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Pokémon Franchise Gets LEGOs in 2026

Gotta build 'em all! ― No series is safe from LEGO. Nintendo's franchises already have entered the blocky LEGO realm with sets based on Super Mario Bros., Animal Crossing, and The Legend of Zelda. Which video game juggernaut is still missing a LEGO set? None other than Pokémon! Luckily, the LEGO Group and The Pokémon Company International have it covered, as the companies announced on Tuesday that LE...
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Yamato Anime Marks 50th Anniversary With Solid-Gold Sculpture

And Evangelion/next Yamato film's Hideaki Anno “produces” new Yamato model kit ― The Space Battleship Yamato 50th Anniversary project announced a limited-production solid-gold Space Battleship Yamato sculpture on Monday. Advance pre-orders for the sculpture will begin on Saturday at the "Space Battleship Yamato: The Complete Record Exhibition" in Tokyo. #ヤマト50周年 を記念した超豪華な純金フィギュアの製造決定!純金が中までギュッと贅沢に詰ま...
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Pharmacies Offer Apothecary Diaries Prescription Books for Free — Only to Have Scalpers Sell Them

Anime staff: Please refrain from reselling collaborative notebooks ― In Japan, patients can keep track of their many medical prescriptions with handy pocket-sized booklets that pharmacies hand out for free. To promote the practice, pharmacies began offering The Apothecary Diaries-branded prescription record booklets on March 1. Unfortunately, scalpers have been taking advantage of this, and the anime...
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Speed Racer's Mach 5 Chōgōkin Toy Boasts All 7 Gadgets

For an appropriate 55,500-yen price ― Bandai's Tamashii Nations brand launched preorders for the Chogokin Mach-gō (Mach 5) toy from the Mach Go Go Go (Speed Racer) anime on Tuesday. The toy will ship this September and come with a special display base featuring the franchise's Japanese title logo. 【3月4日(火)16時一般予約解禁】 「超合金 マッハGoGoGo マッハ号」 2025年9月発売予定 📋商品詳細→ https://t.co/7oGFsXiRxl 『#マッハGoGoGo 』のタイトルロゴ...
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Digimon x Godzilla Crossover Toy Teased

Will we see the birth of Shin Metal Godzillamon? ― The Digimon franchise teased on Monday that a new Digimon and Godzilla collaboration toy would be revealed during the Digimon Con 2025 event on March 20. The event's itinerary states (roughly translated) under the toys section, “Godzilla vs Digimon Collaboration Item Announcement.” 📣𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣『デジモンストーリー タイムストレンジャー』3月20日(木)配信予定の #デジモンコン 2025 で最新情報をお届け...
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Magic: The Gathering Set Teases Legendary Final Fantasy Artist Yoshitaka Amano

Details on the collaboration set are coming on Tuesday ― Wizards of the Coast teased legendary Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshitaka Amano as a possible artist for the forthcoming Magic: The Gathering (MTG) x Final Fantasy collaboration set on Tuesday. The company stated, “We couldn't do MTG x Final Fantasy without going back to the beginning and working with an artist who inspired generations of Fina...
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Pokémon Center Online Releases Life-Size Gardevoir Plush

Google's Pokémon of the Year 2020 9th place finisher sells out fast ― The Pokémon Company announced on January 31 that a life-size Gardevoir would be available on the Pokémon Center Online. “If you live with Gardevoir, maybe one day you'll be able to communicate with it…” #ポケモンセンター から等身大サーナイトのぬいぐるみが登場‼️🌟◦⊹⋯⋯⋯⊹◦◦⊹⋯⋯⋯⊹◦#サーナイト と一緒に暮らせばいつか心が通い合うかも……☺️https://t.co/Bo788YVsDb pic.twitter.com/vezIw4FxnW— 【...
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Live-Action One Piece Series Gets LEGO Sets

LEGO teaser previously listed season 2 for 2025 release … ― The LEGO Group, Netflix, and Tomorrow Studios are building up something big with last year's Netflix hit One Piece! The companies announced on January 23 that the live-action series of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga is getting an offiical LEGO set. The official English channel for the franchise streamed a teaser video: There are multiple LEG...
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Transformers Line Unveils Upcoming Macross 7 Crossover Prototype

It's a fusion of Optimus Prime & Macross 7 rocker Basara Nekki ― Takara Tomy's T-Spark Zone event unveiled a prototype of Basara Prime, the Transformers toy line's upcoming collaboration with the Macross 7 anime, on Friday: SYNERGENEX SERIES MACROSS7 / TRANSFORMERS━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━     シナジネクスマクロス7/トランスフォーマー━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━その名は...「バサラプライム」T-SPARK ZONE 2025 にて開発中サンプル初展示予定T-SPARK ZONE 2025の詳細はこちら↓… pic....
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JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Creator Hirohiko Araki Designs Yebisu Beer Cans

New art for Misato's favorite drink in Evangelion ― The Jojo's Bizarre Adventure franchise announced a collaboration between series creator Hirohiko Araki and the Sapporo Beer brand Yebisu on Wednesday. Araki created original designs to decorate Yebisu beer cans. ヱビスビール 荒木飛呂彦描き下ろしデザイン缶、出ます。 pic.twitter.com/2JI5e7Vogw— ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 公式 (@araki_jojo) January 15, 2025 Yebisu beer cans with exclusive desig...
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Put Hatsune Miku on Your Windows Desktop

