The Tokyo-based girl artists and creators’ collective bala has released the music video for its first single barla, released on March 8. The song was produced by Shinichi Osawa (Mondo Grosso) and written by Kenmochi Hidefumi (Wednesday Campanella).

Music Video

The music video fuses the virtual and real balallel world’ multiverse and includes futuristic footage using 3D scan data of bala members, surrealistic dance scenes, and street-style location shots. Fans can also spot BI, an adorable avatar character created by bala member KANO.

Directed by YUKARI of the digital creative crew OFBYFOR TOKYO, the music video is already making a major splash. “This video packs in the charm of each individual bala member and is filled with cuteness, maturity, and retro-pop style,” said YUKARI.

bala put the unique ‘balallel world’ on display during αU spring week 2023. The event was held from March 8 to 12 to celebrate KDDI’s αU, a new Web3 metaverse platform. An exhibition was held inside the aU apartment within Hz-Shibuya, a photo-realistic 3D experience set in virtual Shibuya. The girls appeared virtually during their αU Live, giving a special performance with their character avatars in the metaverse, allowing fans to gather and chat with one another. On March 12, the last day of the event, a real live event titled ‘bala presents balalell-party’ was held at Hz-Shibuya. The group has impressed audiences by moving back and forth seamlessly between the real and virtual worlds.

A video of bala’s special live performance in the αU metaverse is now available on bala’s official YouTube channel. In addition, the bala exhibition featuring photos of the members is still available to view inside the αU metaverse through March 31.

「balallel-meta-Party Ver2.0＠αU metaverse」

The Metaverse Music Festival, a virtual event organized by the global Web3 platform Decentraland, took place starting on November 10, 2022, featuring a number of Japanese artists. 

FRUITS ZIPPER was one of the performing acts, appearing on the MetaTokyo stage on November 11 and November 12.

According to data from MetaTokyo, a total of 20,000 viewers from 101 countries around the world watched the performances, including those from the United States, Canada, Japan, Spain, Germany, and Brazil.

This spring, the idol group FRUITS ZIPPER released the track Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, which racked up over 600 million views on TikTok. The music video has amassed over 5.5 million views on YouTube, and despite having just debuted, the girls performed at all major idol festivals over the summer.

In November, the group’s second solo concert at Shibuya WWW X was a major success. In February 2023, the girls will begin the FRUITS ZIPPER 1st LIVE TOUR 2023 WINTER scheduled to conclude at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on February 12. The group will also perform at a New Year’s Eve event in Tainan, Taiwan. Keep an eye out for them in 2023!

SINGAPORE, Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — “City Pop TOKYO,” an NFT project inspired by “City Pop,” a popular music genre from Japan, will hold a talent audition event named ” METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT” along with Entertainment metaverse platform GEMIE (CEO: John Fung). “METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT” is a brand new talent audition project which enables artists to showcase their talents in the metaverse and subsequently win a chance to become a metaverse superstar.

■City Pop TOKYO

As an NFT project, “City Pop TOKYO” is jointly funded by three companies: ASOBISYSTEM (CEO: Yusuke Nakagawa), which has a large number of diverse artists; Kingdom Labs (CEO: Maurice Ng), a venture studio in Hong Kong; and UPBOND (CEO: Gin Takahashi Mizuoka), which is developing a blockchain wallet for Web3 social adoption.

“City Pop TOKYO” plans to release 1984 NFTs based on “City Pop”, a music genre from Japan that is immensely popular worldwide, particularly among Gen Z. The project’s characters are featured in trendy outfits and makeup representing symbolic fashion styles in Japan, such as “GAL,” “SHOWA,” and “REIWA”.

To enter “METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT”, participants will first purchase a “City Pop TOKYO” NFT. NFT holders can then take part in auditions held in the GEMIE metaverse. The winner, represented by their City Pop TOKYO NFT, will be onboarded as a virtual idol under ASOBISYSTEM, and will start appearing in advertisements, releasing songs, etc. Other NFT holders from around the world can enjoy engaging in the project from various perspectives, including appearing and voting in audition events in the METAVERSE.

