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Attack on Titan Characters Trick-or-Treat Early in Latest Game
Eren has already tried his luck as a LAWSON employee. Now the Survey Corps. member and his cohorts are celebrating Halloween early courtesy of a new costume pack in KOEI Tecmo Games' Attack on Titan console game. The characters suit up as classic monsters like werewolves, vampires, and witches. Armin appears to be a pumpkin-pants gentleman of some sort. The new DLC is 350 yen per costume or 1,200 ...
Simpson Motorcycle Helmets Are Latest to Collab with Bakuon!! Anime
The upcoming TV and OAV anime adaptation of Mimana Orimoto's Bakuon!! manga is tying up a bunch of deals with real motorcycle clubs and merchandise companies. The series is adding the NORIX SIMPSON motorcycle helmet. The character Raimu Kawasaki will wear the helmet in the show. NORIX joins Kawasaki, Suzuki, Ducati, Honda, and YAMAHA motorcycle manufacturers. Real bikes made by the companies are b...
Award-Winning One Piece Kabuki Play Inspires Figure, Official Merch
The award-winning Kabuki stage play based on Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga was a hit with both critics and fans during its run last year. So much so, the play returned this year for runs in both Osaka and Fukuoka. MegaHouse's Portrait of Pirate (P.O.P.) figure line is commemorating the performance with a 1/8-scale Luffy figure wearing his Kabuki regalia from the Osaka performances. The Kabuki Ed...
Moto Hagio's Sci-Fi Artwork Gets Exhibit in Tokyo
Moto Hagio, the creator of classic manga works like The Heart of Thomas and They Were 11, is getting her own exhibit this month dedicated to her sci-fi works. The "Moto Hagio Sci-Fi Original Space Play Exhibition, Fly Into a Different World" will open on April 9 at the Kichijoji Art Museum in Mushashino, Tokyo. The exhibit will focus on Hagio's Star Red, Hyakuoku no Hiru to Senoku no Yoru, They We...
Kazuo Koike to Hold Reddit AMA on Thursday
― Manga creator Kazuo Koike will hold an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. EST. Koike will reveal the Reddit URL on his official Twitter account before the AMA takes place. The manga creator's latest project includes a Kickstarter campaign for a motion comic version of Lone Wolf and Cub in Japanese and English. Koike co-created several popular manga titles that have been licen...
Eternal Sailor Moon's Weapons Imagined as Pens, Sailor Starlights Get Pullip Dolls
The final season of the Sailor Moon's original TV run is getting its share of merchandise. The Prism Stationary collection, which has turned the characters' magical items into pointers and pens since the 20th anniversary began in 2013, might be wrapping up. The "Eternal Set" includes the Eternal Tiare and the Holy Moon Chalice. The two can be combined to create the Moon Power Tiare. The ball-poin...
Tralfagar Law Gets Gender-Swapped for Sexy P.O.P. Figure
MegaHouse's Portrait of Pirates (P.O.P.) Limited Edition B.B. figure line has included sexy swimsuit versions of Nico Robin, Boa Hancock, and Nami. P.O.P. Limited Edition is just one of 13 collections in the P.O.P line. Previous collections included "Motion Ability Statue," "Edition-Z," "Neo MAXIMUM," "Sailing Again," and more. MegaHouse is now adding "I.R.O (Informal Request ONE PIECE)" to the s...
Romance Novelist Iris Johansen's Stormy Vows Gets Manga Adaptation
New York Times best-selling author Iris Johansen's romance novel Stormy Vows got the manga treatment by Ohzora Publishing. The one volume manga is titled Arashi no Oka de no Chikai and was released on Monday. The author's official website describes the original novel: Fiercely proud of her independence, Brenna Sloan felt her assurance crumble under Michael Donovan's forceful approach. They were bo...
Replace Your Platinum With a Sailor Moon Crystal Credit Card
If you plan to charge your next purchases in Akihabara, Tsutaya's T-Card credit cards will fit right in. The company is releasing two Sailor Moon Crystal credit card designs. One features Sailor Moon herself while the other is a silhouette of the five original Guardians. Applications for the Sailor Moon design will open on April 1. The silhouette design is currently available for order and will s...
Marukome Questions the Meaning of 'Kawaii' in Avant-garde Miso Soup Ad
Marukome is a food company best known for its Ryōtei no Aji (First-Class Flavor) miso products not asking existential questions like, "what is 'kawaii' ?" In a new ad, the company tackles the question through the mind of a girl pondering whether it's "cute" or "sexy" or sometimes a little "gross" or "pure." She eventually decides that it is both a fleeting window of time and an eternal concept fro...
Naruto & Sasuke Face Off in New 1/6-Scale Statues by Tsume
Luxembourg-based Tsume created its first 1/6-scale Naruto statues to celebrate the release of the Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 video game. The statues depict the titular character facing Sasuke Uchiha in a dynamic showdown. Only 1,000 statues were made and are already sold out. Each costs 279 euros (US$303) separately or both could be purchased together for 529 euros (US$575). Tsume al...
Sony President, Square Enix CEO Settle the Score in Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Asia President Atsushi Morita challenged Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda to a Call of Duty: Black Ops III duel a few weeks ago. Morita issued the challenge via an official video on the PlayStation Japan YouTube channel on February 19. Not one to go back on his word, both parties showed up to battle in a live-streamed event on Nico Nico Douga on Friday. Viewers ...
