Haruyama Trading, a company in Japan that supports the health of businesspersons, has teamed up with the popular Evangelion anime franchise to release a collection of business dresswear at Harumaya, P.S.FA, and Foel stores in Japan.

i-Shirt (9 Designs)

Necktie (10 Designs)

Tie Clips (7 Designs)

Cuffs (3 Designs)

The i-Shirts is equipped with a stretchy material that means no ironing is required after washing it, so you can don your shirt after it’s dried and head straight on out. It also fast-drying, has an antimicrobial and deodorant finishing, stain resistant, and breathable, making it a stress free experience and a shirt that can be worn in all seasons.

The collection also features a line-up of 10 different neckties that are simple to the untrained eye but a nod towards the Evangelion series for fans with their character-inspired colour palette and other designs that reference NERV, WILLE, Evangelion Unit-01, and so on. There’s also tie clips and cuffs too so you can kit yourself out with a look that is nerdy on the inside while looking professional on the outside.

The official Twitter account for the association football game Captain Tsubasa: Rise Of New Champions announced the release of a free demo which hit PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5 and Nintendo Switch™ on Thursday (January 14). The demo offers a chance for players to experience the Tutorial and Versus modes.

Tutorial Mode

Versus Mode

The game is based on the popular sports anime and manga series Captain Tsubasa and features anime-style graphics. It features familiar faces and high-speed action from the series. It also comes as the series’ first ever action soccer game.

Tutorial Mode teaches players the basics of the game while Versus Mode allows them to play a match with one of the four teams including a 4-player online mode. This is a great opportunity for football lovers who have yet to play the game to try it out.

©高橋陽一／集英社·2018キャプテン翼製作委員会
©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.

Japan is set to get its first ever permanent city cable car in Yokohama on April 22 called the YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN.

The YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN is a cable car system that will offer locals and tourists a chance to enjoy Yokohama from a new perspective whether during the hot summers or during the cool evenings when the city lights wake up.

The system will be connected directly to Sakuragichō Station and Shinko Pier for easy, quick access to enjoy Yokohama Minato Mirai from up high.

If you’re planning a trip to Yokohama at some point, be sure to take a ride on YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN, officially opening on April 22, 2021.

Tokyo Banana World recently added its special Dengeki Box (Electric Box) of Pikachu Tokyo Banana confections to its official website which is available to order in Japan until January 30, 2021 at 17:00 (JST).

Tokyo Banana is Tokyo’s official souvenir sweets brand and it launched its new Pokémon Tokyo Banana series of confections in November last year with the first catch being Pikachu. It subsequently added Eevee to the collection in December. The Pikachu confections are also available to buy at Tokyo Station.

Pikachu Tokyo Banana – Dengeki Box | Box of 12 Packs (24 Confections) | ¥3,456 (Tax Included)

The limited-time addition of the Dengeki Box to Tokyo Banana’s official website means that anyone in Japan can get a taste of the electrifyingly delicious sweet fluffy custard-filled sponge cakes without having to travel to Tokyo.

Waiting inside the Dengeki Box are 12 packages each with two cakes in and each in one of six different Pikachu designs to greet hungry Trainers, all of which are positively kawaii. The box itself also features these adorable illustrations.

Left: Front of Box | Right: Back of Box

The box even has a handle attached to it so you can reuse it after to store all your bits and bobs.

©2021 Pokémon. ©1995-2021 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
Pokémon, ポケットモンスター, and ポケモン are registered trademarks of Nintendo, Creatures Inc., and GAME FREAK inc..

Pokémon Shirts released three new shirt designs on Friday (January 15) of Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble from Pokémon Sword and Shield. These new designs are currently only available in Japan but Pokémon Shirts has stated that they will be made available worldwide at a later date.

Pokémon Shirts was launched back in February 2019 by American custom shirt brand Original Stitch—which offers over one billion design customisations—and the Pokémon franchise. Pokémon Shirts ships worldwide including Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Japanese designer Minami Kitamura designed the Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble shirts, adding her iconic pop colours and style to the line-up.

Have you shopped on Pokémon Shirts yet? Which Pokémon designs are you looking to catch?

Japanese music duo YOASOBI are now taking submissions for what novel they should adapt into a song as the next theme song for the Japanese news magazine show Mezamashi TV. Submissions are being taken on the website Monogatary which is run by Sony Music Japan. The song will hit the popular morning show this April.

