Do you love you anime crush enough to sit on his face?

You know an anime franchise has a loyal following when merchandisers start making pillows festooned with artwork of its individual characters. And while they’re called dakimakura, or “huggy pillows,” it doesn’t take a genius to deduce that a lot of dakimakura customers are buying theirs not for ordinary cuddling, but for a very special kind of grown-up hug.

Compared to more lascivious, relatively torso-shaped dakimakura, though, these cubic cushions, each featuring one of 12 handsome male cast members from samurai tale Hakuoki seem relatively chaste.

Made of soft urethane, they’re probably really comfortable, too. As a matter of fact, they’re so soft that the manufacturer claims that they’ll “make your dreams of drowning in your favorite character come true.”

However, things get a little stranger when you consider the size of the cubes. At 380 millimeters (15 inches) tall, they’re a little too bulky to use as throw cushions on a sofa. The Hakuoki cushions’ website seems to agree, showing a silhouetted woman with her legs folded underneath her, Japanese-style, in front of her 2-D crush.

But while it’s technically possible to use one of the items as a back rest, it seems doubtful that anyone would sit on the floor after buying a perfectly good cushion. And since the top surface of the cube, a 550-millimeter square, is too small to lay on top of, the only logical remaining option is to sit on the stoic samurai’s face.

▼ Place butt here.

And don’t worry, if you flip the cushion over, there’s a simple pattern on the other side. This will help protect the primary artwork from sun damage, and, should you have human company coming over, also allows you to hide any unsightly wear and tear the character’s face has suffered during…the normal use of the cushion.

Orders for the Hakuoki cushions, priced at 20,000-yen (US$168), can be placed here through the Premium Bandai website. Delivery is scheduled for December, at which point purchasers can “feel the happiness that comes from entrusting their body and soul to the character they love,” or at least from entrusting their backside to him.

Source: Premium Bandai
Images: Premium Bandai (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: New cushions let you achieve the dream of sitting on your anime crush’s face
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Sleeping next to your celebrity crush hug pillow not enough? Now you can peel his clothes off
• Want a bit of One Piece magic? This real-looking Devil Fruit is sure to set the right mood!
• Sailor Moon Silver Crystal magnet paper clip chalice helps maintain order in Moon Kingdom, desks
• Sailor Moon cookie charms look good enough to eat, but they’re for your bag, not your tummy
• Anime pillow responds to your rubbing with moans and groans, gets angry if you get too grabby

Giant anime boobs finally reach their inevitable and oddly comical ultimate extreme.

In general, anime boobs differ from their real-life counterparts in two key ways. First, and most obviously, they tend to grow far larger than reality would allow, But equally unrealistic is the way they seem unaffected by gravity, remaining undauntedly perky even without any bra to support them and rarely straining the muscles of the back despite their ponderous globosity.

But what if you kept up the first half of the anime boob fantasy but jettisoned the first? In other words, what if you literally gave anime characters breasts the size of their heads, but also gave them weight? “They wouldn’t even be able to stand up!” is the obvious answer, and that seems to be exactly what’s going on with Nipaishin, an upcoming line of anime merchandise from Yokohama-based design company Vorpal.

At first glance, the characters might seem to be drawn in the nitoshin, or “two-head scale,” style in which an anime character’s proportions are compacted so that the head and the rest of the body are the same size. “Nipaishin,” though, means “two-breast scale,” and the characters’ busts compose exactly half of their mass.

▼ As demonstrated by the Nipaishin brand’s disturbing marionette mascot, Paibo

In all honesty, the characters’ inability to stand probably isn’t a specific attempt to show how much their oversized breasts would weigh, but rather the result of just devoting as much artwork space as possible to the chest. Of course, where anime boobs are found, Kenichiro Takaki, creator of ninja action/boob-watching anime and video game franchise Senran Kagura, isn’t far behind. Takaki has thrown his weight behind the Nipaishin project, coming onboard as a special advisor. That’s only fitting, since six of the eight as-yet announced anime characters who are getting Nipaishin makeovers hail from Senran Kagura.

▼ Senran Kagura’s Asuka

▼ Homura

▼ Yumi

▼ Miyabi

▼ Kagura

▼ Naraku

Also represented are two characters from Takaki’s newest pet project, Valkyrie Drive, which is fitting, seeing as the anime and video game franchise has been a pioneer in the field of assigning weight to fictional breasts.

▼ Valkyrie Drive’s Rinka

▼ Ranka

In the near future, Vorpal plans to open an online shop to sell Nipaishin merchandise. A promotional mockup shows that the company hopes to offer keychains, pins, stickers, and ema (Shinto shrine wish boards).

It’s still uncertain, though, what specific products will be going on sale, as well as whether or not there will ever be an illustration of a Nipaishin girl standing up.

Source: IT Media, Nipaishin official website
Top image: Nipaishin official website (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Nipaishin official website (1, 2, 3) (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Japan now has anime girls with boobs so big they literally can’t stand up
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Just when you thought anime marketing couldn’t be any more bust-focused: character breast weights
• Anime ninja girl figurine takes it from behind, doesn’t seem to mind what “it” is
• Free Panties and the Scent of Ninja Boobs – Senran Kagura Merchandising Bounces Along
• Is boob-shaped controller a clever gag ad, pie in the sky dream, or the future of gaming? 【Video】
• These Disney princess live-action movie posters aren’t real but we’d pay for them anyway

When running a full marathon, you want to make sure you’re outfitted with the proper equipment, like supportive, well-cushioned athletic shoes, sunglasses to keep the glare out of your eyes, and, of course, a frilly anime magical girl skirt so you can cosplay as you run.

TV broadcasts of marathons are surprisingly popular in Japan. Of course, even those who’re of the mindset that an hours-long foot race makes for a boring spectator sport had their eyes drawn to last Sunday’s Kobe Marathon, which featured this entrant.

プリキュア、がんばれ！ #神戸マラソン！ #まさかの登場 #しっかりと鍛えてはる #声援を受けて激走 #来年も期待♡(´∀｀*)ｳﾌﾌ https://t.co/bRTSOMGw3A

—
✿あころฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ✿ (@akoro_aloha_s2_) November 15, 2015

Striding forward amongst the other runners dressed in shorts and tank tops, this flamboyant individual stood out by cosplaying as one of the magical girls from anime franchise Pretty Cure, or PreCure as it’s known to its fans. Most of those fans are elementary school girls, but, as sometimes happens, the series has also struck a chord with a slice of Japan’s hardcore anime otaku, of whom we’re assuming this guy is one.

▼ Or maybe he just really like the color blue.

テレビつけたら神戸マラソンでプリキュアが走ってた。 https://t.co/HeeMfh3JeS

—
すーぱーのい子 (@noizy) November 15, 2015

Despite his unorthodox attire, the man still clocked a respectable time of two hours, 42 minutes, and 23 seconds. That wasn’t enough to place among the top male finishers (the winning men’s time was two hours, 18 minutes, and one second), but it’s still well under the three-hour line that many marathon runners strive to break.

▼ It also would have been good enough for second place in the women’s division, if the race officials had decided to place the runner in the category his cosplay character would belong to.

神戸マラソンの女子トップと並走するプリキュアさんがじわる。 https://t.co/l0lbVVql5q

—
さ く ん ぬ . ✍ (@610_alb) November 15, 2015

神戸マラソンの先頭集団にプリキュアの人が！ https://t.co/rLKux4PrIp

—
花瓶とガビ～ン☆ (@ikicyann) November 15, 2015

This wasn’t the costumed competitor’s first time to dress up for the Kobe Marathon either. Last year he ran the race dressed as a different PreCure character, with a differently colored wig. His 2015 time was more than 15 minutes later than his last one, and with dozens of PreCure magical girls left to dress as, we imagine he’ll be cosplaying again in 2016.

