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Cute Cat Tries Out Fate/Stay Night Saber Cosplay
Tokushima's Machi Asobi anime festival brought out one particularly cuddly cosplayer on Friday. The cat's blue dress and scaled armor meant only one thing: someone accomplished the impossible and found a cat that would serve them instead of vice versa. Such a rare feline could only have been summoned using magic of some kind, as it is against the laws of the natural world for a cat to be a human's...
Aniplex Teases Fate Grand Order Pencil-Rolling Battle Game
Servants are... pencils?
― Aniplex opened a teaser website on Friday for a mystery "analog game" titled "Fate/Grand Order Summon Pencil Servant." In this "somewhat nostalgic" Fate/Grand Order game, the Servants are pencils, and the player must battle by rolling them. Details are scarce, but the Twitter account calls it "new merchandise," and it is slated for this year. Aniplex released the Fate/Grand...
Animonozukari Awards Honor Anime Business Collaborations, Promotional Goods
A prominent part of Japanese culture is monozukari (literally, "thing making"), wherein Japanese people take pride in carefully crafting products. Although the term commonly appears alongside traditional Japanese items such as paper fans or pottery, the concept can also apply to goods produced for the anime and popular culture industries. The otaku market brings in a large part of its revenue thro...
Tokimeki Recipe Show Starring Voice Actors Streams for Golden Week
Video distribution service Animate Channel announced on Thursday that it is streaming the first four episodes of the live-action Tokimeki Recipe Shitsuji Restaurant e Yōkoso (Welcome to the Throbbing Recipe Butler Restaurant) television series for Golden Week this year. Viewers can relive the show's voice actor restaurant experience during Japan's spring vacation period. The available episodes sta...
Camouflage Gundam Blends Into Its Gunpla Box Surroundings
Gundam plastic model (Gunpla) builders often go to great lengths to create unique works of art from kits. However, Twitter user Otoyan posted pictures of what may be a first in the world of Gunpla. The Gunpla was painted to blend into a backdrop of Gunpla boxes almost perfectly. The model is made from a so-called "old kit" 1/144-scale Gundam model kit with parts divided by color. Some net commente...
Sword Art Online Movie's Sayaka Kanda Gets Married
Singer, voice actress, and stage play actress Sayaka Kanda announced on April 25 that she married her Danganronpa stage play co-star Mitsu Murata. The couple played Junko Enoshima and Mondo Owada in the Danganronpa The Stage 2016 ~Kibō no Gakuen to Zetsubō no Kōkōsei~ plays. Kanda appeared in a special video role in the Super Danganronpa 2 The Stage ~Sayonara Zetsubo Gakuen~ stage play rerun this ...
ToraCon's Otaku Matchmaking Parties Struggle to Find Women
The ToraCon marriage consulting office dedicated to helping otaku find love has been struggling to fill slots for women at its matchmaking parties. As of Wednesday, no women had signed up for ToraCon's two parties this month that are limited to lovers of video games and anime. Even a cheaper participation fee was not enough to entice women, although the deadline to register looms. However, it seem...
Mamoru Oshii Plays Fallout 4, Makes His Fan Newsletter Late
The official Twitter account for Mamoru Oshii's "Anger Half the World" newsletter revealed on Sunday that the 110th issue will be late due to the director playing Fallout 4. Oshii apparently said in messages to the newsletter's editorial department, "It's all my responsibility. I'm caught up in Fallout 4, so I ended up forgetting to send [the manuscript] and going home. Forgive me." ぐっ、ぐぬぬぬぬ…。 pic...
Futari H's Yura Gets Life-Size Figure
Yura Onoda and Makoto Onoda of Aki Katsu's Futari H (Manga Sutra) manga are celebrating an upcoming birth as one part of the manga's 20 year anniversary. The "love bible" is also joining the recent trend of expensive live-size figures. Images of the upcoming figure are scarce, but the Young Animal magazine's website does have a prototype preview showing the figure from the bust up. Based on that ...
Kissed by the Baddest Bidder's Eisuke Comes to VR Gaming Center for 'Chair-don' Experience
One of virtual reality's biggest bad boys is looking to make 3D women swoon at the AEON Lake Town VR Center in Saitama. "Chair don" like its "kabedon" counterpart, is the act of being "trapped" my a person's arms blocking you while sitting in a chair. The VR game gives the same experience and stars character Eisuke Ichinomiya from Voltage Inc's Kissed by the Baddest Bidder (Suite Room de Itazura n...
Steel Jeeg Anime Voice Actress Narrates Italian Film's Manners Video
The 2015 Italian live-action film They Call Me Jeeg will open in theaters in Japan on May 20. The film is a tribute of sorts to Go Nagai and Tatsuya Yasuda's 1975 Steel Jeeg (Kotetsu Zieg) manga and its anime adaptation. In honor of the Italian film's Japanese debut, the original anime's voice actress Rihoko Yoshida (voice of Miwa Uzuki) narrated a theater manners video with footage from the film....
Kemono Friends Rendition of Tezuka's Phoenix Revealed
The Hankyu Umeda Gallery on the ninth floor of the Hankyu department store in Osaka is hosted the "Tezuka Osamu no Binan Bijo-ten ~Yū Tsuya~" (Osamu Tezuka's Beautiful Girls Exhibition ~Elegance~) art show, which, other than art by Noizi Ito, Mutsumi Inomata, Risa Ebata, Chinatsu Kurahana, Hidetaka Tenjin, Kurone Hijikata, Haruhiko Mikimoto, Masume Yoshimoto, and elements,H, also included a take o...
