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City Erects 9.3-meter Replica of Dragon Quest's King Slime — Out of Hay
Not to be outdone by Chikuzen's seven-meter straw Shin Godzilla, Saitama Prefecture's Gyōda city has constructed a 9.3-meter replica of Dragon Quest's King Slime monster out of hay in its Ancient Lotus Park. This is the city's third year constructing straw art in the park. The King Slime was made by harvesting straw from a rice paddy in Gyōda that also was cut to create Dragon Quest art during the...
Pharmaceutical Company's Eye Drop Anime Gets More Episodes
Japanese company Santen Pharmaceuticals added more episodes to its Eyedrops online anime short series. The company is producing the shorts to teach people about how the human eye works, and how eyedrops can help maintain it. Of course, they've judged that the easiest way to make this understandable is by using anthropomorphized anime versions of eyedrop active ingredients. The anime's prologue and...
Pokémon Sun & Moon Starters Star in Animated Shorts
Rowlet, Litten, Popplio, and of course Pikachu are shown playing together in a series of animated shorts. The starters from Pokémon Sun & Moon are taking over Twitter thanks in part to a hugely successful game launch. Nintendo is continuing the campaign with these shorts showing the Pokémon interact with their corresponding elemental attributes. If you haven't made a decision as to which starter i...
Voice Actors' Line Stickers Inspire Cute Plush Keychains
The Line social networking and instant messaging app allows users to communicate through a words as well as a huge variety of stickers. The "Seiyū Stamp" sticker set features cute illustrated versions of Japanese voice actors. Sega's online shop is letting those stickers enter the real world as plush keychains. Hiroshi Kamiya The 14-centimeter (about 6-inch) plush keychains recreate Line stickers ...
Hatsune Miku Holds Concert With Kodō Taiko Group
An official website and Twitter account for Hatsune Miku's latest collaborative concert launched on Thursday. The virtual idol is teaming up with the famous taiko group Kodō for special concerts on March 4-5. The concerts are part of NHK's This is Nippon Premium Theater series of performances to welcome the 2020 Olympics to Tokyo. The series aims to promote and highlight Japanese traditional cultu...
Smell Like a Skater With Yuri!!! On Ice Body Products
From face cushions and Nendoroids to sweatshirts, the popular television anime Yuri!!! on Ice has already unveiled a variety of products to let fans experience their favorite characters in new ways. Now the Cozy Wave retail website is offering fans a chance to smell the "floral scents of love" through hand cream, body soaps, and fabric mists. Hand Cream Yuri Body Soap Viktor Body Soap Yūri Body S...
DC Comics' Live-Action TV Shows Offer Final Fantasy XV Xbox One
The upcoming Final Fantasy XV PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game is teaming up with DC Comics' live-action television shows that air on The CW network. Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow, and DC's Legends of Tomorrow are participating in a campaign to offer an exclusive Final Fantasy XV Xbox One console. The game's official YouTube account began streaming crossover promotional videos for the campaign on Wed...
Full Lineup Revealed for This Year's Kōhaku Song Contest
Annual New Year's TV special pits men against women
― The NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen ("Red and White Song Contest") is a long-running New Year's Eve tradition on Japanese TV, pitting two teams of female singers (the red team) and male singers (the white team) against each other. While the red team won last year, the white team has an overall lead with 36 wins against 30. The teams in this year's contest, ...
Donald Trump Already Makes an Appearance in Baki-Dou Manga
Pledges allegiance to Yujiro
― Yujiro Hanma of Baki the Grappler is truly a fearsome man. Stronger than any missile, faster than any bullet, more muscled than any bodybuilder, he strikes terror into all who behold him. He's so powerful, he forced America to withdraw from Vietnam at age 16. Faced with this kind of overwhelming strength, it's become something of a tradition for American presidents to m...
Music Box Ornament Recreates Sailor Moon S Ending
Items on Sailor Moon fans' holiday wish lists this year might include a Blu-ray/DVD box set, Usagi's bed covers, a 20th anniversary guidebook, Black Lady's earrings, or even a Proplica Sailor Moon Super S Kaleidomoon Scope. Bandai unveiled a new item to add to the list on Thursday. The Proplica×Figuarts Zero chouette Tuxedo Mirage Memorial Ornament lets fans recreate the ending to the Sailor Moon...
Real-Life Hentai Kamen Spotted in Tokyo
Wanted for indecent exposure
― A woman in Tokyo spotted a real-life Hentai Kamen — a superhero who gains his powers from wearing panties over his head — on the streets on November 24. But while Hentai Kamen is a hero in a comedy manga, the woman was evidently not amused by the man's behavior and alerted the police. The incident occurred at 12:20 AM in Wada 1-chōme, Suginami Ward. The man wa...
Player Claims to Beat Pokémon Sun & Moon With 1 Magikarp
Although Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon just debuted in Japan and North America on November 18, some players have already beaten the games. One talented player is even claiming to have become Alola League Champion by using a single Magikarp that holds and Everstone to prevent evolution. Twitter user @Nakano_Official posted images on Thursday to prove the accomplishment. The pictured level-70 Magikar...
