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Sakura Wars Creator Ouji Hiroi Reveals Marriage to 37-Year-Old Dentist
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
Sakura Wars creator Ouji Hiroi revealed at an event for ForwardWorks' Sora to Umi no Aida (The Space Between the Sky and Sea) multimedia project on July 25 that he has remarried. After the event, the 63-year-old revealed to the Nikkan Sports newspaper that he married a 37-year-old dentist. They entered the family register in May 2016.
Hiroi confirmed that his wife is not pregnant. The marriage surprised many online commenters because of the 26-year age difference between the couple.
Hiroi began thinking about the story concept of the multimedia project about three or four years ago. The story is set in Onomichi, Hiroshima in the year 20XX. Fish disappear from the sea around the world and only whales live in the ocean. The Ministry of Fishery decides to set up giant experimental Universe Fish Tanks in space. The Onomichi Universe Fishery Union is established and begins to train space fishermen. Female fishermen are in demand due to the strengthening of an equal employment law for men and women. Six new female space fishermen are selected, and the story centers on supporting their growth.
Hiroi said that he thought of the story in light of the decreasing fish population in the world. The breaking away of icebergs from Antarctica and other factors caused him to imagine a sea without fish. Japan's real fishing industry is in danger due to decline in fish populations.
Another theme of the project revolves around equal employment laws. Hiroi thinks that the fishing industry would be the hardest industry to integrate women into because people are reluctant to put women on fishing vessels. Japan passed its Japanese Equal Employment Opportunity Law in 1986, but men continue to dominate the workforce. Many woman in Japan also continue to quit their jobs when they marry or become pregnant.
The project is ForwardWorks' first original IP and includes a smartphone game, radio program, manga, television anime, novel, and stage performances. ForwardWorks will release the project's smartphone game for iOS and Android devices in Japan in October. The app will also be available in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau through a partnership with So-net Taiwan. The project is inspiring a television anime adaptation in 2018.
Source: Nikkan Sports via Hachima Kikō