Desktop Mate application's Hatsune Miku DLC lets fans have an interactive Vocaloid idol on their desktop ― As we're just days away from the theatrical release of the Hatsune Miku movie COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can't Sing, fans can get their own Miku on their desktop to play with, decorate their windows, or just keep them company while they work, study, or game. Developer infiniteloop lau...
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Recreate Zoro's 3-Sword-Style With Life-Size One Piece Replicas

Oni giri isn't just food anymore ― The One Piece franchise revealed on December 24 that Bandai's Proplica brand is releasing replicas of Roronoa Zoro's swords. The announcement includes a photo of the three swords and a second photo with a model holding the Wado Ichimoji in his mouth. The swords will include electronic voice samples with newly recorded dialogue for Zoro and Kazuki Oden. 【グッズ情報】PROPLI...
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Bankai With New Bleach x Asics Collaboration Shoes

Shoes inspired by Bleach characters Ichigo Kurosaki, Renji Abarai ― The sports retail store Champs Sports announced collaboration shoes between the popular anime series Bleach and the Japanese footwear maker Asics on December 24. The GT-2160 and Asics GEL-NYC shoes with colors inspired by Bleach characters Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji Abarai, respectively, launched on December 27. No need to worry, the ...
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McDonald's Japan Debuts 'Evangelion Unit-M" & 3 New Evangelion Burgers

Will the burgers come with an LCL drink? ― The McDonald's Japan continues its collaboration with Evangelion by announcing three new burgers on Thursday: Zakukiri Potato & Nikuatsu Beef Koku Uma Garlic Mayo (Hash Brown & Thick Beef Patty With Rich Garlic Mayo), Mexican Cheese Chicken, and Cheese Double Teriyaki. The fast food chain also stated, “The Evangelion Burgers are born” and would be available...
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Singer Ayumi Hamasaki Announces Sailor Moon Collaboration

Hamasaki gets the Sailor Moon makeover by series creator Naoko Takeuchi ― Japanese pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki formally announced her collaboration with the popular magical girl manga series Sailor Moon on Friday. Hamasaki previewed a selection of “Ayu x Sailor Moon special collaboration goods” with artwork by Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi. ⋱ 🌙ayu × 美少女戦士セーラームーンスペシャルコラボレーショングッズの発売が決定🌙⋰ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄...
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Kotobukiya's Arcanadea Figure Series Gets TV Anime

Franchise takes place in near future where new energy is discovered, leading to rapid technological development ― The official X/Twitter account for Kotobukiya's Arcanadea bishōjo plastic model series revealed on Friday that the series is inspiring a television anime adaptation that will air on TV Asahi and its affiliates. The announcement did not reveal any other information. The plastic model serie...
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McDonald's Japan Reveals Evangelion Collaboration

Eat the Big Mac Shinji. ― The McDonald's Japan X (formerly Twitter) account revealed its collaboration with Evangelion on December 19. The initial post by the fast food chain showcased three transformable Evangelion toys. A follow up post included a 30-second commercial featuring the toys and footage from the anime franchise with new dialog by Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Yuko Miyamura, Kotono ...
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Evangelion Store Marks 20th Anniversary With Solar-Powered Watches

You can (not) resist ― The Evangelion Store Online X (formerly Twitter) account revealed a pair of wristwatches for the 20th anniversary of the store on December 10. The post notes the watches come with “ring solar” and can be charged by sunlight or fluorescent light. 【ピックアップ】EVANGELION STOREオリジナル腕時計をご紹介!デザインはもちろん太陽の光や蛍光灯で充電することができる「リングソーラー」を搭載、自宅でケーブルにつなげたり電池交換不要!いつでもどこでもずっと着けていられます。https://t.co/zT...
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Sonic the Hedgehog x Transformers Collaborate for New Toys

It's the fastest bot alive ― Hasbro announced a partnership with Sonic the Hedgehog for its Transformers toys at Cybertron Convention 2024 in China on Friday. The Blue Booster and Wingtail toys transform into robotic interpretations of Sonic himself and Tails, respectively. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TRANSFORMERS (@transformersofficial) The two will come in a box set for US$49.99 n...
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Nintendo Sound Clock Alarmo's General Retail Launch Delayed in Japan

But Nintendo of America has not announced its own delay ― Nintendo's customer support in Japan announced on Wednesday that the general retail release of the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo has been delayed in Japan, at least for people who aren't Nintendo Switch Online members. According to the Japanese Nintendo website, Alarmo was slated for retail sales in mid-February 2025. However, due to productio...
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Fist of the North Star's Tetsuo Hara Draws Special Art Rare Pokémon Card

All other Pokémon may already be dead ― Tetsuo Hara's X (formerly Twitter) account announced that the legendary manga artist has drawn card art for the Pokémon Trading Card Game on December 3. Hara illustrated the Palafin EX Special Art Rare card for the forthcoming Terastal Festival ex set launching on December 6. 【WORK】12月6日発売 ポケモンカードゲーム ハイクラスパック「テラスタルフェスex」にて「イルカマンex」(SAR)イラストを描きました☆皆さんに気に入って頂けたら...
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Journey in Style With New Pokémon Travel Set

