Japan’s largest sake event, TOKYO SAKE FESTIVAL 2022, will run from October 4 until October 6 at the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building’s Triangle Square.

The event’s aim is to make sake more mainstream around the world, with the first festival taking place in 2020. Tokyo Sake Festival blends sake with entertainment, showing off the very best of Japanese culture to those who may be new to craft sake. For the third year, former NMB48 member Yui Takano will serve as ambassador. Takano is known for leaving her idol career to manage the sake specialty store Yui Sake Shop. 

Tokyo Sake Festival 2022 is bringing together forty carefully selected sake breweries from around Japan, including Inoue Seikichi, winner of the Champion Sake award at IWC 2022. Tonoike Sake Brewery, winner of Kura Master 2022’s President’s Award, will also be in attendance. The full lineup can be found on the official website.

Popular influencers and artists from Raphael to BOYS AND MEN and Ukon Takafuji will take the stage during the event, so be sure to swing by if you’re a fan of Japanese spirits!

To celebrate the debut of Dev-c, the new VTuber unit from VEE, a giant ad has appeared in Shinjuku Station! Fans should head to the Promenade connecting Shinjuku Station to Shinjuku 3-come from September 5 until September 11 to catch a glimpse of these new talents!

The ad shows Uriyone, Anew Uparu, Cotonoha, Luminous Sweet, and Aomiya Yozuri strolling down a Tokyo street.

Spread out behind them are images of the members of Dev-a and Dev-b, who previously debuted.

VEE has managed to bring together some incredible talents so far. On the right side, fans will see Dev-c’s key visual and a message from VEE to fans, so if you’re near Shinjuku, be sure to check it out!

TMS Entertainment has announced that it will produce the anime adaptation of the popular Shonen Jump manga series Undead Unluck in 2023!

The series follows Fuuko, a girl desperate for a passionate romance like the ones she sees in her favorite manga. Due to her Unluck ability, that seems impossible–but one day, she’s swept off her feet by Andy. As his unwilling test subject, she follows as Andy works to find a way to trigger a stroke of Unluck big enough to kill him for good. However, when the pair discovers a secret organization is hunting them, it puts Andy’s burial plans on hold. Now, the exciting supernatural comedy series is making its way to the small screen!

The first teaser visual has been unveiled, showing Andy, a man with an immortal body, and Fuuko, a girl who brings bad luck to those she touches. 

The anime will be produced by both David Production (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) and the TMS subsidiary UNLIMITED PRODUCE. 

Look forward to the Undead Unluck anime series next year!

©戸塚慶文／集英社・アンデッドアンラック製作委員会

From September 1 until October 31, the District Brasserie, Bar, and Lounge at the Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo will be offering a spooky Halloween-themed afternoon tea set. The tasty treats won’t be the only scary thing on the plate–the event will incorporate AR technology! By holding up your phone, you’ll be able to see monsters moving around on your plate.

The goodies will also be available for take-out, making them perfect for souvenirs or at-home Halloween parties! Nine types of Halloween sweets, six small dishes, and two tea sachets will be included. Why not spend Halloween in a more elegant way in 2022?

Have you ever heard of Pickles the Frog? The adorable plush has become popular enough to inspire his own collaboration cafe in Shinjuku from May 25 until June 6! A special menu will be available at Brilliant Cafe located on the 11th floor of the Odakyu Department Store.

Green Curry Plate

Birthday Cake Plate

Fruit Tea Soda Float

As part of Pickle the Frog’s birthday celebration, the cafe will feature a limited menu of three delectable items. Why not come celebrate Pickle’s special day on June 1? 

A pop-up shop will also be opened soon, so keep an eye out!

Popular on LINE and other texting apps and illustrated by Jyuuno, mofusand is a curious collection of cute and slightly surreal cats. As with most things that go viral in Japan, these adorable characters will be featured in a themed cafe for a limited time! The Tokyo location will open on May 19 and the Osaka location will welcome visitors starting May 26, 2022.

