The Otaku Culture

The rising popularity of anime and manga has given birth to a fervent devotion to the media formats: the otaku (オタク – which is Japanese slang for an obsessive person, or geek). Covered within are different aspects of the otaku culture, from figures and toys to odd promotional items and cosplay.

The Otaku Culture

Goku makes first appearance in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

November 22, 2018 • • Post a commment

Among the American Thanksgiving traditions of turkey, pie, and football is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. For 2018, the parade welcomed a newcomer — Super Saiyan Blue Goku from Dragon Ball.

At 56 feet tall, 70 feet long and 36 feet wide, this massive Saiyan required 90 people to handle and selected to promote the upcoming film Dragon Ball Super: Broly, which premieres later this year in Japan.

It’s the first time a manga character has appeared in this 92 year-old parade.

Source: Macy’s

The Otaku Culture

Uniqlo to release t-shirt collaboration with Weekly Shonen Jump

April 15, 2018 • • Post a commment

As part of Weekly Shonen Jump’s 50th anniversary, Japanese clothing giant Uniqlo has unveiled a line up of t-shirts to celebrate this milestone.

Tops will feature artwork from popular manga including Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Dragon Ball, Haikyuu!!, Gintama, and Hunter x Hunter.

UT X Jump 50th

Coming Soon: In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Weekly Shonen Jump, wear your favourite manga characters with the all new UT x Jump 50th Graphic T-shirt collection! #UT2018 #WearYourWorld

Posted by Uniqlo Canada on Friday, April 6, 2018

These shirts are expected to go on sale later this month.

Uniqlo has in the past run campaigns with Weekly Shonen Jump manga, including Naruto, One Piece and Dragon Ball.

Source: Uniqlo

Anime, Gaming, The Otaku Culture

Arby’s advertising wins over anime and gaming fans with their marketing

October 13, 2017 • • 1 Comment

Arby’s joins the ranks of fast food companies with awesome social media campaigns (including Wendy’s sassy Twitter posts). The sandwich chain uses their food and packaging to recreate various pop culture scenes from video games, anime, television shows and more. Here’s a selection of some of their most recent anime and video game posts from Facebook.

InuYasha

Sit boy!

Posted by Arby's on Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Read the rest of this article…

The Otaku Culture

New Yuri!!! on Ice Nendoroid designs announced

September 30, 2017 • • Post a commment

Figure manufacturer and distributor Good Smile Company unveiled the designs for three new Yuri!!! on Ice characters for its Nendoroid series. The concept art shows Victor Nikiforov in his coach outfit and the casual styles worn by Yuri Katsuki and Yuri Plisetsky.

No date for release was mentioned.

Yuri!!! on Ice Victor Nikiforov Coach Version Nendoroid Yuri!!! on Ice Yuri Plisetsky Casual Version Nendoroid Yuri!!! on Ice Yuri Katsuki Casual Version Nendoroid

 

Source: Good Smile Company

The Otaku Culture

Four Yuri!!! on Ice Pop! vinyl figures to arrive in October

September 22, 2017 • • Post a commment

The hit ice skating anime Yuri!!! on Ice is the latest series to join Funko’s Pop! vinyl figure line-up this October.

Four figures, each in their skating outfits, were unveiled: Yuri Katsuki (Yuri), Yuri Plisetsky (Yurio), and two of Victor Nikiforov (Victor and Young Victor). Yuri is dressed in his eros costume, with Yurio in his agape attire, the fanciful uniform Victor wears for his free skate, and in his younger form, donning a crown of blue roses, and a gold medal around his neck.

Unlike most Pop! figures, these will stand on rounded plastic bases to show the detail of their ice skates.

Yuri Pop! figure Yurio Pop! figure
Victor Pop! figure Young Victor Pop! figure

Source: Funko

The Otaku Culture

Yuri Plisetsky Nendoroid unveiled

July 24, 2017 • • Post a commment
Yuri Plisetsky Nendoroid

Yuri Plisetsky in Nendoroid format from Good Smile Company!

The Ice Tiger of Russia from ice skating anime Yuri!!! on Ice now comes as a miniature-format figure. Joining Yuri Katsuki and Victor Nikiforov is Yuri Plisetsky as part of the Good Smile Company’s Nendoroid line.

Yuri (or Yurio as he’s affectionately called to differentiate from the other Yuri) is dolled up in his silver outfit he wears during his Agape performance. Also included are three interchangeable facial expressions (agape, sour and shocked), katsudon piroshky, and a pair of cat ears from he obtained during scene at the Rostelecom Cup.

These final images of Yurio were posted on Good Smile’s Kahotan blog. Yuri Plisetsky, when purchased through the Good Smile Company web site, will ship with a special rubber strap. He goes on sale Tuesday, July 25th, 2017.

