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.

Tsuchiya Kaban is known around the world for its Japanese craftsmanship and handmade goods. The company has now opened TSUCHI-YA, a glassware specialty store! The shop opened on Asakusa’s Kappabashi Dougu Street on August 18, 2022.

At TSUCHI-YA, visitors can purchase the works of over 35 glass artisans from 13 prefectures throughout Japan, all of whom are dedicated to the art of making beautiful things. Aiming to share the beauty of glass with customers, many pieces on display are perfect for daily use. 

In addition to unique handmade glassware, the collection also features faceted glassware, each incorporating advanced techniques to bring traditional designs into the modern age. 

The techniques used to create each piece of glass are also incredibly diverse. Along with faceted glass, visitors can find sandblasted glass, which uses sand to create intricate patterns, as well as blown glass.

Also keep an eye out for sustainable items such as Ryukyu glass, a traditional Okinawan craft made from recycled glass melted from used bottles, and coasters made from wood, leather and other scrap materials.

The interior design for the shop was done by the creative team that also handles Tsuchiya Kaban stores. The dark tones found on the first floor make the transparent glassware shine. The second floor is an upscale gallery with a white ceiling, walls, and floor, featuring colorful faceted glasses and accessories, as well as vases, art, and more.

TSUCHI-YA embodied Tsuchiya Kaban’s passion for craftsmanship and will continue to share incredible handcrafted Japanese glassware. The company wants to bring Japanese politeness to the world.

Attack on Titan was created by Hajime Isayama, a manga artist born and raised in Hita, Oita Prefecture. Fans of the manga and anime series can experience the world of the famous series in his hometown, and by downloading a specific smartphone app and traveling to a specific location, they can now experience a new 3D-AR experience featuring Captain Levi. The installation will be installed at the camp resort Paradiso Oita in Oita Prefecture.

The AR application uses colored model data of the Captain Levi statue erected in the plaza in front of Hita Station on March 6, 2021. The realistic image of Captain Levi can be viewed from 360 degrees, and visitors can even take commemorative photos with the popular character!

The installation will be located at the Paradiso Oita Front Ridge, which costs nothing to enter. The grand opening will take place on July 22, 2022. With its convenient location just off the Amagase-Takatsuka interchange on the Oita Expressway, many believe that the installation will help to revive tourism in the area. 

Flower Miffy Juice Garden, a drink stand inspired by Flower Miffy, a florist version of the Dutch character Miffy, has begun selling the perfect drink for the early summer weather. The Marguerite Cream Soda is on sale now at the Asakusa location.

Marguerite Cream Soda

Flower Miffy Glass Vase Flower Frame

The Marguerite Cream Soda features refreshing lemon soda topped with sliced lemon, thick vanilla ice cream, a Miffy cookie and a marguerite flower. Visitors can also find a special Miffy glass vase at the Asakusa store for a limited time, perfect for displaying flowers at home.

Come enjoy shopping for Miffy goods while sipping a refreshing beverage this summer!

Illustrations Dick Bruna Ⓒ copyright Mercis bv,1953-2022　www.miffy.com

The amusement park Asakusa Hanayashiki will hold a collaboration event with the TV anime Gintama titled Gintama Festival from December 20, 2021 to January 16, 2022.

Mission clear bonus acrylic coasters (4 types/randomly distributed).

Original Merchandise (example)

Reward for ordering original food: one original coaster (10 types/randomly distributed).

The lineup for the Gintama Festival includes sales of event-exclusive original merchandise, a riddle solving rally, and collaboration food. In addition, the special ticket, an advance ticket with special offers that will make the event even more enjoyable, will be available for purchase.

Please look forward to this special event that Gintama fans can enjoy to the fullest.

©空知英秋／集英社・テレビ東京・電通・BNP・アニプレックス

2021 marks the fourth year that the Oi Racecourse, also called Tokyo City Keiba, will be bathed in a sea of over eight million colorful lights! The Tokyo Mega Illumination is back from October 16, 2021, until April 10, 2022, and features a water fountain show synchronized to music, a 100-meter tunnel covered in twinkling lights, and more. This year, in the Twinkle area of the event, guests can enjoy various AR illuminations created as a collaboration with NAKED, a creative production company headquartered in Shibuya. The NAKED BIG BOOK interactive experience will also welcome visitors to enjoy a projection mapping experience like no other.