Lisa, Homer Catch 'Peekemon' in The Simpsons' Pokémon Go Parody
The "Looking for Mr. Goodbart" episode of The Simpsons premiered on Fox on Sunday. In the episode, Bart develops a relationship with a retirement home resident named Phoebe. When she goes missing, he suspects she has gone into the woods to end her own life. Homer and Lisa assemble a group of people who play a thinly disguised version of Pokémon Go to help with the search for Phoebe. In the below e...
Tiger & Bunny, Madoka Magica, Love Live! Top NHK's Best 100 Ranking
NHK posted the final results for its Best Anime 100 fan poll on Wednesday. The poll collected votes from January 8 to March 31 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of anime. People could choose from the approximately 10,000 Japanese anime produced so far and vote for three works per day. The poll received about 600,000 votes. NHK and BS Premium will broadcast the top-ranking anime. Here are the top ...
Reborn! Gets Tie-In Events, Blu-ray Box Sets, Compilation CD
Approximately 10 years ago the anime adaptation of Akira Amano's Katekyo Hitman Reborn! premiered on Japanese television. The series' production companies are taking note by planning a series of collaborations and new merchandise to celebrate the milestone. One of the first collaboration is the return of "Vongola Festa" at the Jump Shop within the Tokyo Dome City store. This is the first Volgola ...
Fan-Voted Detective Conan Real Escape Game Opens in June
Scrap's Real Escape Game announced on Wednesday that its 10th anniversary collaboration project with Detective Conan will run in 31 cities in Japan. The new Detective Conan-themed attraction will debut in Harajuku, Tokyo on June 30 and conclude in Sunport Takamatsu's Takamatsu Symbol Tower in Kagawa Prefecture on November 26. The project is celebrating both the tenth anniversary of Real Escape Gam...
Fukushima Gainax Streams Robot Anime Short to Promote Coastal City
Onahama City Planning Citizens Conference and Fukushima Gainax's "Jinryoku Senkan!? Shiokaze Sawakaze" anime short began streaming on YouTube and Niconico on Wednesday. The anime debuted at an event in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture on March 20. The anime is set in the Onahama district in Iwaki, which is in a coastal region of Fukushima Prefecture. The anime's production committee hopes the project w...
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Utsutsu VR Experience Runs in Tokyo in May
From involvement in games to videos to adult content to toys, virtual-reality technology is receiving a lot of buzz lately. Now Ryukishi07's Higurashi no Naku Koro ni game and franchise is inspiring a new project in the world of VR. An official website for the "Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Utsutsu" ("VR When They Cry... Utsutsu") VR experience opened on Saturday. The project will hold an event in Tok...
Anime Music Industry Members Discuss the Past 10 Years
Lantis chief producer Shigeru Saitō (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club music producer) appeared on the 316th episode of composer Tomokazu Tashiro (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Dusk maiden of Amnesia theme songs) and musician Tomoya Tabuchi's (member of the band Unison Square Garden) Tacchi Radio podcast that debuted on Saturday. The group discussed the past ten years ...
Street Fighter V DLC Stage Temporarily Pulled to Remove Islamic Chant in BGM
Background music for a newly added Street Fighter V stage saw the stage pulled nearly as quickly as it was released. On April 25, Capcom released DLC for the game that included "Capcom Pro Tour" costumes and the "Temple Hideout" stage. The stage had a Thai motif and took place in a Buddhist temple. The background music that included chanting, but it was Islamic. Fans theorized that the stage was p...
Yu Yu Hakushō, Monster Strike Collaboration Gets New Commercials
A new series of commercials featuring the collaboration between anime Yu Yu Hakusho and mobile game Monster Strike began airing in Japan on Tuesday. Famous Japanese comedian Naoki Matayoshi appeared in the previous commercial as Elder Toguro. The new commercials add Elder Sister Toguro played by comedian Oniyakko Tsubaki, Mother Toguro played by Hisako Manda, Father Toguro played by Jun Miura, and...
Game Maker Rejet's Latest Project is Undead Musical CDs
Otome game maker Rejet has released games starring sadistic vampires (Diabolik Lovers), flamboyant singing demons (Dance with Devils), and mechanized band members (Scar-red Rider XechS). The company's latest project is a drama and musical CD combo all about another kind of lovers from the dark side: undead. Rejet announced its next foray into the non-living romance genre on April 28 on the Otome n...
Takahiro Sakurai Promotes Apartment Complex as Butler Chipmunk
Many people moving into new places ask their prospective neighbors about the area before deciding on a new home. Humans can probably provide the best advice for fellow people seeking to move into a new apartment. But if we could talk to them, local animals would also provide unique bird's-eye—or chipmunk's-eye—perspectives on living spaces. UR Toshi Kikō is combining a mammalian point of view with...
Love Live! Character Designer Yūhei Murota Welcomes Baby
Character designer and key animator Yūhei Murota announced on May 1 that he became a father to an "adorable" son. 実はパパになってました可愛いぞマイサン… pic.twitter.com/lg10Hjs8e4— 室田雄平(犬画像bot?) (@muromuromurota) May 1, 2017 Murota is the character designer and lead animator for the popular Love Live! franchise. He has also worked as an animator on Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096, Interviews with Monster Girls, ...
