Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
manga (Page 96)
Compared to most other action anime, the cast of Attack on Titan has a pretty low-survival rate. This could be because their opponents are remorseless man-eating giants, but is another key factor that fact that the Survey Corps’ uniforms are poorly suited for the duties the heroes perform? Sure, those cloaks look dramatically stylish, but they’re also bulky and movement-limiting, so maybe it’s about time Eren and his pals changed into some official Attack on Titan exercise wear from Adidas.
Japanese fans of the Sword Art Online light novel series know all about the importance of attending the seasonal Dengeki Bunko festivals in Tokyo. This is the main stage on which Japanese publisher ASCII Media Works and its Dengeki Bunko imprint make all their big announcements regarding the series, and it was no different at the Dengeki Bunko Autumn Festival held in Akihabara on Sunday, where it was revealed that Sword Art Online will be made into a new anime movie, with an all-new storyline from its creator Reki Kawahara.
Everyone could use a little extra money in their pocket as we head towards the end of the year. Maybe you’ve got a long Christmas shopping list, made fancy New Year’s Eve plans, or just want to take a trip back home to visit family and friends during winter vacation.
As such, you might find yourself looking for a part-time job to help fill your coffers, and while you could go with such traditional choices as picking up a shift working in a restaurant or a shop at the mall, your options now also include a micro-stint as an editor for two of Japan’s most popular manga anthologies.
There are plenty of horror movie villains that scare us so bad we can’t sleep at night. These include the classics like Freddy Kruger, Jason, and Chucky as well as some newer terrors like Pennywise, Sadako, and Ghostface. Well, isn’t it about time to expand the roster of baddies that keep you up at night? They might not be household screamfest names yet, but what about Freeza, Cell and Evil Majin Buu?
Yes…the Dragon Ball Z villains. We are not pulling your leg (nor ripping it off painfully), but one artist has rendered these two-dimensional anime characters into truly terrifying creatures of the night. So, hide your kids and hide your wives, because it’s about to get super scary.
One of the great things about the One Piece series is how intricate the world it’s set in is. Loosely based on historical colonial times, it’s familiar enough for readers to feel comfortable with, yet different enough to create a sense of magic and intrigue. Though originally written in Japanese, the manga hints that characters in the series also speak English, Spanish, French, and a handful of other languages.
It might not seem too farfetched, then, that some fans were curious about what nationalities the characters would have been had the story taken place in our world instead, and this is exactly what one reader asked the creator of the series. The answer they received wasn’t quite what some fans had in mind, though…
When making her professional debut, manga creator Hiromi Arakawa decided to work under the masculine-sounding pen name Hiromu Arakawa. The choice was probably made under the logic that a male author would be more easily accepted by the predicted male fanbase of the action-adventure stories Arakawa was crafting.
In the end, though, all of that worrying was probably unnecessary. Male readers have no issue with Arakawa’s gender because she can produce awesome adventure stories, and her series have enjoyed broad crossover appeal with female manga readers as well. As a matter of fact, so many of Arakawa’s fans are women that there are now two pairs of pumps inspired by her most successful series, Fullmetal Alchemist.
Opinions may be divided on the live action TV drama version of Death Note that began airing in July this year, but we think it’s still a pretty awesome series, and judging from the long-standing popularity of the manga, it’s probably safe to say that we’re not the only ones who feel that way.
And now, fans will be delighted to hear that the team of writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata, who created the Death Note comics have once again joined forces and will soon be starting a brand new manga serialization titled Platinum End!
For long-time fans of Sailor Moon, the anime’s recent remake, Sailor Moon Crystal, was an unexpected opportunity to bask in the nostalgia of seeing many of their favorite characters from the series once again. We say “many of their favorites,” though because fan loyalty is divided pretty evenly among the franchise’s numerous celestial-themed heroines, and there just hasn’t been time in the 26 episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal to introduce all of them.