S.H. Figuarts Ultraman Fights Invasions While You Sleep
Bandai's S.H. Figuarts line is adding a 50th anniversary Ultraman figure, standard Ultraman figure, and his foe alien Baltan to the line-up. The company kicked off the announcement with a stop-motion video of Ultraman and Baltan. The two wage battle while their own snoozes on the couch. The 50th anniversary edition will go on sale in July for 8,640 yen (US$76). The set includes alternate hand pos...
This UFO Catcher Game Is Totally Rigged, Part II
UFO catcher games are part skill and part dedication. Few are designed to get a prize on a first try or even first five tries. This can be frustrating, but nothing more so than a game that is literally impossible to win. Twitter user @Aru0000 encountered that problem while trying to get a Love Live! plush. The outcome was so absurd, they couldn't help but laugh. りんちゃんとるぞぉ!……!!!???アームがとれました。 pic.tw...
Hatsune Miku Song Ranks Top Choice for High School Graduation Theme
In America there are plenty of go-to tracks used ad nauseum every year for high school graduation. Baz Luhrman's "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" and Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)" are almost as traditional as "Pomp and Circumstance." The Japanese music app Nana asked teens which song the want most for their own high school graduation. Surprisingly, many students didn't choo...
Have a Magical Stay in the Mahō Tsukai Precure! Hotel Suite
Shirakaba Resort's Ikenotaira Hotel facing Shirakaba Lake in Nagano prefecture is creating a room suite fit for a magical girl. The Mahō Tsukai Precure! Dream Room will open on March 4 and be available for booking until January 9, 2017. Note: Above is the Go! Princess Precure room design offered last year. The room includes unique PreCure wallpaper and decor, toothbrushes, puzzles, hair scrunchies...
Mr. Osomatsu's Todomatsu, Ichimatsu Bishōnen Hug Pillow Designs Revealed
The final two bishōnen hug pillow design of the Mr. Osomatsu sextuplets were revealed this weekend. The youngest and spoiled sibling Todomatsu and the cat-loving Ichimatsu round out the group. Brothers Karamatsu, Osomatsu, Choromatsu, and Jūshimatsu's designs were revealed last week. The bishōnen character designs first appeared in the premiere episode of Mr. Osomatsu. The pillowcase costs 16,200...
New How to Draw Panties Manga Drawing Book Teaches Exactly That
Manga artists and character designers have released videos and hosted seminars to better novices' art skills. There's plenty of how-to books on the market for the same purpose, from questionable "pose books" to detail books teaching how to draw hands or men's fashion. Publisher Ichijinsha's latest highly-specific entry is concerned with one intimate garment. The book is titled Pants no Kakikata (H...
New Vegeta Figure Literally Trembles with Fear
Premium Bandai is accepting pre-orders for a slightly more interactive Dragon Ball Z figure. The "Hajimete no Gatagata" (Trembling for the First Time) Vegeta figure shows an injured, crying, sweating Vegeta that actually shakes. The figure recreates the moment when Vegeta stood in front of Frieza's final form in episode 85 and found himself crying for the first time in his life. The vibrating ped...
Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2016's Current Fan Vote Tallies
While the nominees for Animation of the Year at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2016 have already been announced, fans get to make their voices heard too. The fan vote for Anime of the Year will be held until March 6. The initial list of 489 titles has already been whittled down to 20, all of which were aired/screened between November 2014 and October 2015. The current ranking is: SHŌNEN HOLLYWOOD ...
Tokyo Theater to Screen Girls und Panzer Film with 'Extreme' 4DX
The Girls und Panzer movie is showing in Japanese theaters equipped with 4DX technology. This provides a much more immersive theater-going experience, with sometimes aggressive chair movements, mist, steam, scents, and chairs pounding your back like you're at a massage. The Cinema Sunshine Heiwajima, in Tokyo's Heiwajima district, is taking 4DX one step further on March 5 with "extreme" screenings...
Fist of the North Star Statue to Welcome Hokkaido Bullet Train
To be located in North Star city
― On March 26, the Hokkaido Line will finally connect Honshu, Japan's main island, to the northern island of Hokkaido by high-speed bullet train. To welcome the occasion, the Oshima-Ōno Station in Hokuto, Hokkaido, will be remodeled into the "New Hakodate-Hokuto Station," and will receive a bronze Fist of the North Star statue. Hokuto means "north star" or more accura...
Bus Tour of Live-Action Patlabor Filming Locations Planned
Also: visit to life-size Patlabor
― On February 25, the crew that maintains and sets up the life-size Patlabor mecha, the AV-98 Ingram, announced via Twitter that a bus tour of the filming locations of The Next Generation -Patlabor- is being planned for March 27. The tour will conclude with a visit to "Section 2" to see the Patlabor in person and take pictures with it. More details are promised short...
Business School for Japanese Pop Culture to Open in Akihabara
Study how to be an idol, cosplayer, or dōjinshi artist
― The Tokyo School of Anime will open a spin-off school, the Akiba Business School, in Tokyo's Akihabara district, its main pop culture shopping district. The school will train students out of high school for careers in Japan's pop culture and entertainment industry. Tokyo School of Anime's mascot The school has six majors: Idol, Idol Producer, M...
