Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Anime News Network (Page 6)
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan took a trip to Yamanashi to try out Japan’s record-breaking Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) bullet train. Travelling with him were executives from the Baltimore-Washington Rapid Rail LLC (BWRR), who, after enjoying a 27-mile-long ride, headed back to Baltimore with the intention of bringing the technology stateside.
Ahoy, landlubbers! The Thousand Sunny, the preferred vessel of the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece, is paying a call at the port of Laguna Ten Bosch, a theme park in Gamagori, southeast of Nagoya. Interested fans are invited to board the ship for a few hours to partake in a cruise. They will be treated to a stage show, music and a toast to the Straw Hat crew. Commemorative mugs and certificates will be given as souvenirs.
The new wave of Eevee merchandise continues with a series of necklaces. There are nine necklaces for each of the evolutions represented on a silver, gold, or rose gold pendant with a semi-precious or precious stone. The price varies depending on which metal the buyer chooses. The jewelry is being made in a collaboration with K Uno.
YouTuber Aura Puffs assigned themselves a seemingly impossible task: using only one SNES controller simultaneously play through Megaman X and Megaman X2. The limitations also include no save states, pausing one game while playing another, or anything else that would take most of the challenge out of the process.
When the mobile game Flappy Bird was taken off the market last year, sales of mobile phones with the game installed were quickly put on auction sites to the tune of US$300 to US$90,000. The sales on eBay technically violated the site’s Terms of Service, which required smartphones and tablets to be restored to their factory settings. Many were pulled by eBay before anyone was able to drop cash on the listings.
CineFix’s 8-Bit Cinema feature has turned plenty of popular films into video game-style videos likeTitanic, The Fast and the Furious, and The Walking Dead. On Tuesday, the group uploaded a version of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli‘s award-winning film Spirited Away, with a MIDI-version of Joe Hisaishi‘s score to boot. Much of the film’s story is condensed into a quick five minutes and is transformed into 8-bit and “a little bit of 16-bit” art.
Pokémon Centers have announced that a new line of merch based on the infinitely adorable Eevee will be unveiled soon.
The slightly sinister line of children’s clothing crossing Evangelion and Rody from Premium Bandai just got updated with more colors. The original included Unit 01 and Unit 00 with matching bibs. The new onesies are based on Asuka’s Unit 02, Mari’s Unit 05, Kaworu’s Unit 06, and the Yuru-Shito mascot.
Actress Scarlett Johansson gave an update on Dreamworks‘ live-action Ghost in the Shell film during the press event for next month’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.
The official website for the two Attack on Titan live-action films unveiled a new poster for the movies on Friday. Theaters in Japan will begin displaying the poster on April 25.
The first movie will open on August 8, and the second movie will open on September 19.
The flight attendants of Japan Airlines (JAL) put on their best idol costumes to dance to Hatsune Miku’s “39” (San-kyuu, or ‘Thank You’) song to promote the company’s participation at the Niconico Chokaigi 2015 event this month.
The video shows the dancers in various spots within the JAL Sky Museum in Tokyo. In the background you can see how the attendant’s uniforms have changed throughout time.
The Nippon Cosplay Photo Contest at St. Fest. 2015 posted its winners on Monday. Unlike other cosplay contests that judge strictly on costume creation and styling, this contest focuses on the photographer and the composition of the photograph. Votes were tallied for a month and a half via the internet and the event venue itself.
This year’s 19th issue of Shueisha‘s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine will reveal more information on Monday about the upcoming Boruto –Naruto the Movie- film.
The film will open in Japan on August 7. Original Naruto manga creator Masashi Kishimoto is credited with the original work, script, character design, and as the chief production supervisor for the film. Hiroyuki Yamashita (Naruto Shippūden episode director, Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie animation director) will direct the film and Ukyō Kodachi (Chaos Dragon, Neppu Kairiku Bushi Road) is collaborating with Kishimoto on the script.
In support of the “Project to Pierce the Moon With the Spear of Longinus,” which is the fastest-growing crowdfunding project in Japan, Linkbal is hosting an Evangelion singles mixer at the Planetarium Starry Cafe at Haneda Airport. It’s the perfect chance to gaze at the stars, all while finding your perfect otaku soulmate.
Some of the gals from Girls und Panzer would tell you that tanks can be pretty cute. And what better way to gussy one up than to use it as a vase? Made using traditional Kasama-yaki pottery techniques, heralding from Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture, the tank is a reference to a scene with series protagonist Hana Isuzu, who is highly skilled in ikebana, or Japanese flower arrangement.
Bandai Namco Games announced it will release the new Godzilla game on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in North America and Europe in July.
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Celebrate another year of life by putting it in jeopardy with this birthday candle flower
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgersMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky loungeFrench Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to KyotoRed light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour TotoroJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello KittyAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutionsMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
11 different ways to say “father” in Japanese
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Starbucks Japan adds a Motto Frappuccino to the menu for a limited time
Standing sleeping pods coming to Tokyo cafe, promise to relieve fatigue and stress【Pics】
Mr. Sato presents the salad rice cracker showdown (no salads involved)【Taste test】
Shocking daylight smash-and-grab robbery occurs at shop in Tokyo’s fanciest neighborhood【Vid】
Japan’s lap-pillow ear-cleaning salons aren’t just for pervy guys, we find out
