Mushure mekukunda mubairo mukuru, Shinkai akatanga kufunga nezvekutevera-kumusoro paakaramba achishanda kuFalcom. Muna Chikumi 2000, Shinkai akafuridzirwa kuti atange Voices of a Distant Star nekudhirowa mufananidzo wemusikana ari mukombi achibata nharembozha. Imwe nguva gare gare, akafonerwa neManga Zoo (nhasi smartphone app), iyo yakamupa basa rekushanda naye, ichimupa rubatsiro rwekushandura pfungwa yake kuita anime yavanogona kutengesa. Muna Chivabvu 2001, akasiya basa rake kuFalcom ndokutanga kushanda paVoices. Muhurukuro, Shinkai akataura kuti kugadzirwa kwakatora mwedzi minomwe ye "basa chairo".
kudhirowa mufananidzo womusikana ari muimba yokutandarira akabata runhare