Japanese Fans Pick Cutest Chinese Girls in Anime & Video Games
Classic 1980s character trounces rivals
― Hair in double buns, a knack for martial arts, a determination to make her kids study, preferences for qipao (Chinese dress) and ending sentences with "aru" (or er) — if a character has two or more of these traits in anime or Japanese video games, there's a pretty good chance they're supposed to be Chinese. While they may be stereotyped, unrealistic and ...
Mochademia Project Imagines Coffee Beans as Magical Schoolgirls
Casting call out for voice actors, be they rookies or pros
― Coffee is the latest item on the seemingly endless list of things that are being anthropomorphized in Japan. The "Mochademia" project is being launched to educate the public about the many varieties of coffee beans and their subtle differences; it does this by reimagining them as magical girls enrolled in an academy, Mochademia, that trains...
New Haruhi Suzumiya Commercial Airs
... But don't get your hopes up
― The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was all the rage ten years ago, but subsequent installments in the franchise have failed to ignite the same excitement and fan interest as the first season did. A new commercial for Haruhi Suzumiya, however, aired during a recent broadcast of Magic of Stella on Tokyo MX. Fan anticipation in Japan spiked since it looked like it might ...
Shinkai's 'your name.' Setting Earns 18.5 Billion Yen From Anime Pilgrimage
The setting of Makoto Shinkai's smash-hit film your name. (Kimi no Na wa.) is profiting from the anime's success. A Japanese television program recently reported that tourists have brought in 18.5 billion yen (about US$164 million) to the local economy around Hida, the northernmost city in Gifu Prefecture. About 750,000 fans have already flocked to the area as one of the latest anime pilgrimage s...
Drone Version of Last Exile's Vanships Under Development
Full-size version to be on display at Tokyo Comic Con
― If watching Last Exile made you dream of zipping through the skies in a vanship, your dream is getting a little closer to reality. EnRoute, an unmanned vehicle manufacturer, is developing drones based on Tatiana's vanship. Preorders for the drone will begin on December 1 at Gonzo's official store, Gonzo Style; hopefully you have 198,000 yen ($1,...
Pokémon Go Gives Thanks With In-Game Event, Ditto Launch
Pokémon Go trainers have many reasons to be grateful this Thanksgiving. Niantic and the development team announced on Monday a special in-game event to thank fans for their support. The worldwide event launched on Wednesday at 12:00 a.m. UTC (7:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday), and it will run until November 30. During the event, players receive double XP and Stardust when they complete in-game actions. Sa...
Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Celebrates Pokémon's 20th Anniversary
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is joining in on the celebration. The official Pokémon YouTube channel began streaming a video on Tuesday that highlights the reappearance of the parade's Pikachu balloon. The video encourages Pokéfans to use the hashtag "#Pokemon20" on YouTube to share their individual Pokémon stories. People who put...
Kayako & Sadako Now Haunting the Virtual Realm
The Ring series' Sadako and The Grudge series' Kayako are moving on from the realm of the living to haunt virtual reality. From December 2-4 and December 9-25 at Laforet Harajuku, Hybrid Mind Market will hold a virtual reality experience featuring the spooky stars of Sadako VS Kayako to celebrate the film's home video release. The VR simulation recreates Kayako's house where the user is attacked b...
Project-H Breaks Down Hentai Stats for U.S., World
Digital Manga's hentai manga imprint Project-H created an infographic breaking down where and what hentai is enjoyed. Crunchyroll's infographic showed what Fall 2016 anime were trending, while Project-H's looks at artists, type, and the amount of time spent browsing naughty books. The stats break down as: Countries That Spend the Most Time Enjoying Hentai Estonia Ireland Slovenia USA Denmark The U...
Anime Fans Rank Most Attractive Black-Haired Female Characters
The Charapedia website announced the results of a poll on Thursday that asked fans which black-haired female anime and manga characters they find most "charming" or attractive. The poll ran from November 10 to November 16. Among the respondents, 59.9% were male and 40.1% were female. Participants in their 10s or 20s made up 62.0% of the voters, and people in their 30s or above made up 38.0%. Here ...
Pokémon Illustrator Trading Card Sells for an Impressive US$54,000
The ultra-rare Pokémon Illustrator trading card brought in a tidy sum at auction last week. Heritage Auctions announced on Monday that the card pulled US$54,970, slightly more than the expected US$50,000. The card is not technically an official in-game card, but a prize given for winning an art contest held by CoroCoro Comic magazine between 1997 and 1999. Three were held, with a total of 39 winne...
Hatsune Miku Will Light Up The Winter Sky at Sapporo's Snow Miku Festival
Every year, Sapporo throws the Snow Miku festival and rakes in over 100 million yen (about US$839,433) in revenue, with about 40 different companies participating in the promotion. This year's festival is taking place from February 6-12 at Odori Park, Sapporo Factory, and Sound Lab mole where visitors can see the new Miku snow sculpture, browse vendors for exclusive merchandise, attend workshops, ...
Figure Close-Up: Dragon Ball Z Model Kits
Figures are provided courtesy of Blue Fin Distributors There's a lot of merchandise out there for anime fans, and beyond the DVDs and Blu-rays and all that, by far the most collectible of them are the figures. My personal experience with them has mostly been with the simple, un-posable statues, but Bluefin was kind enough to send something a little bit different my way: These are the Figure-rise ...
