Over the past few decades, Star Wars has become one of the most beloved properties with fans around the world.

Grogu, known by many fans as Baby Yoda, first appeared in The Mandalorian, a series on Disney+ currently celebrating its third anniversary. 

With his mysterious background and incredible use of the Force, the tiny and adorable character became a hit with fans around the world, quickly making him one of the most popular characters in the recent Star Wars series.

World-renowned Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli recently produced a short animation starring Grogu and Makkuro Kurosuke, also known as the Wandering Soot or, in the title for the short, Dust Bunnies. The characters first appeared in the film My Neighbor Totoro.

Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki have long been friends with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who readily agreed to produce the short as a symbol of their longstanding friendship. The short was directed by Katsuya Kondo.

Will you give this a watch on Disney+?

（C）2022 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.（C）2022 Studio Ghibli.

Eyeglass brand Zoff is collaborating with the popular character Usamaru for the second time! The adorable pup is celebrating his seventh anniversary this year, and to celebrate, this new collection of glasses is now available for purchase on the Zoff Online Store. On February 25, they will also be available at the new Zoff Mozo Wonder City location!

Usamaru & Usako / Zoff Original Illustrations

Oval

Metal Boston

Husky Usamaru

Wellington

Metal Wellington

Detail

Accessories

Cleaning Cloth

Usamaru is a popular character on the messaging app LINE with plenty of fun sticker sets for purchase. This new collection was based on the concept of having a “relaxing and fun life with Usamaru, Usako, and your eyeglasses!” Zoff Maru, a Zoff-exclusive illustration, welcomes Usako to the collaboration for the first time as well. Don’t miss out on these limited-edition designs, like Usamaru and Usako in matching glasses and Usamaru dressed up as Zoff’s iconic Siberian Husky. These glasses are unisex, so men and women can enjoy matching sets!

During the collaboration, customers can also choose from six unique cleaning cloths, eyeglass cases, and other Usamaru-inspired items.

Glasses brand Zoff has released a new collection titled the “Disney Collection Zoff 20th Anniversary Line,” featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse motifs. The collection will be released on September 17 2021 in Zoff stores nationwide and online.

Mickey Mouse Model

Minnie Mouse Model

Case, Glasses Cloth

The very first Zoff store opened 20 years ago. To mark the occasion, a selection of commemorative glasses will be available in their Disney collection, featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The pair are dressed up more than usual, seemingly invited to a fun party. The design is special and full of details, as are all of the models in the Disney Collection.

Be sure to check out these special frames, with their charming Disney features!

The anime Star Wars anthology Star Wars: Visions is coming to Disney Plus on September 22, and ahead of release, a more detailed trailer has been released to excited audiences worldwide. Seven of Japan’s leading animation studios are participating in the highly-anticipated project, which will tell nine new stories from the Star Wars universe. Each studio will bring their own unique vision to the epic space opera, and fans worldwide have been blown away by the new teaser footage. 

While details on the nine stories are still scarce, the global trailer does feature some of the show’s voice actors: English audiences recognized actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and David Harbour, while the Japanese trailer featured such well-known performers as Masako Nozawa, Yuichi Nakamura, Junya Enoki, Yuma Uchida, Daisuke Hirakawa, and Hiroyuki Yoshino. 

The project aims to introduce Japanese anime and pop culture to the world in a new way. The trailer contains fantastical lightsaber battles and unique characters along with memorable moments from the films, including the famous line “May the Force be with you.” Fans around the world are raising their expectations for the explosive final product. 

Global Trailer (In Japanese with English Subtitles)

English Dubbed Trailer (In English with Japanese Subtitles)

Below is a list of the animated shorts featured in Star Wars: Visions, as well as the contributing studio: 

The Duel – Kamikaze Douga

Lop and Ochō – Geno Studio (Twin Engine) 

Tatooine Rhapsody – Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) 

The Twins – Trigger

The Elder – Trigger

The Village Bride – Kinema Citrus

Akakiri – Science Saru

T0-B1 – Science Saru 

The Ninth Jedi – Production IG

George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, has cited Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, and Japanese culture as a whole, as a great influence on his works. The executive producer of Star Wars: Visions, James Waugh, calls the project ‘a love letter from Lucasfilm to Japan, the country that gave the world anime culture.’