Don't forget your Mimikyu suitcase ― The Pokémon Company announced a new line of Pokémon travel goods on November 22. A Mimikyu suitcase, Clefariy and Substitute neck pillow/dolls, Potion-style travel bottles, and more will go on sale on Saturday at Pokémon Centers. 11月30日(土)に、ポケモンたちのトラベルグッズが、ポケモンセンターに登場!ピッピにんぎょうやみがわりをモチーフにしたネックピローや、きずぐすりデザインのトラベルボトルなどがそろっているよ。ミミッキュのスーツケースもぜひチェックしてね!https://t.co/uXJ1...
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Man Arrested for Selling 2 Fake Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh Cards for 700,000 Yen

Suspect says he didn't know the cards were counterfeit ― The secondhand collectible market is full of stories of people making money from selling rare and desirable cards, such as Magic: The Gathering's Foil Modern Masters 2015 Tarmogoyf Grand Prix Vegas Stamped card that sold for just under US$15,000 in 2015. But buyers beware, as a man in Nagoya was arrested for selling two counterfeit Pokémon and ...
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New Nissin Udon Ad Reimagines When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace Scene

Saori Hayami & Nobuhiko Okamoto reprise their roles for a comedic reinterpretation ― The 2014 anime When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace has found new light as a tongue-in-cheek commercial for Nissin Foods Donbei brand of instant noodles: Donbei released the latest in its collaboration commercial series on November 15. The ad spoofs the argument When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace ch...
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Transformers Inducted Into Toy Hall of Fame

The robots in disguise join fellow 1980s toy line My Little Pony & card game Phase 10 ― The Strong National Museum of Play announced this year's inductees for the National Toy Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Among the class of 2024 are the popular Transformers toys: The Transformers Facebook page announced the news: “Honored to share that the Transformers brand has been inducted into the National Toy Hall...
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Gundam Designer Creates Robot-Transforming Mickey Mouse

VOTOMS/Brave series mechanical designer Kunio Okawara gives the mouse the Chogokin treatment ― The Tamashii Nation 2024 event for Bandai Spirits' Tamashii Nations brand of high-end figures is showing off a figure of Mickey Mouse, with a twist: it transforms into a mecha! Kunio Okawara, the designer of VOTOMS, the Brave series, and many a mobile suit in Gundam (including the RX-78-2 and Zaku II from t...
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Sanrio Collaborates With Zoff for New Eyeglasses Line

Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, My Melody also inspire sunglasses, cases, accessories ― Japanese eyeglass seller Zoff teased on November 6 that it is collaborating with Sanrio for its latest lineup. Zoff then unveiled the eyeglasses, sunglasses, cases, cleaner keychains, and cleaning cloths featuring Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and My Melody on Tuesday: この度サンリオキャラクターズとのコラボが決定しました〜👏コラボするのは、クロミ、シナモロール、マイメロディの3キャラクターです!1...
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Get Senshi's Cookware From Delicious in Dungeon

You can buy them outright, or donate to the city where they're made ― The Mura no Kajiya X (formerly Twitter) account announced on October 29 that the two-handed pot and frying pan used by Delicious in Dungeon character Senshi will be available through Japan's furusato nōzei (hometown tax donation) program. The two-handed pot and frying pan will be available to those who direct part of their income t...
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Original Tamagotchi Revived — Inside a UFO-Transforming Robot

Giving the transforming Rubik's Cube a run for its money ― In November 1996, Bandai gave birth to the massively popular digital pet Tamagotchi. While not as popular now as it was back then, Tamagotchi still attracts a following. With its 30th anniversary fast approaching, the franchise has partnered with Bandai's Tamashii and Chogokin brands to bring a transformable Tamagotchi toy. Tamashii Nations a...
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Get Gundam Creator Yoshiyuki Tomino's Wallet

Wallet, made to order to Tomino's exacting specifications, returns after a decade ― After a decade, Japanese accessory maker Jam Home Made is bringing back "Yoshiyuki Tomino's Wallet," made to order for the Gundam creator's exacting specifications. The Jam Home Made brand's X (formerly Twitter) account announced the return of Yoshiyuki Tomino's wallet on November 5. The brand began offering the updat...
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Transformers Crosses Over With Naruto, Monster Hunter

It's time to transform and roll out! Believe it! ― On August 26, Takara Tomy announced that the Transformers toy line is collaborating with some surprising franchises in Japan. The announcement teased Capcom's Monster Hunter games with few details. On September 27, Takara Tomy finally revealed the new Rathalos Prime (Liolaeus Prime in Japanese). And if that wasn't enough, Hasbro, the distributor of T...
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Secretlab Powers Up With New Dragon Ball Z Gaming Chair

Secretlab's new chair themed around Goku reaches its final form Dragon Ball erupted with a gigantic Ki blast on Friday The late Akira Toriyama's classic series has remained popular since the original manga debuted in 1984, but Friday marked the release of the brand new Dragon Ball Daima anime series as well as the highly anticipated Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero game. Secretlab is joining in on the h...
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Detective Conan's Voice-Changing Bow Tie & Playing Card-Shooting Gun Are Now Real

Now you can sedate detectives & solve mysteries like Conan & Kaito Kid ― When we think of Detective Conan, its myriad of gadgets immediately come to mind. Two of the most recognizable are the titular character's voice-changing bow tie and the playing card gun used by the cat burglar Kaito Kid. Now, the Premium Bandai brand is making them in real life. The Bandai Toys X (formerly Twitter) account anno...
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Kotono Mitsuishi, Tomokazu Seki Magically Transform in Coffee Ads