Yuri Plisetsky Nendoroid Yuri Plisetsky Nendoroid

Source: Good Smile Company

 

The Otaku Culture

Yuri Katsuki Nendoroid announced for pre-order

February 7, 2017 • • Post a commment
Yuri Katsuki Nendoroid

Yuri Katsuki is about to leap into our hearts with a triple lutz

It’s time to lace up your skates and hit the ice with the star of YURI!!! on Ice with Yuri Katsuki! He’s the latest in Good Smile Company’s line of collectible Nendoroid mini figures.

Yuri wears the black with silver trimmed outfit from his Eros performance, choreographed by his coach, Victor Nikiforov. This costume was also worn by Victor before on the ice.

Each Nendoroid comes with accessories and are interchangeable with other Nendoroid figures. Included are three different facial expressions: his seductive face from his Eros recital, a happy expression, and one of embarrassment. Yuri also comes with two hair styles — one that’s slicked back and the other tousled. Even he can’t stay away from his favourite food: a bowl of steaming hot katsudon (pork cutlet with egg over rice), complete with tiny chopsticks.

Plus, there’s a bonus — a small rubber charm featuring the likeness of Yuri, but only if purchased through Good Smile Company’s online shop.

Yuri Katsuki Nendoroid Yuri Katsuki Nendoroid

Pre-orders for this adorable representation of Yuri Katsuki close on March 16th, 2017 and is expected to ship later in July. Suggested retail price is ¥4,167 JPY (or about $48.91 CAD).

Source: Good Smile Company

The Otaku Culture, Videos

Anime stars as Tokyo 2020 ambassadors

January 21, 2017 • • Post a commment

Even though the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics are three years away, get ready to see more the sporting event’s ambassadors as they showcase the host city’s facilities and attractions. These ambassadors might look familiar — they’re popular anime characters!

The cast of characters include:

  • Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon
  • Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece
  • Naruto Uzumaki from Naruto: Shippuden
  • Goku from Dragon Ball
  • Asahina Mirai and Izayoi Riko from Pretty Cure
  • Astro Boy from Astro Boy
  • Shinnosuke Nohara from Crayon Shin-chan
  • Jibanyan from Yo-kai Watch

Merchandise featuring these animated heroes is already available online through the Tokyo 2020 Official Online Shop in the form of hats and t-shirts.

Tokyo 2020 Official Ambassadors

READY TO MEET Tokyo 2020 AMBASSADORS? 🇯🇵😍😍😍

Posted by Olympic Channel on Thursday, January 19, 2017

Source: Olympic Channel

The Otaku Culture

Custom Dragon Ball Z figure lamps available on Etsy

February 23, 2016 • • Post a commment
Piccolo and Goku lamp

Piccolo and Goku have the power… to light up a room!

Light up your room with some help from Dragon Ball Z! Etsy store LitUpInteriorDesign repurposes items into functional lamps including bottles, household art items and anime figures.

Each lamp is hand-made using recycled wood, black paint, a light bulb, and a centrepiece item, in this case the Dragon Ball Z characters are positioned in such a way that the lamp appears as a well-coordinated attack.

Of course, there’s not just Goku and his friends; there’s also a lamp featuring Sailor Moon with the bulb placed over the sailor soldier like her namesake lunar satellite.

However, these awesome and fully functional lights don’t come cheap as they range between $140 and $167 CAD ($99 – $125 USD) in price. But they do ship internationally!

Sources: Comic Book Resources, Etsy

The Otaku Culture

Miku Expo 2016 to tour seven cities across North America

December 9, 2015 • • Post a commment

Hatsune Miku, the virtual turquoise-pigtail singer from Japan, will be performing in concert as part of Miku Expo which will travel through Canada, the United States and Mexico in 2016.

Miku, a sixteen year-old computer-generated vocal synthesizer created by Crypton Future Media, has generated a massive following not only in her native Japan, but around the world. While she is not “human”, a creative graphical setup allows Miku to be projected in a 3D environment to sing and interact with the crowd wherever she goes. Miku has stood on stage with Lady Gaga and Pharrell Williams and even guest-starred on television with David Letterman!

  • Seattle, WA at the WaMu Theater on Saturday, April 23rd, 2016
  • San Francisco, CA at The Warfield on Saturday, April 30th, 2016
  • Los Angeles, CA at the Microsoft Theater on Friday, May 6th, 2016
  • Dallas, TX at The Bomb Factory on Saturday, May 14th, 2016
  • Toronto, ON at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday, May 20th, 2016
  • New York City, NY at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Saturday, May 28th, 2016
  • Mexico City, DF at the El Plaza Condesa on Saturday, June 4th, 2016

Tickets can be purchased in advance online through the Miku Expo web site.

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