People were getting themselves seated for the Spirited Away play at the Misono-za theater in Nagoya when it was announced the performance had been cancelled. Romi Park, who plays Yubaba and Zeniba in alternative performances, had been diagnosed with COVID. Park said she was using …Read more »
There are several life-sized Gundam statues in Japan, and those lucky enough to see them in person are in for an amazing sight. But what about being able to make the Gundam move? Some kids are getting this chance thanks to Gundam Factory Yokohama. The …Read more »
You might not be able to hop on a real ship with the characters of One Piece, but Japan Airlines (JAL) is offering the opportunity for One Piece-themed flights! These specialty flights are called “Wano Country Flight – Legendary Crane and Adventure in the Sky.” …Read more »
Say goodbye to “Japan-only”. How many times have you encountered the anime figure of your dreams, only to painfully find out that it’s sold in Japan only? And worse yet, for a limited time only to boot? For otaku overseas, the privilege of simple availability …Read more »
Last month Sailor Moon revealed a slew of clothing, jewelry and accessory items that were created to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the anime. But if you think that means there won’t be any more Sailor Moon goodies for a while, please know that …Read more »
A number of popular anime and manga titles get their own specialty cafés, so it really was only a matter of time before SPY x FAMILY got one. The limited-time SPY X FAMILY café will open next month in the Chigai Grace Café, which is …Read more »
A lot of fans love stage plays of their favorite manga, and GeGeGe no Kitaro, a long-time manga favorite in Japan, is getting an atmospheric and creepy stage play. The original manga series was published between 1960 and 1969, and this year marks what would …Read more »
Japan has a ton of specialty cafés, and there’s one in Nagoya known as Osu no Mori no Café Kodama that’s all about Studio Ghibli. That starts with the name (Kodama, from the forest spirits in Princess Mononoke) and includes the decorations and even the …Read more »
Earlier this year Otaku USA reported on a story of a bullied man finding happiness “marrying” Vocaloid Hatsune Miku. While the wedding might not be official, Akihiko Kondo has said it’s made his life better, and he’s found a supporter in Gene Simmons of KISS. …Read more »
Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli’s co-creator and long-time producer, now has his own traveling exhibit called the Toshio Suzuki and Ghibli Exhibition. In addition to seeing all sorts of Studio Ghibli nods (like a huge Yubaba head), it lets people get to know Suzuki. For starters, …Read more »
A Japanese woman named Runa has taken latte art to a whole new level. She has more than 120,000 followers on Twitter (with the account @RunaPocket) where she shares her latest creations, including many otaku themed ones. For example, take a look at how she …Read more »
The winners of the spring 2022 Medal with Purple Ribbon have been announced! These medals are given out by the Japanese government and are meant for “individuals who have contributed to academic and artistic developments, improvements and accomplishments.” This year both Hideaki Anno and founder …Read more »
The Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind kabuki play is returning! The play was originally performed back in December 2019, and there’s a reasonable chance it hasn’t been back since because of COVID. However, with more people vaccinated and more things returning to normal, …Read more »
Do you need some Pokémon nail polish to go with your Pokémon clothes and Pokémon jewelry? The Japanese company uka has you covered with their limited edition uka Pokémon Study Series consisting of six different nail polishes! Each nail polish is associated with a different …Read more »
A new school year is starting in Japan, and freshmen filing in to Tama Art University got to see something they probably didn’t expect: the Pokémon Arceus! Well, okay, it’s not really Arceus. It’s two people in suits designed to look like Arceus. One of …Read more »
Danica Davidson
Otaku USA Staff
