Anime News Network – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Mon, 18 Apr 2022 01:00:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 Anime News Network – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Crayon Shin-Chan Deodorant Ad Claims To Cure Hiroshi’s Smelly Feet https://soranews24.com/2022/04/18/crayon-shin-chan-deodorant-ad-claims-to-cure-hiroshis-smelly-feet/ https://soranews24.com/2022/04/18/crayon-shin-chan-deodorant-ad-claims-to-cure-hiroshis-smelly-feet/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2022 01:00:05 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=583743 Perhaps the highest endorsement possible for a hygiene product.

A new Crayon Shin-chan animated ad is selling Nivea-Kao’s 8×4 Men Deodorant Body Wash with perhaps the highest endorsement possible for a hygiene product: it can even cure Hiroshi’s smelly feet.

Shin-chan’s father is legendary for his smelly feet, and has even used it as a weapon on occasion, but it is apparently no match against proper men’s deodorant. Nivea-Kao Japan began streaming the ad on Thursday, and it will play during the upcoming Shin-chan episode on Saturday.

Additionally, a billboard ad featuring a suave Hiroshi will display at Saitama’s Kasukabe station, where the series is set, from April 18 to 24.

Source: Comic Natalie
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2022/04/18/crayon-shin-chan-deodorant-ad-claims-to-cure-hiroshis-smelly-feet/feed/ 0 583743 hiroshi Edward Snowden Reacts to His Cameo in Lupin III: Goodbye Partner https://soranews24.com/2019/12/01/edward-snowden-reacts-to-his-cameo-in-lupin-iii-goodbye-partner/ https://soranews24.com/2019/12/01/edward-snowden-reacts-to-his-cameo-in-lupin-iii-goodbye-partner/#comments Sat, 30 Nov 2019 23:30:42 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=477909 This “Edward Znoden” character sounds a little familiar….

Long before he became a whistleblower and cybersecurity activist, Edward Snowden was an anime fan who worked with his friends on a start-up company selling anime art. Last year, he became an anime character himself, when the Lupin III: Goodbye Partner TV special gave him a cameo appearance under the name of “Edward Znoden.”

Snowden appeared to become aware of his cameo due to a tweet regarding the anime’s English-dubbed release, and tweeted: “is this real”.

is this real https://t.co/rb4Udiu49O

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) November 29, 2019

When informed that his cameo was in a Lupin III anime, he tweeted: “It’s like a lifetime achievement award. Lupin is one of my favorite series.” He also quipped: “let us give thanks that anime is a thing now”, referencing the fact that Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

Snowden has also used his Twitter account to comment on his favorite Pokémon in the past.

The Lupin III: Goodbye Partner special debuted in Japan on January 25. It was the first “completely original” special in approximately six years, and features Lupin wearing a black jacket. The English dub debuted at Anime NYC on November 17, and released on digital platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Digital on November 18.

Source, featured image: Twitter/@Snowden
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/12/01/edward-snowden-reacts-to-his-cameo-in-lupin-iii-goodbye-partner/feed/ 0 477909 snowden top 9 ‘Spiritually Japanese’ Cosplayers, Cartoonists Arrested in China For ‘Anti-China Extremism’ https://soranews24.com/2019/08/25/9-spiritually-japanese-cosplayers-cartoonists-arrested-in-china-for-anti-china-extremism/ https://soranews24.com/2019/08/25/9-spiritually-japanese-cosplayers-cartoonists-arrested-in-china-for-anti-china-extremism/#comments Sat, 24 Aug 2019 16:00:34 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=462761 One cartoonist is reported to have drawn comics depicting Chinese people as pigs

A total of nine “spiritually Japanese” Chinese youths were arrested in China for alleged anti-China extremism on July 28.

Yahoo! News Japan defines “spiritually Japanese” (or Jingri as they are known in China) as a derogatory term for Chinese fans of Japanese anime and cosplay. However, the Communist Youth League of China explicitly states that the term does not refer to fans of Japanese anime, food, and other cultural commodities. “Spiritually Japanese” instead refers to Chinese people who zealously identify with Japanese nationalism and its World War II-era military, and who express contempt for their own country.

The term first began to spread widely in March last year, when two youths were arrested in China for wearing Japanese World War II-era military uniforms. However, the latest incident on July 28 marks the first time that as many as nine so-called “spiritually Japanese” people were arrested in one day.

According to The Beijing News, one of those arrested was a 22-year-old cartoonist surnamed Zhang. The artist is reported to have drawn comics depicting Chinese people as pigs. The police arrested her on suspicion of “warping Chinese history and the state of affairs both in and out the country in bad faith.” A 36-year-old collaborator surnamed Lu was also arrested for allegedly assisting in disseminating Zhang’s comics on social media. An image believed to have been drawn by Zhang is shown below.

https://twitter.com/DanishAnimeClub/status/1164967087300726784

Japan’s wartime deeds in China continue to be politically contentious in both countries. The Chinese government maintains that Japan has not done enough to apologize for mass murder and other war crimes, such as the Nanjing Massacre in 1937, which killed over 300,000 people according to China’s official estimate.

The Chinese government has a track record of arresting people for their politically contentious art. Last year, a woman received a 10-year and six month prison sentence for writing boys-love novels.

Source: Yahoo! News
Featured image: Twitter/@DanishAnimeClub
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/08/25/9-spiritually-japanese-cosplayers-cartoonists-arrested-in-china-for-anti-china-extremism/feed/ 0 462761 china comics Animation Studios, Fans Share Messages of Hope After Kyoto Animation Studio Arson https://soranews24.com/2019/07/20/animation-studios-fans-share-messages-of-hope-after-kyoto-animation-studio-arson/ https://soranews24.com/2019/07/20/animation-studios-fans-share-messages-of-hope-after-kyoto-animation-studio-arson/#comments Sat, 20 Jul 2019 05:00:30 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=458599 Includes donation page to help victims set up by another animation company.

A horrible arson attack at Kyoto Animation‘s Studio 1 building on Thursday has left the studio’s fans, families, and Japan reeling in what is the worst mass murder in Japan’s post-World War II history. The attack killed 33 people and injured 35 others.

Since the attack, support has come in from across the globe as fan have looked to bolster spirits with messages and images of support.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Inc.

