Ring in the new year by getting into a staring contest with a pair of dark, soulless eyes for five-and-a-half days.

In Japan there exist some traditional New Year’s customs based on the concept of taking some time for personal reflection. For example, someone might spend it hiking to a remote location in order to watch the first sunrise of the year ascend above Mt. Fuji.

But for those without the time, money, and energy needed for such excursions, Japan’s long-running video hosting site Niconico Douga has the next best thing – nay, an even better thing!

They have assembled an all-star line-up of creepy dolls, each with their own purported supernatural ability, and will put a stationary camera on each one for 132 continuous hours to see if they wig out or bleed from their eyes or something.

Titled Noroi No Ningyo wo 132-Jikan Nagameru Hoso (Gazing at Cursed Dolls for 132 Hours Broadcast), it will be held from 1 to 6 January on one of Niconico Live’s streaming channels. Some of the many dolls you can expect to see include:

Miyuki, a standard, albeit grimy, baby doll which is said to change facial expressions on occasion. Right now she appears to be hungry for souls.

Kiku Hime (Princess Chrysanthemum) never alters that wistful look on her face. However, this ichimatsu doll, created using craftsmanship from the Edo period in Japan, reportedly emits a “gashan” sound from time to time.

Koshi (Confuscius) is also an ichimatsu doll very much like Kiku Hime. In fact, not only is Koshi like her, Koshi’s head was originally found packed away inside Kiku Hime’s very own toso! He/she was named “Confuscius” because the found head was also stuffed with papers that bore the Chinese philosopher’s writings on them.

The Kubi Seven (made up of Mariko, Shinji, Suzu, Kiko, Sashiko, Oginome, and Taniko) are a motley crew of discarded mannequin heads that are believed to dispense random things from their noses when the mood strikes them.

And what line-up of creepy dolls would be complete without Charmy! Far from just another pretty face, she also has the supposed ability to make lights flicker on and off wherever she goes.

Niconico also says you can expect many more dolls to make appearances in this marathon staring contest. Prospective viewers were thrilled about the announcement, they just have a strange way of showing it.

“Is this alright? I feel like they’re toying with forces that shouldn’t be toyed with.”
“What the hell? …I might watch a bit of it though.”
“Oh it’s like one of those Yule log videos in western countries!”
“The dolls are probably pissed they have to stay still for so long.”
“Gyah!”

Yes, the entire Internet is abuzz about this revolution in broadcasting. We’ve always suspected dolls might be getting up and scuttling about in the middle of the night or choking us in our sleep, but nobody has had the nerve to actually monitor them to such an extent and find out for sure.

No one knows what paranormal activity we can expect during the broadcast, whether it be warping reality or growing hair or perhaps nothing at all… It’ll probably be nothing at all, but still, you can be sure that if you gaze into their abysmal eyes long enough, they will gaze back into you.

And that, boys and girls, is what New Year’s is all about.

Event Information
Gazing at Cursed Dolls for 132 Hours Broadcast / 呪いの人形を132時間ながめる放送
First Half: 1 January starting at noon until 3 January
Website
Second Half: Begins at Midnight between 3 and 4 January and runs until 6 January
Website

Source: Niconico Live, My Game News Flash
Images: Niconico Live