*These are part of the NFTs for some characters.

*Designs may change without further notice.

■METAVERSE’S GOT TALENT

The METAVERSE is powered by project partner GEMIE, Asia’s leading entertainment metaverse built around fan culture which act as the virtual hub to bridge the gap between celebrities and fans through virtual experiences and utility-focused NFTs. Users worldwide can participate in the decision making process of the show via the GEMIE metavese.

Through this project, we will work to reaffirm the usefulness of Web 3.0 technology and NFT; and further promote Japanese culture to people worldwide.
More details will be available soon, please stay tuned for updates.

Metaverse Music Festival will feature a MetaTokyo area this year! The event is being organized by Decentraland, a global Web3 Metaverse platform. A number of Japanese artists will perform, including Edo Lena, MISOSHITA, and Atarashii Gakko! 

In the special MetaTokyo area, a giant Metaani x Kyary Pamyu Pamyu character will be dancing to the beat. The popular collab appeared in April of this year and was an instant hit with NFT fans around the world. Those with an interest in Japanese culture can also enjoy some unique content streamed in the area. The Metaverse Music Festival will be held from November 10 until November 13, 2022.

Participating Japanese Artists

According to a recent announcement from Decentraland, Ozzy Osbourne, Soulja Boy, Dillon Francis, SNH48, and others will perform at OZZFEST, a festival organized by Ozzy Osbourne. Atarashii Gakko! will perform on the main Tower of Babel Stage.

The festival area will also feature special stages and areas in collaboration with a number of partners. MetaTokyo is one such partner sure to be a hit with audiences around the world!

Within the MetaTokyo area, Metaverse diva and artist Edo Lena and Metaverse creator MISOSHITA will perform. Other J-pop artists are scheduled to perform for audiences worldwide.

Giant Metaani x Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 

A giant Metaani x Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will appear within the Metaverse. First appearing in April 2022, guests will be treated to Kyary’s popular song Dodonpa when they first enter, and will be able to take selfies with the huge character in a way not possible in the real world.

From October 22, 2022 until January 15, 2023, the Sumikko Gurashi Studio Park Hide-and-Seek event is happening at Toei Kyoto Studio Park. During the event, guests are tasked with exploring the venue for hidden Sumikko characters. After finding them, they must write down the keywords on a special sheet in order to win a prize. Limited edition collaboration goods and special menu items are now available depicting the characters in traditional kimonos!

1. Limited Edition Goods with Exclusive Kyoto-Inspired Art

Along with original plushies, fans can pick up plenty of Kyoto-inspired goodies!

Acrylic Keychain: ¥800 (Tax Included)

Acrylic Magnet: ¥400 each (Tax Included)

Tea: ¥540 each (Tax Included)

Konpeito: ¥680 each (Tax Included)

Printed Cookies: ¥650 each (Tax Included)

2. Collaboration Menu

Fans will find plenty of cute food, desserts, and drinks inspired by Sumikko and Minikko characters when they’re ready to take a break from playing hide-and-seek. 

Desserts & Drinks

3. Collaboration Train Service for a Limited Time

Kyoto’s Randen streetcar connects Shijo-Omiya in the center of Kyoto with the sightseeing spots of Arashiyama and Kitanohakubaicho. During the event period, the train will be decorated with Sumikko Gurashi characters, and riders can even grab a special ticket and exclusive ticket case. 

Randen 1-day Ticket (6 varieties): Adults ¥880 / Children ¥440

For more details about the event, head to the official website.

Bandai’s Candy Division will open preorders for a new collection of Christmas cakes inspired by popular characters at the end of September! The five new cakes, part of the company’s Charadeco line, include Kamen Rider Geats, Precure, Sumikko Gurashi, BT21, and Avataro Sentai Donbrothers. All cakes come with original Christmas exclusive toys and bonuses, so you won’t want to miss out!

Charadeco Christmas Cake – Kamen Rider Geats / Precure Delicious Party / Avataro Sentai Donbrothers / BT21 / Sumikko Gurashi

These beautifully decorated cakes are perfect for celebrating this festive season, and each is packaged in a character-designed cake box and wrapped with a special film. 

