After the Oscar-winning success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, there was little doubt a sequel would be coming. And not just a sequel—spinoffs and more, too. Speaking with io9 about Spider-Man: Far From Home on Wednesday, producer Amy Pascal gave us a small but encouraging update.
If you've finished Super Robot Wars T and are wishing for more, you're in luck: more is on the way, and will include flashbacks to previous games!
Later this month, an expansion pack will be released including a new 14-chapter storyline (counting the different potential branches, there are actually 20 chapters' worth of new content to explore). The story takes place several months after the resolution of the main game. As the Solar System recovers from all-out war and looks forward to a bright new future, a darkness lurks on the horizon.
Players will be able to take control of their office worker turned mecha pilot of choice once again. Plus, the Banpresto Originals from both Super Robot Wars V and Super Robot Wars X are due to make an appearance.
The story will pick up using players' save data upon finishing the game, including skills, parts, and upgrades made to units. There will also be the option to select general difficult modes and "Custom Ranks" for the enemy. If you're feeling like a real pro, you can combine Super Expert mode with Hyper Custom enemies for the most difficult challenge (currently) available in-game.
A trial version featuring three chapters is currently available in the Japanese PlayStation store, with the full version due to come out June 27.
Source: Anime! Anime!
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
Seven weeks prior to its theatrical release in Japan, the One Piece manga author Eiichiro Oda had an opportunity to see some rough-cut version visuals from ONE PIECE STAMPEDE, the 14th feature film to celebrate the anime series' 20th anniversary. He then posted his comment about it on the film's official website and Twitter as below.
"Well, everyone. It's coming soon. The film will be released on August 9!! Are you worried about it? Of course I am. Anticipation among the public has been increased, but is it being completed as a good film? So I went to check out its current status. The visuals I saw were still rough-cut, but if there is anything needed to be fixed, I have to point it out now before it's too late.
So the result is... It's so amazing!!! Wow!!! A great film has been made!! My editor is crying!! It cracks me up!! Oh, I'm so relieved. I gotta tell you that I don't comment on boring things because I don't want to hurt my trust. I use the word 'amazing' only when I truly think so.
I'll report to you again when I see the completed version. With my guarantee, I want to push the backs of the people who are considering whether or not to see the film. It's so wonderful!! Shake with excitement!!"
未完成の劇場版映像を観た尾田先生から直筆コメントが届きました！
— 劇場版『ワンピース スタンピード』【公式】 (@OP_STAMPEDE) 2019年6月20日
太鼓判キターーーー！ #ONEPIECESTANPEDE#劇場版ワンピース #尾田栄一郎 #ワンピーススタンピード pic.twitter.com/C7XHCJsaFf
ONE PIECE STAMPEDE will be released in Japan on August 9, 2019.
Latest poster visual drawn by Oda
8月9日公開(金) 劇場版『ONE PIECE STAMPEDE』尾田栄一郎描きおろしポスタービジュアルが解禁！！ https://t.co/leA9gZgs2i #劇場版ワンピース #ワンピーススタンピード#onepiecestampede pic.twitter.com/zzkafi4gQj
— 劇場版『ワンピース スタンピード』【公式】 (@OP_STAMPEDE) 2019年6月3日
3rd teaser trailer with English subtitles
Source: "ONE PIECE STAMPEDE" official website / Twitter
(C)Eiichiro Oda/2019 "One Piece" production Committee
The official Twitter for virtual YouTuber Kizuna AI announced today that a three-minute music video for her collaboration song with renowned composer/producer Yasutaka Nakata (Perfume, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu), "AIAIAI" has been viewed more than five million times in three months and has become the most viewed video on her official YouTube channel that launched in November 2016. In response to the huge popularity, she has promised to make a dance practice video for the song.
"AIAIAI (feat. Yasutaka Nakata)" was digitally released on March 22, 2019, and took No.1 in the iTunes Store's electronic chart. The song's music video featuring her various dance performances with real human dancers was posted one week after the release. The song was also featured as the OP theme for the virtual YouTuber-themed TV anime VIRTUALSAN - LOOKING.
