JUDGES' COMMENTS

声色や視線をかえることで、おばあさんと孫の2人をうまく演じ分けるなど、表現の仕方が素晴らしかったです。自信をもってはっきりと話していたこともとてもよかったです。自己紹介のあとで、ストーリーと関連することを表現できたら、もっともっといいと思います。これからの成長がとても楽しみです。応援しています。

CHIBA MIYUKI

Congratulations on your powerful and entertaining delivery of 釜泥. I especially enjoyed the witty exchanges between the grandmother and Aimi. Your effective use of different voices and facing directions brought the characters to life.

There were moments when your voice was difficult to hear, likely due to turning your face too far to the right or sudden changes in volume. There were also a few minor pronunciation slips.

Overall, you showed great improvement from last year. Thank you for a wonderful performance!

Edward Lee

JUDGES' COMMENTS

最初から最後までとても穏やかな様子で、話し方も流ちょうでスムーズでした。仕草や手ぬぐいの使い方も工夫していてよかったです。生き生きとストーリーを伝えられたので、とても楽しく聞けました。これからも頑張ってくださいね。もっともっと上手になると思います。頑張ってください。応援しています。

CHIBA Miyuki

Congratulations on a wonderful performance! I particularly enjoyed the scene in which the grandmother peeped into the pot and spoke to Aimi inside it. Your use of eye direction helped the audience visualise the scene clearly.

The gestures used to describe teh tarik and satay provided a nice cultural touch. Your voice was clear throughout, and your voice play effectively distinguished the characters. The use of the tenugui and fan was also commendable.

Although there was a slight lapse in delivery, it was barely noticeable and did not affect the flow of the story. Well done!

Edward Lee

JUDGES' COMMENTS

Tahniah atas keberanian dan komitmen Allysha san dalam menyertai pertandingan storytelling ini. Allysha san telah berjaya menyampaikan cerita dengan baik, jelas dan penuh keyakinan. Persembahan yang ditampilkan menunjukkan usaha serta persediaan yang bersungguh-sungguh, sekali gus menjadikan jalan cerita mudah difahami dan menarik untuk diikuti.

Teruskan mengembangkan bakat dan minat dalam bidang storytelling serta bahasa Jepun. Dengan latihan dan pengalaman yang berterusan, Alissya-san pasti dapat meningkatkan lagi kemahiran penyampaian dan mencapai kejayaan yang lebih cemerlang pada masa hadapan. Semoga terus berjaya dalam pelajaran dan apa jua bidang yang diceburi. Syabas dan teruskan usaha yang baik!

Dr Roswati Abdul Rashid

Your opening question to the audience was creative and engaging, immediately sparking curiosity about the story.

While there was limited voice variation between characters, you compensated well with expressive facial expressions and changes in speaking pace. Bravo!

The performance would have been even stronger with clearer audio and more attention to pronunciation and intonation. Your use of facing directions generally helped the audience follow the scene, though there were a few moments when the characters' positions became unclear.

Overall, you did very well, especially for a first attempt. Hope to see you again next year!

Edward Lee

JUDGES' COMMENTS:

Tahniah atas persembahan storytelling yang sangat baik, menarik dan menghiburkan. Harun-san berjaya menyampaikan cerita dengan penuh keyakinan serta menampilkan watak dengan jelas dan berkesan, menjadikan jalan cerita mudah diikuti dan menarik perhatian penonton dari awal hingga akhir. Penggunaan intonasi, ekspresi dan gaya penyampaian yang bersahaja turut menambahkan daya tarikan persembahan.

Pada masa yang sama, Harun-san boleh terus meningkatkan kualiti sebutan, kefahaman terhadap makna perkataan, serta variasi suara mengikut watak bagi menjadikan persembahan lebih berkesan dan hidup.

Teruskan usaha dan minat dalam bidang storytelling ini. Harun-san berpotensi menjadi pencerita yang lebih cemerlang pada masa hadapan.

Dr Roswati Abdul Rashid

A well-executed performance with an interesting and witty self-introduction about making dodol. You portrayed the grandson convincingly through your facial expressions and playful voice.

Although your nervousness showed when you missed a few lines, you remained composed and continued confidently. Bravo!

Continue working on your pronunciation and ensure that your gestures match the actions described in the story.

Congratulations, and I hope to see you again next year!

