Courtney Smith
Sailor Moon buns at five years old, Japanese studies in university, and a lifelong dedication to anime - Courtney Smith isn’t just an enthusiast; she’s a full-fledged devotee. As one half of Sakura Society, an emerging media brand dedicated to anime content, Smith has turned her passion into a dynamic career spanning journalism, streaming, and content creation.
In a recent interview with Pario, Courtney shared her insights on the power of anime, the challenges of content creation, and the importance of accessibility in media.
The Power of Storytelling in Anime
Long before she was co-hosting podcasts and creating content, Courtney was a kid transfixed by the emotional weight of anime. “Before I even realised what anime was, I was five years old watching Sailor Moon and pretending I was Serena,” she recalled. “If my mum didn’t do my hair in the Sailor Moon buns, my day was ruined.” This early exposure to anime laid the foundation for a lifelong passion that would eventually shape her career.
As she matured, her preferences broadened. “I don’t just look for magical girls and card games on motorbikes anymore,” she said with a giggle. “I’m looking for deeper stories, whether they’re told through manga, light novels, or original anime series.” More recently, Courtney has been drawn to narratives that fuse emotion with surreal elements, citing Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume - which tells the story of Japan’s 2012 earthquake through magical realism - as a prime example. “The way emotions are conveyed, despite the whimsy of a talking cat and a walking chair, the emotions are so brilliantly conveyed.”
For Courtney, anime’s ability to tell profound stories is what sets it apart. “There’s nothing else that can convey what anime conveys,” she said. “The creators put their everything into it, and that’s why I put my all into consuming and sharing it.”
Building Sakura Society: A Hub for Anime Enthusiasts
Smith’s journey into content creation began with a desire to share her passion with others. Alongside Brendan White, she co-founded the Sakura Society, a media group dedicated to anime news and discussion. “I wanted to create something that would broaden people’s perspectives on anime,” she explained. “It’s not just cartoons; it’s a medium that can tell incredibly deep and meaningful stories.”
From there the Sakura Society was born - initially starting as a single podcast, More Than Headlines, which focused on delivering anime news in a digestible format.
“There’s literally no one covering anime news, especially in Australia,” Smith said. “We wanted to fill that gap.”
What initially started as a lone podcast has quickly grown into a larger media brand, complete with a Patreon, Discord server, and a dedicated community of anime fans.
Lessons for Aspiring Creators
As someone who has built an anime content brand from the ground up, Smith has strong advice for aspiring creators. “While you’re still small, just do a bunch of stuff,” she said. “Experiment. Play. Don’t get locked into one thing too quickly.”
She believes in keeping content fun. “Social media is about play - whether it’s reels, static posts, or stories, just mess around and see what sticks,” she said. “People get too caught up in what works instead of just trying new things.”
Consistency is also key. “Brendan and I love the anime headlines podcast because it gives us a steady flow of content,” she said. “Sometimes, one episode generates eight short-form clips, which gives us a backlog of content if we ever need it.”
Another crucial lesson? Self-promotion. “Be shameless and push yourself,” she emphasised. “There are people who want to consume content but have no interest in making it. Find them, engage with them, and don’t be afraid to reshare things in different formats.”
For Courtney, the anime journey is far from over. Whether it’s through the Sakura Society or her personal projects, she remains committed to sharing her love for anime with the world.
“If one extra person picks up an anime because of something I’ve shared, that makes me happy,” she said. “It’s all about enjoying it with other people.”
Follow Courtney’s creative journey on social media at: @kotonii_san
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