It's a new type of transformation for the Sailor Moon & Fruits Basket leads ― As seen in classical theater, modern tokusatsu shows, and anime, the tradition of transformation is ingrained in Japanese entertainment. Now that tradition continues in a series of commercials for the Japanese Mt. Rainier brand of coffee. Voicing the transforming soy and oat lattes are two performers forever tied to magical...
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Sonic the Hedgehog, Justice League Get Crossover Project

Project begins with 5-issue monthly comic series by Ian Flynn next year ― Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products and Sega of America announced a crossover project between DC Comics' Justice League characters and Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog characters, beginning next year and continuing until 2026. The crossover project will begin with a five-issue monthly comic series next year, with Ian Flynn...
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McDonald's x Hololive's Usada Pekora Collaborate for Moon Viewing Party

Just in time for the seasonal Tsukimi Burger in Japan ― It's autumn in Japan, and that means it's time for some moon viewing. Or viewing the moon vicariously with the McDonald's Japan's Tsukimi Burger — a seasonal burger that represents a full moon with an egg patty, along with a beef patty and bacon. It's a staple autumn fast-food item in Japan like pumpkin spice drinks are a staple autumn drink in ...
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McDonald's x Genshin Impact Collaboration That Fans Will Be Lovin'

Almost like a Happy Meal for adults ― McDonald's is well-known for collaborations with children's properties for their Happy Meal sets. Rare are those collaborations geared for adults, but now the fast-food chain is planning one with the massively popular video game Genshin Impact. The McDonald's X (formerly Twitter) account announced the collaboration with Genshin Impact on September 11. The company...
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New Cup Noodle Ad Riffs on El Shaddai

Cup Noodle continues its tradition of parodying famous works ― Nisshin Cup Noodle commercials are an interesting bunch. Often bordering on the absurd, they are nothing if not memorable, such as in 2010 when the instant noodle brand aired a whole series of commercials parodying famous songs such as “I was Born to Love You” by Freddie Mercury and “You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi. Continuing in th...
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Bocchi the Rock x Chibi Godzilla Unite For Cute Collab

Bocchizilla & Godzilla aren't just invading Toho Shinjuku anymore ― Most anime films released in Japan come with a little extra for all ticket holders — sometimes reprint of key frames, other times a legendary Pokémon, most of the time a mini-autograph board or illustration card. But it is rare when the mini-autograph board or illustration card is a collaboration for the ages. This was the case for t...
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Starforge Systems Reveals Limited Edition Frieren: Beyond Journey's End PC Collection

Take your computer hardware & wrap it in Frieren and company ― Computers have become an integral part of many of our lives. But sometimes they're not the best-looking item we own. However, anime fans now have a chance to own a computer wrapped in our favorite characters from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End from Starforge Systems. Starforge Systems announced the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End collaborati...
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Uma Musume's Finger Lickin' Good KFC Ad Is Almost as Weird as We Hoped

You won't know what you just watched after seeing the commercial ― As one of the largest fast-food chicken chains in Japan since 1970, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) popularized eating chicken on Christmas in the island nation. There's a perception that it otherwise eschews major collaborations, but when it does, it brings some wild promotional material. This is the case with the recent collaboration w...
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Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners Give Away One Piece Bobblehead, Naruto-Inspired Headband

Mariners outfielder/Naruto super fan Julio Rodríguez homers for the win on Wednesday ― At one point, it was difficult thinking anime and American professional sports would ever cross paths. However, over the past decade or so, more and more athletes and their organizations outside of Japan are opening up about their love of anime. Major League Baseball (MLB) hosted not one, but two anime-themed givea...
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Transformers Collide With Godzilla, Macross, Monster Hunter, Zoids for Crossover Toys

Plus Zoids collaborate with Spider-Man, Monster Hunter, Patlabor, Diaclone ― If there's one thing that sparks the inner child of people around the world, it's a toy robot. From buildable models such as Gunpla or Zoids to transformable toys like Transformers or Shinkalion, people love them all. But Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy takes one bold step further by combining three of their major robot toy l...
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Mashle: Magic and Muscles Finally Gets a Collaboration with Beard Papa's in the U.S.

Munch like Mash on themed cream puffs in all 42 Beard Papa's stores in December Mashle: Magic and Muscles fans in the U.S., your time has come! Aniplex of America announced at Anime NYC on Saturday that the anime is getting a collaboration with the famed Beard Papa's cream puff chain this December. The collaboration will take place at all 42 stores in the U.S. with Mashle-themed flavors and mercha...