『AIAIAI (feat. 中田ヤスタカ)』のMVが！
— Kizuna AI@6/30 A.I.Party! 2019~hello, how r u?~ 開催 (@aichan_nel) 2019年6月19日
5,000,000再生達成しました！！！ლ(´ڡ`ლ)✨
A.I. Channel最高視聴回数更新です！
たくさんちゅめてくれて、本当にありがとう！！
見るだけじゃなく、みんなに踊ってちゅめてほしいので、
ダンス練習用ムービーを作ることを宣言します！！
お楽しみに！ https://t.co/uHXvaMGQOj
"AIAIAI (feat. Yasutaka Nakata)" MV
Digital single jacket
Yasutaka Nakata
Source: Kizuna AI official Twitter, Active8 press release
Broccoli has started accepting pre-orders for a new 1/7 scale painted figure of Mint Blancmanche from the Galaxy Angel TV anime series, one of the most popular series in Japan in the early 2000s.
The 210 mm-tall figure is produced based on a newly-drawn illustration by the anime's character designer Mariko Fujita (Tantei Kageki Milky Holmes TD, URAHARA), recreating the moment that she jumps out from her kigurumi costume. Its price in Japan is 14,000 yen (before tax/about 129 US dollars), and its scheduled shipping date is November 2019.
ギャラクシーエンジェル「ミント・ブラマンシュ」フィギュアが本日よりご予約受付開始となりました！ 完全受注限定生産となりますので、ぜひご予約下さいね。詳しくはコチラ！ https://t.co/N0Mf8GKq2E #GA pic.twitter.com/o2P8Tgwbk0
— ブロッコリーフィギュア (@broccoli_hobby) 2019年6月17日
In addition, five new character goods featuring deformed illustrations of the Galaxy Angel characters drawn by Haruka Komowata will be also available exclusively at the Gamers stores from June 21.
【グッズ】『#ギャラクシーエンジェル 』フィギュア化を記念した【こもわた遙華】先生描きおろしグッズ第一弾が好評ご予約受付中！
— ゲマ【株式会社ゲーマーズ】 (@gamers_no_gema) 2019年6月17日
▼ご予約はこちらhttps://t.co/KOv5AkMELP pic.twitter.com/SMBTyTrTh8
Tin badges (600 yen)
Acrylic stands (2,000 yen)
Clear file (400 yen)
Hoodies (5,000 yen)
Tote bag Part 2 (1,000 yen)
Source: Broccoli press release
©Broccoli, Bandai Visual
©BR, BV Illustration: Haruka Komowata
In an interview, Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori from Game Freak elaborated on Pokemon Sword & Shield’s inability to bring in Pokemon not in the Galar Pokedex, and just where Pokemon Home fits into all this.
The post Game Freak Says It Will Be Hard For All Pokemon To Appear Even In Games After Pokemon Sword & Shield appeared first on Siliconera.
If you're hungry for more gun-toting, trash-talking pirate action, you're in luck: more Black Lagoon manga is on the way!
The manga by Rei Hiroe kicked off in April 2002 in seinen manga mag Monthly Sunday Gene-X. Since the middle of 2010, the manga has been on an on-and-off hiatus. After missing its target return date this spring, hope seemed lost. But today, Gene-X tweeted what we can only interpret as very good news:
Readers can look forward to the return of the Lagoon Company this September, along with "more surprises planned." There's no indication yet what that means, but we're pretty excited.
Black Lagoon has received two anime TV series, an OVA, and a light novel penned by Gen Urobochi. At this point, just about anything is possible for the modern-day pirates. We'll report what we know as soon as more news is available.
Source: Monthly Sunday Gene-X on Twitter
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
This month's massive Macross Crossover Live has come and gone, but there's still more live music to rock out to this year!
Anison performer and JAM Project member Yoshiki Fukuyama was present at this month's live event, featuring singers from across the decades of Macross. Fukuyama appeared as the singing voice of Basara Nekki in Macross 7—a role he loved so much, he owns and performs with Basara's guitar:
The event, titled "Macross 7 25th Anniversary: BASARA EXPLOSION 2019 from FIRE BOMBER," will take place September 13 at Tokyo's Zepp DiverCity. Tickets go on sale soon, with members of Macross Portal and Fukuyama's official fan club getting first dibs.
