Sometimes it seems like everyone in the world loves Makoto Shinkai’s hit anime, but the Academy is apparently not so impressed.

Despite having its initial Japanese release back in August, anime phenomenon Your Name was recently back at the top of Japan’s weekly box office rankings. But while director Makoto Shinkai’s latest film isn’t running out of steam, it is slowly running out of achievements to add to its impressive list of accomplishments.

The tale of body-swapping teens Taki and Mitsuha was not only the highest-earning movie of any kind in Japan during 2016, it’s already set records for Japanese-produced theatrical features overseas as well. With its overwhelming popular and critical success, fans started dreaming of one more mountain to climb: winning an Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

That’s an honor that the Academy has bestowed only once before upon an anime, when it gave the Oscar for Best Animated Feature to Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away in 2002. Your Name’s handlers seemed to think the film had a chance, though, quickly putting together a Los Angeles-area theatrical run to qualify for consideration for this year’s awards.

But alas, Shinkai isn’t going to need to press his tux, unless he’s got some other fancy plans for the night of the Oscars’ presentation ceremony. The Academy has officially released the five nominations for the Best Animated Feature category, and Your Name isn’t one of them.

Instead, the nods went to Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana, My Life as a Zucchini, The Red Turtle, and Zootopia.

It’s a disappointing development for fans of Japanese animation, especially considering that anime films received nominations in both 2016 and 2015. So why is Your Name being left out of this year’s festivities?

The easy answer is “the Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences doesn’t like/respect/understand anime,” and it’s a theory that probably has some truth behind it. But in more concrete terms, Your Name probably wasn’t seen as being technically or thematically challenging enough. Moana and Zootopia, as lavish CG productions, can easily dazzle by virtue of obviously pushing the envelope of technology-intensive animation techniques, making them seem more “realistic” in their depictions of their on-screen worlds and less “cartoony.” Live-action cinema is, after all, the Academy’s primary area of interest.

Kubo and the Two Strings and My Life as a Zucchini, meanwhile, give the immediate impression of being artistic due to their stop-motion visuals that lie outside the realm of what audiences see in most contemporary animated movies. Finally, The Red Turtle stands out with its nearly dialogue-free approach to story-telling, in stark contrast to noisy, talky kids’ cartoons.

Your Name, meanwhile, is a conventionally animated teen romance film with fantasy elements. It’s a gorgeous, amazingly emotional one, but if you’re a cinema organization which puts animation into a separate category, one to which you give far less fanfare and attention than the several categories for live-action films, Your Name may not jump up and grab your attention for going beyond what you see as the limited potential of animation. Your Name’s mirror-sheen level of polish might go over your head, and in the end you might just lump it in with all those other big-eyed cartoons from Japan.

Anime still has a shot at some indirect recognition at the Oscars, since Studio Ghibli lent a hand to the production of The Red Turtle. Your Name, though, will just have to hope that American audiences give it a warmer reception than the Academy when the film’s official U.S. release comes in April.

Source: Yahoo! News Japan via Jin
Top image: Your Name official website
Insert image: The Oscars (edited by RocketNews24)

Now Dragon Ball fans can have fun saying, “Here, have a senzu bean!” while giving out pieces of chocolate!

With Valentine’s Day approaching, there’s currently a huge amount of chocolate-related news coming out of Japan, and it looks like manga/anime fans, Dragon Ball followers in particular, can join in the sweet fun too!

That’s right, the Tokyu Hands Ikebukuro department store recently shared a tweet introducing a unique chocolate item based on the magical senzu beans from Dragon Ball.

仙豆だ、くえ。 もう、枝豆をそれっぽく食べなくてイイ。 相手に渡すときは「仙豆だ」と告げたあとに1粒、投げて渡すと好きな人には喜ばれます。1粒で10日腹が満たされそうな麦チョコ「ドラゴンボールZ 仙豆ポットチョコ」は500円+税… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
東急ハンズ池袋店 (@Hands_Ikebukuro) January 18, 2017

The tweet reads:

“Here, have a senzu bean.”

You don’t have to pretend with edamame soybeans anymore. Just tell a loved one that it’s a senzu bean and throw them a piece — they’ll be sure to appreciate it! The “Dragon Ball Z Senzu Bean Chocolate in a Pot” is now available at the special Valentine’s section on the 7th floor of Tokyu Hands Ikebukuro for 500 yen. Who knows? The chocolate covered puffs might keep you feeling full for 10 days!

The sezu bean, which literally means “hermit bean,” is a highly coveted item in the Dragon Ball universe. Followers of the series will know that these precious beans, grown by the hermit cat Karin (Korin in some versions), have the magical power to instantly restore strength and even cure severe injuries when eaten, so it’s easy to see why they would be greatly valued in a world where epic battles between aliens and gods are the norm.

The “beans” are actually barley puffs coated with chocolate, and they come in a cute pot similar to the container seen in the series. In the manga and anime, one senzu bean is said keep you full for 10 days, and while these chocolate puffs may not stave off hunger for that long, they should satisfy your sweet tooth, and they definitely should make anyone even remotely familiar with Dragon Ball (which in Japan is a good part of the population) smile at the joke.

So, why not have a senzu chocolate? Chocolate is said to have energizing and anti-aging properties, even if it might not compare with the power of an in-anime senzu bean! If you actually want to get your hands on a pot of the chocolates, though, you may want to check with individual department stores including Tokyu Hands, as they seem to be in high demand and are sold out at many online outlets.

Related: Tokyu Hands store location finder
Source, feaured image: Twitter/@Hands_Ikebukuro

You could engrave your name on this Your Name jewelry.

Money speaks volumes, especially when it comes to popularity, and the numbers are staggering for Your Name. With a North American release date set for April 2017, Japan’s number one animated movie is about to reach a bigger audience (although not an Academy Award). For fans who have already had the chance to see the film, you can show off your love for the hit anime movie with some fantastic jewelry inspired by it.

The beautiful pieces are a collaborative effort from jewelry maker The Kiss and anime merchandiser Bandai, and judging by the way they sparkle in the pictures, they’ll look absolutely dazzling on your ear. The attention to detail really sells us on these products, as the pouch that comes with the earrings is cinched closed with a cord similar to the one female lead Mitsuha uses to tie her hair. 

Unsurprisingly, stars are at the center of both styles of earrings with the red and blue stones representing the protagonists Mitsuha and Taki. While the long dangle earrings only come in silver for 11,880 yen (US$104), the studs come in either gold or silver for 3,456 yen ($30.50). 

For those interested, the Premium Bandai website started taking pre–orders on January 23. This isn’t the first time that The Kiss has teamed up with a popular anime franchise to produce inspired jewelry. With this sort of pedigree, they should be looking for every opportunity to turn your favorite twinkling knickknacks into fashionable wearables for any occasion. 