Viz Acquires Worldwide Merchandise Rights Outside of Asia for Ranma 1/2

Viz, Hot Topic to release new apparel for anime this fall ― Viz Media announced during its panel and world premiere screening for the new anime of Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 manga at Anime NYC on Saturday that it has acquired the merchandising rights for the new anime worldwide outside of Asia. Viz Media and Hot Topic are partnering to release a new line of apparel — including T-shirts, hoodies, p...
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Man Accused of Swapping Gundam Model Kit Box Covers in Akihabara Shop

And he threw out the model out of guilt ― With a model for nearly every mobile suit featured in the franchise at different build levels, there's a Gundam plastic model or gunpla for almost everyone. However, some stores that carry gunpla models do not seal the boxes, making it possible for buyers to swap box covers and illicitly buy a model at a lower price point. And that very thing allegedly happen...
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Hello Kitty to Celebrate 50th Birthday Early at Dodger Stadium

The night will be filled with Sanrio activities ― In 1974, character designer Yuko Shimizu created one of the most iconic and enduring Sanrio characters, Hello Kitty. Celebrated the world over, Hello Kitty is marking her 50th anniversary year on one of the biggest stages: a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game on August 19. And the baseball team is putting on a big show for the kitty. The Los Angeles Do...
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Madoka Magica Reborn as Ukiyo-e Woodblock Prints

Traditional and modern art come together for a classical take on a magical girl ― The first examples that come to mind for the traditional Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print (often referred to as ukiyo-e) are Katsushika Hokusai's The Great Wave of Kanagawa or The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife. The art pieces are evocative of the century they were made in, and capture Japan's history and culture when th...
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Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind Manga Inspires New Perfume Line

Surround yourself with the aroma of Giorno “GioGio” Giovanna & company ― When we think of anime or manga, we tend to focus on the aspects we can interact with, such as the visual, aural, or narrative elements. However, there are some moments in both mediums where we smell what's going on. Food may be the first thing that comes to mind, but what about how a character smells? We can do this with Noz Co...
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Pop Team Epic Goes Hardboiled With New Liquor Collaboration Ads

You're going to have to guess the voice actors, though ― One of the most innovative comedy anime series in the last decade is certainly Pop Team Epic — not necessarily in the humor, but rather in taking the two main characters Popuko and Pipimi and having roughly 48 voice actors combined portraying them over the course of the series. This unique concept propelled the series into the zeitgeist, and it...
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Sanrio Collabs With Horror Manga Maestro Junji Ito

The icons of cute & horror meet for a horrifically cute collaboration ― When it comes to modern horror manga, Junji Ito is legendary for his blending of body horror, psychological horror, and traditional Japanese horror. On top of this, he embeds an element of cute into some of his character designs – as the Japanese would say, kimokawaii (a portmanteau of the Japanese words for creepy and cute). Wha...
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Square Enix Manga & Books Reveals Spring 2025 Print Releases

Wash it All Away, The Otaku Love Connection, FFVII Rebirth Poster Collection, more slated ― Square Enix Manga & Books revealed during its panel at Anime Expo on Friday that it will release the following manga and books in English between February to May 2025, including: Title: The Otaku Love Connection (Otaku mo Koi mo Rensa Suru) Author(s): Chu Amairo Release Date: February 2025 Description: A hila...
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Sekai Project Reveals 10th Anniversary Projects for Nekopara, Cabbage Soft's Amairo Chocolate 3 Game for Release This Year

Also: company to release vinyl soundtrack for Nie no Hakoniwa ― Sekai Project announced at its Anime Expo panel on Thursday that it is launching projects to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Nekopara series. The Nekopara franchise has sold 6 million units across the entire franchise, including games, manga, and anime. Sekai Project will launch a crowdfunding campaign to manufacture a new set of ...
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Camp Like It's the Apocalypse With Fist of the North Star Gear

Thankfully, you won't have to worry about wasteland raiders ― If there's an anime and manga series that encapsulates the 1980s it's Fist of the North Star. The manga, celebrating its 40th anniversary, maintains a strong fanbase. Trying to vicariously live in the series is not the easiest thing considering the real world isn't a post-apocalypse. However, Fist of the North Star is partnering with the A...
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A Familiar Face Tops Sanrio's 2024 Character Ranking

Cinnamoroll chalks up a five-peat ― It's that time of the year when Sanrio releases its annual character rankings: The official Sanrio Ranking X (formerly Twitter) account announced the results on June 16, with Cinnamoroll taking the top spot, followed by Pochacco at number two and Koromi in third place. 2024年 #サンリオキャラクター大賞 #結果発表♪1位 #シナモロール2位 #ポチャッコ3位 #クロミたくさんの投票をありがとうございました!!全ての結果(総合順位1〜90位、海外順位、パート...
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Animated Kiki's Delivery Service Ads Promote McDonald's New Burgers in Japan

Aoi Yūki, Daisuke Sakaguchi voice Kiki, Jiji this time ― With a movie as iconic as Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service, it's sometime hard to remember it's based on an existing children's fantasy novel of the same name — so much so, that it's odd to see the novel's characters appear in commercials for something like Cup Noodles. And if we thought seeing the titular Kiki in a Cup Noodles ad was od...
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Nintendo Marks Famicom Console's 40th Birthday with Life-Size Paper Replica With Sounds

Eject button actually ejects included Super Mario Bros. cartridge replica ― Shogakukan's Televi-kun magazine is a staple of Japanese childhood. It provides an introduction to manga as well as info on the latest tokusatsu heroes and video games. But sometimes the magazine will publish special editions for adults to relive their childhood, such as this new one celebrating the 40th anniversary of Ninten...
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Kids and Their Parents Can Wear Matching Anya Outfits in Spy×Family Collaboration

Make your next "ooting" an all Anya affair ― Slice-of-life anime is full of memorable families from Sazae-san's Isono family and Doraemon's Nobi family to Crayon Shin-chan's Nohara family. In recent years, an iconic family has emerged from the spy genre: the Forger family from Spy×Family. And now you can dress like the dapper family with a new line of clothes from the Japanese apparel brand Earth Mus...
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Seal Your Documents With a Mimic Chomping on Frieren

