The third Moripass Club term for 2018 has begun, and the first meeting will be held simultaneously in Kanto and Kansai!
This year, the venue was connected via live broadcast from the start, allowing members far away to share their experiences, making for an exciting start! We will be reporting on this exciting meeting from the Kansai side.
Click here to see what's happening in the Kanto region at the same time.
Kanto side is here
My thoughts on the Moripass Club
First, Morisawa advisor Hashizume gave an explanation about the Moripass Division of the "FONT SWITCH PROJECT" and its specific activities, followed by self-introductions by the management team.
Advisor Nitano commented, "I've been in this industry for a quarter of a century, but it's still a world with deep depths and fascinating potential. So I'd like to look into the future together with you all."
Yamada, the Kansai manager, runs a free paper specialty store called Tadahon-ya in Kyoto, so he is likely to be a valuable helper for the Moripass Club students who will be producing free papers in the future.
The Kansai members looked anxious and excited about the Moripass Club, which was about to begin, and it was impressive to see them listening seriously while imagining the goals they were aiming for.
First, get familiar with fonts!
The main event of the morning session will be a seminar on letters led by advisor Hashizume.
As you would expect from Moripass Club members, the students are originally interested in letters, but even among them, the range of their knowledge varies.
It all started with, "What does it mean to turn on font sensitivity?"
"What typefaces do professional designers recommend?"
The lecture continues in an easy-to-understand manner, using examples of products on the market, such as:
In a segment where they were asked to find the hidden Shin Go "na" in everyday items, the members compared the characters on various products. One member commented, "When you compare them, they're completely different." It seems their font senses were immediately activated.
The second half of the course will focus on understanding the differences between typefaces, taking into account the history of fonts and the characteristics of each typeface (thickness, elements, character appearance, etc.).
In the workshop, we rearranged the typefaces included in MORISAWA PASSPORT from old style to new style.
"Does this look old-fashioned?"
"The elements are simple, so it feels more like a new style than this font."
The members consulted with those around them and actually picked up the fonts to compare them and understand how the design created the atmosphere they wanted.
An exciting presentation competition!
After lunch, everyone enjoyed chatting in a friendly atmosphere, and the tension was finally eased as the afternoon session began, where the members finally introduced themselves and gave presentations on their pre-assignments!
It was an exciting time, as each participant had three minutes to introduce themselves and present in front of everyone on the "special feature theme they had thought of" for the free paper they were going to produce, which they had been notified about in advance! As they had already become friends through workshops and other activities, the presentations were given in a harmonious atmosphere.
After that, they voted to narrow down the themes they had prepared to three.
In Kansai, the three proposals were Nakahara, Moriya, and Otomo!
"Wearing letters."
"What's your writing level?"
"The font is a blast!"
The votes for the three proposals were almost equal, and the members were struggling with the theme.
To finally decide on one, Moritani Ayaka (pictured right) and Nakahara Yu (pictured left), who were also in attendance, made another presentation in front of the Kansai members!
The other members who voted for each candidate also joined in as cheerleaders, explaining why they voted for them and what they found interesting about them as they went along.
By the way, these two are senior and junior at university,
"This is from the seniors, right?" asked Nakahara.
"No, no, in these situations, the juniors should start," said Moritani.
The event started with a comedy skit that got the audience laughing. Even in these scenes, the Kansai vibe was evident.
"The beauty and elegance of the word 'wear'. I want to give it a Kyoto feel with a Kansai flavor."
"I really want to compare it to the Kanto region and say, 'What's your handwriting level?'"
During their second presentation, both of them showed their strong Kansai-focused side.
Many of the supportive comments were directed towards the Kanto region, and it was clear that the members on the other side of the screen were inspiring them.
In addition, Shoji from Tohoku Institute of Technology joined the Kansai region as a member of the group, connecting live with us. It was refreshing to see everyone talking directly to the screen, and the members actively engaged in conversation to make it easier for everyone to join in.
The special theme has been decided!
And in the final vote, Nakahara's "Wearing Letters" was chosen after a close vote of 5 to 6! The theme is to combine the power of fonts with the image of the word "wearing."
As the representative of Kansai, I immediately reported to the Kanto members, incorporating the opinions of everyone else.
This time we decided to switch the order and start from Kansai.
Nakahara's lively presentation, typical of the Kansai region, drew laughter from the Kanto members, with some saying things like, "I guess Kanto should have done it first...lol."
"Fonts are like packages that encase words and information. I think that depending on the font, it changes not only the appearance of the characters, but also the atmosphere and feeling that is perceived. I think that this is very similar to fashion. Cute, unique, or something that makes a strong impression. I want to convey to readers the world of characters that emerge when wrapped in various fonts in this way."
It was very reassuring to see Nakahara promptly answer the sharp questions from the Kanto side that followed.
The theme for the Kanto region was then announced, with the decision being made to "Fall in love with the letters at first sight." The two core themes for the future feature have now been decided.
From now on, each member will use this to create a booklet for East and West, plan an event, and what kind of things will they come up with? To that end, it will be important for each person to understand fonts and become aware of their own fascination.
Good friends and rivals who inspire each other
At the end of the day, the participants split into designated teams and immediately began discussing the first task that had been announced.
Each of the four teams began working on a single theme, coming up with concrete ideas for how to proceed and starting research.
The first subcommittee meeting ended with a report on the contents of the discussions with the Kanto side.
From now until the end, we will be good friends and rivals. I think this year will be a year in which the Moripass Club will be able to help each other improve.
The next meeting is coming up soon, in early June! We have to work together as a team to tackle the assigned tasks. Although it's a short time, with members in Kansai living far away, this will be a real test of teamwork.
Laugh, worry, and laugh some more. The Kansai team is made up of members who love to have fun. We will continue to share their growth through the Moripass Club!