Although it’s not necessarily wrong to call Tokyo’s Akihabara neighborhood the anime capital of Japan, that’s actually a little bit of a simplification. Akihabara isn’t only the place to get your hands on the latest animation, but also video games, idol music CDs, printed comics, and a whole array of audio and video electronics.

In other words, Akihabara isn’t just about anime, but about media, and several forms came together when one Twitter user took a photograph of otaku taking videos of another video of real people dressed as anime characters to promote a new movie.

The rest of the world still has a bit of a wait before it gets to see the Love Live! movie, but the first theatrical feature of Japan’s currently most passionately supported anime opened domestically last weekend. It’s a safe bet that Twitter user Awatsuki was pretty amped about this, considering that at the top of his Twitter page you’ll find a picture of Honoka Kosaka, the Love Live! character who seems to get the most publicity out of the franchise’s cast of teen idols.

Still, even he was taken aback by a recent display of enthusiasm by his fellow Love Livers (as fanatic fans of the series call themselves). Across the street from Akihabara Station sits the UDX Akihabara building, which features one of those giant video screens that urban Japan is so strongly associated with.

To celebrate the release of the Love Live! movie, the UDX screen showed a special message from the anime’s vocal cast, dressed in outfits similar to those worn by the anime’s nine main idols, along with a preview of the film.

Much of the modern anime industry is built on the repeatedly proven phenomena that the hardest of the hard-core fans will compulsively collect any merchandise or media related to their favorite show. This Love Live! ad was no exception, as it stopped passing otaku in their tracks and compelled them to pull out their phones or cameras to record the pre-recorded video.

Had any of them been able to tear their eyes away from the screen and look behind themselves, though, they might have noticed that Awatsuki had his camera pointed at them.

オタクがみんな動画取っててわろてる http://t.co/dzytAzDvz0

—
(あわ・ω・つき) (@awatuki) June 14, 2015

“All the otaku are recording video and I’m like LOL,” tweeted Awatsuki, and there’s definitely something chuckle-inducing about how they all seem to be standing at attention. Of course, given how compact cameras are these days, we wouldn’t be surprised if he snapped this photo with his right hand, while at the same time recording a copy of the Love Live! video for himself using another device in his left.

Source: Jin
Top photo: Twitter/Awatsuki (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert photos: Twitter/Awatsuki, Akiba Map, YouTube/tatsuyaps3

Origin: Just a photo of otaku taking video of video of people dressed like anime idols to promote movie
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Boys’ Love (BL) is a genre of fiction in Japan, usually taking the form of manga and anime, that depicts men in romantic relationships with one another. These homosexual stories are generally produced by and for women who want to fangirl over impossibly beautiful men getting frisky with each other.

Like with the maid cafes that cater to male otaku in Akihabara, it was only a matter of time until fictional fantasies started spilling over into the real world. My fellow reporter, Evie, and I went to visit a BL cafe near Otome Road in Ikebukuro, an area filled with stores catering to female otaku and fujoshi.

Entering the cafe we were greeted by our selection of young, eligible, and ostensibly gay hosts. However, here they’re not hosts, but students, and you are a new first year at the school. So you’ll have your dokyusei, or classmates of the same year, and of course your sempai (upperclassmen), who are there to notice the other guys rather than you. You can spend your time ordering food and drink from the special menu (from which you have to read the text exactly as it is with no mistakes), perusing the selection of BL manga on offer, and chatting with the boys. The whole time the boys are always interacting, touching each other, and generally giving you a nice bit of fanservice.

We decided to order the “fantasy coupling Pocky” from the menu where you get to choose two of the guys to enact a sexy scene using a piece of candy. We chose Haru and Hinata, and then were asked to come up with a setting for the special scene to take place. We went with the library, and the sempai stumbling upon his cute little kohai (underclassman) reading a naughty manga. The two of them soon got into character and brought the scene to life. Some bickering/flirting ensued and then, finally, their lips almost came together. It might look like they’re having a serious makeout session, but there was no actual lip-on-lip contact. Still, I have to say that the boys put on a great show.

As a long time fan of Boys’ Love manga, it was a great experience for me. At first I thought that trying to recreate the genre in real life would come off as fake and awkward, but the staff are in character at all times, and I was soon squeeing hard at their adorable antics. Evie, on the other hand, was a novice to the concept who, while aware that it existed, had never encountered any of the huge array of BL manga and other media that’s available. However, she said that the overall experience was very positive, the cafe had a nice atmosphere, and the staff were all really friendly. While she’s not sure if she’d go back herself she would definitely recommend it to others who want to do something interesting and different in Japan.

Despite not many of the staff speaking English, the place is apparently very popular with foreigners, and a whole group arrived just as we were leaving. It’s another one of those wacky things in Japan that has to be seen to be believed, but once you’re in there with everyone in character it all starts to seem quite normal. The place is an escape from everyday life where girls (and guys, too) can live out their daydreams for a few hours and a few thousand yen. However, when all is said and done, it is a fantasy, and we did have to return to the real world. While Evie seemed quite happy to be back to reality, I felt a little wistful, and I’ve vowed to go back soon – perhaps for one of their special themed events!

Cafe information
Ikebukuro Danshi BL Gakuen / 池袋男子ＢＬ学園
Address: Tokyo-to, Toshima-ku, Higashi Ikebukuro 3-9-13, Iwashita Building 2nd floor
東京都豊島区東池袋3-9-13 岩下ビル2F
Open weekdays 3 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Saturday noon-5 a.m., Sunday noon-10:30 p.m.
Website

Video, photos © RocketNews24

Origin: We get lost in a world of steamy boy-on-boy fantasies at Ikebukuro’s BL cafe
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Last weekend the inaugural CharaExpo, a celebration of Japanese animation, comics, and video games, was held in Singapore. The event hosted artists, musicians, and voice actors, plus independent dojinshi producers and cosplayers, and also had an array of exhibit booths from a variety of game and anime companies.

At one booth, fans could take photos with some of the characters from Touken Ranbu, the computer game that’s been winning the heart of female otaku for the way it turns historical Japanese swords into handsome young samurai hotties. But while taking a picture with a flesh-and-blood celebrity crush means he might affectionately put an arm around you as you smile for the camera, you can’t ask a cardboard cutout to do the same. However, one attendee has shown that with a little creativity you can take a photo that makes it look like you’re in the passionate embrace of your inanimate anime crush.

While checking out all there was to see at CharacExpo, Twitter user gk_reiko was drawn in by the dashing sight of the clean-cut Mikatzuki Munechika and wild Kogitsunemaru, two particularly popular members of Touken Ranbu’s extensive cast.

As a fan, gk_reiko know she had to stop for a picture. Instead of standing sheepishly in front of the samurai and flashing a peace sign, though, she decided to get a little more creative and a lot closer to the pair.

キャラエキスポで起きている小さなブームに乗った笑 http://t.co/YYdW4jijiy

—
reiko@チェインバーとレドは俺の嫁 (@gk_reiko) June 21, 2015

In their official portraits, both characters have one arm hanging limp at their side. By positioning her body in front of the limb to block it, then twisting her own inside arm around to the opposite side of her head, gk_reiko creates the illusion that the two samurai, filled with protective affection, have pulled her to their breast.

The results are actually pretty convincing, producing an impressive 3-D effect. Still, the Touken Ranbu fan isn’t 100-percent satisfied with how the shots came out. Delicate as Munechika’s and Kogitsunemaru’s features may be, gk_reiko’s watch and bracelet, and especially her nail polish, give away the secret that the hand actually belongs to a woman. “If I’d have used a glove, the pictures would look even more realistic,” she laments, but really, there’s no need for her to be so hard on herself. She can always try again at next year’s CharaExpo, and as the summer anime convention season shifts into high gear, we’re sure we’ll see plenty of other fans building on her early success with similar shots of their own.

