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Get Up Close & Personal With Godzilla in Behind-the-Scenes CG Video
Toho is giving a behind-the-scenes look on the CG effects used to create Shin Godzilla's titular monster in a new streaming video. The video gives a panoramic look at Godzilla from his colorless CG form to a fully complete monster. Computer graphic layer breakdowns also show scenes of destruction were created as Godzilla smashes through the coastline and characters' homes. This film is the 29th Go...
RightStuf Looks to Canada in New Anime Survey
North American retailer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. opened its survey to gauge the interests of its Canadian customers. Users that complete the survey are entered to win one of five US$50 gift cards for use on the website. Right Stuf, Inc. distributes series in the Gundam franchise with producer Sunrise Inc. and also licenses and releases anime under its Nozomi and Lucky Penny imprints. Right...
One Piece's Luffy Shows Off Soccer Moves Beside National Player Shinji Kagawa
One Piece's Luffy keeps up with Japan's national team's midfielder Shinji Kagawa in a promotional video posted by Toei Animation on August 7. Luffy and Kagawa show off their moves side by side as the video states that a "dream will change the world." The video celebrates 19 years of One Piece and promotes the recent One Piece Film Gold. One Piece Film Gold opened on July 23 and quickly became Japa...
Metroid II Remake Shut Down After DMCA Copyright Claim
Project AMR2, the fan project to remake Nintendo's Metroid II game came to a halt on Monday after the project's site and the Metroid Database fan site received DMCA notices from a legal firm representing Nintendo of America. Project AMR2 and the Metroid Database were hosting the remake. The game was released this week and you can watch a playthrough below. Nintendo issued a statement to the gaming...
Image of Spice & Wolf Leads' Daughter Revealed
The official character design for Myuri, the daughter of Holo and Lawrence from Isuna Hasekura's Spice & Wolf light novel series was revealed in the 51st issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine on Tuesday. The young girl takes her hair color from her father but appears to have inherited her mother's wolf traits. Myuri is the main character in Hasekura's sequel light novels Shinsetsu Ōkami to Kōshinryō Ōka...
Gantz Creator Urges Fans to Buy Manga New, Not Used
Gantz manga creator Hiroya Oku should be enjoying the upcoming premiere of his series' latest film adaptation but a recent tweet shows he has other things on his mind. Oku took to Twitter recently to discuss how the different avenues to read his manga are in some ways harmful despite the convenience they provide for readers. Specifically, Oku mentioned the used manga market and "manga grazing" and...
40th Anniversary "Kochikame Jump" Includes Artwork by Creators of Naruto, One Piece
Weekly Shonen Jump is releasing a special "Kochikame Jump" issue celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Kochikame manga on August 16, and in it the creator of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto, and the original artist of To Love-Ru -Trouble-, Kentaro Yabuki, will be drawing their takes on the manga. The issue will also include a collaborative Kochikame poster featuring artwork by Hirohiko Araki of Jojo's...
Yo-Kai Watch Pairs With Scentco for Perfumed Merch
Scented stationary and toy company Scentco is collaborating with the Yo-Kai Watch video game and anime franchise to create ghostly goods for fans' noses. The collection is slated for next year and will hit markets in the U.S. and Canada. Yo-Kai Watch will join Scentco's line of Squeezables and Learning Kits, plus Smencils, Smens, Sketch & Sniff Gel Crayons, Smarkers, Smencil Buddies, Sniff Its (p...
Special Shin Godzilla Screening Allows Shouting, Cosplay, Light Sticks
The official website for the current Shin Godzilla movie announced a special "shouting-is-allowed screening" at the Shinjuku Wald 9 cinema on August 15. In this screening, attendees are allowed to shout, come in cosplay, and even bring their own light sticks. Tickets went on sale starting midnight on August 8 at Shinjuku Wald 9's website and sold out in minutes. There have also been other eccentri...
Indonesia Takes 1st Place at World Cosplay Summit 2016
The World Cosplay Summit 2016 competition crowned Indonesia representatives Ryan Cyd and Frea Mai as the Grand Champions at the award ceremony on Saturday. The duo's presentation was based on Trinity Blood with Cyd dressed as Cain Knightlord and Mai dressed as Seth Nightlord. Both costumes employ some impressive technical tricks, where at one moment Mai appears to be split in half and Cyd flies on...
America's 1st Pokémon Go Master Interviewed in Japan
Nick Johnson, America's first Pokémon Go master, is currently in Japan or a media tour. Johnson was the first to catch the 142 available in the United States in late July, mere weeks after the game launched. After his success stateside, Marriott Rewards and Expedia sponsored his trip to catch the remaining region-specific Pokémon in France, Australia, and Hong Kong. When asked how it feels to capt...
Itasha Taxi Will Drive Comiket Goers Around in Style
A taxi company is targeting a very specific clientele at one of the largest fan gatherings the world over. The Gojo Transport service announced on Monday that it will deploy its Itasha Taxi on August 12, just in time for the Comiket 90 dōjinshi convention. The Itasha Taxi will ferry customers around the Tokyo International Exhibition Center for rates comparable to a regular taxi service. The taxi ...