Source: Nari Nari
Featured image: Premium Bandai
Inset images: Premium Bandai (1, 2)

Anime reboot wrapped up its third arc in 2016, but it’s still got stories to tell.

While it’d be unfairly harsh to call Sailor Moon Crystal a failure, many fans of anime’s most famous magical girl franchise were initially hoping for a bit more out of the highly anticipated reboot. Still, Crystal did a lot to redeem itself in its third season.

Whether due to its reworked character designs, new director, or more conventional distribution of showing a new episode every week on TV (as opposed to releasing one new episode every other week through Japanese video streaming sight Niconico, as was done for Seasons One and Two), the third arc of Sailor Moon Crystal seemed to meet with a warmer response from audiences. Now, following a lengthy hiatus since it last episode in June of 2016, Sailor Moon Crystal is rousing from its slumber, as a fourth season has been officially announced.

Although the Sailor Moon manga debuted at the tail end of 1991, the franchise’s handlers have designated 2017 as its 25th anniversary. A number of projects and collaborations, including a stage musical, fashion items, and partnership with Japanese professional baseball’s Golden Eagles, are planned. The one of greatest interest to anime enthusiasts, though, is the continuation of Sailor Moon Crystal’s faithful adaptation of series creator Naoko Takeuchi’s original comic. Seeing as how Crystal’s third season covered the story’s “Death Busters” arc, the next stop in the narrative is the manga’s “Dream” segment, which previously served as the basis for the original 1990s anime’s Sailor Moon SuperS portion.

Unfortunately for fans hungry for new Sailor Moon content, no information has yet been released regarding the start date for Crystal’s fourth season. Japan’s winter TV season already underway, though, and with the marketing effort still so low key, even a spring release seems unlikely. Given that Crytsal’s first three seasons were released in 2014, 2015, and 2016, though, hopefully its producers will chose to keep the pattern going and start airing new episodes sometime in 2017.

Sources: Mantan Web, Sailor Moon 25th Anniversary website
Top image: Sailor Moon 25th Anniversary website

In the name of the moon, we did not see this coming!

Capcom’s Monster Hunter, like Pokémon, is a video game series that releases new iterations quite regularly to a massive amount of adoring fans. Monster Hunter X (released as Monster Hunter Generations in the West) enticed gamers by allowing them to play as characters from other notable franchises such as Baki the Grappler, Yu-Gi-Oh and Fairy Tail.

With the sequel Monster Hunter XX (pronounced Monster Hunter Double Cross) being released on March 18, 2017 in Japan, Capcom treated fans with a bit of catnip by announcing a special collaboration that has them rolling around in excitement.

▼ NSFW if your workplace has “issues” with costume changing cats, but otherwise should be OK.

The famed Palicos in the game, which assist the monster hunters on their quests, can transform into Luna from the mega-popular Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon Crystal series. This collaboration continues the 25th anniversary celebration of the Pretty Guardian series, but it has the added bonus of adding a touch of “magic” to the physical combat-focused game. Seeing Luna dash about the zones with a Cutie Moon Rod in hand is definitely a magical addition.

With the large number of special characters available in Monster Hunter X and previous games, it’s probably safe to say that Monster Hunter XX will have its share of ridiculous fun as well. We already think the series in going in the right direction with the touch of Sailor Moon, so perhaps other notable characters from manga traditionally aimed at girls will make their transformative appearances too.

Source: Hachima Kiko
Images: YouTube/Capcom Channel

Ultra-revealing sweater may not be all that warm, but it sure is hot, as is the anime-style artwork it’s inspiring.

After the boob turtleneck and side-boob sweater became fashion darlings of the Japanese Internet in 2014 and 2015, 2016 was surprisingly quiet in the sexy knit garment fashion sphere. But while it didn’t make the calendar year cutoff, January has brought with it a new member of this particular class of apparel, which Japan has quickly dubbed “the virgin-killing sweater.”

The implication seems to be that the design is so scandalous that it will fry the brain of sex-starved lonely males. While it’s homicidal capabilities have yet to be scientifically confirmed, it is indeed a bold look. While the ample front coverage and high collar mean that the sweater leaves no cleavage whatsoever on display, it’s extremely open on the sides and at the back, promising plenty of side-boon and even a peek at the top edge of the buttocks.

曜ちゃんが大好きな彼氏のために仕方なくスケベニットを着てエッチな撮影をしています(妄想) https://t.co/6zmJsVRJ1j

—
🍥のらねこ🍥 (@noraneko_skmz) December 15, 2016

おやすみ💤 https://t.co/ylHjrzdh9U

—
🍥のらねこ🍥 (@noraneko_skmz) November 05, 2016

As is often the case with clothing of this ilk, after commanding the attention of Internet users, the next stop is…

童貞を殺すセーターが孤島に流れ着いた場合　 senji.sakura.ne.jp/koto_channel/ https://t.co/3OHDjOpzkg

—
煎路（senji） (@oyu_senji) January 26, 2017

…the active imaginations of fan artists, who’ve already begun penning a bevy of anime girls modeling it.

たまらずショタ姜維ちゃんに童貞を殺すセーターを着せたのですが これはいけませんなぁ...いけませんなぁ(ﾆﾖﾆﾖ) https://t.co/n5FlgG1da0

—
はなかつお (@flowerkatuo) January 26, 2017

童貞を殺すセーターにゃーちゃん😺 https://t.co/41QWlQ2GeT

—
冬子/臨月＼(^o^)／ (@fuyukosanto226) January 26, 2017

息抜きに童貞を殺すセーターという流行りのセーターを着た女の子を描いてみたわんっ背中がどころかおしりあたりまでパックリひらいててすごくえっちぃセーターですね、、▼*ﾟvﾟ*▼ https://t.co/x98VzAOiOE

—
きゃっとべる (@kyattoberu) January 26, 2017

▼ If there isn’t already a name for placing the wings right above the butt like this, I nominate “buttings.”

@tori_torikagoTL 童貞殺すセーター https://t.co/2NbZWT7jVV

—
ちろただよ！ (@Chiro_suki) January 26, 2017

童貞を殺すセーターというか背中丸出しセーターを五月雨ちゃんに着てもらいました https://t.co/FNrb4qjfPX

—
ヨコシマ (@yokoshima_) January 26, 2017

夕雲ママンに童貞を殺すセーター着てもらった https://t.co/QU8IwMlLPn

—
藤草@興奮剤ガンギマリ (@fujikusa) January 26, 2017

▼ The oddest piece of virgin-killing sweater fan art yet, in which South Park’s Cartman slips one on and comes onto Kyle, perhaps in an effort to carry on the show’s boys’ love stylings.

エリックちゃんwith童貞を殺すセーター https://t.co/IufAPhU3Ba

—
為子📝発表と証明書と申込 (@fulmine_11) January 25, 2017

But while the virgin-killing sweater is right up Japan’s alley, it’s actually Chinese in origin, and can be ordered for 85 yuan (roughly US$12.50) here through online retailer Taobao.

