As part of the ongoing Channel47 project, which uses the power of local resources and entertainment to share Japan and its local culture with the world, a new travel experience titled ‘DEEP EXPERIENCE THE INAKA -TENRYUKYO・IIDA CITY-’ is now on sale, taking visitors to Iida, Nagano Prefecture.

Iida City in Nagano Prefecture will be the location for the tour, with the city selected by the Japan Tourism Agency in 2024 for its ‘Project to Promote Expansion and Quality of Inbound Tourism by Providing Special Experiences for Visitors.’ The Minami Shinshu Tourism Bureau helped to create the tour for inbound travelers to experience the “real” Japanese countryside found in the Tenryu Gorge area of Iida City by funding farmhouse homestays in the area.

By creating a travel experience that takes advantage of the local resources of Tenryu Gorge in Iida City, we aim to promote sustainable tourism activities by communicating the charm of the region to people in both Japan and abroad, revitalizing local production, passing on traditional culture, and strengthening cooperation between local communities.

Tokyo Community Radio (TCR), an online radio platform run by Licaxxx, has announced a new event titled communities. The event will be held at Daikanyama UNIT / Saloon in Tokyo on June 30 and at Osaka JOULE on July 1.

The guest lineup includes re:ni and Laksa, two hot up-and-coming DJs and producers reshaping the UK music scene. The duo has a monthly program on NTS Radio titled re;lax, along with a party series of the same name. In February 2023, they released a new EP, Body Score, on their new label founded to explore music with faster tempos and to carry the torch of UK techno, jungle, dubstep, and grime. Each DJ is also active individually and the two have constantly been in the spotlight.

Music fans are invited to partake in this stunning musical event led by Licaxxx and targeted at the current generation of music makers as they extend beyond Asia and take their activities around the world.

re:lax (re:ni & Laksa)

Licaxxx

ZEROTOKYO, an entertainment mecca known for heating up Tokyo nights, is teaming up with ASOBISYSTEM to create an exciting new party! ASOBIZA, named after the origin of Kabukicho, will be held on April 28.

The lineup includes music artists as well as charismatic figures at the top of their fields in fashion, beauty, and art. Transcending musical genres and generations, this night will embody ZEROTOKYO’s concept of being a true “Entertainment Junction.”

Additional performers may be announced in the future.

The Mine City Tourism Association has announced a Christmas & Valentine’s Day event at Akiyoshido Cave, one of the largest limestone caves in Japan. The event will see the natural wonder illuminated by a number of colorful lights. The Christmas event will run from December 21 to 25, 2022, while the Valentine’s Day event will run from February 10 to 14, 2023.

Akiyoshido Cave is one of Yamaguchi Prefecture’s most popular tourist attractions. The interior will be decorated with colorful lights and unique soundscapes, creating a once-in-a-lifetime setting for visitors. These illuminations and sounds were directed by world-renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii, known for her work on Tokyo Tower and the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge.

A story-based digital GPS rally inspired by Chainsaw Man will be held within Tokyo’s subway system from November 1 until November 28. Fans of the anime series won’t want to miss it!

Participants will be tasked with one vital mission: to find five senior devil hunters who are currently undercover at subway stations around the city.

Participants will download an app from the special website and follow the instructions within to find stamp locations at stations throughout Tokyo. When they reach the designated location, they’ll find a special poster, and they’ll just need to press a button in the app to earn a stamp. By collecting stamps in all six locations, fans will receive a unique key visual which can only be obtained through this event. 

Pop-Up Shop

During the event period, fans will also find a limited-time pop-up shop inside Ikebukuro Sunshine City. Original collaboration items will be on sale, and a game will be set up with winners able to walk away with unique prizes. From November 1 to November 20, admission to the shop will be by advance reservation only on a first-come, first-served basis to reduce crowding. Reservations can be made through the official website.