▼ Besides, his outfit isn’t that much more colorful than some of the normal running gear.

プリキュアおじさん速い！！神戸マラソン https://t.co/SHtcxdJkFv

—
純 (@jun1143) November 15, 2015

Source: Kinisoku, Kobe Marathon 2015
Top image: Twitter/@jun1143

Origin: Athletic otaku runs marathon in impressive time while cosplaying as anime magical girl 【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• China’s “Most Beautiful Marathon Girl” wows the internet with her stunning bod! 【Photos】
• The Lord Jesus Christ Descends Upon 2012 Tokyo Marathon *NOW WITH VIDEO EVIDENCE*
• PreCure giant-headed doll effortlessly delivers your daily dose of WTF!?
• Thousands of marathon runners empty their bladders against Chinese government compound
• Four Freezing Freeza’s Appear at Hakone Ekiden Relay Marathon, Conquer All with Hijinks and Shenanigans

Will the fact that they’re perpetually soft boost or hinder sales?

Anime targeting female fans has plenty of boys with pretty faces, but Kyoto Animation’s Free! franchise is all about the bodies. The central cast of five high school boys are all shimmering specimens of lean muscle mass, and the fact that they’re all swim team members means that the animators have plenty of opportunities to show the teen athletes getting all wet and wheezy together, much to the delight of the Free! fujoshi fanbase.

The Free! TV series was popular enough to warrant a second season, and that it turn was so well-received that there’s a prequel movie, titled High Speed! –Free! Starting Days- set to premier on December 5.

As with all movies with a cult following, a selection of tie-in items will be offered for sale at theaters that are showing High Speed!.

Along with old standbys like posters and clear files, the merchandise mix also includes hair scrunchies and nail stickers, since High Speed! ticket buyers are expected to be overwhelmingly female.

Something else that’s been designed with female tastes in mind is the Swimsuit Cushion, modeled after the trunks worn by main character Haruka.

▼ Haruka, shown on the far right

Of course, the cushion isn’t flat like an empty pair of trunks. All three dimensions are accounted for, which means it’s actually shaped like Haruka’s crotch.

The little white mark at the top indicates that this is the front side of Haruka’s trunks, which makes the contours all the more evocative.

The 35 x 34-centimeter (13.8 by 13.4 -inch), 4,300-yen (US$36) Swimsuit Cushion will be offered for sale at participating theaters, and also through online retailer Froovie starting December 5. Initial reactions to the design have ranged from “I don’t know how you’re supposed to use this” to “I’m ready to bury my face right there!”

▼ It’s not like the franchise has ever been shy about its suggestive undertones.

It’s worth noting that High Speed!, being a prequel to Free!, is set during Haruka’s time in junior high school, which in Japan corresponds with the seventh through ninth grades. As such, that “swimsuit” cushion is ostensibly modeled after a boy of somewhere between the age 12 and 15, a fact that’s somewhat disturbing. The fact that it’s a pillow shaped like a set of disembodied hips remains extremely disturbing, regardless of the age of said body parts.

Source: IT Media
Top image: High Speed! –Free! Starting Days- official website (1, 2) (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: High Speed! –Free! Starting Days- official website (1, 2), YouTube/KyoaniChannel (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Japan now has anime character crotch pillows
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Prequel to swimming anime Free! gets a new manga this summer, manga gets a commercial right now
• Gotta catch em’ all, especially if they’re “Free!”
• Is boob-shaped controller a clever gag ad, pie in the sky dream, or the future of gaming? 【Video】
• Lonely kids at all-boys school in Kyoto create giant bra out of curtains for invisible breasts
• Fantastic fujoshi just wanna have fun, Japanese netizens say, “No!”

Does best girl taste best, too?

The intense competition in the Japanese snack market means that all sorts of different sweets are introduced or phased out every month. Kanroame, though, has been a consistent hit for decades, thanks to the hard candy’s unique sweetness with a touch of salty soy flavor.

But manufacturer Kanro is looking to change things up a bit with a new flavor of Kanroame: anime girl kiss.

Kanro is partnering with the producers of Girlfriend Beta to celebrate the third anniversary of the romance simulator and anime franchise. Thanks to the upcoming collaboration, soon you’ll be able to purchase Kanroame that’s specially flavored to recreate the flavor of an indirect kiss.

“Why not a direct kiss?” you might be asking, but the product’s website actually has kind of a sweet backstory for the doubly unusual flavor:

“Our newly developed Indirect Kiss’ flavor recreates the sensation of sharing a hot drink with a girl on cold day, with the two of you sipping from the same cup.”

▼ Each container of the special Kanroame features artwork of one of Girlfriend Beta’s cast members, with additional illustrated cards inside the tin.

Still, the flavor description is a little vague on specifics. Is that warm drink supposed to be green tea? Coffee? Cocoa? Lemonade with honey and oshiruko (a drink made with sweet red beans) are also popular wintertime beverages in Japan that are served warm. And just what differentiates the “indirect kiss” version of such drinks from their normal flavors? Is there an added pinch of salt to simulate a trace of sweat or saliva?

Then again, perhaps like with those boob-scented keychains that were released in Japan before, Kanro believes it has a lot of leeway regarding the exact flavor, stemming from the assumption that the expected user base of these kiss candies has limited experience with the real thing, direct or otherwise.

There’s also no word as to whether or not the candies taste different depending on which girl is on the package, but we’re guessing the placebo effect will be in full force for the series’ fans.

Source: Kanro
Top image: Kanro
Insert images: Girlfriend Beta anime official website, Kanro

Origin: Anime girlfriend kiss-flavored candy: The lonely otaku’s new favorite snack?
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Fans break confectioner’s website in scramble for “kiss-flavored” candies from dating sim hotties
• “Pepsi Ghost” brings a mysterious new flavor for Halloween in Japan
• Yes, Mountain Dew flavoured corn chips are a thing in Japan – and they taste…
• Kiss me~ Delicious edible lip gloss celebrating Barbie’s 55th birthday
• Salmon-flavored Puccho candy – disgusting or delightful? 【Taste test】

Which otaku quadrant do you fall into?

At some point, Japanese society needed a way to refer to its members who were extremely passionate about anime. Eventually, “otaku” was decided on, and the word has filled its role nicely for the past few decades.

But as popular culture continues to evolve, so too must language. Enthusiastic anime fandom now takes on many forms beyond the loner who isolates himself from the rest of the world as he spends every spare moment quietly consuming anime. That’s why marketing analyst Yohei Harada says it’s more accurate to think of Japanese animation fanatics as one of four classes of modern otaku.

In his new book, Shin Otaku Keizai (“New Otaku Economics”), Harada uses two parameters to divide the groups of new otaku, or “shin otaku” to use the completely Japanese term.

▼ Cover of Shin Otaku Keizai

Let’s take a look at the breakdown.

1. The barely surviving otaku (zanson gachiotaku)

This group represents what Harada considers to be the gradually disappearing, stereotypical otaku: someone whose deep love for anime is a result or cause of social isolation (or perhaps both), and who keeps his intense appreciation of the medium on the down-low. While there are still some people who fit this description, Harada asserts that many members of this demographic are evolving into one of the other three .

2. The hidden otaku (kakure otaku)

While he loves anime, the hidden otaku doesn’t wear his fandom on his sleeve, and keeps his otaku leanings and active social life as separate aspects of his identity.

