Anna Yano is a full-blown anime freak, and this feature lets her feed that passion as she visit real life locations of her favourite anime series.

 

The location for this second entry was Ikebukuro. When people think of Ikebukuro, there’s no other series that springs to mind quite like Durarara!! The opening video of the anime is immensely popular amongst fans for how cool it is, so Anna challenged herself to recreating it with help from people on the street who love Ikebukuro!

 

We begin in front of Tokyu Hands. What kind of pose is this all of a sudden, lifting your phone up in the air like that?!

 

“I’m gathering people to recreate an Anna Yano version of various scenes in the opening!”

 

This is actually the place where the Dollars first met in the show. It’s when Mikado Ryugamine called his pals on his mobile and found out most of the people he knew were members.

 

“This one scene I thought was pretty relevant to today – using your mobile phone as a tool to move people.”

 

First up, this place! The music note monument along Sunshine Street. Anna called over two cute ladies who were in the middle of shopping in Ikebukuro. This is the best photo ever with everyone lined up in the same order – from the right Mikado Ryugamine, then Anri Sonohara, and finally Anna as Masaomi Kida!

 

Anna gave a gleaming smile as she said, “I wanted to try coming here!” Everything’s going great from the get go. Thank you, ladies!

 

Moving on to the next scene, we have Russia Sushi which appears in the anime. Anna caught a nice guy who had come from Russia to visit Japan. “What a miracle to meet someone Russian in front of Russia Sushi!” The anime gods must be smiling at Anna right now.

 

Anna was thankful for such a nice encounter! Have a nice trip～♪

 

Next, the scene where the The Headless Rider rides her bike in front of Cinema Sunshine. Anna too ran with all her might!

 

KFC too.

 

Getting drenched in front of Aoyama. Anna is stretching her body.

 

The sky faded into twilight at Mutsumata Bridge with the the orange coloured setting sun.

 

Be sure to check Anna’s version of the Durarara!! opening video on Kawaii JAPAN-da!! on MBS.

 

Next on the list is the food portion of the scenes. Anna was able to ask the staff to recreate the sushi they eat in the anime at Russia Sushi, a type of Edomae Sushi.

 

“Tada! I actually like sushi toppings that don’t usually go with rice on normal sushi. I actually just ate hamburger sushi yesterday!”

 

From the left: sour cream, borscht, and mapo!

 

Cheese, then karaage!

 

After filling her stomach, Anna left Ikebukuro to go to another certain place.

 

Smile Cafe Roots was used as a model for a place that appears in the anime. It’s a bar in Higashi-Nakano.

 

She was also able to get a cocktail like the one from the show. Anna was in a world of her own as she drank the cocktail of her beloved Shizuo. After her getting a little intoxicated, we asked Anna about the appeal of Durarara!! once more.

 

I love Durarara!! It’s had an influence on me, so much so that I used to live in Ikebukuro. It’s been fun to go around all the places and recreate the opening. When I imagine replacing the place I live with Ikebukuro and living life keeping that a secret even from people close to me, I think they’ll gradually come to be able to like it!”

 

 

 

