Lupin the Third hardly needs any introduction. For the past fifty years, Monkey Punch’s story about the gentleman thief, his right-hand man and sharpshooter Jigen, the swordsman Goemon, femme fatale and love interest Fujiko and lifelong frenemy Inspector Zenigata have entertained and delighted audiences around the world through manga, five television series, feature-length anime and various goods and collaborations. While Lupin the Third has collaborated on themed cafes and bars and even a themed escape adventure, the venerable franchise has never had an official presence in a theme park before. However, that will all change when Lupin the Third comes to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka for a special limited-time…

Nayu Kurachi, or Nayupeta, as she is known by her fans, hails from Aichi Prefecture and has been cosplaying since her early teens. A cosplayer with remarkable versatility, she is equally comfortable cosplaying glamorous idols and sporty high school girls as she is becoming powerful and noble warriors or martial artists. With her beautifully toned physique and her dedication to costume, posing and expression, not to mention her good fortune in teaming up with talented photographers, she consistently produces high quality photo books and has gained a steadily growing fan base both within and outside of Japan. Interview grape Japan (gJ): Since when have you been cosplaying? Nayu Kurachi (NY):…

Hugtto! Precure As many anime fans know, Hugtto! Precure is the latest incarnation of the highly popular magical girl anime television franchise Pretty Cure. Created to celebrate the 15th year of the franchise, Hugtto! Precure follows the story of 13-year old Hana Nono, a girl who aspires to be seen as grown up, who encounters a mysterious baby called Hug-tan who has a Mirai Crystal containing the positive energy of a shining tomorrow. In her desire to protect Hug-tan from the evil Criasu Corporation who want to take the crystal away and thus rob everyone of their future, she transforms into Pretty Cure of High Spirits, Cure Yell. Together with…

While augmented reality and virtual reality features in apps based on existing anime or game character properties such as Neko Atsume VR or, more recently, Idolmaster Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage are beginning to carve out a piece of the smartphone app pie, only a sliver of them are geared towards women, and until now, none of them have allowed you to customize your VR character. © IVR / © PR Times, Inc. But fear not! IVR, already known for simulation games AR Kanojo and Summer Vacation, has baked up a virtual dish you’re sure to love with a sophisticated new smartphone app called “VR Kareshi” (VR Boyfriend), a love simulation…

The Feud Begins American talk show host Conan O’Brien made good on his promise to visit the town of Hokuei in Tottori Prefecture, yesterday, as the highlight of his remote segment in Japan. As fans of the manga Case Closed (Detective Conan) surely know, Hokuei also goes by the name Conan Town since it’s the birthplace of the manga’s creator Gosho Aoyama. In August, the American comedian aired his “grievances” against the fictional sleuth who he considered to be a manga copy of him, pointing to such similarities as being “a man trapped in a child’s body,” and requesting the manga’s rights holders pay him three trillion yen in compensation….

Do you have plans to visit Akihabara this weekend? If so, you may want to check out a completely new DJ party concept having its first run this coming Sunday afternoon. Anikura: Anime Song DJ Events Source: “Chara Tee Party in Akihabara Entas” / © twipla Over the past decade, a genre of DJ event called anikura (from the words anisong and club) has matured in Japan and even made significant inroads abroad. In its purest form, anikura events feature DJs only playing original or remixes of anime songs, but the genre has also come to encompass music from games, Vocaloid, idols, sometimes even dempa and chiptunes, either in original…

Mari Kurea spent her childhood years in the Philippines but turned 20 in Japan. Inspired by her longstanding love of anime and manga, Mari, or Maririn as she is known by her fans, began cosplaying four years ago and has since expanded her range of activities dramatically. She enjoys cosplaying a wide range of characters, from Haruhi Suzumiya, Tsukihi Araragi from Bakemonogatari, Kongou from Kantai Collection, Queen Medb and Scáthach from Fate/Grand Order and virtual YouTubers like Kizuna Ai and Mirai Akari, to name a few. In addition to cosplaying for fun, she is also active as a cosplay promotional model at events as well as a fashion model. She…

Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist spots in the area. The sprawling shrine is most famous for its path of striking red torii gates and bamboo forest. モモさん(@kuramubon064)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 8月月20日午後10時19分PDT There’s plenty to explore as the shrine grounds are massive, and this intrepid photographer stumbled upon an eccentric little known feature of the religious site. His photos went viral on Twitter, with many people becoming captivated by the magical atmosphere. At first it may look like an ordinary photo of a shrine, but something seems a little off. If you compare the gates to the trees the proportions seem a bit weird. Source:…