Japanese Fans Choose Anime's Biggest Tearjerkers
Major Ghibli downer oddly missing
― Some anime fans are emotionally vulnerable and sob whenever their favorite character dies or even when the story takes an unwelcome turn. Even those with a more hardened heart have definitely had moments when they find their eyes watering or themselves getting choked up over a poignant scene. Accordingly, the Japanese fan poll site Goo Ranking surveyed its readers ...
Protect Yourself With Government-Issued Sailor Moon Condom Packs
Japan to give out 60,000 heart-packaged condoms & leaflets to stop STDs
― 25 years later, Sailor Moon is still protecting us, though the Dark Kingdom's got nothing on real-world dangers. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare launched a public awareness campaign on Monday to warn of sexually transmitted infections or diseases (STIs or STDs) such as syphilis which are spreading rapidly among y...
Universal Studios Japan Adds Detective Conan Real Escape Game
Detective Conan jumps on board Universal Studios Japan's Universal Cool Japan 2017 (January 13 to June 25) event series alongside the Evangelion XR Ride, Godzilla the Real 4D, Attack on Titan the Real 4D 2, and Monster Hunter the Real attractions. The Detective Conan the Escape real escape game captures the world of Detective Conan while providing all the typical elements of an escape game. Player...
Transform Yourself into Fist of the North Star Character in App from SUNTORY Beer
Ever wanted to know what you would look like as a Fist of the North Star character? In a new app by Suntory Beer Company, only available through a QR code on the back of a specially marked six packs of the MALT's beer, you can transform into a Fist of the North Star character. The iOS and Android app "Feast of the North Star by the MALT'S" is unlocked when you hover your phone over a six pack. It...
Japanese Comedian Portrays Elder Toguro in Yu Yu Hakusho × Monster Strike Commercial
Also: another comedian covers "Hohoemi no Bakudan"
― As part of an ongoing Yu Yu Hakusho crossover in the popular smartphone game Monster Strike, famous Japanese comedian Naoki Matayoshi appears in a short commercial as Elder Toguro. He's perched atop the vast shoulders of his younger brother, who's busy playing the game. Elder Toguro introduces himself, announces the collaboration, then admits "Elde...
Relax Like Royalty in K: Return of Kings Loungewear
Online anime-inspired clothing and accessory retailer Super Groupies unveiled its latest loungewear on Friday. The site is offering two loungewear sets inspired by the K: Return of Kings characters Saruhiko Fushimi and Misaki Yata. Saruhiko Fushimi Misaki Yata Each polyester "roomwear" set costs 10,800 yen (about US$97). Fans who buy the Misaki set will receive a special skateboard charm. An addi...
Robot Anime Director Masami Obari Marries Gundam Model Maker
Anime director Masami Obari announced on Twitter on Monday that he has married professional model maker Ritsu Togasaki. They held a ceremony in Okinawa on Monday and entered their names into a family register. 突然ですが、皆さまにご報告がございます。私事ですが、私大張正己はモデラーの戸ヶ崎葎さんと入籍させていただき、本日無事、愛する沖縄で挙式しました!今後は今まで以上に仕事に燃えつつ、僕にとって最高&最強のパートナーと2人で助け合い、幸せの雨をたくさん降らせたいと思います! pic.twitter.com/3ZzJDZ4HOb— 大張正己 MASAMI OBARI (@G1_BARI...
Video Compares Live-Action Ghost in the Shell Trailer to Original Anime
The first full two-minute trailer for the live-action Ghost in the Shell film debuted at a Tokyo event on Sunday. It didn't take long for fans to find the anime inspirations for images in the new trailer. IGN began streaming a video on Tuesday that compares Production I.G's adaptation of Masamune Shirow's original cyber-police manga to the upcoming film starring Scarlett Johansson. Warning: The vi...
Osomatsu-san, your name. Nominated for Top Buzzword of 2016
The annual Ryūkōgo Taishō buzzword contest announced this year's 30 nominated terms on Thursday. "Osomatsu-san," "your name.," "Shin Godzilla," "SMAP breakup," "pilgrimage," and "Pokémon Go" made the cut. The awards will select the year's top ten buzzwords from among the 30 nominated words and announce the results on December 1. The other 26 nominated words are: Athletes First (a football agency t...
Happy Science Religious Organization Forms Female Idol Group
Controversial religious organization Happy Science (Kōfuku no Kagaku) found a new way to target young people, or at least Japanese pop culture fans. After sponsoring various anime in recent years, the organization has formed a six-member female pop idol group. Happy Science announced on Monday that the idol group will launch its activities in December. The group, named anjewel, is composed of 18- ...
Cocktail Prince Gets a Manga
Debuts in Monthly Sylph in December
― Cocktail Prince, a multimedia franchise about cocktails reimagined as attractive bartenders, is finally getting its first media release: a manga version, which will debut on December 22 in the February issue of Monthly Sylph. The manga will span five installments and will be drawn by Kina Azusa. The manga's story involves a different protagonist from the game and...