IDOLiSH 7 Project Gets 2nd Manga by Arina Tanemura
IDOLiSH 7, Bandai Namco's fictional male idol group multimedia project, is getting a second manga but the project's original character designer Arina Tanemura. The manga is titled IDOLiSH 7 MEZZO: Murasaki Ao no Hekireki (IDOLiSH 7 MEZZO: The Purple-Blue Thunderclap. The story follows the MEZZO idol group introduced in the game and chronicled in the novel IDOLiSH 7 Ryūsei ni Inoru (IDOLiSH 7: Pray...
Limited Edition Lupin the Third Ukiyo-e Prints Available Internationally
The limited edition Lupin the Third ukiyo-e prints shown at Isetan Shinjuku Store's Fashion Museum earlier this year are now available for sale internationally. Tokyo Otaku Mode is offering a limited number of the prints created by the Takezasado woodblock printing company. Each print is made to order and ranges in price from US$697.99 to US$1,744.99. There are individual framed prints of Lupin, ...
Pikachu Parade Splashes Through Yokohama Despite Summer Heat
Crowds gathered in Yokohama on Sunday to kickoff the annual "Pikachū Tairyō Hassei-chū" in the Yokohama Minato Mirai mall area on Sunday. Lines of fans withstood 90-degree heat to catch a glimpse of the dancing Pikachus, stilt-walkers, and parade floats. Each year, hundreds of giant Pikachu gather in the district to dance their tails off. This year the theme is “This Time We'll Be Getting Wet???” ...
Fans Can Decide Which Oreimo Character Gets Life-Size Figure
The Dengeki Bunko imprint announced that characters from Tsukasa Fushimi's light novel series Oreimo (Ore no Imōto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai) will get full-size figures courtesy of Figure X. Which character, their pose, and their costume design will be left up to fans to decide. Fans will be able to give input during the Tsukasa Fushimi 10th anniversary streaming event on Nico Nico Douga on Au...
Pikachu Continues His Campaign for Ketchup in Short Song
The Pokémon XY & Z character song project added Pikachu's first-ever solo song and it's all about ketchup. This isn't the first time Pikachu has shared its love for the tomato condiment. The electric mouse Pokémon is the current face of Japanese food company Kagome's “Ketchup Daze! Pokémon Campaign.” It's Pikachu's third stint representing the company's ketchup, a match chosen thanks to the easy p...
Haikyu's Nekoma High Characters 'Beckon' as Cat Statues
Haikyu!! fans, bring yourself a little extra luck with Maneki-neko (Beckoning Cat) figures of Nekoma High's Kenma Kozume and Tetsurō Kuroo. The set comes with the two 90 × 50 × 50 mm (3.5 × 2 × 2 inches) character cats for 2,500 yen (US$24.50). Animate Limited's website is accepting pre-orders now, with shipping scheduled for November. Ensky Hobby tweeted that there are currently sample displays ...
Bandai Creates Cup Noodles That Transform Into Ultraman Characters
Bandai has announced a new, edible line of Ultraman merchandise: cup noodles that transform into Ultraman characters. These "Ultranoodles" launched on August 6 and are individually priced at 850 yen, or about US$8.44. Six different characters will be featured: the original Ultraman, Ultraman Zero, Ultraman X, Ultraman Belial, Baltan, and Demaaga. After their three-second transformations, the char...
Gantz Black Sphere Makes Appearance at Gantz: O Event
Manga creator Hiroya Oku, director Yasushi Kawamura discuss film
― FabCafe Tokyo held an event on August 3 called "GANTZ: O NIGHT ~ @hiroya_oku SHIBUYA Mission ~" for the 3DCG anime film GANTZ: O. Director Yasushi Kawamura and actress Asami Katsura, the motion capture performer for the film's heroine Anzu Yamasaki, attended the event. Hiroya Oku, original author of GANTZ, also joined via a digital br...
Latest Attack on Titan Real Escape Game Story Traps Players in a Castle
With only a few comrades left alive, hiding in an old castle quickly crumbling beneath a horde of titans' strength, do you have what it takes to escape? The Attack on Titan Real Escape Game saga continues with "Escape from the Castle Surrounded by Titans." To celebrate its opening, Nico Nico held a special live broadcast "Real Escape Game x Attack on Titan: Escape from Nico-ni Castle Surrounded by...
9-year-old Girl Wins Voice Acting Competition, Was Inspired by Himōto! Umaru-chan Actress
Voice talent company 81 Produce recently held the final round of its 10th annual "Next Generation Seiyū Discovery Auditions" on August 1. This was the first time that the competition was held without an age restriction, and one talented 9-year old girl, Hikari Torio from Osaka, wowed the judges, winning several prizes. In the acting portion of the audition, Torio's recitation of her lines was pre...
Free Gundam Model Building Lessons Offered for Japanese Children
Hobby shops all across Japan will be offering free Gundam model building lessons to children in middle school or younger beginning on August 6 as part of a new promotional event. Participating children will learn how to build their own RX-78-2 Gundam and will be able to take their completed model home free of charge. The RX-78-2 is the robot piloted by Amuro Ray in Yoshiyuki Tomino's original Mob...
Studio Trigger Graffiti Shibuya PARCO Wall
The Shibuya PARCO store in the Udagawacho area is being redeveloped, including the sixth floor of PARCO Part1. Prior to closing the floor on Saturday, the staff of Studio Trigger hijacked one of the walls and decorated it with their own drawings. Every inch was doodled on with characters from Space Patrol Luluco, Kiznaiver, Kill la Kill, Ninja Slayer, and Little Witch Academia. The walls were draw...
