AQUASTER Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Harada, which plans and produces illustrations and digital content Hirora) was in charge of the production of the animation “Twentyennium Dreams,” which depicts the life of the founder, Jo Niijima, as part of the project to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Doshisha.
This work consists of 30 minutes of full animation, and has been released on the special website for Doshisha since December 2025.

The first chapter of this animation (“Risshi”) was held on Saturday, November 29, 2025 at Doshisha Junior and Senior High School, “Doshisha 150th Anniversary Festival IN”. It was screened as part of the venue program at the “IWAKURA” and “Doshisha 150th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony (Part 2)” held at the National Hall of Kyoto.

■ Doshisha 150th Anniversary Special Website

新島襄に関するアニメーション「二百年の夢を見た。」

 About Doshisha’s 150th Anniversary Animation “Twenty Hundred Years of Dreams”

Story

At the end of the Edo period, Jo Niijima went to the United States in search of freedom.
Fortunately, in this area, with the support of many good people, we were able to receive a democratic and advanced education at three schools.
In order for Japan to become a modern nation, it is essential to educate Niijima in order to nurture self-government, freedom and conscience. Thinking about it, as soon as I returned to Japan, I tried my best to transplant an American school to Japan, and challenged the establishment of Japan’s first private university.
As a result, his aspirations and dreams of establishing a university did not come true in his lifetime.
However, this dream has been handed down from generation to generation to students, alumni, and faculty members of the current Doshisha.

Cast (titles omitted)

Jo Niijima as Joe Hiroshi Kobayashi
Yaeyaku Niijima: Hitomi Ueda (Graduated from Doshisha University’s Faculty of Policy Studies)
Fukushi: Yusuke Ikeda (Faculty of Cultural and Information Studies, Doshisha University)
Kano Kakutaro: Tsuyoshi Hashimoto (Faculty of Literature, Faculty of Letters, Doshisha University, 4th year)

Work composition

“Twenty Hundred Years of Dreams.” is composed of three chapters (30 minutes in total), “Rissai”, “Ashi”, and “Commissions”, and has been fully released on the special website of Doshisha’s 150th anniversary.

■ Doshisha 150th Anniversary Special Website

新島襄に関するアニメーション「二百年の夢を見た。」

▼ Chapter 1 “Without”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baVqxznaa-w

▼ Chapter 2 “Ashi”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8wjmh3zqja

▼ Chapter 3 “Comrades”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlki4bdfeh0

From Aquaster Animation Producer

In order to create animations that are loved by many people, including current students and alumni of Doshisha, we are conscious of contemporary yet widely accepted content. Please take a look at the “Two Hundred Years of Dreams” envisioned by Jo Niijima.

■ About Aquaster Co., Ltd.
Since its founding in 1991, I have been involved in visual production centered on advertising storyboards and illustrations.
From 2020 onwards, in addition to the copyrighted illustrations of anime and games, he has expanded his business to the digital field, including web, SNS marketing, and VR space design. With its strength in solving the promotion issues of companies and local governments with “visual power,” we are involved in more than 5,000 projects a year.
We are working to create content that moves the hearts of users with the mission of “conveying complex events that are difficult to convey in writing in an easy-to-understand and attractive manner to anyone.”

Name: Aquaster Co., Ltd.
Location:
Tokyo head office 〒104-0045 1-13-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 1-13 Ginza Shochiku Square
Kansai Branch Office 1-22-4 Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 550-0002 Higobashi Ishikawa Building 702
Representative: Hiroyoshi Harada
Date of establishment: November 14, 1991
Official website: https://aqua-star.co.jp/
Production example: https://aqua-star.co.jp/works/