Edward Lee

甲乙がつけられないほど、みなさん上手でした。特に感情表現、仕草などがとても優れていたと思います。

CHIBA Miyuki

All participants delivered excellent performances and brought their characters to life clearly and naturally. The storytelling flowed smoothly and successfully engaged the audience throughout the competition. The overall standard was exceptionally high, making it very challenging for the judges to differentiate and award marks. Most importantly, everyone demonstrated a strong understanding of the concepts of storytelling and Rakugo. We hope to see all of you participate again in the future with even stronger techniques, greater confidence, and even more captivating performances. Well done to all participants!

Dr Roswati Abdul Rashid

The standard of this year’s competition was very high, and all contestants performed remarkably well. While there were some pronunciation issues and occasional missed lines, their engaging performances more than made up for these shortcomings.

Although contestants are not required to perform in a rakugo style, the following conventions may be helpful:

1. When portraying a junior or subordinate character, face left when speaking to a character of higher status, such as a senior, customer, or teacher.

2. Let the audience see as much of your face as possible. When turning left or right, keep the angle to about 30 degrees or less.

3. The fan is traditionally used to represent objects such as chopsticks, a fishing rod, or a writing brush, rather than as an extension of the hand. Avoid using it to point at objects or people.

Edward Lee

1. Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia

2. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

3. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (MJIIT)

4. University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

5. Uzbekistan State World Languages University

6. Bishkek State University, Kyrgyz Republic

7. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

8. Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

9. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Croatia

10. Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University, Turkiye

11. Shivaji University, Maharashtra, India

12. Ban Somdej Chaopraya Rajabhat University, Thailand

Team 5: Faruq Mango Rice

Members:

1. MUQTADIRU ATHALLAH LUBIS

2. RYUMARA KALEIL NOTODIPOERO

3. MOHAMAD AMIN NAUFAL

4. AIDAN AKMAL IZUDIN

Labschool Cirendeu High School, Indonesia

With a total of 66 questions, there was plenty of content. The questions featured both Japanese and Romanized text, showing great consideration for the player.

The balance between the game's overall polish and the learning of Japanese particles was excellent.

The game incorporates a variety of elements, such as prison life and money-making mechanics. It not only integrates aspects of Japanese society but also offers a wide range of choices regarding characters and game settings.

It is a highly polished game that remains engaging, allowing players to enjoy it repeatedly without getting bored. It’s fantastic!

MORIBAYASHI Ken

Congratulations, you guys have proved your abilities in this competition. You guys can go far with these knowledge that you have. I wish you guys well in your future endeavour. Again, congratulations, for having done your best in this competition!

FARHAN UMAR MU'ADZ

Team 6: CHSians

Members:

1. ANG JAY JUIN

2. ALLYCE CHAI YONG QI

3. AUDREY CHAN YU NING

4. LIAU YUAN TONG

SMJK Katholik PJ, Malaysia

Thank you for your excellent effort. Otsukaresamadeshita.

NIRMALA A/P BELETAMBI

Mary Kristene Clariño

Team 3: Dream Restorers

Members:

1.      JA EL LOH

2.      LEE HENG JIUN

3.      LOW RUI SHAN

4.      SHARIFAH NUR AINA BATRISYIA WAN MAHMUDIN

SMK Dato Penggawa Barat, Malaysia

I am especially impressed by the originality of the world and characters you created. The charming animal illustrations give the game a distinctive personality, while the consistent visual design brings the whole world of Dreamland together beautifully. Your game truly feels like 「やさしくて、あたたかいせかい」—a gentle and warm world.

As players travel through the story, they can look forward to meeting each new animal character. Using a gachapon instead of a traditional die is a playful and creative feature that adds an element of surprise and makes the adventure even more enjoyable. The gentle world and charming characters also inspire affection for animals and a sense of connection with them.

Most importantly, you achieved your goal of creating a tool that allows learners to enjoy studying Japanese with their friends in a relaxed and joyful way. Your game shows us that language learning can be imaginative, kind, and comforting. Thank you for inviting us into your wonderful world, and congratulations again!

FUJIMITSU Yuko

Amazing job!

Heimrih Lim

Team 7: Lumina Quest

Members:

1.      EYLEEN YEH YEE LEN

2.      SARA LEIA HAFIZAH ABDULLAH

3.      ASHLEY DEANNA SATOR

4.      SHAZRUL QORYANSYAH JOHARI

SMK Kota Marudu, Malaysia

What impressed me most was how the 35 quiz questions gradually unfolded into a fantasy story. Instead of isolated textbook sentences, students encountered engaging, story-driven examples that sparked their curiosity and imagination.

