N'ọnwa Juun afọ 2000, Shinkai malitere iche echiche banyere ihe ga-esochi ya mgbe ọ na-arụ ọrụ maka Falcom. Na June 2000, Shinkai sitere n'ike mmụọ nsọ ịmalite Voices of a Distant Star site na ịbịaru foto nke nwa agbọghọ nọ na kokpiiti na-ejide ekwentị. Mgbe oge ụfọdụ gasịrị, Manga Zoo (taa bụ ngwa ekwentị), kpọtụrụ ya, nke nyere ya ọrụ ka ya na ya rụọ ọrụ, na-enye ya onyinye iji mee ka echiche ya bụrụ ihe nkiri ha nwere ike ire. Na Mee 2001, ọ kwụsịrị ọrụ ya na Falcom wee malite ịrụ ọrụ na Voices. N'ajụjụ ọnụ, Shinkai kwuru na mmepụta were ihe dị ka ọnwa asaa nke "ezigbo ọrụ".
na-ese foto nke otu nwa agbọghọ nọ n'ụgbọelu na-ejide ekwentị