©2021 TM & c Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

New Generation rock band yonawo is celebrating the release of their new album with a live online event, yonawo 2nd full album ‘Haruka Ima’ Online Live Supported by Zoff. The event will take place on August 14, 2021, and will start at 20:00, so don’t be late!

The band garnered plenty of attention this April after appearing as models for the Zoff CLASSIC Summer Collection. yonawo is scheduled to appear at a number of music festivals this summer, and their unique style is turning heads in the fashion industry. 

The upcoming live stream will be free to watch, so fans from around the world should be sure to tune in! 

This event is being held as a part of the new Zoff Rock project, blending music and fashion with Zoff’s stylish eyewear designs. Viewers will have a chance to win a pair of glasses worn by the yonawo members by taking a screenshot of the event and posting it on Twitter with the hashtag #yonawozoff! Be sure to follow the official Zoff Twitter Account (@Zoff_INFO) and say which glasses you’d like in your entry! The glasses will also come in a case signed by the members. 

With the release of their new album, yonawo will also be holding their biggest one-man live tour to date, playing shows in seven locations across Japan. Tickets for the show are on sale now!

Keep your eyes on this up-and-coming group!

Lucasfilm and Disney+ have unveiled the first look at their new anime anthology series Star Wars: Visions and revealed that all nine episodes will be released on September 22, 2021.

The announcement was shared during Anime Expo Lite 2021, the digital version of the annual Anime Expo in the US, where it was revealed that the anthology of animated short films is being created by seven Japanese anime studios that will use “their signature animation and storytelling styles to realize their own visions of the galaxy far, far away.”

George Lucas has publicly expressed how Japanese folktales and the films of Akira Kurosawa have had and continue to have an influence on his work, including Star Wars, which has been poured into its themes, stories, and characters. Now things are being flipped around as Japan’s animation studios create their take on the franchise.

Below is the list of studios and the titles of their upcoming animated shorts:

• Kamikaze Douga – The Duel
• Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – Lop and Ochō
• Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – Tatooine Rhapsody
• Trigger – The Twins
• Trigger – The Elder
• Kinema Citrus – The Village Bride
• Science Saru – Akakiri
• Science Saru – T0-B1
• Production IG – The Ninth Jedi

Check out a special look of the series below which was posted on the official Star Wars YouTube channel.

The video features some of the Japanese anime industry’s top creators each expressing their love for Star Wars. It also looks at how the unique style of Japanese anime is a perfect lens for expressing the franchise.

Star Wars: Visions will release on Disney+ on September 22, 2021.

©2021 TM & c Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Japanese messaging app LINE announced that their casual puzzle game LINE: Disney Tsum Tsum has broken 90 million views. The popular game launched a collaboration with the Star Wars franchise on Tuesday which is set to run until May 31.

LINE: Disney Tsum Tsum is based off Disney’s collectable stuffed toy series. The game launched first in Japan on January 29, 2014, before rolling out to the US, UK, Europe, Asia, and elsewhere on July 1 of the same year. Tsum Tsum and 400-or-so characters are popular around the world with the toys having appeared in Disney films, commercials, at events, and more.

In celebration of the puzzle game reaching 90 million downloads, the Today’s Mission feature is offering a 10x bonus. The game is also collaborating with Star Wars until the end of May where Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper are making an appearance. And for the duration of May, the game’s title logo and background music has been changed into traditional Japanese styles.

Tsum Tsum Tenka Touitsu Event

Another in-game event is also ongoing where players can receive pins and a Princess Minnie by clearing the mission.

