Pictoria Inc. has teamed up with the Public Enterprise Bureau of Beppu City in Oita Prefecture to launch “Jigoku Kourin,” a new IP project that fuses Beppu Keirin (bicycle racing) with the city’s one-of-a-kind sightseeing attraction, the “Hell Tour” (Jigoku Meguri). For the original character concept the project welcomes Utsumi Hiroko, known for Free! and SK8 the Infinity, with INEMOUSE handling character design. A teaser PV and key visual have been released.

A “Co-Creation” IP Personifying Beppu Keirin × the Hell Tour

Beppu City in Oita Prefecture is home to a living culture of hot springs and history. “Jigoku Kourin” begins as a new entertainment IP that fuses the long-beloved “Beppu Keirin” with the city’s unique tourism resource, the “Hell Tour.” Through the concept of personifying keirin and the Hell Tour, a cast of distinctive characters is brought to life.

At the core of the project is the fusion of “keirin and entertainment,” accelerated by the adoption of new technology. Rather than a one-off collaboration, the aim is to establish a locally rooted IP and grow it together with fans, building a “co-creation”-style fan economy.

Key Visual and Character Designs Unveiled

Following the teaser PV released on June 4, a key visual newly drawn by character designer INEMOUSE was unveiled on June 11. Along with its elegant world view, the appeal of the characters is expressed in vivid detail.

INEMOUSE was brought on board thanks to an ardent offer from Utsumi Hiroko, who handles the original character concept and felt that “INEMOUSE is the only one who can express their appeal to the fullest.”

Seven Characters and Their Voice Actors

The characters and their voice actors are: Chinoike voiced by Sawashiro Chiharu, Umi by Takahashi Reiya, Tatsumaki by Morikubo Shotaro, Shiraike by Masuyama Takeaki, Oniishibozu by Mizunaka Masaaki, Oniyama by Nogami Sho, and Kamado by Konishi Katsuyuki—seven in all. Characters modeled on Beppu’s “hells” weave a story told as a tale of youth set in hell.

Future Outlook

Going forward, alongside content development on YouTube, the Beppu Keirin velodrome plans to host a “chat experience” where fans can interact with the characters in real life. For on-site experiences and real-time communication during streams, the team says it is considering the use of digital technologies such as synthesized voice, while placing the highest priority on respecting voice actors’ rights and performances.

With on-site initiatives in Beppu City also in view, the plan is to create opportunities to experience the world view both online and offline. Rather than a temporary effort, the project aims to energize the future of Beppu Keirin together with the local community and contribute to sustained regional revitalization.

Impressions and Outlook

A framework in which a local government’s public-competition arm and a tech company with a track record in the VTuber space team up in earnest is rare, and it draws attention as a new form of “local government and VTuber.” The serious lineup, featuring a renowned concept creator and voice cast, suggests this is aimed not at a one-off regional PR push but at long-term IP cultivation. Stepping into the use of synthesized voice while clearly stating respect for voice actors’ rights also looks like it could become a model case for future regional IP development.

Source: PR TIMES