Relive Dramatic Scenes from One Piece, Dragon Ball Z with Figures
Sanji's farewell and Gohan vs. Cell
― Banpresto's Dramatic Showcase line of figures recreates memorable or emotional scenes from One Piece. In early March, the sixth set in the series will be released, and it depicts the scene in Episode 30 where Sanji bids farewell to his mentor, Chef Zeff, to join the Straw Hat pirates, prostrating himself before the chef in respect. A set of figures from Dragon Ba...
Gantz Creator Draws Seiko Ōmori's New CD Jacket Art
Gantz and Inuyashiki manga creator Hiroya Oku album jacket artwork for singer Seiko Ōmori's new album TOKYO BLACK HOLE. The CD will be released on on March 23 in three editions; Tokyo Edition, Black Edition, and Hole Edition. The latter will only be produced in limited quantities and bundles a CD, DVD, and book. The Black Edition comes with a CD and DVD while the Tokyo Edition only includes the CD...
Japanese Fans Pick Their Favorite Anime Narcissists
A certain sextuplet triumphs
― Narcissists may not seem like likable characters, but sometimes they can win fan followings and boost their anime's popularity, whether because of the humor narcissism provides or because their self-absorption underlines how awesome they are. Charapedia, a Japanese anime/manga character database, conducted a survey of 10,000 fans to find out which narcissists were most ...
U.S. Marines Prove Tanks Can Drift — in Snow
Answers question put to Girls und Panzer producer
― Can tanks drift? That's the question posed to Kiyoshi Sugiyama, the producer of Girls und Panzer, in the latest issue of Drift Tengoku ("Drift Heaven"), a Japanese magazine devoted entirely to drifting. The interview discusses action scenes in the anime from the perspective of drift aficionados, as well as Rosehips, a character from the Girls und Pa...
Japanese National Baseball Team Gets Windfall from Mr. Osomatsu Collaboration
Tickets nearly sold out
― Baseball may be Japan's most popular sport, but outside of the regular season, Samurai Japan, Japan's national baseball team, struggles to sell tickets. Star players seldom show up at warm-up matches, and the selection round against the Confederation of European Baseball last year drew only 23,132 spectators. NPB Enterprise, the company that handles the team's merchandise an...
Mr. Osomatsu's Jūshimatsu Bishōnen Hug Pillow Design Revealed
Perpetually cheerfuly Jūshimatsu is joining his brothers Karamatsu, Osomatsu, and Choromatsu with a bishōnen hug pillow design. Gakken Plus revealed the reversible design on Friday, the fourth so far. The bishōnen character designs first appeared in the premiere episode of Mr. Osomatsu. The pillowcase costs 16,200 yen (US$144) and will ship on April 28. Source: Nijimen
Animate Celebrates Leap Day With TeniPuri Character Birthday
Shop will stay open 24 hours, stream special guest Q&As, screen Pretty Rhythm Prism Show Fan Disc
― The main Animate Ikebukuro store will pull an all-nighter to celebrate Leap Day on February 29. Instead of closing overnight on Sunday, the retailer will keep its doors open for fans through Monday before finally closing up shop at 9 p.m. that night. The festivities aren't just to recognize the once-i...
Outer Guardians Get New Gashapon for Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III
Gashapon World's Sailor Moon line-up is adding Outer Guardian die-cast charms to celebrate the Spring premiere of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III. The set includes six items: Chibi-Usa's Space-Time Key, Chibi-Usa's Silver Crystal, Sailor Uranus' Space Sword, Sailor Neptune's Deep Aqua Mirror, Sailor Pluto's Garnet Orb, and Hotaru's Amulet. Each item costs 400 yen (US$3.50) and wil...
Splatoon Shares Image to Mark Squid Girl Manga's End
The final chapter of Masahiro Anbe's Shinryaku! Ika Musume (Squid Girl) manga ran in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine on Thursday. The comedy series has garnered many fans, including the staff of Nintendo's Splatoon Wii U shooter game, over its nine year run. The star of Anbe's series is a squid with poorly-thought-through plans of world domination. She crossed over with Splatoon in ...
Let This Cuddly US$450 Snorlax Pillow Block Your Path
No flute in the world could wake up this sleeping giant. In fact, this cushion is so large, Premium Bandai titled it "Zettai ni Okirarenai Kabigon Cushion" or "The Snorlax Cushion That Will Never Wake Up." When standing, Snorlax measures 150cm tall (5ft) and 130cm wide (51in). The hefty Pokemon weighs 12kg (26.5lbs). Most adults and children could probably curl up comfortably on his plush belly B...
Drew Barrymore's Pokémon Party is Gonna Be the Very Best
Shops around the country are preparing for tomorrow's Pokémon Day celebrations with exclusive goods and themed activities. Charlie's Angels actress Drew Barrymore is throwing her own swank Pokémon Day party in Los Angeles at the Sunset Tower penthouse, specifically to celebrate the franchise's unisex fashion items. "I'm immersed in branding and brand expansion every day with my own companies and I...
Usagi Tsukino Shows Support for Yomiuri Giants Baseball Team
The Sailor Moon Crystal anime series will collaborate with the Yomiuri Giants baseball team for the upcoming Tokyo Dome games in May. Tickets for "Sailor Moon Seats" that include unique goods will be sold for the May 6-8 games. The goods include an original towel designs that change depending on the day. The May 6 towel shows Usagi Tsukino wearing a Yomiuri Giants uniform, The May 7 and May 8 towe...
