Japan Prize 2009

This is a news show produced for children from the child’s point of view. With a target age of 4 to 6, this is a time for children to broaden their viewpoints and see the larger world aside from their family environment. This program aims to help children understand and accept the transition gradually from a small world to the big wide world which will enable them to feel connected with other people. The main news of the day is about a lost hen newly bought for a girl. The reporter of the animated character immediately asks other children about the hen. The news progresses by delivering a live report from the scene by a helicopter. Then the following news jumps in. This time it’s about a boy who just bought new boots. The reporter disseminates information of the hen search to him. While everyone is worrying, big news fl ashes in. The hen is found safely from the cooperation of the girl’s father. The program successfully draws the attention of the children by focusing on news subjects from the children gathered via the Internet and by skillfully combining designed animation and live-action to deliver a familiar news show.

This is a news show produced for children from the child’s point of view. With a target age of 4 to 6, this is a time for children to broaden their viewpoints and see the larger world aside from their family environment. This program aims to help children understand and accept the transition gradually from a small world to the big wide world which will enable them to feel connected with other people. The main news of the day is about a lost hen newly bought for a girl. The reporter of the animated character immediately asks other children about the hen. The news progresses by delivering a live report from the scene by a helicopter. Then the following news jumps in. This time it’s about a boy who just bought new boots. The reporter disseminates information of the hen search to him. While everyone is worrying, big news fl ashes in. The hen is found safely from the cooperation of the girl’s father. The program successfully draws the attention of the children by focusing on news subjects from the children gathered via the Internet and by skillfully combining designed animation and live-action to deliver a familiar news show.

Eleven-year-old Merle got interested in wooden engravings when she was 9, when she met Marco the engraver as part of a lesson. One day, a hospital in the city makes an official request for a piece of her artwork. To encourage the hospitalized children, they wish to decorate the pediatrics ward with her sculpture. She decides to choose freedom as the theme for the work. In fact, she wanted to express the feelings she had while she was in the hospital for three weeks a year ago. She started to cut a piece of lumber more than 2 meters long from the trunk of a huge tree to make her first work of large proportions. This is a heart warming documentary through which a child achieves pleasure and confidence from her passion.

The subject of this documentary is The Origin of Species published by Charles Darwin in the mid-19th century. As Darwin sailed around the world on the HMS Beagle he observed the ecology of various species of plants and animals. Many of his experiments conducted upon his return to the home country also remain on record. In the program various experiments were conducted to recreate Darwin’s evolution theory of the living thing in a familiar and simple manner. A seed was examined to see if it would survive in salt water likened to seawater. In another experiment a seed was tested to see if it would still sprout on new land after drifting across the sea. In an experiment on natural selection, the growth of a seed was observed. A seed planted with care on fertile land but left under natural conditions where it got affected by harmful insects, dryness, etc., showed that not all plants are able to grow, and only a strong kind of seed is able to survive. Darwin’s theory was also explained by the hypothesis of “a land with a lot of cats has a lot of clover”. In the accumulation of such experiments, young viewers are invited into the world of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Shark World is an online game that simulates the construction of the world’s first largescale shark aquarium in Shanghai, China. Players take the role of project manager of a Dutch installation company. The last project manager falls ill, and the player flies to Shanghai immediately to apply for the job. The player must successfully deal with their Chinese client, related ministries and agencies, and on-site negotiations. As the game progresses, various skills are obtained such as planning, analysis, communication techniques, economic perspective, client management, leadership, cultural sensitivity, and diplomatic ability. The player needs to manage a total balance of the budget, time, and quality in order to continue the project. For example, cutting down the budget or time by force may end up in putting another department at risk. It is a game where a player can gain experience and skills as a project manager while simulating a real project.

This television program is about a Danish school for children experiencing family problems such as alcoholism and divorce. Parental problems weigh heavily and cast a dark shadow in the hearts of the children. Cecilie is a 13-year-old girl whose parents are divorced on account of her father’s alcoholism. She has been hurt by this and spends every day with a dark shadow over her shoulders. Sanne is an adviser at a school responsible for caring for such children and striving to improve their parent-child relationships. One day, Cecilie goes to her father, who’s been absent from her life, to write a composition about him. Cecile starts restoring her relationship with her father, while her mother doesn’t admit it. Sanne seeks a solution that’s best for the family. Finally, revealing her smile in the classroom appreciating the efforts that Sanne has made, she slowly regains her relationship with her father. The program motivates the viewers to think about how to solve a serious problem without affecting children.

Every day, the Wonder Pets receive a call for help from an animal somewhere in the world. This time it’s a young Bengal Tiger in India who has a thorn in her paw and can’t walk from pain, asking for help. The Wonder Pets fly hurriedly to India. At first the Bengal Tiger is resistant. “What could such a small animal do to help me?” But the Wonder Pets with the help of a mouse, work together to pull out the thorn from the tiger’s paw. This television series teaches through various challenges to the Wonder Pets the importance of teamwork over the individual for problem-solving.