©藤本タツキ／集英社・ＭＡＰＰＡ

HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX, a theater and restaurant offering Hello Kitty-themed shows and meals on Awaji Island, and HELLO KITTY APPLE HOUSE, an apple-shaped observation theater based on the popular character’s home, are both currently holding the Apple Halloween 2022 event until October 31! 

Guests can enjoy a mystery-solving event and some adorable photo spots inspired by apples and the Halloween season. By solving certain riddles, visitors will be rewarded with candy!

Come have fun this Halloween with Hello Kitty, friends, and family!

Started in October, the New Show ‘HELLO KITTY THE PARTIES’ Gets Rave Reviews

HELLO KITTY THE PARTIES, a new show at the theater and restaurant HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX, will run until December 30, 2022. The show features a new theme each month and currently features a jazz band.

October’s theme is Happy Halloween Party, and visitors can listen to a number of famous songs while enjoying tasty and healthy dishes packed with autumn flavors. At the end of the performance, a meet and greet with Hello Kitty will be held. November’s theme will be Hello Kitty’s Birthday Party, while December will focus on a Christmas Party!

The popular anime series Free! will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a special event at Saitama Super Arena on August 13, 2023. Cast members from the series, including Nobunaga Shimazaki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Mamoru Miyano, Tsubasa Yonaga, and Daisuke Hirakawa, will be in attendance. Free! -the Final Stroke- The Second Volume will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 5, 2023, and will include a priority purchase application ticket for the special event. Check out the official website for details!

The Free! anime franchise, which is loosely based on the High Speed! light novels by Kouji Ooji, began in 2013 and includes three TV series and multiple films produced by Kyoto Animation. The three anime series–Free!, Free! Eternal Summer, and Free! Dive to the Future–have been incredibly popular around the world. The first part of Free! The Final Stroke was released in theaters last year, with the second part hitting theaters in April 2022. Fans won’t want to miss out on the exciting 10th-anniversary activities in 2023!

©おおじこうじ・京都アニメーション／岩鳶町後援会2021

Mannequin rap duo FEMM released a music video for the song Crystal Ball from their new EP THE SIX, released on August 17.

This song is a powerful ballad produced by Danny L. Harle, a pioneer of hyper-pop who has worked with Rina Sawayama and other artists, and John Ryan, who has provided many songs for One Direction, Maroon 5, and more. FEMM added some particularly poignant lyrics to the track, including the line “take the unexplored path (not the one shown to you by someone else) illuminated by the light you emit, even if it is still weak.”

Crystal Ball (Music Video) on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/CYh9RUBiQyI

The music video was produced in collaboration with majotae, a Japanese fabric brand that uses hemp, a sustainable material that has become popular worldwide in recent years. The costumes were based on origami and were designed by Tomomi Ono, a fashion designer who worked for Maison Martin Margiela in Paris and has been developing a “brand without a name” since 2009. The video was directed by 2nd Function, which has provided creations for global fashion brands like GUCCI.

The music video’s color palette is reminiscent of Japan, combining plenty of white and red objects. The video aims to inspire viewers to remember and accept the past while moving ever forward, so be sure to give it a watch. 

Since their debut in 2014, the female mannequin rap duo FEMM has continued to wow audiences with its avant-garde approach to music. The two have been active mainly in the United States and Europe.

Since their debut, the duo has continued to release unique new music. The main track from their latest album Tokyo Ex Machina, We Got Each Other, managed to chart for 12 consecutive weeks on the major U.S. radio chart MEDIABASE/Activator Chart.

FEMM’s new track THE SIX has been chosen as the theme song for the MBS/TBS drama series Ikinokotta 6-nin ni Yoru to, which is currently airing in Japan. 

The aggressive and avant-garde song may be a first for a Japanese drama theme song. With a sound typical of FEMM, the track was written by the duo themselves after receiving an offer from the drama’s director Ken Ninomiya. The series follows survivors of a zombie apocalypse, and in response, FEMM’s song stresses the importance of staying true to oneself in any situation, no matter how terrifying. 

Director Ken Ninomiya gave the following comments about the song.