Source: Twitter/@gk_reiko
Top image: Wikia, Twitter/@gk_reiko (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Wikia (1, 2), Twitter/@gk_reiko (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Fan shows how to snap a picture of you and your 2-D crush sharing a passionate embrace
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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It’s kind of ironic that even though director Hayao Miyazaki regularly expresses his distaste towards obsessive fandom, fans obsess over his films like no one else’s. And it’s not just anime loyalists, either, who find watching his works to be a life-changing experience, since they’ve also won the hearts of millions who just love animation or strong filmmaking in general.

There even seems to be a sizeable overlap between people who admire Miyazaki’s movies and body art. So while the anime legend himself might not personally approve, today we’re taking a look at a collection of impressive Studio Ghibli-inspired tattoos.

When you’re dealing with Ghibli imagery, it doesn’t get any more iconic that Totoro, so let’s start off with a tattoo of the big guy himself, accompanied by Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’s Teto, Princess Mononoke’s kodama, the susuwatari soot spirits from My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle’s Calcifer, the only Ghibli character seen here who can talk.

Totoro makes another appearance here, framed by black cat Jiji, fish-girl Ponyo and dragon boy Haku, who we’re glad to see alive and well.

▼ Jiji shows up again, looking just a little surprised on a moonlit delivery ride along with little witch Kiki.

Jiji’s not the only cool cat in the Ghibli pantheon, though. There’s also the Cat Bus, seen here holding what we’re guessing is Totoro’s bus pass.

Going from a cat with extra legs to a pig with mechanical wings, here’s Porco, the Crimson Pig himself, looking just like he did in Porco Rosso.

The artist for this tattoo also did an admirable job matching Sosuke to his design from Ponyo.

With so many memorable, landmark pieces of animation in the Studio Ghibli library, many fans end up using a large patch of their bodies as the canvas for representing their favorite characters and scenes.

▼ It took all the way from the shoulder to the wrist, but we count no fewer than seven films referenced here.

Still, if you’re dead-set on going with a solitary figure to represent your love of Ghibli, it’s hard to argue against this choice.

That’s true devotion right there, even if the owner might want to cover it up should he ever get the chance to meet his idol in person.

Source: Curazy
Top image: Instagram/_planetkurth_

Origin: Hayao Miyazaki may be retired, but these Studio Ghibli tattoos will last forever 【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Video games designed to provide some titillation are nothing new in Japan. As a matter of fact, developers have been trying to include a little naughty excitement in titles for so long that the feature has begun to evolve and become streamlined in response to players’ needs and desires. For example, we recently looked at a game in which the designers thought to include a cycle by which the female characters change their panties to a new pair daily, much to the joy of realist perverts (and the chagrin of dirty underwear fetishists).

But while Japanese gamers have proven receptive to titles with a decidedly sexy angle, that doesn’t mean their parents are so accepting of their hobby. That’s why the upcoming PlayStation 4 game Gal Gun Double Peace includes not only more panty flashes than you can shake a stick at, but something called the Mom Just Walked In Screen to help spare players from getting caught in an embarrassing moment.

In the early days of light gun/rail shooter video games, the most common targets were uniformed soldiers from some hostile nation. As sensibilities changed during the 1990s and turn of the millennium, robots and zombies became common adversaries as well. But it wasn’t until Gal Gun came around in 2011 that there was a whole game structured around shooting schoolgirls. Don’t worry, though, the main character wasn’t pumping his anime-style classmates full of lead, but pheromones.

Gal Gun proved popular enough that developer Inti Creates and publisher Alchemist have created a sequel, Gal Gun Double Peace. The plot is basically the same as the first game: The main character, a high school student, is struck by an angel’s arrow, making him irresistible to women for exactly one day. However, if he doesn’t find his true love within that time, he’ll be alone forever once the arrow’s effect wears off, and so the race is on.

▼ In the game’s defense, even the preview video touts it as being “200 percent dumber than the original!”

Impeding the hero’s search for his soul mate are the hordes of other girls who are swarming him, and the player has to fend them off by firing pheromones at them until they go weak in the knees and stop chasing you (we’re guessing that getting rid of them by saying “Let’s just be friends” or showing them your closet full of pervy video games are features being saved for an eventual DLC pack). If you’re not quick enough on the trigger, possible outcomes include being handed a love letter, getting an unwanted hug and smooch, or being stepped on.

Along the way, you run into potential girlfriends and apprentice demons. Oh, and also at least one shapely butt…

…and a tentacle-y carrot monster.

Then there’s the man character’s special ability to see through walls, and also the girls’ clothes, which rewards him with their measurements and cup size.

But hey, you could make the argument that a fascination with the female body is perfectly healthy and normal for the young males of Gal Gun Double Peace’s target demographic, even if this isn’t necessarily the most normal way to scratch that itch. That said, it would still be a little awkward to have your mom walk in on you while you’re playing the game, which is why Inti Creates included the Mama Kita Gamen, or the Mom Just Walked In Screen.

For example, let’s say that the course of events have led you to a point where you’re about to get stepped on by a girl dressed in nothing but her bra, panties, and stockings.

But oh no! Someone’s coming!

No problem. Hit the button for the Mom Just Walked In Screen, and suddenly the on-screen image switches to this:

Instead of playing a brand-new sexy PlayStation 4 game, the Mom Just Walked In Screen puts up the front of what looks like an RPG from the tail-end of the 8-bit era. Those are even super deformed bitmapped versions of Gal Gun Double Peace’s primary cast of Hodai, Ekoro, Shinobu, and Maya. Just leave it on screen, put on a stoic expression like you’re plotting your next move until your mom leaves the room, and go back to firing phermones (you also might want to have an excuse in mind for when your mom asks why you’re sitting at home playing a 25-year-old game).

▼ Gun Gal Double Peace’s opening

Gal Gun Double Peace comes out for the PlayStation 4 on August 6. There’s also a PlayStation Vita version being released the same day, but gamers should be aware it lacks the Mom Just Walked In Screen, so if you choose the handheld version, you might want to play it literally close to the chest.

Source: Dengeki Online via Jin
Top image: YouTube/alchemistINFO, Gal Gun Double Peace official website (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Gal Gun Double Peace official website, YouTube/alchemistINFO, Gal Gun Double Peace official website (2)

Origin: Game with schoolgirls and pheromones goes pervy to innocent with the Mom Just Walked In button
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Are traditional bars a little too bland for you? Do you try to strike up conversations about anime with your fellow drink enthusiasts, only to get weird looks and asked to leave?

Well then you should check out Otarabo the anime bar! Not only does it have a large assortment of alcoholic beverages to enjoy, but it’s packed to the rafters with anime posters, figures, and toys. And best of all if you want to argue about Goku vs. Vegeta, or which Love Live! girl is the cutest, you’ll have plenty of inebriated otaku friends to discuss with.

Surprisingly, Otarabo isn’t located in Akihabara or even Tokyo; it’s in Oita Prefecture in Kyushu. If you want to know how to find it, just look for the place that looks like this:

▼ It’s kind of hard to miss.

Despite being advertised as an anime bar, Otarabo is much more than just that. It’s separated into three sections: Otarabo the anime bar, Wotameshi the anime diner, and Otakara the anime karaoke parlor.

▼ Here’s the entrance to Wotameshi, with about a hundred hostesses guiding you.

▼ But we were in the mood for a drink, so up the stairs to the bar we went.

▼ The entrance to the bar. Not as many posters as before…is this really an anime bar?

▼ Oh, yes. We’re in the right place.

We arrived just as the place opened at 7 p.m., so it was a bit of a surprise to see several people already there, drinking and happily chatting with the bartenders about everything going on in the anime world. Apparently one of the draws of the place is the knowledgeable staff, and lots of people show up alone just to chat with them.