At present, Fukuyama is the only performer listed... though if you've "listened to his song," you know he's all it takes to get a crowd going!
Source: Anime! Anime!
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
It's official: Studio Trigger's Promare anime film is coming to theaters in English! GKIDS announced the acquisition of the North American distribution rights for the feature, with a premiere event scheduled for U.S. cinemas nationwide on September 17 and 19. GKIDS will then release the film theatrically starting September 20.
Japanese trailer:
Synopsis:
The first feature-length film from the acclaimed Studio TRIGGER, creators of the hit series KILL la KILL and Little Witch Academia, and director Hiroyuki Imaishi (GURREN LAGANN, KILL la KILL), Promare uses a bold cel-shaded visual style to tell a blistering action-adventure story, and is the spiritual successor to many of director Imaishi's former works.
Thirty years has passed since the appearance of Burnish, a race of flame-wielding mutant beings, who destroyed half of the world with fire. When a new group of aggressive mutants calling themselves "Mad Burnish" appears, the epic battle between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team "Burning Rescue," and Lio Fotia, the leader of "Mad Burnish" begins.
If you need more Trigger in your life in the meantime, be sure to read our recent feature on the studio's history!
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Joseph Luster is the Games and Web editor at Otaku USA Magazine. You can read his webcomic, BIG DUMB FIGHTING IDIOTS at subhumanzoids. Follow him on Twitter @Moldilox.
Who's the best choice to read an audiobook of the Epic of Gilgamesh? Gil himself, of course!
Voice actor Tomokazu Seki plays the over-the-top warrior king in (almost) all of his Nasuverse incarnations, most notably Fate/Grand Order's Babylonia stage and its upcoming anime adaptation. Previously, Seki partnered up with Tokyo's Ancient Orient Museum to provide an audio guide for its permanent Gilgamesh exhibition.
The new project will feature the voice actor reading Akio Tsukimoto's Japanese translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh, re-edited by the museum into an audiobook with a runtime of just over one hour.
The reading will be available for purchase in CD and app format from the museum starting next month. More details will be available soon.
>> Ancient Orient Museum Website
>> Watch Fate/Grand Order -First Order- on Crunchyroll
Source: My Game News Flash
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
51-year-old singer Hiroko Moriguchi will release a 11-song new album "GUNDAM SONG COVERS" from King Record on August 7, 2019. It includes cover versions of the top 10 Gundam theme songs chosen in NHK's online poll project "All Gundam Big Voting 40th" held in 2018.
She made her professional idol singer debut in 1985 with "Mizu no Hoshi he Ai wo Komete" (To a Watery Planet with Love), the second OP theme song for the Mobile Suit Z Gundam TV anime, in August 1985. For the Gundam franchise, she also performed "Eternal Wind ~Hohoemi wa Hikaru Kaze no Naka" (Smile is in the Shining Wind) for the Mobile Suit Gundam F91 feature film in 1991, and "Sora no Kanata de" (Beyond The Space) for the fourth chapter of the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin OVA series in 2016.
"Mizu no Hoshi" was chosen as the most popular Gundam theme song by the fans in the poll, while "Eternal Wind" followed in third place. She re-recorded the two songs for the album, and "Sora no Kanata de" will be included as a bonus track.
Song list:
1. "Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete" with Hisako Terai (violin)
(Mobile Suit Z Gundam 2nd OP / 1985-1986)
2. "Ai Senshi" with Kotaro Oshio (guitar)
(Mobile Suit Gundam: Soldiers of Sorrow / 1981)
3. "Eternal Wind ~ Hohoemi wa Hikaru Kaze no Naka"
(Mobile Suit Gundam F91 / 1991)
4. "Beyond the Time ~Möbius no Sora wo Koete~"
(Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack / 1987)
5. "Arashi no Naka de Kagayaite"
(Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team / 1996-1999)
6. "Freesia" with Tetsu Shiota (piano)
(Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans / 2015-2017)
7. "JUST COMMUNICATION" with Hidefumi Ino
(Mobile Suit Gundam Wing / 1995-1996)
8. "Meguriai"
(Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space / 1982)
9. "Zeta - Toki wo Koete"
(Mobile Suit Z Gundam / 1985-1986)
10. "RE:I AM"
(Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn / 2010-2014)
11. "Sora no Kanata de" (bonus track)
(Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin / 2016)
The CD jacket illustration featuring Moriguchi in normal suit and Zeta Gundam is newly drawn by Tsukasa Kotobuki (NG Knight Ramune & 40 Fire', Saber Marionette J), who joined the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin anime series as character designer/animation director.