3. The painful otaku (itaota)

Like the anime character-emblazoned cars called itasha, the itaota designation is derived from the Japanese word itai, or “painful,” implying that they’re somewhat painful to look at. The painful otaku isn’t shy about trumpeting his otaku-ness, but isn’t particularly inclined to participate in social interactions either. The guy or girl who trudges silently around Akihabara every weekend, with their only company the dozens of pins of their favorite anime character that they’ve attached to their bag, seems like someone who would fall into this group.

4. The reality-based otaku (riaju otaku)

Ria ju, literally “real type,” was originally a word coined by otaku in Japan to describe what they saw as their polar opposite: people who spent most of their free time interacting with other people, instead of focusing on the lives and stories of fictional characters. But Harada explains that nowadays, plenty of people are happy to spend time with both their 2-D and real-world friends.

As a matter of fact, Harada says that some of them make a point of being open with their otaku tastes, especially in their online personas. Doing so helps them open up new lines of communication and broaden their social networks, which in turn feeds into their enjoyment of those human-to-human connections.

While the names of these four groups may not have quite the stylish impact of iconic anime organizations like the Shinigami, Sailor Senshi, or Newtypes, Harada’s analysis highlights the changing relationship Japan has with its own works of animation, as well as why “nerd” doesn’t quote cover all the bases as a translation for “otaku.”

Special thanks to Rocketnews24 reader Carrot Glace for the tip!
Source: Confidence/Yahoo! News Japan, Oricon Biz Online
Top image: RocketNews24
Insert images: Amazon Japan, RocketNews24

Origin: The four new classes of modern otaku
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Five reasons nerds make great boyfriends: Japan’s geeky otaku list their pros
• Tekken Project’s ‘Summer Lesson’ VR demo now has an English-speaking girl
• Tekken producer explains virtual reality girl demo ‘Summer Lesson’
• Lone Wolf and Cub creator says being an otaku for life is wonderful, key to happiness in old age
• What’s the difference between a “good” otaku and a “bad” otaku?

Get your cosplay wig trimmed while you sip on some drinks at this “girls only” otaku cafe. Oh, and there will be a test! 

It has to be tough being a girl otaku. If you’re not being harassed by otaku males at events and or on websites with extremely skewed gender ratios, then you’re being dismissed as “not a real otaku” or “probably just someone’s girlfriend.”

But luckily one cafe in Japan understands that. Ataraxia Cafe, a new cafe that’s set to open in Osaka on December 26, will only be taking female otaku as customers. And yes, that’s “otaku” and not just “girls”—not only are boys not allowed to enter, in order to be served you have to become a member online by taking a short “otaku test” to prove your nerdiness. If you pass, you’re golden. If not, well then maybe you’d be better off going to Starbucks.

But why are they so exclusive? To answer that, let’s take a look at what Ataraxia Cafe offers:

▼ Free WiFi i is pretty standard these days, but they also have multiple outlets by every table too, making it easy to play games with friends.

▼ They also offer manga-drawing supplies and cosplay help such as wig trimming (see? We weren’t kidding), sewing machines, mannequins, and more—all for free.

As well as the above, there’s a huge list of rentable supplies and equipment, like straightening irons, hair dryers, laminators, scanners, latex gloves, and even a whole dressing room with mirrors. They have a huge collection of manga and dojin magazines, and you don’t have to worry about reading anything potentially embarrassing since everyone there is female and aged 18 or older.

▼ Yes, finally a place I can read all of my boys’ love in peace!

今日のファッションテーマ👗💕 『奥手でクヨクヨな女子オタク』 髪型三つ編みにしようとしたんだけど、ヘアゴム買ってなかったから出来なかった😳 #東京NOモーション http://t.co/6Lj81YgWzy

—
みっちゃん( 高橋みのり ) (@TokyoNM_minori) October 01, 2015

There’s currently not much of a menu available, just an all-you-can-drink “soft drink plan” for 1,580 yen (US$13) and a “premium drink plan” for 1,280 yen ($10.50). They website says they will have an alcohol and food menu available soon though, so there’s hope!

But remember, before you can indulge in any of that, you have to become a member. So do you think you have what it takes to get into the exclusive Ataraxia Cafe? Feel free to take their “otaku test” online right here. It’s all in Japanese, but here are some translations of a few questions so you can get a taste of what it’s like:

1. You often feel that you don’t have exciting conversations with “normal” people.
A. Strongly disagree
B. Disagree
C. Not sure
D. Agree
E. Strongly agree

6. You feel like you may transform into something else someday.
A. Strongly disagree
B. Disagree
C. Not sure
D. Agree
E. Strongly agree

9. You are willing to wake up super early and stand in extremely long lines to get event goods.
A. Strongly disagree
B. Disagree
C. Not sure
D. Agree
E. Strongly agree

10. It’s not weird to be married to a 2-D character.
A. Strongly disagree
B. Disagree
C. Not sure
D. Agree
E. Strongly agree

17. What would you like to order?
A. An omelet with rice
B. A hot chocolate
C. An imoto (younger sister)
D. A bunny
E. A maho shojo (magical girl)

Good luck, and if you’re interested in seeing more about Ataraxia Cafe, be sure to follow them on Twitter or visit their website… as long as you’re an 18+ female otaku, of course.

Cafe Information
Name: Ataraxia Cafe
Open: Starting Dec. 26
Hours: 11 a.m. – 12:00 midnight
Address: 大阪府浪速区日本橋3丁目8番25号 光ムセンたまらんどビル 3F
Osaka-fu, Naniwa-ku, Nihonbashi 3-8-25, Hikari Musen Tamarando Bldg. 3F

Source: Ataraxia Cafe via Inside Games
Featured/top image: Ataraxia Cafe

Origin: “No boys allowed” New Japanese cafe caters exclusively to female otaku (and there’s a nerd test)
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Survey reveals that more than 70 percent of otaku would choose their hobby over love
• Unhinged Japanese boyband fan stalks “rival” on Twitter, demands they delete their account
• Eggs served with a side of biceps? Check out the Macho-Cafe opening next month in Tokyo
• You should visit Osaka’s first rescue cat cafe so I don’t have to
• Japan’s manga cafes allow you to play with cats, enjoy a hot spring bath, and even get a suntan!

Heading to Comiket 89? You may be in for a long wait…

Comiket 89 will take over Tokyo Big Sight in a matter of weeks, drawing half a million people eager to buy exclusive merchandise and support their favorite dōjin circles. The mass conglomeration of people in one area can mean one thing: lines. The Morinaga Candy company posted a video for this summer’s event giving useful advice so visitors could avoid heat stroke while waiting to get in.

Now those lines might be longer thanks to increased security concerns by police to prevent a terrorist attack. Police requested an increase in the event’s security measures. To comply with the request, visitors will have to submit to a baggage check and no hazardous materials, firearms, or swords that violate the Firearms and Sword Possession Control Law will be allowed. Personal belongings should not be left unattended, either.

Terror attacks in Paris and mass shootings in the U.S. have overtaken recent news reports. Japanese police arrested a 27-year-old South Korean man earlier this month on the suspicion that he placed a bomb in the bathroom of the Yasukuni shrine on November 27. The shrine memorializes Japanese war dead, including war criminals from World War II. The bomb detonated and blew a hole in the ceiling of the bathroom.

Comiket previously required a bag check at its Comiket 83 event in 2012 in the wake of threats targeting Kuroko’s Basketball dōjin events and the creator himself. Comiket cancelled all circles related to Kuroko’s Basketball and refunded the participating circle’s entrance fees. The Sankei Shimbun reported the event lost more than 10 million yen (about US$117,900) as a result.