Source: Taobao
Images: Taobao (edited by RocketNews24)

Weakest, most delicious Pokémon returns for encore appearance in Tokyo and Yokohama.

Ordinarily, it’s not possible to start feeling nostalgic about something in just one month. Fond remembrances of happy episodes from your past usually just take more time than that to develop their necessary emotional weight.

And yet, when we think back on the time a month ago when we ate a Magikarp, or at least a Japanese taiyaki cake in the shape of the tragically weak Pokémon, we can’t help but get a little misty-eyed, because it was such a perfect combination of things we have a deep love for.

▼ Those were the days…

What’s made it even more painful is that taiyaki are made by pouring their batter and filling into a mold, then closing the case and baking them. In other words, Kurikoan, the famous taiyaki chain that was selling the Magikarp sweets for a limited time in December, had to make a set of Magikarp molds, and since the molds are made out of sturdy metal, they should still be useable.

So imagine our joy when we heard that Kurikoan did indeed hang on to the presses, and that it’s brought back Magikarp taiyaki with an all-new flavor! While the previous version used anko (sweet red beans), the most common of all taiyaki fillings…

…the new Magikarp taiyaki, which just wen on sale January 21, have “fluffy custard” waiting inside.

Hardcore taiyaki enthusiasts are already familiar with Kurikoan’s “Premium Cream” taiyaki, a standing part of the chain’s lineup. The Fluffy Custard Magikarp’s filling is different, though, ostensibly with a lighter, airier texture, and so should be worth trying even for those who’ve already eaten enough Premium Cream taiyaki to fill up several Kurikoan frequent customer point cards (yes, they have those, so don’t forget to ask for one when you buy your Magikarp).

The Fluffy Custard Magikarp is priced at 191 yen, and is available at Kurikoan’s original location outside the West Gate exit of Yokohama Station, as well as Yokohama’s Minato Mirai, In Tokyo, it’s being sold at the chain’s branches in Kichijoji, and, of course, anime and video game mecca Akihabara.

Related: Kurikoan location list
Sources: Anime News Network/Jennifer Sherman, Kurikoan
Top image: Kurikoan (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images　©RocketNews24

“Step forward! Warrior of Love, it’s time to show your love of panties!”

As far as weird games go, Panty Party has to be right up there with the best of them. And panties flying around in high-speed battles may not even be the weirdest part about it – the dialogue may have the game concept beat by a long shot.

Apparently as the game player you become the “Warrior of Love” who must “save humans from evil intentions” and “from being transformed into panties!”

You can check out the game video trailer here:

And a second one here:

According to the official website, “At the moment entering the game, you feel the mood (sic) of foolish and excitement – Panty Party!”

Panty Party is a “fast-paced battle game” that involves seeking out other panties and destroying them with a range of weapons including guns and samurai swords. Your main objective is to “fly as a panty in a daily life street and in-between buildings” and “search for the enemy panties and kick their bad ass!”

You can choose to play as “White Panty”, “Bear Panty”, “Stripe Panty” or “Sailor Panty”. What kind of anime video game would it be without the sailor uniform design in there somewhere?

“The White Panty is soft, the Bear Panty is fierce, the Stripe Panty is classic and the Sailor Panty– it’s your first heard of it.”

▼ Cool Kuma (bear) even speaks from the Bear Panty

▼ Bear Panty shooting down evil panties

The Taiwanese developers of this mobile game (Animu Game) describe themselves as a “small group of anime/game fans who make anime-inspired games”. Oddly, the game trailer videos released so far only include Japanese voice with English subtitles. They must have decided Japan is the primary target market for panty fighting video games.

▼ “Don’t put on a coat… face your real self. Your original appearance, I might like it?” says anime girl Yurika.

Panty Party will set you back 980 yen (US$8.50), but you can currently buy the game from the STEAM website with a 10% discount for 882 yen.

But be warned the content in Panty Party “may not be appropriate for all ages” and “may not be appropriate for viewing at work”.

Source: ITmedia, AnimuGame
Feature image: YouTube/Animu Game
Insert images: YouTube/Animu Game (1, 2)

You think the anime movie’s body-swapping teens have it rough? Its translators are the ones in a real jam.

It’s been said that dying is easy, but comedy is hard. For a joke or gag to work, it has to set up the situation, defy an expectation, and emphasize that gap all in a split-second, without any additional edification slowing down the snap reaction.

So translators working on Makoto Shinkai’s amazingly successful anime Your Name must have been pulling their hair out when they came to one of the funnier moments in the movie. Female protagonist Mitsuha’s soul has jumped into male lead Taki’s body, and she’s doing all she can to continue living his life without anyone catching on. But her cover is nearly blown when she’s talking to Taki’s friends and makes the shockingly huge mistake…of referring to herself as “I!”

Wait, what?

ビバリーヒルズの映画館で一番爆笑をかっさらっていったシーン（たたみかける字幕に注目） #君の名は https://t.co/LI3bfBdjzt

—
石松拓人 (@notactor) January 23, 2017

Actually, the character’s dialogue is four distinctly different words in Japanese. However, as shown in a series of photos Japanese Twitter user @notactor surreptitiously snapped at during a screening that he says took place in Beverly Hills, the lines are translated as

“I.”
“I.”
“I.”
“I.”

So what’s going on? Well, at first, Mitusha (in Taki’s body) calls herself watashi, which is indeed the Japanese word for “I.” However, Japanese has multiple pronoun options for the first-person singular, and as with many things in the Japanese language, the relationship between the speaker and listener is extremely important.

Yes, watashi is the first thing you’ll see listed for “I” in an English/Japanese dictionary, and it’s also the first pronoun you’ll learn in any Japanese class. However, watashi has a very dry, polite nuance to it. In conversations with peers or close friends, Japanese males, just like their counterparts in other societies, tend to use more coarse language to show familiarity and a lack of pretentiousness, so when Taki’s friends hear watashi coming out of his mouth during a lunchtime conversation, it takes them completely by surprise, as it’s closer to the softer speech usually used by women in Japanese.

Flustered, Mitsuha takes another swing with watakushi, the “I” alternative that’s closest in pronunciation to watashi. However, watakushi is even more baroquely formal than watashi. She gets a little closer on her third try with boku, since that’s definitely a word males use for “I” when talking with their friends…provided they’re all pre-teens, that is. So while Taki’s friends no longer think he’s talking like a girl, he now sounds like a little boy.

Finally, Mitsuha gets it just right with ore. While it’s too rough for most conversations in the business or academic worlds, ore is indeed the go-to choice for teenaged and adult men when talking with their buddies, as it implies a certain masculine confidence that guys are generally expected to acquire as they mature.