森口博子「GUNDAM SONG COVERS」8月7日にリリース決定！
— 森口博子 (@hiloko_m) 2019年6月13日
NHK「発表！全ガンダム大投票」のベスト１０を豪華アーティストの方々と一緒にカバー＆セルフカバーさせて頂きます。
LPサイズジャケットの＜数量限定生産盤＞は以下のページから申込み頂けます！6月30日まで。https://t.co/i7KUP5LLin pic.twitter.com/c25IcTJuN4
Hiroko Moriguchi latest artist photo:
Source: King Record
© Copyright King Record.Co.,Ltd.All Rights Reserved.
Star Twinkle PreCure is getting its solo film this fall, and there's new art to celebrate!
Hikaru (Cure Star) and Lala (Cure Milky) feature in both the posters. One shows the pair at the beach looking up to the stars, while the other looks down at Earth from space with silhouettes of the pair against the ocean.
The film is being described as "romantic like a shooting star," "nostalgic," and with a theme of the bonds between people. It premieres in Japan on October 19.
Source: Anime! Anime!
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
DelightWorks has revealed an official board game based on Fate/Stay Night, that is all about picking your fights for the ultimate goal of winning the Holy Grail War.
The post Fate/Stay Night’s Board Game Brings A Strategic Element To The Holy Grail War appeared first on Siliconera.
Want to make sure today's lucky selfie is on point? Anime news site Natalie is releasing a line of Sarazanmai goodies in their store that will liven up your phot and photos!
The goodies kick off with six keyrings with transparent centers. Line them up to take Instagram-style photos of—or with—the stars of the series:
To keep your phone handy and your picture steady, there are also smartphone rings. Attach one to the back of your phone to prop it up, or to make sure you don't drop it:
If you're not the selfie type, there's also a pair of clear files:
The whole line is available right now from the Natalie Store, so you can bring some kappa style to your daily selfies!
>> Sarazanmai Goods from Natalie Store
>> Watch Sarazanmai on Crunchyroll
Source: Comic Natalie
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
It is officially confirmed today that Hiroaki Samura's Mugen no Junin/Blade of the Immortal action jidaigeki manga will get its new anime adaptation. The anime's teaser site also opens, saying it will be a "complete anime adaptation." Further details including its cast, staff, schedule, and format will be announced at a later date.
The manga was originally serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon from June 1993 to December 2012, and compiled in 30 tankobon volumes. This is the manga's second anime adaptation, following the 13-episode TV anime animated by BeeTrain with Koichi Mashimo directing. It was also recently adapted into a live-action film by Takashi Miike in April 2017, which failed critically and commercially.
Meanwhile, the manga's official sequel/spin-off Mugen no Junin ~Bakumatsu no Sho~ (Blade of the
Immortal: Chapter Bakumatsu) will start serialization in Monthly Afternoon's next July 2019 issue to be
released on May 25. In cooperation with Samura, Renji Takigawa works as story writer, Ryu Suenobu
serves as illustrator.
『無限の住人』完全アニメ化決定＆公式サイト開設！ そして5月25日（土）発売のアフタヌーン7月号から公式続編『無限の住人 ～幕末ノ章～』新連載開始です！ #無限の住人 #アフタヌーン https://t.co/Ixe6apCB0u pic.twitter.com/sniC8PVXw6
— アフタヌーン (@afternoon_manga) 2019年5月23日
Original tankobon 1st and 30th volume covers
2008 TV anime key visual
2017 live-action film key visual
Source: New anime project's teaser site
© Hiroaki Samura/Kodansha
© Hiroaki Samura, Kodansha/"Mugen no Junin -IMMORTAL-" Production Committee
©2017 Movie "Mugen no Junin" Production Committee
In a recent interview with Japanese movie news site Cinema Today to promote his latest anime feature film PROMARE, 34-year-old actor Kenichi Matsuyama (L in the Death Note live-action films) revealed that his most favorite robot anime was The King of Braves GaoGaiGar, which was aired in Japan from February 1997 to January 1998 as the eighth and last installment of Sunrise's "Brave" super robot anime series.