Stage Your Own Tank Battles with Girls und Panzer Papercraft Book
Girls und Panzer fans can practice their folding skills with a new craft book. The Girls und Panzer Papercraft Book includes instructions to create six tanks out of paper from different schools in the series. The results are a 1/35-scale paper tank ready for display in a diorama or to decorate your work desk. The book includes patterns for the Panzer IV Ausf. D (Ōarai Girls High School), Churchil...
Behind-the-Scenes Videos Reveal Studio Ghibli's Meticulous Process
Ghibli producer Hirokatsu Kihara is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at Studio Ghibli's detailed animation process in a new series of videos. In the videos, Kihara explains the studio's process, including things that would easily be missed by the untrained eye. The frames for the now retired Hayao Miyazaki's beloved films had to pass through three people before getting approval. In the intervi...
America's 1st Pokémon Go Master Finishes Worldwide Pokédex
London's Ahmed Ali also one of the first to complete game's Pokédex
― Brooklyn's own Nick Johnson (seen far right in photo) finally caught 'em all in the Pokémon Go mobile game after traveling overseas. Johnson was the first to catch the 142 available in the United States in late July, mere weeks after the game launched. The game currently offers 145 first-generation Pokémon, three of which are regio...
Watch Tamashii Nations' Toy Story Set Transform Into Woody Robo Sheriff Star Robot
Tamashii Nations' transforming Woody and Buzz Lightyear sets opened for preorder. Each set takes Pixar's characters and turns them into parts to create one of two giant robots. The sets themselves can then also be combined to create one larger robot, "Gangreat King." The first set is "Chōgattai Daisakusen Woody Robo Sheriff Star" and combines Woody, his steed Bullseye, Hamm, Slinky Dog and Rex. B...
Pikachu Statue Mysteriously Appears Overnight in New Orleans Park
In an act of guerilla art, a statue of the iconic electric-type Pokémon Pikachu was installed overnight in the Coliseum Square Park in New Orleans. Authorities are at a loss to explain it, especially since the statue looks quite heavy. The statue was placed on top of an old, unused fountain, and it appears to be made of fiberglass, with a cement base. Early photos of the statue also show a piece o...
Marina Inoue Will Scold Internet Users via AI Chat Program
Voice actress Marina Inoue (Attack on Titan's Armin, Owarimonogatari's Sodachi, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!'s Yumiko) will scold internet users as the voice of a new AI chat program character. Sony Music Entertainment and the Institute of Language Understanding co-developed a new AI called "Project Samantha." The AI uses personality data to provide a variety of services. Currently in beta, ...
Wrestling Voice Actress Ai Shimizu Reveals Marriage to Ring Announcer
Voice Actress Ai Shimizu (Minawa in Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful, Serafall in High School DxD New, Road in D.Gray-man) announced on her Twitter on August 2 that she is now married to DDT Pro-Wrestling's ring announcer Maiku Inoue. The post reads: "The report- This time, I, Ai Shimizu, and #ddtpro ring announcer and @Bar_swandive manager Maiku Inoue (@maikuinoe) took the next step and got ...
Love Live! Sunshine!! Drops for New Game! in 2016 Summer Poll
Let us know which shows are living up to their hype and which have fallen from grace
― The Japanese anime and video game character website Charapedia asked viewers to weigh in on which summer 2016 anime they're still watching each week. The same site asked users last month to cast their vote for the most anticipated show of the season. Love Live! Sunshine!! was Japan's top choice but the idol show ha...
Pokémon Strike Back in Basel, Chase Trainers with Giant Pokéballs
The Basel Tourism agency has released a video titled "Pokémon Go: The Revenge" starring actors dressed in Pikachu costumes that attack aspiring trainers with giant Pokéballs, taking revenge for all the Pokémon caught with the popular smartphone game Pokémon Go. The video, which was created by the digital content development group Fadeout, is part of a viral marketing campaign to encourage tourists...
Cocktail Prince Mobile Game Announces Next Round of Cast
Geechs' Cocktail Prince, the upcoming smartphone game that revolves around a cast of attractive young male bartenders who all represent cocktails, announced its next round of characters and voice actors. "The Taciturn Natural Glutton" Dirty Mother Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa A quiet band member with a big appetite. He makes food disappear around him at a supernatural rate. He's careful not to wo...
Shonen Jump Holds 1st "Heroine Auditions" Among Female Readers
Weekly Shonen Jump has announced a new "heroine audition" event, in which female readers can compete for the title of "School of Jump Girl." The winner will make regular appearances in the "School of Shonen Jump Homeroom" live broadcasts, will get to travel to Shueisha headquarters 1-2 times a month, and will appear in the Shonen Jump magazine in manga character form. The competition is open to g...
Tamashii Nations Follows Up Woody Robot with Buzz Lightyear Combination Robot Set
Tamashii Nations, Bandai's high-end brand famous for anime collectibles, released details for the "Space Ranger Robo" Chōgattai Buzz Lightyear robot, the partner combination robot toy to the "Woody Robo Sheriff Star." Both sets are available as part of the Toy Story Chōgattai Daisakusen line, which began with a short film released on June 8 that only showed off the Woody combination robot. Bandai...
