The web3 creative studio 1BLOCK, based in Los Angeles and Tokyo, released a 3D NFT collection on August 12 to massive fan response. The Lupin the Third x MetaSamurai NFT set sold out instantly. The AIR SMOKE ZERO, Japan’s first virtual sneakers, feature a younger Lupin and friends. 

The NFTs sold out immediately after going on sale, and the collection was temporarily ranked 7th in the world based on transaction volume on OpenSea, the largest global NFT marketplace. The price of a single item has also quadrupled since it was first sold.

The collection is based on Takeshi Koike’s long-running Lupin the Third series. Each item is one-of-a-kind. 

To celebrate the release of the collaboration collection, a commemorative NFT will be airdropped to those holding MetaSamurai NFTs on August 19. Check out the 1BLOCK Discord for more details.

Takeshi Koike’s Lupin the Third series has inspired something truly unique. web3 creative studio 1BLOCK, inspired by a younger Lupin and friends, will be offering up some virtual sneakers in summer 2022. These sneakers are part of MetaSamurai, a 3D avatar project. Each of these NFTs will be the only one of their kind in the world.

MetaSamurai was inspired by Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, and Goemon Ishikawa from the Lupin the Third series. The virtual sneakers were created with designs based on the three series: Lupin the Third: The Gravestone of Daisuke Jigen, Lupin the Third: The Blood Spray of Goemon Ishikawa, and Lupin the Third: Fujiko Mine’s Lie.

Watch out for the world’s first Lupin the Third 3DNFT project!

原作：モンキー・パンチ ©︎TMS

TMS is teaming up with SCRAP, a company designing unique escape games, to open “Escape from the London Trap Tower” in collaboration with the anime series Lupin the Third Part 6. The real escape game will open in Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Yokohama, Okayama, and Osaka in 2022. 

Up to four players can take part in the game at once, and the average run time is around two hours.

This escape game follows the story of Lily Watson, the teenage ward of Part 6’s master detective Sherlock Holmes. After being kidnapped, she is held in a tower guarded by traps and puzzles that need to be solved. Unfortunately, the kidnapper has told Inspector Zenigata that Lupin is on the way to steal a valuable treasure, so it won’t be easy!

Players will work with Lupin by speaking to him at designated communication points, and multiple strategies can be used to evade the guards. It’s all about teamwork!

Bonus with Ticket Purchase ‘Worthless Mystery Set’ 

Group Ticket Bonus – Bookmarks (4 pieces)

Tickets for the escape room are on sale now, and those buying advanced tickets will receive three small plates featuring popular Lupin characters. Those purchasing a group ticket will receive four unique bookmarks!

On each floor of the tower, players can talk to Lupin, hand over items, have strategy meetings, and break through the guards’ surveillance in surprising ways. Do you think you have what it takes to be a master thief and save Lily?

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has announced that its inaugural temporary exhibition will be a retrospective honouring the internationally beloved and celebrated Academy Award-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It will open on April 30, 2021.

Photo by Joshua White　JWPictures/©Academy Museum Foundation

It will take place inside the Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg Gallery and will hail as the first North American museum retrospective dedicated to the work of Miyazaki. Works will be curated by the museum’s Exhibition Curator Jessica Niebel and Assistant curator J. Raúl Guzmán.

lmageboard, ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ (1988), Hayao Miyazaki © 1988 Studio Ghibli

Still Image, ‘Spirited Away’ (2001), Hayao Miyazaki © 2001 Studio Ghibli・NDDTM

The lineup will showcase over 300 objects include original imageboards, character designs, storyboards, layouts, backgrounds, posters, and cels, all from the archives of Studio Ghibli. Fans of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki’s works can look forward to seeing their favourite films celebrated such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away (2001).

Hayao Miyazaki Exhibition – What to Expect

Tree Tunnel

Still Image, ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ (1988), Hayao Miyazaki © 1988 Studio Ghibli

Journey through the iconic “Tree Tunnel” conceived by Hayao Miyazaki for the film My Neighbor Totoro just like 4-year-old Mei does when chasing the mini Totoro.

Creating Characters

Still Image, ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ (1989), Hayao Miyazaki © 1989 Eiko Kadono・Studio Ghibli・N

Creating Characters will introduce Hayao Miyazaki’s many protagonists from such celebrated works as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and more. This will include original character design illustrations as well as pieces never before exhibited outside of Japan.

Making Of

Imageboard, ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ (1984), Hayao Miyazaki © 1984 Studio Ghibli・H

The Making Of section will illustrate Miyazaki’s early career and the founding of Studio Ghibli together with the deceased Isao Takahata, as well as the process of producing an animated feature film such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984). Early works showcased will include, but are not limited to, the television anime series Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974) which Isao Takahata was also involved in as an animator, and The Castle of Cagliostro (1979).