Cafe Visitor Bonus: Sticker (6 varieties)

Drink Order Bonus: Coaster (6 varieties)

Menu

Fried Shrimp Sandwich Plate

Grilled Vegetable Curry

Nyanko Burger

Salmon Mentaiko Cream Pasta

Taiyaki

Nyanko Parfait

Black Cat Pancake

Nyan Lime Nata de Coco

Green Nyanko Float / Yello Nyanko Float / Blue Nyanko Float

Nyanko Cafe Latte / Nyanko Milk Tea

Merchandise

Sticker

Clear Folder

All menu items draw inspiration from the many mofusand characters and are perfect for posting on social media! Special bonuses will be given to those visiting the cafe and making select purchases, and a merchandise corner will be selling limited-edition goods featuring new artwork!

©mofusand

The popular anime series Jujutsu Kaisen is getting a collaboration with luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana! The first visual for the collab appeared on the back cover of the newest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, on sale on April 18, 2022.

The visual was drawn by the same studio responsible for the anime series MAPPA and eight characters from the series will eventually be featured wearing Dolce & Gabbana–Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, Maki Zenin, Toge Inumaki, Panda, Kento Nanami, and Satoru Gojo. All character visuals were unveiled on April 15 on Dolce & Gabbana’s social media and on the project’s special website. This first visual focuses on Yuji Itadori.

It’s extremely rare for a luxury brand ad to appear in Shonen Jump, but the manga series featured in the magazine have continued to cross boundaries in recent years, and fans have been very happy about this rather strange collaboration.

Along with appearing in Shonen Jump, the visual will also appear in the June issue of SPUR on sale on April 22, and the June issue of MEN’S NON-NO on sale on May 9.

Which character do you think looks the best in their fancy apparel?

©週刊少年ジャンプ2022年20号／集英社　©芥⾒下々／集英社・呪術廻戦製作委員会

From April 13 until April 25, fans of Disney Pixar will want to visit the first floor of the Odakyu Department store in Shinjuku! The Pixar Fest Pop-Up Store by Small Planet will be selling a large collection of items featuring popular characters from Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Cars, and more!

A wide variety of PIXAR goods such as bags, towels, mugs, stationery, and apparel will be available, and the Disney Friend of Nature Pop-Up Store by Small Planet will be held simultaneously, featuring sustainable and eco-friendly Disney items.

PIXAR FEST POP UP STORE by Small Planet Goods at a Glance

[Exclusive Event Item] IC Card Case: ¥2,310 

[Event Exclusive Item] Drawstring Bag: ¥660 *On sale April 16

[Event Exclusive Item] Random Pin Collection (12 varieties): ¥440 each

Purchase Bonus: Tote Bag

Purchase Bonus: Acrylic Coaster

Starting April 13, guests spending ¥6,600 (including tax) or more at the venue will receive one special tote bag while supplies last! Starting April 23, guests spending ¥2,750 (including tax) will receive a Toy Story acrylic coaster.

Disney FRIEND OF NATURE POP UP STORE by Small Planet Goods at a Glance

[Event Exclusive Item] Mug Made from Recycled Goods “Green Vibes Only!”: ¥2,310

[Event Exclusive Item] Eco Bag “Green Vibes Only!”: ¥3,190 *On sale April 15

Be sure to visit the pop-up shop to grab some exclusive merch while you can!

©Disney/Pixar
©Disney

From March 30 until April 12, fans of Moomin will want to visit the Odakyu Department Store in Shinjuku for a special pop-up store!

