Twentythree

The styles of six virtual idols, one modern-day illustrator, and one legend of Japanese art history come together in beautiful ways.

Earlier this week, we took a look at a new project for Hatsune Miku that’s steeped in the Japanese tradition of high school extracurricular clubs kicking things up a notch in the summertime. But now the original virtual idol is getting even more traditional, as she and her Vocaloid friends are stepping into the works of Japan’s most famous painter, ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai.

The third contributor to this creative crossover is illustrator Rella, who’s served as an artist for previous official Hatsune Miku projects. While the new initiative is called “Katsushika Hokusai x Hatsune Miku Rella,” it could have also been called “Katsushika Hokusai x Hatsune Miku Kagamine Rin, Kagamine Len, Megurine Luka, Meiko, Kaito Rella,” since there are a total of six Vocaloids featured in the collection of artwork and merch.

As the most famous of the Vocaloid bunch, though, Miku is the star of the show here, given a place in both regular and super-deformed proportions on The Great Wave off Kanagawa, the most widely recognized of Hokusai’s woodblock prints, and arguably the best-known Japanese painting of all time.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa is part of Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, a sort of visual travelogue of eastern Japan in the early 1800s. Another painting in the series, Reflection from Misaka Pass in Kai Province, is graced by Kagamine Rin…

…and also by her twin brother, Len.

▼ Twins share everything, even, apparently, ukiyo-e environments.

Megurine Luka makes her appearance in Gotenyama Shinagawa Along the Tokaido, where the pink of her hair pairs nicely with the bull-bloom cherry tree blossoms between her and Mt. Fuji’s snow-blanketed peak.

We have more complementary colors as Meiko sits beside the Akafuji/Red Fuji of Fine Wind, Clear Morning, looking more than a little like a giantess in the process.

And finally, showing her caring and magnanimous attitude towards her younger brethren, Miku lets Kaito hang out on The Great Wave too.

In total, there are 12 illustrations, with regular and SD versions for Vocaloid. There’s also an impressively wide array of items on offer, with the artwork presented on clear files, key holders, acrylic standees, and pins.

For larger-scale displays, there are also bath towels, tapestries, tote bags, and cloth posters, though the first of those three seem to be limited to just the regular Miku illustration.

Also included in the lineup are zippered pouches, a slick squared-off pen case, and a folding fan, the last of which seems especially appropriate given the classical art connection.

However, while the merch lineup and prices have been announced (with nothing mentioned above over 4,000 yen), Presence, the licensing company behind the Katsushika Hokusai x Hatsune Miku Rella project, hasn’t yet said when the items will go on sale, or what channels they’ll be sold through. Still, when they do appear they’re going to look very cool, and considering that The Great Wave off Kanagawa was originally painted all the way back in 1831, a few more weeks or months doesn’t seem like too long to wait for the Hatsune Miku update.

Related: Presence
Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Presence
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Japanese convenience store chain makes us rethink the fruit sando with a beautiful new release.

When you walk into a Japanese convenience store in search of a beautiful sandwich, or “sando” to use the Japanese term, your eye will likely be drawn to the fruit sandwiches, with their gorgeous fillings of whipped cream and carefully placed slices of fruit.

Soon, though, you might find yourself drawn to the savoury sandwiches, because 7-Eleven has just unveiled a variety that’s every bit as beautiful as a fruit sando, and interestingly enough, it does technically contain fruit, just not the type you’d expect.

▼ Say hello to the Avocado Sando.

A filling this vibrant and colourful is generally associated with fruit sandos, so you might find yourself doing a double take to find out what it’s about. Though the Japanese description on the packaging simply says “アボカド” (“Avocado”), the English description underneath makes things a little clearer, with the words “Avocado, Pork Ham, Tomato and Cobb’s Sauce” printed on the packaging. Though “Cobb’s Sauce” might seem like an unusual word, it refers to a creamy, tangy spread inspired by Cobb salad dressing, and it’s been used in English-language descriptions for a number of other 7-Eleven sandwiches, including Chicken & Egg.

7-Eleven says the new sandwich has been carefully crafted, using specially selected high-quality avocados from Peru that have been allowed to ripen slowly to develop their naturally rich, creamy flavours. The juicy acidity of the tomato and the saltiness of the ham are designed to balance the richness of the avocado, while the soft white bread brings everything together with a satisfying mouthfeel.

Though not classed as a fruit sando, the new sandwich does an intriguing job of masquerading as one, given its beautiful appearance and the fact that botanically, avocados and tomatoes are classed as fruits because they develop from the flowers of plants and contain seeds.