Creating Worlds

Background Image, ‘Spirited Away’ (2001), Hayao Miyazaki © 2001 Studio Ghibli・NDDTM

Creating Worlds will capture the contrast between beautiful, natural environments and industrial settings, a theme that Miyazaki often explores in his movies. This will include a look at original storyboards from Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986), as well as concept sketches and background images that offer a peek into the imagination of Miyazaki. It will also look at the famous bath house of Spirited Away, the underwater world of Ponyo (2008), and themes of ‘flying’ as seen in Porco Rosso (1992) and The Wind Rises (2013).

Sky View Installation

A must-see at the exhibition is the Sky View installation which captures one of Miyazaki’s other themes: the desire to lay back and relax, have a day off, think, and dream.

Transformations

Transformations will explore the metamorphoses Miyazaki’s characters and settings often experience, such as the influences that human beings have on the natural world like in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Magical Forest

Magical Forest, with its Mother Tree installation, will highlight the interconnected aspects of humans, nature, and the spiritual worlds, such as the Kodama forest spirits seen in Princess Mononoke.

Photo of Hayao Miyazaki by Nicolas Guerin

Toshio Suziki, Studio Ghibli Producer & Co-Founder | Comment

“It is an immense honor that Hayao Miyazaki is the inaugural temporary exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Miyazaki’s genius is his power of remembering what he sees. He opens drawers in his head to pull out these visual memories to create characters, landscapes and structures that are busting with originality. It is our hope that visitors will be able to experience the entire scope of Hayao Miyazaki’s creative process through this exhibition. I am deeply grateful to all those who have been instrumental in presenting this exhibition.”

Bill Kramer, Academy Director | Comment

“We could not be more excited to launch our new institution with the most comprehensive presentation of Hayao’s Miyazaki’s work to date. Honoring the masterful career of this international artist is a fitting way to open our doors, signifying the global scope of the Academy Museum.”

Jessica Niebel, Academy Museum Exhibitions Curator | Comment

“Hayao Miyazaki has a singular ability to capture how we perceive life, with all its ambiguities and complexities. It has been a privilege to collaborate with Studio Ghibli in creating an exhibition that will appeal to the most avid Miyazaki fan and those not yet familiar with his work.”

This year’s Universal Cool Japan finally opened at Universal Studios Japan on Tuesday, where it is set to run until June 28, bringing together the ‘cool’ aspects of Japan enjoyed by the rest of the world. Four internationally beloved franchises take the spotlight for 2020: Attack on Titan, Monster Hunter World, Detective Conan, and Lupin III.

A host of lucky guests were able to experience the attractions before anyone else. Today, we hear their review and comments of the all-new rides, attractions, live shows and restaurants centred around the four big contenders which serve to fully immerse fans in their incredible worlds.

Attack on Titan’s first XR ride

The Attack on Titan manga series has celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. For this year’s Universal Cool Japan, the internationally-acclaimed series welcomes its first ever XR ride, as well as its own “Survey Corps Diner.”

Guests wear VR goggles that transport them into a 360° rendering of the world of Attack on Titan, with life-size Titans appearing before their very eyes. Guests ride a roller coaster and fly alongside the Survey Corps. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to soar up high with ODM maneuver gear, now’s your chance. The Attack on Titan XR Ride offers a thrill like no otherーone so tense you’ll be left wondering whether you will survive.

■Guest Comment

“It was so much fun! The visuals are breathtaking and connect superbly to the ride’s movements. I was completely immersed in the visuals; it really felt like I was riding a wagon. Eren and the Survey Corps members were so cool, and even the horses looked realistic. It was amazing!” (Woman, 20/Osaka Prefecture) *Translated from Japanese

The themed restaurant, “Attack on Titan Survey Corps Diner,” is so realistic to a quality you wouldn’t believe, with the Survey Corps members’ weapons and personal belongings left casually around the place. Guests can feel immersed as they listen to the conversations between the characters will chowing down on their meal, take a photo with life-sized versions of Levi and Hange, and more.

Detective Conan World’s two new attractions with Shuichi Akai have fans screaming

At Detective Conan World, fans can expect to see the appearance of the hugely popular character Shuichi Akai who is set to star in the upcoming animated film Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet (releasing April 17, 2020). Four rides and attractions can be enjoyed at Detective Conan World, including the manga series’ first-ever story-packed roller coaster named Detective Conan x Hollywood Dream: The Ride.

Guests can also look forward to joining Conan solve cases in Detective Conan: The Escape ~The Scarlet Bullet~, an escape game featuring an original story and a live performance by a real cast. Participants will make use of AR technology and solve the cases within the time limit to escape. Expect appearances from familiar faces too like Rachel Moore, Richard Moore, and others.