▼ The bartenders here are not just eye-candy; they know their stuff. You know that obscure anime you saw that you thought no one else knows about? Yeah, they’ve already cosplayed as every character from it. Twice.

And of course, the whole time you’re ordering, waiting, sipping, and gossiping about the 2-D world, you’re surrounded by a nearly endless amount of anime figures and posters:

▼ There’s so much going on it’s easy to miss the flying Laboon whale in the upper-right, but now it’s all you can see.

▼ The proprietors claim that almost all of the figures are gifts they’ve received over the years from friends and customers. It’s sad that they’re still in denial at such a late stage.

▼ I think we’re going to have to card this one; she looks a little young.

▼ Yoko, come on. We’re trying to not be a seedy bar here.

▼ These poster-covered walls look familiar. They’re just like my room in high school. Okay, college. All right, fine, right now in my adult room as I write this.

▼ No surface is safe from Magical Girl Madoka figures.

▼ Just in case you thought turning around might give your anime-buzzed brain a break – nope! You’re surrounded, and you love it.

▼ Captain Levi inspects our alcoholic beverage. He stares silently in disapproval.

▼ Captain Levi inspects our Oolong Tea. He stares silently in disapproval.

▼ The bar also serves up some food which, well, we’ll let you figure out what Captain Levi thinks of it.

▼ And there are giant shelves filled with manga, mostly to be used as a reference to settle arguments between people claiming that Zoro owns a Saijo O Wazamono sword, when clearly he has only ever owned up to an O Wazamono-level sword. Pfft, amateurs.

▼ And the bathroom, which of course leaves no surface un-anime-ified.

▼ A real senpai doesn’t forget to spray when he’s finished!

▼ “See you next time! And if you’re hearing us talk, then you should probably get a taxi to take you home!”

So if you’re a fan of anime and drinking things, and you happen to find yourself in Oita Prefecture, you should definitely give Otarabo a visit. Your inner otaku will be quenched in more ways than one.

Bar Information
Otarabo / おたらぼ
Address: Oita-ken, Oita-shi, Chuomachi 2-9-12 Fujiya Bldg. 202
大分県大分市中央町2−9−12 不二家ビル202
Open 7:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. (Fri, Sat, days before holidays open until 5:00 a.m.)

Photos © RocketNews24

Origin: Anime bar Otarabo serves up drinks, passionate discussion about anime with fellow otaku
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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A while back, we took a look at the top 20 anime that fans want to be watching as they leave the mortal realm. But what if it’s not enough to spend the last moment of your life watching your favorite series?

Then maybe what you need is a way to express your love of Japanese animation from beyond the grave…and through the grave, for that matter, with an anime tombstone like the one this craftsman made.

Most graves in Japan are located on the grounds of a temple, but the gravestone itself is generally purchased off-site from a stonemason, many of whom specialize in that particular item. It might sound like a decidedly morbid line of work, but such stonemasons dot the Japanese commercial landscape. In front of workshops or sales offices you’ll usually find not only a collection of solemn samples, but also a few lighthearted pieces of stone statuary that show off the artists’ skills.

▼ For example, there’s a cute kitty just outside the door of this gravestone seller.

Twitter user and gravestone mason Hide was recently in the process of rotating out some of his display pieces. Among those he intended to toss was the stone pictured below, which featured some elegant marbling and smooth detailing around its incense holder.

But since he was going to be getting rid of it anyway, Hide decided to first have a little fun and make something truly unique: a gravestone decorated with the cast of smash-hit idol anime Love Live!

仕事終了！作業場の展示墓石処分する前にちょっと痛墓石的なの造って(彫って)みたw ちょっとの間作業場の前に展示しとこぉかな♪彫面に白入れてますw http://t.co/kArNaEHtDU

—
ひで (@t_hide3) July 04, 2015

Hide is pleased enough with his handiwork that he’s reconsidering his initial plan to throw out the gravestone, and muses that he might put it back in the display area for a while. He’s also coined the term itahakaishi, or “painfully nerdy gravestone,” adding to the crowing ita lexicon that also includes itasha cars, itachoko chocolates, and itaita snowboards.

While the Love Live! gravestone isn’t part of Hide’s normal product lineup, a certain amount of customization goes into every customer’s order, and as long as you’re willing to pay him for his work, we can’t imagine he’d turn down your request for an itahakaishi of your own. Just be aware that in Japan, gravestones are generally shared by all generations of the same family, so before you call Hide up, you might want to talk to your relatives and make sure you’re all fans of the same anime, and also ideally that you agree on who the best girl is.

Source: Jin
Top image: Twitter/@t_hide3 (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Totsuka Navi, Twitter/@t_hide3 (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Anime tombstone would let fans keep loving <em>Love Live!</em> even in death
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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If you’re an anime fan with a treasure trove of merchandise from your favorite shows, you probably take certain precautions to keep your collection looking nice. Putting DVDs or Blu-rays back in their cases when not in use is a no-brainer, as is storing manga and art books in a place where they’re not being bathed in color-fading direct sunlight. You may have even picked up a few advanced techniques, like turning anime T-shirts inside out before washing to extend the life of the print, or using thumb tacks with a large enough head to sandwich the edge of a poster against the wall so you don’t have to put a hole in the paper itself.

But what about the dirt and grime that anime character-shaped rubber keychains and straps accumulate though daily use? Actually, it turns out there’s a simple trick to get them looking like new, and it doesn’t involve any soap.

Rubber straps have become a pretty standard part of the product mix for popular anime franchises, and it’s not hard to see why. Usually priced at less than 1,000 yen (US$8), they’re affordable enough for budget-minded anime enthusiasts, yet cute enough to satisfy hard-core ones. Casual fans can appreciate the fact that they don’t take up much space and have a touch of practicality, while full-on otaku enjoy assembling a complete set, since rubber straps are usually released as a series of different characters or poses.

▼ Some vocaloid straps from Good Smile Company

But after spending enough time in your pocket or swinging from your bag, you’re going to end up with a thin layer of dirt, oil, and other unwanted substances on the rubber surface.

▼ No wonder this guy looks so depressed…

Don’t worry, though, because Twitter user Marutokidoki Onichan has an easy way to remove all of it.

ラバストの汚れ落としの方法 ①木工用ボンドをラバストの表面に塗る ②1日乾燥させる ③そっと剝がす ④終わり http://t.co/LdcVREKmr5

—
まるときどきおにーちゃん (@maru3_RA6) July 14, 2015

All you’ll need (aside from a dirty strap, of course) is some wood glue, the same kind you can get at just about any home center. Remove the cap from the bottle and slather on enough to completely cover the side of the strap you want to clean.

Next, you’re going to need to let that dry and sit for a day. While you’re waiting, feel free to park yourself on the couch and burn through a chunk of your anime-watching backlog, confident in the fact that you’re not being completely unproductive because you’re cleaning the strap.

As you might have guessed from its name, wood glue isn’t really designed to bond irreversibly with rubber. According to Marutokidoki Onichan, once 24 hours have passed and the wood glue has dried, you should be able to gently peel it off the strap, and when you do…

…it’ll take all the grime with it!

So there you have it, a simple and effective way to have your gear looking fresh for whatever anime events you’re planning to go to this summer. And really, when you’re in the middle of a packed convention hall, where inevitably a portion of the attendees will have been without a shower the whole weekend, you’ll be happy to have a small oasis of cleanliness in your spick-and-span strap.

Source: Jin
Top image: Twitter/@maru3_RA6 (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Good Smile Company, Twitter/@maru3_RA6

Origin: The clean otaku only needs one thing to remove grime from an anime keychain, and it’s not soap
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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There’s a pretty common male fantasy in Japan that goes like this: You’re sitting alone in your classroom at lunchtime, when suddenly, a cute female classmate walks up to you. With your heart fluttering and your stomach growling, you find out she’s ready to satisfy both, as she pulls out a bento lunch box filled with homemade goodies and, while smiling sweetly, asks if you’d eat lunch with her.