©Disney 

©Disney/Pixar 

©& TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

Japanese glasses brand Zoff has announced the release of a Summer Collection in its popular Zoff CLASSIC series which will hit Zoff stores across Japan on April 30, 2021.

The Line-Up

ZA191010_13A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZA191019_50A1 Light Yellow/ZA191019_21A1 Pink | ¥8,800 Each (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZA201011_21A2 Pink | ¥5,500 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZA201012_60A1 Light Green | ¥5,500 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZC191009_64A1 Olive/ZC191009_11A1 Light Grey | ¥8,800 Each (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZC191010_40A1 Ivory/ZC191010_00A1 Clear | ¥8,800 Each (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZH211001_50A1 Light Yellow/ZH211001_49B1 Tortoiseshell/ZH211001_42A1 Light Brown/ZH211001_14E1 Black | ¥8,800 Each (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZH211002_72A1 Navy/ZH211002_49A1 Tortoiseshell/ZH211002_23A1 Dark Pink/ZH211002_00A1 Clear | ¥8,800 Each (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZH211003_72A1 Navy/ZH211003_64E1 Olive/ZH211003_50A1 Light Yellow/ZH211003_18E1 White & Black/ZH211003_12A1 Grey | ¥5,500 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZN211006_50A1 Light Yellow/ZN211006_48A1 Brown Gradation/ZN211006_20A1 Light Pink/ZN211006_12A1 Grey/ZN211006_00A1 Clear | ¥8,800 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZY212001_57F1 Antique Gold/ZY212001_14F1 Black | ¥8,800 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZY212002_43E1 Brown/ZY212002_21E1 Pink | ¥8,800 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZY212010_57F1 Antique Gold/ZY212010_56E1 Gold/ZY212010_21E1 Pink/ZY212010_14E1 Black | ¥8,800 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZF213005_14E1 Black/ZF213005_48E1 Brown Gradation/ZF213005_68F1 Green Gradation | ¥13,300 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZF213006_14E1 Black/ZF213006_21E1 Pink/ZF213006_43E1 Brown | ¥13,300 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

ZF213007_14F1 Black/ZF213007_24E1 Dark Red/ZF213007_41F1 Beige | ¥13,300 (Tax Included/Includes Lens Set)

Zoff CLASSIC is a popular series with a line-up of around 150 different glasses options at any given time, with designs ranging from detailed and authentic vintage looks to more seasonal and trendy modern takes. Also as part of the bigger series is the Zoff SMART CLASSIC range. This one has 44 models made from a fusion of high-functioning titanium and ultem which make each pair a comfortable wear. With glasses and face masks being a common combination today, Zoff’s Summer Collection this year is a fresh line-up that doesn’t weigh heavily on the eye area, allowing them to stand out above face masks.

Donning the looks for Zoff’s summer promo shoot is all four members of the Fukuoka-based Japanese band yonawo as well as model and camerawoman Hikari Shibata. This marks the first time the yonawo members have come together to feature in a promotion like this and is a chance for fans to see them all in glasses.

Zoff is hosting a campaign for 10 lucky people to win a wear of glasses from the Zoff CLASSIC Summer Collection. Check the link below.

The Star Wars Book is a new publication being released in Japan that chronicles the entire Star Wars Saga, from the 1977 film A New Hope to the 2019 The Rise of Skywalker. It also includes spin off stories, information on the animated series as well as the characters, creatures, weapons, vehicles, and more.

©&TM LUCASFILM LTD.

The book is a must-have for fans of the series whether you have full knowledge of its rich world and want to relive it in its entirety, or if there is more you want to read into.

Japanese eyewear brand Zoff is collaboration with the mobile game Disney: Twisted-Wonderland to release a collection of seven glasses this April on their official website.