In Detective Conan x Hollywood Dream: The Ride, you’ll be placed in the passenger seat with Akai on the wheel who will use some extreme driving techniques to shake off the criminal. Look forward to plenty of thrills in this immersive experience.

■Guest Comment

“Not only do you solve cases, there’s also a gaming aspect to the challenges which require the use of the AR terminal. It’s also a team game where you work with others, so I enjoyed it with everyone else. A lot of characters make an appearance too, it was so cool.” (Female, 20/Osaka Prefecture) *Translated from Japanese

There’s also the Detective Conan Mystery Challenge in which guests take a hands-on approach to solve various incidents around the theme park. Harley Hartwell, Kazuha Toyama, and Tomoya’s love rival Momiji Ooka are also present in this game with in the form of a real-life cast.

Fans can also tuck into some mystery-themed food at the Detective Conan Mystery Restaurant which combines food and live entertainment. Fans reacted overwhelmingly to the appearance of Masumi Seraーthe sister of Akai. There’s also appearances from Amuro Tooru and Serena Sebastian too.

Lupin the Third: The Live

Witness a live cast playing the roles of the popular Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Fujiko Mine, and Koichi Zenigataーthe latter of which is trying to chase down Lupin. It features live entertainment by real cast members who will perform right before guests. The reaction to this live show has been overwhelming as guests feel like they are running through Delancey Street in New York with Lupin in this interactive story.

■Guest Comment

“I was amazed to have been able to see such an amazing show right in front of me. Lupin and the gang came from above, below, left, and right. There were too many good moments. I didn’t have enough eyes! <laughs>” (Female, 20/Hyogo Prefecture)

Last year’s Lupin III restaurant, Ristorante Amore, has received an upgrade for 2020. Experience being served by Lupin himself, with his gentle approach and know-how when it comes to getting with the ladies, and Goemon Ishikawa XIII, who is aloof and has terrible romance skills. They are serving up authentic Italian cuisine.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne XR WALK

The Monster Hunter video game franchise is loved the world over, and is appearing once more at Universal Cool Japan after two years. Use interactive VR technology and go hunting in the world of Iceborne, the hit expansion to Monster Hunter World, in an experience so immersive you’ll forget about the real world.

©Hajime Isayama・Kodansha / “Attack on Titan” Production Committee

©2020 Gosho Aoyama / Detective Conan Production Committee

© CRAP All rights reserved.

©Monkey Punch / ＴＭＳ・ＮＴＶ

©CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

書・SISYU

TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

It has been announced that Universal Cool Japan 2020 will take place from January 21 to June 28 next year. This year marks the 6th run of UCJ which began in 2015, bringing together the ‘cool’ aspects of Japan enjoyed by the rest of the world, and enjoys immense popularity every year.

Universal Cool Japan 2020 will see four big titles in Japanese entertainment come together. Expect all-new attractions for all-new experiences.

*The Monster Hunter World: Iceborne x USJ attractions will be announced at a later date

Attack on Titan XR Ride

The Attack on Titan manga series has celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. For the first time ever, the series is getting its own XR Ride in which guests will don VR goggles that will transport them into a 360° rendering of the world of Attack on Titan, with life-size Titans appearing before their very eyes. Guests will ride a roller coaster and fly alongside the Survey Corps. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to soar up high with ODM maneuver gear, now’s your chance.

Running: January 21, 2020 – June 28, 2020

Detective Conan World

Join Conan in the all-improved and revamped Detective Conan World and help him solve cases in Detective Conan: The Escape; ride the new story-filled roller coaster Detective Conan x Hollywood Dream: The Ride which features full voice acting and an immersive plot; run around the park and solve various incidents hands-on with Detective Conan Mystery Challenge; and dine at the Detective Conan Mystery Restaurant.

Running: January 21, 2020 – June 28, 2020

*Full details on the restaurant will be announced at a later date

Lupin the Third: The Live

Lupin the Third made its first appearance at UCJ 2019 and was very well-received. This live show features street live entertainment by real cast members who will perform right before guests. Join Lupin and the characters in the exciting world of the franchise.

Running: January 21, 2020 – June 28, 2020

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne x Universal Studios Japan

The Monster Hunter video game franchise is loved the world over, and is appearing once more at Universal Cool Japan after two years. Use interactive VR technology and go hunting in the world of Iceborne, the hit expansion to Monster Hunter World which has shipped 2.8 million copies worldwide.

Running: Spring 2020 (subject to change)

Image Credit: Universal Studios Japan

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Nintendo properties are trademarks and copyrights of Nintendo. © 2019 Nintendo.
TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment

©Hajime Isayama・Kodansha / “Attack on Titan” Production Committee

©2020 Gosho Aoyama / Detective Conan Production Committee

© CRAP All rights reserved.

©Monkey Punch / ＴＭＳ・ＮＴＶ

©CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

書・SISYU

TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.