The Main Characters of the Children's Anime "Sumikko Gurashi"! This video, titled "Sumikko Gurashi Introduction Animation" (すみっコぐらし紹介アニメーション), was posted by "San-x Channel." It introduces the main characters of the popular animation "Sumikko Gurashi," including "Shirokuma" (a polar bear), "Penguin?," "Tonkatsu" (a pork cutlet), "Neko," (a cat) and "Tokage" (a lizard). This article will introduce the characters and charms of Sumikko Gurashi, alongside the video. We hope you enjoy the video about Sumikko Gurashi, narrated by Toshiki Masuda, a popular voice actor perfect for the world of Sumikko Gurashi. What Is Sumikko Gurashi? Source :YouTube screenshot Sumikko Gurashi (roughly translated as "Life in the Corner") is a set of original characters by "San-x," and has the sub title "It's calm here." The characters were designed by Yuri Yokomizo, a designer at San-x’s. The character are created with the theme that "corners make you feel calm." Sumikko Gurashi, which was created in 2012, is very popular, especially among children, and sales of related products in 2019 amounted to about 20 billion yen. The main characters are called Sumikko, and the side characters are called Minikko. New characters are being created as well. All of the characters are characterized by a somewhat pessimistic personality, such as being troubled and lacking in self-confidence, on top of also being cute, this is what makes them so attractive. There is a wide variety of Sumikko Gurashi merchandise, including stationary, plush toys, pouches, tableware, miscellaneous goods, figurines, toy computers, origami, and many other goods that have been made into movies and games. If you search for Sumikko Gurashi on Amazon, you'll find a variety of products for sale, from children's toys to coloring books to games. For prices, please check the store where the item is sold. Also, the "Rilakkuma & Sumikko Gurashi Festival" collaboration event at the Yokohama ASOBUILD was originally scheduled to begin in April 2020, but was unfortunately postponed due to the spread of the new coronavirus. The Main Characters of Sumikko Gurashi Source :YouTube screenshot Let's take a look at the main characters of Sumikko Gurashi! 1. Shirokuma (0:04) Shirokuma is a polar bear that migrated from the north to the south, to avoid the cold. He feels calm when drinking tea in a corner. He also cherishes his big polka dotted furoshiki cloth. 2. Penguin? (0:51) Penguin? lacks confidence about whether or not he is actually a penguin and feels as though he may have had a dish on his head in the past (alluding to him possibly being a kappa). 3. Tonkatsu (1:12) Tonkatsu is the end of pork cutlet, frequently left uneaten for being too oily (99% fat). It is the second Sumikko to arrive at the corner. 4．Neko (1:50） Neko is a shy, timid, and plump cat that often gives the corner to other members. Most of the time it scratches its nails on the wall. 5. Tokage (2:21) Tokage is actually an aquatic dinosaur but feigns being a lizard so that he isn't captured He occasionally catches fish for Neko. Minikko, such as Ebifurai no Shippo (tail of a fried shrimp), Zassou (weeds), Tapioca, Hokori (dust), Suzume (sparrow), and Nisetsumuri (a slug) appear at 2:51 in the video. Enjoy the cute characters of Sumikko Gurashi! Summary of Sumikko Gurashi Source :YouTube screenshot The video "Sumikko Gurashi Introduction Animation" introduces the somewhat surrealistic world of Sumikkoo Gurashi's main characters. If you're interested in Sumikko Gurashi, be sure to check out the official Sumikko Gurashi website for the latest information! 【Official Website】Sumikko Gurashi official web site –San-x http://www.san-x.jp/

Cosplay Culture! This video, titled "IS JAPAN COOL? COSPLAY," introduces the world's biggest cosplay event, called the "World Cosplay Summit," held annually in Japan. Many participants from all over the world come to participate in the event. Cosplay is where you dress up as your favorite character from anime, manga, cartoons, etc. Cosplay started around 1980, and became popular worldwide in the 90's. That being said, it's a relatively new Japanese culture. But where did cosplay begin? Let's take a look! Japan's Globally Popular Contemporary Culture Source :YouTube screenshot Japanese manga, anime, video games, light novels, and other works that are unique to Japan and not found in other countries are called are unique Japanese cultures and these pieces are called "COOL JAPAN" by people from different countries. Cosplay is classified as a "pop culture" or "sub culture." Its unique worldview, creative storytelling, and unique characters have attracted young people from all over the world, as exemplified by the cosplayers in the video. The cosplayers in the video are from South Korea, Brazil, Finland, England, Holland, Russia, Germany, Austria, France, Italy and more! Successful Cosplay Events All Over Japan! Source :YouTube screenshot In addition to the World Cosplay Summit in the video, there are several different cosplay events in Japan. One such event is called "Character Comic Market." At this event, people gather to publish their own manga and set up sales booths for uniforms and costumes. Many anime, manga, and game fans aren't content just watching their favorite shows or playing games, but enjoy actually becoming their favorite characters. In this way, they can immerse themselves in an alternate world by wearing colorful wigs, clothing, contact lenses, and more. You can see some impressive cosplays in the video as well: Saint Seiya (0:07), Zelda (0:23), Kamen Raider (0:38), Shaazak from Gundam (0:39), Goku from Dragonball (1:02), Hatsune Miku (1:13), and Evangelion (1:14). As cosplay became popular globally, the word "Cosplay" is now a word that expresses the idea of "Cool Japan." There are many online cosplay stores where you purchase your very own costumes as well. The Pluralistic Phenomenon of Cosplay Culture Source :YouTube screenshot As you see in the video, many cosplayers take pictures of themselves and other cosplayers, and cosplay cafes are always crowded with cosplay fans. In Japan, "Enako" is one of the most popular cosplayers. Many famous cosplayers have their own fan bases as well. This is the pluralistic phenomenon of cosplay culture. Summary of Japanese Cosplay Culture When cosplay first started, it was considered a temporary subculture among nerds. In the 80's and 90's, people began watching old cartoons and anime to relive their childhood memories and pass them on to the next generation. Even today, the Japanese government considers cosplay a part of Japanese pop culture. Cosplay now plays an important role in Japan's economy, and is a very important part of Japanese culture. 【Official Website】Cosplay Summit | [Official] World Cosplay Summit https://www.worldcosplaysummit.jp/en/

Kei Truck Gardens If you're looking to get a taste of Japanese culture or see some traditional Japanese crafts, then look no further than Kei Truck Gardens! This video will introduce you to the art of Japanese landscaping... in the back of a truck! The video is called "Kei Truck Gardens. Transform the bed of your truck!" (軽トラガーデン　軽トラックの荷台を庭に！). It was created by "yuji kuroda 96TV." It's an interesting video that introduces a unique take on gardening. Probably not very many people have heard of this before, so let's take a look at what it's like! In this article, we'll give you an overview of the Japanese kei truck garden. We will explain the outline of the kei truck garden as well as its appeal. What is a Kei Truck Garden? Source :YouTube screenshot The kei truck garden, a new type of Japanese landscaping, is a unique garden created in the bed of a kei truck. Kei truck gardens started about 10 years ago to increase the publicity of gardening. The unexpectedness of a garden located in a small space in the back of a truck attracted a lot attention, and the gardens received high praise from overseas as well. In addition, the kei truck garden is not only unexpected, but also allows you to move the garden from place to place as is. It also has the advantage of being able to be exhibited at events and contests/shows. These small works of art a definitely worth a watch. Be sure to check them out in the video! How to Make a Kei Truck Garden The charm of the kei truck garden is having the beauty of a Japanese garden condensed into a small space. The gardeners use sand, rocks, pines, and moss to create gardens in the limited space (2m×1.4m). Every detail of the garden is handcrafted by the gardener, and it's hard to believe you can fit it all in the back of a kei truck. The video shows the viewer a variety of beautiful works in different kei trucks. Source :YouTube screenshot You can also see a wide variety of gardens at the regularly scheduled kei truck garden contests. Find different features such as tasteful water dripping landscaping. The Instagram-worthy trucks lined up in a row with their beautiful gardens and flowers makes for an amazing sight. Where Can You Find the Unique Kei Truck Garden Contest? Source :YouTube screenshot The unique kei truck garden contest takes place in many places in Japan. In the past, contests have been held at the World Expo and in Osaka, Toyama, and Shiga. This contest started at the plants event in Toyama in 2011. The Kei Truck Garden Contest was first held in 2011 as part of a greening event in Toyama Prefecture, and has since been held at greening and skills events in various regions across the country, with 2018 and 2019 being held in Akita and Osaka, respectively. More information can be found on the website of the Japan Federation of Landscape Contractors, so if you're interested in the Kei Truck Garden Contest, be sure to check it out. Summary of the Kei Truck Garden We hope that this video has piqued your interest in Japanese gardening. It's quite a unique style of gardening, but it's very interesting what people come up with. The contest, in which gardeners compete for skills, has become a popular event and there was even a show made about it. Be sure to check out the event and find your favorite garden! 【Official Website】Japan Federation of Landscape Contractors https://www.jflc.or.jp/english.php