With 7-Eleven recently reinventing the convenience store sandwich as we know it in surprising new ways, we wouldn’t put it past the chain to cheekily test the boundaries between a fruit sando and a savoury one. As long as they don’t start putting whipped cream in between the layers, we certainly won’t be complaining.

▼ The sandwich will be on sale from 16 July, priced at 399 yen (US$2.70).

It’s one of the most beautiful sandwiches you’ll find on the shelves at 7-Eleven, so keep an eye out for it next time you’re feeling peckish. And you can wash it down with the super creamy latte that recently became a hit on social media while you’re there.

Source, images: Press release
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Exclusive drinks showcase two fruits, done three ways.

It was just the other day when Starbucks Japan unveiled the final peach drink in its early summer lineup, but now the chain is already moving on, with the announcement that a trio of new drinks will soon be on its way.

This time, two fruits will be sharing the spotlight, appearing as the main ingredients in three very different beverages.

▼ The star of the show is the “Gyugyutto Orange & Mango Frappuccino” (Tall size only; 707 yen [US$4.75] for takeout or 720 yen for dine-in).

In Japanese, “gyugyutto” means to be packed full of something, and in the case of this drink, that something is the pulpiness of oranges and the richness of mangoes. This blend is crafted from rich mango juice and four varieties of orange, chosen for their different levels of sweetness, acidity and aroma. Layered with chunky orange pieces, blood orange jelly and mango juice, the beverage is topped with whipped cream and a honey blood orange sauce for a smooth finish. According to Starbucks, customers can dial up the flavours by customising the drink with white mocha syrup for extra richness or citrus pulp for a brighter taste.

▼ The “Chillax Soda Orange & Mango” (Tall through to Venti, from 579 yen for takeout)

Those who prefer sparkling summer drinks will want to try the new Chillax Soda, which combines orange pieces, mango juice and blood orange jelly with carbonated soda. The Chillax range contains a signature green citrus-flavoured syrup, which works well with the new flavour to add a sparkly, citrus zing to the mix. Adding extra citrus pulp as a customisation is said to create an even more refreshing flavour profile.

▼ The “Craft Juicy Orange & Mango Tea” (Tall through to Venti, from 618 yen for takeout)

Rounding out the collection is a fruity tea, which blends juicy orange pieces, blood orange jelly and mango with black tea. The tea’s gentle bitterness balances the fruit’s natural sweetness, creating a more refined taste, and you can make the switch from black tea to passionfruit tea as a customisation for brighter colour and even fruitier flavour.

Whether you prefer to enjoy orange and mango in a rich Frappuccino, a refreshing soda or a refined iced tea, these drinks are bound to quench your thirst as we enter the harshest, hottest days of summer. Available from 22 July, all three drinks will be on the menu at Starbucks stores across Japan for a limited time.

Source, photos: Press release
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Fujin and Raijin take a break and leave divine duties up to the Eva units.

Before solidifying their reputations as some of the most iconic designs in the history of anime, back when Evangelion first started airing on TV in 1995, the series’ robots looked pretty weird to a lot of viewers. Instead of taking styling cues from suits of knightly armor like so many other animated robot series, the major inspiration for the Eva units were oni, the horned demons/ogres of Japanese legends.

But as Evangelion went on, not only did viewers become accustomed to the unorthodox mecha designs, they proved to be an apt fit for the series’ tone and its characters’ psyche-shaking identity crises. The Eva units radiate an aura that feels at once both destructive and divine, so much so that they don’t look at all out of place subbing in for a pair of deities depicted in one of Japan’s most famous pieces of art.

Wind God and Thunder God, or Fujin Raijin Zubyobu, is a folding screen painted by Tawaraya Sotatsu sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. Pictured on the left is Raijin, a god of thunder and lightning in Shinto and Japanese Buddhist tradition, and on the right is Fujin, Raijin’s brother and god of wind.

As part of the Eva Japonism project from design company Hanzo, the siblings will be taking a breather, with Eva Unit-01 and pilot protagonist Shinji filling in for Raijin.

Within Japanese mythology, Raijin is usually described as being the more mischievous and potentially dangerous of the siblings, an aspect of the legends with similarities to the question as to whether Shinji and Unit-01 are going to be humanity’s saviors or lead the species to a much less pleasant future. For the Evangelion Fujin Raijin Folding Screen series, artist Izumo makes use of intricate brushwork as an homage to Tawaraya’s technique, and while anime character designs always have an abstract quotient to them, Izumo is particularly unconcerned with attempting anything close to photo-realism for the human cast of Evangelion here, instead choosing to paint them with expressive poses and facial expressions as they drift through empty golden space.

