Universal Studios Japan is set to spring into Easter starting on March 12 with the announcement of Universal Easter Celebration 2021. This year, which marks the 20th anniversary since USJ opened, will see the park’s cute and iconic characters once again lull guests into an unforgettable Easter dream at Universal Wonderland and Minion Park.

Universal Easter Celebration

USJ will see colourful pastel decorations cover the Universal Wonderland and Minion Park areas, and the characters too will be dressed in their seasonal Easter costumes. A special Easter rendition of the Wonderland Seasons Joy show will also take place to commemorate the park’s 20th anniversary with song and dance.

Wonderland Seasons Joy ~Easter Ver.~

Minion Park Easter

The park will also introduced a special egg hunt after Elmo and the Minions dropped some of their eggs. If you manage to find them all you get a limited-edition gold medal. USJ is also taking the Easter festivities online too with a special celebratory live stream called Let’s Cooking! Kawaii Easter Party

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s21)
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© Nintendo

The 33rd volume of the global hit manga series Attack on Titan was released on January 8, 2021, with the 34th and final volume to hit shelves on June 9. The final chapter will debut in the May 2021 issue of Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine which will be released in Japan on April 9. The internationally-celebrated series will finally come to an end after 11-and-a-half years since its debut in September 2009.

Hajime Isayama (Attack on Titan, Author) | Comment

“I’ve been saying the series will end in 3 years for the past 8 years, but now it really is coming to an end. It’s been a really long time, but I hope you’ll join me right up until the end. By no means is it the fault of being delayed by the editorial team, but rather me these last years continuing to wonder when to end it. I’m sorry for that, but the end is finally here. I will work hard to the very end to ensure that you are all glad you have read the series up to now.”

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) announced last month that its highly-anticipated new Super Nintendo World area will open on February 4, 2021, which also happens to fall on the day of USJ’s 20th anniversary.

Super Nintendo World comes as the world’s first theme park area to be based around Nintendo’s characters and games, combining innovative ideas with cutting-edge technology.

With just one month left until the grand opening, USJ has launched a special website for Super Nintendo World which offers a virtual tour through each part of the new theme park area. Mario fanatics are sure to be delighted by the adornments from Bowser’s Castle to Pipes, Mushrooms, Question blocks, and more, as well as familiar faces like Goombas, Thwomps, Yoshi—the list goes on.

Accessing the site will bring you to an overview of the map. As you scroll down the website takes you on a virtual journey to each of its iconic attractions, all of which are designed to make you feel like you’re really in the world of Super Mario.

In December, NHK General TV started broadcasting Attack on Titan The Final Season, capturing the hearts of fans worldwide.

The Final Season contains 60 episodes and episode 1 ranked in at 1st place on MyAnimeList – an online forum that is popular among anime fans from around the world. The episode has also been recorded to be the most-watched episode in the history of Attack on Titan. Anime fans from around the world also rated the anime at the very top end of the grading scale with an overall average of 9.06/10.

French entertainment and online anime streaming company Wakanim was also trending at number one on Twitter because of the anime. In comparison to the 1st episode of season 3, The Final Season had 14 times more views, getting it off to an overwhelming start.

In just 17 days of uploading the official creditless anime opening Boku no Sensou by Shinsei Kamattechan on YouTube, it was viewed more than 12 million times. 40 percent of the views were from Japan whereas the majority were from America, Indonesia, Taiwan, France and other foreign countries. The comment section was also overflowing with love towards the anime from fans from around the world.

Attack on Titan The Final Season Creditless Opening

The whole world just can’t get enough of Attack on Titan The Final Season. Don’t miss out on this global sensation!

©Hajime Isayama, Kodansha Ltd., Attack on Titan The Final Season Production Committee

SCRAP has announced the release of a new escape game at TOKYO MYSTERY CIRCUS, Japan’s biggest puzzle-themed theme park, in promotion of the final season of Attack on Titan which is now airing. Set to begin on February 25, 2021, the escape game is titled “Escape Game x Attack on Titan The Final Season: Escape From the 5 Titans.”

This marks the fifth Attack on Titan themed escape game to be held. Players will become a member of the Survey Corps and worked with Levi, Mikasa, and other characters to face off against five Titans. The immersive story will have players feeling like they are really in the world of the anime series.

The key to this escape game is the map provided to players which they must used together with other items to assemble a diorama map of Marley. They will then use their completed diorama to their advantage in order to escape.

The escape game is a celebration and mark of Attack on Titan’s final season and a must-experience for fans in Japan.

©SCRAP
©諫山創・講談社／「進撃の巨人」The Final Season製作委員会」

The final season of Attack on Titan is finally here, with the first episode having aired in Japan on Sunday (December 6). The anime’s opening theme Boku no Sensō (‘My War’) is performed by Shinsei Kamattechan who also performed the season two ending theme Yūgure no Tori. The final season’s ending theme Shōgeki is performed by Yūko Andō.

Attack on Titan The Final Season – Creditless Opening

The opening theme Boku no Sensō is a chaotic banger fitting for the highly-anticipated finale of Attack on Titan. The TV-size version of the track will be released on digital music platforms in Japan on December 8. It is unconfirmed whether it will be available outside Japan, so be sure to check.