Alas, all of this is more or less impossible to directly translate into English, which is why the subtitling team essentially threw their hands up and just added each Japanese pronoun after “I” in the subtitles. Unfortunately, that means that the only people in the audience who’d appreciate the humor are the ones who don’t need the subtitles in the first place.

In the translators’ defense, the timing of the tweet, and the location mentioned by @notactor, imply that the shots are taken from Your Name’s limited Oscar-qualifying theatrical run. Hopefully a more elegant rendering will be in place for the film’s wider North American release this spring, but in the meantime, one has to wonder if Your Name would have had just a tiny bit better chance at landing an Academy Award nomination if its humor had been a little easier to convey in English .

Source: Hamusoku
Featured image: Twitter/@notactor
Top image: Your Name official website

Will the Eds manage to become king of the… cul-de-sac?

American cartoons and Japanese anime are often seen as rivals. Fans of Japanese anime often see it as the superior of the two, calling it “sophisticated” and “deep,” while looking down on American cartoons as “childish” and “silly.”

But despite the pervasiveness of that stereotype, it’s just not true. There are great (and terrible!) shows on both sides. And what better way to show both sides coming together and living peacefully than through some awesome crossover character fan art?

That’s what artist Mikhail Sebastian (mythallica on Instagram) did when he drew some amazing pictures of characters from Cartoon Network’s Ed, Edd n Eddy reimagined as if they lived in the pirate world of One Piece. It’s certainly not the first crossover that we would think of, but that’s just the exact hint of randomness that makes it all the more fitting.

▼ Ed going into Gear Second as Luffy! And for anyone who doubts
Ed’s ability to summon that much destructive power…

▼ …we ask that you see what he’s capable of after just getting
annoyed at a pebble in his shoe (skip to 9:30 for “Gear Second”).

▼ Edd (a.k.a. Double D) as Usopp launching jawbreakers is perfect.

▼ As is Eddy as the loud Franky who loves to show off.

▼ Sarah as Nami because neither of them take crap from anyone…
and because they both have orange hair. Obviously.

▼ While we would’ve accepted Nazz as Boa Hancock,
the love-hypnotizing warlord, having her as Sabo is an excellent second.

▼ Chopper, the cowardly reindeer who wants
to be strong, is basically Jimmy’s spirit animal.

▼ Johnny as Trafalgor Law is fine, but Plank as the sword is amazing.

▼ Cynical and arrogant Kevin as the cynical and arrogant Sanji.

▼ “You dare mock the son of a Shepherd?!
Have you ever experienced… the almighty three-shoe beating?!”

If you want to see more of Mikhail’s work, and plenty more cool crossover fan art, be sure to check out his official Instagram page.

And if you’re in the mood for another set of awesome One Piece characters reimagined, check out what the Straw Hats would look like as part of Overwatch.

Source, featured image: Instagram/mythallica

Ghibli co-founder explains how he’d feel if Makoto Shinkai’s film passed his studio’s Spirited Away.

Few people in the anime industry have had a career anywhere near as successful as Toshio Suzuki. Not only is he a founding member of vaunted Studio Ghibli, he’s served as producer for more than a dozen of the animation house’s acclaimed films, including Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, and When Marnie Was There.

Perhaps the biggest feather in Suzuki’s cap is that he also was the producer for Ghibli’s Spirited Away, which 16 years after its release remains the highest-grossing film ever at the Japanese box office. But while Spirited Away still holds the top spot by a comfortable margin, there’s a pretty serious challenge being presented by Makoto Shinkai’s anime phenomenon Your Name.

On January 23, it was announced that Your Name, then in its 22nd week of release, had once again beaten all other films in Japan in the weekly ticket sales rankings. Aside from repeat movie-goers seeing the film multiple times in its original form, Your Name’s tally is growing thanks to IMAX and English-vocal-song versions, both of which began showing in January.

With Your Name already having passed every other Ghibli movie in Japanese box office earnings, is Suzuki nervous about it closing in on Spirited Away’s record?

Not at all. On the contrary, he thinks it’s great.

Suzuki recently sat down for an interview with Japanese magazine Shukan Bunshun, which was published in the periodical’s edition which went on sale January 26. He reiterated much of his earlier praise of Shinkai’s film, lauding the characters, dialogue, and music. “The way the movie’s high autumn skies feel like they’re drawing you in left a deep impression,” the famed producer said, and also added that while watching Your Name he felt that Shinkai is also a fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s works.

The conversation eventually turned to the possibility of Your Name out-earning Spirited Away in Japan (it’s already surpassed the Ghibli classic in global earnings), something it needs a little more than seven billion yen (US$60 million) to do. Suzuki’s thoughts on the matter?

“If that day should come, I don’t think I’ll be sad…It feels nice to have the record, but I think it’ll be beaten at some point in the future, and really, isn’t it more interesting if something else does break the record?”

Magnanimous words, and perfectly appropriate for someone who’s legacy is already secure.

Source: T-Site via Jin
Top image: Your Name official website

Sometimes anime and manga are just fun entertainment, but sometimes they mean much, much more, reminds song from the creators of Your Name’s soundtrack.

Aside from its breathtaking visuals and engaging story, director Makoto Shinkai’s anime Your Name owes part of its success to its soundtrack from Japanese band Radwimps. Shinkai himself has spoken repeatedly of how important the music is in creating the film’s unique atmosphere, and the group even performs the English versions of the songs which are to be used in its North American dubbed theatrical run.

But while Radwimps’ emotionally charged rock stylings seem like a perfect fit for anime themes, Your Name is actually the first time any of the bands’ music has been used in an animated production. However, Radwimps’ members themselves seem to have plenty of love for anime and manga, as one track their most recent album, Ningen Kaika, is all about their respect for and gratitude to the manga serialized in anthology Weekly Shonen Jump.

Titled, appropriately enough, “Weekly Shonen Jump,” the song has a brand-new video, with vocalist Yojiro Noda’s voice accompanied by a series of stills from some of the magazine’s most popular series, including One Piece, Gintama, Haikyu!!, Food Wars/Shokugeki no Soma, and My Hero Academia.

Well-known for unabashedly wearing his heart on his sleeve, Noda sings passages including:

I’ve been dreaming of a future like the things I see in Shonene Jump
I’ve been waiting for my chance to save you from a pinch

I’m not planning on ever using the cool lines I read
But every night, when I’m taking a bath, I still make sure to whisper them to myself

It’s cooler when the hero pulls out a victory after getting beaten and bloodied, right?
So even though my heart’s been taking a beating, I keep dreaming

I’m narrating it in my head. Got my eyes open. Won’t blink.
“This is where the hero finally starts his rise to glory. Even when his pride is wounded and bleeding, he clings to it strongly, ever more strongly.”

So the boy stands up, and shouts as loud as he can.
And finally the door bursts open and the light shines in.