What Is Mobile Police Patlabor? The video we'll introduce this time is titled "A Life-Size, 8m-Tall Ingram Stands in Toyosu! Live-Action ‘Patlabor’ Event." It introduces the promotional event held as a part of a project for the live-action version of Mobile Police Patlabor launched in 2014. Mobile Police Patlabor is a near-future science fiction work that gained popularity from the 1980s to the early 2000s as a media mix (manga series, anime series, short novel, game, etc.). Ingram, the giant robot introduced in the video, is a robot that belongs to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Special Vehicle Section 2, Division 2 (aka: Special Vehicle Section 2, Labor Division). The story is set in a world where Japan has succeeded in developing an industrial robot (labor), but there is a high incidence of large-scale crime using labors. In response, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department introduced a large man-made general purpose machine, code-named Ingram, to combat labor crime. Mobile Police Patlabor has been adapted into a TV anime series and three feature films, but ‘The Next Generation: Patlabor’ launched in 2014 is the first live-action version. The car that transports Ingram is called the ‘labor carrier’, and the signal ‘deck up’ is used to launch Ingram from the bed of the carrier in the movie as well, so it must have been exciting for the fans to witness the impactful scene of the life-size Ingram decking up in Toyosu, where Special Vehicle Section 2 is located. Specifications of the Life-Size Ingram Source :YouTube screenshot Let’s compare the specifications of the Ingram from the truly popular comic and anime series and the life-size Ingram in this article. The Ingram in the serialized manga and anime series moves acrobatically to the extent where it is physically impossible as it operates in a 2-dimensional world, but that is not possible using the available technologies in the real world, and "the biggest challenge of the life-size AV-98 Ingram was to make it stand on its own." The first-generation Gundam which used to be exhibited in Odaiba, and the Unicorn Gundam, with a transformation mode, are famous as the first life-size robots, and are popular tourist spots in Tokyo. However, the life-size Ingram is a large-scale standing model following these two. You can see the life-size, 8m-tall Ingram deck up in the video at 1:34. As you can see from the video, the Ingram is highly detailed, but it is slightly different from the original draft as many parts have been added to its legs and feet in order to have it stand on its own, giving it a more muscular look on its lower body. The public exhibit of the life-size Ingram as part of the highly-anticipated new project for Mobile Police Patlabor "The Next Generation: Patlabor," was held in major cities all across the country, such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukushima, after launching in Toyosu, Tokyo. Moreover, at Huis Ten Bosch in Nagasaki and at the 27th Tokyo International Film Festival, the Ingram which was actually used for shooting was exhibited. Summary of the Life-Size Ingram From Mobile Police Patlabor Source :YouTube screenshot The live-action version of Mobile Police Patlabor features an all-star cast, including director Mamoru Oshii, Erina Mano as Ingram's pilot, Akira Izumino, and Toshio Kakei as the captain of Division 2, Keiji Gotoda, and culminates in seven short films plus a feature-length theatrical production, "The Next Generation Patlabor - Tokyo War." You can watch the interviews in the video as well; Erina Mano from 7:08, Toshio Kakei from 8:18, and the director, Mamoru Oshii, from 8:51. It is said that the story of the live-action version "The Next Generation Patlabor - Tokyo War" is based on the second film, but the characters and settings have been revamped. The new series was welcomed by long-time fans, saying it was "Nostalgic!," and "Cool!," and it was highly praised overseas as well. In Japan, there are novelizations and games, as well as plastic models and figurines of Ingram on sale, so be sure to check them out!

This video, titled "Wonder Festival 2020 Winter.This is the world’s biggest festival for figures.ワンフェスWF2020冬ワンダーフェスティバル," was released by "emoma!" Wonder Festival is the world's largest exhibition and seller of production kits (models and figures) sponsored by Kaiyodo, one of Japan's largest figure production companies. Both professionals and amateurs are welcome to participate. In addition to the exhibition and sales space, there's a cosplay free zone. Cosplayers dressed in game and anime costumes will be taking photos and interacting with each other. Many of the cosplayers at Wonder Festival have incredibly realistic cosplays, so be sure to check them out in the video!

Rockabilly Culture in Japan by James Partridge It is a documentary that follows a young man living in Tokyo, who loves Rockabilly culture. This video was created by NOWNESS. The young man in the video is Daigo Yamashita, known as JOHNNY. He uses pomade to help him rock his 50's hairstyle. This video focuses on Daigo’s daily life of dancing and singing as a musician. How deep is his passion for Rockabilly? Let's find out! What Is Rockabilly? The History and Origin of Rockabilly in Japan Source :YouTube screenshot Rockabilly started in the early 1950s, and it is a mix of country music, bluegrass and other kinds of music. Famous Rockabilly singers are Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins. The history of Rockabilly culture started around the late 1950s. However, around the late 60s, the "group sounds" boom arrived, and Rockabilly slowly started to fade out. Enjoy “Rockabilly culture” in the middle of Japan! A revival of this 50's style? Source :YouTube screenshot There are people who get together on weekends at Yoyogi park to enjoy Rockabilly culture. These people are called “Rockabilly Zoku (Tribe)”. Watching the video of elderly men dancing at Yoyogi park might tempt you to go join in on the fun. Take a look at the video from 3:14 to see Rockabilly Zoku’s activity at Yoyogi park. As Daigo Yamashita stated in the video at 3:33, people who enjoy Rockabilly culture are getting older. Sharing Rockabilly Culture With the Younger Generation Source :YouTube screenshot Daigo Yamashita, known as JOHNNY, works as a musician at night. He works as a musician about 20 times a month to spread the Rockabilly culture. Check the video to see a man and a woman dancing at a dance hall with the oldies music from the 50s. You can also see Daigo Yamashita as a musician from 4:55. Daigo’s goal is to spread the Rock n Roll and Rockabilly cultures to the younger generations. He was influenced by many Japanese rock singers when he was a child, and it seems like he is seeking to influence young people through his music the same way he was influenced as a child. Summary of Japan's Rockabilly Culture Source :YouTube screenshot This article talked about the video of Rockabilly culture in Japan. You can see Daigo Yamashita enjoying his daily life of following the old trend. The video of Daigo enjoying the old trend might make you feel like something is missing in your life. If this video has you interested in Rockabilly culture, be sure to find a local venue to enjoy some Rock n Roll music! There are some classic stores like “Jumpin’ Jack’s” in the video at 1:56, where you can purchase some fancy rockabilly style clothing. Who knows, Rockabilly culture might make a comeback and another rockabilly boom could occur in the future. 【Official Website】NOWNESS https://www.nowness.com/