Voting Begins for Yomiuri Shimbun's Sugoi Japan Awards 2017
20 nominees each in anime, manga, light novel, and entertainment novel categories
― Voting has begun for the 2017 Sugoi Japan Awards, a project by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper to promote pop cultural works that fans feel are most deserving of foreign attention. Divided into four categories — anime, manga, light novels, and "entertainment novels" — the awards promote the works that have the "universa...
'Manners' Video for Kenji Kamiyama's Hirune Hime Anime Film Shows New Footage
Film by Ghost in the Shell: SAC director opens in March 2017
― Japanese entertainment news website Cinema Today began streaming a "manners video" on Friday featuring new footage for Hirune Hime ~Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari~ (Napping Princess: The Story of the Unknown Me), the new anime film by director Kenji Kamiyama. The video shows how to behave inside the theater, including: turn off cellphones...
Studio Ghibli Continues Animation of Chōjū Giga Scrolls With 3rd Ad
Totoro studio animates animals in 800-year-old "manga" to promote power company
― Studio Ghibli animated the famous Chōjū-Jinbutsu-Giga Emaki ("Scrolls of Cartoons of Birds, Animals, and People" or "Chōjū Giga" for short) for a third and final Marubeni Power commercial that debuted in Japan this week. In the video, titled "The Journey Continues," the rabbit runs away from the frog in tears as it begi...
Persona 5 & SuperGroupies Collaborate on Live-Action Short Film
SuperGroupies and the Persona 5 video game teamed up to promote the website's fashion and the new Persona installment in a stylistic short film. The short film was directed by Masatsugu Nagasoe and the stylist and art director was Tsuyoshi Takahashi. Takayuki Inada and Miki Saitō worked as creative directors on the short. SuperGroupies' also uploaded a behind-the-scenes making of the video to its ...
Full-Graphic Evangelion Kimono Project Now Taking Orders
Eva unit design chosen
― Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion with a predilection for traditional Japanese fashion now have a chance to enjoy a rare treat: a furisode (long-sleeved) kimono featuring the Eva units. Developed by Tokyo Otaku Mode, a website specializing in Japanese pop culture merchandise and now expanding into original product development, the kimono was designed with responses to a fan su...
Tiger & Bunny Again Tops Fan Poll of Desired Anime Sequels
The Anime! Anime! website conducted a poll from October 27 to October 31 that asked fans which anime sequels they want to see. The poll divided anime in two categories: anime inspired by another original work (e.g. manga, light novel) and original anime not based on another work. The website held a preliminary survey on Twitter to select 30 titles to include in the poll. A total of 13,938 people t...
Controversial Artist Rokudenashiko Working with Film Team on LGBT Law Firm Doc
Documentary is currently raising funds on Kickstarter
― Artist Megumi Igarashi —pen name Rokudenashiko—gained the world's attention after the 44-year-old was arrested for distributing 3D printer data of her own genitalia as part of a backer reward for her crowdfunding campaign to construct a vagina kayak. She was found guilty and fined 400,000 yen (US$3,690) for the crime. She has since married Water...
Latest Japanese Sword-Turned-Pretty Boy is Designed by Yoshitaka Amano
DMM's Tōken Ranbu mobile game has been nothing short of a sensation among its female fanbase, inspiring two anime adaptations. The game is just one in a long line of "object turned into attractive guy/girl" and even Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D artist Yoshitaka Amano is getting in on the action. Amano is participating in Mori Art Museum's "The Universe and Art: Princess Kaguya, Leonardo da V...
7 Samurai Promote Nissin Cup Noodles With Sports
Nissin Cup Noodles set loose Freestyle Football champion Kotaro Tokuda in Brazil as its soccer samurai in 2014. The brand recruited more extreme sports-playing warriors for a promotional video it began streaming on Tuesday. The video begins with a surfing samurai taking the shores of Rio de Janeiro. Next, skateboarding, biking, skiing, slacklining, and Xpogoing samurai appear. The commercial concl...
Pokémon Go Event Brings 10,000+ Visitors to Quake-Hit Prefecture
Pokėmon Go launched its current Lapras event in Japan's northeastern Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures on November 11. The event offers increased numbers of Lapras in parts of the coastal region. One goal is to boost the economy of the area hit hardest in 2011's earthquake and tsunami disaster. More than 10,000 people visited Miyagi Prefecture for the event on Saturday alone. The prefecture...
Look Forward to Yuri!!! on Ice Large Face Cushion & Nendoroids
New Free! Eternal Summer figures also announced
― The Bandai Gashapon booth at Animate Girls Festival 2016 (AGF2016), held November 5-6, showed off a huge Yuri!!! on Ice surprise. Their Munimuni Marshmallow Mascot Big Version is a 27 inch soft cushion of main skater Yūri. As advertised on the display, where visitors could reach in and feel the pillow, Premium Bandai will start selling at the cute, c...
Conan O'Brien Rips Apart Final Fantasy XV: 'Why is This a Game?'
Late night talk show host Conan O'Brien has previously reviewed video games like Super Mash Bros. for Wii U on his segment "Clueless Gamer." O'Brien, who claims to know next to nothing about video games, tests out the latest offerings while providing comedic commentary. In his latest review, he plays Final Fantasy XV alongside actor Elijah Wood and grows increasingly frustrated with the game's pre...
