestic comics market is still on early stage and more works are needed to fulfill the market gaps. Our cooperation with Japan and Korea can introduce more international creative ideas, which will enable our works have an international vision. Chinese animation is not just about China, it should belong to the world. Let more overseas consumers see our creative works. Through the cooperation of the project, our young people have the opportunity to learn from others and to see their own shortcomings. It’s a process of from learning others to form the personal style. Keeping involved in the project is the best way to grow.

CGGE: At present, China’s animation market is developing rapidly, and the way of IP incubation is diversified and mature. So, for the current Chinese animation industry, what’s your opinions and suggestions?

Mr.Han: We do have some experience and lessons, though it may not be unique. Adhere to your own ideas, adhere to your creative desires, and persist in your determination to challenge yourself. Step by step, to achieve every project. Times are changing fast. We also need to develop fast. To use new forms and work with different channels to create new contents. Long or short video, franchising, etc. are all good forms. With the Internet, many people, users and consumers in the industry can be exposed to more interesting cultural and entertainment products.

The rise of China’s animation industry is precisely because of t the young people who has conscientious and persistent efforts. With enthusiasm, perseverance, professionalism and tenacity, they are stepping forward in this industry one step by one step. They are responsible and cultivate the new forms for the creative contents. These young people will make the future of Chinese animation more mature and comes to the success.