YOASOBI have enjoyed much success since their formation in 2019, making it to No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s song charts as well as streaming charts in Japan. They released their first EP, THE BOOK, on January 6, 2021, which introduced a unique concept of turning novels in songs, effectively creating a ‘CD that you can read.’ The record reached No. 2 on Oricon’s Weekly Album Rankings and Digital Album Rankings for the January 18 week.

Monogatary is a website where users are free to post stories (known as monogatari in Japanese) based on a theme chosen by YOASOBI. Many of YOASOBI’s songs, including their hit Yoru no Kakeru, have been adapted from stories posting on this website. The project saw over 2,000 posts for the second run of the band’s Yoru Asobi Contest held between July and September last year. The winning submission, Taisho Romance, which was written by the user NATSUMI, was included with YOASOBI’s first CD release THE BOOK in its entirety, and the band are currently writing a song about it.

YOASOBI are now hosting the third Yoru Asobi Contest in collaboration with Mezamashi TV to create a theme song which will air on the show this April. The theme for this new contest is “Good Morning” and must be written within 10,000 characters in Japanese.

YOASOBI | Comments

ikura

“We, YOASOBI, get to perform the theme song for Mezamashi TV this April! If we’re talking that show, the first thing that’s sure to come to mind are the results of their Mezamashi Fortune-Telling segment which serves as motivation for the day. I hope I can sing a song that can serve as the start of people’s day too.”

Ayase

“It’s been a tradition of mine since being at school to watch Mezamashi TV in the morning while getting ready, so I’m overjoyed to be involved. I’m sure a lot of people who watch Mezamashi TV are getting ready to go to work or school. This song will be the first thing to be heard by a lot of people, so I want to make a powerful song that makes people go, ‘Right, I’m gonna work hard today too!’ Ikura is putting her all into it too, so I hope she sings the best song ever. We will work hard to make a great song, so please look forward to it!”

Seven-member Japanese boy band GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE have revealed a stylist photo with each member wearing a grey suit coupled with a red bowtie.

The band also revealed the CD cover for their upcoming new single Ame Nochi Hare (Rainy and Sunny Later) which is set for release on February 10, 2021. The cover ties in with the title of the single with the members enjoying their time indoors while it rains until the sun shines through the clouds.

The single’s title track will be used as the main theme for the upcoming TV Asahi Saturday night drama series Mokomi ~Kanojo Chotto Hen Dakedo~ airing in Japan from January 23. The song explores loneliness and pain and sympathises with the difficulty of taking that first step forward. Ame Nochi Hare will also hit music streaming and download services before the CD release on January 24.

The single is coupled with another song titled A wish for you -Kimi o Negau Yoru- which was written by the same team who wrote One in a Million -Kiseki no Yoru ni-, a track used as the main theme for the live-action adaptation of the shojo manga series Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight.

THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE have shared a new visual for their upcoming third album REBOOT which is set for release on February 24, 2021.

The J-pop vocal and dance group’s record covers have always follow east coast 90’s hip-hop visuals, right up until their last album THE RIOT, but they have changed things up for REBOOT, instead opting for more classical elements while still keeping an air of the streets on it.

The album’s lead track is SILVER RAIN which explores themes of hope. The group have also confirmed that they have wrapped up the filming of a music video. In December last year, THE RAMPAGE released a music video for MY PRAYER which came as the group’s first ever where they don’t dance. We look forward to seeing what their first video of 2021 will be like.

The album also includes the new songs SHOW YOU THE WAY and BOND OF TRUST, the latter of which is the final song of the record.

The incredible beachside Hoshino Resorts BANTA CAFE, which offers guests a breathtaking ocean view along the Okinawan coast, released a video on the official Hoshino Resorts YouTube page showcasing the cafe’s ongoing illumination event, “Illumi Banta,” which is running until February 28, 2021. Guests can enjoy some limited-time menu options and then take a romantic stroll along the beach with a warm lantern in hand.

Okinawa is known for its warm climate, rarely dipping below 15°C in the chilly season of winter. There are many celebratory days enjoyed every year around Christmas and New Years, and so BANTA CAFE decided to get in on the action with Illumi Banta, which has been running since December 1 last year—while following the necessary precautions against COVID-19 to ensure everyone stays safe. The spacious cafe is mostly outdoors so visitors can enjoy their time without worry.

A seat at the cafe in on a clear evening guarantees a front row seat to a beautiful orange sunset that sinks into the horizon. Normally, the cafe closes as sunset arrives, but for this event, opening hour have been extended into the night.