The perpetrator of the Kuroko’s Basketball threats and blackmail was arrested in 2013.

[Via Kai-You]

More from Anime News Network:

• Psycho-Pass XBox One Game to Be Ported to PS4/Vita
• Live-Action Orange Film Tops Box Office with 312 Million Yen
• Bullet Girls 2 Announced for PS Vita With Teaser Video

Origin: Increased security measures could bode longer lines at Comiket
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• 27-year-old in Japan arrested for 3-D printed pistol, says he didn’t know it was illegal
• Police respond to explosion, suspected bombing at Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo
• Otaku generation gap – Fans in their teens, 20s, and 30s reveal what got them into anime
• Man shuts down Beijing airport after joke bombs with security officials
• Pair of Chinese men perfect the art of cosplay, steal hearts of fangirls everywhere

At some point we all let our fandom get the better of us…

I’m sure we’ve all stood in front of a 70-inch TV, tasteful neon beer sign or ridiculously expensive and enormous computer chair and tried to convince ourselves that it’d fit into our home without too much trouble. Often, our desire to own something big and shiny or items related to our favourite film, anime or video game series clouds our judgement somewhat, to the point that we end up making purchases that we know in our hearts we’ll regret almost immediately, but still we hand over our credit cards and tell ourselves it’ll all be fine.

Mistakes don’t come much bigger than the purchase Japanese Twitter user BMC recently made, however.

Posting a series of photos of not one but two positively enormous (we’re guessing life-size?) inflatable pokémon characters online, the pokéfan seemed tremendously excited by the arrival of their new inflatable friends, despite the fact that just one of them took up the entire room.

▼ “It came! My giant Dialga!”

うちに来ました超巨大ディアルガ！ https://t.co/bUg0TsQq0b

—
ＢＭＣ (@bmc_dragon) December 14, 2015

(Click the images to enlarge)

▼ “Lugia from the side”

ルギア、横から！ https://t.co/Nqd2LbSBlW

—
ＢＭＣ (@bmc_dragon) December 15, 2015

Yeah, those are going to make doing, well, pretty much anything in that one-room apartment difficult, BMC. Still, as long as you’re happy, buddy, that’s all that matters!

Source: Twitter/bmc_dragon; h/t Kotaku US
Screenshots: Twitter/bmc_dragon

Now read:

The RN24 Giant Bear Incident: Eight-foot-tall teddy twins appear in our office, steal our hearts

Origin: Another sensible Pokémon purchase…
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Chiba City to become Amazon drone delivery test zone
• Make (lots and lots of) room for this enormous new Taiko no Tatsujin controller from Hori
• Video of pick-up artist grabbing Japanese women on the street triggers online protests
• Hypnobirthing: A way to give birth without fear or pain that is gaining popularity in Japan
• We go hunting for a fast food venison burger and are not disappointed

The latest buxom anime girls to make our hearts skip a beat are now appearing on some of the most unusual merchandise we’ve ever seen.

Last month we introduced you to the line-up of breast-heavy characters known as “Nipaishin”. Drawn in a way that mimics nitoshin (two-head scale), where the body and head are equal in size, “Nipaishin” means “two-breast scale”, which gives the head and bustline equal attention. That means being weighed down by a pair of mammoth breasts of course, but that’s easily fixed by lying on your front, propping your head on them and waving your legs gleefully in the air.

▼ The freaky eyeless character at bottom left is actually Paibo, the mascot for the Nipaishin brand.

While it’s hard to tell them apart by breasts alone, if some of the faces look familiar, that’s because six out of eight of them are characters from the anime and video game franchise Senran Kagura. The remaining two are from Valkyrie Drive. You can see who’s who in the lineup of acrylic “figures” below.

▼ Clockwise, from top left: Asuka, Yumi, Miyabi, Naraku, Ranka (from Valkyrie Drive), Rinka (from Valkyrie Drive), Kagura, and Homura. The acrylic 2.5-D figures retail for 1,500 yen each (US$12.31).

▼ A range of keyrings also features the characters as we know them, along with their more buxom Nipaishin versions, for 1,000 yen each.

And in a strange twist, you can purchase an ema votive prayer tablet adorned with your favourite busty character for 1,500 yen each. Write your wish on the back, hang it at your local shrine and wait for your anime dreams to come true. Are the gods fond of giant boobs, do you think?

▼ Jangly tin accessories are available for 800 yen each.

And if you’d like to take your girl out with you on trains and buses, these stickers are designed to cover your regular Suica transport card, and look remarkably similar. Only now they’re called Paica, with the pai referring to, you guessed it, oppai, the Japanese word for breasts. You can pick one of these up for 900 yen.

If you’d like to get your hands on one these cute items, they’re currently available for purchase from the official site.

Source and Images: @Press

Origin: Nipaishin: anime girls with booby cushions are now gracing prayer tablets and travel cards
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Just when you thought anime marketing couldn’t be any more bust-focused: character breast weights
• Is boob-shaped controller a clever gag ad, pie in the sky dream, or the future of gaming? 【Video】
• REVIEW: Sony’s new tablet is thinner and lighter than the iPad Air, and Android fans will love it
• Cute miniature collection reveals the everyday items used by Sailor Moon cast
• 11 things Japanese women want men to know about their breasts

Where exactly should we draw the line between “figure” and “statue”?

Just because you don’t have space for a gigantic inflatable Pokémon doesn’t mean that you can’t show your passion for anime in an over-the-top way. Manga and anime publisher Shogakukan is here with a solution that’s a bit more compact, yet no more intense with a premium-priced life-size “figure,” as it insists on calling the 160-centimeter (five-foot, three-inch) tall piece of merchandise.

「ラムちゃん等身大フィギュア」の制作を手掛けるのは、数多くのキャラクターフィギュアの製作実績があり、そのハイクオリティな作品で知られる造形集団・秋山工房さん。現在、造形師の手によって原型を製作中！シルエットはほぼほぼ完成！ https://t.co/wQd5XoZ6u7

—
  (@lumfigure) November 24, 2015

Manga artist Rumiko Takahashi has churned out a number of hits in her decades-spanning career, each with at least a memorable heroine, such as Inu Yasha’s time-travelling schoolgirl Kagome, Maison Ikkoku’s young widow Kyoko, and One-Pound Gospel’s nun-in-training Sister Angela. Heck, Takahashi’s Ranma 1/2 had roughly a half-dozen lovely young ladies in its regular cast (although gentleman with taste only had eyes for okonomiyaki chef Ukyo).

But by far Takahashi’s most enduringly popular character is Lum, the alien princess from the artist’s breakout series Urusei Yatsura.

▼ Seen here in her regular outfit of a tiger-striped bikini and accompanied by her cherubic cousin Ten

Even though the Urusei Yatsura manga wrapped up in 1987, Lum remains one of Japan’s best-loved 2-D icons, and even now she’s in demand as a spokesperson for ramen, energy drinks, and fashion accessories. Her latest venture, though, is a 1:1-scale statue being sold through Shogakukan’s Pal Shop.

Preorders won’t be starting until mid-January, but a handful of preview pictures of the fiber-reinforced plastic figure have been released. Production is being limited to just 50 hand-made units, and is also being supervised by Takahashi herself to ensure the final product is a proper match for her character that has appeared in nearly 200 anime episodes and many more manga chapters.

While in-anime Lum can levitate, the statue will come with a steel base, autographed by Takahashi, no less. Finished versions will come pre-painted.