Now take that same scenario, but expand the cast from one girl to six. Even better, right?

Sure, at least until you find out that all six of your lady suitors have superpowers and violent streaks, like what happens to this unsuspecting guy in the craziest soda ad we’ve seen in quite a while.

The key to success in the Japanese snack and soft drink sector is to be constantly changing up your product lineup. After all, you’ve got to keep hitting your customers’ taste buds with fresh flavors before boredom sets in and they get tired of your barley soda and sushi-flavored potato chips.

Of course, different flavors call for different ads, and while you’re at it, you may as well get some new celebrity spokespeople, right? So while Kirin Beverage enlisted Dragon Ball’s Goku and Frieza to help sell their orange and grape flavors of Mets soda, they decided go with more feminine on-camera talent for the new zero-calorie lychee Mets.

Starring in the ad are the ladies of Dempagumi.inc, a six-member idol unit who’re all self-professed otaku.

Dempagumi.inc has arguably won as many fans for their pretty smiles and sunny personalities as they have for their musical skills, so there are probably plenty of guys who’d be happy to hear them excitedly call out to him with “Senpai (upperclassman)!” Still, these girls seem like they might be just a little too enthusiastic seeing as how they’re climbing in through the classroom window instead of sing the door.

As it turns out, “enthusiastic” doesn’t even begin to do justice to the gusto they show in their race to be the first to reach their collective crush.

Pandemonium breaks out as the six sailor-suited singers burst into the classroom, with some of them flying straight towards the young man and one girl going Bo Jackson on the chalkboard by running across it.

They’re not just competing with their legs, though, but with their fists, too, as they start brawling between the desks.

▼ Dempagumi.inc leader Risa Aizawa proves her old-school otaku cred by channeling Sukeban Deka’s Saki.

Of course, trying to pummel your romantic rivals with a boxed lunch or a love letter means that they’re going to get pretty messed up in the process. Mirin Furukawa, though, decides she doesn’t need any such props to show her feelings, and seizes the chance to go in for a full-power kabe-don, a maneuver it turns out she’s a little too good at.

And if you’re willing to face the truth that the girls of Dempagumi.inc are not, in fact, actually able to fly through the air and destroy building with their bare hands, this video shows how the ad was made.

But is the ad really as out of control as it seems? Let’s take a look at the lyrics of the song that plas throughout and see if they can provide some sort of context.

You can be anything you wanna!
We want Mets!
We’re the funky spunky younger generation!
We want Mets!
Get the boys! Get the girls!
We want Mets!
We’re the funky spunky younger generation!
We want Mets!
Get the boys! Get the girls!

Nope, not a drop. Still, what the ad lacks in meaning it more than makes up for in energy. All the same, though, we think that if we were in his position, we’d respond to these declarations of love in the exact same way as the guy in the ad.

▼ “Well, let’s start as friends, and see where things go from there.”

Source: YouTube/Kirin Beverage h/t Kotaku USA
Images: YouTube/Kirin Beverage

Origin: Pro: Six idols fighting over you! Con: They’re all super-powered and violent!! Soda ad: Crazy!!!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Being a good parent is a constant balancing act. Kids need a chance to prove that they can be responsible and independent, but it’s also important to set boundaries for them, which is why children have curfews.

Of course, there’s no point in putting rules in place without consequences for breaking them. One Japanese Twitter user was recently disappointed by her anime-loving daughter staying out past curfew, and decided to compel her to come home ASAP by placing the punishment where she knew it would hurt most: the posters of her daughter’s favorite animated heartthrob.

With the holiday of Umi no Hi on Monday, last weekend was a three-day weekend in Japan. Like a lot of people, Twitter user Nyaruko’s daughter decided to take advantage of her extra time off by going out with her friends on Sunday. But when her 10:30 p.m. curfew rolled around and she was still out, Nyaruko decided it was time for her daughter to either be home or be disciplined.

Wisely, the miffed mother judged that the punishment should be proportionate to the crime. After all, you lose all leverage in encouraging your disobeying kids to come home if they know their punishment has already topped out, and so Nyaruko chose a clever, time-based penalty, which she announced in a message to her daughter’s smartphone.

See, Nyaruko’s daughter is a big fan of bicycle racing anime Yowamushi Pedal, or at least the franchise’s handsome and haughty Jinpachi Todo.

As a matter of fact, she’s got a couple of posters of the character adorning the walls or her room. We don’t know if the young lady has a preference between the original manga’s artwork by Wataru Watanabe or the anime character designs from Takahiko Yoshida, but we’re fairly certain she’d take either one over the artistic stylings of her mother.

And yet…

…when Nyaruko’s daughter wasn’t home at 10:33, she decided to give Jinpachi a Hitler mustache, and then make good on her threat by posting a new picture every minute until her daughter walked in the front door.

Given how Japanese women generally feel about facial hair, Nyaruko’s daughter was predictably distraught over her anime crush’s makeover. And yet, her mom remained unmoved by her pleas for clemency.

Nyaruko isn’t actually as heartless as she was leading her daughter to believe, though. Instead of using a magic marker to scribble mustaches on the posters, she simply placed pieces of black tape on them, which could later be peeled off with no damage to the paper underneath. Still, we’re betting her daughter makes it home before curfew next weekend.

▼ Even if her mom was thoughtful enough to make the appropriate choice of a handlebar mustache for the beloved bicyclist.

Source: Twitter/Nyaruko
Top image: Twitter/Nyaruko (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Yowamushi Pedal official website, Twitter/Nyaruko (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: How to get your anime-loving kids to come home before curfew: Attack their posters
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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In any industry, it’s important to keep innovating to stay one step ahead of your competitors. That’s true even for comic artist Okayado, whose stock-in-trade is sexy 2-D characters.

Okayado has been tapping a new market with his manga Monster Musume, also known as Everyday Life with Monster Girls, and its currently airing anime adaptation. As a true professional, though, Okayado knows that merchandising is the lifeblood of a successful franchise, and so he’s designed an anime girl pillowcase featuring Monster Musume’s female lead.

So far that’s par for the course for a hit among otaku, but what makes this pillowcase special is that it’s a shocking seven meters (23 feet) long!

Monster Musume’s basic framework isn’t particularly unique. Earnest but loveless everyteen Kimihito Kurusu’s ordinary life is suddenly interrupted by a series of hijinks, and when the dust clears, he finds himself living with a bevy of beautiful females. But what sets Okayado’s hit apart from countless other harem series is that all of Kimihito’s housemates are mythical beasts, or at least some hybrid of mythical beast and attractive anime girl.

The cast includes centaurs, harpies, and mermaids, but the girl with the most time in the spotlight is Miia, a creature from Greek legends called a lamiai. From the waist up, Miia looks like a human girl, but past her hips her body turns into that of a monstrous snake, which she likes to wrap around Kimihito while sleeping next to him.

▼ Preview for Monster Musume (Warning! Video contains ridiculously large monster breasts)

Seeking to capitalize on the series’ boost in popularity from its recent anime premiere, Okayado himself has penned new artwork for a Miia pillowcase. But rather than some tiny scaled-down version of the character, the pillowcase is life-sized, showing Miia in her full seven meters of scantily clad scaliness.

Ostensibly, the idea is to use a regular-sized pillow as Miia’s torso, then wrap the rest around yourself and sleep like Kimihito does.

▼ Comfy?

And no, for the record, we don’t really get what’s going on with Miia’s butt, although we’re sure the manga goes into minute detail about such anatomical matters.

This limited-edition piece of Monster Musume merchandise will be on sale at the upcoming Summer Comiket, which will be held in Tokyo from August 14 to 16. It’s obviously strictly for the series’ most loyal fan, as not only will it cost a cool 100,000 yen (US$800), its massive size means it’ll be incredibly difficult to hide when friends come over.