Pokémon Go Players Bust 1.3 Billion Ghost Pokémon During Halloween Event
Niantic Labs' Pokėmon Go app held its first in-game event from October 26 to November 1. Despite reports that the game's popularity, which was at an all-time high during the summer, has waned, players still turned out for the Ghost-focused Halloween event. Game developer Niantic Labs told GamesRadar that players caught 1.3 billion spooky Pokémon over the five day period. Gastly was caught the most...
FigureX Announces Life-Size Version of Re:Zero's Rem
Emilia's main competition for Re:Zero's honorary "best girl" just moved forward a step. Subaru's dutiful and doting companion Rem will get a 1:1-scale figure by FigureX. The company wrote on its official blog on Monday that it is working on a life-size figure. More news may be announced next week, but until then the blog also included an illustration which will serve as the basis for the figure's...
Ai Yazawa Draws NANA Playing Cards, Cross-Over Mini-Manga
The January issue of Shueisha's Cookie magazine will be an oversized issue and bundle some new work by Nana creator Ai Yazawa. The magazine will have a double cover with artwork by both Yazawa and Taiyō ga Miteiru (Kamo Shirenaikara) creator Ryo Ikuemi. The issue will also bundle a deck of NANA playing cards and a mini-manga by Yazawa featuring characters from her series Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai and Go...
Nintendo Taps Into the Past for New Mini Famicom Commercial
Nintendo's Mini Famicom console is bringing 30 classic games in one easy built-in package. The company's latest commercial shows off several of the game titles but also seems very familiar. The commercial's layout is very similar to the original Famicom commercials that ran in 1983, even down to the hand model. The Nintendo Classic Mini Family Computer will come with (games listed in chronological...
Sony Releases The Seven Deadly Sins Meliodas Headphones & Walkman
Sony, in collaboration with The Seven Deadly Sins manga and television series, released a new Walkman and headphone pair styled after protagonist Meliodas. The back of the red Walkman bares Meliodas' Dragon's Sin of Wrath mark. The matching headphones show off the same mark on the right side and the series' logo on the left. The headphones are based off the h.ear on (MDR-100A) stereo headphone mo...
Proudly Bear Your Wings of Freedom with Attack on Titan Map Wallet, Character Smartphone Cases
From SuperGroupies comes the new Attack on Titan motif wallet and phone cases. The wallet is a large bi-fold featuring a map of the three walls and outside area in pleasant pastels for 7,800 yen (US$73). The smartphone cases fit iPhone 5, 5s, SE, 6, and 6s for 4,800 yen (US$45 and are designed after five characters. Eren Jaeger Jean Kirstein Levi Ackerman Erwin Smith Hange Zoë All items are avail...
Brave Frontier Collaborates With Final Fantasy Brave Exvius Game
Gumi announced on Friday that its A-Lim subsidiary's Brave Frontier smartphone game is teaming up with Square Enix's Final Fantasy Brave Exvius smartphone game for a special crossover collaboration. The collaboration is part of Brave Frontier's Third Anniversary Milestone Celebration, and it will run from November 9 through to December 7. Heroes from Final Fantasy Brave Exvius are appearing in Bra...
Character Designs for Four Ninja Rice Balls Unveiled
Yui no Shinobi game reaches 10,000 registrants
― The upcoming card-based smartphone game Yui no Shinobi casts different flavors of rice balls as ninjas. Although silhouettes have recently been unveiled, the true human forms of these classic Japanese snacks have not been known... until now. Marinated pollock roe transforms into Kara'aki Suketara. He is described as a cheerful, talkative and ostentatio...
Cup Noodles' Girls und Panzer Tank Ammo Round Package Priced at 32,184 Yen
Cheaper package holds more cups
― The Nissin Cup Noodles celebrating Girls und Panzer will go on sale on November 14. Nissin recently released more information about the two packages involved. The Tank Round Ammo Stocker set, which comes in a faux-wooden package, will hold six cup noodles, a poster, and a fake tank round. The poster features the girls of Anglerfish Team in their mascot's costume. (G...
Statue of Yu Yu Hakusho's Toguro Lets You Climb On His Shoulders
Part of Monster Strike crossover
― The younger Toguro from Yu Yu Hakusho is so vast and well-muscled that his older brother can ride on his shoulders. Now a life-size statue of the top half of younger Toguro is on display in Tokyo for shōnen manga fans to climb on. Elder Toguro wigs optional. Why take a piggyback ride on a Terminator-like villain? Why is he engrossed in a smartphone? The answer is th...
New Year's 67th Kōhaku Song Contest Gets Team Representatives
There are many New Year's traditions in Japan, like staying up to watch the sunrise, making a pilgrimage to a local temple, and tuning into the Kōhaku Uta Gassen singing contest. The program feature a Red team and a White team, each with a respective representative. For the program's 67th year, NHK announced actress Kasumi Arimura (When Marnie Was There, Strobe Edge, ERASED, March Comes in Like a ...
Hitch a Ride in Tokyo's Kinmoza! Anime-Themed Taxis
Visitors to Tokushima, home of ufotable, had a chance to ride around in Fate/stay night taxis in 2014. Attendees at Comiket 90 visited different areas of the convention in a taxi featuring the character Puro-sei-chan this past August. The latest itasha taxis are ten Kin-iro Mosaic: Pretty Days vehicles that hit the streets of Tokyo on Monday. Condor Taxi unveiled five different designs for the cha...