Lollipop Chainsaw Developer Suda51 Talks Game Development in French TV Program
Video game developer Gōichi Suda, also known as Suda51, was recently featured on the French television program toco toco, which interviews Japan artists and creators about places that are meaningful to them. Suda, who is currently the CEO of the video game company Grasshopper Manufacture, worked on No More Heroes, Lollipop Chainsaw, Killer is Dead, and Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day. I...
Himouto! Umaruchan's Aimi Tanaka Becomes Latest Vocaloid
The latest Vocaloid 4 library expansion introduces the "sugar & spicy" character Otomachi Una voiced by Himouto! Umaruchan lead voice actress Aimi Tanaka. Tanaka is a relatively new voice actress. Umaru Doma marked her first major role and she has since appeared in this season's Active Raid Second television anime as Marimo Kaburagi. The download version launched on July 30 followed by the package...
Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura Dons Seraph of the End Cosplay
67-year-old mayor Takashi Kawamura continued his tradition of dressing up for the World Cosplay Summit event in his city of Nagoya this year. Kawamura was seen chatting it up with participants dressed as Crowley Eusford from the aptly chosen Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign and Seraph of the End: Battle in Nagoya anime series. The vampire takes over Nagoya's mayor office in the second series. Howe...
Metal Gear's Yoji Shinkawa's NERV Anti-Godzilla Weapon Gets Action Figure
We've seen an Asuka and Godzilla mash-up, Unit-01-colored Godzillas and a Godzilla-colored Unit-01. The crossover between Hideaki Anno's Godzilla film and his Eva franchise keeps spiraling out to the point where it practically has its own in-universe logic. This includes NERV's Anti-Godzilla Division. 初出し!企画進行中!G x EVA x Yoji.S 彩色済みアクションフィギュア NERV製対G兵器(仮称) Design by. Yoji Shinkawa ©︎カラー TM&©︎TOHO...
Studio Trigger Fukuoka Animates Kirin Beer Ad
Trigger's Fukuoka studio premiered a series of animated ads on Tuesday to promote Kirin Beer's fruity Hyoketsu (freezing) alcoholic beverage line. Trigger animator alum Keiichi Honda (Space Patrol Luluco) directed the animation in the commercial and designed the characters while Trigger studio founder Kazuya Matsumoto served as animation producer. The commercial follows two pairs, an older sister ...
Tokyo's 1st Female Governor Advocated for 'Anime Land'
Tokyo made headlines on Monday when its citizens elected its first female governor, 64-year-old former Environment Minister and Defense Chief Yuriko Koike. The candidate made waves by announcing her plans to run before receiving the official blessing from her party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). As a result, Koike ran as an independent while the LDP backed a different candidate. Despite this...
Asuka x Godzilla Crossover Design Has Figure Plans
While the larger-than-life Godzilla booth drew fans at this summer's WonderFest, the staff behind the Evangelion x Godzilla crossover campaign were already dreaming up their next mash-up. Artist Nanakamado Anno drew Second Child Asuka covered in a plugsuit growing Godzilla-like plating and a tail. The design is currently available on t-shirts, stickers, a pass case, and as an acrylic stand. A fig...
Olympic Athletes Prepare for Pokémon Go Withdrawals in Rio
The Pokémon Go mobile game surged in popularity since it debuted in the U.S. on July 6 followed by its launch in Japan on July 22. Players are capturing monsters in 30 countries across the globe. Unfortunately, Brazil is not one of those countries and Olympic athletes in Rio this month are adding it to the list of disappointments alongside more serious quality concerns. Athletes like British canoe...
Life-Size Flying Nausicaä Glider Gets 1st Public Test Flight
The life-size Möwe (Mehve in English) jet-assisted glider from Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind film took to the skies above Hokkaido on Sunday for its first public test flight. 50-year-old artist and the glider's pilot Kazuhiko Hachiya soared above spectators at Takikawa Skypark. The moment was the culmination of years of work. The glider started as the "Open Sky" project datin...
Final Issue of ROLA Fashion Magazine Features Ai Yazawa Cover
Shinchosha's women's fashion magazine ROLA is ending its print run with the final physical issue hitting store shelves today. Fittingly, the issue is featuring Paradise Kiss and NANA creator Ai Yazawa for the magazine's "Manga Chronicle for Women 'Ai Yazawa's Bible'" issue theme. Yazawa's artwork is featured on issue's cover and an e-mail interview with the creator is included. Yazawa put her Nana...
Godzilla Stomps Into Universal Studios Japan for New Attraction in 2017
Godzilla is following Dragon Ball Z and Evangelion with a multi-sensory theater attraction at Universal Studios Japan. Godzilla: The Real 4D will bring the fight against Hideaki Anno's incarnation of the monster to life. Godzilla: The Real 4D marks Godzilla's first foray as an amusement park attraction. Godzilla: The Real 4D will open at the park on January 13 after the "Universal Jump Summer" att...
Madoka Magica Slot Machine Boasts New Animated Footage
While SHAFT teases a new Madoka Magica anime with its event "concept movie," another avenue for brand new Madoka Magica footage will debut soon. Universal Entertainment's "Slot Puella Magi Madoka Magica 2" slot machine will include new anime footage. A promotional video is currently streaming on the game's official website. It introduces the game's touchscreen features, different game modes, and p...
Godzilla x Eva Mash-Up Reaches New Heights at WonderFest
Godzilla's ongoing battle with Unit-01 reached its zenith at this year's WonderFest Summer on July 24. Amidst the crowds of figure prototypes was where a booth displaying the toys, art, and other merchandise crossing over Japan's iconic monster and Hideaki Anno's popular psychological mecha series. The most prominent attraction to the booth was the huge replica of the reimagined Godzilla from the...