Comedy Skit Show Mega64 Creates Retro-Style Infomerical for Disgaea PC
The comedy skit program Mega64 is promoting NIS America's release of Disgaea PC this month in a unique "official advertisement." The video takes its fair share of queues from late-night infomerical ads of yesteryear, with ham-acting and scratchy visuals included. Mega64's creator and producer Rocco Botte stars in the video where a confused "contestant" wins several Disgaea-themed prizes, including...
Pokémon Pop-Up Boutique Returns to L.A. for Pokémon Day
Los Angeles Pokémon fans can get their hands on some exclusive fashion items starting this Saturday. A pop-up boutique is opening in the Japan LA Pop Culture Shop to celebrate Pokémon Day. The event includes a Pokémon photobooth, trivia game and prizes, and a churro truck. Fashion items include the "Rainbow Evolution" line of Eevee evolutions. The line includes a dress, crop top, tank top, and un...
Mr. Osomatsu's Choromatsu Bishōnen Hug Pillow Design Revealed
Straightman Choromatsu is joining his brothers Karamatsu and Osomatsu with a bishōnen hug pillow design. Gakken Plus revealed the reversible design on Thursday, the third so far. The bishōnen character designs first appeared in the premiere episode of Mr. Osomatsu. The pillowcase costs 16,200 yen (US$144) and will ship on April 28. Source: Nijimen
Crunchyroll Store: Hikari & Angewomon GEM Figure Cancelled in West by Rights Holder; Not 'Child-Friendly'
Angewomon's character design is keeping the latest GEM figure out of Western collectors' hands. The Crunchyroll retail store staff issued a statement on Wednesday that it will not be able to fulfill orders for MegaHouse's Angewomon & Hikari figure set. The original license holders for Digimon cancelled distribution to North American and European retailers, because they "wanted to market Digimon a...
Graphs, Charts Chronicle Hunter x Hunter Manga's Many Hiatuses
Yoshihiro Togashi's manga series Hunter x Hunter has been on hiatus since 2014, with the most recent manga volume published in December 2012. Before that, the manga had been on hiatus from March 2012 to June 2014. The long breaks between chapters has led to frustration from readers and bookstores alike. Data nerds on the internet have broken down Togashi's breaks by presenting Hunter x Hunter's hi...
Pokemon Photo Booth App Adds Trainer Style to Pics
20th anniversary celebration events planned for Saturday
― The Pokémon Company International introduced its Pokémon Photo Booth app to iTunes on Wednesday. The free app adds classic Pokemon style to photos, like battle dialogue text, frames, and filters. The app is available in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian. The Pokémon Company International is introducing the app as part of its 20th ...
MMA Fighter Ronda Rousey Wants to Star in Live-Action Metroid Film
UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey has shown her love for Pokemon by training in a Pikachu costume and threw down opponents in a shirt emblazoned with her anime husband Vegeta. Now the Olympian, actress, and author revealed some of her nerd acting dreams by throwing her hat into the ring to star as Samus in a hypothetical live-action Metroid film. GameSpot's Mat Paget asked Rousey what...
Mr. Osomatsu's Osomatsu Bishōnen Hug Pillow Design Revealed
Osomatsu is joining his brother Karamatsu with a bishōnen hug pillow design. Gakken Plus revealed the reversible design on Wednesday, the second so far. The bishōnen character designs first appeared in the premiere episode of Mr. Osomatsu. The pillowcase costs 16,200 yen (US$144) and will ship on April 28. Source: Nijimen
One Piece Pirates Promote Razors in Original Anime Video
The Straw Hat Pirates are keeping their skin silky smooth in a new campaign with Kai's Xfit (Crossfit) razors. The characters show their admiration for the product in a 30-second animated commercial. The campaign includes larger character razor stands of Luffy or Nami or super-deformed versions of Luffy, Zoro, Zanji, Chopper, and Trafalgar Law. The entire set is available for 9,936 yen or the lar...
Divine Gate Smartphone Game Collaborates with Shakugan no Shana
Shakugan no Shana III (Final) aired five years ago come October but GungHo Online Entertainment and Acquire's smartphone "panel RPG" Divine Gate is holding a limited collaboration with the series. The limited collaboration includes special missions that unlock Shana-tan as a six-star unit and characters available through the game's "Scratch" feature. Characters include Shana, Hecate, Kazumi Yoshid...
KanColle Arcade's Rare Haruna Card Gets 84,000-yen Bid
Sega's Kantai Collection -Kan Colle- arcade game adaptation of DMM.com's free-to-play browser game planned to launch last summer. The game experienced some hiccups and another round of test cabinets appeared in three locations on February 10 with hopes for release this spring. The cabinets utilize character cards which unlock battle scenes to show off their respective characters. Cards have been r...
Queer Japan Kickstarter Documentary to Feature Manga Artists
The Queer Japan Project by director Graham Kolbeins and co-writer Anne Ishii (Fantagraphics Books' Massive: Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It) launched a Kickstarter to fund a documentary focusing on individuals in Japan who don't conform to society's expectations about gender or sexuality. The documentary looks at artists, activists, and every day people living in Japan who are also part o...
Akiba Station Puts Love Live! School Idol Festival Game on Giant Touchscreens
Akihabara Station is taking part in the "Ōkina Gamen de School Festival Shiyo ~Petapeta Festival~" experience events by hosting the Love Live! School Idol Festival mobile game on giant touchscreens. The event will run for this weekend only. Prior to the festival, life-size panels of the μ's members will be on display each day until February 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can play the game Easy...