You'll want to check if it can be used on official documents ― One of the most common ways to authenticate an official document, such as contracts and letters, in the United States is with a signature. In Japan, however, it's customary to use a personalized seal (called a hanko) in place of a signature. These hanko generally have a small diameter, use red ink, and are used on all manner of documents....
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Exclusive: Berserk Bookends of Guts' Sword Get Manga Paint Makeover

Display your Berserk manga collection in style ― Dark Horse revealed on Tuesday that it is releasing a new limited-edition "Manga Paint" variant of special bookends themed after Guts' sword, the Dragon Slayer, from Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga. The new bookends are similar to Dark Horse's previously released ones, but these are painted black-and-white in the style of the original manga. The bookends...
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Train Like a Hashira With New Demon Slayer Smartwatches

Get your total concentration on and learn some demon slaying techniques ― One of this generation's hit anime and manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba turns a vampire hunting story into one of familial love and superpowers and places it into a pre-modern Japan setting. But what would happen if the pre-modern crossed paths with the modern? Behold the new Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba smartwatches by ...
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The Future Has Arrived With Ghost in the Shell's Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Electric Vehicle Ads

See the collaboration at the Shibuya Tsutaya shop ― Over the past 20 years, electric cars have gone from limited range to over two hundred miles (about 350 kilometers). Plus, with all the power going straight to the wheels, they also boast decent torque and horsepower. It's truly the future. And what better way to celebrate this than to merge the real future with the iconic Ghost in the Shell franchi...
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Phantom Thief Jeanne Transformation Items Get Collection for Grown-Up Fans

Harness Joan of Arc's to seal away demons ― As almost a response to the ending of Sailor Moon, Arina Tanemura's series Phantom Thief Jeanne ( Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne) began. While not as well-known as its predecessor, Phantom Thief Jeanne has its fans. For the series' 25th anniversary, fans will have a chance to relive the series with the new Special Memorize Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne Rosario La Pucelle Co...
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LEGO Unveils Great Deku Tree Set from Legend of Zelda Series

Saving Hyrule one brick at a time ― LEGOs are great toys that allow those with spatial awareness and creativity to build to their hearts content. They also have premade buildable sets for those who enjoy following instructions, The company is currently known for the collaboration sets it produces. From Star Wars to Harry Potter, some of the biggest franchises have had LEGO sets created for them. One ...
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Twins Arrested for Selling Kamen Rider Helmet Replicas

Toei does not appreciate people using their copyrighted material without permission ― While each of the 34 Kamen Rider entries since 1971 have their fans, the original Kamen Rider is still an icon. It's no wonder fans would want life-size replica helmets of the hero. Unfortunately, very few official replicas exist. So fans have resorted to unofficial replicas — and those unauthorized helmets have lan...
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Nintendo Opens Official Store in San Francisco in 2025

2nd Nintendo store in U.S. to be located in San Francisco's Union Square ― Nintendo announced on Friday that it is opening its second official Nintendo store in the United States in 2025. The store will be located in San Francisco's Union Square. Nintendo's only official U.S. store, Nintendo NY, is located in Rockefeller Center in New York City. The first official Nintendo store in Japan opened in No...
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Detective Conan Expands UK's National Gallery Collaboration With Monet, Renoir

Conan and the gang are popping up in more famous paintings ― Earlier this year, the National Gallery in London announced that it is partnering with the Detective Conan manga by inserting Conan characters into famous paintings. Now more collaboration paintings and merchandise are on their way, plus some pop-up stores in Japan. The Shonen Sunday Premium Shop's X (formerly Twitter) account announced the...
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McDonald's Uses Polymerization on Yu-Gi-Oh!/Hello Kitty for Happy Meals (Updated)

Franchises get 10 Happy Meal toys in U.S. this summer Yu-Gi-Oh! and Hello Kitty — name a more iconic duo. Okay, the two franchises aren't really recognized as an obvious pair. To their credit, though, they are no strangers to crossovers with other anime. Hello Kitty, in particular, has had numerous crossovers with various series such as Naruto, My Hero Academia, Sailor Moon, and Jujutsu Kaisen. Yu-...
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Armored Trooper Votoms Gets Limted 40th Anniversary Whiskey

Votoms up ― An oft seen but not fully remembered robot anime is Armored Trooper Votoms. While the series has its fans, it's nowhere near as popular as the Mobile Suit Gundam or Macross franchise. Even so, the series lives on in collaborations such as the Super Robot Wars games or in the numerous model kits released by Bandai Namco and Kotobukiya. In celebration of the series 40th anniversary, the X (...
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The Rubik's Cube Now Transforms Into a Robot, Thanks to Bandai Spirits

The toy that everyone wants to solve takes on a new form ― One of the greatest and long-lived toys is arguably the Rubik's Cube. From the standard six-sided 3x3x3 toy to wild variations like the color-changing models, people can't get enough of the cube. And now the iconic Rubik's Cube takes on a whole new life as a Chogokin transformable robot by Bandai Spirits. The Tamashii Nations Store Tokyo bran...
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One Piece Gets 1st Official U.S. Café in Las Vegas

