Interest
Explore Heartland of Anime with Seiyu's Life! Characters
posted on by Eric Stimson
Suginami Ward in west Tokyo is the location for many anime studios, who bought office space there when land was cheap yet easily accessible from central Tokyo. It's now considered the heartland of anime, with studios like A-1 Pictures, Gonzo and Sunrise based there along with the Suginami Animation Museum, which explains how anime is produced. Since this is also where Seiyu's Life!, a recent anime about voice actors, is located, the ward and the Central railroad line are offering an "Ani × Walk 2016" to let curious anime fans see and learn more about where their favorite shows are made.
Despite the name, the project revolves around two bus lines in Suginami Ward, the Kaede line between West Ogikubo and Kuga Mountain and the Keyaki line between Asagaya and Hamada Mountain. The buses will have announcements from Marika Kōno, Rie Takahashi and Yuki Nagaku, the voice actresses behind the voice actresses of Seiyu's Life! Additional announcements from the "Earphones" will play every now and then in local shopping districts. The buses have their own special Seiyu's Life! tickets, which can be bought at three local bus stations.
The project also incorporates a "stamp rally," or an opportunity to collect stamps at different locations which can be redeemed later for prizes. The locations are mostly stores scattered along the ward's Central train line. Getting two lines of stamps earns you a clear file; three lines gets you one of four badges; and hitting all eight places will win you a tote bag featuring Namisuke signed by the Earphones.
Anime fans with sweet teeth can also visit eight different wagashiya (Japanese sweets shops) along the Central line which will have Seiyu's Life! wrapping paper. Finally, the Suginami Animation Museum will celebrate Seiyu's Life! with a special exhibition including life-size character panels to take pictures with.
Examples of wagashi wrapping paper
Ani × Walk 2016 will last from January 23 to March 21. Similar events have been held for other anime, like Lupin III and Attack on Titan; gyōza-loving voice actress Izumi Kitta previously narrated a bus tour of Utsunomiya.
[Via Anime! Anime! and Ani × Walk 2016 official site]