Kemono Friends Character Designer Draws Tsuchinoko for Yearly Festival
As an island nation, Japan has some unique flora and fauna exclusive to its geography. You've probably heard of tanuki, Japanese macaque, and the presumed extinct Hokkaido wolf. But have you heard of the tsuchinoko (literally, "child of hammer"), Japan's popular Unidentified Mysterious Animal (UMA)? This creature of folklore is described as an elusive serpent and, depending on the legend, enjoys b...
Soap Opera of Grape, the Zoo Penguin in Love with Kemono Friends Character
The hit series Kemono Friends has had a predominately positive effect with its recent zoo collaborations. The influx of visitors raised money for area zoos while its own line of original cookies donated proceeds to benefit Kumamoto City Zoo, which was damaged in the Kumamoto earthquake in 2016. These collaborations have included original goods and character cut-outs in the animal exhibits. All in ...
Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2D Fan Game Gets Taken Down
If there's one thing fans can reliably count on, it's Nintendo sending a DMCA notice to makers of fan games based on the company's properties. The latest victim is Winter Drake, the developer behind "Zelda: Breath of the NES," a combo of Nintendo's latest The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for Nintendo Switch and the classic graphics of the original Legend of Zelda. The project was inspired b...
42-cm Femto Figure from Max Factory is Nearly US$1,000
Griffith's villainy is larger than life. Figure maker Max Factory is releasing a new rendition of his Femto persona that, at 42cm tall (16.5in), puts his evil on display. Slated for September, the figure costs 98,000 yen (US$876). He stands atop a burst crimson Behelit and a pile of corpses and monstrous body parts. His God Hand version is intricately detailed in shades of dark purple. Good Smile...
Color Version of Yuri on Ice's Victor Figure Introduced by VA Junichi Suwabe
MegaHouse's previously teased Yuri!!! on Ice's Victor figure for the company's GEM line was revealed in last week's issue of Monthly Hobby Japan. Buyers who couldn't pick up a copy can still get a detailed look thanks to none other than Victor himself, Junichi Suwabe. While in character, he adds humorous comments. Suwabe can be heard stating that Victor's hips are "Amazing!" while his hand posture...
Japanese Google Doodle Honors Late Cat Stationmaster on 18th Birthday
If you accessed the Google search engine on April 29, you may have a noticed a particularly cute calico cat playing with a toy train. The Doodle was viewable to countries outside of North America. The Google Doodle was drawn by Lydia Nichols and celebrated what would have been Wakayama stationmaster Tama's 18th birthday. The head of Kishi Station passed away in 2015. The cat was acknowledged for b...
Details, Collaboration Visuals Released for Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair 2017
New information and collaboration visuals have been released for this year's Kyoto International Manga and Anime Fair (Kyomaf). Kyomaf 2017 will take place from September 16 - 17 at the Miyakomesse Exhibition Hall and the Kyoto International Manga Museum. This year's "official supporter" will be special guest Haruka Yoshimura, who voices Mika Jōgasak in the The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls franchi...
Naruto Singer Diana Garnet Voices Japanese Role in Moe Tech Audio Drama
American vocalist Diana Garnet, who sang the theme song for the anime Tantei Team KZ Jiken Note and an ending theme for Naruto Shippuden, voiced her first Japanese role in the audio drama "Gijinka de Manabo! IT Infura no Shikumi" (Learn via Anthropomorphization! IT Infrastructure Systems). The drama is part of the project IT Gijinka Keikaku (IT Anthropomorphization Project), which is designed to ...
Shrine Maiden Swimsuit Sure to Turn Some Heads on the Beach This Summer
Japan's shrine maidens (miko) have always been a favorite stock character in anime, since they are supposed to represent the Yamato nadeshiko ideal: beautiful, virtuous, poised, and polite. For the same reason, they are also often fetishized, and their distinctive red and white robes are often repurposed and sexed-up. This new swimsuit, though, might mark a new frontier. The swimsuit was inspired ...
Augmented Reality Lets You Take a Date with Hatsune Miku
She can follow you and interact with the environment
― An enterprising electronics engineer who goes by "Alsione" is developing an augmented reality (AR) program with the Microsoft HoloLens that lets you go on a date with the phenomenally popular Vocaloid star Hatsune Miku. As the video below demonstrates, it can not only simulate an appropriate (if strangely empty) environment for a date, but summon...
Sumō Champion Kisenosato to Wear Fist of the North Star Apron
"His body is amazing!"
― Yutaka Kisenosato, a champion sumō wrestler (yokozuna), will soon wear a most intimidating character on his silk apron (keshōmawashi): Fist of the North Star's Raoh. He is sponsored by Coamix, the company that publishes Monthly Comic Zenon. As part of the deal, Coamix promised Kisenosato that they would provide him with a custom apron if he made it to yokozuna rank. In Januar...
Hatsune Miku Hosts Concert with Taiko Drumming Troupe Kodō
In a mix of traditional Japanese culture and new technology, the NHK Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, hosted a collaboration concert between virtual idol Hatsune Miku and the professional taiko drumming troupe Kodō on March 4 and 5. A recording of the concert will re-air on television on NHK BS Premium on April 23 and NHK Sougou on May 7. The concert also included appearances from the virtual idols Meguri...
