Kyoto Animation official donation account raises over 1 billion yen (US$10.1 million) in one week

Over 50,000 donors have contributed, but recovery costs could still be several times the amount.

Two weeks have passed since an arson attack on Kyoto Animation’s Fushimi anime studio which killed 35 employees who were in the building and injured 33. The reason for the pre-meditated attack seems to stem from the suspect’s belief that the contents of a novel he submitted to an open contest organized by Kyoto Animation were used without compensation, though the company has denied doing so.

The tragically meaningless loss of life has deeply saddened people around the world, as Kyoto Animation’s works were loved not just in their home country, but internationally as well. In response to an overwhelming outpouring of sympathy from fans expressing a desire to help in some way, on July 24 Kyoto Animation announced that it had set up a dedicated bank account to accept donations, and in just a week, industry groups, other companies, and individual fans have responded in a tremendous way.

As of the afternoon of July 31, a total of 56,835 donors have contributed to the fund, and the account’s balance has grown to approximately 1,166,540,000 yen (US$10,801,296). In addition, a crowdfunding campaign organized by U.S.-based anime distributor Sentai Filmworks has raised an amount equivalent to around 255 million yen, a combined effort from Yahoo! and the Japan Animation Creators Association approximately 33 million yen, and reward card company T Point Japan some 11 million yen. Combined with the dedicated bank account figure, the total would come to roughly 1.465 billion yen, and anime specialty shop chain Animate and The Association of Japan Animations are also planning to contribute currently undisclosed amounts.

However, even this incredible generosity will not make Kyoto Animation’s recovery an easy one. The company’s attorney, Daisuke Okeda, estimates that between financial support for surviving family members, medical support for injured survivors, and company-related business operation recovery expenses, the total cost could be as high as 10 billion yen, nearly seven times the estimated amount of donations so far. There are also a number of regulatory issues to deal with in handling such large sums of money, and Okeda says that Kyoto Animation may establish a special foundation to oversee the administration of the funds, in order to navigate Japan’s laws regarding compensation to victims of crimes and work-related deaths and injuries.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has also called upon relevant government organizations, such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, to provide Kyoto Animation with the support it needs in this difficult time. Meanwhile, Kyoto Animation CEO Hideaki Hatta is resolute that the company “will not go quietly into the night.”

Source: The Sankei News via Yahoo! Japan News via Otakomu
Top image: Kyoto Animation
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Hyper-detailed anime girl masks are here to solve, possibly create your fashion problems【Photos】

Unisex masks will help you feel less embarrassed about your clothing choices, designers say.

As a country that’s always had a soft spot for traditionally feminine aesthetics, you can find plenty of lacy, frilly, fanciful fashions in Japan. However, the designers at Muni Muni Works understand that some people might feel a bit self-conscious wearing such clothing, even if they like the designs.

Maybe you think you don’t have the cutesy facial features to pull off the look, muses Muni Muni, or you worry that you’re too old for such a girlish outfit. But Muni Muni doesn’t want you to give up on your getting-dolled-up dreams, and so it proposes a simple solution: Put on an anime girl doll mask.

See? Problem solved, right?

Being highly attuned to character design trends, Muni Muni understands that there’s not just one “anime” look, and so it offers a variety of faces. For example, the Princess models (18,144 yen [US$168]), are the most understated, with eyes that are closer in size to those of normal humans, at least when compared to the rest of the lineup.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Idol models (20,304 yen) have the most dynamically stylized features, with sparkling irises and vividly colored hair.

Speaking of the masks’ eyes and hair, the lenses use for the eyes are specially crafted not only to provide a wide field of vision, but also to prevent the human wearer’s eyes from being at all visible, even in zoomed-in photos.

The hair, meanwhile, comes courtesy of wigs with 50 percent thicker than regular hairpieces, to ensure a lush an youthful effect as you jump, spin, or sashay.

▼ The lollipop is not included, but seems like the sort of thing anyone in the market for an anime girl mask might already have a stockpile of.

The masks are made of soft vinyl, and Muni Muni boasts that you can apply (then later remove) normal, for-human cosmetics to them, if you want your mask to have more brightly blushing cheeks, eye-catching lipstick, or dramatic eyeliner for a special occasion.

▼ The third model, called Kawaii (19,440 yen)

If you’re not creeped out after looking at the photos and watching the videos, and find yourself wondering where you can get your hands on Muni Muni doll masks, the models seen in these photographs can be ordered online here through novelty goods specialty shop Village Vanguard’s online store. The company describes them as unisex sized, as adding or removing foam padding will help ensure a secure fit for a variety of head sizes.

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering what sort of accessories to pair with the masks, the beefy-biceped anime boyfriend hug speakers seem like a no-brainer that would really tie the outfit together.

Source, images: PR Times
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Pokémon manhole covers are taking over streets in Japan!

Pikachu and Geodude are just some of the new Pocket Monsters owning the roads with gorgeous one-of-a-kind designs.