It’s cooler when the hero pulls out a victory after getting beaten and bloodied, right?
So don’t hide your heart if it’s beaten up right now, and cry if you want

Comic book readers have long been saddled with the stigma that they’re enjoyment of the genre stems from a lack of interest in reality, and in recent years it’s become increasingly in-vogue to bash shonen (boys’) manga for being power fantasies. But Noda’s lyrics give an eloquent voice to manga fans who see something aspirational in the characters whose adventures they follow, and assert that in giving them a fictional ideal to chase after, manga can also give readers the courage and strength to pursue the dreams they have for their own, real, lives,

Source: IT Media
Images: YouTube/radwimpsstaff

Street Fighter, The King of Fighters, and Dragon Ball Z all serve as inspiration for blocky coolness.

Fighting games are all about punching, kicking, or otherwise pummeling your opponent into submission. But though Japanese Twitter user @seibu_lina0505 has no doubt spent countless hours unleashing the destructive power of video game characters’ furious fists, he’s also channeled his love of the genre into something that’s creative.

Aside from being a gamer, @seibu_lina0505 is also a Nanoblock enthusiast, regularly sharing the finished results of his projects involving the tiny Lego-like blocks. Rather than limit himself to the directions that come with any pre-set kit, @seibu_lina0505 instead uses his talent to devise awesome recreations of the greatest martial artists of the video game world.

Any discussion of modern fighting games of course has to begin with Street Fighter II. All of the World Warriors are present and accounted for, including those who joined the cast in the game’s series of semi-sequels that culminated with Super Street Fighter II Turbo.

スト2シリーズはキャラが個性的でしっかり立っているから作るのも楽しい(^o^) #ナノブロック #nanoblock #まめナノ #格ゲー #スト2 #ストリートファイター2 #スパ2X https://t.co/HepkIhXr7k

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) July 03, 2016

The iconic character designs are instantly recognizable, even in abstract Nanoblock form. But @seibu_lina0505 knows the real appeal of these gaming icons comes when they unleash their special attacks, and so he also builds more complex versions of the fighters, such as Ken and Ryu showing off their shoryuken and tatsumakisenpukyaku techniques.

リュウさん誕生日おめ #ナノブロック #nanoblock #格ゲー #スト2 https://t.co/EJUpnrSrJg

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) July 21, 2016

@seibu_lina0505’s attention to detail shines brightest in the way he uses clear blocks to position the character’s bodies in mid-air, and also in how he makes sure to include effects such as brightly burning flames or crackling chi energy.

▼ The oft-overlooked Dhalsim takes on original Street Fighter end boss Sagat.

とりあえずドリルキック。ヨガ #ナノブロック #nanoblock #スト2 https://t.co/JVxVyTC6Gf

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) October 13, 2016

ナノブロックでヨガ〜 https://t.co/yBxriSig9J

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) October 18, 2016

▼ Ryu’s dark nemesis Akuma, in the opening motions of his infamous Shun Goku Satsu finishing move

PPAPじゃなくて弱P弱P→弱K強P https://t.co/4Pcilj3OuE

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) December 19, 2016

テイッ！ナノブロックで豪鬼 https://t.co/IDsTZJzfkf

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) November 26, 2016

While she didn’t make her debut until Street Fighter Alpha 3, female wrestler R. Mika has also been given the Nanoblock treatment by @seibu_lina0505.

▼ The character’s famously curvaceous physique is decidedly more angular in this version.

今年最初のナノブロック、ミカさんとグッドルッキングザンギエフ様。 今年もたいしたものは作れませんがよろしくお願いいたします٩( 'ω' )و https://t.co/I8BjjABdQm

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) January 11, 2017

But while the Street Fighter franchise has always enjoyed greater commercial success, some will argue their preference for The King of Fighters series, produced by Capcom’s rival SNK. @seibu_lina0505 is perfectly happy to work both sides of the (fighting) street, as shown by the numerous Nanoblock versions of King of Fighters regular (and Fatal Fury star) Terry Bogard.

▼ All-around nice guy that he is, Terry is always concerned about your well-being.

Are you okay? https://t.co/1MOcddfeXP

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) January 28, 2017

▼ King of Fighters’ K’, Kyo, and Iori, perhaps forming a team of three as per the game’s rules.

勢いで京さんも作ってみたケドもっと似せたい #nanoblock #ナノブロック #まめナノ #KOF https://t.co/JKVrdbHyCD

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) June 18, 2016

▼ “Hey, Iori, check it out. I can make flames appear out of my hand.”

京さんはいつか作る #nanoblock #ナノブロック #まめナノ #KOF https://t.co/qW3IriHWEl

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) June 11, 2016

▼ “Yeah, big whoop, dweebster.”

ナノブロックですぐ楽にしてやる …んん〜(´Д` ) #nanoblock #ナノブロック #まめナノ #KOF #八神庵 https://t.co/1vv42mSSpz

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) June 04, 2016

And finally, even though they’re better known for their anime exploits than their video game adaptation appearances, here’s @seibu_lina0505’s take on the cast of Dragon Ball Z.

DBZまとめ。気まぐれで作っているのでキャラが揃ってない(･_･; #まめナノ #nanoblock #ナノブロック #ドラゴンボール #DBZ https://t.co/flinpEbTyd

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) June 17, 2016

ひさびさに #まめナノ サイズのキャラ作って遊んでみました #nanoblock #ナノブロック #ドラゴンボール https://t.co/GK4d9JJ6o6

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) November 10, 2016

#みどりの日 でしたか(๑'◡͐'๑) #まめナノ #ナノブロック #nanoblock https://t.co/Xa95fHUei7

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) May 04, 2016

▼ He’s really done a great job capturing Yamcha’s powerlessness.

ヤ無茶しやがって… #まめナノ #nanoblock #ナノブロック #ドラゴンボール https://t.co/xsOK7vy41W

—
やま (@seibu_lina0505) May 01, 2016

After seeing what @seibu_lina0505 can do, we can’t wait for his next round of Nanoblock projects.

Featured image: Twitter/@seibu_lina0505

They’re called “mobile suits,” and snowboarding is a form of mobility, after all.

It’s hard to imagine now, but when the original Mobile Suit Gundam premiered on Japanese TV in 1979, it struggled to find an audience, and was temporarily cancelled due to low ratings. Today, though, it’s a very different story, and to date there are more than three dozen branches of the Gundam anime franchise, spanning TV, direct-to-video series and theatrical features.

Some of those are direct sequels to previous Gundam anime, while others take place in completely different settings with all-new characters. In tone, they range from gritty war dramas to unabashedly light-hearted toy commercials.

Really, the only constant in the world of Gundam is this: there will be more Gundam content in the future. And that’s apparently as true for real-world snowboarding mobile suits as it is for their anime counterparts, as shown in this video from Japanese Twitter user @Hiroooooki_n of a snowboarder who hit the slopes while simultaneously doing a bit of Gundam cosplay.