Kyoto Animation is home to some of the world’s most talented animators and dreamers — the devastating attack today is a tragedy felt far beyond Japan. KyoAni artists spread joy all over the world and across generations with their masterpieces. 心よりご冥福をお祈りいたします。

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) July 18, 2019

Japan’s Belgian Embassy

Together with our Belgian animation heroes, we mourn with our Japanese friends and offer our sincere condolences to the relatives and loved ones of those killed in the tragedy at #KyotoAnimation, while wishing speedy recovery to those injured. pic.twitter.com/IFbVsw9uhv

— Belgium in Japan　駐日ベルギー大使館 (@BelgiumEmbJapan) July 19, 2019

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Canadians send our deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the arson attack in Kyoto that has taken so many innocent lives. To the people of Japan – we’re mourning these tragic losses with you, and wishing a quick recovery to everyone who was injured.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 18, 2019

Women in Animation

Women in Animation would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the victims of last night’s arson attack on Kyoto Animation. While Kyoto Animation's loss is felt throughout the world, their work will continue to flourish with our support. pic.twitter.com/ctnDTGyIfY

— WIA (@wia_animation) July 19, 2019

FUNimation Entertainment

Dedicating today to memories. #PrayforKyoAni pic.twitter.com/wP8nrRoSOc

— Funimation (@Funimation) July 18, 2019

Toei Animation

Your works have brought so much joy to the world. You have our thoughts and our hearts. We can’t wait to see you back again. #PrayForKyoaniが世界に拡散 pic.twitter.com/KD0Z8GO1Kk

— Toei Animation (@ToeiAnimation) July 19, 2019

Nickelodeon Animation

Taking a moment to remember the incredible talent we lost this morning at Kyoto Animation. Our hearts go out to their loved ones. 💔 #PrayForKyoAni

— Nickelodeon Animation (@NickAnimation) July 18, 2019

Aniplex of America

We wish to extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by the KyoAni tragedy. #PrayForKyoani

— Aniplex of America (@aniplexUSA) July 18, 2019

TATSUKI, Kemono Friends director

亡くなられた方がどれだけの、膨大で地道な時間を人知れずアニメに使ってきたか、のべ何万人何億人のひとの時間を豊かにしたか、ヒトの幸せの総量を増やしたか。そんな方々がなぜこんな苦しいつらい終わり方をしないといけないのか。

— たつき／irodori (@irodori7) July 18, 2019

How much anime did the people who passed away make while putting in an untold enormous amount of steady hours? How much did they enrich the time of tens of thousands and hundreds of millions of people, and how much did they increase the total amount of human happiness? Why did these people have to have such a painful and heart-breaking end?

Aki Toyosaki, voice actress

K-ON voice actress Aki Toyosaki was hosting her radio program on July 18 when the fire broke out. She decided to discuss her feelings about the news and said, “Of course I feel horrible and I’m talking here in the midst of confusion. Honestly, I don’t know what words to use to express the complex feelings I have right now.” She added, her voice shaking, that she hopes that the day when everyone has recovered will come as soon as possible.

Toyosaki has called Kyoto Animation her favorite anime production studio.

Anime! Anime! news site

We would like to extend our sincere condolences to the injured staff and to those in mourning. In addition, we pray for the quick recovery of those who are still in treatment.Victims, their families, and their relatives…while the circumstances of the situation are still not clear, the only thing we can do right now is express our love for Kyoto Animation. So, we thought we should share a statement that we will support you forever.

Thank you for all of your great work. We love and will continue to love Kyoto Animation. #PrayForKyoani

Sunrise animation studio

For all of those who died in the fire at Kyoto Animation, we wish that you go in peace and we want to issue are sincere condolences to those who are grieving. Also, we are sincerely praying for the quick recovery of everyone who was injured. We will support all of your efforts as a fellow animation production company

Makoto Shinkai, director

Makoto Shinkai offered his comments at a Tokyo theater at the premiere of his film Weathering With You on Friday. “I would like to see new works from KyoAni, and we, as workers in the same industry, hope to continue making [anime] without flinching. I believe we ought to. [Animators] desire to draw as many good pictures as they can and entertain audiences as much as possible. We are all companions in the same boat.”

Sentai Filmworks has set up a page on the GoFundMe website to raise money for the victims, and the campaign has raised more than US$1.3 million. Sentai Filmworks stated on the page that it is “actively working to establish the most direct bridge to delivering this aid to affected KyoAni staff and their families.” The company stated the money “will not be touched until [Sentai Filmworks has] confidence [the funds] will reach the intended recipients. We want donors and those considering donating to this drive to understand that, apart from GoFundMe’s fees to provide a platform for support, every dollar collected will go to the intended recipients.”

Sentai Filmworks has not yet specifically stated exactly what it will do with the money or who it will go to, and has not stated that it has assurance from Kyoto Animation that the company or its staff will accept the money.

Similarly, the Animate retail chain announced on Friday that it has started collecting donations for the victims at all its retail locations around Japan. The company has also not yet specifically stated how the money will be used, and has not yet decided when the fundraising campaign will end.

Crunchyroll also started accepting messages of support, including photographs or art, to Kyoto Animation through its website. Crunchyroll stated, “We will report back here on how we will present these messages to the studio, and to the friends and family of those affected by this tragedy.”

Source: Nijimen, The Mainichi
Featured image: Twitter/@BelgiumEmbJapan
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/07/20/animation-studios-fans-share-messages-of-hope-after-kyoto-animation-studio-arson/feed/ 0 458599 kyoani sm top Man Arrested For Modifying, Reselling Pokémon Games https://soranews24.com/2019/07/08/man-arrested-for-modifying-reselling-pokemon-games/ https://soranews24.com/2019/07/08/man-arrested-for-modifying-reselling-pokemon-games/#comments Mon, 08 Jul 2019 03:00:20 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=457425

Man is the first person to be arrested on this charge after laws against modding were revised in November

A man from the Niigata prefecture was arrested in March for modifying and reselling Pokémon 3DS games, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Monday. This case marks the first arrest on this charge since the Unfair Competition Prevention Act was revised in November last year to tighten restrictions against the unlawful modification and distribution of data.

According to an insider connected to the investigation, the man, who is an office worker in his 30s, would sell his services by modifying data on Nintendo 3DS games. He extracted data from a second-hand copy of a Pokémon game and use it to overwrite the data of another game. He would then sell the altered game online for approximately 10,000 yen (US$92).

Upon his arrest, the man admitted his guilt and said that he could not stop because it earned him money. He was ordered to pay a fine of 300,000 yen (US$2,782).

The device the man used to modify the data was sold in a game-related appliance store in Tokyo. On June 7, the police began investigating the store on the suspicion that it was assisting with the crime.

Source: Yomiuiri Shimbun via Otakomu
Top image: Flickr/Bryan Ochalla
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/07/08/man-arrested-for-modifying-reselling-pokemon-games/feed/ 0 457425 31834472326_e6c6f2b9eb_z Japanese Fans, Official Translator Weigh in on Netflix Evangelion English Subtitle Debate https://soranews24.com/2019/06/30/japanese-fans-official-translator-weigh-in-on-netflix-evangelion-english-subtitle-debate/ https://soranews24.com/2019/06/30/japanese-fans-official-translator-weigh-in-on-netflix-evangelion-english-subtitle-debate/#comments Sun, 30 Jun 2019 13:00:47 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=456857 Netflix subtitles translate Kaworu’s proclamation to Shinji as ‘I like you’ compared to ADV’s ‘I love you.’

The Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series and Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth and Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion films launched on Netflix on June 21, sparking a ton of new chatter about the classic 1995 robot anime series. One subject that has come up for returning fans of the series is the difference between the translations in the Netflix subtitle and dub tracks and the translations provided by ADV Films in the platinum edition on DVD for the North American market. One interaction between Shinji and Kaworu in episode 24 has come under particular scrutiny.