Café with One Piece-themed foods opens on May 11 ― Japan has numerous cafés themed after anime series, games, and other related fandoms. Some of them are temporary pop-ups, though some have become established eateries. One Piece, one of the most popular anime in Japan, has had its share of venues for fans to enjoy delicacies inspired by the series. Some are no longer available like the Mugiwara Cafe ...
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Magic: The Gathering Pays Homage to Cowboy Bebop

It resolves ― The ever-popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG) has transported players to different magical worlds with over 60 card decks, letting them engage in battles by summoning monsters and casting spells. The game recently wrapped up a large story with the set called "March of the Machine: The Aftermath" in May 2023. Since then, the game has been revisiting the different worlds i...
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Fist of the North Star Gets a Kitchen Knife Kickstarter Campaign

“Ata-ta-ta-tah” your vegetables and other food items while you cook ― When you think of quintessential 80s manga, one of the first that comes to mind is Fist of the North Star. From its ultra-violence, memorable quotes, and themes of love, the series is nothing but iconic. And the series is also no stranger to merchandise. While mainly figures, we've also seen video games, T-shirts, and some beautifu...
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SPY×FAMILY Code: White Anime Film Gets Collectible Popcorn Bucket & Drink Cup in U.S. Screenings

Limited collectible artboard also up for grabs Spy×Family fans in the U.S., aside from watching the SPY×FAMILY Code: White anime film this weekend, you have another side mission to accomplish: get yourself a SPY×FAMILY Code: White collectible drink cup or popcorn bucket in select AMC Theatres. Save the world and bring home a #SpyXFamily Code: White collectible drink 🥤 or 🍿 vessel! On sale 4/18 in s...
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Sesame Street Characters Get E-Sports Treatment with Evo Japan 2024 Merch (Updated)

No news on addition of Elmo to Tekken 8 roster ― Update: EVO Japan announced on April 24 that "Due to various reasons," the Sesame Street merchandise will no longer be sold "at the venue." The announcement did not specify if the merchandise will be sold in another way at a later date. Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster are becoming the Sesame Street fighters, at least on this year's EVO Japan merch. ...
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Tell Your Special Someone Your Love is Forever With Black Jack's Diamond Engagement & Wedding Rings

You don't have to be an unlicensed medical practitioner to buy one either ― One of the most common ways to express your intent to marry someone, at least in many Western cultures, is the exchange of an engagement ring. However, with so many brands and designs for engagement and wedding rings on the market, it's a daunting task to choose one. Now, anime and manga fans have one extra choice with the ne...
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Delicious in Dungeon x Urakita Craft Studio Collab for Wooden Barrel Mugs

Raise your glasses high when enjoying your dungeon delicacies ― A staple in any fantasy story is definitely the wooden barrel mug. They're found in movies like Lord of the Rings, games like Dungeons & Dragons, and a myriad of fantasy anime and manga series. Now you can feel like you're exploring a dungeon with the new Delicious in Dungeon wood barrel jockey mug from Urakita Craft Studio. The Urakita ...
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Hatsune Miku x Crayon Shin-chan Collaboration — It Exists

It's family friendly. ― In April 1992, Japanese airwaves were hit with an anime “unbecoming” of the culture. That series was none other than Crayon Shin-Chan. In its early years, it was seen as crass and lowbrow (akin to The Simpsons when it first aired). But over 30 years later, the series is going strong as a quintessential family anime. And now, Crayon Shin-chan is partnering with Japan's national...
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Digivices Updated With Color Screens for Digimon's 25th Anniversary

No promises you'll be transported to the digital world ― Premium Bandai is bringing back everyone's childhood in full color! For fans of the Digimon series who somehow missed their calling as a Digidestined, Bandai's online store is offering fans a chance to purchase a replica Digivice for the 25th anniversary of the series — this time, with color LCD screens. The Digivice 25th Color Revolution toy i...
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Buy an 18K Gold Godzilla Figure for 3.3 Million Yen

Japanese jewelry brand U-Treasure creates limited run 18-karat gold Godzilla figure ― Some of the most iconic movie characters are giant monsters: King Kong from the King Kong movies, Gort from The Day the World Stood Still, and probably the most recognized the world over, Godzilla from the Godzilla franchise. Since its initial release in 1954, Godzilla has gone on to appear in multiple movies, video...
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Gundam Gets New Plastic Model Partly Made From Recycled Wood, Even Has Wood Scent

Gunpla goes sustainable with new 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam model ― When Mobile Suit Gundam hit the Nagoya airwaves in 1979, it took a bit for the series to really gain traction. This may have been due to the perception that anime was a medium for children's programming (although 1974s Space Battleship Yamato should have shown otherwise). So when the initial Gundam toys came out they were marketed towards ...
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Detective Conan Franchise to Release New Card Game on May 4

Detective Conan rejoins annals of card game history with Meitantei Conan Card Game ― The history of collectible and trading cards is long to say the least. Over the past century and a half, those cards have evolved into the modern tabletop card games (commonly known as TCGs). While the progenitor TCG is often thought of to be Magic: The Gathering, other popular TCGs include the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card...
daily briefs

KessCo to Release One Piece, Digimon Tabletop Games

― Los Angeles-based game company KessCo announced on Thursday that it has entered into a licensing deal with Toei Animation on the 25th anniversary of the One Piece and Digimon franchises. The company will release tabletop games based on both franchises as well as a collection of "outdoor spring/summer toys" between 2024 and 2025. The Egg Head Arc of the One Piece anime debuted on January 7. The new...
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The National Gallery in London Partners with Detective Conan for 30th Anniversary Goods