Craft Boss Coffee Commercial Draws on your name. for Inspiration
Stars Ryō Narita (Tessie)
― One of the main themes of last year's hit anime film your name. is the wide gulf between Japan's countryside — simple, friendly, traditional — and its bustling metropolises — crowded, anonymous, modern. Although Mitsuha clearly yearns for the urban life, it can be overwhelming for many rural migrants, especially those unfamiliar with urban customs or those w...
VR Kanojo Adult Game Collaboration Lets You Sniff Virtual Girlfriend's Pantyhose
Vaqso Inc. CEO Kentaro Kawaguchi has announced a collaboration with the game VR Kanojo that will let players smell the scent of their virtual girlfriend and her pantyhose using a Vasqo VR scent device that can work in collaboration with Oculus VR, Vive, and Playstation VR. Attendees at the Unity developer event Unite 2017 Tokyo, which will be held at the Tokyo International Forum on May 8 and 9, w...
1970s-80s Science Fiction & Fantasy Shōjo Manga Omnibus Features Moto Hagio, Keiko Takemiya
An omnibus volume of definitive science fiction and fantasy shōjo manga from the 1970's and 80's was recently published by Rittorsha on April 20. The volume includes the first printing of Moto Hagio's short science fiction work The Unicorn's Dream in A5 size, Moto Hagio's They Were Eleven, Keiko Takemiya's Toward the Terra, and more. Also included in the omnibus are 106 color cover illustrations c...
10 Years' Worth of Anime Bread Commercials Will Make You Hungry
Apologies to the gluten-intolerant
― In this writer's opinion, there are few experiences in life as satisfying and memorable as the initial sensation of eating freshly baked European bread. The warmth, the crisp texture, the fresh and natural taste... Evidently Japanese agree, since bakeries are commonplace in Japan and often use European names and motifs. For ten years, the Kyushu-based bakery Franc...
Gunpla Fan Turns Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Model Into A 2D Illustration
No, it's not an illustration but an actual 3D model. Gunpla builder Kyo used tricky paint techniques to achieve a 2D appearance on a 1/100-scale Barbatos Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. When placed against a black background, the figure really just looks like a painting. Then, when standing next to 3D objects, tlooks like a paper cutout. The illusion is really impressive. Ky...
Gravity Rush 2 Gets NieR: Automata Character Costume DLC
NieR: Automata is showing up everywhere, with its heroine appearing in Dead or Alive 5 Last Round and one of the game's bosses showing up in a concert hall. Its ubiquitousness is thanks in part to its financial success. It has sold more than 500,000 physical and digital copies in Japan and Asia and Square Enix announced on April 4 that the the game's physical and digital versions have exceeded one...
Poll Answers the Question: Which Hot Spring Episodes Bring the Goods?
Anime is notorious for having one of two filler episode types: going to the beach or going to a hot spring resort. Both offer opportunities for fanservice by letting characters show off a little skin. In a medium where both these types of shows have become very by-the-book, viewers voted for which hot spring episodes are worth watching and separated the choices into two lists based on the viewer's...
McDonald's Releases AKB48 Anime Commercial Sequel
Focuses on lifelong skills you can gain by working at McDonald's
― While Americans often view a job at McDonald's as a grimy, greasy, thankless job, in Japan McDonald's is largely free of these connotations. It's seen as a standard part-time job for teenagers looking to earn some money and gain career experience; even demon kings can make a good impression by working there. To really hit this reputat...
Gundam's Char Trades In His Toyota for a Road Bike
Mobile Suit Gundam's infamous Char Aznable has had no shortage of promotional car deals. The Zaku II pilot got an exclusive Toyota Auris II model with its own anime commercial and special features like a navigational guidance system is voiced by Char voice actor Shuuichi Ikeda and Lalah Sune voice actress Keiko Han. The relationship was a good one, but Char is also looking for an eco-friendly opt...
Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta Voice Actors Appear at Dolphin Show
Two aquariums help promote upcoming film
― Since the title character of the upcoming anime film Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta (Lu over the wall) is a mermaid, it's only natural that aquariums would be interested in pumping up interest in it. Two aquariums in the Tokyo area are doing just that. Voice actors Shōta Shimoda (Kai), Kanon Tani (Lu) and Shinichi Shinohara (Lu's father) made an appearance at the d...
New Racing Manga Portrays Bond Between Jockey and Centaur
As any jockey will tell you, the bond between jockey and horse is one of the crucial dynamics of racing. Longtime horse-and-jockey pairs come to know each other, respect each other, and get a sense for each other's moods just as if they were good friends. The manga Our Derby (Futari no Derby) by Masahito Sasaki explores this further, since the horse in this case is actually a centaur. In a world w...
Futari H Manga Holds Contest to Guess Baby's Name, Sex
One of manga's long-running romantic couples are finally expecting their first child. Yura Onoda and Makoto Onoda of Aki Katsu's Futari H (Manga Sutra) manga are pregnant; about six years after Katsu first made note of the upcoming plot development. The pace seems about right for a series that's been in print for 20 years. The manga's publisher is celebrating the upcoming birth by holding a contes...
