The online sake shop KURAND is now selling TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING, a special sparkling sake made in collaboration with the TIGER & BUNNY 2 anime series. 

TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING is a sparkling sake that will surprise customers with its delicate bubbles and light flavor. The label features an outline of the city of Sternbild, the setting of TIGER & BUNNY, and each bottle will be delivered in a decorated box. This is perfect for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations!

Those who purchase TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING will receive a TIGER & BARNABY Champagne Stopper as a gift. The bubbliness of this sake is sure to impress, so kick back and relax with friends and family this holiday season with a few glasses of this limited-edition goodness.

Tiger & Bunny 2 will premiere on Netflix worldwide on October 7, 2022. The ending theme is Pilot by Taichi Mukai, and the track will be available to stream starting October 5.

The song’s message is powerful, expressing that while we can’t always control what happens in life, we should always strive to pilot our own course as best we can. Mukai, who is a huge anime fan, studied the bonds and emotions of the show’s characters prior to creating the track, eager to make it something that fans would love. 

The song was produced by CELSIOR COUPE, a close friend of Mukai’s who previously worked on the singer’s other anime tracks including Reset and Michi from Run with the Wind and Bravest from Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai. A mid-tempo track, the song also incorporates elements of Future Beats, creating an emotional sound that is perfect for an anime ending theme. Be sure to give it a listen when it releases next month!

Comment from Taichi Mukai

“I’m so happy to have been chosen to perform the ending theme for Tiger & Bunny 2! I decided to interpret the bonds and emotions of the characters in my own way, and I really wanted to sing about having the strength to move on in the midst of sadness and resentment. I hope that this track will capture the feeling of the series and the fans.” 

©BNP/T&B2 PARTNERS 

A popular stationery event held last year is back! The pop-up space on the first floor of Tsutaya Books Nara has been filled to the brim with unique stationery items from a number of creators. Guests can grab these inspiring items from March 15 until April 17, 2022.

echos

Visitors can use a variety of printing techniques like letterpress and foil stamping at echos. Connect with your loved ones through printing and design, and show your creativity!

These nostalgic yet new paper products pull from Showa-era illustrators to give an authentic antique feel. 

Osoblanco

This general store and gallery is located in Nanba, Osaka. The shop mainly deals in original handmade goods, antique European tools, and merchandise by illustrator makomo. Both store owners are stationary lovers, and they have recently begun offering a wide selection of paper products of all genres and styles.

Otome Printing

Otome Printing makes paper goods by printing each sheet of paper one color at a time on a letterpress! The handmade printing gives each sheet a one-of-a-kind feel by virtue of the indentation of the printing plate, ink blurring, and crooked prints. The lineup includes postcards, letterheads, pouch bags, and gift bags decorated with these unique prints.

Printing Studio Tan

Printing Studio Tan has been making Nara-inspired letterpressed pieces since it opened its doors. The symbol for ‘tan’ refers to the color of red earth, symbolizing the values of ancient Nara, once the central city of Japan. The company’s products feature ancient patterns associated with classic Japanese culture. 

Kei Printing

Kei Printing, with a factory in Kobe, offers delicate items with incredible attention to detail. With the goal of designing ‘memorable printed materials,’ customers are sure to find items that will help them to express themselves. 

Yonagadou

With a storefront located in Tenmabashi, Osaka, Yonagadou also has a small gallery in the back featuring items from both Japan and abroad. The shop offers a wide variety of small items, from Taisho and Showa-inspired paper goods, handkerchiefs, and more. 

This year, paper lovers will find an array of products using letterpress printing. Many items were also inspired by Nara, so travel lovers will also be thrilled!

With over 1.4 million followers, popular artist ano, known as ano-chan to her fans, is about to make her major debut with Toy’s Factory! 

Launching her first solo project in September 2020, ano has finally landed a spot on the global stage.

Along with being a talented musician, she has also appeared as a model and TV personality over the years, solidifying her place as a beloved figure among the younger generation. Having already collaborated with a number of creators, ano’s future is already looking bright.

