Mika Pikazo is an illustrator and character designer. The artist has designed characters for many popular titles including Fire Emblem Engage, the latest in Nintendo’s Fire Emblem series, as well as book covers and CD jackets.

Starting December 10, the artist will hold his second solo exhibition in three years at the Hz event space in Shibuya.

According to a press release, the exhibition is being held to show a number of creations Pikazo has made recently, and aims to show off new animation and past illustrations to merge his past and future selves. The creator hopes to challenge himself more going forward.

The first main visual, REVENGE, can be seen on the exhibition’s official website. A total of three visuals have been newly drawn for the event and will be released sequentially. In addition, a number of collaborative works with other creators will be on display, so art fans won’t want to miss out.

Limited-edition merchandise featuring new illustrations will be on sale at the venue, and autograph sessions are planned to be held. For more details, check the official Twitter page!

Be sure to come to see Mika Pikazo’s colorful pieces in person!

The 13th iteration of the BT21 Cafe will open at six venues in five cities around Japan. Fans in Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, and Sapporo will want to visit this exclusive event titled ~MAGICAL TIME~. The first cafe opens in Shibuya on November 3. In celebration of BT21’s 5th anniversary, this special cafe is filled with joy and excitement and aims to give fans the best possible experience.

Cafe Menu

Magical Tea Time Set

Food Plate

Food Plate (7 varieties)

Dessert Plate

Dessert Plate (7 varieties)

Drinks

Magical Milk Tea

Black Tea

Iced Coffee / Hot Coffee

Original Goods

Acrylic Keychain (7 varieties, Random)

Acrylic Clip (7 varieties, Random)

Satin Sticker (7 varieties)

Clear Folder (2 varieties)

Handkerchief (7 varieties)

Tote Bag

Mug

Masking Tape / Balloon on a Stick

Dolomite Coaster (2 varieties) / Mirror (2 varieties)

[Online Store Exclusive] Acrylic Keychain (7 varieties, Random)

The cafe’s new menu includes afternoon tea, perfect for warming the body and soul during the cold winter months. The colorful food items and desserts are sure to be a hit on social media, and fans will enjoy the Magical Milk Tea and other dishes inspired by the popular BT21 characters.

In addition to new merchandise and bonuses featuring newly-drawn art, a photo spot will welcome guests to the cafe and invite them to celebrate this five-year milestone. 

Why not take a break from everyday life to enjoy a magical time with these cute characters?

©BT21

ANNA’S by Landtmann, a cafe located inside +Q Beauty on the 6th floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, has begun selling two Halloween cakes! These spooky sweets will be available until October 31, 2022.

Halloween Mont Blanc

Halloween Poison Apple

Guests will be able to snag the Halloween Mont Blanc and Halloween Poison Apple cakes, available for ¥580 each including tax. The Mont Blanc is filled with pumpkin custard and Chantilly cream. The Poison Apple is a sweet and sour cake featuring a blend of chocolate mousse covered in red glaze and applesauce with apple pulp.

Which of these two adorable cakes would you like to enjoy this autumn?

To promote the 2025 Osaka Expo, hundreds of drones and thousands of fireworks lit up the sky at the planned site for the event. SKYMAGIC LIVE PTE. LTD., known for creating original shows using drones, put on the show on Yumeshima, a man-made island in Osaka’s Konohana Ward on September 25, 2022. The event was the first large-scale outdoor drone show in the Kansai region, with 800 LED-equipped drones flying through the night sky. 

Nearly 15,000 visitors were in attendance at this spectacular event. The event aims to promote a hopeful future in which Japan thrives after the impact of the pandemic, and also aims to promote the upcoming Expo to people around the world. 45,000 fireworks were set off, marking one of the largest fireworks displays in Japan. Launched to rid the area of bad luck, guests will likely never forget the unique display of futuristic technology and traditional fireworks. 

As the fireworks show began, countless drones took off one after another into the sky. As many would expect, Myak Myak, the official character of the Osaka/Kansai Expo, appeared above the crowd, standing 135 meters tall and 80 meters wide. A countdown to the Expo appeared after, with the Let’s Go Expo 2025 logo shining in the sky, made entirely by synchronized drones.

Archived live footage of the event is also available. 

Ryota Shirahama, chairman of the event’s organizing committee, made a comment regarding the impressive event. “Japan’s resurgence is about to begin,” he said. “The world has been looking down, and we want it to look up. We want people to look towards the future–that’s the goal of this project. Yes, there was a pandemic. But like the phoenix seen during the drone show, we can start over. I hope that those who saw the show will be inspired to take a new step forward.” 

One of Japan’s best fireworks extravaganzas is headed to Singapore! Star Island Singapore Countdown Edition 2022-2023 will ring in the new year on December 31, 2022 at The Float on Marina Bay. 