Mr. Osomatsu's Karamatsu Gets Bishōnen Hug Pillow, Bearbrick
The unstoppable sextuplets of Mr. Osomatsu are getting hugging pillow covers for fans. One of the brothers, the seemingly tough guy Karamatsu is getting a special version. Gakken Plus is currently offering a two-sided case of Karamatsu beckoning in a bathrobe. The pillowcase costs 16,200 yen (US$144) and will ship on April 28. Currently, the shop doesn't have reversible bishōnen covers of the oth...
Sailor Moon Crystal Characters Team Up with JiNS Eyewear
The Sailor Guardians are teaming up with JiNS eyewear and Bandai for a new line of glasses frames. A total of eight frames are included, six to represent the Sailor Guardians and two more for Princess Serenity and the Silver Crystal. Each comes with a matching case and lens cloth featuring new illustrations of the characters wearing the glasses. The inside of the frames have different patterns ba...
Man Strips Down to Sailor Moon Costume at Trump Rally
Twitter user and Awful Records' @bootymath decided to have a bit of fun at a Donald Trump presidential rally in Atlanta on Sunday. Bootymath entered the rally wearing civilian clothes but quickly transformed into anime's heroine of love and justice by revealing her iconic costume underneath. An earlier crowd was chanting "USA!" and Bootymath attempts to continue to chant over Donald Trump speaking...
'Bath Time Boyfriend' Products are Ready to Pamper You
Anime production company TMS Entertainment are introducing bishōnen bath kits that are ready to hop in the tub with you. The Nyūyoku Kareshi (Bath Time Boyfriend) bath products come in eight different characters, although only four are currently available. Each has an assigned scent and personality so you can pick who best suits you. Shota Sugimizu (the aroma of cedar wood) Shota is 20 years old,...
Shaft's Madogatari Exhibition Sees 40,000 Attendees, Adds Nagoya Location
The SHAFT animation studio's 40th anniversary "Madogatari" exhibit opened in Tokyo on November 27 before heading to Osaka and finally wrapping up its run in Sapporo this month. The exhibit offers unique crossover goods featuring characters from the Monogatari and Madoka Magica series and sent fans clamoring to each location to see different versions of the Madoka Magica concept movie. 【名古屋会場】名古屋は5...
TV Bros. Magazine Collabs With Matsuno Bros For 6 Variant Covers
Tokyo News Services' TV Bros. magazine is collaborated with Mr. Osomatsu's Matsuno brothers for six variant covers highlighting different regions in Japan. Each region is selling its version exclusively with pull-out pictures of the featured character, so collectors hoping to get every cover will have order online. The covers include: Osomatsu for the Kanto region. Karamatsu for the Kansai region....
Cardboard Manufacturer Makes Lamborghini Out of Cardboard
Accruing damage from inconsiderate visitors
― Konno Konpou, a cardboard manufacturing company located in Ishinomaki, northeast of Sendai, has built a life-size model of a Lamborghini almost entirely out of cardboard. Called the "Damborghini" (danboard is the Japanese name for cardboard), it was finished on November 4 and has been on display since December 23 at Konpo's Factory, a store managed by Kon...
Naoki Urasawa Manga Documentary Series is Back for Second Season
Moto Hagio, Usamaru Furuya among featured artists
― NHK's documentary TV series Urasawa Naoki no Manben (which, roughly translated, means "Naoki Urasawa's Manga Exertions") is returning in March for a second season. The show is hosted by veteran manga artist Naoki Urasawa (Monster, 20th Century Boys, Yawara!) and examines prominent manga artists in their workplaces. Urasawa also interviews them to le...
Yowamushi Pedal Gets Official Road Race Cycling Team
Manga creator hopes to inspire more young people to cycle
― Wataru Watanabe, the creator of the Yowamushi Pedal manga and a big-time cycling enthusiast, formed an official Yowamushi Pedal cyclo-cross team in 2014. At a party after a cyclo-cross event in Tokyo on February 14, the team announced it would change its name from Yowamushi Pedal Cyclo-Cross to Yowamushi Pedal Cycling and focus more on road ...
One-Punch Man's Yuusuke Murata Draws Cover Illustration for Street Fighter Novel
Novel to be published March 22
― Street Fighter: The Novel - Ore Yori Tsuyoi Yatsu wa Doko ni Iru - ("Where's the Guy Who's Stronger than Me?"), a novelization of the Street Fighter video game series, is set for publication in Japan on March 22. Its cover boasts an illustration (seen below) by Yuusuke Murata, the manga artist behind One-Punch Man and Eyeshield 21. It's written by Takashi Yano, who h...
Japanese Theater Shorts Introduce "Clamployees"
Shellfish with selfish work habits
― If you've ever had a coworker that really got on your nerves, you might recognize him or her among the "Clamployees," a series of animated shorts that air in Toho Cinemas in Japan. The Japanese name, Kaishain, usually means "employees," but in this case the Chinese character for "meet" has been switched with the one for "shellfish"... because they're all different...
Mitsubishi Unveils Device for Projecting Mid-Air Displays
Science-fiction fans who long for the days of seeing actual holograms advertising soda or making public service announcements are now one step closer to seeing that future realized. Mitsubishi Electric has developed a device that projects an image in mid-air which people can pass through. The projection's beam is split into reflected light and transmitted light by a "beam splitter", which is place...