2017年 遂にシャア専用ザクが ゲレンデを攻めてきた。 https://t.co/OM9LKj1dTJ

—
中島寛貴 (@Hiroooooki_n) January 05, 2017

Whereas the mecha snowboarder we saw a few years back was dressed as the heroic RX-78-2 Gundam, this time it was the show-stealing Char-custom Zaku that was carving through the powder. While its anime pilot, Car Aznable, is ostensibly the villain of the original series, his charisma and talent made him a fan favorite, elevating him to a position sort of like the Darth Vader of Japan and landing him endorsement deals as a pitchman for both cars and cakes.

The snowboarder’s costume is extremely detailed, faithfully reproducing the asymmetrical shields and spikes of the Zaku’s upper body, and even includes its standard-issue beam rifle. Nevertheless, the boarder deftly makes his way down the slope, and even strikes a few cool poses for the camera along the way.

It seems there was also a snowboarder cosplaying as the more darkly painted Dom mobile suit in the vicinity, although no videos of it in action have yet surfaced.

▼ Perhaps because Doms are known for going out on combat maneuvers in teams of three, and his two buddies didn’t show up.

@mokugekisya @Hiroooooki_n @3pF ドムはまだ１機しか…( >_<) https://t.co/LCfexaNEcp

—
すすたん (@susutakayama) January 30, 2017

With Japan still having a few more weeks of ski season left, the ball is now in other outdoorsy anime fans’ court to bring other mobile suits out to play in the snow.

Source: Anime News Network/Lynzee Loveridge
Featured image: Twitter/@Hiroooooki_n

Artists in Japan and around the world are raving about this handy new tool.

The world of digital editing and design can be a difficult one to navigate for beginners more used to working with traditional materials like paint and paper. But now there’s an easy way to create digital masterpieces, thanks to a new web service that adds colour to your sketches at the touch of a button.

Developed by mechanical engineer @tai2an, the line drawing colouriser is called Paints Chainer, and it can work both automatically and semi-automatically, adding its own selection of hues to an image or allowing the artist to choose their preferred colour palette. The results are so impressive that artists from around the world have been enthusiastically sharing their artworks on Twitter.

These images show just how much difference a splash of colour can make to a line drawing. Whether it’s the simplest of line drawings…

PaintsChainerをWindows動かす方法を詳しく説明！オフラインでも使えるようにする。自動で線画を着色しよう！ jami2010.com/paintschainer-… #paintschainer https://t.co/ItnEIvZT8n

—
ハウツーマニアの中の人 (@HowTo_Mania) January 29, 2017

…or the most detailed, these sketches are instantly brought to life with a variety of gorgeous hues.

PaintsChainerで自動着色というのを試してみたけど面白いなこれ。塗りの苦手な自分はこんな感じで色塗れたら楽にカラー絵が出来るんだけどｗ https://t.co/2utkMpdO4z

—
さきの新月 (@sakino_shingetu) January 27, 2017

▼ Paints Chainer works beautifully with moving images too.

FreeStyleの出力を自動着色(ヒントなし)。色は塗れてるけど黒いモヤモヤが消せなかった。知見としては、入力を512の倍数にしておくと綺麗に出やすいのと、線の太さや濃さの影響が大きいので可能なら調節する… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
id:ultraist (@ultraistter) January 31, 2017

The attention to dark and light shading is incredibly impressive, with points like the creases in this jacket given depth in the final result.

PaintsChainer、影指定用の色トレ線があると、気にして塗ってくれる。しかし、肌部分の認識率の高さが凄いなぁ。 https://t.co/Sg2f6YE0Il

—
イヌゾー (@inuzo999) January 28, 2017

▼ The skin tones are also beautifully done.

線画に色をつけれるというので、試してみた。えーおもしろい。１枚目がヒントつけての自動着色、２枚目もとになった線画 paintschainer.preferred.tech https://t.co/G4SjU3md9s

—
響 (@hibiki_palm) January 27, 2017

#paintschainer 색칠 할 필요성을 못느끼겠네요 (? https://t.co/syZSWzNUH1

—
🐧💞🐯 커미션샘플준비중☇ (@B_Sah8) January 31, 2017

The washed-out watercolour-style colours give images an ethereal, otherworldly look.

自動着色サービス使わせていただきました！本当すごい！ twitter.com/tai2an/status/… https://t.co/rpwsYckigr

—
まだら　さい (@madara_sai_) January 27, 2017

Paints Chainer chooses colours to fill in drawings on its own, or responds to hints from the artist to achieve personalised results.

#paintschainer Hey, not bad https://t.co/vOkmO9ZhXP

—
Xavier Pujolar (@XavierPujolart) February 01, 2017

塗りの手順はこんな感じです。chaineで自動塗りした部分は弄っていないと思います。 https://t.co/jHl9QupekH

—
すか@えりまき (@skysuka) January 29, 2017

It’s amazing to see how the same picture can take on a different appearance, depending on the colour palette used.

自動着色のやつ試してみた やっぱりノーヒントだと無類の金髪好き… #PaintsChainer https://t.co/dBKudcFo4I

—
winn (@winbee) January 31, 2017

To try the new web service, you can visit the website here, or to see more beautiful artworks made with the handy tool, check out the hashtag #paintschainer on Twitter. And if you need to get started transforming your penciled illustrations into cleaner, more defined line drawings online, this other handy tool will help you get there!

Source: Net Lab
Featured image: Twitter/@cham05694773

Celebrate the upcoming release of anime film Hirune Hime (“Napping Princess“) by winning the job of a nap.

Japan, like the rest of the world, has its share of both awesome and terrible part-time jobs. But no matter how cool anime McDonald’s makes it seem like it would be to work there, the reality of most part-time jobs is that they’re just a way to make cash.

Recently one part-time job has been quickly gaining praise online as the best-part time job in Japan: being paid to take naps.

▼ Stuffed animal and schoolgirl outfit not included.

The part-time job is part of a contest that is being held for the opening of the upcoming anime movie Hirune Hime (“Napping Princess”) directed by Kenji Kamiyama. The movie follows the story of Kokone Morikawa, a high school girl whose special talent is “taking naps.” But when she starts having the same dream over and over again, she has to go on a journey to find out what it means.

▼ The trailer for the film, which opens on March 18 in Japan

The job being made available for the movie’s premier is a simple one: to take naps, just like the protagonist. It pays 50,000 yen (US$440) per day, covers transportation costs from anywhere in Japan to designated theaters playing the film, and provides a pillow, eye mask, earplugs and snacks. You even get a pillow signed by all the members of the movie’s cast.

Of course, there is one other responsibility that the job entails: dressing up as the robot “Hearts” from the film.

▼ They need you to don the suit at the premier and welcome guests,
stand on stage with the cast, and pose for photographs.

There is no experience required for the position, and anyone of any age or gender is welcome to apply. The contest encourages those to apply who “want to dream,” “are good at napping,” “want to go on a journey to discover themselves,” or “haven’t been getting enough sleep.”