New photos of the artist have been released along with her major debut announcement, with art director Kenjiro Sano in charge.

ano’s major debut single AIDA will be released on April 8, and has been chosen to serve as the ending theme for Tiger & Bunny 2, which will also be released on Netflix worldwide the same day. The track is a ballad filled with ano’s personality, and the cover artwork was also created by Kenjiro Sano. 

Tiger & Bunny 2 will be available exclusively on Netflix starting April 8, 2022.

Comment from ano

I’m so happy to announce that I’ll be making my major debut with Toy’s Factory!!! It’s been my dream to make a major label debut since I was a little girl and I’m just so happy!!! I want to thank my manager and everyone who has supported me so far!!! I’ll do my best to pay everyone back by performing at Budokan someday!!! Thank you for the kind words and encouragement!!!

Starting on October 30, a special Tiger & Bunny Character Pop Store will be open at atre Akihabara! The event is being held by Bandai Namco, and fans will be able to snag some merchandise featuring brand-new original illustrations!

Lineup

Tiger & Bunny Acrylic Stand (2 varieties): ¥1,850 each (Tax Included) 

Tiger & Bunny Acrylic Keychain (2 varieties): ¥950 each (Tax Included) 

Tiger & Bunny Mini Drawstring Bag Collection (8 varieties): ¥790 each (Tax Included) 

Lottery Prizes

A Prize

Tiger & Bunny A3-sized Cloth Poster (Winner can choose from 3 varieties) 

B Prize

Tiger & Bunny Magnet (Winner can choose from 8 varieties) 

C Prize

Tiger & Bunny Visual Card (8 varieties, random) 

Guests spending over ¥2,000 will receive a novelty illustration card (4 varieties) 

The store will feature plenty of goods and minigames for Tiger & Bunny fans to enjoy. After the new merchandise is released at atre Akihabara, it will also be sold online at the Namco Parks online store and the A-on store. 

Tiger & Bunny takes place in Stern Bild City, where 45 years before, superpowered individuals called NEXT began appearing. Each of these superheroes works for a sponsor company, and the popular television show Hero TV sees these characters performing heroic feats for points. The best-ranked hero at the end of the season is crowned King of Heroes. The original anime series ran from April until September 2011, with a film coming in 2012. Another was released in theaters in 2014, and a sequel, Tiger & Bunny 2, is scheduled to release next year. 

©BNP/T&B PARTNERS

Due to the popularity of the recent Tiger & Bunny collaboration, Hotel New Otani in Tokyo has transformed two additional rooms into suites fit for a hero. When rooms first became available in September, they sold out in only 30 minutes! Tiger & Bunny is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021, and fans of the series will be able to stay in these special rooms from October 30, 2021, until January 31, 2022. Reservations will be open starting at 10:00 on October 17. 

During this collaboration, fans can also find four original goods that can only be obtained at Hotel New Otani. This includes original hotel keychains, acrylic nameplates, a leather tray decorated with an original logo, and some adorable postcards featuring SD characters from Tiger & Bunny. Each person to reserve a collaboration room will be able to take home one of each piece of merchandise. 

In the decorated rooms, guests will be greeted by Wild Tiger, Barnaby Brooks Jr., and other popular heroes from the series. Come spend some time with your favorite characters while you have the chance!

In promotion of the forthcoming live-action films Rurouni Kenshin: The Final and Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning, both of which will be released on April 23 and June 4 respectively this year, the series is rolling out a collaboration with Sanrio’s globally-beloved character Hello Kitty on April 14.