(Note: Spoilers for the TV series below.)

Episode 24 shows Shinji and Kaworu having a bath together. After holding Shinji’s hand and telling him how much he understands the pain he is suffering, Kaworu says, “好意に値するよ” (You are worthy of my grace/favor/affection). When Shinji asks what Kaworu means by that, Kaworu responds, “好きってことさ”.

https://twitter.com/shokikita/status/1142063513885708288

ADV translates this line to “It means I love you.” On the other hand, the translation on Netflix renders it as “It means I like you.”

The differences carry to the end of the episode, where a depressed Shinji says, “カヲル君が好きだって言ってくれたんだ、僕のこと”. ADV translates the line to “It was the first time someone told me they loved me,” while the translation on Netflix is “That’s the first time anybody’s ever said they liked me. Ever.”

Japanese fans have also taken note of the debate after Japanese news outlet J-Cast reported on the issue. Dan Kanemitsu, the translator of the Netflix Evangelion subtitles, told J-Cast, “This translation was made from the ground up. It has no connection to the previous translation at ADV.”

Users on the pop culture site Nijimen have been having their own discussion on whether “like” or “love” is a better translation in this context. The top-voted comments are translated below:

“Ask Anno!”

“I felt like I got a glimpse of the difficulties of translating nuance, but I also have the feeling that people are being swayed by the vocal minority.”

“Given Kaworu’s personality, I think you’re supposed to be wondering, ‘Huh? Is it like or love?’ when he says 好きってことさ.”

“The issue is whether it was right to revise ‘love’ into ‘like.’ The nuance is ambiguous, but if [the American fans] heard it as ‘love’ first and didn’t have a problem with it, then I can see why they’d be confused when it got changed.”

“I also think it’s weird for the line to get changed all these years later.”

“As far as the nuance goes, I think that ‘love’ fits better, but for a Japanese person it feels too direct to straight out say ‘I love you’ (愛してる), so normally you’d say ‘like’ to convey the gist.”

“Personally, I like it when characters express love but make out that they just ‘like’ the other person. It’s very like a Japanese person to not express their feelings too directly when they’re in love. It’s realistic. Also, depending on the way the words are said, it changes the vibe of the scene.”

“I think that it fits the character for the Kaworu of the TV anime to express his feelings towards Shinji as ‘love,’ although he only appeared in one episode and talked with Shinji for a few minutes.”

“Kaworu-kun is expressing ‘love’ but making out that it’s ‘like.’ That’s the nuance behind his love…”

On the subject of “Ask Anno,” Dan Kanemitsu provided a translated excerpt of an Evangelion companion book, titled Hideaki Anno Schizo Neon Genesis Evangelion, in an email to ANN as follows:

Anno: [Eva is a work] where the remaining process [of completing the work] is in the hands of the audience. I place strong emphasis in that relationship. After you get to a certain point, I want them to make their own judgment. There are portions where things are left ambiguous, so it all depends on how you view [and judge it for yourself.] I think the character of the person [e.g. a personality] reveals itself in that process. [Eva is a work] where if 10 people watch it, not all of the 10 will [compliment] it. In that sense, it’s very Japanese.

Kanemitsu clarified in the email that this excerpt should not be interpreted as a “defense” of his translation choices, but rather as “an argument of what makes Evangelion so wonderful and compelling for people of so many walks of life.”

Kanemitsu has provided translations for the staff who would eventually form Khara since the early days of General Products in 1989-1990, the retail outlet and merchandising store that complimented Gainax. He has been working with Khara on translation assistance since the very first Rebuild film in 2007. Speaking generally about his translation methods, he told ANN that he commonly consults the original creator in cases where the meaning is unclear or needs to be specified.

The question of “love” vs “like” brings up an oft-discussed quandary among translation theorists: who or what does the translator owe their fidelity to? To the original creator? To their understanding of the work itself? To the audience? Which part of the audience?

Some English-speaking fans have criticized the Netflix translation of “downplaying” or “erasing” the homoerotic overtones in Shinji and Kaworu’s relationship, pointing to a history of queer erasure in anime localizations, such as the Cloverway dub of Sailor Moon, which infamously changed Haruka and Michiru’s relationship from lovers to cousins. They argue that by translating Kaworu and Shinji’s lines literally, the translation gives fuel for deniers to argue that no romantic attraction exists between the two characters at all. This perpetuates a culture where gay relationships are seen as “just shipping” or “fan delusions” in media barring works explicitly labelled as “queer” or “LGBT.”

Such arguments bring to mind something that the famous Japanese novelist Natsume Soseki is said to have taught his students: the ideal Japanese translation for “I love you” is “Tsuki ga tottemo aoi naa” (The moon is so blue tonight). “I love you” may be too direct for a Japanese person to say aloud, even if the intent is implicit, an idea corroborated by some of the Nijimen commentors quoted above. This suggests that perhaps English translations of Japanese texts should be more explicit in regards to statements of romantic affection, depending on context.

Speaking personally as a Japanese-English translator, I think that “love” is a better fit in this particular context. Shinji’s despondent reaction at the end of the episode only makes sense if he believed that Kaworu expressed feelings stronger than mere “like” towards him. What is ambiguous is the nature of what Kaworu calls “love.” Does he love Shinji as a man or as a divine figure, the way the Christian God loves humans? At the end of the day, it’s up to each of us to decide what word best describes the relationship between the two characters. Even after this particular controversy dies down, the questions it provokes about translation fidelity will remain.

(NOTE: ADV Films first released the series dubbed on VHS in 1997-1998, and then produced a remastered version on DVD in 2002 and a platinum edition in 2004. According to users from the Evangelion fan community Evageeks, the VHS release used a different translation from what is quoted in the article. ANN was unable to independently confirm the translation on the VHS release.)

Source: Vox, J-Cast, Nijimen
Featured image: Twitter/@shokikita
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/06/30/japanese-fans-official-translator-weigh-in-on-netflix-evangelion-english-subtitle-debate/feed/ 0 456857 eva top Virtual YouTuber Kagura Mea Recounts Story of Receiving Poop From Hater https://soranews24.com/2019/06/24/virtual-youtuber-kagura-mea-recounts-story-of-receiving-poop-from-hater/ https://soranews24.com/2019/06/24/virtual-youtuber-kagura-mea-recounts-story-of-receiving-poop-from-hater/#comments Sun, 23 Jun 2019 15:00:26 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=456174 The story has a surprising twist.

Virtual YouTubers may be the hottest new thing in Japan, but not everyone loves them. In fact, some people downright hate them. Virtual YouTuber Kagura Mea shared the following story on June 16 about her own interaction with a hater:

“I didn’t mention this to you guys before,

But quite a while ago I received cow dung from a hater.

And just a few days ago, I got some compost.

I was super pissed.

Pissed.

So…

I, Kagura Mea…

Started a garden in my kitchen.

I tried growing some mustard greens and spinach.