Mr. Osomatsu Baseball Art, Merch Revealed
Also: Chiba Lotte Marines collaborate with Watamote
― On March 5 and 6, the Japanese national baseball team will play warm-up matches against Chinese Taipei (the Republic of China) at Nagoya Dome and Kyōcera Dome in Osaka. 300 seats at these stadiums have been allocated to Mr. Osomatsu fans. The seats are already sold out, but Matsuno fans can still enjoy these images of the anime's characters in bas...
Sumire Uesaka Reveals Sadistic Side at Witch Exhibit
Also discusses views on witches
― Sumire Uesaka (Kikko in Concrete Revolutio, Nonna and Piyotan in Girls und Panzer, Fubuki and others in KanColle) has a reputation for her enthusiasm over military culture, buttressed by her roles in military-focused anime and her knowledgeable DVD commentary on Girls und Panzer. At an appearance on February 19 at a museum exhibit on witches, she revealed some other ...
Fukuoka Man Claimed to be Lupin III in Prank Calls to Police
Has phoned hundreds of times
― A 52-year-old man in Ōnojō, a suburb of Fukuoka, has been making prank telephone calls to the Hakata Police Station claiming to be Lupin III, the famous heroic thief. He also said things like "The police are fools," "Watch your backs" and "Get someone else on the line." The prank calls started last year and have been excessive, and occurred day and night (the culprit i...
Hatsune Miku Goes Classical for NHK Orchestra Performance
The NHK Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a special concert titled "N Symphony CLASSICS × POPS with SPECIAL ARTISTS." The performance is pairing the orchestra with modern pop artists and virtual idol Hatsune Miku is no exception. Miku will dance and sing in real time by following the orchestra's command thanks to Crypton Future Media's "Real Time 3DCG Control System." The...
Capcom UK Shows How to Make a Killer Resident Evil Burrito
The crew at Capcom UK headed to Cantina Carnitas in Hitchen, Hertfordshire, England to get the low down on how to make a zombie-turning burrito. The ingredients include red and green herb and a super secret T-Virus hot sauce that packs a serious punch. Capcom UK note that this will probably be the only episode of "Cooking with Capcom" but you can let them know you want more video game inspired cui...
Toei, Frontier Works' Mahō × Shōnen × Days Project Gets 3rd Drama CD, Novel
Toei Animation and Frontier Works' Mahō × Shōnen × Days!!!!! project is getting a new novel bundled with a drama CD next month. The novel is titled Mahō × Shōnen × Days!!!!! Yuenchi ni Shikakerareta Kuroi Wana (Mahō × Shōnen × Days!!!!! The Dark Trap Set at the Amusement Park) and is written by Risa Ishikura and features illustrations by project character designer Toshie Kawamura (Karneval, Smile ...
Chitoge is Ready for Adventure in Super Mario Maker
Creators have had plenty of fun with Nintendo's Super Mario Maker Wii U level-creating game. Some got "creative" with the format while others added their own characters or others from popular franchises. So far, all the game's collaborations were from other video game franchises. On Thursday, Nintendo began streaming a video announcing Chitoge from Naoshi Komi's Nisekoi manga will take over for Ma...
Fate/Grand Order Smartphone Game Crosses Over With Garden of Sinners in Anime Ad
Type-Moon's official YouTube channel began streaming a new anime television commercial for its Fate/Grand Order smartphone game on Friday. The ad announces a collaboration between the new game and The Garden of Sinners, the anime film series based on Type-Moon founder Kinoko Nasu's light novels. Fate/Grand Order will feature The Garden of Sinners heroine Shiki Ryōgi as a limited event Assassin Ser...
Anna Sui Sailor Moon Collaboration Expands With Purses, Jeweled Accessories
Sailor Moon x Anna Sui goods are expanding with new necklaces, bags, earrings, bracelets and brooches. The items are going on sale at Isetan stores in Tokyo from March 16–22, Nagoya from March 30–April 5, and Osaka from April 8-14. Jewelry Starry Sky Music Box pendant - 23,000 yen (US$203) Key of Space-Time necklace - 23,000 yen (US$203) Moon Stick pendant necklace - 21,000 yen (US$185.50) Sailor ...
New Pokémikke Goods Combine Pokémon & Sweet Treats
New Pokémikke collaboration goods are combining some of the most popular Pokémon with delicious desserts for keychains, button pins, and decorative acrylic plates. The designs show Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Eevee, Emolga, Gengar, Diglet, Swadloon, and Goomy enjoying treats like ice cream, konpeitō, and cupcakes. The buttons and keychains include the same designs but also add Ditto as a jell...
Group Recreates Mr. Osomatsu Opening Sequence in Live-Action
The group Kusarine Project took on the daunting task of shooting a live-action recreation of Mr. Osomatsu's second opening sequence. The video is shot using as little animation as possible and quickly gained popularity with 80,000 views on Nico Nico Douga and YouTube combined. The side-by-side comparison video with the original opening also has about 10,000 views. The parody video is dubbed "Rabum...