On the other side of the composition, four different Eva/character pairs take the place of Fujin, with their personal ways of trying to support or protect Shinji echoing the wind god’s comparatively more benevolent, yet still intimidatingly powerful, image compared to his brother. In addition to Rei and Unit-00, the collection consists of Asuka and Unit-02…

…Mari and Unit-08…

…and Kaworu and Evangelion Mark.06.

While it’s often the norm for newly commissioned anime artwork like this to get put on a huge array of items, Hanzo looks to be sticking to the original Fujin Raijin Zubyobu format and offering the Evangelion Fujin Raijin Folding Screens as just that: folding screens. They do realize, though, that not everyone who wants one lives in a feudal-era castle with entire rooms to spare for art displays, and so the Eva screens are a manageable 31.4 centimeters (12.4 inches) in height and 43.7 centimeters across, and can be folded to bring their width down by a half.

▼ Alternatively, you can hang the unfolded screens on your wall like you would conventional paintings, since they already have a frame of sorts to facilitate their folding.

Also, though customarily displayed as a pair, Tawaraya’s Wind God and Thunder God is actually two separate two-panel screens, and that’s the case for the Eva reimaginings too, as each design is sold separately, priced at 29,700 yen (US$185).

The collection goes on sale through Hanzo’s Ukiyo-e Works online store (also known as Hanzo Ukiyo-e Kobo) here at noon on July 17.

Source: PR Times, Hanzo
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: Wikipedia/Calksmods, PR Times, Hanzo
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From Nausicaä to Earwig and the Witch, this collection celebrates all but one of Ghibli’s major feature films. 

Part of what makes a Studio Ghibli film so memorable is the cast of characters you meet along the way, with each one bringing an individual charm to the storyline.

While these characters stand out in our memories long after the credits roll on the film, there’s now a way to make them stand out on our desks too, thanks to a massive new wooden clip collection from specialty Ghibli retail chain Donguri Kyowakoku.

Called “25 Works Wooden Clip“, the range showcases 25 Studio Ghibli works, all beautifully rendered in wood. With circular designs printed on natural material, the colours have a wonderfully muted look, reminiscent of the hand-drawn animation style that appears in the vast majority of Ghibli movies.

▼ While the stands act as miniature movie displays, they also have a functional aspect to them.

▼ Squeeze the base of the clip…

▼ …and you’ll open the top, allowing you to slot papers, cards and photos in the opening.

▼ The clips can be used to hold everything from personal notes and postcards through to cherished mementos.

▼ On the back, each clip has the name of the movie printed on it, to remind you of the origin of the design.

With a number of interesting details that combine Western and Japanese elements, like the use of katakana script instead of the usual hiragana in film titles, these clips stand out as unique items in the Ghibli merchandise world. There’s a lot to cover here, so let’s take a look at the clips in order of the release date of the movie they honour.

▼ Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

At the centre of this design is Nausicaä, with her fox-squirrel companion Teto on her shoulder and images of the Ohmu circling her. The Worm-Flute she uses to calm the Ohmu is depicted beneath the Japanese title, which is written with a combination of kanji and katakana characters (“風ノ谷ノナウシカ”) in the traditional right-to-left reading direction.

▼ Castle in the Sky (1986)

The first meeting between main characters Sheeta and Pazu is beautifully captured in this clip, which shows Pazu catching Sheeta as she falls from the sky.

▼ Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

This clip pulls at the heartstrings while reminding us to cherish the simple joys in life, as siblings Seita and Setsuko gaze at fireflies, surrounded by imagery from the wartime film. Both the Japanese title, written with kanji and katakana characters as “火垂ルノ墓”, and the year of release (“一九八八”) are arranged in the traditional right-to-left reading direction.

▼ My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

Titular character Totoro flashes us a happy grin here, joined by a Soot Sprite, a White Totoro and other forest creatures in the design. The Japanese title, written in katakana as “トナリノトトロ” and printed in the traditional right-to-left reading style, tips its hat, quite literally, to young character Mei, with her straw hat placed on the final character.

▼ Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Young witch Kiki and her loyal black cat, Jiji, are here to remind us to bravely take on new adventures, with nods to her home and bakery in the design.

▼ Only Yesterday (1991)

This clip captures the film’s journey through childhood nostalgia by depicting Taeko alongside her younger self, with the Japanese title written right-to-left in katakana (“オモヒデポロポロ”).