I’ll let you know if I manage to harvest something.

I’m looking forward to the meal.”

みんなには言ってなかったけど

随分前に、アンチから牛糞が届き

そして先日、培養土が届きました。

マジ腹立つ。

腹立つ…

なので…

私、神楽めあは…

家庭菜園をはじめてみました。

水菜と小松菜を植えてみました。

収穫できたらまた報告します。

食べるの楽しみ。

— 🍥神楽めあ/KaguraMea🍥 (@KaguraMea_VoV) June 16, 2019

Kagura Mea is a sweet girl on the surface, but she also has a fearsome side. She has a reputation for letting out exaggerated screams at minor inconveniences and acting cheeky. She posted a video in March making fun of haters’ comments. Her previous Twitter account @Freeze_Mea was suspended in May during a Twitter purge that also targeted the controversial mascot character Chiitan, among other so-called “underage” online personalities.

Source: Otakomu
Top image: YouTube/神楽めあ / KaguraMea
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/06/24/virtual-youtuber-kagura-mea-recounts-story-of-receiving-poop-from-hater/feed/ 0 456174 ytp top Evangelion’s ‘Cruel Angel’s Thesis’ Gets New Taiko Drum Arrangement in July https://soranews24.com/2019/06/22/evangelions-cruel-angels-thesis-gets-new-taiko-drum-arrangement-in-july/ https://soranews24.com/2019/06/22/evangelions-cruel-angels-thesis-gets-new-taiko-drum-arrangement-in-july/#comments Sat, 22 Jun 2019 05:00:01 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=456071

On the other hand, there’s no ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ ED on Netflix outside Japan

Neon Genesis Evangelion is on Netflix now, so it would be understandable if you have the Heisei Anisong Grand Prize-winning opening theme song stuck in your head. So what better time for the song to get a new arrangement?

“Cruel Angel’s Thesis” will get a Japanese festival-themed arrangement with taiko drums titled “Cruel Angel’s Thesis: MATSURI SPIRIT,” which will go on sale in Japan on July 24, just in time for the Japanese summer festival season. A sample was posted on King Amusement Creative’s YouTube channel on Thursday, so you can check out the fascinating blend of musical styles for yourself.

On the subject of Evangelion music, Netflix viewers outside Japan will be out of luck if they want to hear Claire Littley’s version of “Fly Me To The Moon,” which was the original ending theme song of the TV anime series. The iconic theme is instead replaced by a piano track from the TV anime’s soundtrack. On the other hand, the international dub tracks aren’t available in Japan, so you can’t have everything!

The Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series and Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth and Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion films launched on Netflix on Friday. The classic 1995 robot anime series has been out of print in North America since ADV Films shut down in 2009.

Source: Evangelion Store, YouTube/「KING AMUSEMENT CREATIVE」公式チャンネル
Top image: YouTube/「KING AMUSEMENT CREATIVE」公式チャンネル
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/06/22/evangelions-cruel-angels-thesis-gets-new-taiko-drum-arrangement-in-july/feed/ 0 456071 evangelion top Setting of Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart is More Tragedy Than Fantasy https://soranews24.com/2019/06/15/setting-of-ghiblis-whisper-of-the-heart-is-more-tragedy-than-fantasy/ https://soranews24.com/2019/06/15/setting-of-ghiblis-whisper-of-the-heart-is-more-tragedy-than-fantasy/#comments Sat, 15 Jun 2019 05:00:11 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=455428

Studio Ghibli released the Whisper of the Heart anime film in 1995, a story of youth following their dreams.

The 14-year-old Shizuku often has her nose in a book and her head in the clouds. She aspires to be a writer herself and through her love of stories she meets Seiji, a boy who one day wants to master the art of creating musical instruments. The story takes place against the backdrop of an apartment complex, one that exists in real life.

The Toei Atago Complex wraps around a hill in Tokyo’s Tama City suburb but, unlike its film counterpart, the complex is home mostly to poor, elderly Japanese citizens. A profile on the complex published by The Guardian on Tuesday describes it as a “ghetto for the old.” Atago, and other similar social housing complexes, fill a need for retirement homes in Japan. Approximately two-thirds of residents are over the age of 65 and, like one case described in the article, the apartments become their final resting place.

Resident Kazuyoshi Otsuka moved into the Toei Atago Complex in 1971 when they were still new units. Approximately 15 years later, Otsuka would suffer a subarachnoid haemorrhage that left him paralyzed. His wife and child left him. In 2017, a food deliveryman would notify the police when Otsuka didn’t answer his door at the complex. He’d died alone in his apartment. 20 more residents in Toei Atago would meet the same lonely fate the following year.

The Toei Atago Complex may be filled with elderly residents but it was not designed for its aging population. The five story housing complex has no elevators and there are no nearby grocers or clinics. Residents with limited mobility struggle to reach their homes and the nearest food is at a 7-Eleven convenience store.

The residents interviewed in The Guardian, most in their 70s, live alone. Relatives rarely visit and their neighbors pass away only to be supplanted by another elderly resident.

Social housing units are meant to serve as a safety net for low-income, disabled, and elderly citizens. The units are available to those who qualify based on income and other factors; making too much can get a resident evicted. The result is few young people live in social housing units anymore.

The Tama area government and the Atago community are attempting to fight off the loneliness of its elderly residents. Steps have included more community activities and bringing resources, like a mobile supermarket, to the complex. Food delivery employees are attempting to fill in the gaps of absentee family members. They’ve taken up the grim task of calling the authorities if an aging customer, like Kazuyoshi Otsuka, fails to answer the door.

Source: The Guardian
Featured image: Flickr/TAKA@P.P.R.S
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/06/15/setting-of-ghiblis-whisper-of-the-heart-is-more-tragedy-than-fantasy/feed/ 0 455428 whisper of the heart top Paramount Pictures Stands By Buff Sonic in 3rd Film ‘Poster’ https://soranews24.com/2018/12/22/paramount-pictures-stands-by-buff-sonic-in-3rd-film-poster/ https://soranews24.com/2018/12/22/paramount-pictures-stands-by-buff-sonic-in-3rd-film-poster/#comments Sat, 22 Dec 2018 01:00:10 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=435627 There were plenty of reactions to Paramount Pictures’ Sonic the Hedgehog film poster when it was unveiled earlier this month, and more than a few were critical of the hero’s physique.

Internet users were quick to note Sonic‘s muscular legs and the decision to give him fur over quills.

Executive producer Tim Miller explained the decision as one that puts Sonic in the “real world” but this didn’t win over all of the character design’s critics. A second poster tossed more fuel on the fire as it places Sonic at the top of the Golden Gate bridge for a POV shot, his outstretched legs shown front and center.

The criticism didn’t fall on deaf ears. In fact, Paramount Pictures went the opposite route by both acknowledging fans’ concerns and also having fun and their expense. The company’s social media account tweeted a third “poster” on Sunday of Sonic holding a sign that reads “Can’t a guy work out? Be back next year. <3 Sonic.” The sign hides Sonic’s body from his head to waist. Only beefy legs are shown, far more muscular than the ones seen in previous posters.

https://twitter.com/SonicMovie/status/1074853082159243264

Paramount Pictures announced in August that it moved the opening date the film from November 15, 2019 to November 8, 2019 in the United States. The film will open in Australia on November 28, 2019 and in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2019. A Japanese opening date for the film will be announced “soon.”