In Japan, the term hikikomori (literally, pulling inward or being confined) refers to the phenomenon of reclusive teenagers and adults who cut themselves off from the outside world and enter periods of prolonged isolation. Often regarded as “acute social withdrawal”, the situation has caught the notice of municipalities across Japan, who are trying to implement ways to help aide social recluses and extreme shut-ins in terms of adjusting to the outside world. A 2016 Japanese government report estimates that 540,000 people between ages 15 and 39 have completely severed tied with the outside world outside of addressing small chores, the Japan Times reports. Source: Ushico / PIXTA(ピクスタ) In the following…

Shichi-go-san (meaning seven five three) is a rite of passage for Japanese children. Boys aged three and five and girls aged three and seven are taken to a temple or shrine on November 15th to pray for their continued health and growth. The children are dressed in their best traditional wear and receive auspicious sweets with special meanings. One shrine in Tokyo is offering the ceremony, not just for children, but another demographic altogether. Now animal lovers can also celebrate the age milestones of their pets as Ichigaya Hachiman shrine in Shinjuku are accepting reservations for pet shichi-go-san. yossy.nakanakaさん(@hayasayu.shi_ba)がシェアした投稿 – 2016年11月月25日午前7時17分PST CHIFFON D'OR ゆりさん(@yuri_chiffondor)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年12月月10日午前5時51分PST Some pet owners just…

For the longest time, sake has taken center stage around the world. However, shochu is in fact Japan’s national alcohol, enjoyed more commonly than sake at popular eateries, bars, izakayas and pubs all over Japan. Unlike its more internationally famous cousin sake which is brewed, shochu is distilled mostly from starches such as rice, barley, sweet potatoes or buckwheat, or brown sugar. In Kagoshima, they brew Satsuma Shochu, made from locally grown sweet potatoes, known as satsuma-imo in Japanese. These potatoes are usually harvested in late autumn and early winter. Under the official recognition of the World Trade Organisation, the name “Satsuma Shochu” may only be used for Shochu liquor…

In Japan, some of the most celebrated sightseeing areas are not simply tourist attractions, but what are known as “power spots”. Power spots are believed to provide visitors with a healing or rejuvenating energy, and while some are simply areas where one may feel in tune with nature, many are sought out with the hope of answering a wish or prayer, meaning they can be found at spiritual spots like ancient shrines. Just one look at the “wall of joy” at Jouganji, a Buddhist temple in Nara, will tell you what wish travelers from all over the country have in mind. On Ema, or wooden wishing plaques, visitors leave notes…

Shonen Jump Exhibition Is A Must-See For Manga and Anime Fans Many manga and anime fans probably know that Weekly Shonen Jump has consistently published manga series that have become mega-hits with fans around the world. Captain Tsubasa, Fist of the North Star, Dragon Ball and City Hunter mostly in the 1980s, Slam Dunk, Yu-Gi-Oh, Yu Yu Hakusho, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure mostly in 1990s, and then Death Note, The Prince of Tennis, Bleach, Naruto, One Piece and recent favorites like Assassination Classroom and My Hero Academia in the 21st century. While the earlier works of the 80s and 90s are still popular (some due to ongoing or recent adaptations…

Twice a year in Tokyo, literally hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts of anime, manga and games, as well as countless other hobbies converge on the twin inverted pyramids of Tokyo Big Sight for the bi-annual Comic Market, otherwise known as Comiket. The attendance for Comic Market 94, which concluded last Sunday, surpassed 530,000, which is 10,000 more than last summer. Comiket also happens to be one of the most important events for cosplayers. Not to be outdone by the astounding number and diversity of the fanzines and goods for sale within the halls, an incredible variety of cosplayers gather outside the halls at several locations around the Big Sight grounds,…

If you come to Japan you have to try traditional sweets. Wagashi is an umbrella term for various traditional sweets and desserts. Apart from just artisanal presentation, they taste exquisite too. Using distinctly Japanese ingredients and flavours such as matcha, adzuki beans and kinako (roasted soy bean flour), they are completely different from their counterparts found in other countries. Usually less sweet, they match perfectly with a cup of green tea for a sublime Japanese teatime. Best Wagashi to Pick Up While in Japan 1. Mochi Ami_Tateishiさん(@ami_tateishi1118)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 8月月8日午後10時22分PDT You’ve probably heard of mochi before, a contender for the softest material on this earth. In wagashi this super springy…