Sources: Monster Musume official website, Hachima Kiko, IT Media
Top image: Monster Musume official website (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: YouTube/TOHO Animation Channel, Monster Musume official website (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Are you a big enough otaku for a seven-meter (23-foot) Monster Girls anime pillowcase?
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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With the unrelenting flow of new animated series produced in Japan, the country’s hyper-otaku could always use some extra cash to pay for the latest and greatest anime goodies. To raise those funds, many superfans eventually cycle out the stuff they’re tired of by selling it online or to a retailer specializing in used items. On the other side of that equations, if you’re an anime fan, but not the hardest of the hardcore, you can pick up used Blu-rays and DVDs at attractive discounts from their original prices.

You can even find anime character figures for sale in the second-hand market, but there are a couple of things you’ll want to investigate before buying a used statuette. First, you’ll want to make sure it’s in good, scratch-free condition. Double-checking that it’s not a cheaply made knockoff is also a good idea.

But while doing your homework in important, there’s also one thing to remember after the deal is done and you’ve got your used figure sitting on your shelf: Whatever you do, don’t shine a black light on it.

If you’re reading this at work, be advised that things are going to get pretty gross from here on!

This cautionary public service announcement was brought to the attention of collectors by Japanese Twitter user SR Cobra P, who recently sent out the following tweet.

中古で買ったフィギュアにブラックライトは絶対当てるなよ！いいか、絶対だぞ！ http://t.co/DGoyEawAD5

—
SRコブラP (@mobamasuP) July 27, 2015

The included screen capture seems to be a comment section or forum from a website for figure fans, with the first post being from someone who recently sold a figure of his, but felt the need to add the following disclaimer:

“About the [Busou] Shinki figure I sold. If you shine a black light on it, some patches on its surface should light up, but I cut my hand with a craft knife. That’s all it is, so don’t make any strange assumptions.”

Some of the other users thought the figure reseller doth protest too much, though, as his comment triggered responses such as “Like anyone would believe that!” and “If someone licked the figure, the parts where he did will light up right away under a black light. The only problem with that method is you won’t be able to tell if it’s saliva or bukkake.”

Sort of like how having a waiter tell you not to touch a hot plate makes you want to touch it all the more, some of the other users found their curiosity irresistibly piqued, and began posting pictures of figures in the middle of a black light test. “My figure looks like this…no good?” asked the uploader of the following photo.

“No! No good at all!” came the vehement reply. Seriously, that looks way too fresh…”

But things were about to get grosser still, as the next image was accompanied with the description “By the way, this is how a figure that’s been bukkaked on looks like under a black light.”

You know, maybe there are some things you just shouldn’t ever buy used.

Source: Jin
Top image: Yahoo! Auctions Japan (edited byb RocketNews24)
Insert images: Twitter/@mobamasuP (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Here’s why you should never shine a black light on a used anime character figure
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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As our regular readers know, RocketNews24 has been closely monitoring the unrest occurring in the Ukraine over the past year. With several journalists embedded on both sides of the conflict we have continued to bring you the most detailed coverage of this complex situation.

And now a shocking new revelation has come to light via a Twitter user. If the source is correct, this is an image of a Ukrainian soldier standing in front of a poster for the harem-comedic manga and anime Kiss X Sis. This could very well mean the Ukrainian forces have been receiving aid from otaku without UN Security Counsel approval.

“So this Ukrainian soldier has a Kiss X Sis poster hanging on the wall.”

このウクライナ兵Kiss sisのポスター貼ってんだけど… http://t.co/B53VFlEbrV

—
КУМАНОРІ/くまのり (@kumanori0108) July 30, 2015

Kiss X Sis is a long-running manga series which revolves around young Keita Suminoe and his twin stepsisters Ako and Riko. As they grow older the girls begin to have more romantic feelings toward their legally related sibling and zany Three’s Company-esque antics ensue.

Image: Amazon

It has been scientifically proven by my older brother, who used to repeatedly kick the crap out of me, that the presence of comics laden with sexual innuendo raise battle effectiveness by 27%. This makes the presence of Kiss X Sis a significant advantage for Ukrainian national forces.

However, if proven that the otaku have been supplying troops with said material without authorization, the global community may strike back in the form of sanctions. Even worse, this would not be seen favorably by the separatist Crimean Prosecutor General and object of otaku worship, Natalia Poklonskaya.

Not wanting to take any chances, the otaku community has been passing around this political football amongst their subcultures. A wotaku spokesperson said that they have been way too busy building Studio Ghibli set pieces in Minecraft to get involved in any civil conflicts this year. In closing the spokesperson alluded to the much maligned kimo-otaku or “gross otaku” faction, citing Kiss X Sis’s incestuous overtones, gratuitous panty-shots, and pee jokes as “all kinda gross when you think about it, isn’t it? Am I right?”

Image: Amazon

A kimo-otaku spokesperson vehemently denied the allegations stating that Kiss X Sis was “tame” compared to the stuff he was into, before dabbing at his oily face with an undersized and long neglected Pupa T-shirt.

In the end, no official charges were laid against the otaku as the circumstances behind the photo are unclear. Ukrainian solders have been known to form impromptu barracks in places like schools where that poster might have been previously hung. Even the person who tweeted the images could only speculate that the poster might have been sent by one of the soldiers’ family members as it was hung next to what appears to be children’s drawings.

Whether or not this is even a Ukrainian soldier is even in question. I’m inclined to believe it is though, as the Twitter user who posted it seems to know an awful lot about the conflict in the Ukraine based on their other tweets. You could almost say they’re a Ukraine conflict…otaku? Hmmm…

Source: Twitter via Hamusoku (Japanese)
Video: YouTube/Enjoykin

Origin: Photo reveals possible otaku support for Ukraine forces
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Even among otaku, those with a fondness for anime series Love Live! are known for being particularly obsessive. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration to say that the Love Livers, as the franchise’s fans are known, worship the show’s central characters.

And if that’s the case, one arcade figured, why not give fans a place where they can kneel down and make offerings to their anime idols?

Although Sega is best known as a video game publisher, the company is also the primary merchandiser for Love Live!, playing a similar role to the one it does for perennial anime hit Evangelion. Of course, with Sega’s long history and expertise in the game industry, these days you’ll often find arcades in Japan stuffed with Love Live! UFO catcher prizes and other promotional displays.

Twitter user @S1Amk recently stopped by one such arcade, where he came across a whole wall of Love Live! posters, featuring the anime’s cast wearing their costumes from this summer’s Love Live! The School Idol Movie theatrical feature. Given the franchise’s current popularity, the posters themselves aren’t such a shocking marketing blitz, but what was directly underneath them was a little more surprising.

なんかお供え物しながら土下座してるラブライバーいるんだけどｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ http://t.co/AvQhtsGf8K

—
しぃあ「夏、終わって。」 (@S1Amk) August 02, 2015

Spread out in front of the nine core Love Live! girls were a series of floor mats for those who felt the need to prostrate themselves in reverence. And just to make sure people knew exactly what the mats were for, diagrams were placed in front of them, emblazoned with text such as “My Goddess!”

When @S1Amk happened by, there was even a fan making use of the mats as he humbly offered a cake to Minami Kotori, his anime deity of choice.

That’s actually even more unusual than it looks, since there’s not really a custom of leaving offerings in front of posters of flesh-and-blood idols. Nonetheless, Love Live! fans are apparently a pious bunch, because when @S1Amk checked back later, he found a neatly lined-up row of candies and cookies, with one box for each animated songstress.

誰だよお供え物置いた奴ｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ http://t.co/MUXRNIZzts

—
しぃあ「夏、終わって。」 (@S1Amk) August 02, 2015

We’re pretty sure most of those goodies eventually ended up in the stomachs of the arcade’s employees. Knowing how passionate Love Livers are, though, we doubt anyone tried to collect the offerings until after closing time, by which time that the cake, which seems to be cream-heavy enough that it requires refrigeration, would have gone bad and been inedible.

