Aokujima
A small magical island where memories do not fade — they become light.
Three generations. Three eras. One lantern, one bell, one stencil pattern.
Countdown
Open-ended window
Challenge pacing follows studio calendars; timers pause if moderation halts submissions.
Live signal
Published ideas
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Vote lanterns counted
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Days remaining
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World rules
- ❖ Memories gather in lantern light, reflections, and shrine walls — not in trench geology.
- ❖ Three eras, one shrine. Specify which era: Lantern Village, Neon Boardwalk, or Archive Era.
- ❖ The brass bell, yellow raincoat, and lantern stencil appear in every film. Continuity is sacred.
- ❖ Family-safe across all three films. No horror, no adult styling, no real-person likeness.
- ❖ Studio-style imitation (Ghibli, Pixar, Shinkai) is hard-banned.
Tone guide
Bittersweet wonder. Grief-lit hope. Quiet victories that cost something. The arc is always: isolation → ritual → the courage to share. Let lantern light carry emotion. The island answers through reflection, never through explanation.
“A memory kept alone becomes a shadow. A memory shared becomes light.”
What fits
- ✦ Intergenerational echoes — the same object, a different hand
- ✦ Memory sequences where shrine walls glow with soft amber outlines
- ✦ A character choosing to share rather than keep
- ✦ Visual motifs that bridge eras (lantern → neon → archive)
What does not fit
- — Mineral extraction, resource survey, or trench science
- — Generic mystical-Asian-island aesthetics
- — Horror, jump-scare, or adult styling
- — Studio-style imitation (Ghibli, Pixar, Shinkai)
- — Pitches promising ownership or financial returns
Submission checklist
- Anchor in the Aokujima world — lantern light, shrine, brass bell, lantern stencil pattern.
- Specify which era: Lantern Village (Film A), Neon Boardwalk (Film B), or Archive Era (Film C).
- Keep proposed runtime inside challenge caps — short films only.
- Accept Submission Terms so moderation can publish your pitch wall entry.
- Credit collaborators inside the pitch notes field when applicable.
Lantern-lit leaderboard preview
No public pitches yet—your draft could be the first lantern on the ridge.