Cinema Today:
"Various gadgets appear in PROMARE. What is your favorite robot anime?"
Matsuyama:
"I really like 'The King of Braves GaoGaiGar!' It was completely different, but I felt the same smell in 'PROMARE." It was also an anime with great passion. Nobuyuki Hiyama-san, who played its protagonist
Guy Shishio, was always shouting his special moves that were related to carpenter tools. Because
that impact was so strong, I have thought robot anime = hot-blooded anime. Hiyama-san (who voices
Gueira in PROMARE) worked in both Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill, and all other voice actors are my
favorite ones, so I was so happy to join my favorite voice actor team when I received the offer."
In PROMARE, Matsuyama voices the protagonist character Galo Thymos, a new member of the rescue
team called "Burning Rescue." The sci-fi action film will open in Japan on May 24, 2019.
『プロメア』松山ケンイチ 単独インタビュー #松山ケンイチ #プロメア @promare_movie https://t.co/KsDxRPYksf
— シネマトゥデイ (@cinematoday) 2019年5月19日
"PROMARE" latest long PV
Synopsis:
The appearance of Burnish, a race of flame-wielding beings that suddenly appeared by mutation, triggered
the unprecedented situation that destroyed half of the whole world with fire. 30 years has passed since then.
A group of offensive members calling themselves "Mad Burnish" start destroying the world again. The story
revolves around the intense battles between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team
"Burning Rescue," and Lio Fotia, the leader of "Mad Burnish."
Main voice cast:
Source: Cinema Today
©TRIGGER, Kazuki Nakashima/XFLAG Studio
Now that Game of Thrones’ series finale has come and gone, even more attention is being paid to author George R.R. Martin. He’s mostly been minding his own business and living his life while the rest of the world harangues him about the final two entries in the series of novels that started it all.
Persona Q, a 2014 turn-based role-playing game for the 3DS, put Persona 3 and 4 characters into an extended “what-if” scenario where they had to band together and navigate gigantic labyrinths to escape an abandoned high school. It’s easily one of my favorite 3DS games, so you can imagine I was pretty hype for Persona…
It was officially announced in the latest July 2019 issue of KADOKAWA'S Dragon Magazine released today on May 17 that the long-awaited third arc of Hajime Kanzaka's internationally popular fantasy light novel series Slayers is set to launch in near future.
The author commented on the third arc in the issue, "Rather than an official history, the third arc is going to be more like one of the possibilities, a parallel existence to the TRY TV anime and the Water Dragon King manga, I guess." Further details such as story and release schedule will be provided at a later date.
Kanzaka's Slayers series was launched in January 1990, and many people believed that its long novel series was concluded with its 15th volume released in May 2000. And 18 years after, it surprisingly returned with its 16th volume in October 2018 as part of the 30th anniversary project for
Dragon Magazine and Fujimi Fantasia Bunko.
So far the whole series has 51 volumes in total (long novel series: 16 volumes, Special series: 30 volumes,
Smash. series: five volumes), printing more than 20 million copies.
The long novel series' 1st and 16th volume covers
Source: Oricon News
It's not like we need and excuse to carry a box of Pocky with us wherever we go... but Glico is giving us one in their spring campaign!
Their OdePake packaging features character art designed to match each of five different varieties of Pocky. Punch-out lines on the back let the characters (and thus the box) cling to a shoulder strap or the edge of a bag.
Thirteen different characters are available in all:
Each box has a QR code in the bottom right corner. Snap it with your phone, and the box's character will be available for AR photos! Plus, the boxes will get you discounts at select stores around Japan.
The OdePake campaign runs until June 30.
>> Pocky OdePake Campaign Website
Source: @anno_moyoco on Twitter
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
The battle begins again this fall when Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These returns—and new key visuals show us both sides looking ready for action!
A new pair of posters depicts the major players on both the Empire and Alliance sides, drawn by series character designer Yoko Kikuchi (Kuroko's Basketball, Junjo Romantica).