Anna loves anime, and so she is bringing a new series to our “Tokyo Stroll” feature where she takes us on a pilgrimage to visit real life anime locations! The theme chosen by Anna for this first entry is a solo trip to Okigubo which appears in the anime series Penguindrum (which she is a huge fan of!) Just what kind of encounters will be waiting for her there?   Anna puts on the same hat as the anime’s protagonist Himari Takakura (from her own collection) and meets at the station. You can tell she is in high-spirits from behind. The train station too is exactly the same as in the anime!       The first location on the list was Ogikubo Second Children's Park. Anna did get a little lost on the way there, but she managed to find the giraffe and pig park installations. In the anime, the Takakura brothers live in the house right next to this park.   Anna said solemnly “I think the colourful house is a symbol of happiness for the brothers” while confirming that this was the location the house should be if it was the anime. Upon basking in the afterglow, one of the staff members that was with Anna cried out as if to cling onto something!   “Survival strategy! I’ll tell it to you lowlifes who will never amount to anything.* Time to go to the shopping district and get my hands on the Penguin Drum!”   [*Translator’s Note: This is a quote from the anime series Penguindrum.]   Anna was taken aback by this remark. “I wanted to go there because that appears in the anime too!”   And with that, off they went. But just what is the Penguin Drum...?   Here’s the shopping street archway that you see in the anime! It’s pretty exciting. Ogikubo is a kidn and friendly place. While strolling the streets, Anna was asking people “Where’s the Penguin Drum?!” to passers-by. Along the way, there was a shop that caught her eye! It was a kebab shop that had a deliciously inviting smell.     “I’m glad because I was reaaally hungry.”     The man’s Japanese was very good. Anna went in for the kill, asking, “Please show me your artefact that’s associated with your fate!” He kindly showed her his charm from Turkey that’s preciously decorated in the shop. Does fate relate to the Penguin Drum?! Maybe the Penguin Drum something that each person possesses... Our trip isn’t over yet!   The next location can be found on the roof of Town Seven, a shopping center at the north entrance of Ogikubo Station. It’s a wide and open space where a lot of children were playing.   This is the scene when the older of the Takakura siblings, Kanba, is talking to his ex-girlfriend, when a memory-erasing red ball comes flying and hits her on the forehead.   The playground equipment that appears in the background was very impressive to look at.     The children became interested in Anna’s hat. She was completely surrounded!   The next place Anna headed to was the shrine where the heated fight between the brothers unfolds. The younger brother, Shoma, becomes aware of the events surrounding his older brother, so presses him with questions. Kanba declares that he was playing parent. Anna prayed by herself in the grounds. And don’t forget to take a commemorative photo.     Next is the scene with the pedestrian bridge where Kanba blows up a car. We took the photo at the same angle as in the anime.   Anna told a story with a serious expression. “He [Kanba] wasn’t always a bad guy. The fact that he did something like that. That scene shocked me.”     Anna also passed under the arch to Hakusan Towns shopping district. It seems like it has changed a little since the anime aired, but you can tell it’s the place immediately! Anna tottered over and shouted, “Survival strategy!” again to a lady passing through. She then made her way to a ramen shop as the lady had also mentioned which is famous among fans.   “Sanchan Ramen” is a restaurant with a 60-year history that has continued to be loved by locals in Ogikubo.   This is the place used as a location for handing over money between Kanba and the evil organisation. There’s a lot of fans that imitate the anime and slide envelopes with money inside on the tabe.   Of course, Anna had a bowl of ramen too. And gyoza!   And beer!!   By the way, why do you like this anime, Anna?   “Penguindrum is a very deep series, it makes you think about things like love and fate. The art is cute and the music and presentation are gorgeous. I really want everyone else to watch it.”   Today’s article will be broadcast on “Kawaii JAPAN-da!!” on MBS (Kansai Local). It will go on air on March 13^th! Don’t miss out on Anna’s solo travel!      

“YYY”—the live concert and party event hosted by Japanese music and pop culture leaders WARNER MUSIC JAPAN and ASOBISYSTEM—is getting its first late night installment on August 25th.

YYY is spearheaded by 4 of Japan's cutting-edge music veterans: Nakata Yasutaka, kz, tofubeats, and banvox, all of whom have gained immense attention around the globe. In many ways, it can be said that hosting YYY late into the night has been something long yearned for by fans.

 

It has also been announced that MATZ will be joining the line-up, a well-established music artist active in Hokkaido who has gained much attention from DJs all around Japan for his original tracks that he posts to SoundCloud.