Ben Schwartz (DuckTales, Parks and Recreation) will voice the title character Sonic in the film. James Marsden (Westworld, X-Men) and Tika Sumpter will star in the film, and Jim Carrey (The Truman Show, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective) will voice the villain Robotnik.

Jeff Fowler is making is directorial debut with the film. Tim Miller (Deadpool) and Toby Ascher are executive producing with producer Neal Moritz (Fast & Furious franchise) and co-producers Dmitri Johnson and Dan Jevons.

The film project first emerged in 2014 as a hybrid computer-animated and live-action feature film project by Sonyand Marza Animation Planet. In February 2016, SegaSammy Holdings president and CEO Hajime Satomirevealed that Sony Pictures Entertainment was planning the film. The Hollywood Reporter reported in October that Paramount Pictures had acquired the rights to develop the film.

Source: IndieWire
Featured image: Twitter/@SonicMovie

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/12/22/paramount-pictures-stands-by-buff-sonic-in-3rd-film-poster/feed/ 0 435627 sonic top Ace Attorney Game Franchise Gets New Stage Play in January https://soranews24.com/2018/09/22/ace-attorney-game-franchise-gets-new-stage-play-in-january/ https://soranews24.com/2018/09/22/ace-attorney-game-franchise-gets-new-stage-play-in-january/#comments Sat, 22 Sep 2018 01:00:47 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=426656

New play features Godot’s stage debut, with new character designed by Tatsurō Iwamoto

Super Eccentric Theater announced on Friday that it is producing a new stage play based on CAPCOM‘s Ace Attorney games titled Gyakuten Saiban -Gyakuten no GOLD MEDAL– (Ace Attorney -Turnabout GOLD MEDAL). The play will have nine performances from January 16 to 21 at Theater 1010 next year.

The play will feature the stage play debut of the character Godot, and will also have an original character designed by the series character designer Tatsurō Iwamoto.

Yō Hosaka is directing the play, and Eisaku Satō is penning the script.

The franchise‘s most recent stage play debuted in 2016.

The first television anime adaptation of the games premiered in April 2016 and covered the first two games in the series. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan. Funimation released the first part on home video in January, and released the second part in May. The second season will premiere on October 6. Funimation will offer a simuldub for the new season.

Source: Ace Attorney Stage Play’s Website, Famitsu.com
Featured image: Ace Attorney Stage Play’s Website

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/09/22/ace-attorney-game-franchise-gets-new-stage-play-in-january/feed/ 0 426656 ace attorney top Industry, Artists Reach Out to Support Japan Flooding Victims https://soranews24.com/2018/07/14/industry-artists-reach-out-to-support-japan-flooding-victims/ https://soranews24.com/2018/07/14/industry-artists-reach-out-to-support-japan-flooding-victims/#comments Sat, 14 Jul 2018 05:00:01 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=419093 Large evacuations have made their way along the western coast of Japan as heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslides throughout the area.

Hiroshima has felt the brunt of the disaster. Overall, at least 200 people have died in relation to the flooding and destruction and more than 7,000 are taking shelter amid power outages and supply shortages throughout Hiroshima, Okayama and Ehime areas.

Prime Minister Shinzō Abe was scheduled to travel to Belgium, France, Saudi Arabia and Egypt this month as part of a diplomatic tour but cancelled to assist with the flooding crisis.

Artists and the video game company Cygames, are doing what they can to help alleviate costs and lift the spirits of those affected. Cygames announced in a press release on Thursday that the company donated 25 million yen (US$222,000) to Japan’s Red Cross and an additional 25 million yen to Central Community Chest of Japan (Akai Hane).

Artists are posting support illustrations under the hashtag “#西日本頑張ろうイラスト” (Good Luck Western Japan Illustration). The hashtag first started when Fuuka manga creator Kouji Seo shared an image on Twitter with the comment, “This is a picture my sister sent me. I wonder what I can do.”

妹が送ってくれた写真。
僕には何ができるんだろう。 pic.twitter.com/jiOXXm8pIR

— 瀬尾公治 (@seokouji) July 9, 2018

Ahiru no Sora manga creator Takeshi Hinata replied with “Let’s do something!” Seemingly emboldened, Seo posted an illustration using the hashtag and included the message, “Although all I can do is draw manga, I hope people who have suffered from the flooding will be able to regain their normal, daily life again.”

僕には漫画を描く事しかできませんが、豪雨災害に遭われた方々がまた普通の日常を取り戻せる日がくるよう願ってます。#西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/8m1tJPFzSx

— 瀬尾公治 (@seokouji) July 10, 2018

Hinata responded with his own illustration.

ハッシュタグの使い方が未だ謎です。#西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/jG4alOuF2M

— 日向武史 (@hinatatakeshi) July 11, 2018

With that, a trend started. The Knight in the Area‘s creator Kaya Tsukiyama responded to Hinata’s image with another illustration. Tsukiyama wrote that he’s praying for life to return to normal soon.

ほんと少しでも早く、普段通りの生活に戻れるよう祈ってます！！#西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/gSAtJg597j

— 月山可也 (@tsukiyaman) July 11, 2018

Kanojo, Okarishimasu manga creator Reiji Miyajima kept the chain going.

投稿させていただきます！自由参加らしいので、これを機に色んな作家さんに輪が広がっていけばな…と。（自分が見たいだけ）#西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/1emgD28mLY

— 宮島礼吏 Reiji Miyajima (@Miyajimareiji) July 11, 2018

Soon, Hajime no Ippo‘s George Morikawa, Fairy Tail‘s Hiro Mashima, Dr. Prisoner‘s Atsuo Ueda, Real Account‘s Shizumu Watanabe, and Samurai Deeper Kyo‘s Akimine Kamijyō all shared artwork under the hashtag.

いいこと沢山ありますように。#西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/kb5fK8SFLb

— 森川ジョージ (@WANPOWANWAN) July 11, 2018

みんなの力をあわせて！#西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/bA3FvZLl1q

— 真島ヒロ (@hiro_mashima) July 11, 2018

一日でも早い復興をお祈りしております！！

♯西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/kzb1C9vv7T

— 上田敦夫 (@atsuwo521) July 11, 2018

僕は愛媛出身なので「みきゃん」描かせていただきましたが、もちろん西日本豪雨で被害に遭われたすべての方のために描きました。1日でも早く日常が戻りますように。 #西日本頑張ろうイラスト pic.twitter.com/uSrw2HrXQk

— 渡辺静4/17⑥巻発売 (@shizumukun) July 11, 2018

https://twitter.com/kamijyo_akimine/status/1017167625925771264

Source: South China Morning Post, CBS News via Associated Press, Cygames Press Release via Yara-on!, Nijimen
Featured image: Twitter/@atsuwo521

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/07/14/industry-artists-reach-out-to-support-japan-flooding-victims/feed/ 0 419093 artist tweets top Anime Romance Video Promotes Super Glue on ‘Kiss Day’ https://soranews24.com/2018/05/26/anime-romance-video-promotes-super-glue-on-kiss-day/ https://soranews24.com/2018/05/26/anime-romance-video-promotes-super-glue-on-kiss-day/#comments Fri, 25 May 2018 15:00:50 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=414260

Toagosei’s Aron Alpha brand of instant adhesives, sold as Krazy Glue in the U.S., is trying a new approach to get consumers stuck on its products.