In addition, it's been confirmed that the second season will receive a theatrical release in three parts. Each movie-length release will cover four episodes. The three chapters will be released in Japanese cinemas on September 27, October 25, and November 29.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These is the latest adaptation of Yoshiki Tanaka's epic book series. The series initially received an anime adaptation from 1988-1998, as well as manga and stage iterations.
>> Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These Website
>> Watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These on Crunchyroll
Source: Comic Natalie
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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.
It is confirmed today that Kizuna AI, the virtual YouTuber who has the most subscribers on YouTube, will perform at SUMMER SONIC 2019's Tokyo venue (ZOZO Marine Stadium or Makuhari Messe) on August 18, 2019. The one of the largest summer music festivals in Japan will have its 20th anniversary this year.
While posting YouTube videos regularly since November 2016, she made her singer debut in July 2018 by releasing her first digital single "Hello, Morning." So far she has released 12 singles (11 digital and one CD), and held her first solo live concert "Kizuna AI 1st Live 'hello, world'" in Tokyo (December 29, 2018) and Osaka (December 30).
SUMMER SONIC 2019's three headliners are: Red Hot Chili Peppers, B'z, and The Chainsmokers. And various foreign and Japanese artists are scheduled to perform, such as WEEZER, [ALEXANDROS],
Bananarama, JUJU, BiSH, Little Glee Monster, Micheal Monroe, PassCode, RADWIMPS, BABYMETAL,
MAN WITH A MISSION, Rancid, The Damned, Perfume, Chara, Yasutaka Tanaka, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu,
and many more.
【夏フェス参戦！】
— Kizuna AI@5/15 1st アルバム"hello,world"リリース! (@aichan_nel) 2019年5月9日
祝20周年！！
SUMMER SONIC 2019 (@summer_sonic)
TOKYO 3日目
【8/18(sun)】
『Kizuna AI』出演決定！！！https://t.co/eAbfaQNJTB pic.twitter.com/ar7zylUyF8
Meanwhile, her first full album "hello, world" is set to be released in three editions (deluxe, live DVD, regular)
in Japan on May 15, 2019. The bonus DVD for the first two editions includes her "Kizuna AI 1st Live 'hello,
world'" concert at Zepp Osaka Bayside on December 30, 2018.
Live digest
CD jacket
12-disc deluxe edition set contains one CD album, ten single CDs, and one live DVD.
Source: Active8 press release
©Kizuna AI / upd8 music
We recently reported that Daiki Itoh, who was previously the lead Confidant planner of Persona 5, will take the role of director for Persona 5 Royal, and he shared more details with producer Kazuhisa Wada.
The post Persona 5 Royal’s Third Semester Will Be Unexpectedly Voluminous, Adds QoL Improvements appeared first on Siliconera.
Sarazanmai is famed director Ikuhara’s latest work, and is as brazenly bizarre, thought-provoking, and equally hilarious as you’d come to expect. The show, which is about three troubled boys who were turned into zombie-fighting kappas through the extraction of a mythical anal organ, is brimming with overwhelming symbolism and surreal elements. However, unlike many of the director’s other works before, it’s deeply linked to its real-world setting, which is Asakusa. The popular tourist district, which still retains an ambience reminiscent of the older days, with the spiritual Sensoji Temple at its center, and the nearby Kappabashi Street, are the perfect setting for a show as surreal as Sarazanmai, and are the topic in this edition of Anime vs. Real Life.
*All images were taken with GOOGLE STREET VIEW (pictures I shot are marked WD)
WD
Asakusa today is one of the most popular tourist districts in Tokyo, with the famous Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate) at its center, which can be considered the symbol of Asakusa, if not the whole city. The gate marks the entrance to the massive Sensoji Temple, built in circa 628, which makes it Tokyo’s oldest temple. Leading straight from the outer gate to the temple’s second gate is the 200 meter-long Nakamise Shopping Street, which is lined with dozens of tourist souvenir shops, which still have a very traditional Japanese atmosphere. The approach to the temple also serves as a gateway to Sarazanmai’s spirit world, but we’ll get back to that at the end of the article.