STAR ISLAND is a futuristic fireworks show that blends traditional fireworks with cutting-edge technology such as 3D sound, laser lighting, and unique performances in a spectacular location. The first overseas presentation was launched in Singapore in 2018, and the second in 2019 drew 20,000 people. The show was also brought to Saudi Arabia in September 2019. 

This year’s event, the third to be held in Singapore, is expected to draw 22,000 visitors. Sponsored by JCB, the only international credit card brand from Japan, and Sanrio, a prequel show will run from December 25 until December 30 at the Marina Bay Sands event plaza near the venue. This is totally free to attend, so why not come check it out?

Fans of Yowamushi Pedal won’t want to miss this special collaboration! Chugai Grace Cafe, located on the seventh floor of Shibuya MODI, will be running the Yowamushi Pedal LIMIT BREAK cafe from September 22 until October 17, 2022.

Collaboration Menu

Sakamichi Onoda and Sangaku Manami’s Udon & Onigiri Plate 

Yasutomo Arikita and Kuroda Yukinari’s Hamburger & Salad Plate

Hayato Shinkai’s Chocolate & Banana Mini Parfait

Sohoku High School Mango Whipped Cream & Calpis Drink

Hakone Academy Mint Whipped Cream & Calpis Drink

Goods

Pin (Random Holographic included, 9 varieties)

Acrylic Figure Stand (9 varieties)

Pin, Mini Character Ver. (Random Holographic included, 16 varieties)

Acrylic Stand (16 varieties)

Table Plate (9 varieties)

Shoulder Bag

Menu Order Bonus / Online Preorder Bonus

Coaster (1st Half): September 22 – October 4, 2022

Coaster (2nd Half): October 5 – October 17, 2022

The collaboration cafe focuses on dishes you may find at home, such as udon, onigiri, and even a chocolate banana mini parfait as a dessert. New original goods with exclusive illustrations will also be available for purchase!

©渡辺航（週刊少年チャンピオン）／弱虫ペダル05製作委員会

To celebrate six years of Pokemon Go, an incredible drone show was held during the Akagawa Fireworks 2022 presentation in Yamagata Prefecture on August 20, 2022. 

The presentation sought to get audiences excited for summer fun, with the phrase “let’s go on an adventure this summer” appearing in the air above the huge audience of 40,000. The Pokemon GO logo and popular Pokemon were recreated by around 700 drones.

Music from the mobile game played during the impressive show, as Pikachu and a 100-meter-tall Charizard moved across the sky. Alolan Exeggutor, Gengar, Wailord, and Rayquaza also appeared, creating a night to remember for Pokemon fans in the town of Tsuruoka. 

Pokemon GO Special Drone Show at Otaru Ushio Matsuri

The show itself was a surprise for the audience, with applause and excitement instantly palpable as it began. After the drone presentation concluded, the Akagawa Fireworks display began.

The Pokemon GO Special Drone Show was first held at the 56th Otaru Ushio Matsuri in Otaru, Hokkaido on July 24. Watch it in full above!

©2022 Niantic, Inc.
©2022 Pokémon. ©1995-2022 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc. ポケモン・Pokémon は任天堂・クリーチャーズ・ゲームフリークの登録商標です。 

From August 26 until September 18, Chugai Grace Cafe at Shibuya MODI will hold a special collaboration cafe with the popular series Kuroko’s Basketball!

Menu at a Glance

Ryota Kise’s French Onion-style Carbonara

Daiki Aomine’s Teriyaki Burger over Rice

Shintaro Midorima’s Lucky Monaka

Tetsuya Kuroko’s Vanilla Shake

Atsushi Murasakibara’s Violet Blueberry Water

Goods

Pin (Cafe ver.)

Type A (7 varieties)

Type B (7 varieties)

Mini Acrylic Stand (Cafe ver.)

Type A (7 varieties)

Type B (7 varieties)

Nametags (Cafe ver.)

Type A (7 varieties)

Type B (7 varieties)

Mini Bromide (Cafe ver.)

Type A (7 varieties)

Type B (7 varieties)

Holographic Sticker (Cafe ver., 14 varieties)

Clear Case (Cafe ver.)

Menu Order Bonus: 1 Coaster (28 varieties, random)

Web Order Bonus: 1 Coaster 

Fans of the series will be able to sample a number of unique dishes inspired by characters from Kuroko’s Basketball. Original goods featuring newly-drawn cafe-inspired illustrations will also be available, and guests will be able to enter a drawing to win a one-of-a-kind tapestry.

© 藤巻忠俊／集英社・黒子のバスケ製作委員会
©「黒子のバスケ」アニメ10周年プロジェクト

Reebok has appointed a number of popular artists in Japan and abroad to take part in their new campaign titled ‘Life is Not a Spectator Sport -Move, Move!-’ This collaboration started in March 2022.

As a part of this collaboration, Reebok is teaming up with the manga series Eren the Southpaw. Kappa’s popular ensemble drama highlights a number of creators, and has a very poignant tagline: “To all those who couldn’t become geniuses.” Reebok’s brand message matches this and is meant to be a manifesto for life, telling people to never give up, act on their own convictions, and find their own path. 