“Kaiyodo Figure Museum Is Full of Figures” This is the introductory video ofthe Kaiyodo Figure Museum（海洋堂フィギュアミュージアム龍遊館はフィギュアがいっぱい） created by Nyanta8355. It shows the inside of the world’s first museum specializing in figures. The museum, specializing in figures, was created by Kaiyodo, which is famous for designing and creating figures around the world. A large number of figures created by Kaiyodo are displayed in this museum. Visitors can walk around the museum while looking at colorful and artistic figures, such as a huge triceratops and anEVA. Take a look at the video and see what it's like! About Kaiyodo: The Creator of Kaiyodo Figure Museum Source :YouTube screenshot Kaiyodo is the largest figure production company in Japan. Founded as a small model shop in Osaka in 1964, it is now globally known for its elaborate figures and 3D modeling. Kaiyodo has produced many hit figures, such as Kenshiro and Raoh from Fist of the North Star (北斗の拳, Hokuto no Ken), the Evangelion series, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Megurine Luka, Fate/stay night, small toys from the Japanese animal series Chocolate Eggs, Godzilla, the manga Phoenix, Pokemon, figures of cute girls, and more. From 1:14 in the video, you can see the figure of Evangelion Unit 01 from the popular anime Neon Genesis EVANGELION. From 1:48 you can see the figure of Rei Ayanami, also from Evangelion, and some figures of cute girls like Hatsune Miku. About Kaiyodo Figure Museum Source :YouTube screenshot Kaiyodo Figure Museum is located in Kurokabe Square, a sightseeing spot in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. It is the world’s first figure museum, focusing on diorama exhibitions. As you can see from 0:07 in this video, Kenshiro and Daimajin welcome guests at the entrance. After stepping into the museum, you enter a world full of figures, which leaves fanatics excited from the get-go. Source :YouTube screenshot Of the many figures in this museum, the most eye-catching figure is the huge triceratops lying down in the center of the floor. As you can see in this video, many elaborate figures are lined up in this museum. In addition to figure displays, the Kaiyodo Figure Museum has its museum shop and capsule toy booth, where you can buy souvenirs. Also, visitors are permitted to take photos in the museum! You can also visit the Kaiyodo Capsule Toy Museum close to this museum. Opened in 2005, the Kaiyodo Figure Museum is currently under renovation as of February 2020, and is planning to reopen again in the summer of 2020. During this renovation, you can still enjoy its displays at the Nagahama Art Center. Admission fees of the Kaiyodo Figure Museum are 800 yen for adults and 500 yen for elementary and junior high school students (as of February 2020). Each admission fee includes one capsule toy. You can stay in the museum for about one hour. It takes about five minutes to walk to the museum from Nagahama Station (長浜駅) off the JR Hokuriku Main Line. The museum doesn’t offer parking lots, so please park your car at pay-to-park lot nearby. Overview of the Kaiyodo Figure Museum Source :YouTube screenshot Before visiting this museum, you should first watch this video to see how awesome its figures are. In addition to what the video says, Kaiyodo Figure Museum offers some figure workshops, where you can try painting figures, creating dioramas, and so on. (*The workshops are walk-up and subject to fees.) Please enjoy wandering through a space full of figures of nostalgic toys and your favorite characters! ◆Kaiyodo Figure Museum◆ 【Address】8 Motohama-cho, Nagahama-shi, Shiga 526-0059 【Access】five-minute walk from Nagahama Station off the JR Hokuriku Main Line 【Admission Fee】800 yen for adults, 500 yen for kids (elementary and junior high school students) *As of February 2020 【Opening Hours】10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 【Closures】irregular holidays 【Parking】Not provided 【Phone Number】0749-68-1680 【Official website】Kaiyodo Figure Museum http://www.ryuyukan.net/

Enjoy Watching This Pokémon Card Game Introductory Video! This video, titled "The Official Pokémon Card Game PV (Pokémon Card Players)" (【公式】ポケモンカードゲームPV　「ポケモンカードプレイヤーズ」) introduces the Pokémon card game which is hugely popular among people of all ages. Thanks to publicity from Youtubers and social media, the Pokémon card game is known worldwide and it would be no exaggeration to say that it is the most popular card game of our time. In this article, we'll introduce you to this new Pokémon card game in detail. How It's Played Source :YouTube screenshot Pokémon cards originated from the video game known in Japanese as Pocket Monsters or Pokémon as it's called in English, published by the Pokémon Company (originally it was published by Nintendo). Card versions were made of the monsters (or Pokémon) that appear in this game to turn it into a 2 player trading card game. Cute monsters, such as Pikachu that appear in the video game, have gained a large number of fans worldwide and the game was recently made into the popular smartphone application "Pokémon GO" which was all the rage for a while. Here is a list of the minimum number of items you will need to play the card game: ・Pokémon card deck (60 cards) ・1 Pokémon coin ・Damage counter (as many 10, 50, and 100 damage counters as possible) ・Poison marker/Burned marker (2 or 3 of each) ・GX marker (1 or 2) Source :YouTube screenshot If you're playing in an official competition, a special mat is also required. The rules are very simple: all you have to do is defeat your opponent's Pokémon in battle using your own Pokémon. Each time you win, you can take a prize card (there are normally 6 prize cards in total). The first player to draw all 6 prize cards wins. Please check the official website for a more detailed description of how to play the game. Can Complete Beginners Start Playing This Pokémon Card Game? Source :YouTube screenshot Trading card games may sound hard to get into at first, but the Pokémon card game is so simple anyone can start playing. For those who haven't collected the 60 cards that normally make up a deck, you can purchase a Starter Set which contains coins and markers among other things, that will allow you to start playing right away! You can also practice playing online via a simulation on the official Pokémon card game website. We highly recommend trying it out before you purchase your first Pokémon cards! From 0:06 in the video, you can see a woman playing with Pokémon cards, and a father and son from 0:18, and at 0:46 you can see a large-scale Pokémon card championship with elementary school students competing against one another. The Pokémon card game is truly a game loved by all generations. Pokémon Card Game Introduction Summary Source :YouTube screenshot Summary of the New Pokémon TCG Causing a Stir Each time a new Pokémon game is released, new character cards based on the Pokémon in the game are also released. The most recent versions are Sun and Moon which was then followed by Sword and Shield. Pokémon is a card game that is constantly evolving. The Pokémon card game is now popular not only in Japan, but all over the world to the extent that there are now Pokémon World Championships being held every year. As you can see from the video, the Pokémon card game brings together people of all ages. Why not relive your childhood and enjoy playing this exciting game? 【Official Website】Pokémon Card Game Players Club https://event.pokemon-card.com/

Tanbo Art in Inakadate! Check out the video "Japanese Rice Paddy Art - Inakadate Tanbo Art（Japanese Rice Paddy Art - Inakadate Tanbo Art 田んぼアート）." All the artistic work is made using the rice on a rice field. At 0:37 in the video, you can see the giant work of art from 2017, depicting “Momotaro,” a traditional Japanese folktale. The Tanbo Art event of Inakadate is gaining popularity all over Japan. What Is Tanbo Art? A Look at Its History and How It's Done Photo：Tanbo Art The rice field is used as a canvas and different colors of rice are planted to create words and pictures. At first, wild rice and Tsugaru rice was used for Tanbo Art. This limited the art to only 3 colors. These days however, there are seven different colors, and design drawings and the laws of perspective are used. Because of this, the art has become more dynamic. Kumamoto and Akita also do Tanbo Art and there's also a National Rice Field Art Summit event. Highlights of Inakadate's Tanbo Art Source :YouTube screenshot There are two places with Tanbo Art in Inakadate- Inakadate village hall, and roadside station Inakadate. As you can see from 1:50 in the video, there are different kinds of themes, such as Yamata no Orochi, and Susanoo (2 Japanese myths), and Shin Godzilla based on the movie of the same title. In 2019, the drama “Oshin” and a character “Garapikopu” from “With Mother” was drawn. Stone art is created near the Tanbo Art in Inakadate as well. The actor Ishihara Yujiro and Princess Diana are created in stone art. This can be seen from 1:17 in the video. These amazing works of art are best viewed from the Inakadate village observation deck and the Yayoinosato observatory which is introduced at 1:39 in the video. This way you can take some amazing Instagram photos! Participating in the rice transplanting experience and trying to create your own art is a lot of fun! Summary of Inakadate's Tanbo Art Photo：Summer rice field The best time to see Tanbo Art is between July and August, when the ears of rice are at their largest. You can use the Tanbo Art station during the on season and go sightseeing. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the observatory was closed temporarily in 2020. Make sure to look up opening hours, ticket information, and merchandise information beforehand. 【Tripadvisor】Inakadate-mura https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g1120403-Inakadate_mura_Minamitsugaru_gun_Aomori_Prefecture_Tohoku-Vacations.html

Handicap Accessible Japan! The video, “Handicap-Accessible Information of Tourist Sites by Barry-Joshua Grisdale（観光地のバリアフリー情報発信 グリズデイル・バリージョシュアさん）”, introduces Barry-Joshua Grisdale of Canada, who promotes information on handicap accessible information on Japan’s tourist websites. Barry-Joshua Grisdale created an English travel information website for people with disabilities called “Accessible Japan”, and promotes information concerning accessibility to Japan’s tourist attractions for the rest of the world. The website name, "Accessible Japan", comes from (as you probably guessed) the word accessibility (able to access easily or use easily). In recent years, the word accessibility, along with the phrase barrier-free, have been popularized globally. In this article, we will be introducing Barry-Joshua Grisdale and Japan’s handicap accessible situation. The Different Types of "Handicap Accessible." Photo：A wheelchair accessible ramp Handicap accessible means that people with disabilities, elderly people with impaired movement, and a wide range of other people, can use facilities and get around with ease. This also refers to the modifications that help make their lives easier. Recently, a barrier-free law has been put into place in Japan, and there have been many changes happening such as: reducing uneven transitions between streets and sidewalks,installing tactile paving on the streets (braille blocks), handicap toilets, as well as elevators. Handrails on trains, extensive wheelchair accessible routes, “Non-step” buses, and handicap accessible hotels are some of the other efforts being made. Japan’s Efforts to Become “Barrier-Free” Source :YouTube screenshot It has been 4 years since Barry-Joshua Grisdale created “Accessible Japan”, the English travel information website for people with disabilities that is accessed over 70,000 times annually. Barry-Joshua Grisdale now works at a welfare facility in Tokyo. He fondly remembers when he came to Japan on a trip when he was 19 years old, and 6 train station attendants carried him down the stairs. Since then he has been spreading the word on how wonderful Japan is to its visitors. Source :YouTube screenshot The English travel information website for people with disabilities “Accessible Japan”, created by Barry-Joshua Grisdale, recommend a pathway leading up to the popular sightseeing attractionSensoji Temple, as shown from 1:05 in the video. It's very useful for people visiting Japan for the first time. The pathway is very flat and easy to access. Also, there is a service in which wheelchair users can use a slope to get on, and take a ride on a rickshaw! Historically famous tourist sites such as Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, as introduced in the footage at 3:31, have become more handicap accessible by installing elevators. Summary of Japan’s Handicap Accessible Tourist Sites Source :YouTube screenshot With the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Japan will have many visitors coming from overseas, and those with disabilities, using wheelchairs, and those with service dogs will also be able to enjoy Japan’s tourist attractions. The video in this article, summarizes the efforts of Japan’s tourist sites to becoming handicap accessible. If you're interested in handicap accessibility at Japan’s tourist sites, give "Accessible Japan" a try. It's full of useful content. 【Official Website】Accessible Japan https://www.accessible-japan.com/