Specially-crafted frames based on the Dorms

The collection features seven different glasses each inspired by a different Dormitory of Night Raven College as seen in Disney: Twisted-Wonderland. The temple, for example, features inlet parts based on the seven Dorms, so fans can represent their favourite while looking stylish at the same time. The coupling glasses cases, too, are branded with a simple yet sophisticated design of the Dorm emblems, and each case even comes with a glasses cloth bearing the names of the students.

The frames and cloth designs up close

Heartslabyul Design | ¥11,100 (Tax Included)

Looking head on at the glasses, you can see crowns on either side, while looking from the sides are playing card marks.

Savanaclaw Design | ¥11,100 (Tax Included)

Thick frames with gold combination colouring and claw marks featured on the sides. This glasses are made using laser technology.

Octavinelle Design | ¥11,100 (Tax Included)

The front and temple have an octopus leg design and the inner side part has a shell. The black and purple make for a striking colour fusion.

Scarabia Design | ¥11,100 (Tax Included)

These glasses look basic at first glance, but gleaming on either side are cobra heads wrapping around the front. The golden temple section features delicate metal engraving.

Pomefiore Design | ¥11,100 (Tax Included)

The metal engravings and crowns on the front sides elevate your countenance without going over the top. The curvy temple also serves to make the wearer look even more beautiful.

Ignihyde Design | ¥11,100 (Tax Included)

An iconic mix of black and blue. The blue temple has a transparency to it, and if you’re a fan of Ignihyde, you’ll be able to spot the motif on the front sides.

Diasomnia Design | ¥11,100 (Tax Included)

The spinning wheel motif gives the temple a three-dimensional feel. A basic but stylish colour choice perfect for work.

Glasses Case

The glasses case bears the Dorm symbols on the front while the inside has the game title logo.

Each glasses cloth is different for each Dorm as pictured throughout

Japanese eyewear giant Zoff released a new collection of Disney glasses on Friday (March 5) featuring designs inspired by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck. Official titled the “Disney Collection created by Zoff Happiness Series,” the line-up hit all Zoff stores, excluding outlets, and their online store in Japan.

The Line-Up

Mickey Mouse

Casual Line Boston(ZA211001_43A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Casual Line Wellington ZA211002_14E1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Classic Line Wellington ZC211001_14E1 | ¥8,800 (Tax Included)

Classic Line Boston ZC212001_21E1 | ¥8,800 (Tax Included)

Minnie Mouse

Casual Line Boston ZA211001_68A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Casual Line Oval ZA211003_43A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Classic Line Square ZC212002_43E1 | ¥8,800 (Tax Included)

Classic Line Square ZC212002_21E1 | ¥8,800 (Tax Included)

Donald Duck & Daisy Duck

Casual Line Wellington ZA211002_72A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Casual Line Oval ZA211003_44A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Casual Line Boston ZA211001_21A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Casual Line Oval ZA211003_81A1 | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

Glasses Case & Glasses Wipe

Mickey Mouse Anti-Fog Spray – ¥800 (Tax Included) / Minnie Mouse Lens Cleaner – ¥800 (Tax Included)

Next Wednesday (February 24) will mark the 20th anniversary that Japanese glasses brand Zoff opened its first store in 2001. Since launching, the leading eyewear brand has sought to create a generation when glasses play the leading part in the lives of wearers.

At the core of Zoff has been a desire to create a society where anyone and everyone can enjoy glasses freely and easily. In the wake of their 20th anniversary, Zoff is now set to cement itself as an indispensable brand in society and people’s lives by exhibiting new value in glasses as a tool that expands the possibilities of humans, and that doesn’t stop at vision correction apparatus. “Eye Performance” is the mantra of Zoff going into their 20-year milestone.

New Logo

To brand that concept, Zoff has create a new logo that features a Siberian husky, something that has become a much-loved symbol of the brand. Their original husky logo was a photo taken by a child. This has been replaced with a new illustration that matches the brand’s iconic blue colour.

We look forward to seeing where Japan’s leading eyewear brand looks to next as they approach their 20th anniversary.