"Moon Animate Make-Up! 2" Sailor Moon Fan Animation Streamed
Kaitlin Sullivan's popular "The Moon Animate, Make Up!" project's is second episodeis now streaming. This time the team of animators, each tackling a short shot in their own style, recreated the Sailor Moon R episode 68: "Protect Chibi-Usa: Clash of the Ten Warriors." Unlike the previous episode, this one is reanimated to the original Japanese voice track. Over 250 animators participated in the fi...
Square Enix Takes Us Behind the Scenes With Its 'Epic Meal Time' Collaboration
Food and cooking are "absolutely essential element" of the game
― Japanese video game company Square Enix posted a behind-the-scenes video of its collaboration with the gut-busting Canadian cooking web video series "Epic Meal Time" on Friday. The collaboration originally streamed in April, after the meat-loving cooks were flown to Japan by Square Enix to throw together a cheeseburger bentō box for th...
New Shonen Jump Rookie Contest Has Gag Manga Artist Kyosuke Usuta as Judge
Usuta: "You don't have to do a gag manga... [but] maybe it's better"
― Shonen Jump Rookie, a webcomic portal for novice artists, is holding a contest for aspiring manga artists with gag manga artist Kyosuke Usuta (Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san, Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar) serving as the judge. Usuta explains what he's looking for on the contest's webpage: This is the first time I've given an a...
Tokio Member Masahiro Matsuoka Admits He Got His Hairstyle from Slam Dunk
Masahiro Matsuoka, the drummer and vocalist for the rock band Tokio, stands out with his hairstyle, which stands up in the front. On July 27, he revealed on Tokio's TV program, Tokio Kakeru, where he got the look: Slam Dunk. "I look like this now, but I think long ago it stood up even more," Matsuoka said. "It was more like [Akira] Sendou's." His bandmates agreed that the resemblance to Matsuoka w...
Love Live's Yurika Kubo Promotes Blood Drive in Nara Prefecture
Donors get 8-minute voice clip as reward
― Getting people to voluntarily give up their own blood isn't always easy, forcing blood banks to think of strategies to attract donors. The Nara Prefecture Red Cross Blood Center and the Nara Story Tourism Executive Committee are choosing an appealing face from that prefecture to pull in a young crowd: voice actress Yurika Kubo (Hanayo in Love Live! School id...
Affordable Animator Dorm Expansion Crowdfunding Closes Short of Goal
82% of US$10,000 pledged
― The IndieGoGo campaign to expand the low-income Animator Dormitory from housing six animators to eight has closed. It aimed to raise US$10,000 (about 1.03 million yen) but has only raised US$8,211 (about 849,000 yen) from 175 backers. However, its goal is considered "flexible," meaning that the campaign will keep the money it raised. The dormitory is the work of a non-profi...
Wake Up to Soothing Swordsmen with Tōken Ranbu Alarm Clocks
Also: prepaid shopping card, microfiber towels
― Next month, the Japanese convenience store chain Lawson is launching a collaboration with the popular stage musical adaptation of the online game Tōken Ranbu. Fans of the suave swords can buy alarm clocks featuring their favorite characters as portrayed by their actors — and including voice clips from the actors to wake them up in the morning. Fr...
Pet Monogatari's Nadeko on Your Smartphone
Phone wallpaper is your reward
― Nademonogatari ("The Tale of Nadeko"), the latest installment in NisiOisin's Monogatari light novel series, shipped on Friday. To commemorate the new book, a website has opened allowing fans of the series to... pet Nadeko. You see, naderu means "to pet" in Japanese, and Nadeko is the heroine of the story this time around. The book revolves around her gaining the power...
Least Impressive Pokémon Gets Its Own Official Love Song
Magikarp official fanclub page opens; Feebas remains unloved
― Magikarp is something of a joke in the world of Pokémon — it can only Splash around uselessly, it has no means of defense, its vacant expression makes it look dimwitted, and according to the anime you can't even eat it. But in a song posted to the official Japanese Pokémon YouTube channel, "I Love Koiking [Magikarp]," a young singer ...
Japanese Transportation Authorities, Landmarks Issue Warnings to Pokémon Go Players
Since the first release of smartphone game Pokémon Go on July 6, aspiring trainers have been venturing out into the unknown in search of new and rare Pokémon. Some businesses have enjoyed an unexpected surge in customers, while some memorials and landmarks have found their inclusion inappropriate and have banned the game from their premises. Trainers have also begun to discover on their own that ...
Clothes Based on Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto, Flying Witch & More Headed to Stores
Sentai Filmworks, Ripple Junction also collaborate on My Love Story, RIN-NE, Bakuon!!, Onigiri clothes
― The apparel maker Ripple Junction, which specializes in pop culture tie-ins, is partnering with Sentai Filmworks to develop merchandise based on Sentai anime, including Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto, Bakuon!!, Flying Witch, RIN-NE, Onigiri and My Love Story. Ripple Junction and Sentai joined fo...
Sanrio Boys Smartphone Dating App Streams 1st Promo Video
Sanrio released the first teaser promotional video for its Sanrio Danshi ~ Watashi, Koi o, Shirimashita~ (Sanrio Boys ~ I knew love ~) smartphone dating app game. The teaser touches on the story, provides brief character introductions, and shows off game play and some special features. Sanrio announced the game and cast on July 6 and scheduled it for release this fall. Pre-registration for the ga...