So if you’ve been waiting patiently for Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn to show up, you’ll be happy to know that production has begun on a third season of Sailor Moon Crystal that will finally bring together the full complement of all 10 Sailor Senshi.
One of the great things about fiction, regardless of the genre or medium, is the way it lets us envision the way we want the world to be. Fiction can have a profound effect on us and even serve as an ideal to strive for. Which, now that we think about it, is kind of like what a good boss should be — a role model for their workers!
So, taking this thinking to its natural conclusion, we have to wonder: What fictional characters would make the best bosses? Jack Sparrow might be fun to watch, but we would hate to be in his crew! A recent online poll asked a group of Japanese businessmen in their thirties which manga character would be their favorite pick for their boss. A good question, indeed. Find out how they responded below!
The recent release of fine porcelain Sailor Moon cups and saucers has anime fans ready to add a touch of elegance to their table. Of course, what’s tea time without some equally posh snacks, right? So if you’re looking to keep your refreshments in the same anime family, why not pair your pour of Darjeeling or Lady Grey with some Sailor Moon macarons?
Attack on Titan’s adaptations to other forms of media have been sort of hit-and-miss. Sure, the animated TV series that followed up on the success of the original manga is the anime industry’s biggest hit in decades, but kind words for the two live-action movies have been few and far between.
Still, the upcoming video game version looks pretty cool, and as further proof that the series can still be cool in new formats is this awesome fan-produced stop-motion video that’s a crossover between Attack on Titan and Godzilla.
Right before the internet entered a new millennia, Hiroyuki Nishimura launched 2channel, an online community website that would eventually change the face of otaku and internet culture in Japan. The simple layout and anonymity later went on to spark the creation of an English language version of the website, called 4chan, which would similarly impact the international online community as 2channel had in Japan.
In a curious turn of events according to a recent announcement by 4chan’s founder and former sole administrator, Nishimura has been named as the owner of the English spinoff community to his original creation.
A young Japanese woman suddenly finds herself surrounded by four hot guys, each one vying for her favor. One is tough, another is cool, and the third is going with the soft sell. There’s even a handsome man trying to game her or rule her or neg her, whatever the term is when pseudo-aggressive dudes simultaneously tell a girl that she’s insufferably lame but that they also desperately want to hook up with her.
The woman’s pulse races as she realizes she hold all the cards in this game of love. But this scenario is too good to be true right? Is it a dating simulator video game? A reverse-harem anime?
Nope, it’s the cell phone corner of a Japanese electronics store.
When it comes to celebrating their 20th anniversary, Sailor Moon girls don’t go out on the town, swigging from a cheap bottle of Brut, yelling “It’s my birf-daaaaay” to passers-by on the street.
This is a group of soldiers who choose to stay home instead, holding tea parties with their nearest and dearest, using only the finest Japanese tableware on the market, Noritake.
Now you can sip tea like a sailor warrior too, with this gorgeous new teacup and saucer set, which blends fine porcelain details with cute motifs from the hit series.
It’s easy to forget, but Sailor Moon and her fellow Sailor Senshi actually spend most of their day as students. When there aren’t any monsters around, the anime’s cast should ostensibly have notes to take, worksheets to fill out, and reports to write, and when it’s time to stop fighting and start studying, maybe they reach for one of these pens modeled after the magical equipment of Sailors Moon, Chibimoon, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
Namja Town, an indoor theme park in Tokyo operated by Namco, is putting out a special spread to celebrate Sailor Moon’s 20th anniversary year. With a selection of five beverages and a whopping fourteen types of cute meals and desserts to choose from, this is the most extensive list of Sailor Moon-themed edibles we’ve ever seen!
Maybe we’re just predisposed to thinking with our stomachs, but even with all the brightly colored pleated skirts and magical monster battles in Sailor Moon, we always find our attention drawn to the food that shows up in the hit anime series. So when we heard that the official Sailor Jupiter bento boxed lunch is now being offered by a Tokyo cafe, took a break from marathoning episodes of the magical girl saga to go and try it for ourselves.