This reminded me that language exercises do not have to rely on "meaningless" beginner-level sentences. When practice is built around an engaging narrative, learning becomes as enjoyable as reading a manga or novel.

Bravo to the team for this innovative approach. Congratulations on this well-deserved Merit Prize!

Edward Lee

Mary Kristene Clariño

The teams demonstrated remarkable creativity by integrating Japanese language, culture, storytelling, and real-world themes into their games. Rather than relying on isolated textbook sentences, they crafted imaginative stories with memorable lines such as "The bear eats a shiny star," sparking curiosity and making grammar practice engaging and meaningful. Some even provided grammar explanations when players answered incorrectly, turning mistakes into valuable learning opportunities.

These teams have shown that learning grammar can truly be fun. Thank you to all the participating teams. Omedetou gozaimasu!

Edward Lee

The excellent storytelling in your game designs reminded me that powerful stories can make grammar more meaningful and easier to learn. Thank you for showing us this through your wonderfully creative works.

FUJIMITSU Yuko

And I respect your willingness to take on challenges.

MORIBAYASHI KEN

Overall, the event and the student's outputs showed how interdisciplinary subjects are, programming and language. The outputs can be supplementary educational tools for language learning through a fun gamified learning.

MARY KRISTENE CLARIÑO

I think all the teams did very well, in terms of game design, coding and the themes. There are some surprising and innovative games, which is very lovely. The players are also able to come up with a story, and tell the story that they want to tell nicely whether its incorporated in the game or in the tutorial.

I think this year the level of the players has increased a lot. I understand that AI resources are allowed, no doubt that helped many teams to realise their vision for the game that they want to create. I hope that on top of AI usage, they also learned something throughout the process.

HEIMRIH LIM

FARHAN UMAR MU'ADZ

However, there is still room for improvement especially during the presentation. Some teams were not able to introduce the games or let the other teams to play their games as they spent more time explaining the objectives and the storyline. Hopefully, we could overcome this in coming years.

Minasan, you deserved a big applause for the hard work. Taihen Otsukaresamadeshita.

NIRMALA A/P BELETHAMBI

絵の表現が分かりやすい。誰にでも起こりそうなエピソードで、共感しやすい。

一方、絵とオノマトペが全て太い線で描かれていて、少し集中しにくい。

SOOKYUNG YOO

すごくいい絵だね。、感情や状況、雰囲気がはっきりと伝わってきます。

しかし、ドアが閉まっている絵よりも、この会話のシーンなら、ドアが開いている絵の方が雰囲気に合うと思います。

IHZZA ALIEF HIDAYATILLAH

絵がカワイクて、オノマトペも良い。

KUROGI NAOHIDE

「百億円」というのが唐突で面白い。オノマトペも漫符も適切。特に漫符を赤色にしていることで、怒りがよく伝わる気がする

SOOKYUNG YOO

​家の気持ちがよくみえました。よく描きましたね。

ダイログの内容は家のことではなく、家の持ち主の様子を表していますね。

IHZZA ALIEF HIDAYATILLAH

イラストが上手なので、家の気持ちがよくわかる。

KUROGI NAOHIDE

目の表現とセリフででキャラクターの特徴が分かりやすく。

SOOKYUNG YOO

キャラクターの心情が丁寧に表現されています。オノマトペの使い方もとても上手ですね。

「ピンポーン」の文字が真ん中に浮かんでいるだけなので、どこで音が鳴っているのか分かりにくいです。​​ドアの近くなど、音が鳴っている場所にオノマトペを置くと、状況がもっと伝わりやすくなります。ただ音がするだけでなく、「ドキドキ（心臓の音）」や「シーッ（静かにしている音）」などのオノマトペを足すと、隠れている時の緊迫感が出ます。

IHZZA ALIEF HIDAYATILLAH

会話の内容がわかりやすく、絵も良く描けている。

KUROGI NAOHIDE

When you create manga, one of the most important things is whether or not your message reaches the readers. Expressing what you want is important, but if readers don't catch it, it may not fully come across. If you have another chance to create manga, I hope you'll keep this in mind.

Thank you for your participation!