Japanese Gamers Discover Joys, Quirks & Frustrations of Pokémon Go
Anime industry also plays the game
― The smash hit smartphone game Pokémon Go debuted in Japan a week ago today, enabling Japanese gamers to discover what all the fuss is about. Like their counterparts overseas, they have enjoyed themselves while getting into bizarre, humorous or inappropriate situations with the game. @0315_kc found an Exeggcute in an odd position. (Incidentally, the Japanese name f...
Oh My Goddess! Creator Fujishima, Cosplayer Otogi Announce Birth of Child
Couple recently announced marriage, pregnancy
― Manga artist Kousuke Fujishima (Oh My Goddess!, You're Under Arrest) tweeted a letter on July 26 apologizing for recent events and announcing the birth of his and cosplayer Nekomu Otogi's child. Apology and birth report I'm sorry to have worried all of you, the fans, with the sudden announcement the other day. I want to once again offer an apology to ha...
Bishonen Idol Magazine Includes Fist of the North Star: Strawberry Flavor Characters
Gag idol group featured alongside B-Project, Tsukiuta, The Idolmaster SideM, more
― The gag idol group from the parody anime Fist of the North Star: Strawberry Flavor made an appearance in the newest issue of the Japanese boys idol magazine MY★STAR vol.6 from Dengeki Girl's Style on Tuesday. The "pure-hearted" idol group, Nanto DE 5 MEN, includes Fist of the North Star characters Shu, Juda, Shin, Re...
Kochikame Manga Gets Novel Crossovers With Girls Und Panzer, Cheer Boys!, Mr. Osomatsu
Also Orphen, Haruchika, Nazutoki wa Dinner no Ato de
― Shueisha has announced a new 6-part crossover novel anthology as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Osamu Akimoto's police comedy manga KochiKame. This Vs. KochiKame: Novelization Anthology will ship on September 17 for 1,600 yen, or about US$15.30. KochiKame, which is short for Kochira Katsushika-ku Kamearikouen-mae Hashutsujo ("This i...
Yu-Gi-Oh! Creator Draws His Characters Playing Pokémon Go
Also: Pokémon Go character designer Yusuke Kozaki posts commemorative art
― Pokémon Go launched in Japan on Friday, allowing Yu-Gi-Oh! manga creator Kazuki Takahashi to join the craze. Takahashi created a three-part piece of art to show his enthusiasm for the game, saying that he's already walked 10 kilometers and has managed to catch a Pikachu. みなさんフォローありがとうございます! コメントもありがとう!楽しく読ませてもらってます! 昨日は10キロ歩い...
Animatrix's Koji Morimoto Directs Commercial for Navigation App
Director, animator imagines a "car that narrows the distance between people"
― Anime director Koji Morimoto created a 30-second commercial for the Japanese smartphone navigation app NAVIelite. The video streamed on Monday. Moritomo referenced the project in an interview with New People. "I would like to have a car that narrows the distance between people," he said. "The cars these days are too fast. ...
Eiichiro Oda Knows What the Final One Piece Panel Will Be
"It's very cool"
― Fuji TV announcer Daijirō Enami appeared at a Tokyo premiere event for One Piece Film Gold on Saturday and shared a tidbit from his recent interview with One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda: when Enami asked if Oda has the manga's final panel already planned out, he received an emphatic "yes." Oda also assured him that "it's very cool." Enami met with Oda in the One Piece creator's firs...
Live-Action Ghost in the Shell Film's Cyborg Designs Unveiled
Lord of the Rings' Weta Workshop shows models at Comic-Con
― Design studio Weta Workshop (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I, Robot, King Kong) showed off some of its physical effects at its Comic-Con International booth this past weekend. Among its displays was a first look at some of the cyborgs for the upcoming Ghost in the Shell live-action film. IGN shared a video of the display: Weta Workshop pro...
'Best and Worst Manga of 2016' Results - Comic-Con International
Panelists also list most anticipated new releases
― This past Saturday at Comic-Con International, Christopher Butcher (comics writer and retailer), David Brothers (branding manager and comics journalist), Eva Volin (graphic novel reporter/critic and librarian), Brigid Alverson (comics journalist and editor) and Deb Aoki (manga editor and critic) held the annual "Best and Worst Manga" panel. Here ar...
Kojima Productions' Mascot Ludens Gets Nendoroid, Figure, Video
Face behind the character's mask identified
― As game developer Hideo Kojima's new company gears up for its first game, its mascot character Ludens has been waving the "Kojima Productions" flag far and wide. Now, he's traveling to Good Smile Company's figma and Nendoroid figure lines. Kojima tweeted these photographs of the figure prototypes last week. The Figma is a 1/12-scale figure. The Kojima Pr...
Rock Out One Piece-Style With Brook's Shark Guitar
Made by Shimamura Music with Gotoh hardware
― With his curly hair, snazzy suit and fashionable glasses, Brook is easily one of the coolest members of the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece. His awesome shark guitar tops it all off, though. Now fans who yearn to bust out "Welcome to the Jungle" on a piscine guitar might get a chance to do so, as Shimamura Music has made a replica of Brook's guitar for th...