Hajime Isayama (Attack on Titan author) | Comment

“I’m over the moon for Shinsei Kamattechan to be doing the opening theme, I’m a huge fan of them. They have so many songs where the more I listen to them the more obsessed I become. ‘Boku no Sensō’ is just that. The scope of their imagination in that song is clear to see. I feel sacred* listening to this track too. I love the song, it’s packed with imagination.”

*Translator’s Note: The name of the band is Shinsei Kamattechan, with shinsei meaning ‘sacred’ in Japanese.

Noko (Shinsei Kamattechan, Lead Vocalist) | Comment

“Attack on Titan and Shinsei Kamattechan both come from a similar place in that we’re grand in our scale. We performed the season two ending theme ‘Yūgure no Tori’ before, and like with that, we’ve been able to bring that scale to ‘Boku no Sensō’ too. We wanted to make something new as a band. We’ve always composed at home, but our imaginations really ran this time around. We’re proud of what we’ve been able to create with this song. And we’re grateful to all of the [anime] staff, not to mention [Hajime] Isayama. Japanese lyrics are included in the full version of the song, so I hope you look forward to hearing the full version. You’ll get the entirety of what the song’s about.”

©諫山創・講談社／「進撃の巨人」The Final Season製作委員会

Episode 1 of the upcoming highly-anticipated final season of Attack on Titan is set to air on December 6, 2020. The outline for this first episode has been officially teased by the staff which we have translated below.

Attack on Titan The Final Season – Episode 1 Outline

The title of the episode is Umi no Mukougawa (The Other Side of the Ocean). A great battle has begun between humanity and the Titans. Just how much time has passed? On the other side of the ocean, where Eren Jaeger has arrived, the war continues with no end in sight. Who are they fighting, and what are they fighting for? A single soldier prepares himself to throw himself into the front lines.

A 15-minute digest video in Japanese was also uploaded to Pony Canyon’s official YouTube channel which summarises the first three seasons of the anime series for those who need a refresher.

Attack on Titan 15-Minute Digest Video

To promote The Final Season, a special live broadcast will air on Pony Canyon’s YouTube page which will feature appearances by Eren, Mikasa, and Armins’ voice actors Yuki Kaji, Yui Ishikawa, and Marina Inoue respectively.

The original Survey Corps members will come together to discuss their anticipations before the anime airs the following day.

The Final Season is almost here. Are you ready?

©Hajime Isayama・Kodansha / Attack on Titan The Final Season Production Committee

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has announced that its highly-anticipated new Super Nintendo World area will open on February 4, 2021, which also happens to fall on the day of USJ’s 20th anniversary.

Super Nintendo World comes as the world’s first theme park area to be based around Nintendo’s characters and games, combining innovative ideas with cutting-edge technology.

While the grand opening is still a couple of months away, USJ is teasing fans by unveiling a portion of the park’s Mario Kart-themed ride which takes place inside of a reconstructed Bowser’s Castle.

Bowser’s Castle

Bowser’s Castle stands as one of the main symbols of Super Nintendo World. It’s a faithful recreation with towering stone walls, thick and heavy steel doors, pointed iron fencing, and more, not to mention the enormous stone Bowser statue that adorns the middle of the winding staircase ready to greet guests. There are plenty of thrills and chills to look forward to inside the castle of the King Koopa himself.

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge will open as the world’s first theme park ride centred on the popular video game series Mario Kart.

Thomas Garrity (Universal Creative, Executive Producer) | Comment

“Deep inside Bowser’s Castle lies Mario Kart: Bowser’s Castle, a collaborative effort between Nintendo and Universal Studio’s Creative Team to recreate the world of the hugely popular Mario Kart series which has sold over 150 million copies. Guests will put on their headsets and experience limitless excitement and thrills as they speed around courses.” (Translated from Japanese by MMN)

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge is an XR ride that lets people feel like they are inside the world of Mario Kart while in the real world. The ride will feature all the details fans of the video game series are familiar with as they drift and spin around exciting courses alongside the game’s characters while collecting items from boxes to use on their opponents.

The attraction makes use of AR and projection mapping technology to make the game as immersive as possible. Fans are sure to love driving through their favourite courses and scenes recreated using leading-edge technology. The attraction is six years in the making and the results of efforts between Nintendo’s Creative Team, USJ, and the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto himself.

Endless fun for fans of Mario

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD will be the first-ever multilevel Nintendo-themed area at USJ, and the first of its kind in the world. Fans of the internationally beloved games can expected to see a whole host of rides and attractions dedicated to their favourite characters, from Mario Kart to Yoshi and beyond, as well as a themed cafe, merchandise shops—the list goes on. There is endless amount of fun for fans to feel a part of the Nintendo world as they take up the role of Mario and hit blocks to receive coins, collect items, and much more.

Guests will be able to purchase the Power Up Band, a wristband that works together with a smartphone app that allows you to collect virtual coins by punching Questions Blocks like Mario which are scattered around the park. Scores can be seen on the leaderboard so you can see how you stack up against other players.