In December last year, beloved Pocket Monster Eevee began appearing on manhole covers in Ibusuki, Kagoshima Prefecture, in an effort to help promote the city that sounds similar to “Eevee” in Japanese, thanks to its three first letters.

Since then, Eevee and its Eeveelutions have been spawning on manhole covers around Ibusuki, attracting tourists from around the country. The overwhelmingly positive response from the public means that other pocket monsters are now being prepped for their own debuts, starting with some of the rock/ground Pokémon, which can now be found in Iwate Prefecture.

▼ Rhydon popped up in Ofunato City yesterday.

Bug/Rock Pokémon Shuckle has been spotted at Otsuchi, one of the towns in Iwate that was hit hard by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

The name Iwate combines the words for stone (岩, “iwa”), and hands (手, “te”), which is the reason why it’s been chosen as the home of the rock/ground Pokémon, with Geodude proudly raising his fists as tourism ambassador for the prefecture.

Other pocket monsters waiting to be discovered in Iwate include Onix, Shieldon, Kabuto, Tyrunt, Aron, and Omanyte.

▼ Just some of the “Poké lids” you can find on the streets of Japan right now.

While these gorgeous designs are enough to get any Pokémon fan booking a trip to Japan right now, the biggest reveal is yet to come, with the announcement that Pikachu manhole covers will soon be appearing in Yokohama City, in Tokyo’s neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture.

As the home of the annual Pikachu outbreak, the city of Yokohama is the perfect location for these gorgeous new Poké lids. The two-Pikachu design can be found outside Sakuragicho Station from 5 August, while the remaining four designs – each adorned with two letters from the name “Yokohama” –  will be located around the Minato Mirai area for a limited time, from 5 August until 1 September.

Adding to the fun is the fact that all the new Poké lids appearing around Japan are also Pokémon GO poke stops, so there’s a chance you might just get to see your favourite Pokémon standing beside its very own real-world manhole cover in the game.

Plans are currently underway to expand the reach of the Pokémon manhole covers to other areas around Japan, with Hokkaido, Fukushima, Tottori, and Kagawa Prefectures set to be graced with new designs in the near future. The initiative, being dubbed “Pokémon Local Acts“, aims to encourage travellers to venture out to some of the country’s more rural destinations, particularly those that have been hard hit by disasters in recent years. 

The Pokémon Company, which is responsible for the project, says each manhole design is unique, with only one in existence in the world.

To find out more about the project, including the exact location of the manhole covers, check out the official website here.

Which Pokémon would you like to see on a manhole cover? If you’re having trouble deciding, you might want to take the “What Pokémon are you?” personality quiz and let us know in the comments section below!

Source: PR Times
Featured image: Twitter/@kapupura YouTube/株式会社 シャイン
Insert images: PR Times
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McDonald’s Japan accidentally creates blowjob cups as part of soft drink promotion【Photos】

Sweet summertime romance scene gets steamier than intended.

McDonald’s Japan had a pretty cute marketing idea for its line of McFizz soft drinks. The drinks (which come in Blue Hawaii, Blood Orange, and Lemon Ginger flavors) are all refreshing to sip on a hot day, and brightly colored to boot, so the company’s packaging designers decided to add even more summertime fun with a little bit of warm-weather romance.

The clear cups are decorated with various pictures of a guy and a girl, on opposite sides of the drinking vessel. Once you’re done with the drink, you can rotate the cup around, and you’ll see the young sweethearts plant a relatively chaste kiss on each other.

▼ You can see the effect in action in the video here.

Like I said, pretty cute right? However, what was meant as a dash of innocent puppy love can also create far more suggestive scenes. See, McDonald’s was apparently planning on people looking at the cups from a more-or-less perpendicular angle when the couple kisses. However, if you change the viewing angle, instead of a smooch on the lips or a peck on the cheek…

…the girl ends up with her kisser on the guy’s pecker. With the proper positioning, the guy can return the oral-operation favor, too.

These aren’t the only explicit escapades the McDonald’s cups can depict, either. If you rotate the cup around so that the guy and girl are in the opposite orientation that they would be if they were kissing, their poses match up in some eye-popping ways, such as the guy copping a feel on the girl’s butt…

…or, if you’ll pardon me for not mincing words (considering you’ve already read this far), ramming her from behind.

▼ Truly a face that says “I’m lovin’ it!”

Oh, and there’s also the way that tilting the cup changes the visual perception of each drawing’s size, making it look like one of the McFizz people is getting physical with someone much, much younger than they are.

At the moment, it looks like McDonald’s has yet to pull out of the decorative cup promotion, so for the time being, even though titillation is becoming harder and harder to come by in Japanese convenience stores, you can still get it at McDonald’s Japan.

Source: Twitter
Featured image: Twitter/@mao_kila
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Bragging About Your Ignorance

If everyone likes something, that means it is both dumb and bad.

Bragging About Your Ignorance


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Cool cat cafe designed like a Japanese public bath lets you chill out with rescue cats

Take a dip in a cozy room full of warm and affectionate felines.