*The Sumikko Gurashi cake does not include film. 

Customers can link separately sold toys with the special toy included with these cakes to hear exclusive character voices!

Why not grab one of these fun cakes to enjoy with your family this Christmas?

©2022 石森プロ・テレビ朝日・ADK EM・東映

©ABC-A・東映アニメーション

©テレビ朝日・東映AG・東映

©BT21

©2022 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

From November 12, 2022, until April 2, 2023, visitors to Lake Sagami Pleasure Forest in Kanagawa Prefecture will be able to enjoy an incredible light-up event featuring Sumikko Gurashi characters! The outdoor resort is only an hour from Tokyo and won’t disappoint.

A World First! Illuminated Sumikko Gurashi Area

Visitors can enjoy riding the 250-meter-long Rainbow Lift for an aerial walk above the millions of lights. The adorable Sumikko Gurashi characters will be waiting for guests in a special themed area.

Goods Featuring Original Illustrations Available–with a Collab Menu!

The event will also offer goods decorated with newly-drawn art inspired by the Lake Sagami lights, with Sumikko and her friends enjoying the show. Along with merchandise, guests will also be invited to sample collaboration food and drinks at the park’s restaurant Wild Dining. Each dish will also come with a bonus!

Come enjoy these incredible lights along with everyone’s favorite Sumikko characters! With 6 million lights on display, this is one of the largest in the Kanto area. More details will be coming soon, so keep an eye out!

Sonic fans across Japan are thrilled to finally be able to see Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in theaters. The popular series isn’t only finding success on the big screen, however, but also within the world of the Metaverse. 

In April 2022, the Sonic Speed Simulator was uploaded to Roblox, a global game creator connecting tens of millions of people each day. The game has surpassed 500 million plays worldwide as of August 21, 2022. The official Sonic game is completely free and was created by Gamefam, a leading game developer and publisher, in collaboration with Sega.

The title attracted more than 6 million daily active users worldwide in its first week after launching on April 16, 2022. Sonic Speed Simulator is currently the top-ranked Roblox game of 2022.

The game takes place in six immersive 3D worlds. In addition to regular gameplay, events, and mini-games, users can unlock player skins of popular characters such as Tails and Knuckles as they progress through the game.

Sonic Frontiers Teaser Site

https://sonic.sega.jp/SonicFrontiers

In conjunction with the Japanese release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in theaters, the Japanese version of Sonic Speed Simulator has been unveiled. Japan had the highest daily active user growth on Roblox in the first quarter of 2022 among the 25 largest internet markets worldwide.

Comment from Sonic Series Producer at SEGA, Takashi Iizuka

“Since its launch in April, Sonic Speed Simulator has seen a massively positive response from the global Roblox community, and I’m so happy to see a new fanbase growing in the Metaverse. With Sonic’s popularity spreading around the world with audiences both young and old following the release of the film series, I hope that more fans will enjoy the world of Sonic with the release of Sonic Frontiers later this year!” 

A trial version of Sonic Speed Simulator has also been released on the Japanese App Store in cooperation with Apple Japan.

Sumikko Gurashi and Tokyo Skytree are teaming up to celebrate a huge milestone! Both are celebrating their 10th anniversary, and guests can come to enjoy a special event from August 10 until November 9, 2022.

Photo Spot

Visitors can take some memorable photos and videos at a number of photo spots featuring original artwork by Yuri Yokomizo, the creator of Sumikko Gurashi. It also seems like the characters are hiding around Tokyo Skytree, so guests should keep their eyes open…

Special Screening at SKYTREE ROUND THEATER (R)

At night, the SKYTREE ROUND THEATER will broadcast an event-exclusive video. This will include a fireworks display similar to the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival which was canceled this year. Enjoy it against the Tokyo backdrop! Messages sent to the Sumikko Gurashi Twitter account will also be screened.