YYY is always hosted at Studio Coast in Shinkiba. The venue is known for its multitude of different stages and areas. The popular "Ray-Van" party is set to be held in the WATER area which will no doubt be hugely well-received for summertime. With artists including Shogo Soezima (T.U.S), TJO, Fumihiko Chiba and YASUKI leading the pack, each floor will be filled with DJs ready to dazzle and exite.

You can expect to see the popular traditional Japanese music-only club party Japangu♪, which started back in 2003 in Shinjuku Ni-Chome, in the BOX area, while the ISLAND area will be hosted by numbersixxx, a regular artist at the popular party xxx.

Studio Coast was absolutely packed and spilling with fans partying late into the night for last year's "YYY." The next installment is about to hit, so why not get yourself a ticket and experience the madness yourself?

 

 

Related Article：Yasutaka Nakata to Provide Official Worldwide Anthem for Ultra Music Festival—and Perform at Ultra Japan

Related Article：Second Wave of Artists Announced for Yasutaka Nakata Produced Festival “OTONOKO”

Get ready for the new “LIVE&PARTY YYY” hosted by WARNER MUSIC JAPAN and ASOBISYSTEM, aiming to spread music and pop culture. The timetable for the vol.2 party that will be kicking off on 28^th January has been announced. With Yasutaka Nakata, kz, tofubeats and banvox charging up the party as the four main DJs/artists, they will be joined by more music sensations including TeddyLoid as a featuring DJ.

 

Programme (in order)

Doors open：15.00

Start time：15.45（※Please note that the schedule has been changed）

Approximate finish time: 20.00

Order of performance

①banvox

②TeddyLoid

③tofubeats

④kz（livetune+）

⑤ Yasutaka Nakata

 

※Please note that the order of the performers is subject to change without prior notice.

※You will not receive a full refund for your ticket for this reason.

YYY vol.2 goods include collaboration goods from second hand fashion store Santo Nibu No Ichi (San’nibu). San’nibu is famous for its large-sized hoodies and thanks to this collaboration, Yasutaka Nakata became the editorial supervisor in the making of originally designed hoodies for this event. There are a limited number of these collaboration hoodies selling.

 

You can win YYY goods, drink tickets, posters signed by all the performers and other amazing presents in the lottery, or get your hands on a badge from a capsule machine! Test your luck this new year ー there’s plenty up for grabs!

 

■Information

YYY Vol.2

Date：Saturday 28^th January 2017 Opening time: 15:00/ Start time:15:45

Venue：Shinkiba STUDIO COAST

Performers：Yasutaka Nakata / kz（livetune+）/ tofubeats / banvox

featuring DJ : TeddyLoid

Supported by：Spotify

YYY official website：http://yyy-official.com

 

■ Related article：Yasutaka Nakata teams up with London artist Charli XCX and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu for new single to be spread throughout 110 countries & regions.

 

■ Related article：Official music playlist released for the next instalment of the party extravaganza “YYY” led by Nakata Yasutaka, kz, tofubeats, and banvox

 

“YYY” is a live event for music fans of all generations spearheaded by Nakata Yasutaka, kz, tofubeats and banvox. In the run up to the next instalment of the party night, dubbed “Vol.2”, live footage of Vol.1 featuring one song from each of the artists has been made available for viewing. As well as that, the official YYY playlist for Vol.2 has been put on the online music streaming service “Spotify”.

YYY is handled by WARNER MUSIC JAPAN and ASOBISYSTEM who are leaders of Japanese music and pop culture. Vol.2 of YYY will continue the crazy partying where Vol.1 left off and will be held on Saturday January 28th, 2017 at Shinkiba STUDIO COAST. Be sure to check out the madness of Vol.1 from the link below. This is the first time official footage of YYY has been uploaded.

 

YYY Vol.1 Live Footage

Make sure you're ready for YYY Vol.2 with the official Spotify playlist below!

 

YYY Vol.2 By yyy_official
https://open.spotify.com/user/yyy_official/playlist/2eomeo6Y8HeLvVlcleJbmj

"YYY Vol.2" boasts an unprecedented line-up of Japanese dance music. There's less than a month to go before the big event, it's going to be huge.