Experience "Kawaii" Culture in Harajuku! "Kawaii" everywhere! Lolita Tour Guide, Harajuku Tour (06/18/26)" (「カワイイ」連発！ロリータガイドと巡る原宿ツアー(18/06/26)」), is a video released by "AnnnewsCH," of a Lolita fashion guide taking foreign tourists on a tour of popular spots in Harajuku, such as grocery stores and cafes. Now that Kawaii (cute) culture is gaining popularity throughout the world, more and more foreigners are coming to Japan to experience the Japanese subculture, instead of touring Japan's high packed tourist attractions. This article introduces Japan's kawaii culture with a focus on Harajuku tours led by Lolita fashionistas. A Look at "Kawaii" Lolitas Photo：Lolita fashion girl A growing number of foreigners visit Japan to take a tour of Takeshita Street, the holy land of lolitas. At present, there are tours that are soaring in popularity among foreign visitors to Japan. That tour, is the lolita-fashion Harajuku tour! Lolita guides will take you through trendy boutiques and cafes dealing with cute fashion, and you can enjoy a tour packed with "kawaii." The tour can be viewed at 0:12 in the video. Lolita fashion refers to cute fashion, such as dolls, clothes with lots of laces and frills, and hairstyles with large ribbons. Street fashion, a look sported by many young women in Japan, is said to have been born in Harajuku. The lolita girl played by Kyoko Fukada, from the movie "Kamikaze Girls" released in 2004, triggered a sudden rise in popularity. The Kawaii Harajuku Tour! Source :YouTube screenshot The Harajuku tour, which allows you to experience kawaii, is a tour that takes you to Takeshita Street, Omotesando, Urahara, Cat Street, Meiji Street, and other kawaii shopping spots where you can discover new forms of kawaii in every corner. Takeshita Street is a shopping street in Jingumae, Shibuya, and is a pedestrian mall for young people.. It's a very exciting spot, filled with couples on dates and students on school trips. This tour will take you to a number of shopping and lunch spots, including boutiques selling Lolita fashion, Instagrammable cafes, and shops offering crepes and other sweets. You can see the kawaii Harajuku tour throughout the video, including shopping at the cute little shop on a back street (1:55), having a quick bite to eat at the cute little cafe (2:17), and experiencing a kawaii show like at 2:26. You can see kawaii everywhere along the Harajuku tour! Japan's Unique "Kawaii" Culture Source :Harajuku Kawaii Tour Kawaii is a Japanese word that expresses loveliness and charm. It is similar to "Cute" when translated into English, but the nuance of "Cute" is slightly different from that of "Kawaii" in Japan as it has a childish feel to it. Since there is no other word that fits the word "Kawaii" exactly, the Japanese word "Kawaii" has come to be used abroad as is. The success of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu was also a catalyst for the popularity of kawaii culture around the world. Recently, BABYMETAL, a band that plays metal music in kawaii fashion, has also become popular overseas, and the number of people from abroad who like kawaii culture may continue to increase in the future. Summary of "Kawaii" Culture Source :YouTube screenshot This article introduced the Harajuku Kawaii Tour along with the video "Kawaii" everywhere! Lolita Tour Guide, Harajuku Tour (06/18/26)," by "AnnnewsCH." In the video, you'll see how to enjoy Japan's unique culture by visiting various spots where you can experience "kawaii"! Enjoy a tour that adds a new element of discovery to the traditional experience of Japan! 【Official Website】Takeshita Street official map -Harajuku latest information- https://www.takeshita-street.com/ 【Official Website】Harajuku Kawaii Tour https://www.harajuku-kawaii-tour.com/

About the DVD and Blu-Ray of the Musical "Touken Ranbu" This is a promotional video published by "PRIME CAST." The title of this video is "Shibuya no Oto Presents the Musical 'Touken Ranbu' - From 2.5D to the World ＜Special Edition＞ Blu-ray & DVD Launch Announcement Video" (シブヤノオト Presents ミュージカル『刀剣乱舞』 -2.5次元から世界へ- ＜特別編集版＞ Blu-ray&DVD 発売告知動画). This DVD/Blu-ray was released in June, 2019. This DVD/Blu-ray closely covered "Touken Ranbu - Atsukashiyama 2018" in Paris, France. It also contains unreleased footage of Touken Ranbu performed at the music show "Shibuya no Oto." In addition, bonus videos, including stage footage from the performances "MUSIC JAPAN" and "Shibuya no Oto," which can be seen at 1:36 in the video, the special medley performance at "SONGS OF TOKYO" (2:16), and the live performance in 2018 at the Japanese traditional New Year’s eve music show "Kohaku Uta Gassen (2:45) are also contained in this DVD/Blu-ray. This article will introduce the musical "Touken Ranbu" alongside the video. Check out the video to get a feel for the 2.5-dimensional world of Touken Ranbu. About the Musical, Touken Ranbu Source :YouTube screenshot Toukenranbu is a very popular online game released in 2016 as a smartphone app from DMM Games. It's a sword training simulation game in which players collect "sword boys" by anthropomorphizing famous Japanese swords to fight their enemies in historical battles. Due to the popularity of the game, famous Japanese swords have attracted attention and have been exhibited in museums, shown at musicals, used in theatre, appeared in animations and movies, have had events made about them and have even had products made available for sale. The 2.5-dimensional work refers to the space between the two-dimensional game and the three-dimensional real world. The musical "Touken Ranbu" is a 2.5-dimensional musical action play in which actors recreate the world of the game on stage. Touken Ranbu -From 2.5D to the World ＜Special Edition＞ Source :YouTube screenshot The musical "Touken Ranbu" is still being performed and has many different programs. This DVD/Blu-ray contains a program called “Atsukushiyama 2018,” a story about sword men preventing historical revisionists from altering the history of Yoshitsune Minamoto and Musashibo Benkei. This DVD/Blu-ray closely covered the backstage at this musical performed in Paris, France. Other programs include “Bakumatsu Tenroden” and “Three Hundred Years of Lullaby,” while "Bakumatsu Tenrouden 2020" (幕末天狼傳2020) and "Sword Dance: Paradise of the Sea of Tranquility" (刀剣乱舞 ～静かの海のパライソ～) are scheduled to be performed in 2020. The musical will be divided into two parts: the first part is a musical and the second part is a live performance where the audience can enthusiastically support their favorite characters. The main cast of “Atsukashiyama 2018” is led by Mario Kuroba, Ryo Kitazono, Tsubasa Sakiyama all of whom have appeared in the musical Prince of Tennis. A behind-the-scenes look at the performance, including Ryo Kitazono's voice only appearance due to a doctor's stop just before the Paris show (0:45) are included in the DVD/Blu-ray. Summary of Touken Ranbu - From 2.5D to the World ＜Special Edition＞ Source :YouTube screenshot The Musical “Touken Ranbu” will be performed again in fall, 2020. Please check the official website for ticket information. The CD album “Token Danshi team Sanjo with Kiyomitsu Kashu” is also on sale and has become very popular, especially among women. If you're interested in the musical, be sure to watch the announcement video, which shows the charm of the musical Touken Ranbu! 【Official Website】Musical “Touken Ranbu” https://musical-toukenranbu.jp/

This video, titled "Meet the Girls Aiming to Be Japanese Idols Part 1 [Japan in Motion 2019 #20]," was released by Japan in Motion. In the first half of the video, three girls - a Japanese girl, Russian girl, and an Italian girl - talk about Japanese idols at an idol store in Akihabara. The three girls also visit a prestigious school in Hiroshima Prefecture that has produced many popular Japanese idols. Actor's School Hiroshima has produced many members of world famous idol groups, such as members of Perfume, BABYMETAL, Morning Musume, AKB48, Nogizaka48, STU48, and =LOVE. The three even got to experience a lesson with their students!