A “Kimi ni, Kuttsuke!” (Stick to You!) campaign is promoting Aron Alpha’s multipurpose, fast-acting adhesive with anime-style art and a romance story. Three versions of a “trailer” for the promotion debuted online on Wednesday.

Full Version

30-Second Version

6-Second Version

In the story, Tsukuno Imasugu is a second-year high school student who loves plastic models and assembling them with Aron Alpha glue. She often makes plastic models in her classroom and loses track of everything else. Kuttsu, the most popular boy in her school, starts talking to Tsukuno. She tells him not to get so close and follow her everywhere, but he persists. A relationship begins to develop between the two.

The characters’ names are puns related to adhesives. The cast includes:

Kana Asumi as Tsukuno Imasugu, a second-year high school student whose friends are plastic models and Aron Alpha. She is a serious girl who gets completely absorbed in making plastic models. She has no experience with love but begins to have feelings for Kuttsu.

Kōtarō Nishiyama as Tsuyoshi Kuttsu, a popular boy who gets a love confession from a girl once a week. He has a bright personality and is good at sports. He is in the same class with Tsukuno beginning this year, and he starts being drawn to her.

Yurina Amami as Shunka Hayasugi, Tsukuno’s classmate who is like an idol in their school. She goes after guys in a calculated way, and she can instantly reel them in. She can’t stand when something she wants is out of her grasp. Kuttsu is her ex, and she is determined to get him back.

Shunya Hiruma as Tarō Hagashi, Tsukuno’s classmate and childhood friend. He is a serious honors student who has watched over Tsukuno since they were young. He has feelings for Tsukuno but can’t express them. He feels bewildered by the appearance of Kuttsu, who was able to rapidly close the distance between himself and Tsukuno.

The kanji characters used for “kiss” to describe the “heart-clenching kiss love story” mean “fastening with glue.” May 23 is “Kiss Day” in Japan, a day that marks the first time a kiss scene in a Japanese film was screened.

Source: YouTube/toagoseiaronalpha, Aron Alpha, Aron Alpha, MoCa News
Images: Aron Alpha

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/05/26/anime-romance-video-promotes-super-glue-on-kiss-day/feed/ 0 414260 main Learn to Make the Cutest Sailor Moon Bento with How-To Video https://soranews24.com/2018/04/21/learn-to-make-the-cutest-sailor-moon-bento-with-how-to-video/ https://soranews24.com/2018/04/21/learn-to-make-the-cutest-sailor-moon-bento-with-how-to-video/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:00:19 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=411392

Why settle for a basic lunch when it could be magical?

A promotional video for the new Sailor Moon 25th Anniversary tribute album will show you how to do it step-by-step. You’re going to need more than just intermediate cooking skills for this one, because the final result is a work of art.

I have to admit, this is one of the more complicated decorative bento designs I’ve seen, and includes cutting out intricate pieces of tofu and dried seaweed, and even dying some of them to get the correct color of blue. If you still remain undaunted, and also want to listen to the cover of “Otome no Policy” by Yoko Ishida from the latest Sailor Moon tribute album, check out the video below.

The newest tribute album contains covers of classic Sailor Moon tracks by LiSA, BiSH, Gesshoku Kaigi, SILENT SIREN, and more. Gesshoku Kaigi is covering two tracks, including “La Soldier.” The band and theme song composer Akiko Kosaka appear in a video below detailing the track’s recording process.

The Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL TRIBUTE album will cost 3,240 yen (US$30). It hit store shelves on April 4.

Source: Animate Times
Top image: YouTube/sailormoon-official

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/04/21/learn-to-make-the-cutest-sailor-moon-bento-with-how-to-video/feed/ 0 411392 sailor moon bento top Mamoru Hosoda’s Mirai of the Future anime film shows new characters in video https://soranews24.com/2018/03/03/mamoru-hosodas-mirai-of-the-future-anime-film-shows-new-characters-in-video/ https://soranews24.com/2018/03/03/mamoru-hosodas-mirai-of-the-future-anime-film-shows-new-characters-in-video/#comments Sat, 03 Mar 2018 05:00:51 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=406178

Film from Summer Wars, Boy and the Beast director opens in July

Srudio Chizu began streaming a new teaser trailer for Mamoru Hosoda’s new Mirai no Mirai (Mirai of the Future) anime film on Friday. The video, which has English subtitles, reintroduces the main characters Kun-chan and Mirai, and also reveals new characters.

The film will open in Japan on July 20, after previously being announced with a May release date. The movie has a 100-minute runtime.

International sales banner Charades represented the film at Cannes and has sold distribution rights to GKIDS in the United States, MK2 Mile End in Canada, Anime Limited in the United Kingdom, and Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand. The film is already slated to open in 57 countries. Producer Yuichiro Saito previously stated that the deals for distribution include a requirement to screen the film in theaters first, in addition to broadcast and streaming rights.

The film’s story centers around a family living in a small house in an obscure corner of a certain city — in particular, the family’s spoiled four-year-old boy Kun-chan. When Kun-chan gets a little sister named Mirai, he feels that his new sister stole his parents’ love from him, and is overwhelmed by many experiences he undergoes for the first time in his life. In the midst of it all, he meets an older version of Mirai, who has come from the future.

Hosoda revealed that the film’s actual setting is Yokohama, “somewhere uptown, near Isago and Kanazawa wards.” He did not specify whether the setting will be important to the specific plot events in the movie, but the location is part of an important past event for the family in the story.

Hosoda is directing the film at his Studio Chizu, and is also credited as scriptwriter and for the original story. Hiroyuki Aoyama (animation director of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, and The Boy and The Beast) and Ayako Hata (key animator on the same films) are returning for this new film as animation directors. Yohei Takamatsu and Takashi Omori, who Hosoda had previously worked with on The Boy and The Beast, are also returning as art directors for the film. Producer Yuichiro Saito is also returning from Hosoda’s earlier films.

Hosoda previously stated that the new film is inspired by his own experience as a father, noting that “Mirai” (which can be translated as “future”) is the name of both the sister character in the film, as well as his own daughter. He stated that the conflict in the film echoes his real-life experience of his eldest child feeling that his new sibling “stole her parents, which made her ferociously jealous.” He acknowledged that the new film is closer to the human drama of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Wolf Children than the action stories of Summer Wars and The Boy and The Beast.