Nobunaga Shimazaki Cosplays as His Fate/Grand Order Character, Edmond
Part of promotion for upcoming Fate/Extra CCC crossover event
― Viewers of Fate/Grand Order Chaldea Radio Station, a weekly radio show hosted by Fate/Grand Order voice actresses Rie Takahashi (Mash Kyrielight) and Minami Tanaka (Nitocris), were in for a special treat during a special Nico Nico livestream on April 26: Nobunaga Shimazaki dressed up as his character Edmond Dantes, and in his detective g...
Watch My Hero Academia With Japanese Cast Members This Saturday
This Saturday, My Hero Academia cast members Daiki Yamashita (Izuku Midoriya) and Tasuku Hatanaka (Denki Kaminari) and producer Wakana Okamura will live-stream commentary for the latest episode on Twitter. The cast will react along with the series' fifth episode, give a behind the scenes look at production, and talk about the upcoming episode starting at Saturday, 5:00 p.m. JST (Friday, 4:00 a.m. ...
Create Your Own Dragon Ball Character — And Win a 3D Figure of It
Kirin Beverage is running a Dragonball campaign from April 25 to June 8 that lets fans create their own Dragon Ball characters and enter to win 3D figures of said characters. After designing their original characters, fans can increase their power levels by inputting the codes attached to bottles of Kirin Mets Grapefruit. The characters with the highest power levels are printed on the campaign we...
Create Your Own Case Closed Character on Face Maker Website
Your character could appear in a Case Closed story
― Gosho Aoyama (Case Closed, Yaiba, Magic Kaito) has sold 200 million volumes of manga worldwide. Most of these are of his signature series, Case Closed, which is sold in 25 countries and has become one of the most well-known and popular manga. To celebrate the achievement, Aoyama has started a campaign to design witness characters for an upcoming my...
Kemono Friends Joins Forces with 4 More Zoos (with Goods in Tow)
After a wildly successful crossover event with the Tobu City Zoo in Saitama, Kemono Friends is getting new collaborations with Sapporo Maruyama Zoo, Chiba Zoological Park, Kyoto Municipal Zoo, and Fukuoka Municipal Zoo. The project is called "Meeting Zoo Friends!" and will run from April 28 to May 31. Each zoo will be selling original merchandise featuring new illustrations of the characters Kaba...
Power Rangers' Original Blue, Black Rangers Aren't Impressed by Reboot Film
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers original cast members David Yost (Billy/Blue Ranger) and Walter Jones (Zack/Black Ranger) shared their thoughts about Lionsgate's Power Rangers live-action film at the C2E2 convention in Chicago. The film, which opened in the U.S. in March, has taken home US$129.2 million, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its share of critics, Yost and Jones included. The two ori...
Up Close With Kazuki Higashiji's EARTH COLORS (Video)
Take a tour through the incredible background art of PA Works' Kazuki Higashiji, whose brilliant backdrops brought life to Angel Beats, Nagi no Asukara, Charlotte and more!
― In March 2017, PA Works sponsored a gallery exhibition in Akihabara of the art of Kazuki Higashiji, renowned art director and background artist on shows like A Lull in the Sea (Nagi no Asukara), Charlotte, Tari Tari, Hanasaku I...
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto Really Wishes Resigning Politician Would Take Off the Evangelion Tie
Neon Genesis Evangelion original character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto really wishes Japan's Reconstruction Minister would do him a solid and take off his Evangelion tie. Masahiro Imamura made headlines earlier this month for getting into a tiff with a journalist over his handling of voluntary evacuees and their needs. During his heated exchange, Imamura was wearing a tie depicting characters from...
Super Mario & Crew Head to U.S. as Happy Meal Toys
Japan's Super Mario Happy Meal toys landed stateside this week. Collectors can find them at participating McDonald's fast food restaurants until May 22. The toy line includes jumping Mario, Luigi in a pipe, Princess Peach, Bowser, a red Koopa shell, a 1-Up Mushroom, Yoshi, and Invincible Mario. Europe previously got its own version of the Happy Meal toys, albeit with some differences. That run in...
DBZ VR Toy Lets Fans Do a Kamehameha, Test Power Levels
Anime goods company MegaHouse announced a Dragonball Z VR headset called "BotsNew Characters VR DRAGONBALL Z" that will let fans do a Kamehameha attack and measure opponents' power levels. The headset will be released at the end of June and will be retailing for 12,000 yen (US$110). It is designed to be used with a smartphone between 4 and 6 inches in size. Also included are finger controllers th...
This Summer's New Swimming Anime Will Get Female Fans Thirsty
Kyoto Animation's Free! anime series and films have been nothing short of a phenomenon, ushering in a more blatant focus on female audiences' interest in sports anime. Sports anime has always been popular with women viewers, but Free! reignited series made with that audience in mind instead of as an after thought. As soon as everyone finally settled on which Iwatobi Swim Club member was their boyf...
See Early Motion Capture Techniques in Lost Behind-The-Scenes Video from Silent Hill 2
A video showing the early motion capture techniques used to make Konami's ground-breaking horror video game Silent Hill 2 was recently rediscovered by actor Guy Chihi, who voiced and did the motion capture for the game's protagonist, James Sunderland. Chihi posted the video on his official YouTube page, saying in the comments, "It was lost in storage for more than 15 years. I only found it because...