The Popteen Cover Photo Shoot This video introduces "The making of the Popteen cover（人気ギャル雑誌『Popteen』の表紙ができるまで！）". Popteen is a teenage fashion magazine published by the Kadokawa Haruki Corporation. The first issue was published in 1980. These three gorgeous girls in kimono appearing in the video made the cover of the 2012 January issue. The video captures their cover photo shoot scene. This article is to introduce the Gyaru culture and reader models alongside the video. What Are Reader Models? Source :YouTube screenshot The models who appear from 0:37 are Mizukitty (Mizuki Nishiyama), Kumikky (Kumiko Funayama) and Pikarin (Hikari Shiina). They were the active reader models for Popteen when the video was made in 2011. Many of the former Popteen models, such as Moe Oshikiri, Nicole Fujita, Tsubasa Masuwaka, and Rola, later made a success break into the TV industry or got a big break as an exclusive model or even an actress, and have been active to this day. How Did They Become Models? Photo：Shibuya 109 In many cases, they became models after being recruited by a magazine editor while walking down the streets of Shibuya or Harajuku. These three cover girls also used to be just ordinary teenagers who hung out in Shibuya or Harajuku. "Popteen": The Kawaii Bible! Source :YouTube screenshot Shibuya and Harajuku are the epicenter of Kawaii culture. These areas represent Japan's youth culture, and serve as the source of numerous teen slang such as "Agepoyo" which is slang to describe that you're pumped up or excited about something. The magazine Popteen plays a leading role in Japanese teen culture. The freebies attached to the magazine is another reason for its popularity among teens who need to have the latest fashion. The Summary of the Popteen Cover Shoot Video Source :YouTube screenshot This article introduced the Popteen cover photo shoot, and the role that the magazine plays to inspire the Gyaru culture. Dressed in the gorgeous kimonos, the models with Gyaru makeup do kawaii poses, as seen from 0:16. The actual magazine cover appears at 2:04. Check out the latest issue of Popteen if you like Kawaii culture or want to get inspired by cute charismatic reader models.

A Japanese DJ wins the World Championship! This video, publicized by "ANNnewsCH’, is entitled ‘“Unique” Japanese DJ Tops, Wins World Championships (19/09/29)（“独創的”日本人DJが頂点に　世界大会で優勝(19/09/29)）". DJ Matsunaga won ‘Battle for World Supremacy 2019’ of ‘DMC WORLD DJ CHAMPIONSHIPS’, one of the biggest DJ championships in the world which decides the top DJ in the world, held in London in September 2019, showing off his incredible techniques. ‘DMC WORLD DJ CHAMPIONSHIPS’ is a competition where DJs from all over the world compete with their techniques within a time limit. DJ Matsunaga had earlier won the Japanese competition ‘DMC JAPAN FINAL’ and had procured the right to represent Japan. At such a prestigious competition, DJ Matsunaga beat K-Swizz, the defending champion from New Zealand, enchanting the entire venue with his unique and funky style, despite it being his first time competing. In the interview after becoming the new champion, which can be seen from 0:25 in the video, DJ Matsunaga says “I’m yet to accept this as a reality, so I guess, for now, I’ll prepare to appreciate the feeling when it comes.” From 0:08 in the video, watch the performance that gave him the victory. Who Is DJ Matsunaga, Now a World-Champion DJ? Source :YouTube screenshot DJ Matsunaga’s full name is Kunihiko Matsunaga. He was born in August 1990 and he is 29 years old as of April 2020. His blood type is B. He participated with a casual outfit in this competition, but his characteristic is that he wears suits even during his performances. The reason for this he says, is that he is in his most perfect form when wearing a suit. He is very well-humored and when being introduced as the DMC Champion, he was mistakenly called as DJ Nakamura by the MC but spun it in a humorous light. ‘Creepy Nuts’, a DJ hip-hop unit of 1MC1 to which he belongs, has a regular radio program despite being a group of musicians, and open up an exhilarating talk with ‘R-Shitei (R-指定, R-Shitei)’, the other member. DJ Matsunaga as a DJ Source :YouTube screenshot What’s surprising about DJ Matsunaga’s career is that he accomplished the feat of becoming a champion of the DMC DJ Championship in Hokkaido in 2010, only 3 years after he embarked on his journey of becoming a DJ. Until 2016, he was simultaneously working as a TOC live DJ for the hip-hop unit Hilcrhyme. And in 2019, as mentioned earlier, he topped at DMC JAPAN, which is also a qualifier for DMC WORLD, and he was given the title of ‘Japan’s Number 1 DJ’ on his official profile. His title eventually changed to ‘World’s Number 1 DJ’ after being crowned as the champion at DMC WORLD. Success with Creepy Nuts Source :YouTube screenshot In the hip-hop unit Creepy Nuts, DJ Matsunaga unleashes his worlds-best technique as a trackmaker and turntablist. ‘R-Shitei’, the other member, topped at free-style rapping in a program called Free-Style Dungeon, and together they light up the hip-hip world. Having showed a formidable presence in clubs and live-houses, they participated in the large-scale rock-festival ‘Fuji Rock’ in 2014, and debuted on a major label in 2017 with the single ‘High School Debut, Uni Debut, We Failed All but Major Debut. (高校デビュー、大学デビュー、全部失敗したけどメジャーデビュー。, Koko-Debyu, Daigaku-Debyu, Zenbu Shippai Shita-kedo Meja-Debyu.)’. Check out the Worlds-Best-Performance of DJ Matsunaga! So what did you think? Do you feel like listening to the world's best DJ, DJ Matsunaga? DJ Matsunaga can be described as one of few people that changed the prevailing perception of the hip-hop world being formidable and distant, into a more familiar, pop-like image. Enjoy the techniques of the world’s best DJ. 【Official Website】DMC World DJ Championships - The Home Of The Worlds Biggest DJ Competition http://www.dmcdjchamps.com/

VR Artist Aimi Sekiguchi This video, titled "Tokyo Crossing #56 "VR (Virtual Reality)" - VR artist Aimi Sekiguchi" (東京交差点 ＃56「VR（仮想現実）」-VRアーティスト　せきぐちあいみ) was published by "テレビ東京公式 TV TOKYO." Aimi Sekiguchi is a VR artist who creates works of art in an empty virtual space. She has been performing live in Japan as well as abroad, including the United States and Russia. This video shows an interview with VR artist Aimi Sekiguchi as she talks about the appeal of VR art. Be sure to follow along as you read this article! What Is a VR Artist? Source :YouTube screenshot VR (Virtual Reality) is a technology that allows you to perceive, as if it were real, phenomena that appear in a VR/virtual space, that do not actually exist in real life. In other words, VR art uses an empty space as a canvas to draw three-dimensional pictures by wearing VR goggles Viewers are able to see the work through a monitor. For example, the painting in the frame has depth and allows the viewer to go further into the painting, creating a new way to experience art. The artworks have depth and the ability to be experienced in 360 degrees of wonder. You can watch the actual creation of a work of art using the VR equipment and tools at 1:01 in the video. The people who create and perform this VR art are called VR artists. About VR artist, Aimi Sekiguchi Source :YouTube screenshot Aimi Sekiguchi (せきぐちあいみ), introduced in the video, started out as a TV personality before turning into a VR artist. Her real name is Aimi Sekiguchi (関口愛美, written in kanji), and she was born in 1987, making her 33 years of age. She became famous after responding to an interviewer in a TV street interview when asked about the female-only cars on Japanese trains, saying "I don’t really care where I am on the train." The video quickly went viral. Aimi Sekiguchi is currently working as a VR artist with the VR painting app Tilt Brush, as well as doing live painting in various countries, such as the 45th WorldSkills Competition, and is also a main personality of her own local radio show called "Aimi Sekiguchi Virtual Radio"(0:43). She also shares her three-dimensional art on YouTube and shares information about her work and activities on Instagram. As you can see from 2:11in the video, Aimi is seen learning how to use space at the Shunkaen Bonsai Museum in Edogawa-ward, Tokyo. It's hard to connect the space where the bonsai trees are lined up with VR art, but Aimi explains "Bonsai is an art work that includes all of the space around it, therefore, it's very helpful when I paint VR art." Summary of VR Artist Aimi Sekiguchi Source :YouTube screenshot In the video "Tokyo Crossing #56 "VR (Virtual Reality)" - VR artist Aimi Sekiguchi," Aimi explains that she would like to "stimulate peoples' imagination" through her work. In the video, you can see Aimi Sekiguchi's passion for VR art. If you're interested in Aimi Sekiguchi or VR art after reading this article, be sure to check out the video if you still haven't yet. Also be sure to check out Aimi's official website and social media sites! 【Official Website】Aimi Sekiguchi -VR official Site - Creative Village https://www.creativevillage.ne.jp/lp/aimi_sekiguchi/