Kappabashi is an area right next to Asakusa, with the one kilometer-long Kappabashi Dougu Street at its heart, which is lined by over a hundred restaurant-supply shops and kitchen-equipment sellers. The specialized area provides the whole city’s restaurants with the necessary kitchen utensils, so it’s easy see where the nickname “kitchen town” is coming from. At the begging of the street stands the Niimi Tableware Store, with the giant chef’s bust sitting on top of it. In the anime, the otter cops’ police station is located inside of this building, which is not the case in real life. If you look real close, you’ll also notice the giant otter missing in real life.
Since the whole street specializes in kitchenware, there are basically no restaurants around, except for this little side street called Kappabashi Hondori. The street leads directly to Asakusa, and is the only one with a clear view of the Tokyo Skytree.
There are several myths and versions surrounding the origins of the area’s name, but the official Kappabashi website states two in particular. The logical one being: In earlier times, a low-ranking samurai used to display and sell raincoats (called kappa in Japanese) on a former bridge in the area (bashi meaning bridge in Japanese).
The more mystical second version is about a local merchant, who took it upon himself to stop the severe drainage problems of the area, with the construction of a drainage ditch to the nearby Sumida River. However, the channel’s construction was not progressing smoothly, until a local kappa living in said river took notice. Kappas are frog/turtle-like humanoid creatures from Japanese mythology. They carry a dish filled with water on their head, which allows them to travel on land, and are usually known as mischievous little tricksters. But this kappa was so moved by the merchants good deeds and valiant effort, that it pitched in and helped finishing it every night, making the area prosper and bringing good luck to the other merchants who saw it help.
No matter the origin, Kappabashi developing into a kitchenware district is simply genius, as a kappa’s most defining trait is definitely the dish on its head.
Close to the Kappabashi Dougu Street and Hondori intersection is this little plaza, with a statue of the patron kappa of the area, in honor of the just mentioned story. In the anime, the plaza is occupied by the peculiar Keppi, heir to the throne of the Kappa Kingdom. Just to be safe, maybe try to keep your distance if you don’t want your shirikodama (the mythical anal organ that stores all your secret desires) forcefully sucked out.
Moving back to Asakusa, the eight-story Ekimise building right here is a shopping complex with access to the Tobu Asakusa Station.
The modern Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center is located right vis-à-vis from the before mentioned Kaminarimon Gate. The observation deck on top provides a good view of the area.
WD
In the second episode, Kazuki and Toi somehow manage to visit the the Hanayashiki Amusement Park, while chasing a stray cat. The miniature amusement park is one of the oldest in Japan, being open since 1853, and is still running a 60-year-old rollercoaster. The amusement park also made a brief appearance in Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles, during one of Koizumi’s ramen adventures in Asakusa.
The little spot where Enta used to train football with Kazuki is on the other side of the Sumida River. I bet it won’t take long before someone actually draws a draws a goal post there.
The Azuma Bridge stretches across the broad Sumida River, connecting the Taito Ward to the Sumida Ward, and is a landmark of the area in itself.
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The area along the Sumida River offers great views of the Tokyo Skytree (the world’s second largest structure at 634m) and the headquarters of the Asahi Breweries with the weird giant golden sculpture next to it, which is apparently supposed to be a flame representing the burning heart of the company. In all honesty, before I looked it up a couple of years ago, it looked like a giant golden tadpole or even turd to me, and all I can see now is a giant shirikodama being extracted.
Every time Keppi transforms the three protagonists into kappas, he puts them on a rickshaw (which you can actually rent to get around the area), and makes a dash from the Sensoji Temple’s inner Hozomon Gate, along the Nakamise Shopping Street, through the outer Kaminarimon Gate, mentioned at the beginning of the article.
And last but not least, the vermilion Azuma Bridge does not only connect two wards in Toyko, it’s also somehow the connection between the real world and the spirit world in Sarazanmai. The great dancebattle takes place on the very aesthetic Azuma Bridge each episode.
In case you ever want to go kappa hunting yourself, here's the map I made:
Have you ever been to Asakusa yourself and did you recognize some of the landmarks shown in Sarazanmai?What do you think of the show so far? Sound off in the comments below!
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Wilhelm is an anime tourist, who loves to search for and uncover the real-world spots he sees in anime. You can talk with him on Twitter @Surwill.
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