Original Merchandise

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Plush Toys (2 Designs) | ¥3,850 Each (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Plush Toys (4 Designs) | ¥2,750 Each (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty A4 Folder Set | ¥495 (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Bottle | ¥1,540 (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Tote Bag | ¥2,200 (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Ballpoint Pens & Mechanical Pencils (2 Designs) | ¥770 Each (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Hand Towels | ¥1,430 (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Pins (6 Designs) | ¥330 Each (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Acrylic Stands (8 Designs) | ¥715 Each (Tax Included)

Rurouni Kenshin x Hello Kitty Sweets Paradise Collaboration Cafe

Menu Excerpt

Kenshin Hello Kitty Beef Bowl / Battousai Hello Kitty Omurice

Enishi Hello Kitty Orange Crepe / Tomoe Hello Kitty Anmisu / Kaoru Hello Kitty Strawberry Pancake

Acrylic Mascot Key Rings

10 Designs

Plush Toys

This marks the second collaboration between Rurouni Kenshin and Hello Kitty, the first taking place back in 2014 in promotion of Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends. Fans can get their hands on a collection of cute merchandise with Hello Kitty dressed as various characters from the series, as well as tuck into a themed menu which will first be served at Sweets Paradise Ueno ABAB from April 22 before rolling out to six more Sweets Paradise branches in Japan.

©和月伸宏／集英社 ©2020 映画「るろうに剣心 最終章 The Final/The Beginning 」製作委員会

Ichiban Kuji is releasing a new stationery set themed on the popular anime and manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba at bookshops, Animate stores, and elsewhere in Japan on March 13.

Ichiban Kuji is a popular brand of kuji, sure-win lucky draw games in Japan where fans are guaranteed to win a piece of merchandise.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Stationery Collection

Promo Video

The Merchandise at a Glance

A-Prize: Pencil Case

B-Prize: Set of 3 Pens

C-Prize: Stickyle Compact Scissors (3 Designs)

D-Prize: A5 Notebooks (11 Designs)

E賞：和紙風クリアファイル 全15種 A4サイズ

Last Prize: Bamboo Pencil Case

The A-Prize is a pencil case inspired by Nezuko and Tanjiro, the B-Prize is a set of three different pens coupled with a metal charm, the C-Prize is the Stickyle compact scissors, and the D-Prize is a gorgeous collection of A5 notebooks.

(C)吾峠呼世晴／集英社・アニプレックス・ufotable

Starbucks Coffee Japan is teaming up with KOKUYO, which is known for its hugely popular Campus notebooks, to release a 2021 diary at Starbucks branches in Japan and the Starbucks Japan online store on October 7, 2020. This is Starbucks’ second collaboration with Campus.

In an effort to reduce waste, Starbucks has for a long time been recycling its coffee bean grounds, milk packs, and other items so that nothing goes to waste and everything is used to its fullest extent. The company began recycling its milk packs in 2010, and last August, released its first Campus notebook made from a combination of these packs as well as paper napkins and hand towels used in the stores.

2021 Starbucks Campus Scheduled Book | Colours: Black, White | ¥2,100

The new 2021 diary is made from recycled milk packs. Starbucks uses 1,000 tons of milk packs a year in Japan. Every day, all the milk packs are hand washed and dried by Starbucks Japan’s partners and pressed into a shape so that they are easier to collect.

Each page of the month features a different design of Starbucks’s coffee bean packs as well as stories, keywords related to taste, and other fun entries. The design for January 2021 is their Pike Place® Roast. Pike Place in Seattle, Washington is in fact where the very first Starbucks store opened. The left pages list the days and national holidays in Japan while the right pages have graph paper.

PLUS Corporation and The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd. have teamed up to created a limited edition cherry blossom themed notebook, fountain pen and bottled ink set which will be released on March 16, 2020.

The set includes SAILOR’s “Professional Gear Slim” fountain pen, PLUS’s “Ca.crea Premium Cross” notebook which is perfect for writing on with the pen, and a bottle of ink.

The notebook features a gorgeous gold leaf design and a cherry blossom pink cover. The three-fold notebook is A4 size, and the durable front cover uses cross paper. The inside pages are a subtle cream colour, and the ink from the fountain pen does not leak through the pages. The pages are also smooth and level and so is nice to write on.

The pens come in two colours: pink which reminds one of cherry blossoms, and clear gold. Both pens are also glossed with golden glitter and feature a beauty cherry blossom design.

The extravagant 14k golden pen tip and lid also have cherry blossom flowers on them, as does the label of the bottled ink.

This set comes in a fitting pink gift box, making it a perfect present to stationery lovers whether to yourself, a friend, or someone starting at a new school.