– – – – –

FEMM’s music gives off this innate cheerfulness and a mischievousness that I thought would be perfect for the drama’s theme song, so as a fan and creator myself, I had to make an offer. 

I asked that the song be a celebration of the six main characters as they grow and reforge who they are day after day. 

And thus, THE SIX was born. The song, which calls out the characters’ names over and over, not only embodies their strength and their desire for a brighter future, but also encapsulates the drama in a tangible way. (More on that later.)

I’m happy to be able to tell this story along with this incredible song.

– – – – –

The song is also the title of FEMM’s upcoming EP THE SIX, and a music video has been released. The video was shot in an industrial area by the sea in Chiba Prefecture, the same setting as the drama. Described as a “summer dystopian movie,” it has an unusually sad storyline created by FEMM and features the two dressed as zombies. The choreography was created by GENDAI, who leads the popular dance team KUROKO.

Be sure to listen to THE SIX and check out the drama series if you can!

The mannequin rap duo FEMM has just returned from an expansive European tour through England, Germany, and France.

The main track from their latest album Tokyo Ex Machina, We Got Each Other, managed to chart for 12 consecutive weeks on the major U.S. radio chart MEDIABASE/Activator Chart, and in September, the two will return to Europe to perform in Spain.

The music video for their song Crawl Away, from their upcoming mini-album THE SIX, has been unveiled. The album will be released on August 17, 202.

Crawl Away (Music Video):

https://youtu.be/4-OuL_OKho0

FEMM has always had cyberpunk as a theme for its visuals, and this time, the duo decided to collaborate with UK-based concept artist Max Prentis to kick up the retro-futuristic feel. The video is both set in a faraway time and nostalgic, bringing together 80s melodies and flashy visuals of a distant Tokyo.

As the duo continues their activities in Europe and the United States, their new song THE SIX is being used as the opening song for the MBS/TBS drama Ikinokotta 6-nin ni Yoru to, which has just begun airing.

A special event is coming to Tokyo and Osaka this summer to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Kuroko’s Basketball anime series. Fans will want to visit Tokyo in July and Osaka in September.

Kuroko’s Basketball is a manga series by Tadatoshi Fujimaki which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump until 2014 and tells the story of a high school basketball team trying to make it to the national tournament. The anime adaptation began airing in April 2012.

Kuroko’s Basketball ~A Miracle One Day in the City~

Kuroko’s Basketball ~ Kyoto Exhibition

Gallery Corner

Voice Guide

Admission Bonus – Invitation Card (9 varieties)

Exclusive Goods – F6 Character Board

Goods

Acrylic Stand (9 varieties)

Mini Acrylic Charms 1 (Random)

Mini Acrylic Charms 2 (Random)

Pin (9 varieties, random)

Purchase Bonus – Shopping Bag

The event will feature exhibits highlighting the history of the series and will feature a special voiceover. Exclusive merchandise will be on sale and guests will be welcomed by Kuroko and his friends at the entrance, all wearing special costumes drawn for the event.

Are you a Kuroko’s Basketball fan?

© 藤巻忠俊／集英社・黒子のバスケ製作委員会
© 「黒子のバスケ」アニメ10周年プロジェクト

Aniplex Online Fest 2022 will be available to stream worldwide on September 24, 2022! This is the third such event, with the first streaming in 2020. The large-scale online festival will share the latest information on Aniplex’s anime works and a number of live performances are planned. Participating artists will be announced soon, so keep an eye out for more information. 

Last year’s Aniplex Online Fest featured information on 11 anime series and had a lineup of incredible musical artists, DJs, and live drawing events. The festival was streamed on YouTube worldwide in both English and Japanese for over six hours and recorded a total of 850,000 viewers.

To commemorate the upcoming event, the main visual has been revealed. The illustration was done by Kerorira, the character designer for Bocchi the Rock!

Comment from Kerorira

“It’s not often I get to create an original image from scratch, so I’ve been given a very rare opportunity! Please enjoy it!”

Stay tuned for more Aniplex Online Fest 2022 information!