Then again, since the fan clearly bought the cake for Minami, and no one else, maybe that was all part of his plan.

Source: Jin
Images: Twitter/@S1Amk (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Japanese arcade has floor pads so fans can kneel before, leave offerings to their anime crushes
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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For a country that’s ordinarily very concerned with not doing anything to shock or offend, Japan can be extremely open about its sexual tastes, in ways that manifest as both perfectly healthy and perfectly pervy. Japan is also pretty open and comfortable with its weakness for cute things, as you’ll often see adults of both genders sporting clothing or accessories bearing the image of popular children’s characters.

But what happens when you have both a sexy anime huggy pillow and a cute Disney stuffed animal in your bedroom, and you leave them alone for a while?

Japanese Twitter user Sasano is apparently a fan of Senran Kagura, the video game and anime franchise that’s as much about oversized breasts as it is the ninja girls they’re attached to. In particular, Sasano seems smitten with the character Haruka, a high school senior with both a sadistic streak and a sleepy expression.

A Haruka huggy pillow isn’t the only piece of cartoon memorabilia Sasano owns, as he’s also got a stuffed Winnie the Pooh. But while Haruka and Pooh take turns keeping Sasano company, apparently when it’s just the two animated characters all by themselves, they focus on easing each other’s loneliness instead, as he learned when he came home one day and walked in on this scene.

部屋に戻ったらお母さんが掃除したのかぬいぐるみがこの状態で置かれてた プー貴様ァーーーーーッ！！！ http://t.co/hakHYLx8NH

—
ささの (@sasano_y) August 01, 2015

“I don’t know if my mom straightened up my room while I was out or something,” Sasano tweeted, “but when I got back, I found the stuffed animal like this. Pooh, you bastard!”

There are a couple of things we can learn from this. First, if you’re old enough to have developed a healthy interest in the naked female form, you’re old enough to start cleaning your own room, or at least being a little more discreet about your fetishes if you still live with your parents.

Second, don’t leave Pooh Bear alone with your anime waifu if you’re not into the idea of an open relationship. That should actually be common sense, when you consider that his two defining characteristics are the fact that he’s always looking for honey and never wears pants.

Source: Wadai no Gazou Wakaru Site
Top image: Twitter/@sasano_y (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert image: Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus official website

Origin: Here’s why you shouldn’t leave your anime girl pillow alone with a frisky Winnie the Pooh
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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If you’re the outdoors type or athletically minded, summer might bring to mind trips to the beach or ballpark. But for anime and manga fans, summer means heading to Comic Market, also known as Comiket.

The country’s largest dojinshi (independently produced comics) convention will run from August 14 to 16 at Tokyo’s Big Sight. And while fun and passion are what draw the half-million-plus attendees, with so many people in one place it’s important for everyone to follow some basic rules of conduct, as explained in this English-subtitled video titled How to Survive Comic Market that follows one foreign otaku on his trek to the dojinshi paradise.

Japan has sort of a weird thing about providing translations on public service announcements about etiquette, as you’ll often see English text on posters about subway manners and before the start of movies in theaters (even when the feature is entirely in Japanese without any English subtitles). Nevertheless, Comiket has been attracting foreign attendees in increasing numbers, so it’s not entirely strange that How to Survive Comic Market has captions to help clue in viewers who don’t speak Japanese.

As the video starts, presenter Moe Tsurumi informs us that Comiket isn’t a free-for-all arena where anything goes in your quest to grab as much anime merch as you can.

On the contrary, she assures us that Comiket is “one of the most severe event[s] on the earth,” but then goes on to remind us that it’s also a “very attractive place.” In order to reconcile those two seemingly opposite ideas, she explains it’s important to follow some basic guidelines about how to behave at the convention.

We’re then introduced to our protagonist, Visitor.

▼ Seen here following the otaku dress code of a checked button-up shirt, jeans, backpack, glasses, headband, and a shiny layer of sweat.

Some of the rules, such as not driving to Comic Market (because parking can be hard to find near the venue) and not camping out on the street the night before the doors open probably weren’t part of most foreign attendees’ plans to begin with. The video also reminds guests to drink plenty of fluids, lest they suffer from dehydration and heat stroke, always concerns in the sweltering Japanese summer.

▼ Don’t end up like this otaku!

It’s also important to listen to the instructions of the staff members running crowd control, and to honor their standing request to not run. While Big Sight is not equipped with death rays (contrary to the video’s dramatization), sprinting to get to the next booth you want to check out can result in collisions and serious injuries.

And while a cosplay safari is half the fun of a day at Comiket…

…it’s considered good form to ask permission before snapping away with your camera, and upskirt shots are summarily prohibited.

▼ Again, death rays

Other tips include taking over holding the placard marking the end of a line as you join it and using small bills or exact change whenever possible in paying for purchases. The English subtitles also command attendees “When you buy, say quantities clear and loud…”

…but oddly enough, doesn’t seem interested in teaching viewers how to actually do that in Japanese. Because of that oversight, here’s a crash course in buying artwork (and if you’re a generous enough customer to buy more than three copies of an item, we think the seller will be more than happy enough even if you just hold up fingers to communicate how many you want).

● kore: this
● ichimai: one
● nimai: two
● sanmai: three
● zutsu: each

Primarily, though, the video wants visitors to remember to take care of their bodies during Comiket, and its producer, the in Jelly brand of nutritional supplement drinks, wants to be of help in that regard.

The video wraps up by proclaiming that it’s ready to help “Comiket warriors heading to the battle field,” and even when the fight is just for anime goodies, it’s good to know that you’ve got an ally.

Source, images: YouTube/Morinaga Seika

Origin: Foreign otaku stars in How to Survive Comiket instructional video
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Growing up, I spent many a weekend fighting traffic to drive into downtown L.A. or Orange County to check out the manga, magazines, and other publications imported from Japan at one of the area’s handful of Kinokuniya bookstore branches. But Southern California isn’t the only place where you’ll find fans of Japanese pop culture looking for a fix. Over the last few decades, anime and manga fandom has spread around the globe, and travelers to the Middle East are sometimes surprised to find that there’s a gigantic Kinokuniya branch in Dubai helping Arabic and expat otaku keep up to date on all their favorite series.

As the world’s largest mall in terms of total area, The Dubai Mall has enough space for some very unique tenants. Within its expansive confines you’ll find an aquarium, waterfall, and even the reassembled skeleton of a diplidocus longus dinosaur measuring 24 meters (79 feet) from nose to tail. But what some visitors are happiest to see is Book World by Kinokuniya, an arm of the Japanese chain operating in Dubai.

今日ドバイへ来た目的はここ紀伊國屋で本の注文。世界中の多岐に渡った分野の本がありものすごく大きい店舗。日本書籍コーナーはもちろん、ぬいぐるみやフィギュアのコーナー、OTAKUコーナーもあります。 http://t.co/dCvvHDwADF

—
はなもも (@hanamomoact) May 31, 2014

With 6,317 meters (68,000 square feet) of floor space, the Dubai Kinokuniya branch stocks Arabic, English, French, German, and Chinese printed works, in addition to Japanese ones, of course. There’s also enough room for a huge collection of anime merchandise, such as figures, models, and art books.

▼ Kan Colle and Gundam are both represented, of course.

｢うーわドバイに紀伊國屋書店あるよ｣って思ったら宝の山だった http://t.co/MGzPVKlH6M

—
クシャトリヤ@平常業務 (@otakkar20) July 30, 2015

▼ A Kuroko’s Basketball art collection for fans of bishonen b-ball in the U.A.E.