Shogakukan is running a promotion in which one lucky winner who follows the figure’s official Twitter account and retweets tweets with Lumpre (ラムプレ in Japanese), or who likes articles with Lumpre in the title on Facebook, will receive a stature free of charge. Otherwise, you’ll have to shell out one million yen (US$8,330) for it, which, mercifully, includes shipping.

Granted, for that same amount of money you could buy yourself a compact car, but really, if you love Lum that much, are you really going to go anywhere while she’s hanging out in your apartment?

Related: Life-size Lum figure website, Twitter, Facebook
Source: Comic Natalie
Top image: Pal Shop, Twitter/@lumfigure (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Twitter/@lumfigure, Comic Natalie, Pal Shop (edited by RocketNews24

Origin: Got $8,500 lying around? Then you could decorate your home with this life-sized anime girl figure
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Anime cosplay models encourage us to try a new energy drink, we happily comply
• Butt Bat Girl: Japan’s latest trick photography craze that combines sports anime with slapstick
• Goku as a gorgeous girl? Artist reimagines iconic manga’s male hero minus his Dragon Balls
• Move over itasha, here come itachoko – anime chocolates!
• “Don’t play for more than an hour a day”: Japanese video game master gives great advice

A new cafe for female otaku in Osaka says neither boys nor normies are allowed. Naturally, we had to check it out for ourselves! 

In the Nipponbashi area of Osaka, a place known to otaku as the Akihabara of Kansai, a new hang-out spot has opened up where female otaku can chill out and indulge their nerdy side—with no men allowed. Ataraxia Cafe opened on December 26 2015 and our reporter went to check it out.

Women in Japan can often feel a little shy about whipping out their doujinshi or cosplay magazines in public, so this establishment has been designed as a space where they don’t have to feel self-conscious about enjoying a hobby that is sometimes looked down upon or considered the pursuit of young men. Now anime-loving ladies can go shopping for the latest manga or doujin from their favourite circle then drop by the cafe to read it right away in a place where no one will judge them for it.

There are reasonably priced snacks and desserts on offer as well as an all-you-can-drink soft drink plan for just 1,580 yen (US $13), so you can easily spend the whole day there!

The addition of a workspace for creative types sets the cafe apart from your average manga-kissa (manga cafe). It’s a spacious area with four large work tables where you can draw manga, sew cosplay costumes, or work on other creative pursuits. It’s particularly good for those people living in tiny Japanese apartments whose floor space might equal the size of one of these tables.

Mannequins and busts are provided for styling wigs and fitting cosplay outfits.

Ataraxia Cafe is designed to be a home away from home for otaku women. Of course the staff are also all women, so it’s a safe environment free from the aggressiveness that can sometimes creep into male-dominated otaku spaces (I’m looking at you, Comiket day 3). You can read quietly or chat it up with your friends, and any lady with a nerdy side is always welcome. See below for info on how to find this otaku oasis.

Cafe information:
Name: Ataraxia cafe (アタラキシアカフェ)
Address: 大阪府大阪市浪速区日本橋3-8-25 光ムセンたまらんどビル3階
Hikari Musen Tamaland Building 3rd Floor
3-8-25 Nipponbashi, Naniwa-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu, 556-0005
Opening hours: 11:00 to 00:00
Website

▼ Here’s the building the cafe is located in.

▼ Look out for the cafe’s sign on the street.

Images © RocketNews24
Featured image: @ataraxiacafe on Twitter

Origin: No boys allowed! Take a look inside Japan’s first cafe for female otaku ONLY
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• A guide to Tokyo’s best cat cafés
• Bizarre otaku dancing catches on as Wotagei spreads around the world【Videos】
• “No boys allowed” New Japanese cafe caters exclusively to female otaku (and there’s a nerd test)
• Otaku assemblyman elected in Ōta-ku, Tokyo
• Star Village Cafe in Nagano Prefecture will have you dining amongst the stars

Comiket doesn’t have to cost you a fortune! Take a look at what you can pick up for just the price of entry—in other words, absolutely free.

The excitement and fervour of Comiket, Japan’s largest doujinshi convention, is dying down after Comiket 89 ran from December 29-31. The highs of getting their hands on limited edition doujinshi (amateur comics), art books, and wearable waifus is probably starting to wear off for otaku as they open their wallets to see only dust and the odd Yoshinoya receipt. Entry to Comiket is free, but the real cost of the event can run into the hundreds of thousands of yen for hardcore fans. 

But it’s perfectly possible to enjoy the event without spending a penny a yet still not come away empty-handed.

As well as the legions of fan artists who aren’t necessarily there to make a profit, there are also plenty of corporate booths who set up shop to promote their brands. If you can get to them—the company booth area is usually the most packed out—these booths give away plenty of promotional material for free. Our intrepid reporter braved the crowds to see what free goodies he could get his hands on.

Comic Pool comic / Ichijinsha

Ichijinsha is a manga publishing company responsible for magazines such as Monthly Comic Zero Sum and Comic Yuri Hime. This booklet contains six short 2-3 page manga episodes and seems to a print version taster of the web magazine they’ve launched in collaboration with pixiv, the social site for artists. Apparently the stories are funny and heartwarming, and worth the read.

Kuma Miko stickers / Marui

Companies are starting to cotton on to the incredible spending power of otaku, as evidenced by more and more companies unrelated to anime looking to get in on the action each year. This year saw department store Marui setting up a booth for the first time and collaborating with upcoming anime Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear set to air in April 2016.

Our reporter actually ventured to the Marui booth to buy the Osomatsu-kun New Year’s decoration which unfortunately had already sold out in a flash, but these cute stickers were a decent enough consolation prize.

Mikasa no Usui Hon comic/ MIKASA

No, unfortunately this isn’t a sexy book dedicated to Attack on Titan’s hottest heroine. MIKASA is also a sporting goods store, and why it’s deciding to advertize at Comiket of all places is a mystery. The comic contains articles such as “About Hiroshima” and “The Volleyball Manufacturing Process”, further adding to our confusion.

Dengeki Hacka Doll Mobage magazine / Hacka Doll x Mobage

Hacka Doll the Animation aired in Fall 2015. As an anime based on DeNA’s news app for iOS and Android devices viewers weren’t expecting much, but the short five-minute episodes turned out to be surprisingly funny and cute. This magazine contains features on Hacka Doll and Strike Witches plus an Idol Master onsen special and also comes with a poster, making it not unlike the monthly magazines that usually set fans back a few hundred yen.

NHK no Usui Hon comic / NHK

The NHK is Japan’s national public broadcaster, a staple part of many Japanese people’s viewing habits, and an annoyance when they come around badgering you to pay your license fee. This is their second year at Comiket, and you could pick up this comic by answering the questionnaire at their booth. It contains a special on Nintama Rantarō, which has been running on NHK since 1993, as well as other manga and features.

—

These are just a selection of the free comics you can get your hands on if you’re willing to brave the crowds in the corporate booth section. Amateur circles also sometimes give away freebies, so check their websites and Twitter before you go and you could come away with a bag of swag without spending a single yen!

Photos © RocketNews24

Origin: Which corporate booths wooed otaku with the best Comiket freebies?
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Tokyo train station and convenience store roll out otaku welcome for Comiket attendees 【Photos】
• No boys allowed! Take a look inside Japan’s first cafe for female otaku ONLY
• Japanese Twitter user reveals why taxi drivers flock to Big Sight during Comiket
• The cosplay of Comiket 88: Sailor Moon, Splatoon, Love Live! and more【Photos】
• Otaku assemblyman elected in Ōta-ku, Tokyo

With 60 items for just 1,000 yen (US$8.35), Animate’s lucky bag might just be the luckiest of all.