Lighting

Standard Sumikko Gurashi Version

Spooky Night Park at Tokyo Skytree Version

Tokyo Skytree will be lit up in special colors to honor the adorable characters of Sumikko Gurashi. There will be two variations: a standard version and the Spooky Night Park version. Don’t miss the special illumination at the end showing the characters in a big pile!

Exclusive Goods

Collaboration Cafe Menu

At the store located on the Tembo Deck, limited edition goods will be on sale. Visitors can also enjoy some collaboration menu items while taking in the stunning view. 

Come enjoy the best view of Tokyo along with your favorite Sumikko Gurashi characters!

©2022 SAN-X CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
©TOKYO-SKYTREE

From August 6 until August 28, the handmade donut shop Floresta will be offering donuts inspired by characters from Sumikko Gurashi! These adorable treats will be available at Floresta locations and online.

For the first half of the event period, fans will be able to get two adorable donut and donut hole pairings featuring Neko & Zassou and Shirokuma & Furoshiki. During the second half, donut holes shaped like Tonkatsu and Ebifurai no Shippo will be on sale.

Part 1: August 6 – August 16
Donut & Donut Hole (2 varieties) / Neko & Zassou, Shirokuma & Furoshiki

Part 2: August 17 – August 28
Donut Holes (1 variety) / Tonkatsu & Ebifurai no Shippo

Although these sweet treats may be colorful, they were made with all-natural ingredients and are free of synthetic colors, fragrances, and preservatives. Each donut is made by hand by a skilled donut maker. 

Will you be grabbing these for yourself, or as a gift for a friend?

The characters of Sumikko Gurashi are celebrating an incredible decade! A 10th-anniversary cafe will open in Tokyo on July 1 and in Osaka on July 22 for a limited time.

Sumikko Gurashi characters have become popular with children and adults alike. Anyone who enjoys cute goods has likely been aware of these little critters as they’ve continued to become a global phenomenon. In November 2021, the second Sumikko Gurashi film premiered to celebrate the franchise’s 10th anniversary, pulling in over a million viewers. 

Bonus for Guests Reserving a Spot in Advance / Purchase Bonus for Cafe Visitors

Menu at a Glance

10th Anniversary Celebration♪ Hamburger Plate

French Fry Bowl

Chilly☆Sumikko Shaved Ice

Sumikko Bouquet Parfait

Sumikko Milk Drink

Tapioca Orange Soda

Hot Cafe Latte

Takeout Menu

Sumi-cone Ice Cream (Limited Time Only)

Drink in Original Bottle

Original Goods

The cafe menu includes three unique items inspired by the popular characters Shirokuma, Penguin?, Tonkatsu, Neko, or Tokage. These treats range from parfait and ice cream to bowls of french fries and fluffy pancakes. Snap some photos of your favorite dishes for social media while you’re there, and pick up some exclusive 10th-anniversary merchandise!

© 2022 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Apparel brand SPINNS is teaming up with Gugenka, a digital goods company utilizing VR and AR to bring anime to life! A new collection of goods featuring Hatsune Miku and the official member of SPINNS virtual staff team Tsumugi Hinata will be available on ZOZOTOWN starting June 18, 2022.

SPINNS is a popular Japanese apparel brand amongst teenagers and those in their early 20s, with items available in stores nationwide. In 2020, the company announced that it would be employing ‘virtual staff,’ introducing the adorable Tsumugi Hinata. SPINNS is actively planning and releasing digital fashion items for users’ avatars.

Models

Tsumugi Hinata (Official SPINNS Virtual Staff) / Hatsune Miku

Lineup

Regular Color

Polo Shirt

T-Shirt

Exclusive Hatsune Miku Color

Polo Shirt

T-Shirt

Hatsune Miku Digital Figure

Project iconic combines Gugenka’s technology with SPINNS’ fashion to introduce digital fashion to a wider audience and to encourage people to enjoy fashion both in real and digital life.

Each real clothing item sold comes with a digital figure that can be downloaded and enjoyed on XMarket. Come take part in this project and discover a new version of yourself in the Metaverse!

© Crypton Future Media, INC.