Blood Blockade Battlefront Boys Get Hugging Pillows
Zapp, Leo, Klaus, and Steven are snuggling up in their pajamas for new hugging pillowcase covers. While the appeal of these cases are usually their suggestive posing, Leo and Klaus are shown fully clothed in stocking caps. Gakken Plus seems to be working an adorable angle with the new merchandise instead of a sexy one. The pillow cases will ship in late April for 11,000 yen each (US$97). Yasuhiro...
Katsucon 2016 Cosplay Video Shows Valkyrie Eevee-lutions, Super Heroes Galore
YouTube filmmakers BeatdownBoogie and director Micah Moore, the minds behind the Hang 'Em Hyrule Zelda western headed to Katsucon in Maryland last weekend to capture the convention's stunning cosplay. In the group's eight-minute video we see valkyrie-style interpretations of all the Eevee evolutions, the Forest Spirit from Princess Mononoke, plenty of Marvel heroes, and fighters from League of Leg...
Lupin the 3rd Lottery Includes Blue Jacket Lupin Figure
Blue jacket Lupin, the star of Lupin III: Part IV and his partner-in-arms Jigen are getting figures as part of a new lottery campaign. Starting in March, Ichiban Kuji will hold the "Lupin the 3rd ~Eien no Aibō-hen~" lottery. One entry costs 620 yen and participants could win figures, memo pads, glassware, cell phone straps, draw string bags, or playing cards. The lottery prizes include: Prize A: ...
Russian Cosplayer Heads to the Slopes in Sailor Moon Bikini
Russian cosplayer Yuliya, aka Yukiko Ai, took the term "snow bunny" literally by heading to the slopes wearing nothing but a Sailor Moon bikini and a snowboard. Yuliya brought her GoPro 4 camera and a selfie stick to capture herself serpentining down the slopes. Yuliya has also bundled up in a Pikachu kigurumi to snowboard. #краснаяполяна #winter #snow #snowboarding #mountains #clouds #krasnayapol...
Babymetal Idol Group Set to Appear on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
The Japanese idol group Babymetal, the "hardcore" spin on Japanese idol culture, will head to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to promote their new album Metal Resistence. The group's American distributor RED announced the group is confirmed to appear on the program during the week of the album's April 1 release. The three idols, Suzuka Nakamoto (Su-Metal), Moa Kikuchi (Moametal), and Yui Mizono...
Wakayama's Late Cat Stationmaster Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Kishi Station in Kinokawa, Wakayama lost a local celebrity, Tama the Stationmaster, last year at the ripe cat-age of 16 years. Tama brought in throngs of tourists and boosted the station's overall business to 2.27 million passengers in 2014, from 1.92 million in 2005. The station sold photos and merchandise of the tortoise-shell feline and she was summarily promoted again to acting president of Wa...
Idolish 7 Characters Get First Figures by Tamashii Nations
Rival group Trigger gets manga by Arina Tanemura; new in-game idols introduced
― Two of the idols from the Idolish 7 "big media-mix project" are getting figures as part of Tamashii Nation's Figuarts Zero line. Pre-orders opened on Friday for the Riku Nanase and Sogo Ohsaka figures. Both of the characters' poses are based on original key art for the franchise. Each figure costs 5,400 yen (US$47). Rik...
Miyavi, Yoshiki Turn Out for KISS x Ukiyo-e Project Debut in West Hollywood
American rock group KISS debuted its commemorative ukiyo-e art prints at the Morrison Hotel Gallery at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood over the weekend. The prints show the band members as samurai, oni, and with Momoiro Clover Z. The premiere also drew star-studded attendees, including X Japan leader Yoshiki and Japanese rock star Miyavi. Miyavi, although primarily a singer and guitari...
1 In 10 Emotional Viewers "Cried" At Pokémon Super Bowl 50 Advert
The Pokémon franchise aired a nostalgia-inducing commercial for its 20th anniversary during the Super Bowl football game on February 7. The minute-long video has since been viewed more than 22 million times on YouTube and the shorter, 30-second ad that aired on TV has garnered its own 825,000 views. Fans, charmed by the "Train On" message or just happy to see Gyarados on their TVs, took to Twitter...
Prince of Tennis Valentine's Chocolates Flood Konomi's Office
Perhaps against better judgment, the editors of Jump Square magazine reinstated the annual Prince of Tennis character popularity contest. Readers took up the helm again, sending boxes upon boxes of chocolates to Jump Square for their favorite Prince of Tennis character. Manga creator Takeshi Konomi snapped a picture of his flooded office on February 12 and posted it on Twitter on Tuesday. The staf...
Mikasa Voice Actress Plays More of Koei Tecmo's Attack on Titan Game
KOEI Tecmo posted the second video showing Attack on Titan's Mikasa voice actress Yui Ishikawa playing the company's Attack on Titan game on Wednesday. Yui Ishikawa and KOEI Tecmo's producer Hisashi Koinuma celebrated Mikasa's birthday with the first video last week. Koei Tecmo Games' Omega Force subsidiary (Warriors/Musou franchise) is developing the game for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PS ...
Love Live! Girls Get Minty Fresh in Newly Animated Chewing Gum Ad
Maki Nishikino voted by fans as Kissmint campaign girl
― Love Live! fans had a chance to vote for which μ's idol member will be the campaign girl for Glico's Watering Kissmint chewing gum last year, and they chose Maki Nishikino. To celebrate, Glico posted a newly animated television commercial featuring Maki and the μ's tune "Angelic Angel": Fans voted after buying one of 16 different gum variants (...