Reebok Classic Store – Harajuku Interior

Stickers / Pins

Original Scene from Eren the Southpaw 

To commemorate the release of Reebok’s flagship model INSTAPUMP FURY 95 in Sax Blue, a huge piece of window art was redrawn by Kappi. The artist also provided an original manga featuring an entirely new story. Fans can find this at the Reebok Classic Store Harajuku and on the official Reebok Twitter page. The Reebok stores in Harajuku and Shibuya have also been completely taken over by Eren the Southpaw, completely decorated from top to bottom in images from the series. 

Shibuya Scramble Square will host a special collaboration event with the manga series Space Brothers from August 5 until August 28, 2022. The event itself will take place on the SHIBUYA SKY observation deck and the 12th-floor event space Scene12.

The popular manga series Space Brothers has sold over 28 million copies since it began serialization in 2007. After 15 years, the story is approaching its climax, with the two main characters finally landing on the moon. With fans of the series anxiously awaiting the story’s conclusion, the event will be the perfect place to celebrate. It will be split into two areas: the Shibuya Space School and the Space Cafe.

Shibuya Space School will take place on the SHIBUYA SKY observation deck, and is a fun and educational production that will teach visitors about space using VR and an exhibition of equipment used in space travel. Guests can also enjoy a photo spot featuring the moon over Shibuya, an astronomical observation class for both parents and children, and a talk show about the thrill of space travel.

Cafe Menu

On the 12th floor, guests can visit the Space Cafe. Inspired by a 1970s coffee shop, the location is the perfect spot for fans to mingle, read Space Brothers, or partake in some space-inspired treats exclusive to the event.

Collaboration Goods

Event

A selection of exclusive Space Brothers merchandise and collaboration goods will be available, and the editor of the manga will also be giving a talk during the event. Those who want to test their knowledge can also take part in a quiz competition, so don’t miss out!

Characters from the popular anime series Golden Kamuy will team up with beloved Sanrio characters for a new collaboration cafe! Fans should visit Chugai Grace Cafe in Shibuya by July 18 to try some themed dishes and grab some exclusive merchandise.

Menu

Eat the Great North! Cream Stew Plate

Almond Pound Cake with Lingonberry Sauce

Matagi’s Stump Birthday Cake

Monkichi the Monkey and Shiraishi’s Banana Soda

Cola Float and Strange Juice

Goods

Pin – Cafe ver. (7 varieties, random)

Acrylic Stand (7 varieties)

Acrylic Frame Keychain (7 varieties)

Acrylic Block – Cafe ver.

Let’s Go to the Cafe! Curry (2 varieties)

Pouch (10 varieties)

Genjirou Tanigaki Birthday Set

Collab Menu Order / Advanced Reservation Bonus Coaster (17 varieties)

Matagi’s Stump Birthday Cake Order Bonus – Bromide

Goods Preorder Bonus Bromide (17 varieties)

The collaboration menu will include a tasty Almond Pound Cake with Lingonberry Sauce and Matagi’s Stump Birthday Cake to celebrate Tanigaki’s birthday! Don’t miss out on these exclusive menu items and goods. 

©野田サトル／集英社・ゴールデンカムイ製作委員会
© 2022 SANRIO CO., LTD. TOKYO, JAPAN(L)

From June 17 until July 10, the anime series Tokyo Revengers will inspire a number of special events at RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK in Shibuya!

The new campaign will feature photo spots, an original broadcast only viewable on-site, and a raffle to win exclusive original collaboration merchandise. 

MIYASHITA PARK PARTY, a Special Summer Bargain

Special promotions available during the event period include discounts at participating stores, lucky bags, and more, promising to make this a happy summer for fans. For more information about the MIYASHITA PARK PARTY including participating shops and bargains, check out the special campaign website.

Win Tokyo Revengers x RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK Collaboration Goods!

Guests presenting a reciept for ¥3,000 or more (tax included) during the event period will be entered to win Tokyo Revengers x RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK collaboration goods. 

A Photo Spot and Original Stream!

Guests will find three unique photo spots within RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK featuring nine characters from the series. Original broadcasts featuring Takemichi Hanagaki and Manjiro Sano will be aired on-site.

▶Photo Spot

Available: June 17 – July 10, 2022

Locations: 2F South in front of L’ÉCHOPPE (Takemichi Hanagaki, Manjiro Sano, Ken Ryuguji)

2F South in front of THE SHIBUYA SOUVENIR STORE (Chifuyu Matsuno, Keisuke Baji, Kazutora Hanamiya) / 3F South in front of MINOTAUR INST. (Takashi Mitsuya, Haruki Hayashida, Ryohei Hayashi)

▶Original Stream

Running: June 17 – July 10 (Broadcast every 30 minutes during business hours.)

Don’t miss this special campaign filled with bargains, exclusive merchandise, lucky bags, and plenty more!