ドバイの紀伊国屋書店／(^o^)＼ http://t.co/MhsuepwbRQ

—
水波は天に召される (@mizu_nami) December 27, 2014

▼ The Titans have now advanced all the way to Dubai.

The most impressive pieces are displayed in a row of cases, although we have a hunch Mario and Street Fighter’s Ryu are bigger hits with the typical Kinokuniya customer than Wolverine.

ドバイモールの紀伊国屋書店はすっごいでかいです。日本の本やフィギュアも充実。なぜか刀までありました。 #ドバイ http://t.co/hHNcAPhc8M

—
飯島邦夫 (@asakusakumasan) June 17, 2015

And since Kinokuniya is first and foremost a bookstore, of course there’s plenty of manga to be found, including the two brightest stars of the current Japanese comic world.

ドバイモールの紀伊国屋書店に日本の漫画が沢山売ってました。 1DHS＝32円ぐらいなので一冊1200円乁( ˙ ω˙乁) イタリアの人もアニメで日本語を覚えたって言ってたな。 日本のアニメは世界的に有名なんだなと肌で実感した瞬間。 http://t.co/VXbu4UxB7x

—
バディ子♡ (@baddyko) May 10, 2015

Some visiting Japanese nationals no doubt have an acute case of sticker shock, however. The above collected volumes of One Piece are priced at 43 Emirati dirhams, while Higurashi When They Cry was selling for 56 dirhams, equivalent to roughly 1,460 and 1,900 yen, respectively. That makes manga at the Dubai Kinokuniya some three to four times more expensive that at the chain’s branches in Japan, and when you consider that Japan also has plenty of used book stores where you can pick up manga for as little as 100 yen, fans in Dubai are paying a hefty premium compared to their counterparts in manga’s country of origin.

Still, we’re sure the Dubai Mall Kinokuniya is a genuine oasis in the desert to Middle Eastern otaku.

▼ After all, it’s even got a section named for them.

Source: Togech, The Dubai Mall (1, 2)
Top image: Twitter/@hanamomoact, Twitter/@asakusakumasen (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Twitter/@hanamomoact, Twitter/@mizu_nami, Twitter/@baddyko

Origin: Otaku oasis of anime and manga discovered in the Dubai Mall 【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Japanese comics and cartoons, also well-known as manga, have long been considered an important aspect of Japanese culture. Those of your reading this article today will almost certainly be familiar with the likes of Naruto and One Piece, the kind of manga that are usually full-length works spanning multiple issues and telling one, over-arching story.

But there is another kind of manga that exists, one called called “yonkoma manga“, which is a comic-strip format and consists of just four panels…

Yonkoma manga has four panels and each panel plays a particular role. The first panel is called “ki (起)” and depicts the scene and story where characters are found. The second is called “sho (承)” and develops the story that the first panel presents. Next is “ten (転)” which brings the climax of story. The fourth and final panel is called “ketsu (結)” and provides the outcome as a result of the third panel.

Sazae-san, now perhaps known most for its family-friendly anime series, began life as such a manga.

Yonkoma manga tends to appear in newspapers

Yonkoma seems short compared to full-length mangas like Naruto and One Piece. However, though readers in the West will likely have seen them in their own countries before, there exists an even shorter, more direct form of manga: the “hitokoma manga“, which is just a single panel long.

He says “it has been a hour since you told me to hold a ball”

Hitokoma manga often makes use of caricatures to get their point across. The satirical comic magazine “The Japan Punch”, for example, which was begun by Charles Wirgman in 1862 and aimed at foreign residents in Japan, features plenty of caricature fun and has also built up a solid reputation among native Japanese over the years. Caricatures have been used in manga all over Japan ever since.

This caricature criticized the Japanese government who controlled journalists strictly.

Today, people have few opportunities to see such openly critical caricatures in Japan’s newspapers, but caricature still survives thanks to otaku culture!

Check out these one-panel comics satirising Japanese otaku life!

He eats ramen with idols…..or at least he likes to think so.

He insists that he would never support another idol group member (his “oshi”); rather he’s simply increasing the number of idols he shows support for.

He jumps to appeal to his oshi.

The idol, in turn, sees his marvellous jumping ability and is overwhelmed.

These images were drawn by Rin Kaname, also called “Perorin Sensei”, who belongs to idol group “Baseball Girls” – making her both an actual idol and an illustrator! You can check more images on her Twitter page, so be sure to check them out!

Hato ga Osu also provides the images called “Kyo Ota 100 Sen” which introduce a group of 100 imaginary hardcore otaku. The title, Kyo-ota, consists of two words: kyo and ota. Kyo means strong and ota is short for otaku, so kyo-ota describes “strong”, or hardcore, otaku.

Let’s take a look at just four of his otaku here:

This comic talks about “zaitaku”, otaku who never actually attend live concerts — and are despised by other otaku as a consequence. Here, one such zaitaku watches a live performance on his computer screen, seeing ‘true’ otaku holding up placards reading “Save the Zaitaku” and wishing them well as they sit at home being poor fans.

In this comic, two otaku find themselves unable to enter the concert venue because their path is blocked by a row of Starbucks cups. (Starbucks is considered by otaku to be the symbol of “cool people” in Japan, and something they would never associate with.)

This (now bearded) young man has been waiting his oshi (his favorite idol) to come out from the live-house to give her flowers, but alas she never comes. He becomes the new symbol of the area, like a modern day Hachiko statue, for people to meet their friends at.

Every otaku dreams of one day being an idol manager. Sadly, the dream never comes true for most, resulting in countless copies of “sad fairy tales” titled “I wanted to be a manager”.

Be sure to check out more of these hitokoma manga and level up to become a true kyo-ota!

Related links:

Rin Kaname Twitter: https://twitter.com/peroperorinko01
Baseball Girls official: http://area-promotion.jp/?p=789
Hato ga Osu Twitter: https://twitter.com/HatoOshi

More from Tokyo Girls’ Update:

• The 6 Colors of palet Merge to Shine Eternally in the MV for “All for One”!
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• Tokyo Girls’ Update Recommend: Our Favorite MVs for Songs Released July 2015

Origin: Satirical one-panel comics show how ridiculous idol otaku can sometimes be
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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A hashtag has been trending on Twitter in Japan recently that roughly translates as “the Comiket tips no one ever teaches you”. While a lot of the suggestions are tongue-in-cheek, there are actually some extremely useful tidbits hidden in there. People often say that Comiket is a battlefield, and it really is; thousands of otaku jostle for the chance to get their hands on limited-edition merch before it sells out, and if you’re not being crushed half to death like you’re on a rush hour train, you’re struggling to stay on your feet in the hours-long queues (here’s a bonus tip – portable folding chairs come in handy here). 

Summer Comiket truly is hell on earth, so Winter is recommended for newbies, but if you really insist on going this summer, we’ve got this handy guide to help you out.

1. (In)appropriate clothing

Make sure you have the right clothes, whether it’s for the scorching summer or the freezing winter. You’ll be doing a LOT of waiting around outside, starting with the queue just to get into the venue, which will take you on a circuit of the huge building before you even get close to the entrance. This very often means sunburn. Or rain. Or the freezing cold. 

▼ Seriously. So much queueing.

2. Sustenance

Bring snacks and drinks with you! The (in)famous FamilyMart by the station has now closed down, so you need to be prepared beforehand. If you don’t eat you’ll be in serious danger of collapsing and being carried out of the place in one of the many waiting stretchers before you’ve had a chance to purchase a single comic of questionable content. It’s not just water you need to stave off heatstroke in the summer, but you also need to replenish all that salt you’re losing to the hovering sweat cloud above the crowds. Sure, there are food stalls outside, but you’re not going to have time for that, and if you want to rest your feet during a proper sit-down lunch you’ll probably find the small selection of restaurants already full up or sold out. Snack bars and bottled water are an absolute must for anyone braving the battlefields.