Love Live! Sunshine!! Anime Holds Worldwide 'Image Girl' Poll
The official website for the Love Live! anime franchise announced on Friday that it is holding a Love Live! Sunshine!! "World Image Girl Election." The voting period will run from November 18 to December 18, but a website for the fan poll has yet to launch. The poll will determine an Aquors poster girl for nine "regions" of the world: Australia, China, Germany, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, ...
Shonen Jump Editor Discusses My Hero Academia's Appeal, Possible Live-Action Adaptation
Kōhei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia is usually considered the successor manga/anime to Weekly Shonen Jump hits like Naruto and Bleach, combining the usual Shonen Jump formula of friendship, effort and victory with a unique character design and lead protagonist. Its editor, Kengo Monji, spoke with Japanese entertainment news site Oricon Style about what factors make the series a success. Monji poin...
Transforming Robot Prototype On Display in Orlando Next Week
Developers form LLP
― The J-deite RIDE, a car capable of transforming into a humanoid robot with a passenger inside, is nearing completion. The team responsible for building it plans to exhibit a 1.5-meter (about 5 feet) tall prototype at the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2016 in Orlando, Florida on November 14. It is slated for completion in the middle of 2017, when it will go into mass production and be m...
Code Geass 10th Anniversary Event Teases "Demon's Rebirth" — & Maybe More …
Fans decode possible secret message in event invitation
― A few lucky fans received a ticket and a fancy invitation to November 27's Code Geass 10th Anniversary event — and maybe a bit more ... The "Code Geass no Kiseki no Anniversary" invitation teases a secret code, and then slips in fine print at the bottom, "P.S. The answer is beneath "kai." コードギアス キセキのアニバーサリー特別招待状付きのチケットが届いた! pic.twitter.com/VkH...
Street Fighter V Jumps In Ring with Red Bull BC One Breakdancers
Red Bull's annual BC One breakdancing tournament will take place in Nagoya's Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium on December 3 this year. To celebrate the event and pump up enthusiasm, the usual breakdancers are joined in advertising by other characters with a flair for smooth, athletic movement: the Street Fighter V roster. Red Bull cans will also be sold in Japan with Street Fighter's Ryu and Taisuke, J...
Audi Offers Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Film Car for US$470,000
Audi Japan began streaming a promotional video on Friday for its The Audi R8 Star of Lucis car, a replica of the vehicle that appears in the Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV feature-length CG film. According to Audi's official website, the car manufacturer teamed up with the Royal Art Society of Lucis to create the car. Audi produced the car to celebrate the 20th birthday of Prince Noctis, the heir t...
Madoka Magica Collaborates With Chain Chronicle for Game Event
The Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Part 3: Rebellion anime film is collaborating with the smartphone game Chain Chronicle: Kizuna no Shintairiku for an in-game event that started on November 8. The collaboration is offering exclusive Madoka Magica characters for the game. If players draw for the collaboration gacha lottery 30 times, they receive one campaign ticket. Using the ticket guarantee...
Japan's Tōhoku Region Gets Pokémon Go Lapras Event
Pokėmon Go held its very first in-game event from October 26 to November 1. The global event marked Halloween and offered increased encounters for spooky Pokėmon such as Gastly, Haunter, and Cubone. While that event was global, and The Pokémon Company announced it in advance, the augmented reality app unveiled a sudden surprise on Friday for trainers in Japan. The app's official Japanese Twitter a...
Hit the Court With Reebok's Kuroko's Basketball Sneakers
Although Tadatoshi Fujimaki's Kuroko's basketball manga concluded, the franchise is still a slam dunk in terms of popularity. The third anime compilation film will screen in Japan from December 3-16, and the film adaptation of Fujimaki's Kuroko no Basuke Extra Game sequel manga will open in Japan in spring 2017. Before the latest anime debut, Reebok is teaming up with Bandai to give fans a chance...
Take a Tour of Tokyo's 'your name.' Film Locales
Have you seen Makoto Shinkai's box-office hit your name. (Kimi no Na wa.) yet? Even if you haven't seen the anime, you could have the opportunity to experience part of the film's world. Japan's H.I.S. travel agency is offering a walking tour this month of the Yotsuya area of Tokyo's Shinjuku ward, a main part of the film's setting. The "Shinjuku Yotsuya Walking Tour" will start at Yotsuya Station,...
Sport Your Own Yuri!!! On Ice Yuri Plisetsky's Tiger Sweatshirt
Yuri Plisetsky's discovery of "Japanese fashion" in Yuri!!! On Ice was an iconic moment in the second episode that fans won't forget. It's no surprise that a replica of his wild sweatshirt is already online for pre-order. The sweatshirt will ship January 31 for 4,968 yen (US$46.58) through Tsutaya's online shop. The Yuri!!! on Ice anime premiered in Japan on October 6, and Crunchyroll is streamin...