At New Year’s, almost every major retailer in Japan sells “lucky bags,” which are bundles of merchandise bought sight-unseen. While it might seem a little strange to buy something without knowing what it is, the unspoken understanding is that the price you pay for the whole bag is supposed to be less than the total individual costs of the items inside, so bargain hunters with a general liking of a particular store’s wares are keen to pick up one of that shop’s lucky bags every year.

While some lucky bags can be pretty expensive, Animate, Japan’s premiere anime retailer, has budget-friendly ones that cost just 1,000 yen (US$8.35), so we decided to swing by the chain’s branch in the Ikebukuro neighborhood of Tokyo to get one for ourselves. Since we heard that Animate’s lucky bags are big sellers, we decided to arrive early, and strolled up to the shop at 8 a.m., two hours before it opens.

Literally 100 other people had the same idea, and by 10 a.m. another hundred anime fans had lined up behind us.

Thankfully, there were enough lucky bags to go around. Considering how affordable Animate’s are, we were expecting a pretty tiny package, but the store’s lucky bags turned out to be startlingly enormous!

It was also heavy, being laden with what was obviously way more than 1,000 yen worth of goodies. After lugging the bag back to RocketNews24 HQ in Shinjuku, we emptied its contents, which covered an entire desk.

We counted them up, and found our Animate lucky bag haul amounted to a whopping 60 items. So what were they? Make yourself comfortable as we go through the list.

▼ Steins;Gate plushie (which looked as surprised to see us as we were to see her)

▼ Boyfriend (Beta) clear file set

▼ Super-deformed Sailor Jupiter School Life figure

▼ Two Boyfriend (Beta) metal charms

▼ Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha rubber key chain (which we know just how to keep clean)

▼ 12 Sengoku Muso (known as Samurai Warriors in the west) microfiber towels

▼ Brother’s Conflict fingernail polisher

▼ Oversized Brother’s Conflict key chain

▼ Hakuoki/Hello Kitty crossover magnet

▼ Jumbo Boyfriend (Beta) strap

▼ Dramatical Murder pen

▼ Eight Hakuoki metal charms

▼ Six Haikyu!! straps

▼ Sailor Jupiter pen

▼ Three SD Sengoku Basara figures

▼ Danganronpa sticker collection

▼ Bakumatsu Rock IC card stickers (to stick on your train pass)

▼ Uta no Prince-sama CD single

▼ Kamigami no Asobi smartphone stand

▼ Yowamushi Pedal Hakone Academy bag

▼ Bonjour Koiaji Patisserie three-pocket clear file

▼ Large Uta no Prince-sama mouse pad

▼ Extra-large Yowamushi Pedal pin

▼ Yowamushi Pedal collectable cards

▼ Yowamushi Pedal pen

▼ Kiramune stationery set

▼ Black Butler memo pad

▼ New Prince of Tennis charm

▼ Dramatical Murder fan

▼ Two Kuroko’s Basketball mini posters

▼ Yowamushi Pedal Kanzaki Cycle polo shirt

That’s a mind-blowing mountain of merch for just 1,000 yen, and what makes it even more impressive is the fact that if you purchased each piece separately, your bill would come to 48,000 yen! In other words, Animate’s New Year’s bundle represents a 4,700-percent return on investment, which is about the sweetest deal you’ll find all year.

Photos ©RocketNews24

Origin: Anime store’s super-generous merchandise deal is a 4,700-percent return on your shopping investment
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• This Apple store gave away 15 Macbook Airs, stacks of iPads and accessories in “lucky bags” this morning
• We purchase a Starbucks Lucky Bag, makes us look at the big picture
• Checking out Muji’s lucky bag: Almost 10,000 yen worth of stuff for a fraction of the price
• Attention coffee lovers: The RocketNews24 Ultimate Café Fukuburuko Ranking 2015 is here!
• IKEA Japan lucky bags? We’ve got them covered!【2016 Lucky Bag Roundup】

Because if someone’s going to stick you with a handful of needles, you might as well have some anime girls watching.

Advocates of acupuncture and moxibustion (the burning of clumps of dried mugwort placed on the skin) assert that the two forms of traditional Asian medicine are effective in treating pain and stiffness of the joints. However, to the uninitiated patient, the prospect of being used like a pincushion or baking pan can be pretty unnerving.

Maybe that’s why this acupuncture/moxibustion clinic in Okayama Prefecture decided to lighten the mood with some colorful decorations.

岡山のとある鍼灸院に新年の挨拶もかねて行ってみたら、またさらに進化してました。やっぱりぴょんぴょん鍼灸院なんじゃあ＾～ https://t.co/01AOeNmuFC

—
佐倉まさち (@masamasan) January 03, 2016

Twitter user @masamasan, who’s apparently a regular customer, decided to stop by the clinic to wish the staff a happy new year. Once inside, he found it decked out with “an even greater amount than before” of posters, curtains, and bedsheets featuring the cast of anime and manga franchise Is the Order a Rabbit?

His choice of words indicates that the interior has had anime touches for some time, but it’s now getting to the point where the management is running out of space for any more. As a matter of fact, the anime posters are starting to cover up at least one of the acupuncture charts.

And it’s not like just one corner of the clinic is done up this way.

さらに別の角度から何枚か https://t.co/bLPmvbDQSE

—
佐倉まさち (@masamasan) January 03, 2016

▼ Oddly enough, there’s a Spider-Man figure hiding amongst the Is the Order a Rabbit? merchandise flooding the reception area.

For non-otaku patients, the unexpected decor must come as something of a shock, but if it takes their mind off the potential pain of the treatments, we suppose it’s still a plus. And for those in the know, we’re sure being surrounded by gently smiling anime girls has a soothing effect, so it’s really a win-win in keeping customers’ minds off the ouch-ouch.

Source: Togech
Top image: Twitter/@masamasan
Insert images: Twitter/@masamasan (1, 2)

Origin: Heard of painfully nerdy itasha anime-themed cars? Well here’s an ita-acupuncture clinic
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Every weekend is an itasha car show at Akihabara’s UDX parking garage
• Tokyo realtor will give you hundreds of dollars of anime decorations for your new apartment
• Fluffy kitty arm cushion provides the utmost relaxation for patients
• Move over itasha, here come itachoko – anime chocolates!
• Otaku ita-bag contest winner a painful sight to behold: “Is it even a bag anymore?”

Comiket’s crowds continue to swell, pushing the venue to its limits.

Comiket, short for Comic Market, is the world’s largest amateur comic event, bringing together otaku from all over Japan, and even the world. As well as the exhibitors who manage to fill all the cavernous halls at the huge Tokyo Big Sight exhibition venue are thousands of fans who swoop in to grab limited edition merch, much of which won’t be found anywhere after the event except on Yahoo! Auctions for 10 times the original price. Despite the struggle it takes to fight your way through the crowds to get to the booths you want—something which has caused some to describe Comiket as a veritable battleground—the promise of sweet anime goodness keeps people coming back year after year.

But before we talk about this year’s event, let’s look at the stats for Comiket 88, held in Summer 2015. There were 46,000 applications out of which 35,000 circles (doujinshi creators) were actually able to attend, as well as 127 companies. The event saw 180,000 attendees on Day One, 160,000 attendees on Day Two, and 210,000 attendees on Day Three, making for a grand total of 550,000 attendees over the three-day period. That’s over half a million people.