Top image: YouTube/スタジオ地図 / STUDIO CHIZU

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/03/03/mamoru-hosodas-mirai-of-the-future-anime-film-shows-new-characters-in-video/feed/ 0 406178 ANN MM 0 Takuya Eguchi’s Pokemon Doodle Confuses Official Eevee Account https://soranews24.com/2018/02/25/takuya-eguchis-pokemon-doodle-confuses-official-eevee-account/ https://soranews24.com/2018/02/25/takuya-eguchis-pokemon-doodle-confuses-official-eevee-account/#comments Sat, 24 Feb 2018 23:30:42 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=405567 Does this voice actor have a future in Pokémon Mega Evolution design? …probably not.

Pokémon’s Eevee has a ton of evolution variants, a total of eight, and each is themed on a different elemental type.

Despite this, Eevee doesn’t have its own Mega Evolution yet. What would the creature look like? Some kind of conglomeration of all the elements combined?

An all-powerful Legendary Pokémon voice actor and infamous doodler Takuya Eguchi decided to draw what he thinks Eevee would look like. The picture was shared on the Twitter account for Eguchi’s variety program Eguchi Takuya no Oretachi Datte Mo~tto Iyasaretai! (Takuya Eguchi’s We Also Want to Be Healed More!).

イーブイに癒されたくて、撮影の合間に江口拓也画伯にイーブイを描いていただきました。癒された。
…イーブイに俺たちだって癒されたイーブイ。#プロジェクトイーブイ #俺癒 pic.twitter.com/5QK9eMpWIY

— 俺癒＆健僕＆そま君＆鳥セツ＆おしバカ【大王グループ公式】 (@oreiya_info) February 20, 2018

Like his previous drawings, this Eevee has the characteristically blank eyes and full, red lips. The strange drawing caught the attention of Project Eevee, an official Eevee merchandise line.

▼ Once again we felt the possibilities of the unusual Eevee.

ただならぬイーブイの可能性を改めて感じました。@egutakuya https://t.co/nFGze0JF3N

— 【公式】プロジェクトイーブイ（続） (@project_eevee) February 20, 2018

Eguchi’s doodles previously went meta after appearing in the second episode of TsukiPro the Animation. Eguchi voiced a character in the show and his doodles of the mascots of his variety program appeared as stuffed animals in the anime character’s room.

Source: Nijimen
Featured image: Twitter/@oreiya_info

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/02/25/takuya-eguchis-pokemon-doodle-confuses-official-eevee-account/feed/ 0 405567 ann eevee top Figure skating, shogi prove real life can beat anime feats https://soranews24.com/2018/02/21/figure-skating-shogi-prove-real-life-can-beat-anime-feats/ https://soranews24.com/2018/02/21/figure-skating-shogi-prove-real-life-can-beat-anime-feats/#comments Wed, 21 Feb 2018 03:00:56 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=405239 In a long-standing debate, some people posit life imitates art more often than art imitates life.

Yet, it may be rare that real humans are able to match and exceed the deeds of anime heroes who sometimes posses superhuman abilities. Recently, two real-world stars rose to the challenge. Twitter user @AftamC shared images on Monday noting how real-world celebrities have surpassed the accomplishments achieved by their anime counterparts. The tweet reads, “Reality finally surpasses anime.”

https://twitter.com/AftamC/status/965187009663844353

In Yuri!!! on Ice, protagonist Yūri Katsuki’s sets a new world record at the Grand Prix Final with a men’s free skate score of 221.58. In the real world, Olympic gold medalist and figure-skating idol in Japan Yuzuru Hanyu set the new world record of 223.20 at the 2017 World Championships.

Incidentally, Hanyu also became the first man in 66 years to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in men’s figure skating on Saturday. Yuri!!! on Ice fans might call him a “History Maker,” and Hanyu’s recent success has led commentators to refer to him as the greatest men’s figure skater of all time.

In March comes in like a lion, shogi player and protagonist Rei Kiriyama reaches 5-dan at 17 years old. However, Sōta Fujii won the Asahi Cup tournament this past Saturday to reach 6-dan at 15-and-a-half years old. He is now the youngest player in history to win both a championship and reach 6-dan.

Nevertheless, Fujii still has some work to do. In response to @AftamC’s tweet, some fans noted that The Ryuo’s Work is Never Done! protagonist Yaichi Kuzuryū achieved shogi’s top title of “Ryuo” (Dragon King) at the age of 16.

With luck, Hanyu, Fujii, or another prodigy yet to make waves may be able to beat more anime records. As real athletes improve and the popularity of tournament anime continues, real humans may surpass more accomplishments once thought to only be possible in the 2D world.

Source: Hachima Kikō
Featured image: Twitter/@AftamC

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/02/21/figure-skating-shogi-prove-real-life-can-beat-anime-feats/feed/ 0 405239 Anime Real World Tokyo Ghoul creator, anime’s star celebrate Yuzuru Hanyu’s Olympic win https://soranews24.com/2018/02/20/tokyo-ghoul-creator-animes-star-celebrate-yuzuru-hanyus-olympic-win/ https://soranews24.com/2018/02/20/tokyo-ghoul-creator-animes-star-celebrate-yuzuru-hanyus-olympic-win/#comments Tue, 20 Feb 2018 03:00:04 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=405125 Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu became the first man in 66 years to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in men’s figure skating at the PyeongChang Olympics on Saturday.

The popular skater has achieved idol-like status and has a legion of supporters in Japan. Now he can add Tokyo Ghoul’s original creator and its anime’s star to his list of fans.

Tokyo Ghoul manga creator Sui Ishida posted an illustration of Hanyu on Twitter on Sunday. The illustration appears to recreate an image of Hanyu from his performance in the men’s free skate on Saturday. Famous creators have drawn tribute illustrations of Hanyu since at least 2015. Fire Punch manga creator Tatsuki Fujimoto and artist Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy series, Vampire Hunter D) previously contributed likenesses of the skater.

⛸ pic.twitter.com/BQVQBNRy9u

— 石田スイ (@sotonami) February 18, 2018

Hanyu is a known fan of Tokyo Ghoul. He was once photographed with fellow skater Evgenia Medvedeva (a Sailor Moon fan who was holding a Luna plush at the time) while holding a Tokyo Ghoul tumbler. In the photograph, Hanyu’s pose apparently mimics Tokyo Ghoul protagonist Kaneki’s from the anime’s visuals.

Although meeting Hanyu would be a dream for many, the skater recently got to interact with one of his own idols. The episode of Natsuki Hanae and Rina Hidaka‘s “A&G Tribal Radio Edison” radio program that aired on Saturday featured a short interview with Hanyu. Hanae plays main character Ken Kaneki in Tokyo Ghoul. Hanae and Hidaka interviewed Hanyu on his recent win and his interests.

In the beginning of the interview, Hanyu said to Hanae “Kaneki-kun!” in an excited voice. He admitted he was nervous to get to talk to Hanae, and Hanae later said he was mutually nervous. To avoid leaving Hidaka out, Hanyu told her that he “of course” knows her as well but couldn’t immediately think of one of her characters.