If that sounds like the perfect position for you, then head over to the contest’s official website and put in your ballot. To apply you just need to scroll down to the bottom of the page, follow the group on Twitter, retweet their tweet about the contest, and then click the big orange “apply” button. That’s it! The contest is open until February 13, so be sure to get in while you can.

We just have one question though: will a bed be provided for the naps, or will we have to sleep on the floor Japanese-style?

Source: Tumblr/hirunehime03 via Hachima Kiko
Images: Tumblr/hirunehime03

Some of the most famous faces of anime are ready to welcome you to the 2020 Games!

There are still three years until the much-anticipated 2020 Olympic Games takes place in Tokyo, but already it’s all everyone can think about. Hotels, convenience stores, and businesses of all kinds are trying their best to make their services more foreigner-friendly in time for the Games, from providing menus and food descriptions in English to making little changes to maps in the hopes they will be little easier for foreigners to understand.

Some of the 2020 Olympic’s official ambassadors have been selected now too, and fans of Japanese pop culture are very excited about the reveal. The Olympic Channel of Facebook recently introduced the characters in a video that has already been viewed over two million times!

The ambassadors are Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, Luffy from One Piece, Naruto, Goku from Dragon Ball, Crayon Shin-chan, two of the magical girls from Pretty Cure, and Jibanyan from Yokai Watch. Since many people with an interest in Japan and Japanese pop culture were first drawn in by some of these iconic characters and their respective anime, there has been a lot of excitement surrounding the announcement, with foreign fans leaving comments such as:

“My female dog is called Serena (Usagi’s name in Brazil!), and my male cat is called Naruto… I’m very happy they are in Olimpics [sic] Game!”
“Looks like I’m definitely going to the 2020 olympics now”
“Astro Boy! The whole reason I got into anime & Japanese culture…”
“GOKU AND SAILOR MOON! Only in Japan haha I love it!!”

Still, it looks like some would like to see other well-known characters added to the lineup.

“Where’s Pikachu?”
“I’m kinda surprised Shin-chan made it up here. His humor…isn’t for kids lol”
“I was hoping they could use some of the anime sports stars too… Haikyuu characters and some Slam Dunk or Kuroko.”

It’s true, there are many more prominent icons that could have made the cut, and with it being the Olympics it would make sense for a few characters from sports-related anime to be selected too, but as the video says at its closing, there may be more to come! You can also find those official goods on the Tokyo 2020 online shop.

Let us know who you would like to see as a Tokyo Olympics ambassador!

Source: Facebook/Olympic Channel via Curazy 
Top image: Facebook/Olympic Channel

Sanrio’s marketing comes full circle, then keeps on going.

This probably won’t come as a shock to anyone, but Sanrio is really, really good at marketing. Hello Kitty’s parent company more or less conjured out of thin air the perpetually profitable “character goods” section of Japan’s economy, where fans happily plunk down cash to buy merchandise featuring characters who were created with the sole purpose of selling merchandise.

Sanrio’s talents are such that the company can even score a hit with a character merchandise line starring characters who promote other character merchandise line, which is exactly what it’s done with the Sanrio Boys, or Sanrio Danshi, as they’re called in Japanese.

お台場来ました！康太 https://t.co/mERfqAuAxp

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) October 18, 2016

First introduced in late 2015, the Sanrio Boys aren’t an attempt to macho up Sanrio’s products. On the contrary, they’re a group of five high schoolers with physiques and fashion sense that would have them right at home in an anime targeting female fans of Japanese animation. Each member of the group has a particular Sanrio character he’s got a soft spot for.

▼ The Sanrio Boys’ official Twitter account is full of “selfies” by the boys posing with cool merch, which is either shameless advertising or a faithfully realistic recreation of many real-life social media accounts.

鼻水でてもこれでばっちりだぜ！ゆう☆ https://t.co/lriaHERbKW

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) December 07, 2016

これからシナモンのボディソープ使ってみます。誠一郎 https://t.co/SdL8WEi8nm

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) November 22, 2016

実はね、ルームシューズも買ってたのサ(*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡ ゆう☆ https://t.co/l0Z3aSyRdS

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) October 10, 2016

The Sanrio Boys’ steadily growing popularity led to a mobile game dating simulator last autumn, and now Sanrio has announced that there’s a full-fledged Sanrio Boys anime TV series on the way.

【重大なお知らせ】サンリオ男子につきまして、テレビアニメ化が決定致しました。追加重大情報を、2月3日SANRIO EXPO　報道向け事前公開の場にて発表させて頂きます。 https://t.co/PkeW434jLj

—
サンリオ男子総合Pです【公式】 (@Sdan_p_sanrio) February 01, 2017

The company is withholding details until after the upcoming Sanrio Expo fan event. The producers have, at least, released the title, which is to be Sanrio Boys: Never Without My Favorite Friend.

▼ Whether said “favorite friend” is referring to the boys or their personal Sanrio spirit animals is unclear.

せんぱいが完全武装…りょう https://t.co/4pKGPn1VTa

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) January 20, 2017

学校始まったばっかなのにすぐ3連休とかなんなん…？やることなさすぎて俊介の観察してる…ゆう☆ https://t.co/wM26dmrb4D

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) January 08, 2017

While no official premiere date has been given, a start date sometime in 2017 seems the most logical, since while the Sanrio Boys have amassed a sizeable following, they’re not quite a big enough pop cultural phenomenon to string fans along for a whole year after promising them an anime. Going into further speculation, storylines are likely to involve the boys’ hanging out in fashionable surroundings while gushing over various Sanrio products.

諒の美容院開店してる。俊介 https://t.co/Yt548D81il

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) December 15, 2016

男子も乾燥が気になるんです( ˘ ³˘)♥ゆう☆ https://t.co/Cmi2ZjHYva

—
サンリオ男子【公式】 (@Sdan_sanrio) October 25, 2016

Oh, and also touching each other a lot, but that’s become sort of a given in anime with Sanrio Danshi’s target demographic.

Source: Hachima Kiko
Featured image: Twitter/@Sdan_sanrio

The main character is shown on the cover, but it’s not the girl.

Light novels, Japan’s equivalent to young adult fiction, have an interesting symbiotic relationship with the anime industry. A huge number of anime series being produced today are adaptations of light novels, and knowing this, light novel authors and publishers frequently pack their works with themes and situations that are popular among anime fans.

So it’s not really a surprise that there are a lot of light novels starring a nice-guy, everyman protagonist who, thanks to his kind, unassuming nature, has a chance to, well, get inside beautiful young women. However, the latest book from author So Nanaumi flips things around. Yes, “warm” and “soothing” are the two best words to describe its male lead, but it’s the girls who want to get inside of him.