SOOKYUNG YOO

さらに作品を良くするためのアドバイスを3つお伝えします。

読みやすさの工夫: セリフやフキダシが絵を隠さないように配置を調整しましょう。文字は大きく、ルビも読みやすい大きさを意識してください。

オノマトペの活用: オノマトペは単なる音だけでなく、緊張感や状況を伝える重要なツールです。場所や感情に合わせて文字の形を工夫すると、より物語がドラマチックになります。

オリジナルの背景: AIではなく、ぜひ自分の手で背景を描いてみてください。手描きのタッチや質感は、作品にあなただけの温かみと個性を与えてくれます。

今回の結果に関わらず、皆さんの創造力は本当に素敵です。ぜひこれからも漫画作りを楽しみながら、さらに素晴らしい作品を描き続けてください！皆さんの成長を心から応援しています。

IHZZA ALIEF HIDAYATILLAH

KUROGI NAOHIDE

We received 55 entries from 28 contestants, out of which 13 were disqualified for not meeting the rule '5-7-5' (17) sound count.

JULIA QISMEENA BINTI JOHARI

SMK (P) Methodist Klang, Selangor, Malaysia

Judge's Comment

A very engaging and appealing video. The enthusiasm and positive energy made the presentation enjoyable to watch. Great effort!

However, introducing the local food culture either before or after the explanation of the castle would make the presentation flow more smoothly. In addition, the loud background noise between 1:15 and 1:24 should have been avoided.

JANIKAH JEPPY

とても明るく、動画制作にも工夫と努力が感じられました。少し雑音があったのが残念ですが、改善できればさらに良くなると思います。全体的によくできており、見た後に実際に訪れてみたくなる動画でした。

FOO LAI MING

The video makes people feel like going Kellie's castle. It would be much better if the promotional video had a clear/blur background.

MASUDA KAYOKO

1. MUHAMMAD ASHIDDIQI AZHARI

2. MUHAMMAD HARUN SYARIF MUBAROK

SMP Progresif Bumi Shalawat, Indonesia

Judge's Comment

The video was very well edited from beginning to end. The pacing, transitions, and overall presentation were excellent.

I would recommend that the students use the local language or dialect when ordering food. This would sound more natural and provide a great opportunity to introduce another aspect of the local culture.

素晴らしい! A fantastic job overall—well done!

JANIKAH JEPPY

お二人とも元気いっぱいで、自分たちの国の有名なストリートを一生懸命紹介してくれました。ただ、最初に「インドネシア」であることや、どの地域なのかを説明すると、さらに分かりやすくなったと思います。また、話すスピードが少し速かったので、もう少しゆっくり話すと聞き取りやすくなるでしょう。それでも、お二人の熱心な紹介がよく伝わる素敵な動画でした。

FOO LAI MING

Transition from the general topic of the town to the food is very natural. The sound helps to feel something about Sidoarjo.

MASUDA KAYOKO

1. NAJWA BELVA SHAQILE

2. ADZRAA ZAIDA PUTRI AYODYA

3. JENNY NUR MAULIA

4. R. AJ. RAIHANAH ANDINI PUTRI

SMP Progresif Bumi Shalawat, Indonesia

Judge's Comment

Good effort!

I noticed that there were a few mistakes in the subtitles.

To make the video even more engaging, consider adding a voice-over narration, even if the students are not speaking live on camera. A clear voice-over can enhance the storytelling and make the documentary more professional and appealing.

JANIKAH JEPPY

4人とも明るくてかわいらしく、Tunjunganについて楽しく紹介してくれました。最初に場所をもう少し分かりやすく説明し、特に印象的なスポットを詳しく紹介すると、さらに魅力が伝わると思います。また、Hotel Majapahitで起こった歴史的な出来事について、その背景や由来もあわせて説明すると、より理解しやすく、内容もさらに充実すると思います。

FOO LAI MING

The promotional video was the best among all entries

MASUDA KAYOKO

The students successfully conveyed factual information about their topic in a clear and organized manner.

To make the documentary even more engaging, the students could strengthen the "has developed a deep connection with or sense of belonging to" aspect. This would better reflect the meaning of 地元 (じもと), which refers not only to one's hometown or local area but also to a personal sense of attachment, familiarity, and belonging to that place.

Great effort overall, and well done on producing an informative and visually appealing documentary.