PR Video of Shinjuku's Robot Restaurant This video called “ ROBOT RESTAURANT in JAPAN - CRAZY!!! ロボットレストラン - HD 4k “ produced by “ beatdownboogie” is a video promoting the robot restaurant in Kabukicho where customers can enjoy a variety of performances. As you can see from this video, this restaurant is very popular for foreign tourists in Tokyo because of its unique services. According to trip advisor, the famous travel website, this robot restaurant is chosen as one of 10 best tourist spots in Tokyo and is a favorite among foreign celebrities and famous artists. This video features how interesting this robot restaurant in Shinjuku is. What Is Shinjuku's Robot Restaurant? Source :YouTube screenshot This robot restaurant was established as an amusement spot in a building in Kabukicho, and cost a total of 10 billion yen (~$92.3m USD) to make. This is popularly known as “Robo-res”. The gorgeous interior decorations and various forms of entertainment attracted a lot of public attention and it quickly became a popular spot for foreign tourists as a store that provides original entertainment shows in Tokyo. You can take many instagrammable pictures while riding a fancy robot! All areas in this restaurant from the floors to ceiling are flashing. Stepping inside this restaurant is like stepping into another dimension. The scene at 0:13 shows this overwhelming atmosphere. There's also a bar in the same building. Guests can bring food and drinks purchased at the cocktail lounge to the show rooms as well. If you make a reservation for a special boxed lunch made by this restaurant, you can eat it during a 90 minute show. If you are interested, check the official web-site. The entrance fee is rather expensive at 8500 yen (as of January, 2020), But you definitely won't regret experiencing the unique atmosphere provided by this robot restaurant. Reputation of the Robot Restaurant Source :YouTube screenshot About 90% of the customers of the robot restaurant are foreigners. They can enjoy a unique culture in Kabuki-cho. If you look at the many photographs of foreign celebrities or prominent figures hanging on the walls of this robot restaurant, you'll know that it's not over-hyped. It attracts a lot of people for a reason. The restaurant is a really popular spot in Tokyo for foreigner visitors. Before shows start, you can buy food and drinks or souvenirs on stage. This 90 minutes entertainment show begins with a Japanese drum performance (0:37). Enjoy the fantastic atmosphere of Japanese drums with gorgeous illuminations. There's also the near-future robot show, the robot beat-em-up game, electronic dance performance, robot parade show, huge dinosaurs, and performances by female dancers. You can see the digest version of these performances in the video. If you watch the video, you'll see how satisfied audiences are by the live performance in the robot restaurant called “Monster Entertainment Show.” It makes sense that so many visitors want to see this live performance one more time. Summary of the PR Video for Shinjuku's Robot Restaurant Source :YouTube screenshot This video called "ROBOT RESTAURANT in JAPAN - CRAZY!!! ロボットレストラン - HD 4k" produced by “beatdownboogie” promotes the robot restaurant in Shinjuku where so many guests have enjoyed entertainment shows with great originality influenced by the cultures of Kabuki-cho. Bathrooms are also unique and the interior decorations of the restaurant are instagrammable. Many experience-based shows such as dance performances or Japanese drum performances are held in this restaurant. These various types of performances of robots or dancers take audiences to another world. Why not give it a visit if you're coming to Tokyo ? A shop serving tea with tapioca located on the first floor of the same building of this robot restaurant is also quite popular. ◆ Detailed information of Robot Restaurant◆ 【Address】2nd floor of Shinjuku Robot Building 1-7-1 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 【Access】A 5 minute-walk from the East entrance of JR Shinjuku Station 【Entrance fee】8,500 yen (* As of January, 2020, No discount coupon is used) 【Hours】16:00 to 23:00 【Closures】None 【Parking】None 【Telephone No】03-3200-5500 【Official Website】Robot restaurant http://www.shinjuku-robot.com/sp/index.php?lng=en 【Yelp】Robot restaurant https://www.yelp.com/biz/%E3%83%AD%E3%83%9C%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3-%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E5%8C%BA-3?osq=Robot+restaurant

The Movie Version of the Popular TV Drama "From Today, It’s My Turn!!" Premiers in Theaters Summer, 2019! The video introduced in this article is titled "From Today, It’s My Turn!! Movie Version Preview" (【In theaters from July 17 (Fri)】（『今日から俺は!!劇場版』予告【7月17日（金）公開】). It's a trailer for the movie of the same name, posted by "Toho MOVIE Channel." "From Today, It’s My Turn!!," is a popular drama that aired in 2018, and this film adaptation was also highly anticipated. It is based on the legendary delinquent manga "From Today, It's My Turn!!," by Hiroyuki Nishimori, and was published in Extra Shonen Sunday from September 1988 to August 1990, and then moved to Weekly Shonen Sunday where it was serialized from issue 40 in 1990 to issue 47 in 1997. The Popular Drama, "From Today, It’s My Turn!!" Source :YouTube screenshot The story of "From Today, It’s My Turn!!" is a yankee battle gag manga set in 1980s Nanya High School in Chiba Prefecture. It's considered the gold standard for delinquent manga, with a total of 40 million copies sold in 38 volumes of its comics edition. It is unique in that, unlike other delinquent manga, there are no characters who are members of biker gangs, and there are no scenes of violence, vulgarity, or scenes that involve killing. The Long-Awaited Movie Version of "From Today, It’s My Turn!!" Source :YouTube screenshot "From Today, It’s My Turn!!," is written and directed by Yuichi Fukuda, just like the drama, and the episode "VS Hokunei High School" which was popular in the original, is brought to life on the big screen by the regular cast members. Regarding the characters and cast, main characters Takashi Mitsuhashi, introduced at 0:14 in the video, and Shinji Ito, introduced at 0:17, are played by Kento Kaku and Kentaro Ito respectively, with the heroine Riko Akasaka played by Nana Seino and Kanna Hashimoto as Kyoko Hayakawa. In addition to this, Yuya Yagira plays Eiji Yanagi, the principal of Hokunei High School (0:24), Maika Yamamoto plays Sukeban Ryoko Morikawa, Tsuyoshi Muro plays Mr. Mukunoki, and Professor Sorimachi is played by Shinobu Hasegawa of SISSONE. Questions about hidden cast members, such as whether Kento Yamazaki, who appeared in the final episode of the TV drama series will appear in this movie, is also a hot topic. Created in response to many voices asking for a sequel after it gained popularity on TV, "From Today, It’s My Turn!!" is set to be released in theaters, and it will also be revived as a special drama. The Rising Excitement for the Movie Release of "From Today, It’s My Turn!!" Source :YouTube screenshot Upon the release of "From Today, It’s My Turn!! Movie Version," the poster blew up on social media sites. The movie was designed with a "Tribute to the Great Movies of the 80s," feel, with 22 cast members taking part in its creation. It's sure to attract the attention of movie lovers! The preview introduced here also features many comedic scenes and powerful fight scenes. There are many attractive scenes in the video, such as full-on war at 0:51. Summary of "From Today, It’s My Turn!!" Source :YouTube screenshot What did you think of the introduction video for "From Today, It’s My Turn!!"? It'll be exciting to see how the movie turns out. Are you planning on watching it? Enjoy the legendary yankee manga, with its humanistic storyline, charming characters, and gags that will have you dying from laughter!