Hanyu said in the interview that he was relieved after his win at the Olympics. However, he quickly turned the conversation back to fanboying over Hanae. He said he was more nervous than during his free program on Saturday. Hanae remarked that listeners had been talking about how Hanyu is a fan of Tokyo Ghoul, and Hanyu confirmed he has watched the anime. He added that he owns Tokyo Ghoul merchandise.

In addition, Hanyu said in the interview that he likes video games including Monster Hunter. Although he has yet to play Monster Hunter World, Hanyu said he uses a Charge Blade when he plays. Hanyu appeared in commercials for the Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate game that debuted in 2014. Hanyu ended the interview by repeating “Kaneki-kun!” Hanae replied, “I’m Kaneki!”

[Via RBB Today, Mori Kana no Hanyu Yuzuru Senshu Ōen Blog, Hachima Kikō]

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/02/20/tokyo-ghoul-creator-animes-star-celebrate-yuzuru-hanyus-olympic-win/feed/ 0 405125 Screen Shot 2018-02-20 at 11.59.25 Five Chinese nationals arrested in Japan for translating manga, games for distribution https://soranews24.com/2018/02/03/five-chinese-nationals-arrested-in-japan-for-translating-manga-games-for-distribution/ https://soranews24.com/2018/02/03/five-chinese-nationals-arrested-in-japan-for-translating-manga-games-for-distribution/#comments Sat, 03 Feb 2018 05:00:27 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=403253

Allegedly translated Kimi ni Todoke & Maid Sama! crossover manga, Yu-Gi-Oh! game, more.

Police from Kyoto, Yamaguchi, Shizuoka, Mie, and Shimane Prefectures announced on Wednesday that they have arrested five Chinese nationals for translating dialogue from Japanese manga and games into Chinese for unauthorized distribution. According to the police, at least two admitted to the charges. The suspects, who range in age from 23 to 28, are allegedly part of a translating group that distributed Chinese-translated manga, anime, and other materials online.

Two of the five arrested were a 24-year-old female Nagoya University research student living in Nagoya and a 25-year-old female J. F. Oberlin University graduate student living in Sagamihara City. The Nagoya research student allegedly translated Yuki Ochimura ni Ojō-sama! (pictured above), Hiro Fujiwara‘s crossover manga between her Maid Sama! and Yuki wa Jigoku ni Ochiru no ka? series, from a monthly manga magazine from December 2016 to September 2017 without permission. (The manga ran in Hakusensha‘s LaLamagazine.)

The graduate student allegedly translated the dialogue of characters in a game based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! mangafrom January 2015 to January 2016. The *Asahi Shimbun*paper lists the game as Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Tag Force Special (pictured left).

The arrests are the first publicized ones for members of the translating group. Four of the suspects are voluntarily cooperating with the investigation, which aims to file charges for copyright infringement.

According to the police, the translating group is composed of volunteers online. The group’s promoter and described leader assembled members from online boards and other venues, and then assigned them to either translation or distribution. The two female suspects described above were responsible for translation. They allegedly posted on Weibo, the popular Chinese social media service roughly equivalent to Twitter, and the translated works could then be read and downloaded on other sites.

he police said that the group translated Japanese manga, games, and game magazines for public distribution on Chinese sites from January 2015 to January 2018. One of the cited titles is Karuho Shiina‘s Kimi ni Todoke – From Me to You manga.

The translating group members allegedly translated over 15,000 manga items without permission. The police’s joint investigation unit is looking into whether the two suspects above are involved in the translation of other works.

A 2013 inquiry by the Japanese government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs asserted that unauthorized distribution of Japanese anime, manga, and games on Chinese Internet sites led to a loss of 3.8 trillion yen (about US$35 billion).

Update: The Association of Copyright for Computer Software reports that one of the suspects, a 23-year-old female company worker from Niiza City in Saitama Prefecture, translated the 123rd and final Kimi ni Todoke – From Me to You manga chapter. Police from Kanagawa, Ishikawa, Gifu, and Shiga Prefectures also worked on the case.

The association reports that if convicted, the suspects face up to 10 years in prison, up to 10 million yen (about US$90,000) in fines, or both. The suspects could also face civil lawsuits with additional levies for damages and orders to delete files.

Sources: Sankei West, Asahi Shimbun
Thanks to crosswithyou for the news tip
Top image: Pakutaso

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]]> https://soranews24.com/2018/02/03/five-chinese-nationals-arrested-in-japan-for-translating-manga-games-for-distribution/feed/ 0 403253 ANN 6 Idols stand by cryptocurrency after major theft leaves them without paychecks https://soranews24.com/2018/02/01/idols-stand-by-cryptocurrency-after-major-theft-leaves-them-without-paychecks/ https://soranews24.com/2018/02/01/idols-stand-by-cryptocurrency-after-major-theft-leaves-them-without-paychecks/#comments Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:00:17 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=403002

The Virtual Currency Girls hit their first major snag in their dream of a cryptocurrency utopia.

A major theft at the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck caused the service to shut down completely and left the idols holding the empty bag. The girls had previously agreed to only be paid in cryptocurrency to support the group’s message. It was also the way to buy both tickets and merchandise for the group.

The Virtual Currency Girls held a press conference on January 27 explaining that the five-member group was supposed to receive two million yen in wages (US$18,400) through the Coincheck exchange. The Cinderella Academy agency offered to pay the girls in yen but they declined, instead standing by their position on cryptocurrency. While Coincheck is down, they also cannot receive payment for tickets or merchandise but still plan to perform as scheduled.

The masked idol maids were brought together to promote a future where initial coin offering (ICO) offer hope, instead of the risks of “fraud” and “crashes” sometimes associated with virtual currency. Each member is promoting a specific cryptocurrency and the group is led by BitCoin Cash idol Rara Nanase. The other members represent the original BitCoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Neo (NEO), Mona (MONA), Cardano (ADA), NEM (XEM), and Ripple (XRP). The idols range in age from 15 to 22, although two members are keeping their ages a secret.

Coincheck issued a statement on Sunday that it will compensate approximately 260,000 individuals in yen for the loss of cryptocurrency NEM (XEM), for a total of 523 million XEM. Coincheck will pay out 46.3 billion yen (US$426 million), an about 20% depreciation of the cryptocurrency’s worth. The money will come from Coincheck’s own funds, but the company did not say when the refunds will take place.

Hackers managed to steal the equivalent of US$530 million, more than the US$400 million in BitCoin stolen from Mt Gox in 2014, making it the largest theft of its kind. The Japanese government is now supervising the company’s response to the hack and has asked Coincheck to improve its business practices in light of the recent events.

Other cryptocurrency exchanges targeted by hackers recently include Youbit in South Korea and NiceHash in Slovenia.

Text: Lynzee Loveridge
Source: Oricon News via JPop Asia (Aysohmay), Yaraon, CNN Tech (Daniel Shane, Yoko Wakatsuki)
Top image: YouTube/星座百景 【12星座のアイドルグループ】

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