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has planned a special series of Christmas events for this year to celebrate everyone’s endeavours throughout this tumultuous 2020. Celebrations began on November 13 and are set to run through to December 27. The amusement park held a press preview on November 12 which allowed early access..

The ceremony opening this year’s Christmas season sees popular characters and the entertainers dressed in Christmas garbs fitting for the holiday season. Guests can feel safe as they enjoy the festivities with all of the necessary social distancing measures in place.

This year, USJ introduces new events including “Happy Christmas Street Party” and the romantic singing show “New York Christmas Wish.” Guests can also purchase one of the park’s special Happy Deco Mask stickers for their face masks. It’s an exciting time at USJ this holiday season as the characters and entertainers dance and sing for guests to deliver the Christmas wish for 2020.

A special stage was set up for the press preview for an exclusive opening ceremony. It took place at Delancey Street in the New York area of USJ where the Despicable Me Minions, Elmo, Snoopy, Hello Kitty, and other characters dressed up alongside snowmen and entertainers. The characters encouraged guests to sing and dance along to Christmas songs in a COVID-safe environment, bringing smiles to all who attended like a true Christmas party. The performance ended with a blast of confetti in Christmas colours, and everyone posed their best pose of positivity to spread some Christmas cheer to all in attendance.

Sticking on an assortment of USJ’s Christmas Deco Mask stickers onto face masks made wearing them fun.

Smiles are sure to be abound at USJ this year as they always are. For more information, be sure to check out our other article here as well as the park’s official website.

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s20)
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© Nintendo
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Two branches of Animate Cafe, Animate Cafe Ikebukuro 3 and Animated Cafe Nagoya 2, are set to collaborate with Attack on Titan from November 25 in promotion of the anime’s upcoming final season which will begin airing on December 7. This marks Animate Cafe’s fourth collaboration with the anime.

Menu

Animate Cafe held a poll amongst customers who dined at the previous Attack on Titan collaboration cafes to find out what the most popular dishes were. These have been chosen to go on the menu for this collaboration.

5 Years Colossal Hamburger & Mother’s Handmade Stew | ¥1,000

Eren Meringue & Bertholdt Tart | ¥750

Hange’s Experiment Drink | ¥600

Eren’s Death Wish Drink | ¥600

New additions to the menu include Hange’s Experiment Drink and Eren’s Death Wish Drink.

The Final Season Special Rose Cake | ¥750

Gorgeous Champagne Jelly | ¥600

Original merchandise

Big Acrylic Stands (4 Designs) | ¥1,600

Trading Pins (A Group: 6 Designs/B Group: 7 Designs/C Group: 4 Designs) | ¥400 Each

Print Cookies | ¥1,000 Each (Comes with 1 illustration card)

©️Hajime Isayama・Kodansha / Attack on Titan The Final Season Production Committee

Attack on Titan The Final Season is set to premiere on NHK General TV on December 6, 2020 at 12:10am. The characters and cast members of the Marley warriors who will face-off against Eren and friends have been unveiled.

Warrior cadets Falco Grice and Gabi Braun will be voiced by Natsuki Hanae and Ayane Sakura respectively. Udo will be voiced by Ayumu Murase, Zofia by Yūmi Kawashima, Colt Grice by Masaya Matsukaze, Pieck by Manami Numakura, and Porco Galliard by Toshiki Masuda.

The anime is set to be streamed on a number of services. You can check the full list of available services on Attack on Titan The Final Season‘s Official Website.*

*Japanese only

‘Attack on Titan The Final Season’ Trailer

Fans just can’t miss the intense face-off between Eren and friends and the Marley warriors. There’s not much longer to wait now.

©Hajime Isayama, Kodansha Ltd.／Attack on Titan Production Committee

The poster and key visual for the upcoming film Monster Hunter has been released. The film is set to be released in the United States on December 30, 2020, and it was revealed last week that the film will be released in Japan on March 26, 2021.

Monster Hunter is a video game franchise which first launched in 2004. Sixteen years on, the series has sold over 64 million units (as of June 30, 2020), making it Capcom’s second best-selling video game series after Resident Evil. The latest entry to the franchise, Monster Hunter: World, has shipped over 16.1 million copies (as of June 30, 2020), boasting as the best-selling game in Capcom’s history.

The film is being produced, written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson who is best known for his work on the Resident Evil film series. It stars Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil film series) as Captain Natalie Artemis, Tony Jaa as The Hunter, and Clifford “T.I.” Harris, Jr. as Link.

Monster Hunter Japanese key visual 

Sony Pictures describes the film: “Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When an unexpected sandstorm transports Captain Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta) to a new world, the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile and unknown environment is home to enormous and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower. In their desperate battle for survival, the unit encounters the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures. As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust, she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral (Ron Perlman). Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world, the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate showdown.”

The film will be released in 2D, IMAX 3D, MX4D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema. Fans of the Resident Evil film series are sure to be excited to see Paul W. S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich come together once again.

A new game, Monster Hunter Rise, has been announced for Nintendo Switch and will be released on March 26, 2021.

© Constantin Film Verleih GmbH

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