Former Nogizaka46 Idol Nanami Hashimoto Seen with Record Label Executive
The Japanese singer and model Nanami Hashimoto (24), who retired from the popular idol group Nogizaka46 in October 2016, has been seen meeting clandestinely with Shunsuke Muramatsu (53), a company director and executive vice president at large record company Sony Music Entertainment. Until the end of the Japanese fiscal year in March 2017, Muramatsu was working as the president of Sony Music Labe...
Luffy Unleashes 'Gear Fourth' Technique in New Portrait of Pirates Figure
Luffy looks ready to unleash his Gomu Gomu no Kong Gun in MegaHouse's new Portrait of Pirates (P.O.P.) figure. The "Portrait of Pirates One Piece 'SA-MAXIMUM' Monkey D. Luffy Gear '4' 'Bound Man'" figure captures the truly impressive size and proportions shown in the anime series. His girthy abdomen, Busoshoku Haki covered limbs, and intimidating steam curling around his body are all accurately r...
MegaHouse Teases Color Version of Yuri on Ice's Victor Figure
A recent teaser image of Yuri on Ice's Victor for MegaHouse's GEM line has fans preparing to open up their wallets. The company released an image of Victor's hand from the colored figure prototype that's in development. The kicker? You can see the full colored prototype in Tuesday's issue of Monthly Hobby Japan. 【速報】開発中G.E.M.「ユーリ!!! on ICE ヴィクトル・二キフォロフ」彩色原型が4月25日発売「月刊ホビージャパン」最速掲載決定!続報は当アカで、お楽しみに ...
Onsen Musume Project Gets Manga, Fan Clubs, Local Event
Enbound, Inc.'s Onsen Musume (Hot Spring Girls) idol project is coming off a successful crowdfunding campaign where it earned 7,110,540 yen (US$64,009), enough to fund production of a drama CD (seven million yen/US$63,000) with the main cast. The project is now moving into its next steps: launching a manga, establishing two separate fan clubs, and planning its first live event. The manga version o...
NieR: Automata Boss Recreated in Giant Bouquet
The NieR: Automata boss Opera crossed over into the land of living in an impressive bouquet arrangement. The monster was on display at NieR Concert in Osaka on Sunday. The gift is signed from "Ze:" and "Kunihiro". NieR: Automata has sold more than 500,000 physical and digital copies in Japan and Asia. Square Enix announced on April 4 that the the game's physical and digital versions have exceeded ...
Love Live! Sunshine!! Mini-Unit CYaRon's 2nd Single Gets Preview Video
The Love Live! Sunshine!! sub-idol group CYaRon! is adopting a pirate theme for their new single "Kinmirai Happy End" ("A Happy Ending in the Near Future") which also includes the track "Kaigantōri de Matteruyo" ("I'll Be Waiting on the Coastline"). Lantis is hosting a preview of the single that is slated for release on May 10. "Kinmirai Happy End" is CYaRon's second single. It includes both track...
Voice Actors Give Well Wishes to Yoshimasa Hosoya
Fellow voice actors are sending well wishes to Yoshimasa Hosoya, who has gone on hiatus to treat his throat after a doctor's diagnosis. Hiroki Yasumoto (Yasutora "Chad" Sado in Bleach, Agil/Andrew Gilbert Mills in Sword Art Online), who was working with Hosoya on the radio program Tensai Gunshi, wrote that he is waiting for Hosoya's recovery, as the team doesn't feel complete without him. The off...
Yoshiyuki Tomino Discusses New G-Reco Movies, Anime & Film Industries
Shares thoughts on your name., Kemono Friends, Godzilla, more
― The original creator of Mobile Suit Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino, gave some details about the upcoming movie adaptation of Gundam Reconguista in G (G-Reco). Tomino had recently hinted about a new G-Reco project at the Romics anime and manga event in Rome, Italy. Tomino said,The way that things are actually progressing is a secret, but this ...
Kemono Friends Collaborates with Tobu, Kumamoto Zoos
Fans of Kemono Friends are flocking to the Tobu Zoo in Saitama in droves for a new collaboration event featuring character images, limited edition merchandise, and a special message from voice actress Saki Ono. The collaboration began on April 22 and will run until June 25. 26 character images have been installed in animal exhibits around the zoo, and a special one minute recording by the voice of...
New High School Fleet x City of Yokosuka Collaboration Features Exclusive Merchandise
High School Fleet (Haifuru) is getting a collaboration with the city of Yokosuka, Kanagawa, where the anime is set. From April 24 to December 9, fans who shop at any of 34 participating shops in the city will receive lottery tickets proportionate to the amount of money they spend. The lottery prizes will be original goods that will not be available anywhere else. Participating stores in Yokosuka ...
Daisuke Ono, Kenichi Suzumura, Showtaro Morikubo,Takuma Terashima Celebrate Orepara's 10th Anniversary
The music festival Original Entertainment Paradise (Orepara) will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with the help of seiyu Daisuke Ono (Black Butler, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure), Kenichi Suzumura (Fairy Tail, Gintama), Showtaro Morikubo (Naruto, Yowamushi Pedal), and Takuma Terashima (Durarara!!, Log Horizon). The voice actors will be serving as hosts for both Ore!! Summer in July and Or...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Exhibition to Showcase Original Illustrations
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is getting an exhibition of original illustrations this summer to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the manga, which was first published in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1987. The exhibition, titled "Hirohiko Araki's Original Illustrations JoJo Exhibition in Morioh, S-city 2017," will run alongside the "JoJo Festival in Morioh, S-city 2017" in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, from Augu...