While the Attack on Titan live-action movie may have failed to live up to some people’s expectations, we’re still holding out hope for something even greater on the horizon.
It looks like we won’t have to wait too long because come this winter, there’ll be a new game on the market—and it’s set to feature advancing giants, a showdown with the Colossal Titan himself, and gameplay that lets you fly through the air using Omnidirectional Mobility Gear.
Oh, and there’s a ton of blood.
In case you’ve never read any of the Akira manga or seen the landmark 1988 anime movie based on it, here’s a basic rundown of the plot. A powerful organization comes up with what it thinks it a great idea, but before its plan come to fruition, the whole thing blows up in their faces. Years later, though, it tries again, unleashing the danger of potentially even more disastrous results.
In the anime, the “powerful organization” is the military, and the “great idea” is cultivating weaponized psionic children. Some would say this parallels the real-world situation of another powerful organization, Hollywood movie studio Warner Brothers, and its own ambitions to turn Akira into a live-action film, which have faced nothing but roadblocks and angry backlashes from fans of the source material for more than 10 years now.
But just like Akira’s military, Warner Brothers seems convinced that it can still get all the variables just right, and new rumors suggest that the studio might be planning to make not one, but three Akira films, and that it’s courting one of Hollywood’s hottest filmmakers to help.
It’s hard to believe we’re one year shy of a decade since the live-action Death Note movies were released. Fans in Japan were treated to a live-action TV series recently, which broadcast its final episode on Sunday night, but it’s what appeared at the end of the show that’s really got everyone talking.
It’s the announcement of a new Death Note movie to be released in 2016; an exciting sequel featuring L’s successor and introducing the Six-Note Rule, which, until now, has only appeared in the original manga. What’s more, a teaser trailer has been released, giving us a taste of what to expect from the film, which will be distributed by Warner Brothers and directed by Shinsuke Sato, who was also at the helm for popular movies Library Wars and Gantz.
Japan announces sudden 500-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
“Phantom Egg Shop” opens in Japan, with a dozen rare Japanese varieties
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino, tea and soda drinks for summer
Starbucks Japan sells Valencia Flavoured Syrup, and here are four ways to use it this summer
Enjoy the world’s oldest gyoza chain hidden just outside Shinjuku Station
Ginza Happo: One of Tokyo’s best all-you-can-eat seafood restaurants is an extreme buffet affair
Cheap Japanese sandwich hack: Popular cafe’s 21-cent white bread offcuts will really up your gameJapanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroadStudio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
7-Eleven Japan to start selling Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches this summerJapan announces sudden 500-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the countryJapanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for itStarbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino, tea and soda drinks for summer
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam is getting a new look before its end-of-summer removal
Starbucks Japan releases new limited-edition summer drinks…and a pastry for dunkingJapanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroadStudio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and moreJapanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noonForget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino, tea and soda drinks for summer
Starbucks Japan sells Valencia Flavoured Syrup, and here are four ways to use it this summer
Enjoy the world’s oldest gyoza chain hidden just outside Shinjuku Station
Ginza Happo: One of Tokyo’s best all-you-can-eat seafood restaurants is an extreme buffet affair
Cheap Japanese sandwich hack: Popular cafe’s 21-cent white bread offcuts will really up your game
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Japanese merry-go-round has heartwarming backstory, is one of the best rides in Japan
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Suspected Japanese ice cream cartel under investigation for price-fixing
We invent ice slurry somen to combat the extreme Japanese summer heat【SoraKitchen】
Beat the heat with chilled Iekei ramen from Yokohama Iekei Ramen Ichikakuya
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]
7-Eleven Japan vs Family Mart: Who has the biggest convenience store cookie?
7-Eleven Japan to start selling Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches this summer