See Like a Magical Girl With Sailor V Eyeglasses
The Sailor Guardians already joined forces with JINS and Bandai this year to release a line of Sailor Moon glasses frames. Character eyewear brand Maison Sabae is now teaming up with the magical girls to offer glasses that actually appeared in the Sailor Moon anime and manga. The company is modeling its first character glasses on the eyewear of character Sailor V, the alternate identity of Minako...
Fan Creates Pokémon Battle Demo for Augmented Reality Glasses
Fan KennyWdev uploaded a Pokémon RPG battle system they created named "PokeLens" for the Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality glasses to their YouTube Channel on November 6 . Pokémon Go already showed the world how Pokémon can operate in augmented reality, but this work takes it a step further. Rather than still relying on the phone screen, this augmented reality demo previews what a mash-up betwe...
Usagi Longs for a Ford Fusion in New Overdub Ford YouTube Commercial
Sailor Moon's Usagi Tsukino daydreams about a lot of things: a beautiful wedding dress, her debut as a celebrity superstar, and winning over the attractive Motoki at her nearby arcade. In a new overdub ad by Ford, she also imagines herself as the owner of a Lightning Blue Ford Fusion. Luna is also on hand to remind her that the car isn't just stylish, but also a practical choice. Ford has previous...
Shin Godzilla Celebrates Free Pocky Day in Softbank TV Commercial
Godzilla swoops in to destroy the city once again in a new commercial for the mobile phone service provider Softbank. The ad for Softbank's campaign "Good Shopping Day" on November 11 (also Pocky Day), meant to enticing people to shop more on that day, aired nationwide starting November 3, Godzilla's birthday. The commercial takes place in the world of Shin Godzilla and tells the story of Godzilla...
Yoshiyuki Tomino Celebrates Turning 75 with Presents from Gundam Voice Actresses
The official Twitter for Gundam Reconguista in G tweeted photos of their celebration with Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino for his 75th birthday that included some specially designed cakes. Tomino also received presents from voice actresses Minako Kotobuki (Gundam's Fram Nara, Noredo Nug) and Ayahi Takagaki (Gundam's Feldt Grace, Decil Galette, Manny Anbasada, Nobell). The same Twitter account adde...
Kūtei Dragons' 1st Volume Comes Bundled with Delicious Dragon Cooking Recipe
Kodansha released the first volume of a new manga by Taku Kuwabara, known for his previous work Tokkabu, called Kūtei Dragons (Airborne Dragons) on November 7. The ongoing fantasy travelogue began running in Kodansha's Good Afternoon magazine on June 7. A special item is bundled with the first volume: a recipe for delicious dragon cooking. The manga is a gourmet fantasy following the crew of the a...
My Hero Academia Creator Kōhei Horikoshi Will Make 1st Stage Appearance at Jump Festa
Kōhei Horikoshi is gearing up for a second television anime adaptation of his manga My Hero Academia by making a special appearance at this year's Jump Festa event. Horikoshi, who has never before appeared at a stage event, will be present at Jump Festa Super Stage at Makuhari Messe during the December 17-18 weekend. Horikoshi has previously appeared on television for interviews but he wore a gas ...
'Gum Kare!' Chewing Gum Boyfriends Time Travel Through Hokkaido in New Campaign
Lotte's "Gum Kare!" campaign about its personified gum brands that are “lovers for your mouth” is getting a fourth project. The campaign already inspired an idol-themed manga on the pixiv Comic website. "Gum Kare! Time Leap Shūgakuryokō" (Gum Boyfriend! Time Travel School Trip) video stars the protagonist, a female high school student who suddenly becomes a tooth. She's watching her favorite idol ...
Check Out the Animate Stores of Yesteryear via Photo Exhibition
Animate, Japan's largest purveyor of all things otaku, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The company has grown immensely since it was founded in 1983. It decided to drive home just how much by putting a photo retrospective on display last weekend at the Animate Girls Festival 2016 event. The photos were hung in the stairwell from the main Animate Ikebukuro shop between the eighth and ...
Nintendo Goes Retro for Classic NES Release
Brings back Power Line for tips
― Tons of companies are hopping on the retro bandwagon lately, including the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Now, Nintendo is celebrating the the 1980s for the launch of its NES Classic Edition console. The system is going on sale on November 11 in North America and Europe (Japan, on the other hand, is getting a Nintendo Classic Mini Family Computer [Famicom] on November 10...
Special Edition New 3DS Models Launch on Black Friday for US$100
Nintendo is rolling out a New Nintendo 3DS console on the cheap for customers on Black Friday. The handheld gaming system will be available in both white and black featuring classic Mario iconography. The even better part is the consoles will be available for US$100. Note that this is the New Nintendo 3DS, not the XL version (which retails for US$199.99). The company released its Solgaleo and Lun...
Dig Out Your Goth Gear, Alita: Battle Angel Opens Casting Call in Austin, Texas
The long-stalled Battle Angel Alita live-action film finally has its feet off the ground and is currently shooting in Austin, Texas. The film is starring Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, The Divergent Series: Insurgent, Man Seeking Woman) in the lead role with Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained) as Doctor Dyson Ido. There are still some open s...
Replicate Evangelion's Stark Episode Titles with Special Font Package
Both TV and movie fonts included
― The 1995 TV anime Neon Genesis Evangelion was a watershed moment for anime for many reasons. Its visceral depictions of combat with nebulous alien foes marked a turn towards harder fare in mecha action, the dynamics of Shinji's relationships with his two co-pilots influenced later depictions of female leads, and the psychological turmoil evident throughout the show ...