BANTA CAFE is located in the village of Yomitan where the beautiful ocean is surrounded by coral reef, enormous rocks, and a rich natural environment. It’s a must-visit if travelling to Okinawa.

The 112-year-old Hotel Nampuro in Nagasaki is set to open the new Sky Terrace and Ocean Terrace this month. These vistas offer breathtaking, unbroken views of the sea and sky that make it feel as if you’re floating on the ocean with rolling skies ahead that stretch to the horizon.

Observation Terrace (1)

Observation Terrace (2)

Infinity Pool-Style Open-Air Bath

Silky Bath

Beautifying Bubble Baths

Jacuzzi Bath (Male Only)

Children’s Bath

Hinoki Sauna & Steam Sauna

Iyashi Onsen Cafe

Rental Open-Air Bath

The observation terrace offers an incredible panoramic view of the great Ariake Sea that offers a picturesque spectacle at all times of the day. Guests can enjoy seeing the morning, noon, and night skies which merge together with the ocean for an unbeatable result. There’s also a “no talking” rule on the terrace so guests can fully soak up what’s in front of them as they take a luxirous soak in the warm baths.

The infinity pool-style open-air bath offers a refreshing view while making it seem as if you are part of the ocean. The silky bath uses delicate micro bubbles which become an air cushion and promote good blood circulation using massage. The jacuzzi bath relaxes the entire body with stimulating bubbles, while the children’s bath allows kids to get in on the fun too. Both saunas are a change to unwind fatigue and the tired body. The steam sauna is set at a lower temperature than your usual high-temperature dry sauna which ensures it doesn’t have as much strain on the body so guests can sweat it out comfortably. The freshly-brewed coffee available at the hot spring is also exclusive to the hotel’s Onsen Cafe.

Sanrio Puroland is teaming up with Gekidan No Meets to host a 5-day Valentine’s day themed event titled ‘VIVA LA VALENTINE’ on February 6, 7, 11, 13, and 14. The event comes in response to COVID-19 so people can enjoy the park from the comfort of their own homes.

Join fan favourites Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Pompompurin, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi who will live stream from Puroland after the park closes for a special song and dance show. Music will be performed by a multi-genre line-up consisting of Sayonara Ponytail, Zo Zhit (Dos Monos), Kroi, and Tomggg.

VIVA LA VALENTINE

The event will have its own story that follows Hello Kitty pouring her heart and soul into a new show ‘VIVA LA VALENTINE’ with Dear Daniel as the first on the list. Everyone is in high spirits as they prepare for the big day. However, the show’s sponsor Bias Seika, makes an abrupt and ruthless change to the show just three days before it’s scheduled to be performed. What will they do, and what will become of Valentine’s Day?

See the Sanrio characters preparing the show

Sanrio Puroland’s official Twitter account has been posting live streams of the Sanrio characters working hard in preparation for the show since December 22 with the hashtag #ビバラバ. The first clip was viewed over 50,000 times with supportive comments flying in from fans.

More clips and photos will continue to roll out starting on January 14, 2021 too, so be sure to give them a follow.
Sanrio Puroland Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/purolandjp

Puroland set to come to life on February 6, 2021 after turning the lights out on December 22

Dear Daniel and the gang in a merry circle at Furry Tale Theater on December 28

Dear Daniel exchanging business cards on January 6

Hello Kitty putting up posters on January 12

Catch all the fun at Sanrio Puroland live with a special 50-minute show online.

©1976, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2020 SANRIO CO., LTD.

Japan’s online dTV service posted a trailer for the upcoming second episode of the net anime special Gintama The Semi-Final which is set to air on January 1, 2021. The first episode was released on January 15, 2021.

The long-awaited prequel airs its first episode

Gintama The Semi-Final is a two-part net anime special exclusive to dTV. It serves as a prequel to the Gintama: The Final anime film which itself was released on January 8, 2021. Although the prequel ironically is being released after Gintama: The Final, which the trailer for the first episode of the two-part special actually made fun of, fans can still enjoy a new adventure with the characters with a story that leads into the final film.

Kondo gets involved in some gorilla rivalry in Episode 2

The second episode sees the Shinsengumi pitching in to help bring the members of Yorozuya back together again after having drifted apart. Hijikata departs Edo to search for Gintoki while Okita maneuvers secretly with the new government. While all this is happening, Kondo is looking after a large number of gorillas, and its involved with a gorilla princess and a gorilla love rival.
The episode will hit dTV on January 20, 2021.

Episode 2 Trailer:

©Hideaki Sorachi/Shueisha･TV Tokyo･Dentsu･BNP･Aniplex