The numbers have generally been holding steady over the past few years, probably because many people go once and decide that’s enough for their lifetime, but if the crowds were to grow any further one has to worry for the safety of the attendees.

Take a look at the following videos and photos to see the madness that ensued during the last days of 2015 when Comiket 89 ran from December 29 to 31.

▼ The first train of the day arriving at Tōkyō Kokusai Tenjijō Station at 5.44 am.

▼ The station workers ready themselves at their posts. I’m thinking that these guys drew some kind of short straw.

▼ The first brave soul comes hurtling through the barriers.

▼ And the floodgates are open.

▼ The scene below will now persist for most of the day.

▼ It’s now become somewhat of a spectator sport to hit up the station early to watch and film the infamous “Running of the Nerds“.

▼ Comiket volunteers also ready themselves for the long day ahead, a sense of tension in the air.

▼ Those who have made it to the frontlines are coralled towards the Big Sight building.

▼ And it’s not just first thing in the morning; the madness lasts all day long with the event officially running from 10am to 5pm. While the crowds arriving in the morning are a sight to behold, at least they’re staggered, while everyone ends up trying to get home around the same time.

▼ At some point the escalator going down to the platform at Shinkiba Station had to be stopped as the platform had reached capacity.

▼ And after an exhausting day at Comiket, your feet aching and your shoulders weighed down with the spoils of war, all you want to do is get on the train and get home. Yeah…good luck with that.

But with the new year, memories of the hell that was Comiket 89 are already fading and it’s time to start planning for the fresh tortures of Comiket 90! Onwards and upwards!

Header Image: @6vmetamon on Twitter
Sources: Jin115 Comiket 1, 2

Origin: Can Comiket take much more? Crazy crowds push facilities to the limits once again
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Video of a man riding a bicycle made to look like a white horse is both beautiful and bizarre
• Check out the awesome cosplay at Comiket 87! 【Photos, Photos, and more photos】
• McDonald’s Taiwan taking fire after staff cosplay in army and navy uniforms
• Win your very own ramen-bowl chair and spice up your cooking with the help of some dashing men
• Creepy or cute? Feel the Panda Train’s intense gaze before sightseeing in resort town Shirahama

Comiket isn’t just about anime—it caters to hardcore otaku of all varieties, as we quickly discovered during our most recent visit.

The 89th Comic Market event was held from December 29 to 31, and welcomed over half a million attendees. The event is famous as the world’s biggest otaku convention, dominated by big, sparkly anime eyes and even bigger anime boobs.

However, while many circles are there to share their doujinshi—derivative works based on existing creations—Comiket is for all amateur creators, and as well as manga comics you can find photo collections, novels, fanzines, crafts, and more. If you’re willing to search hard enough through the thousands of booths, there really is something for everyone. Our reporter picked out the five most unexpected things that caught his eye.

▼ Fish sausage guide

This book shows the appeal of fish-meat sausage (industrially processed fish-meat fashioned into a sausage shape, mmm yummy) through illustrations and sexy gravure photos. Get a peek into the world of fish-sausage with info on how they’re made and the companies that produce them. Perhaps it’ll change your point of view, whether that means becoming an ardent fan or being put off the substance for life.

▼ Electromagnetic telephones photobook

As the no-nonsense cover describes, this is a photo book of old electromagnetic telephones, which I assume are the creator’s personal collection. Otaku come in all shapes and sizes, and if someone can be a densha (train) otaku, then why not a phone otaku? Kids today probably wouldn’t even recognize these as phones, so it’s an interesting reminder of how quickly changes in technology happen in the modern era.

▼ Mapo tofu fanbook

Mapo tofu is a Chinese dish that’s popular in Japan, and this fanbook gives thorough explanations of all 28 versions of boil-in-the-bag mapo tofu dishes you can find in Japanese supermarkets with easy-to-understand charts showing spiciness, quality of ingredients, and compatibility with white rice. Even the cover imitates the design of a packet of supermarket curry. Probably the ultimate (and only?) book for mapo tofu lovers!

▼ Pilgrimage to Sacred Places: Europe Edition

A travel guide for people wanting to visit “sacred spots”, although you won’t find Lourdes or the Vatican in here. These are spots that are “sacred” to otaku because they’ve appeared in anime. This guide will show you where to find them and how to take photos from the same angles as they appear in the anime. The circle (creators) also produces versions for specific regions within Japan such as Hokkaido and Kyoto.

▼ Science Ninja Team Gatchaman radio transcript

Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman is a superhero team composed of characters from various anime created by Tatsuo Yoshida, and they’ve appeared in various forms of media from anime to comics to games since the team’s formation in 1972. Think an anime equivalent of Marvel’s Avengers. Apparently they have also starred in a radio show, which is what this fanzine focuses on. It contains a transcript painstakingly copied down from listening to the broadcast, as well as trivia columns about it.

These fanbooks all show great dedication to extremely niche interests, and as such we think they completely capture the original spirit of Comiket.

Photos © RocketNews24

Origin: The 5 weirdest niche interest comics we picked up at Comiket 89
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Get ready for excitement, Japan—Steve Wozniak’s Comic Con is coming to Tokyo in December 2016!
• “Wotagei” otaku dance style made “cool” with choreographed dance remix of pop song
• Are your “healthy” new year’s resolutions harder than you thought? Try some Rilakkuma tofu!
• Tokyo dating event needs guys who like girls who like anime about guys who like guys
• Otaku assemblyman elected in Ōta-ku, Tokyo

Even the thriftiest otaku can spare 300 yen for his best girl, right?

If you’re an anime fan, supporting the series or character you love can fill your heart. It can also empty your wallet, though, because all that shiny new anime merchandise doesn’t come cheap. Sure, there are ways you can stretch your budget, but most of them present challenges of their own. For example, some anime retailers offer generously priced bundles of goodies, but only at New Year’s. Buying used is another way to maximize your buying power, but pre-owned otaku-oriented merchandise can come with its own unique (and disgusting) drawbacks.

But take heart, because help is on the way from an unlikely source: discount retailer 3 Coins. The coins referred to are 100-yen coins, because almost all of 3 Coins’ items are priced at just 300 yen (US$2.50).

Most of 3 Coins’ inventory consists of dishware, hand towels, interior knickknacks, and other sorts of practical items. But soon you’ll also be able to find an exclusive line of Love Live! merchandise at 3 Coins, all of it decked out with images of Japan’s phenomenally popular anime idols.

The seven-item line up consists of:

▼ Love Live! memo pads (nine varieties, each 300 yen)…

▼ …magnets (nine varieties, 300 yen)…

▼ …cushion covers (three varieties, 500 yen)…

▼ …storage boxes (two varieties, 500 yen)…

▼ …“lunch tote bags” (two varieties, 500 yen)…

▼ …folding mirrors (three varieties, 300 yen)…

▼ …and making tape (nine varieties, 300 yen).

That’s a surprisingly extensive selection, especially considering that 3 Coins isn’t really in the licensed anime product business. And thanks to the store’s low prices, you can buy all of the merchandise bearing the likeness of your favorite idol and still pay less than you would for even a single Love Live! Blu-ray disc.

The 3 Coins Love Live! collection goes on sale January 18.

