32 University Students Take on Manga Ad Production with 'Nagoya Morning' Theme: Practical Education Program Launched by Nagoya Zokei University and Aqua Star

Aqua Star, Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroyoshi Harada), a company specializing in the planning and production of illustrations and digital content, is collaborating with Nagoya Zokei University (Location: Kita-ku, Nagoya City; President: Toyotsugu Ito) to conduct a practical training program for 32 third-year students in the university's Visual Expression Miwa Studio (Comic Illustration specialty).

In this initiative, students are working on planning and producing key visuals and manga advertisements themed around 'Eat Up! Nagoya Morning' to promote the charm of Nagoya's morning culture. Aqua Star staff are currently preparing feedback materials for the students' submissions, with an online mid-term review scheduled for June 1, 2026.

During the mid-term evaluation, active professionals from Aqua Star will critique each student's work, providing feedback on planning intent and expressive techniques from a real-world perspective. Students will use this feedback to refine their work for the final evaluation.

Overview of the Initiative This program is a practical educational initiative where students perform planning and production based on a virtual task set by Aqua Star, simulating a professional workflow. During an orientation held on April 20, 2026, Aqua Star employees visited Nagoya Zokei University to explain the background and intent of the task and the methodology used in professional creative production.

The task focuses on 'Eat Up! Nagoya Morning,' simulating the creation of promotional material for a special page on Nagoya's breakfast culture on a tourism website. The target audience is individuals in their 20s and 30s. Students are considering how to effectively convey the appeal of this culture to the youth demographic through their proposals and artwork. Beyond mere illustration, the task requires students to organize concepts and articulate their intentions, simulating the professional requirement to define 'to whom,' 'what,' and 'how' to communicate.

Future Outlook Following the mid-term review in May 2026, a final review will be held in June to progressively enhance the quality of the projects. Outstanding work will be selected for potential integration into Aqua Star’s future content.

Background In recent years, the spread of chat tools, social media, and a focus on time-performance (Taipa) has prioritized efficient information consumption. However, this has also heightened the importance of communication skills, such as understanding others' intentions and context. In this environment, corporate illustrators are required to possess not just drawing skills, but the ability to think and express effectively. This program emphasizes experiential learning in interpreting task objectives and expressing them clearly through visuals.

About Aqua Star, Inc. Founded in 1991, Aqua Star has focused on visual production and advertising creative services. Since 2020, the company has expanded to include IP-related entertainment promotions, experiential digital content development, and SNS strategy support. With approximately 60 illustrators and other creators, the company handles approximately 5,000 projects annually, providing one-stop services from planning to implementation.