Check out the Trailer! Here we'll introduce the movie trailer for “Love is Hard for Otaku." Love is Hard for Otaku was released on February 7th, 2020. It is a romantic comedy about a girl who is secretly a fan of yaoi, and a boy who is a video game otaku. A lot of fans came to the movie premiere and preview, because there was prior information that famous actors would be appearing in the movie. What Kind of Movie Is "Love is Hard for Otaku"? Source :YouTube screenshot “Love is Hard for Otaku” was originally a serial manga created by Fujita on the illustration community service pixiv. It spread quickly through word of mouth and has since been made into an anime and movie. The movie was directed by Fukuda Yuichi, who is known for “Gintama” and “Kyo Kara Ore Wa.” The musical-type music which starts from 1:10 in the video, was produced by Sagisu Shiro who also composed the music for “Shin Godzilla.” Famous Actors in the Movie Source :YouTube screenshot In the movie, Mitsuki Takahata plays Momose Narumi, who is a big fan of yaoi, and Kento Yamazaki plays Nifuji Hirotaka who is a big fan of video games. There are other interesting otaku characters like, the voice actor idol fan and cosplay fan. A lot of famous actors are in the movie, such as Nanao, Kaku Kento, Imada Mio, Wakatsuki Yumi, Muro Tsuyoshi, Sato Jiro and Saito Takumi. Spoilers! Source :YouTube screenshot As you can tell from the title, it is about an otaku couple who are not used to going out. Momose Narumi was dumped because she was an otaku and since then, she has been hiding that fact. Nifuji Hirotaka knows her well, and asks her to date him. They start dating, on the condition that he would help her shop at Comiket. Even though they are both otaku, they have different tastes. How will their relationship go…? Enjoy watching their relationship bloom in this cute romantic comedy. Summary Source :YouTube screenshot In this article, we introduced the trailer for “Love is Hard for Otaku”. The movie has a great reputation among young people as well. Have fun watching the different otaku characters and the romantic story, by watching the movie in theaters!

DRAGON QUEST RIVALS This video, titled "9th Card Pack [A World of Reunion and Oath (Rotozetasia)｜Promotional Video [Dragon Quest Rivals]" (『第9弾カードパック「再会と誓いの世界(ロトゼタシア)」プロモーションムービー【ドラゴンクエストライバルズ】』), introduces Dragon Quest Rivals, a new smartphone app of the popular RPG game [Dragon Quest]. The social game was launched in 2017 as a spin-off of the Dragon Quest Series and has reached 16 million downloads. Often abbreviated as [DQ Rivals], It's a free-to-play game but you can also pay to play a "gacha," and get strong card packs. A Look at the Popular RPG Dragon Quest Source :YouTube screenshot Dragon Quest Rivals is based on the RPG "Dragon Quest," which was developed in 1986 by Enix (current Square Enix) as a game software for family computers. Dragon Quest has a big project team, as scenario writer and game designer Yuji Horii, character designer Akira Toriyama, and music composer Koichi Sugiyama have handled every major game in the series. The series is massively successful as total sales have reached over 80 million units. As they release new gaming platform and devices, they develop new Dragon Quest games and applications with them. Currently, Dragon Quest has the main numbered series such as Dragon Quest 10 or 11 and the spin-off titles such as Dragon Quest Walk and Dragon Quest Rivals. The Dragon Quest Series Source :YouTube screenshot This is a list of the main Dragon Quest games with the year the were made and their available platform. ・Dragon Quest Loto Trilogy (DQ 1-3) and Dragon Quest Zenithian trilogy (DQ 4-6). Available on :NES, SNES, PlayStation series, NintendoDS, etc. ・Dragon Quest 7-11 Available on: PlayStation, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, etc. The most recent numbered series is "Dragon Quest XI S Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age." ・Dragon Quest Builders series Available on: PlayStation Series, Nintendo Switch, etc. Dragon Quest Builders 2 has a Windows version as well. ・Dragon Quest Walk, Dragon Quest Tact, Dragon Quest Monster, Dragon Quest Heroes, Dragon Quest Super Light, Dragon Quest Rivals, etc. Available on: Smartphone Dragon Quest Rivals Source :YouTube screenshot Let's take a look at the digital card game for smartphones, Dragon Quest Rivals. First, select a "leader" character from 8 different professions, then create a "Deck" of 30 cards. It's an online battle game so you can battle with your friends or family, or pick someone online to battle with. There are various types of cards, such as unit cards that are put on the battlefield, weapon cards that can buff your leader, special skill cards that can be used directly from your cards, and expansion cards that are added to your card pool after the release of a new card pack. The objective is to strategically create a deck that will allow you to gain the upper hand in a battle and reduce your opponent's HP to zero. In the video around 0:48, you see the awesome characters that appear in Dragon Quest Rivals. Summary of Dragon Quest Source :YouTube screenshot The Dragon Quest RPG series is still very popular, with the movie Dragon Quest: Your Story being released in 2019. Among the series, the social battle game Dragon Quest Rivals is currently the hottest game available. Whenever new bullets, hero cards, or new game packs come out, there are unofficial strategy websites that will talk about the new cards and how they can be utilized in different decks. Dragon Quest never gets old! With the new character Camus, a blue-haired thief (see the video around 0:22), the game has become even more interesting! Create the strongest deck with your favorite characters, including the witch Veronica and Hero Eleven, to climb the rankings in the Dragon Quest Rivals tournament. Become a Dragon Quest legend! 【Official Website】The 9th card pack [The world of reunion and oath (Rotozetasia)] https://www.dragonquest.jp/rivals/cardpack/9/

The mega hit animation “Saint Seiya” This is the official trailer of “ Saint Seiya : Knights of the Zodiac（『聖闘士星矢: Knights of the Zodiac』予告編 - Netflix）” released by Netflix Japan. Saint Seiya is the space fantasy comic made by Masami Kurumada. The comic series began in December, 1985, featured in the popular manga anthology Weekly Shonen Jump. The comic was designed on the assumption that it would be adapted as an animated TV series. It had battle uniforms featuring zodiacs that main characters wore called “Crosses” and plastic models of characters were a huge hit with fans. 　 Source :YouTube screenshot The story of Saint Seiya is made based on ancient Greek mythology. The comic depicts the activities of five bronze saints such as the saint "Pegasus Seiya" who protects the Earth from evil with Saori (an incarnation of the goddess Athena), Dragon Siryu, Cygnus Hyouga, Phoenix Ikki, Andromeda Shun, as well as the gold saints. You can see the battle scenes involving bronze saints (in this video clip) at 0:47. Currently, “Saint Seiya NEXT DIMENSION – Pluto Myths” is still being serialized in Weekly Shonen Champion. Saint Seiya became a great hit and firmly established its position in the anime world. Until this animation came along, it was believed that the Space Fantasy Action genre was a favorite among boys. However, the mythology based story that included handsome youths stole the hearts of many young women as well. This animation produced by Toei was released as a spin-off work. Figurines of popular characters are still popular to this day and continue to evolve. The Worldview of Saint Seiya : Knights of the Zodiac Source :YouTube screenshot The Japanese version of Knights of the Zodiac concludes in the realm of Hades. The work released by Netflix Japan however, is a completely original animation using 3D Computer Graphics. Therefore the worldview is completely different from the original version. The biggest difference is that Andromeda Shun, one of main characters, was made as a woman. “The Struts” , a popular English rock band sings the theme song. Voice actors were also completely changed.　 You can hear the Japanese version's theme song in this video. The Controversy Surrounding the Female Andromeda Shun Source :YouTube screenshot The content announced at Netflix's animation works press conference in 2017 shocked fans. That press conference was of the new animation "Saint Seiya, Knights of the Zodiac”. This press conference was exclusively distributed by Netflix through CCXP2018 all over the world. The most controversial point is replacing Andromeda Shun, the most popular character among female fans, with a woman. On SNS, this set off a flurry of reactions among fans. The new animation was also produced by foreign staff at a studio outside of Japan. According to one of the screenwriters, it was determined that they would change the gender of Andromeda Shun to female for the sake of diversity. There were arguments for and against this new animation work. However, most fans say that this is an affront to the original work. The Knights of the Zodiac Video Summed Up Source :YouTube screenshot There are many episodes of the animation version of Saint Seiya, and it has been a favorite of people from all over the world including not only animation and figurines, but also slot machines. The anime, including part 1 and part 2, have been distributed by Netflix since 2020. It hasn't been decided whether or not there will be a commercial DVD release of the Saint Seiya series. When you sign up for Netflix, the Saint Seiya series is available for viewing free for a month, so don’t miss your chance! 【Official Website】 KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC https://www.saintseiya-kotz.com/en/pc/

