A circle of friends connected by gut touch! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.
On August 29, designer ARUMANA introduced Yasuyuki Kanazawa, photographer and representative director of “Oni” Inc. We asked him not only about the origin of the company’s impactful name, but also about his wide range of activities, from music videos for PC Music Club and Yabai T-shirt Shop to apparel collaborations with manga and video games, as well as the anime that continues to influence him.
INDEX
A company created in a groove and a company name decided in a groove
Takano (MC): ARUMANA-san called Mr. Kanazawa “Big Daddy.
Kanazawa: “Which part?” I was like, “What’s that? I don’t know what he was talking about (laughs).
Takano: It seems that ARUMANA is a dependable person.
Kanazawa: No, I just don’t have anyone to rely on her (laughs).
Takano: How long have you known Mr. ARUMANA?
Kanazawa: About 5 to 6 years, I think. If I dig too deep, I would get too close to his true identity.
Takano: Keep it mysterious there.
Celeina (MC): Let me start with a profile. Mr. Yasuyuki Kanazawa was born in Nara Prefecture in 1986. After graduating from Osaka University of Arts, he became a freelancer in Kansai. Then in 2014, he moved to Tokyo and established “Oni” Inc. This is the name of the company (laughs).
Takano: I’ve been wondering since yesterday, what kind of company is Oni?
Kanazawa: It’s a company that takes advertising photos and stuff.
Celeina: Why is the company name “Oni”?
Kanazawa: We’re in such a groove that even if you dig, you won’t find anything. I don’t think about anything. I was told that a friend’s company had an extra domain that they were saving for an April Fool’s Day story, so I would give it to them.
Celeina：No way! Do you mean “oni.com”?
Kanazawa: The name is “Demon Pictures” in the English table, but I have another domain called “oni-inc.
Takano: There were demons for leftovers.
Kanazawa: That’s right (laughs).
Takano: But it is nice to have an impact when you greet people. When you greet people, do you say, “I am Kanazawa, the demon”?
Kanazawa: Yes, I do. It’s the same when other people introduce me.
Takano: Isn’t that really nice?
Kanazawa: It’s a tough story (laughs).
Celeina: I envy you.
Takano: I don’t forget.
Kanazawa: It’s tough because I forget more often than not (laughs).
Takano: I heard that the name of the company was “Oni” (laughs).
Celeina: I heard that “Oni” Inc. was started by a couple of college friends.
Kanazawa: It was just a bunch of guys who wanted to quit their jobs, and we got together and decided to make a go of it. That’s why there is no story here either. Everyone quit their jobs at the same time.
Takano: That is fateful timing, though.
Kanazawa: That’s a cool thing to say, but since we are all mahjong buddies, we really feel like a bunch of bad guys.
Celeina: No, no. Mahjong is a pretty smart game, isn’t it?
Takano: Yes, it is. There are a lot of smart people.
Kanazawa: No, they are not that smart either (laughs).
Celeina: He’s the devil himself (laughs).
Takano: You are the representative director, so what exactly do you do?
Kanazawa: I create the company name and do some accounting work, so I’m called the representative director, but actually I’m a photographer.
Takano: Is that all four of you who started the business together?
Kanazawa: Two quit.
Celeina: So they went their own ways.
Kanazawa: They went their separate ways, so we are fine. We are keeping in touch, and I called them yesterday.
Celeina：Maybe they are still listening to you?
Kanazawa: I don’t know about that. I haven’t said anything (laughs).