KochiKame Manga Gets Infinity Volume With Mini Scroll
The ∞ (mugen, or "infinity") volume of Osamu Akimoto's Kochira Katsushika-ku Kamearikouen-mae Hashutsujo ("Kochikame") police comedy manga shipped in Japan on Friday. The special book retails at 2,700 yen (about US$26) and bundles a 3.8-meter (about 12-foot) mini picture scroll. A KochiKame scroll that stands more than 8 meters (about 26 feet) tall was dedicated at Tokyo's Kanda Shrine on Septembe...
your name Inspires New Relationships with Matchmaking Events
Osaka gathering scheduled for November 12
― The hit anime film your name has been tearing up the Japanese box office for weeks, partially through its story's multiple-demographic appeal. Machicon Japan, an initiative by the company Linkbal, Inc., is taking advantage of this by organizing two events that bring your name fans together to share their thoughts and feelings about the movie and, hopefully,...
Watch Death Note's Ryuk Sing His Version of "Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen"
Ryuk, the macabre Shinigami (death god) from Death Note, is noted for his fondness for apples. It should be no surprise that to promote his latest movie, Death Note: Light Up the New World, he's performing his take on Daimaō Kosaka's viral hit "PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen)." The video, much like other "PPAP" parodies, has caught on, racking up over 9 million views at press time. It's anyone's gu...
New Power Rangers Film Reveals Megazord Design, But in Toy Form
The official Twitter account for the Power Rangers franchise has revealed the first look at the Megazord that will appear in the upcoming new Power Rangers film. However, instead of revealing the Megazord design in gritty poster form as the film's Zords were originally revealed, the Megazord has been revealed through its tie-in merchandise. The upcoming interactive figure will have expandable win...
Chinese KanColle Ripoff Game Launches in Japan
Chinese game developer Moe Fantasy launched the Senkan Shōjo R (Battleship Girl R) smartphone game for iOS and Android devices in Japan on October 24. Even before the launch, Japanese net users were quick to notice something familiar about the game. The smartphone app is an apparent ripoff of Kadokawa Games' Kantai Collection (KanColle) browser game. In the new game's story, warships from various ...
Ayana Taketatsu Cosplays as Her K-ON! Character Azusa
Voice actress Ayana Taketatsu (Sword Art Online's Leafa/Suguha, My Wife is the Student Council President's Ui) posted pictures on her official Twitter account on Friday of herself cosplaying as her K-ON! character Azusa Nakano. One image showed her in the cat-eared persona of "Azu-nyan," and the other image shows her in a gravure image with Azusa's plain uniform. The 27-year-old became her teenage...
Kabaneri Compilation Films Audition Fans for Kabane Voices
Twenty slots available
― Fans of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress with an interest in voice acting will get a chance to contribute to the voice work in the compilation films premiering at the end of the year, as these films are auditioning voice work for the zombie-like Kabane using the music social media service nana. Interested fans must record their groans and screams, using the above scene as refer...
Japan's Hot Springs Join Anthropomorphization, Idol Craze
Lead character design revealed
― Although they are iconic features of the Japanese cultural landscape, hot springs are seen as somewhat old-fashioned today, and they are dealing with declining visitor numbers. To help drum up interest among the youth again, they are turning to Onsen Musume (Hot Spring Girls), a multimedia idol project by Enbound, Inc. with support from Tokyo Otaku Mode and Daiichi Ka...
Japan Celebrates Godzilla Day
Special film screenings, stores, and "live"-tweeting
― The influential monster movie Godzilla premiered on November 3, 1954. In a nod to its predecessor, this year's entry in the franchise, Shin Godzilla, used November 3 as the date when the monster first emerges out of Tokyo Bay. Accordingly, November 3 was celebrated as "Godzilla Day" in Japan this year. To mark the occasion, Toho Cinemas Shinjuku ...
Human Rice Balls Become Ninja Friends in App Game
From highway service stations to months to Christian denominations, Japan loves to turn inanimate objects or concepts into humans. Now, Visual Works is teasing a new game that anthropomorphizes unassuming rice balls into attractive male ninjas. The official website and Twitter account for Yui no Shinobi posted character silhouettes on Friday. Pre-registration is now open, and the "ninja friendship...
'17-Year-Old' Voice Actress Kikuko Inoue, Daughter Pose as Schoolgirls
The perpetually 17-year-old voice actress Kikuko Inoue and her actually 18-year-old daughter Honoka posed as high school students for promotional pictures. The mother-daughter duo are promoting Elecom's new "stereo headphones perfect for anime music." The pair appear as good friends waiting on a train station platform during their commute to school. They use their special headphones to make the ti...
Pokémon Trading Card Game Launches Throwback Website
The Pokémon Trading Card Game celebrated its 20th anniversary last month. Leading up to the event, the game got booster packs featuring the original packaging design, throwback commercials in Japan and a book collecting the original artwork from the game. The English side is also celebrating with a painfully accurate 1990s-style website. Clicking the launch link starts a dial-up modem sound effect...
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