3. Money, money, money

Change your 10,000 yen notes into 1,000 yen notes beforehand and be sure to have some 100-yen coins ready. It’ll make things much easier on the frazzled booth workers if you can pay them in exact change. Oh, and remember that Comiket is cash-based, so you won’t be able to rely on your credit card. On that note, always bring more money than you think you’ll need because you’re definitely going to see more stuff you want to grab.

4. Don’t be that guy

Apparently people don’t really camp out overnight to be first in line anymore, but that’s beside the point because it’s against the rules anyway. You can always take the first train of the morning if you’re desperate to be near the front, but make sure you’re ready for a race.

5. Don’t be stinky

This may seem like a ridiculous point to make, unfair even, but it can be a serious issue. When you have so many people crammed together in height of summer, things can start to get a little… ripe. So do your part and scrub up, use deodorant, and consider packing some of those cool (literally) body wipes to keep yourself fresh ‘n’ fragrant. We all pitch in, nobody’s nose has to get hurt.

6. How to lose friends and alienate people

Here’s a pro-tip for how to greet people if you’re having an offukai (offline meeting) – show them your Twitter profile and they’ll immediately know who you are! People who recognize you from online might talk to you without even introducing themselves, but it’s just what happens here. These days Comiket is basically Twitter IRL.

7. Think of the children

Don’t take out and read your war spoils (i.e. comics and merch) around the convention area or in the train. Many of them are, to put it mildly, unsuitable for younger audiences. Standard Comiket etiquette is to take plain bags and rucksacks with you so that you can hide your goods when it’s time to return to the real world full of normies.

While these tips will hopefully at least prepare you enough not to pass out as soon as you arrive, Comiket really has to be experienced for one to understand the true nature of the beast. Hopefully you’ll come out the other side of it a hardened veteran with a lighter wallet and plenty of goods to show off to your friends... until the next event comes around and something new is released. Good luck, comrades!

Source: Togetter
Photos © RocketNews24

Origin: Comiket for beginners: 7 tips for surviving Summer Comic Market
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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“Why did you come to Japan?”

It’s a simple question, and if you spend enough time here, you’re sure to be asked it countless times by Japanese people. In fact, Japan has a whole television show dedicated to asking foreigners this very question, called YOU wa Nani shi ni Nippon e?

For those of us who came for to learn a specific trade or study the language, or who are married to a Japanese spouse and/or have family in Japan, it usually isn’t a hard question to answer honestly. However, for those foreigners that were drawn to Japan’s shores through things like anime or manga, cosplay, robots, or schoolgirls, it can be a question that’s difficult to come up with a socially acceptable answer to.

Still, not all foreigners are ashamed of coming clean about some of the strange hobbies that brought them here, like one Polish Twitter user who is proud to be living out his some of his wildest dreams in good ol’ Nihon. After arriving in Japan, he was presented with the chance to act out one of his many perverted fantasies, leaving otaku on Twitter both amused and green with envy.

The Polish foreigner in question, who goes by the handle @OPERATORCHAN on Twitter, had no qualms letting the whole world know where his interests in Japan really lie.

▼ “Are you curious about why a Polish person like me began studying Japanese? Isn’t it obvious? It’s because I wanted to be able to read dojinshi (independently produced comics). By reading and studying dojinshi, I was able to learn in two years. It was the best and most fun way to study a foreign language. Japanese erotic books are the most fappable in the world.”

あ、このポーランド人の俺が日本語を学んだ理由気になるかい? 当然でしょう? 同人誌読めるようになりたかったからさ。 同人誌読んで勉強して、2年でやりました✌ 最高に楽しい外国語勉強でした。 さすがに日本のエロ本、シコリティ世界一だ。 http://t.co/yLn5mRwIFF

—
オペちゃん✭日本なう@日曜東エ-53a (@OPERATORCHAN) April 04, 2015

Also mentioning a penchant for black tights in subsequent tweets, the pervy Polishman, nicknamed Ope-chan, finally made his way over to Japan this week to, among other things, attend Comiket. Upon arrival he was greeted with a special tights party to welcome him to the Land of the Rising Sun, which he recapped on Twitter in all of its unique glory.

First some upskirt shots to get the party going.

オペちゃん絶叫してるwwww(^◇^;) http://t.co/HGCWiRJhjI

—
将軍@C88・3日目J-55a (@Shougun_NForce) August 12, 2015

【タイツワールド公式】オペちゃん@OPERATORCHAN とタイツパーティーその3。 http://t.co/awC6rodTJz

—
ぷりんす。＠16日・東エ-53a (@tightsworld) August 12, 2015

Care for some tea?

#叢雲のタイツで茶葉をこしたロシアンティーを飲んだ http://t.co/gtIRBfgVXJ

—
オペちゃん✭日本なう@日曜東エ-53a (@OPERATORCHAN) August 12, 2015

Each batch is brewed one cup at a time, each with its very own distinct flavor.

オペちゃん@OPERATORCHAN 、ついに村雲の蒸れたタイツで濾したロシアンティーをいただく。 http://t.co/BvLBj3IL6F

—
ぷりんす。＠16日・東エ-53a (@tightsworld) August 12, 2015

There’s also the special lemon variety.

#叢雲のタイツで茶葉をこしたロシアンティーが飲みたい http://t.co/kt53MKLB63

—
オペちゃん✭日本なう@日曜東エ-53a (@OPERATORCHAN) August 12, 2015

It wouldn’t be a party without a finale, like the tights totem pole, or maybe the panty pancake stack if you prefer.

@Shougun_NForce: オペちゃん(@OPERATORCHAN )、タイツトーテム・ポールに感動してるwwww http://t.co/m7XkqTEYbr

—
将軍@C88・3日目J-55a (@Shougun_NForce) August 12, 2015

We’re guessing it’s not the type of party that would be everyone’s cup of tea, but judging by the following tweets he posted, by the end of the night Ope-chan was one happy camper.

▼ “I could die of happiness right now.”

もう死んでいい

—
オペちゃん✭日本なう@日曜東エ-53a (@OPERATORCHAN) August 12, 2015

▼ “My life is complete.”

充実しました

—
オペちゃん✭日本なう@日曜東エ-53a (@OPERATORCHAN) August 12, 2015

▼ “Japan’s hospitality truly is the best in the world.”

日本のおもてなしやっぱり世界一だね

—
オペちゃん✭日本なう@日曜東エ-53a (@OPERATORCHAN) August 12, 2015

▼ “Thank you all for the tights party today.
All my Japanese has flown right out of my mind, and off to somewhere else.
First of all, I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks for this amazingly very black welcome party!
Right now I’m truly happy.
Thank you for this treasured souvenir.
Nice tights!!”

皆さん、今日のタイツ会お疲れ様です。 もう日本語が完全に頭からぶっ飛ばしてどっか行っちゃった とりあえず最高の黒色いっぱいの歓迎会を本当に心からありがとうございます! 今は本当に幸せだ 大事なお土産もありがとうね❤ ﾅｲｽﾀｲﾂ!! http://t.co/IaQD6Q6DLN

—
オペちゃん✭日本なう@日曜東エ-53a (@OPERATORCHAN) August 12, 2015

Even if his fantasies aren’t exactly conventional, as long as they’re not hurting anyone, we’re glad he was able to find some Japanese friends that share his interests. And although we’re not sure what else Ope-chan has planned during his trip, we wonder if he’ll be able to top his first night here.

That said, as welcoming as some of Japan’s subculture niches can be, his tweets don’t exactly portray him as a model company employee or boyfriend, so we recommend he avoid letting any future employers or love interests catch wind of his Twitter account if he eventually plans on staying in Japan for the long haul.

Source: Twitter/@OPERATORCHAN via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Twitter/@tightsworld

Origin: Polish visitor’s perverted otaku party goes viral on Twitter
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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