Titans Aim to Take Over Shinjuku Station With Giant Scratch-Off Poster
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia put up a giant scratch off poster of 50 fearsome Titans in Shinjuku Station on Monday. The poster is part of the "Wall Shinjuku Recapture Strategy" campaign to promote KOEI Tecmo's Attack on Titan game for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PS Vita. The game will hit store shelves in Japan on February 18. The poster measures 12 meters in length and is 2.4 mete...
The Boy and The Beast Promotes Shibuya Tourism With Location Map
To celebrate the home video release of Mamoru Hosoda's The Boy and The Beast film on February 24, the Shibuya tourism office will distribute "The Boy and The Beast × Shibuya Location" maps showing places in Shibuya that appeared in the film. In addition, the Studio Chizu Shop in the Loft Yokohama store opened on Monday. The store will give out a limited number of The Boy and The Beast clear files ...
New Manga Anthology Mixes Boys-Love and Zombies
A new boys-love manga anthology from Enterbrain is combining romance and and the very undead. The collection is titled B's-LOVEY Anthology: BL of the Dead. The listing describes the works as a collection of the "ultimate love stories" taking place in a world of zombies where a lover is "the only sustenance I have to survive this world." The volume includes stories by Homerun Ken, Hidesato Kimura, ...
Space Brothers Creator Introduces 3D Printer Studio, Workplace in French TV Program
The French television program toco toco began streaming its interview with Space Brothers manga creator Chūya Koyama on Sunday. In video, Koyama takes viewers to FabCafe Tokyo in Shibuya, a venue that specializes 3D printing. Visitors can watch their creations come to life using equipment at FabCafes in Japan, France, Thailand, and Taiwan. After exploring the FabCafe, Koyama introduces his studio ...
Oreimo's Kirino Drums Up Voters for Japan Election
Recruited by Ministry of Internal Affairs to spread the word
― Last year the voting age in Japanese elections was lowered from 20 to 18. To help get out the word and combat widespread voter apathy among the young, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has launched a campaign called "18-sai Senkyo" (The 18-Year-Old Election) to drum up voter turnout among 18- and 19-year-olds for this su...
Enjoy Craft Beer and Burly Men at Macho Bar in Tokyo
Get picked up while quaffing regional brews
― Macho 29, a group of muscle-bound men fond of showing off their impressive biceps, is opening a special Macho Craft Beer Bar for one day in Tokyo. The bar pairs well-crafted muscles with craft beer, both of which hail from different parts of Japan. Hyōgo Prefecture (where Kobe is located) is represented by Koala Koarashi and Rokko Beer, a fruity beer that...
Valentine's Day Greetings — Anime Style 2016
KanColle, Love Live! Sunshine!!, Fate/stay night, and more
― Today is Valentine's Day, that special time of year when couples go the extra mile for a romantic evening together and when singles go the extra mile to stop being single. It's celebrated in Japan too, although there it is especially centered around women giving chocolates to men they associate with — although romantic activities are p...
Young Black Jack's Yūichirō Umehara Tours Tezuka Museum
Tries out coloring, animation
― Yūichirō Umehara, who plays Kuroo Hazama (Black Jack) in Young Black Jack, toured the Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, which honors the manga artist Osamu Tezuka, the original creator of Black Jack, among other famous early anime and manga. The museum is currently holding a special exhibit on Young Black Jack called Hazama Kuroo no Roots wo Sa...
Persona 3's Protagonist Sports Sony Audio Products in Anime Promo Ad
Campaign for Sony high-res audio products launches on March 1
― Makoto Yūki, the name of the Persona 3 protagonist in the four-part Persona 3 anime film project, is sporting a pair of Sony headphones as well as a Sony Walkman in a new animated commercial titled "Persona 3 The Movie meets 'Walkman'." The commercial features Yumi Kawamura's song "Boku no Akashi" (My Proof), which serves as an insert so...
Mamoru Miyano Learned to Drive Thanks to Initial D
Trilogy's last film opened last weekend
― Shin Gekijō-ban Initial D Legend 3 -Mugen-, the last film in the new Initial D trilogy, premiered on February 6. Mamoru Miyano, who plays the main character, Takumi Fujiwara, attended a screening at the Shinjuku Piccadilly theater in Tokyo, along with Daisuke Ono (Ryōsuke Takahashi), Yūichi Nakamura (Keisuke Takahashi), Minoru Shiraishi (Itsuki Takeuchi), Tom...
Ultraman's Mom Ends Stint as Fashion Model
Final fan event to be held on Valentine's Day
― Ultraman Taro's mom, Mother of Ultra, has been a fashion model for AMU Plaza Hakata, a shopping center in Fukuoka, since 2014. She's been called "history's biggest model ever" and has become an unlikely hit in Fukuoka. Yet on January 25, she announced that she is resigning from her position. To give her fans a touching farewell, Mother of Ultra will hol...
Auditions Open to Be GACKT's Leading Lady in Upcoming Film
"Wild, beautiful woman" sought
― The Japanese singer and actor Gackt will play the leading role in an upcoming film, Kāranukan. It will be set in his native Ryūkyū Islands. Gackt's character, Hikaru Ōyama, is a photographer graced with "beauty, knowledge and strength" on a photo shoot in the Yaeyama Islands far to the south of mainland Japan. One day, a sunbeam blinds him while he's taking a model's ...
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