Introducing Captain Tsubasa's Latest Appearance! "PS4/Nintendo Switch 「Captain Tsubasa RISE OF NEW CHAMPIONS」First Trailer（PS4/Nintendo Switch「キャプテン翼 RISE OF NEW CHAMPIONS」ファーストトレーラー）," made public by ‘876TV,’ is a movie introducing a Captain Tsubasa video game, set to be released in 2020. The visual effects loyal to the original anime series are breathtaking, and the video doesn’t fail in delivering this to the fans. Fans are going after hearing about the Captain Tsubasa's latest addition to the series, after nearly 10 years of waiting! In this article, we’ll go into detail about the action packed soccer game, ‘Captain Tsubasa: RISE OF NEW CHAMPIONS,’ and the original series of Captain Tsubasa. Captain Tsubasa Returns 10 Years Later... Source :YouTube screenshot After nearly 10 years, a new captain Tsubasa soccer game is set to release for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. ‘Captain Tsubasa: RISE OF NEW CHAMPIONS’ is scheduled for an August 2020 release. The developer is Bandai Namco Entertainment. It's an action-soccer game with familiar characters from the anime series, Captain Tsubasa, make amazing plays with incredible speed. The game can be enjoyed by anyone as well, making it something to look forward to! Source :YouTube screenshot Each character in the game is dubbed by voice actors, making it easier to indulge in the world of Captain Tsubasa. It's garnered a lot of attention on popular SNS sites in Japan, such as Niconico and 5ch. The video introduced here is the first trailer, and at the time of this article, the third trailer has already been made public! If you’re interested, don't forget to check it out! You can watch spectacular scenes, just like the ones from the anime series, in the video, such as Hikari Matsuyama’s Eagle Shot at 0:36, and Kojiro Hyuga’s Tiger Shot at 0:42. What Is the Captain Tsubasa Series? Source :YouTube screenshot Captain Tsubasa is a soccer manga series by Yoichi Takahashi that was serialized in Shonen Jump. It's often abbreviated as CapTsubasa. The series tells the story of Tsubasa Ozora, whose creed is "the ball is my friend," and other attractive characters such as Genzo Wakabayashi, Kojiro Hyuga, Misaki Taro, and Ishizaki Ryo, who grow up playing soccer. The serialization of Captain Tsubasa caused a soccer boom in Japan was the influence for many soccer players who currently play professionally. Popular foreign players, such Zidane and Neymar, say they started playing football after being influenced by Captain Tsubasa. It contributed enormously to the increase in soccer's population, which was previously quite small in Japan. The series ended once, but restarted as the popularity of soccer had risen due to the start of the J League. There are sequels which take place in countries overseas, like ‘World Youth Ver.’ And ‘Rising Sun.’ ‘Captain Tsubasa Magazine,’ a magazine entirely about Captain Tsubasa, is currently being sold as well. In addition, there are futsal courts called Captain Tsubasa Stadium in places like Yokohama and Tokyo, and they're very popular among children. Summary of Captain Tsubasa's Latest Appearance Source :YouTube screenshot ‘PS4/Nintendo Switch 「Captain Tsubasa RISE OF NEW CHAMPIONS」First Trailer,’ created by ‘876TV,’ is a video introducing a high-quality Captain Tsubasa soccer game. It's the first (non-mobile) Captain Tsubasa game in about 10 years so it's grabbing the attention of many fans. It's a refreshing game where you can enjoy making incredible, action-packed plays. Check it out if you’re interested! As for smartphone games, there's ‘Captain Tsubasa ZERO Score! Miracle Shoot’ and ‘Captain Tsubasa Fight! Dream Team’, so don’t forget to check those out as well!

Introducing ‘One Piece World Seeker’ This video, titled ‘One Piece World Seeker – Opening Cinematic Trailer | PS4’, was published by ‘PlayStation’ and is a promotional movie for the new game ‘One Piece World Seeker’ which launched in 2019, and is based on the famous manga/anime series One Piece. A large number of popular characters from One Piece are included, and adventure around the in-game world. Seeing as the platform it was released on was the PlayStation 4, the graphics are amazing, and by watching the video, you'll want to give the game a go as well. In this article, we’ll go into some of the details regarding ‘One Piece World Seeker'. What is the popular manga series 'One Piece' all about? Source :YouTube screenshot One Piece is an adventure manga serialized in weekly Shonen Jump by Shueisha, since 1997. As of April 2020, the latest issue is the 96th, and an impressive 470 million paperback copies have been sold in total. The story depicts the nautical adventure romance of the protagonist Monkey D. Luffy travelling around the world to discover the legendary treasure- a single gold piece (a.k.a. One Piece). Friendships and emotional scenes that lead to deep character development with other characters like Zoro Roronoa, and Nami are part of what makes One Piece a great series. It is extremely popular overseas as well, and it has been recognized as ‘the comic book with the most issues published by a single author’ by the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2019, ‘Stampede’, the latest One Piece movie, was shown. The Japanese rock band ‘WANIMA’ played the theme song, and the best voice actors were gathered for it. It is a truly great movie with appearances from countless popular characters from past series'. As of March 2020, it topped 10 billion yen (~$92.7m USD) in box offices worldwide. The newest addition to the One Piece Series- ‘One Piece World Seeker’ Source :YouTube screenshot So what is the latest One Piece videogame, ‘One Piece World Seeker’? ‘One Piece World Seeker’, introduced in the video, is a game launched in 2019 from Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is based on an original story featuring newly-designed characters by Eiichiro Oda, making it irresistible for fans of the series. ‘One Piece World Seeker’ uses the open-world setting where players can adventure around the world freely and put themselves in the shoes of the protagonist Luffy. The refined graphics of the PS4 add to the excitement of adventuring around the world of One Piece. Source :YouTube screenshot In ‘One Piece World Seeker’, players can experience ‘Dramatic open world Action’, while adventuring around as Luffy. In battle, players utilize ‘Luffy Actions’, such as Gomu Gomu no Bazooka, to overwhelm enemies. Skills are easy to use, so anyone, from children to adults, can enjoy this game. In addition, DLC, which adds various episodes to the game, is now available, and you can enjoy the game even after finishing the main storyline. You can check out some of the popular characters in the video, such as Brook from 0:27, Nami from 0:32, and Zoro from 1:46. The newly-released One Piece game in 2020, ‘Pirate Warriors 4’, is another highly rated game from the series and has skyrocketed in popularity. ‘One Piece World Seeker’ wrapped up Source :YouTube screenshot ‘One Piece World Seeker – Opening Cinematic Trailer | PS4’ published by ‘PlayStation’ is a video introducing 'One Piecce World Seeker', one of the latest games from the popular One Piece franchise. It is an open-world game, where you can adventure to your hearts content. Anyone, especially One Piece fans, can enjoy this game!

Virtual Influencers This video, titled "A Virtual Influencer With 1.6 Million Followers!," is a video that introduces virtual influencers, a hot topic as of late. Have you ever heard of a "virtual influencer"? A blogger or YouTuber who has many followers, and therefore, a lot of influential power, is referred to as an "influencer." Currently, there are virtual influencers with more than 1.6 million followers on Instagram. These CG virtual influencers, who are currently attracting attention worldwide, are being used to spread information online. Popular Virtual YouTubers such as the Japanese Kizuna Ai (an anime-style virtual character) are gaining popularity. In this article, we'll talk about some of these characters, who are also referred to as "virtual humans" and "virtual dolls." These virtual characters are an inexpensive and more appealing way to advertise compared to conventional mass media, and are being utilized by various companies including fashion brands. The World's First Virtual Influencer Modeling Agency Set up in Japan Source :YouTube screenshot These virtual influencers, fictitious characters created using 3D computer graphics, regularly post pictures of their daily life on social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, as well as modelling, singing, and dancing. Virtual characters are used by various companies to model apparel and cosmetics, and are proving to be a very effective means of advertising. The virtual modeling agency featured in this video works with the second hand clothing retailer "yutori." The modeling agency is VIM (previously YYZ). They're introduced at 0:24 in the video. From 0:32, you can see one of their realistic virtual models modelling an outfit of second hand clothing. The two models introduced in the video are called Aoi Prism (葵プリズム) and uca. Both are Japanese style virtual models. From 0:39, fashion director Soudai Yamaguchi (山口壮大, yamaguchisoudai) talks about how a high level of 3D computer graphics can be used to create a virtual model that rivals an actual model with little difference in how their daily life and work are portrayed on screen to viewers. How Virtual Influencers Are Created Source :YouTube screenshot From 1:09 in the video, VIM representative Takanori Kataishi (片石貴展, kataishitakanori) is questioned about the creation of their virtual models. Unfortunately, he couldn't go into details on how the models were created as it's a company secret. However, from looking at the video it's clear that they are created using fairly high level computer graphics. Summary of Virtual Influencers Source :YouTube screenshot Although their use is fairly limited at the moment, it's expected that these virtual influencers will play an active role Japan in the future. Every day new virtual influencers are being born; for example the first ever virtual celebrity Hiro Mizushima (水嶋ヒロ, mizushimahiro) and other popular virtual influencers on SNS such as "imma" and Liam Nikuro (二クロ・リアム, nikuroriamu). Be sure to check out these characters online when you have the chance!