Idolish 7 Music Video, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Opening Animators Launch Seminar Series
Premieres in Sapporo on July 30
― Kamikaze Douga, an animation studio with 25 members, is launching a seminar series on the animation process. Focusing on the music video for Idolish 7's "Restart Pointer," the seminars will explain character expressions and animation details, include behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and give the animators a chance to reminisce. The seminars are free and will be held at s...
Viz Media Joins Comic Book Legal Defense Fund as Corporate Member
Also publishes guide to creating manga book clubs
― The manga and anime publisher Viz Media has joined the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) as a corporate member. The CBLDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to countering efforts to censor comic books or restrict public access to them. It writes letters of support in book challenges, combats restrictive legislation, and sponsors lectures and...
Cocktail Prince Mobile Game Gets Animated Music Video
Also: additional cast and characters released
― Cocktail Prince, the upcoming smartphone game that revolves around a cast of attractive young male bartenders who all represent cocktails, has now released its theme song and animated music video. The song, "Making Love!!," features Cocktail Prince's main characters: Tom Collins (Takashi Kondo), Salty Dog (Junya Enoki), Tequila Sunrise (Nobunaga Shimaza...
T.M.Revolution Stars as Thinly Veiled Version of Himself on B-Project: Kodō Ambitious
Episode aired July 24
― Takanori Nishikawa (T.M.Revolution), the executive producer of the male pop idol series B-Project: Kodō Ambitious, starred in Episode 4 of the anime this Sunday as the character Takanori Nishiyama. Nishikawa has starred in anime before — including historical figures Ōkubo Toshimichi in Ryo and Sakai Tadatsugu in Sengoku Basara: Judge End — but he is primarily known f...
Digimon Tamers' Digivice Returns After 15 Years
Corresponding card game also revived
― About 15 years after the culmination of the third Digimon series, Digimon Tamers, that series' Digivice, the D-Power (or D-Ark in Japan), will make a comeback. The D-Power will be available in two varieties: Takato's and Rika's (Ruki's). They will include new Digimon: Megidramon, Sakuyamon's miko mode, and Kuzuhamon's miko mode. When "certain conditions are met...
Nintendo Unveils Miniature NES With 30 Classic Games, Streams Preview Video
Hits stores in November
― The 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) dominated the video game industry in the late 1980s, an era that is fondly remembered by Nintendo fans as the company's high-water mark. It was also the time when many of Nintendo's most cherished franchises began. While nostalgic gamers face steep hurdles when trying to play NES games today, such as cartridge issues and the diff...
Robot Studios Creates Animated Short for Nagoya Railroad
The Nagoya Railroad Co. released a short animated promotional video meant to embody the railroad's slogan, “Connecting Hearts, Carrying You to Tomorrow” this week. Titled, “To the Place Where Important People Wait, Carrying Important Feelings,” the video features the song, "Kono Machi" (This Town), which Japanese folk singer Kazumasa Oda (Hikawa Maru Monogatari, The Snow Queen) wrote for the Nago...
Japanese Anime Fans Vote on 'Best Character to Attend Festival With Wearing Yukata'
Anime! Anime! poll covers both male and female characters
― In Japan, summertime is the season for festivals and fireworks displays, and yukata, casual summer kimono, are frequently worn as part of the festivities. With that in mind, Japanese website Anime! Anime! decided it was the perfect time to poll their readers on which character they would most like to attend a festival with while wearing yuka...
Berserk Creator Miura Wrote Plot For Anime-Original 3rd Episode
Episode featured anime-original apostle design based on apostle from manga's 14th volume
― This year's 15th issue of Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine revealed on Friday that Berserk manga creator Kentarou Miura wrote the original plan for the third episode of the new Berserk television anime series. The third episode featured an anime-original plot. The episode premiered in Japan on July 15. Miura ...
Mob Psycho 100 Anime Offers Fans Chances to Broadcast Their Artwork on Air
Will appear behind episodes' midpoint sponsor lists
― Before anime episodes start and sometimes also at their midpoint break, they will typically show a list of sponsors over a still from that week's episode. One of this season's anime, Mob Psycho 100, is offering fans a unique opportunity to contribute to the show by soliciting fan artwork or creations to use as the backdrop for the sponsor lists th...
Berlin Museum's 'Anime Architecture' Exhibit Features Patlabor, Ghost in the Shell Art
Art by Hiromasa Ogura, Mamoru Oshii, Atsushi Takeuchi, Takashi Watabe to be displayed
― The Tchoban Foundation Museum for Architectural Drawing in Berlin, Germany, will be holding a contemporary "Anime Architecture" exhibition featuring background art from the films Patlabor (1989), Ghost in the Shell (1995) and Ghost in the Shell 2 Innocence (2004). Atsushi Takeuchi's pencil layout for a Ghost in th...
One Piece's Luffy, Chopper Make Cameo in Usagi Rope Anime
On Thursday, One Piece's Luffy and Chopper appeared on the Kami-Usagi Rope: Warau Asa ni wa Fuku Kitarutte Majissu ka!? anime, which airs within the Mezamashi TV program on Fuji TV. The collaboration episode, titled "Pirate Ship," is part of the build-up to this Saturday's premiere of One Piece Film Gold. Mayumi Tanaka, voice of Luffy, and Ikue Otani, Chopper, joined as special guests for the epi...