Look around wherever you happen to be in Japan and you will likely find a cat cafe or two located nearby, with some offering unique experiences like doing yoga in the midst of the adorable critters.

Rescue cat cafe Neko Yokujo in Osaka definitely belongs in the “unique” subset of cat cafes, as its storefront and interior are intricately decorated with motifs and paintings to create an ambiance that one might find in a traditional Japanese public bathhouse.

▼ But rather than soak in hot water, this place lets you immerse yourself in cuddly cats.

▼ Place your belongings in wooden bathhouse-style lockers…

▼ …and jump straight into the colorful play area.

▼ Plastic wall mountings make it seem as if the cats are scaling Mount Fuji…

▼ …or catching a ride on cranes in flight.

▼ The furry residents can also climb onto suspended wooden platforms
and snuggle in transparent bowls.

Customers can cuddle with the rescue cats or just lie down and chill out with them. What’s more, taking photos and uploading them onto Twitter is also encouraged, the best pictures of which will be awarded vouchers for more visits to Neko Yokujo.

Although various time options are available, we recommend taking the one-hour course that comes with unlimited drinks (1,500 yen [US$13.80]) for the most bang for your buck, allowing you to spend quality time and shower these rescue cats with love.

As the establishment is part of Neco Republic, an organization determined to save Japan’s homeless cats, the store also serves as a place for people hoping to adopt one of the furry buddies and provide them with a new home. So give Neko Yokujo a whirl and see if you can spot a cat lounging in a the bowl or staring aimlessly off into space.

Cafe location
Neko Yokujo / ねこ浴場
Address: Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku, Shimanouchi 1-14-29
大阪府大阪市中央区島之内１丁目１４−２９
Open: Noon-9 p.m. (weekdays), noon-8 p.m. (weekends)
Website

Source: Neko Yokujo via Japaaan
Images: Neko Yokujo
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Pokémon ice cream cakes and Pikachu-flavor ice cream on the menu at Baskin Robbins Japan!

First-ever tie-up between the variety-packed ice cream and anime/video game giants produces Pikachu Thunderbolt sorbet.

We’re less than a week away from the start of the annual Pikachu Outbreak, when packs of the famous Pokémon overrun the city of Yokohama. But even before the Pikachus make their summer migration to Japan’s second-largest city, the beloved Pocket Monster mascot will be showing up at Baskin-Robbins in Japan!

Believe it or not, this is the first time for the ice cream parlor chain, which is called just “31” in Japan, to team up with Pokémon. The companies have jumped into the partnership with both feet, though, by creating a whole batch of special frozen treats, but the highlight, without question, is the Pokémon Ice Cream Cake Pikachu.

▼ Now we’re wondering if “Pikachu ice cream cake” is a possible answer to the official “Which Pokémon are you?” quiz.

The 15-centimeter (5.9-inch) ice cream cake is covered in whipped cream and decorated with chocolate facial features and ears. Inside, you’ll find two flavors of ice cream: strawberry and Baskin-Robbins Japan’s flagship flavor Popping Shower, which has Pop Rocks-style candies for a sparking sensation that’s perfectly suited for this salute to the most famous Electric-type Pokémon.

In recent years, the Pokémon Company has been doing a lot of paired promotions featuring both Pikachu and Eevee, and so the eminently evolvable Pocket Monster is also getting the ice cream cake treatment.

The 3,300-yen (US$31) Pokémon Ice Cream Cake Eevee is identically sized and priced with its Pikachu counterpart, but swaps in a Caramel Ribbon and milk chocolate ice cream filling. Both come packaged in the special box seen at the top of this article, and also include a Pokémon-themed serving paper.

Either dessert would be a crowd-pleaser at a party, but what if you’re not hosting a get-together? While we wouldn’t blame you for ordering a whole Pikachu or Eevee cake just for yourself, there’s also a special Pikachu ice cream flavor: Pikachu Thunderbolt Fruit Mix (390 yen).

A sorbet that packs in as many yellow-colored fruit flavors as it can, the Pikachu Thunderbolt Fruit Mix has pineapple, yellow peach, banana, apple, and orange, plus Pop Rocks-style candies (in Pikachu-cheek red) and even mini Pikachu candies for extra sweetness and texture.

Also part of the tie-up are Pokémon two-scoop cups (490 yen) decorated with pictures of Pikachu, Mewtwo, or Mew. You might expect the design you get to be random, but you actually get to choose (though you’ll probably want to come early to make sure the branch you visit doesn’t run out of the Pikachu ones).

There’s still a little randomness though in which spoon you’ll get with your Pokémon cup, with a total of three possibilities, though they’re all Pikachu.

And last, to-go variety packs of six or 12 scoops are also getting a cosmetic upgrade to a Pokémon box.

The whole lineup goes on sale August 1 at Baskin Robbins locations across Japan. The Pikachu Thunderbolt Fruit Mix will only be available for a limited, undisclosed time, but the good news is that the Pikachu and Eevee ice cream cakes are full-fledged additions to the menu, and will be offered year-round.

Source: Shokuhin Sangyo Shimbunsha
Images: PR Times
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