Source: Love Live! official website via Jin
Top image: Love Live! official website (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Love Live! official website

Origin: Japanese discount store’s line of Love Live! anime merch all costs less than five bucks
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Anime idols going abroad as Love Live! movie announced for release in U.S., 12 other territories
• Otaku armor! Yes, there really is a dude wearing this mountain of anime merchandise
• Sailor Moon candy, dolls, and music boxes! More new merch than you can shake a Moon Stick at
• Love Live! Hanayo cosplayer wins hearts at recent cosplay festival in Nagoya
• Love Live!’s popularity continues to soar, anime appears in Qatar Airways in-flight entertainment

Designing your own ita bag is a growing trend amongst anime fans and now the painfully geeky accessory can be classified into six specific categories.

The ita trend, so-called because its anime-filled garishness is itai, or painful, to the eyes, can be found on everything from nails to cars and even the walls of an acupuncture salon. Now the ita bag is receiving attention, with both male and female otaku decorating their carryalls with badges, ribbons, and plushies, creating gobsmacking works of portable anime art.

▼ Subtlety is not a virtue when it comes to the world of ita bags.

Like any trend, there are variations on the theme, and one Twitter user has identified the six types of ita bags that female otaku tend to create. The clever observation has drawn more than 27,000 retweets online, with readers quick to identify their preferred type and share the news with friends.

女オタクの痛バッグタイプ https://t.co/29FWQT4Pq4

—
ぽたなべ (@naberorin) January 04, 2016

▼ Left to right: The Multiple Carrier (Fukusuumochi), The Improviser (Sokkyō), and The Altar (Saidan)

The Multiple Carrier type is for those who own several ita bags, separating them by character or by the type of adornment, which is usually an entire covering of circular pin badges. The Improviser consists of a few items pinned to the outside since the owner isn’t entirely committed to the craft, and still uncertain of the trend or character they wish to deify. The Altar type, on the other hand, presents a neat, uniformly arranged design, which might be in the form of a heart or an initial, with fabrics like lace and ribbons added to complete the look.

▼ Left to right: The Runaway (Iede), The Grape Picker (Budougari), The Alchemist (Renkinjutsushi).

The Runaway type is seen on those who’ve moved on from The Multiple Carrier, with an extravagant style that suggests the owner is taking all their belongings out with them, like a person who’s run away from home. The plush toy is a big feature. The Grape Picker style is a step up from The Improviser as there’s no huge variety of goods. Instead, there’s an abundance of the same product, hanging like big bunches of grapes from the side of the bag. The Alchemist is an advanced version of The Altar type, and can feature a bag made from a T-shirt, with handmade mini cushions and rosettes made from ribbons and badges.

To see if you can spot the difference between the various styles, check out some examples below. Answers are at the bottom of the list!

1.

あいちゃん痛バッグ完成ー！バッグのみと、ビニールバッグ付けたverと、肩にかけたver どうかな？ #WUG_JP https://t.co/6SUKyvZPpR

—
魔性少女✩りさ姉 (@risane_521) December 26, 2015

2.

ランランの痛バッグやっと完成した(´; ω ;`)♡♡♡明日これで行くわ(´; ω ;`)(´; ω ;`)(´; ω ;`) http://t.co/t3yKRPxzXT

—
꒰あーやんは猛猫使い( ¯•ω•¯ )ﻭ (@a_ryu24) August 04, 2014

3.

控えめな痛バッグwwwwww ごめん、これで出掛ける https://t.co/Sokd7qZ5vz

—
S̺͆o̺͆r̺͆a̺͆相互@世界は残酷 (@Sora_0215H) December 23, 2015

4.

忍たま五年生(天秀贔屓)メイン痛バッグ完成₍₍⁽⁽(ી( ･◡･ )ʃ)₎₎⁾⁾うぇいうぇい♪ちゃんと同人誌入るサイズにしたよww http://t.co/rKXt5PJHZW

—
雨空★T2専用ATM (@amezora) October 23, 2014

5.

i wish the bag i ordered specifically for my ita bag base was here！！！#kogitsunemaru #itabag #刀剣乱舞 #小狐丸 #痛バッグ #痛バ https://t.co/02AKusQIyx

—
emii@SEMI-HIATUS (@nyasebe) November 13, 2015

6.

Answers:

1. Multiple Carrier 2. The Alchemist 3. The Improviser 4. The Altar 5. The Grape Picker 6. The Runaway

If you feel like joining in on the otaku trend, check out some of the taxis and nails that have been given the hideously wonderful treatment. Whether you think they’re garish or delightful, beauty, or pain in this case, is definitely in the eyes of the beholder!

Source: My Game News Flash
Top image: Twitter/Naberorin (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Twitter/@seiyufan

Origin: From the Grape Picker to the Alchemist: anime-decorated “ita bags” now come in six categories
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• Wrap up your holiday gifts with Sailor Moon paper goods
• Keep warm this winter with cosy knitted sweaters for your nails!
• “Business Nail” – the latest trend among young Japanese businessmen looking to get ahead
• Rice cats feel the cold, need omelette blankets this winter【Pics & Video】
• Skilled Japanese artist creates intricate cut-paper origami cranes

The American broadcaster’s We Bare Bears features a panda, a grizzly, and a polar bear…and in its most recent episode, also an anime schoolgirl pillowcase.

Created by Daniel Chong, Cartoon Network’s We Bare Bears follows a trio of ursine brothers as they deal with aspects of modern society as filtered through their own bear-like frames of reference. In some ways, it’s sort of like an American version of anime/manga Polar Bear Cafe, albeit one with a bit more youthful energy and traditionally cartoony character designs.

In the final episode of We Bare Bears’ first season, Grizzly has a bit of an identity crisis. While Panda can boast the largest molars of any carnivore and the ability to eat bamboo, and Ice Bear has special rough-textured paws that help him keep traction on frozen surfaces, the only special characteristic Grizzly is able to find about himself is the fact that his species hibernates (pandas never sleep through the winter, and among polar bears only pregnant females do).

Being largely acclimated to a human lifestyle, Grizzly has never hibernated before, but decides to jump into the practice with both feet. He gorges himself to pack on calories for his season-long nap, then sets out grabbing every cushion, blanket, or other soft material he can find to create a cozy bed on which to sleep until spring comes.

Among the items he collects is one that should be very familiar to anime fans: a dakimakura, or huggy pillow, with a schoolgirl character printed on the cover.

Actually, the dakimakura seems to belong to Panda, who’s seen reading comic books and pretending to share a box of Pocky-like snacks with it earlier in the episode (which is titled “Hibernation”). The schoolgirl character even seems to have a name, as both Panda and Grizzly refer to her as “Miki-chan.”

▼ While we’re counting off the Japanese pop culture references, the vertical word bubbles in Panda’s comics make it almost certain that he’s reading Japanese manga, and that green ball in the background looks an awful lot like Gundam’s spherical companion robot Haro.

But while human otaku often use their dakimakura for…prurient purposes, Panda and Grizzly’s admiration for Miki-chan seems to be rather chaste.

▼ Although certain freeze frames of Grizzly carrying the pillow around can make it look like he’s literally pawing at her.

In the end, Panda reclaims his prized piece of anime merch. With three residents in the house, though, Grizzly and Ice Bear might want to consider picking up some dakimakura of their own, considering all the health benefits they provide.

Source, images: Yurukuyaru

Origin: Anime huggy pillows make mainstream inroads with appearance in Cartoon Network series
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Related Stories

• There could be a panda in your closet, and a blanket inside the panda with these storage cases
• Sleeping next to your celebrity crush hug pillow not enough? Now you can peel his clothes off
• Anime pillow responds to your rubbing with moans and groans, gets angry if you get too grabby
• Sandwiched Between Twintails Pillow: For if you don’t know to hug your pillow or let it hug you
• Squirt hand (job) guns – Weird trigger placement on animal-shaped toys promise a dirty deluge