▼ Porco Rosso (1992)

This clip stars ace pilot Porco Rosso, happily in his element in the cockpit of his beloved plane.

▼ The Ocean Waves (1993)

This design depicts main character Rikako, the Tokyo transfer student whose quiet and independent nature leads her to become misunderstood by her classmates.

▼ Pom Poko (1994)

This clip shines a light on the mischievous shape-shifting tanuki as they fight to protect their woodland home, with the film’s Japanese title printed right-to-left in kanji and katakana “平成狸合戦ポンポコ”, and Japanese numerals “一九九四” indicating the year of release.

▼ Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Go for a bike ride with aspiring writer Shizuku Tsukishima and violin maker Seiji Amasawa in this whimsical, romantic design.

▼ Princess Mononoke (1997)

San brings her indomitable spirit to this clip, offering encouragement when we need it most, alongside wolf Moro and a couple of Kodama. The film’s Japanese title is written with kanji and katakana characters (“モノノケ姫”) , in the traditional right-to-left style.

▼ My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999)

The happy Yamada family warms our hearts with their smiles on this design, which features the film’s Japanese title, in kanji and katakana characters (“ホーホケキョ ノ山田クン”), printed right-to-left.

▼ Spirited Away (2001)

This clip is like an invitation to the bathhouse from the film, with mystical customers appearing to march towards their baths. No Face watches on with Haru in the background as a cheeky Soot Sprite reaches for a candy on the title, which is written right-to-left, in kanji and katakana (“千ト千尋ノ角ま千ノ千尋の神隠シ”). The final letter “シ” (on the left) is cleverly constructed with a couple of bath tags.

▼ The Cat Returns (2002)

Haru and the Baron are the stars of this clip, with feline Muta appearing near the title, and motifs from the film adding extra visual interest to the design.

▼ The Ghiblies Episode 2 (2002)

Not a lot of Ghibli fans know about this comedy short, but it’s something you should definitely put on your radar as it features the quirky staff of Studio Ghibli, with a humorous look at their everyday lives and personalities.

▼ Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Howl is central to this design, which cleverly adds Calcifer into the title, taking the place of “O” in “Howl’s”.

▼ Tales from Earthsea (2006)

This clip features Prince Arren, with a majestic dragon that highlights the fantasy world of Earthsea.

▼ Ponyo (2008)

Magical goldfish Ponyo is front and centre in this design, surrounded by her lookalike siblings in their undersea world.

▼ Arrietty (2010)

This clip features tiny Borrower Arrietty, wearing her signature red hair clip and surrounded by leaves, flowers and berries that remind us of her tiny home.

▼ From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)

Step back in time to 1963 Yokohama with high school student Umi Matsuzaki, known as “the girl who raises flags” because she raises signal flags every morning and lowers them every night.

▼ The Wind Rises (2013)

This design pays tribute to aeronautical engineer Jiro Horikoshi and his dream of building beautiful aircraft.

▼ The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)

Princess Kaguya takes the spotlight in the design, which replicates the beautiful illustrative style of the movie, and adds the year of its release in Japanese numerals (二〇一三).

▼ When Marnie Was There (2014)

Titular character Marnie stares into the distance on this clip, evoking the mysterious feel of the movie with a nighttime design.

▼ The Red Turtle (2016)

This is the only clip that doesn’t use the film’s English or Japanese title, instead using the French title, “La Tortue Rouge“, with the red turtle looming behind the unnamed castaway.

▼ Earwig and the Witch (2020)

This design features Earwig (or Aya as she’s known to Japanese audiences), with her familiar, a black cat called Thomas, and a couple of little demons.

Well, that certainly was a walk down memory lane! Though some of the more popular Ghibli films are fresh in our memories, there were some clips there that had us recalling films we’d long forgotten, and others that still tend to fly under the radar.

One notable movie missing from the lineup, however, is The Boy and the Heron, meaning the collection covers all but one of Studio Ghibli’s major film releases. If you’re a glass-half-full kind of person, though, the range does include every major film prior to The Boy and the Heron’s 2023 release, and even includes Nausicaä, which, despite being a Hayao Miyazaki film, technically predates the official founding of the studio.

With 25 clips to choose from, it’ll be hard to whittle down our favourites, especially as each clip comes with a design that plays out like a short movie clip in the mind. Priced at 715 yen (US$4.85) each, they can be purchased at Donguri Kyowakoku stores and online (links below) while stocks last.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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