NAKED BIG BOOK

Pergola (Interactive)

Illuminated Logo

AR Horse Camera Filter

AR Lights
Limited-Time Area: Tree Playing with Lights (Lawn Area)

NAKED’s most popular work, NAKED BIG BOOK, utilizes projection mapping to allow guests to turn the pages of a giant book and experience a unique world separate from their own. Using web filters and AR, guests can also see the object as a pop-up picture book! 

During this special collaboration held on a horse racing track, visitors can also see a giant white horse in AR as they explore the grounds. Colorful horseshoes and stars will pop up from people’s footprints, and the sound of visitors’ steps will take on the sound of a horse’s hooves instead. Be sure to make some memories by snapping commemorative photos with themed filters during the event!

Naomi Osaka is one of the fiercest young athletes in sports today. Now a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, she’s caught the attention of aspiring athletes all over the world with her authenticity and skill. Now, she’s teaming up with Levi’s® to release a new collection, available at select stores in Japan beginning August 24. The pieces will also be sold at the official online store. 

Crystal Fringe Short : ¥33,000 (Tax Included)

Lace-Up Short : ¥19,800 (Tax Included)

Trucker Jacket Bustier: ¥24,200 (Tax Included)

Denim Kimono : ¥40,500 (Tax Included)

The collection utilizes vintage or upcycled denim to capture Osaka’s preferred silhouette, with each piece utilizing her unique designs based in femininity and sportiness. 

The Denim Kimono is a respectful homage to traditional Japanese culture. “I loved wearing kimono as a child,” Osaka commented. “I thought if I included one made of denim in the collection, it would be super unexpected and surprising.” 

This collection also includes two denim shorts: the Lace-Up Short is sportier, and is a clever reimagining of the classic Levi’s® denim shorts. They feature cutouts above the knees, a feminine lace-up back, and were made from upcycled men’s Levi’s® jeans. For those wanting something more girly, the Crystal Fringe Short features a collection of shimmering fringe gracefully dropping down the sides of the cut-off pants. 

Rounding out the collection is the Trucker Jacket Bustier, a denim bustier with a lace-up back. This is a remake of the Levi’s® trucker jacket, cut in the traditional corset style with classic lines, flap pockets, and recognizable buttons. “When I was sketching, the idea of the bustier came to me and I absolutely loved it. Now that it’s been made and is actually real, it’s so much cuter than I imagined. I love it even more!” Osaka commented. 

This blend of sporty and feminine makes the collection a perfect shoutout to Naomi Osaka’s rich heritage. Most importantly, the collection is made from vintage and upcycled denim, breathing new life into already existing Levi’s® items and reducing impact on the environment. “Sustainability initiatives are important to me. What I love most about the collection is how responsibly the pieces were made,” the tennis star said. 

Which of these four pieces would you like to rock this summer? 

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.

Asakusa Hanayashiki, an amusement park in Tokyo, has announced a summer event in collaboration with the ongoing anime series Kageki Shojo!! which will take place from August 21 to September 12.

Cute original artwork illustrated for the event

Take part in the stamp rally

Original Ticket Folder (With Pseudo Ticket)

Original merchandise

Bromides: ¥550 (Tax Included)

Acrylic Figure: ¥500 (Tax Included) / Acrylic Figures: ¥880 Each (Tax Included)

Acrylic Keyrings | ¥770 Each (Tax Included)

Pins: ¥300 Each (Tax Included)

Receive a free postcard when you order a drink or dessert

Receive a free coaster when ordering a drink

Receive an original tote bag when buying a special ticket

Kageki Shojo!! is a manga series by Kumiko Saiki. The anime adaptation began airing on July 4. A collection of cute original illustrations of 22 characters from the series have been drawn for the event which will be dotted around the park. Fans can also take part in a themed stamp rally, enjoy food inspired by the series, buy merchandise, and more.

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.

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.