■Information
YYY Vol.2
Date: Saturday  January 28th, 2017　15:00 OPEN/START
Location: Shinkiba STUDIO COAST
Line-up: Yasutaka Nakata / kz (livetune+) / tofubeats / banvox
Ticket Prices (tax-inclusive)
・General Ticket: ¥3,800-
・General Group Ticket C: ¥7,000 ※2 tickets
・General Group Ticket D: ¥13,000 ※4 tickets
Playguides
・ePlus（http://eplus.jp/sys/T1U14P0010163P0108P002176553P0050001P006001P0030003）
・Lawson Ticket（L-Code: 71027 http://l-tike.com/order/?gLcode=71027）
・Ticket Pia（P-Code: 313-536 http://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventCd=1649116）
＊You must pay a ￥500 drink fee for 1 beverage upon entering the venue.
＊Children under the age of 6 are not permitted entry into the venue, whether or not accompanied by a parent or guardian.
YYY Official Website: yyy-official.com

 

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■Related Article: Yasutaka Nakata teams up with London artist Charli XCX and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu for new single to be spread throughout 110 countries & regions.

■Related Article: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu×Nakata Yasutaka unveil the CD cover art for their new single together!

"YYY" is a live concert performance and party spearheaded by music veterans Nakata Yasutaka, kz, tofubeats, and banvox. The first holding of the concert, titled "Vol.1", ended to great success back in summer this year. It's been announced that the next instalment of the show, "Vol.2", will be held in January next year. Both ticket & t-shirt as well as group ticket bundles are now available for advance booking until October 19th. WARNER MUSIC JAPAN and ASOBISYSTEM, both leads in the Japanese music and pop culture scene are in charge of "YYY". The new concert will follow up to Vol.1's success and will be held at Shinkiba Studio Coast on Saturday January 28th, 2017. A video teasing YYY Vol.2 has been made public showcasing the excitement at Vol.1.

YYY Vol.2 Teaser Trailer: https://youtu.be/l1izdfIdOk8

On stage will at "YYY" will be "Nakata Yasutaka", "kz (livetune+)", "tofubeats", and "banvox". It seems there are a lot of surprises in store for "YYY Vol.2" on top of this historical line-up of artists. Don't miss out on the next "YYY"!

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■Information
YYY Vol.2
Date: Saturday January 28th, 2017 - 15:00 OPEN/16:00 START
Location: Shinkiba STUDIO COAST
Line-up: Nakata Yasutaka / kz (livetune+) / tofubeats / banvox
YYY Official Website: yyy-official.com

Ticket Prices (tax included)
・Advance Ticket:￥3,500-
・Advance Ticket w/t-shirt（S/M/L）：￥3,800-
・Advance Ticket Group Discount A: ￥6,600 ※For 2 people
・Advance Ticket Group Discount B: ￥12,000 ※For 4 people
◎Ticket Window URL：http://w.pia.jp/t/yyy/ ◎Ticket Window: Thursday October 13th 18:00〜Wednesday October 19th 23:59
・General Ticket: ￥3,800-
・General Ticket Group Discount C: ￥7,000 ※For 2 people
・General Ticket Group Discount D: ￥13,000 ※For 4 people
※You must pay a separate drink fee (￥500) for one drink upon entering the event.
※Those who purchase advance tickets online will be entered into a lottery and drawn for admittance.
※Those under the age of 6 are not permitted entry to the event, even with a parent or carer.

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■Related Article: Yasutaka Nakata, kz, tofubeats and banvox Slay Ultimate Sold-out Show “YYY” Vol.0.5: After Report

http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/9619

■Related Article: New EP! Yasutaka Nakata X Kenshi Yonezu — “NANIMONO (feat. Kenshi Yonezu)” full version music video out now!

http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/19711