JANIKAH JEPPY

一方で、タイトルの工夫や説明の分かりやすさ、音声の聞き取りやすさ、ナレーションや雑音など、改善できる点も見られました。これらを意識すると、さらに完成度の高い動画になると思います。

今回の経験を生かして、次回はもっと魅力的で分かりやすい作品を作ってくれることを期待しています。皆さん、お疲れ様でした！

FOO LAI MING

It must also have been quite a challenge to capture the unique charm of your hometown within 2 minutes. Perhaps this could be the beginning of a series of videos introducing your hometown. It would be interesting to continue sharing the stories and attractions that could not fit into this project. And of course, do it in Japanese!

Both video production and Japanese language skills are valuable not only for this competition but also as lifelong skills. I encourage you to keep improving and refining them in the years ahead.

You all did a wonderful job. Well done!

MASUDA KAYOKO

SMK Ibrahim

Comments from the Judges

ストーリーがある自己紹介で面白いですね。はやりアニメや漫画のきっかけに日本語を勉強していますね。オノマトペアもたくさん使っていますね。漫画の影響かな。よく頑張りました。話すとき、時々聞き取れないので今後もってはっきり話してくださいね。そして、顔ももっとリラクックしてね。

EDWARD LEE

最後に、「ワクワクにはまって、ペラペラまで」という動機付けと目標が同時に楽しく表現されているところが高評価。これこそPLAYFUL Learning! ！楽しいが伝わる自己紹介でした！

NAKANO ATSUSHI

She comes across as lively and enthusiastic, with a strong willingness to work hard for the things she is passionate about.

ROKIAH PAEE

SMK(P) Methodist Klang

Comments from the Judges

アニメや漫画のイラストが好きですね。漫画を描いたり、ストーリーやセリフを作ったりして日本語が上手になったこと、すごいですね。

EDWARD LEE

動画もセリフもとてもきれいにまとまっていました。アニメのキャラクターのセリフ「更に向こうへ、プルスウルトラ」は『僕のヒーローアカデミア』という作品で主人公たちが通う学校の校訓ですね。とてもいいことばでいいですが、コンペティションのセリフにつかうとあなたの「好き」は伝わりますが、オリジナリティが損なわれてしまいますね。是非、「好きの向こうへ」進んでください！

NAKANO ATSUSHI

(This video exceeded 1 minute)

SBPI Selandar

Comments from the Judges

Silatの日本語大使ですね。面白い。Silatはソーラン節と似ていることは知りませんでした。ビデオの中で例を取り上げたら、分かりやすいかもしれませんね。

EDWARD LEE

シラットは、ソーラン節に似ているのですね。聞き手の日本語話者なら知っているだろうソーラン節をきっかけにして、マレーシアの武術「シラット」を紹介した戦略は高評価です。ただ、あまり説明のなかったシラットを肩書にするには、ソーラン節の説明が長かったので最後に？？となってしまいました。

NAKANO ATSUSHI

He appears calm and composed. Although the video is simpler and slightly shorter than the other entries, its content is refreshingly different. The introduction of both Soran Bushi and silat creates an interesting cross-cultural perspective and helps the video stand out.

ROKIAH PAEE

A self-introduction should be more than simply saying, 「はじめまして。どうぞよろしくお願いします。」 It should give the listener a meaningful sense of who you are in less than a minute and leave them wanting to know more about you.

These students have achieved exactly that. Bravo!

EDWARD LEE

参加者のみなさんの作品の中にもありましたが、私も、～したいという「心」と〜すべきという「頭」の状態がそろったときにもっとも学習が進むと思います。教育工学者の上田信行氏が提唱する「Playful Learning」がまさにこの状態を指していると思います。でも「好き」はその入り口でしかありません。「好き」の向こうには「夢中」があります。ぜひ、学習に没頭する体験をしてみてくださいね！

NAKANO ATSUSHI

ROKIAH PAEE

AARON YAP

For those whose entries were not selected, please do not feel disappointed, as your designs were also wonderful and showed great potential. I hope you will continue to express your creativity and keep challenging yourself in future opportunities.

As a suggestion for future submissions, please pay careful attention to the contest guideline. Thank you to all participants for sharing your creativity and passion.

CHAN YEE HAN

TOSHITAKE SAYAKA

OKAMOTO TAE

HAZMAN BAHAROM

With continued practice in rhythm, metaphor, and emotional layering, these contestants can evolve into truly expressive poem writers. Well done. Keep writing.

LIM YEW YAK