Isobe Isobee Monogatari: Ukiyo wa Tsurai yo Characters Star in Weird Music Video
The net anime Isobe Isobee Monogatari: Ukiyo wa Tsurai yo squeezes in surreal and topical gags in a short run time, parodying the likes of Gintama, Tonkatsu DJ Agetarō and Titanic. The comedy series has earned its own fanbase, including DJ and music producer Yasutaka Nakata perhaps best known for his work with Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. Nakata recruited the characters to star in a promotional ...
Kodansha Recruiting Staff to Create 'Largest Scale Manga Application in History'
Leading Japanese publishing company Kodansha is recruiting staff to work on, "the overwhelmingly largest scale manga application in history," which they plan to launch at the end of 2017. Kodansha is the publisher Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Young Magazine, and a wide variety of individual manga titles, such as Attack on Titan, Cardcaptor Sakura, Fairy Tail, and The Seven Dea...
Skater Evgenia Medvedeva Returns to Tokyo as Sailor Moon
Also receives autographed Yuri on Ice! artwork from staff
― Professional figure skater and anime fan Evgenia Medvedeva wooed viewers by reprising her turn as Sailor Moon during her performance at the Exhibition World Team Trophy 2017 in Tokyo on Sunday. Medvedeva opened the program dressed as Usagi Tsukino who is, as usual, running late for school. She encounters Luna and then proceeds to transform i...
Enter Photo Contest to Have Your Cat Featured in Makoto Ojiro Manga
Makoto Ojiro's manga Neko no O-tera no Chion-san (Chion of the Cat Temple) is celebrating the release of its fourth volume with a chance for fans to have their cats appear in manga form. There will be two grand prize winning "most appealing" cats. One will appear in the series' fourth manga volume, which will be released on June 30, and the other will appear in manga form in the July 3 issue of th...
Pretend You're a Pokemon Master with Poke Balls on Your Belt
They function as mint cases
― Any child of the '90s — and many to this day — probably had visions of wandering around with Poke Balls strapped to their belt, ready to face off any challenger by releasing their most-trusted Pokemon dramatically from one of them. You can now indulge these dreams thanks to Premium Bandai, and with different varieties of Poke Ball too. The first set, which is ...
New Case Closed Real Escape Game Confirmed
Characters to be chosen by fan vote
― Real escape games, which challenge players to escape a room or building within a strict time limit by using environmental clues and solving puzzles, are welcoming their tenth anniversary as well as the fifth anniversary of their collaboration with Case Closed. To celebrate the occasion, SCRAP, the company that organizes them, conducted a poll to gauge interest in...
Tatsuya Tops Irregular at Magic High School Character Popularity Poll
The official website for the Gekijōban Mahōka Kōkō no Rettōsei: Hoshi o Yobu Shōjo (The Irregular at Magic High School The Movie: The Girl Who Calls the Stars) anime film published the results of a character popularity poll on Monday for the franchise. Protagonist Tatsuya Shiba won the poll with 6,851 votes. Aniplex began streaming a special promotional video to commemorate the win. (Note: The You...
Nissin Uses Rose of Versailles Characters to Dramatize East-West Clash
... But probably not the East-West clash you think...
― East and West Japan have several well-known (domestically) differences: social attitudes, accents, fashion sense... and food. The food company Nissin conducted a marketing survey and found that areas west of Sekigahara (in Gifu Prefecture) preferred soup with a lighter, kelp-based broth, while easterners preferred a heavier broth that emphasize...
Yu Yu Hakusho Honored with Themed Food, Drinks at Ikebukuro Cafe
25th anniversary of anime
― This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Yu Yu Hakusho anime, and fans of classic shōnen action are taking the opportunity to indulge in some nostalgia. AnimePlaza, a cafe in Ikebukuro, Tokyo that specializes in anime collaborations, is taking aim at this crowd with its latest theme, which gives fans a chance to have a relaxing lunch that also reminds them of favorite ...
Universal Studios Japan's Dragon Ball Z Attraction is a Brand New Story
The official website for Universal Studio Japan's Shonen Jump Summer attraction line-up revealed that its Dragon Ball Z attraction will be a 4-D theater experience with a brand new story. The "Dragon Ball Z The Real 4-D at Super World Martial Arts Tournament" feature promises a new fight for Goku, but details will not be revealed until mid-May. The "World Martial Arts Tournament" is a reoccurring ...
Horrify Your Friends with Junji Ito LINE Stickers
The social media application LINE has just released a new set of stickers featuring the art of horror manga artist Junji Ito. The sticker line, titled "Junji Ito You'll Meet a Horrible Fate," went on sale on April 20 for 240 yen (USD $2.20) or 100 LINE coins. Junji Ito is best known for the manga Uzumaki, Tomie, and Gyo, all of which have been published by Viz Media. Uzumaki and Tomie have inspire...
Plier Mascot Ultimate Nipako Now Available as GPS Guide
Joins cast of moe teenage girls
― The Japanese toolmaker God Hand has a cute girl mascot for its pliers, the Ultimate Nipper, designed especially for model kits: Ultimate Nipako. With her massive blue twintails, she looks about like what a pair of pliers might look like if they came to life. Nipako fans can now hear her guide them via the GPS app Maplus+. Maplus+ is a navigation service for iOS and A...