If you love stationery, and you’re in Japan from December 12-15, then you don’t want to miss out on the country’s biggest annual stationery event: Bungu Joshi Haku.

People’s obsession with stationery has only grown in recent years. The first Bungu Joshi Haku was held in 2017 for regular stationery users. Last year’s event saw 35,000 people attend over the three-day period, which is 10,000 more than the first year. Due to the event’s surge in popularity last year, this year’s event will be held across 4 days. Advance tickets went on sale on November 20 and all sold out immediately. But don’t worry, because you can still attend the event if you pay at the venue.

A total of 133 stationery companies and makers will join for 2019ーincluding 30 first-time participantsーwhich is more than previous events. Get ready to sift through almost 50,000 individual pieces of stationery! From retro-modern styled stationery themed on Romanticism to familiar pens, pencils and pads, as well as collaborative items and more, you might want to make sure you withdraw a bit of extra cash when you see what’s on offer.

Miniature Notebook Collection Lottery / Price: ¥350 per turn (Limited Sale)

Six classic Japanese notebook brands known to any Japanese person have turned miniature. Enter the lottery and see which one you come out with! Their designs are exactly the same as the originals, just tinier and cuter. What would you write in them?

Stationery Alley (First Appearance)

The event’s first ever “Stationery Alley” will feature a variety of games, including a ring toss using cellotape, a lottery, and more. 

Masking Tape Lottery & Tape Buffet / Price: ¥200 per turn

The popular “Masking Tape Lottery” returns again this year, with even more designs available to get your hands on. Everyone that participates gets a free limited-edition Bungu Joshi Haku masking tape. And those who win have a chance to enter the “Masking Tape Buffet” where you can take home a masking tape of your choice from a select bunch.

Bungu Joshi Haku Original Merchandise

The event also has plenty of original merchandise again this year, including Romantic-themed stationery, a line-up of five original inks as pictured above which were popular at Ink-numa Expo in August, and more.

Bungu Joshi Haku Original Mirror

And if you spend over ¥15,000 (¥16,500 with tax included), you can receive a compact mirror featuring the design of the event’s main visual. These are limited to 1,000 per day and exclude workshops, experience-based booths, and select cooperating booths.

*All listed prices include tax

Hey, everyone. It’s Ellie, editor at MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON.

I took a trip to Ginza Bungu no Hakurankai: Enjoy! Paper Collection, an ongoing event taking placeat Matsuya Ginza until March 20, 2019 for paper lovers. Over 50 creators, specialist stores and brands are participating in the event to sell over a whopping 5,000 products.

The first thing to catch my eye was this huge display of masking tape! All of it is made by mt, a brand developed by KAMOI KAKOSHI, and shows off their recognizable designs.

I’m sure there are many people out there who have given in to the temptations of masking tape. You never intended to buy any when you went out, but before you knew it you’re already picking them up one by one and getting some! It has countless uses, whether for sticking on your notebook, wrapping a present, and so on.

mt isn’t just stuck on its endless amount of designs either – they are fastidious when it comes to the adhesion of their tape too, making them a great option to go with.

Walking around the event another place grabbed my attention. It was an all-you-can-fit-in-the-box experience. You pay ¥1,600 for a container and pick out whatever paper you like to put in. They have both Japanese paper and ordinary paper, and you can get as much as you like. It’s exciting choosing your favourites and thinking about how you will use them.

This place lets you create your own custom notebook. You choose the number of pages and paper type you want, decide on the front and back covers, and by the end you will hold the only notebook of its kind in the world in your hands. They have numerous options for the covers, from leather to art paper, so you can customize it for your own personal use.

When you see the love all the creators put into their items you end up stopping by every single stall.

The event is also holding a stamp really. Head to stationery stops around Ginza (Ginza Itoya, Ginza LOFT, Tokyu Hands and Tokyo Kyukyodo) and receive each of their original stamps to complete your stamp book.

We live in the digital age, so that’s all the more reason to appreciate the wonderfulness of paper. Be sure to visit the event yourself.