Phantasy Star Online 2 Game Announces Godzilla: Resurgence Event
Sega's online role-playing game Phantasy Star Online 2 will be getting a Godzilla crossover event to celebrate the upcoming film Godzilla: Resurgence, which will debut in Japan as Shin Godzilla on July 29. The event was announced during a NicoNico broadcast on July 17 and will begin in August. 【『PSO2放送局』第44回放送中!】いきなりの新コラボ情報!7/29に最新作映画「シン・ゴジラ」の公開を控えた、日本が世界に誇る大スター「ゴジラ」とのコラボが8月に決定!ゴジラロビーやゴジラスーツも登場!詳細...
Aya Uchida Voices Idol Version of Umi Monogatari Character in Animated Music Video
The character Marin from Sanyo Bussan's Umi Monogatari pachinko franchise has lately been breaking into the music industry as the idol "iMarine." This Monday she launched an animated music video for her new song "Dive to Blue." Aya Uchida of Love Live! fame voiced iMarine for the song. Yuta Kubota (Ping Pong, BBK/BBNK episode director), also known as kubotabee, directed the animation and Tamaya 20...
Former Ghibli Production Staffer Criticizes All Films Since Kiki's Delivery Service
"They dump all responsibility on the director's shoulders"
― Hirokatsu Kihara was a member of the production staff at Studio Ghibli, working on Castle in the Sky, My Neighbour Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service in the 1980's. More than two decades later, the producer gave an interview to British style magazine Dazed at London's Hyper Japan festival last weekend, and confessed he thinks all the films...
Osaka Landmark Displays Golden Chopper Statue for One Piece Film Gold
Confectionery Glico displays Billiken statue
― A golden Billiken statue of popular One Piece character Chopper is on display at the Tsūtenkaku Tower in Osaka to celebrate the upcoming anime movie One Piece Film Gold, which opens in Japan on July 23. A Billiken is a type of statue that originated in the United States and became popular in Japan during in the Meiji Period, and it is said to bring good...
While Korea Waits for Pokémon Go, Here's 'Pororo Go'
Alternative: play Pokémon Go near the demilitarized zone
― As the popular Pokémon Go app rolls out to countries around the world, developer Niantic has said it expects the game's launch in South Korea to be particularly difficult. But even though the game has yet to launch in Korea, the excitement is real—real enough for another app game titled Pororo Go to step up to the plate. Korean augmented real...
Lion Voltron/Beast King GoLion Figure Listed From Soul of Chogokin
Beast King GoLion—better known in the west as Lion Voltron—will get a diecast metal figure from Soul of Chogokin. According to the product's Amazon Japan listing, the GX-71 Beast King GoLion features the five separate lions that can be assembled into a 27-centimeter (about 10.6-inch) figure. It will also come with weapons and a weapon stand. Earlier this month, Tamashii Nations and Bandai release...
Hideaki Anno Apologizes for Delay on Final Evangelion Film
"Now I feel like I can continue working on Evangelion"
― On July 19, during an interview about the completion of upcoming film Godzilla: Resurgence (Shin Godzilla) film, director Hideaki Anno commented on the long-awaited final film in Gainax's four-part remake of the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series. The staff of the Godzilla press event made an official statement asking the audience to please ...
Rie Kugimiya Records Audiobook for Familiar of Zero Light Novel
To celebrate the upcoming release of the 22nd and final volume Zero No Tsukaima (Familiar of Zero), KADOKAWA Ranobe Channel released an audiobook of the first volume over Amazon's Audible service on Sunday. Rie Kugimiya, the voice of heroine Louise in the anime series, is performing the reading. Kugimiya commented, "It has really been a long time since I've been in touch with the Zero No Tsukaima...
Voice Actress Yuko Miyamura Announces Divorce
Miyamura voices Evangelion's Asuka
― Yuko Miyamura, the voice of Evangelion's Asuka Langley, announced her plans for a divorce on Twitter on Monday. She writes in a series of tweets, "Soon I'm going to Japan ~ I'm so happy! From there, I want to see Japanese fireworks! After that, I want to walk to go eat ramen. After that, I want to put in the divorce papers. Cheers to me for 12 years." In response ...
Godzilla Hitches Ride on Golden Ship in One Piece Film Gold Poster Crossover
The cover of the September issue of Entermix magazine will feature two unlikely partners: Godzilla and Luffy. The two characters both have movies hitting theaters soon — Godzilla in Godzilla Resurgence on July 29 and Luffy in One Piece Film Gold on July 23. Godzilla is shown towering over the Grantesoro, the golden ship where One Piece Film Gold is set. Only part of the collaboration image is...
Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto Glasses Let You Be the Coolest, Too
The glasses worn by the effortlessly cool protagonist of the anime Haven't You Heard I'm Sakamoto are now available for pre-order on the Premium Bandai website. Japanese company Yamamori Glasses are producing the glasses, and they are slated to ship in October. Two different frame styles are available: one with the top trim, and one without. The interior of the frames have Sakamoto's name written...
Gamers Discover More Places Where It's Unwise to Play Pokémon Go
Ex-girlfriend's house, police and fire stations
― The viral smartphone video game Pokémon Go has sent aspiring Pokémon Trainers trekking far and wide in search of elusive Vaporeons and Dratinis. While this has proved to be a boon to political campaigns and stores seeking traffic, it's also led players to some ill-advised locales, from memorials and cemeteries to places that are actually dangerous. In...
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