Lineup

Odakyu Preorder Items　

Toto Bag

Synthetic Leather Coaster

Masking Tape

Event Exclusives

T-Shirt

Acrylic Keychain

Stainless Steel Tumbler

Purchase Bonuses

(March 30 ~) Bonus for purchases of ¥6,600 or more

Pocket Thermos Bottle, Joxter Cloud Design (Not for Sale)

(April 2 ~) Bonus for purchases of ¥3,300 or more

Sea Orchestra Acrylic Keychain (Not for Sale)

(April 9 ~) Bonus for purchases of ¥5,500 or more

Snufkin & Joxter Acrylic Stand Set (Not for Sale)

The pop-up store, which was very well-received last year, focuses on Snufkin, one of the most popular Moomin characters. This year, Snufkin’s father, Joxter, will also be making an appearance. The venue will be decorated with original artwork, and a wide variety of Moomin merch will be available, including plush toys, sundries, apparel, and much more.

Based on the manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, the team behind Death Note and Bakuman, the Platinum End anime series has amassed a huge fanbase since premiering in October. A special stage event was held during Jump Festa on December 18, 2021.

The 40-minute stage performance was led by Miyu Irino (Mirai Kakehashi), Yui Ogura (Nasse), M.A.O. (Saki Hanakago), Natsuki Hanae (Revell), and Kaito Ishikawa (Kanade Uryu). Each of the actors and actresses share their favorite scenes and were asked some tough questions by the original authors of the series. 

More of the cast’s question and answer segment will be released on the official Twitter page for the series, along with Tsugumi Ohba’s outlook on life and her most recent movie recommendations!

During the program, it was announced that Kuhaku Gokko would perform the second ending theme, Last Straw. The unit debuted in 2019, and is comprised of vocalist Setsuko and composers Harihara Tsubasa and koyori. 

Comment from Vocalist Setsuko

“Will the candidates who were meant to die survive, and where will they end up? This is a heavy story, and as it moves towards its conclusion things get even more difficult to fathom. We wrote the song while remembering that this will be the final track fans of the series hear, so we wanted to capture those emotions. In writing the lyrics, I didn’t want to make them too blunt or defined, so each person will have their own interpretation.” 

Platinum End is getting more and more exciting as it hurdles towards the end, so be sure to tune in!

©︎大場つぐみ・小畑健／集英社・プラチナエンド製作委員会

BEAMS Japan will hold an event highlighting the wonders of Okayama Prefecture in both Shinjuku, Tokyo, and Taipei, Taiwan! The event will feature specialty products from 11 businesses in Okayama, and is now open in Shinjuku, with the Taipei event beginning in February 2022. Certain items are also available at the official BEAMS online shop.

Selected Products

Okayama prefecture is known for its mild climate and nature. BEAMS Japan has developed 81 unique products, with some highlighting the denim creation in the region and others showcasing local crafts.

As Okayama is closely associated with Momotaro, a figure out of Japanese folklore, peaches are very prominent in the region and can be seen in a number of these special products. 

Selected products from the collection will be available at the Taipei location from February 24 until March 13, 2022. Although travel has been made incredibly difficult during the pandemic, this pop-up shop was made possible by Okayama prefecture and BEAMS Japan. 

Premiering in Shonen Jump+ in January 2019, Mato Seihei no Slave (Slave of the Magic Capital’s Elite Troops) has been a certified hit, selling over 1 million copies. Cast information for the upcoming anime series was just announced at Jump Festa 2022!

The ongoing Mato Seihei no Slave manga series is set in a world where a demonic gate has unleashed monsters called Shuki. A special peach tree can grant special powers to those in need, but only if they are women. A boy named Yuki Wakura meets Uzen Kyoka, a girl who has gained the power of the peach, and the captain of the 7th Anti-Demon squad.

Mato Seihei no Slave Teaser Video

Three new voice cast members have been announced for the 7th Anti-Demon Squad. Yume Miyamoto will play Himari Azuma, Mari Hino will portray Shushu Suruga, and Hina Tachibana will play Nei Okawamura.

It was previously announced that Yuya Hirose (Takuya Yamamoto in Tokyo Revengers) would play Yuki Wakura, while Akari Kito (Nezuko in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) would play Kyoya Uzen. More information is coming soon!

Ⓒタカヒロ・竹村洋平／集英社・魔防隊広報部