"Magic Mirror" in Shibuya Compliments Women Using Voice of Toshiki Masuda
The Japanese company Nissui has put up a "Magic Voice Mirror" in Shibuya as part of a campaign for a new line of soy milk cookies. Women can stand in front of the mirror and hear various compliments about their appearance from seiyu Toshiki Masuda. Directional speakers are used to make it sound like he is, "whispering sweetly into your ear." Toshiki Masuda is the voice of Mikado Sekimura in B-PRO...
Madoka Magica Characters Transform into Flower Fairies in Lawson Collaboration
Madoka, Mami, Homura, Sakura, Sayaka, and Kyōko from SHAFT's Puella Magi Madoka Magica will be transforming into flower fairies in a collaboration with the Japanese convenience store chain Lawson beginning on April 25. Lawson will be selling a variety of original goods for the campaign, which is a tie-up event for the 3rd Madoka Magica film, Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Part 3: Rebellion. ...
Castlevania Show's Adi Shankar Says He'd 'Love to Do' an R-Rated Mega Man Film
Producer Adi Shankar is currently working on the upcoming Castlevania animated series for Netflix, but he's also been recently discussing other video game adaptations he'd like to make. Shankar said in an interview with gaming website WWG on April 10 he would "love to do" an R-rated live-action film based on Capcom's Mega Man franchise. The producer also said he would also like to tackle an animat...
Man Forced to Breastfeed Alien Baby in New Manga
Provided with gender-switching device
― Alien abduction stories are a staple of pulp science fiction, complete with variations in which humans raise alien babies. Gender-switching stories are also perennially popular, especially in Japan. The manga Chichi no Jikan by Kuronosuke Shirata, published in book form by Tokuma Shoten on April 20, combines the two themes in a very bizarre way. Chichi no Jikan...
Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Gets Collaboration with Tenkaippin Ramen Chain, More
Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail is getting collaborations with Tenkaippin ramen, the restaurant Sweets Paradise, and the internet cafe Jijyuu Kuukan to celebrate the new anime film Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry, which opens in theaters in Japan on May 6. At Tenkaippin ramen, fans will be able to eat "Special Collaboration Donburi" out of bowls with an illustration of a half-dragon Natsu on them. The ramen chai...
Love Live! Sunshine!! Characters Show Off Their Worldwide 'Image Girl' Dress
The Love Live! Sunshine!! "World Image Girl Election" poll held late last year paired each character with a corresponding country to make each a PR ambassador for different "regions" of the world. The highest combination of votes for each idol and region determined which member became the ambassador for each location. The Love Live franchise staff revealed the characters dressed in traditional or ...
More Do You Like Your Mom? Light Novel Campaigns Ahead of Mother's Day
"Personalized" voice clips, an online RPG, and a mini-museum
― Dachima Inaka's light novel Do You Like Your Mom? Her Normal Attack is Two Attacks at Full Power has sold very well and has inspired several unique promotional campaigns. With the second volume hitting store shelves on April 20 and Mother's Day approaching on May 14, its publisher, Fujimi Shobo, is unleashing more treats for readers yearn...
Saga Prefecture's 4 Anime Shorts Now Streaming With English Subtitles
Saga Prefecture's four anime shorts created to promote the area's tourism are now streaming with English subtitles. "Okaeri" ("Welcome Back") follows high school senior Sora who is aiming to be a professional soccer player. Unfortunately, Sora is injured and finds that the path to being a pro in Tokyo is now closed to him. He decides to find a new path in Saga Prefecture's Karatsu city. Kappei Yam...
Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness Manga's Life-Size Lala Figure Completed
Shueisha's Jump Square first announced that Lala Satalin Deviluke will get her own life-size figure last month to mark the manga's end. To Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness manga writer Saki Hasemi has since stated that Darkness is "not the final chapter" of To Love-Ru but the figure's creation marched forward none the less. Now completed, Lala will only go home with 10 lucky buyers. She's priced at 2,8...
Silent Möbius Creator Kia Asamiya Draws Visual for Maya Okamoto's Fictitious '90s Anime
Voice actress Maya Okamoto (Emma Sheen in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Orihime in Sakura Wars, Harumi in The Irresponsible Captain Tylor) recorded a CD for a classic '90s anime that never actually existed, and the key visual, drawn by Silent Möbius creator Kiya Asamiya, has just been released. The fictional anime is titled Raijin Hakkei -ZANAM- Femme Fatale Unmei no Onna, or "Thunder God Series 8 -ZAN...
Robbery Suspect Description Evokes Detective Conan Villain
A recent theft in Fukuoka has police on the look out for a man with long hair and a black hat. The description has internet gumshoes wondering if they already know the culprit, none other than Detective Conan's Gin. The Black Organization officer is one of Conan's most ruthless opponents and the internet is abuzz that the character is the one behind the robbery. On Monday, the suspect and his two ...
Manga Explores What It Would Be Like If Your Mom Was Your Age
Son, mother both 10 years old
― Chances are you probably know or have known kids who've acted wiser or more mature than their years, whether through being bossy or nurturing. But what if your mom was actually your age? How would that affect your childhood? That's the intriguing question Rei Neyuki asks in the webcomic Okaasan (10-sai) to Boku. ("My (10-Year-Old) Mom and Me."), now newly published in ...
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