『異世界温泉に転生した俺の効能がとんでもすぎる』のあらすじ、もうみなさん見ていただけましたか？　そう――この物語は、主人公が温泉になって、温泉する物語です！！ あなたは……温泉になったら何がしたいですか？… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
ＭＦ文庫Ｊ編集部@毎月２５日発売！ (@MF_bunkoJ) February 03, 2017

Published by MF Bunko J, Isekai Onsen ni Tensei shita Ore no Kounou ga Tondemosugi – Anta no Naka ga Kimochi Ii Wake janai n Desukedo!? continues the light novel tradition of lengthy titles, with this one translating to I was Reincarnated as a Hot Spring in an Alternate World, and I’m Way Too Effective – It’s Not Like it Feels Good Because I’m Inside of You or Anything!?

The story begins with high school student Atami Kusatsu (whose given and family names both happen to also be the names of famous hot spring resorts in Japan) on his way to a rural onsen, as hot springs are called in Japanese. As is so often the case in light novels, he meets with a tragic accident along the way and dies, but it’s not all bad news, because he’s reincarnated as an onsen in a fantasy universe.

In this world, the liquefied Atami turns out to have remarkable physical and magical healing properties, and he soon finds himself being regularly visited by beautiful elven adventurer Laticia, large-breasted priestess Kumu, and petite village chieftess Chichiku. The novel’s promotional teaser promises that “troubles occur one after another” and alludes to Atami’s waters becoming “hard” and “milky” when the women enter him.

I was Reincarnated as a Hot Spring in an Alternate World, and I’m Way Too Effective – It’s Not Like it Feels Good Because I’m Inside of You or Anything!? officially goes on sale February 24, and can be ordered through Amazon Japan for 626 yen (US$5.40).

Source: Otakomu, Media Factory
Top image: Amazon Japan (edited by RocketNews24)

Upcoming film looks poised to buck the trend of mediocre adaptations of anime and manga.

Japan is in the middle of a live-action anime and manga adaptation boom, producing more movies and TV series based on animation and comics than ever before. But the transition isn’t always a smooth one, and sometimes films inspired by even phenomenally popular anime end up being skewered by critics and avoided by audiences.

Still, fans seem to be keeping an optimistic outlook for the upcoming live-action version of samurai/sci-fi tale Gintama. The Japanese live-action film industry has a slightly stronger track record with anime-sourced adaptations set in Japan and focused on Japanese characters, and when the Gintama movie’s principal trio was shown in costume for the first time back in December, the overall response was a positive one.

As the movie progresses towards its summer release, new costumed cast photos have been revealed, with the most recent batch introducing model Nanao as pistol-packing revolutionary Matako Kijima.

🔫紅い弾丸・来島また子ッス🔫 二丁拳銃の使い手で抜群のスタイルの持ち主。 演じた菜々緒さんは「不安要素が強かったのですが、一から手作りで繊細に作っていただいて、衣装やウィッグを初めて身に着けた時、これならまた子に近づけるかもしれな… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) February 03, 2017

▼ Nanao’s pet peeves include people who smoke while walking, something we wouldn’t recommend doing around her when she’s armed with multiple firearms.

鬼兵隊の“紅い弾丸”・来島また子役の菜々緒さんのコメント！『原作のキャラクターはビジュアルが強烈なので、私にできるか不安だったのですが、難しい役だからこそ挑戦したいと思い精一杯演じました。』全文は公式サイトへ #映画銀魂 https://t.co/7wf0Jsw4NL

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) September 18, 2016

Playing Matoko’s blind cohort in the secret Kiheitai organization, Nizo Okada, will be actor Hirofumi Arai.

＼人斬り似蔵、降臨／ 盲目にもかかわらず、居合い切りの達人・岡田似蔵。 危険な空気を漂わせる岡田役を怪演した新井浩文さんは「大前提として怪我をさせてはいけないが、その中でも本気でやらないと迫力が出ない」とギリギリの激しいアクション… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) February 03, 2017

居合い切りの達人、岡田似蔵役の新井浩文さんのコメント！『ずっと読んでいたので出演できて嬉しかったですが、福田組なのに…「銀魂」なのに…ウチはギャグゼロで戦っていたので不安と不満と疲労の３つでした。』続きは公式サイトへ！#映画銀魂 https://t.co/vpCqELLIR2

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) September 18, 2016

Jiro Sato will appear as Henpeita Takechi, yet another Kiheitai adversary.

＼変人謀略家・武市変平太です／ 鬼兵隊の頭脳で冷静沈着。変人の武市を演じた佐藤さんは「高杉一派の一人であり、鬼のように強い鬼兵隊の一人ということをちゃんと意識してやりました。という今の僕のコメントが原作ファンの感情を逆なでしないこ… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) February 03, 2017

変人謀略家の武市変平太役は、福田組常連の佐藤二朗さん！『福田にとっておそらく最初で最後の大作ですので、まあ奴を支えてやるか的な気持ちで参加しました(笑)。』 全文サイトへ👉 gintama-film.com #映画銀魂 https://t.co/zP4EXqSyqA

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) September 18, 2016

The live-action Gintama’s version of engineer Gengai Hiraga, portrayed by Tsuyoshi Muro (who’s only 41-years-old), has a fuller, thicker mohawk than his anime/manga counterpart.

江戸一番の発明家・源外も登場✨ ムロツヨシさん演じる平賀源外は銀時が頼りにするからくり堂の店主。 そしてここにもジャスタウェイ‼ 本来は爆弾･･･のはずですが、ごみ箱・・・なのか・・・💨 #映画銀魂 7/14(金）公開！ https://t.co/4RH1AF3K9b

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) January 29, 2017

Also confirmed to be making the jump to live action are Tae Shimura, played by Masami Nagasawa…

容姿端麗だけど暴力的！？お妙さん登場☀ 長澤まさみさんが演じる妙は清楚で優しそうなそのルックスとは裏腹に、やたら戦闘能力の高い新八の実姉。劇中、すごい変顔も披露していると かいないとか・・・。ジャスタウェイの姿も‼ #映画銀魂 https://t.co/ARlj2iEygL

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) January 29, 2017

…and Kotaro Katsura, a role filled by Masaki Okada.

ヅラじゃない、桂だ❗桂&エリザベス登場‼ 岡田将生さん演じる桂小太郎は「狂乱の貴公子」との異名を持つ幕府指名手配中の攘夷志士の生き残り。銀時と高杉晋助と共に吉田松陽の元で学んだ幼馴染みで旧友からはヅラと呼ばれています。桂のペット・… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
映画『銀魂』公式 (@gintama_film) January 15, 2017

The live-action Gintama still has quite a ways to go before it opens on July 14 in Japanese theaters, but considering the skill shown so far in the casting and costuming departments, hopefully the producers will be able to resist the temptation to just phone in the rest of the movie-making process.

Source: IT Media
Featured image: Twitter/@gintama_film
Top image: Gintama movie official website