East meets West in Detective Conan's 30th anniversary collaboration with art by Van Gogh, Monet, more ― In January 1994, Weekly Shonen Sunday introduced Japan to one of its most iconic characters, Shinichi Kudo and his alias, Conan Edogawa from Gosho Aoyama's Detective Conan (also known as Case Closed). It wasn't long until the manga was adapted into an anime series of the same name in 1996. Since th...
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Dragon Ball Z Reese's Puffs Cereal is Now Part of a Balanced Super Saiyan Breakfast

Dragon Ball Z... for breakfast?! Dragon Ball Z... for breakfast?! General Mills's Reese's Puffs cereal is rocking the dragon with a limited-time collaboration with Dragon Ball Z. The DBZ cereal comes in seven different collectible boxes, each featuring a different character: Goku, Vegeta, Trunks, Piccolo, Cell, Frieza, and Majin Buu. There is also an eighth box featuring the wish-granting dragon Sh...
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Evangelion's Progressive Knife Is Now a Toy With Lights & Sounds

Live out your dreams of dealing with Angels with Premium Bandai's Progressive Knife PKN-01C ― In the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion merchandise, much of the space is taken up by figures and models, be they posable models of Eva units or statuettes of the different characters (predominantly the female characters). Very few of what we would consider "toys" have been made for the franchise, and the fe...
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Raise a Glass to Celebrate Final Fantasy XIV Game's 10th Anniversary with Its Very Own Wine

California's The Prisoner Wine Company collaborates again to create collectible wine ― Now here's a Final Fantasy XIV collectible that deserves a special spot on your shelf, and will definitely hit your taste bud's good spot. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Final Fantasy XIV once again collaborated with American wine company The Prisoner, to make the "The Prisoner for Final Fantasy XIV [10th Anniv...
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Get Pumped with These Mononoke Heels

The Medicine Seller spends a lot of time on his feet in the series, and now, he can spend a lot of time on yours ― Fashion brand Mayla is bringing the supernatural world of Mononoke right to your feet in a series of fashionable heels. The brand revealed on December 11 it will be releasing two new pumps inspired by the character of the Medicine Seller from the popular anime. The first "Kusuriuri" (Med...

TV Tokyo Wins U.S. Lawsuits Against Sellers of Counterfeit Naruto Merchandise

Company filed "Schedule A" trademark infringement lawsuits in Illinois against online merchants that sell to U.S. customers ― The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois announced its judgement in favor of TV Tokyo Corporation in its trademark infringement lawsuit on December 18. The company had filed a “Schedule A” trademark infringement lawsuit against multiple online mer...
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Mercedes-Benz Produces Limited-Run PlayStation 5 Car

2 titans of auto and gaming industries come together for limited-edition collaboration ― For nearly 100 years, the German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has been making luxury vehicles. Among the company's vehicles, the A-Class small luxury car is one of its most popular. Now, in a surprising partnership between Mercedes-Benz Italy and Sony, they are producing a limited run of PlayStation 5 inspired ...
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Dress as Ranma in New Felissimo x Ranma 1/2 Collaboration

Have you ever wanted your daily clothes to be like Ranma's? ― In August 1987, legendary manga author Rumiko Takahashi released the well-loved manga series Ranma ½. In fact, the manga was so well-loved it only took two years for the series to be adapted into a popular anime. Even today, the series maintains a following with reruns on Japanese local TV stations and got a Weekly Shonen Sunday 50th Anniv...
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Different Merch to Remind Us How Gullible Frieren is When it Comes to the Mimic

Relive Frieren's most graceful act in a plush toy, pin, and more ― So far, the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End anime has had a number of memorable scenes (Spoilers ahead for the most current episodes). There's Stark defeating a dragon more than 50x his size in episode 6, Fern keeping her cool (and her mana at minimum level) while fighting Lügner in episode 9, Frieren effortlessly defeating Aura in epis...
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Expand Your Domain with Jujutsu Kaisen Crocs

Footwear inspired by Gojo, Yuji, and Sukuna's finger ― Crocs and Crunchyroll are teaming up to bring the world of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen manga to your feet. The new Crocs collection came out in November and features clogs based on Gojo and Yuji, with Yuji's shoes coming in kids sizes. For slipper fans, the collection has you covered too with a pair of classic slides that still have room for Ji...
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Ikebukuro on the Rise, Akiba on the Decline with Otaku's Next Generation

Akihabara: the home of otaku from all around the world. But a recent article points to a new contender for the throne. ― Akihabara: the home of otaku from all around the world. But a recent article points to a new contender for the throne. For more than 20 years, Akihabara has claimed the title of “Home of Otaku.” It's no wonder why, since the town is inundated with anime, manga, idol, and other sub-...
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Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo x Precure Collide in Absurd Collab

What happens when you mix Pretty Cure with one of the most absurd anime of the past 20 years? You get a Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo! and Pretty Cure collaboration. ― What happens when you mix Pretty Cure with one of the most absurd anime of the past 20 years? You get a Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo! and Pretty Cure collaboration. Two very iconic anime series of their time, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo! and Pretty Cure, recently team...
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Pokémon Sizzlipede Is Now a Comfy Chair

Do you love the idea of sitting with your Pokémon? Well now you'll have the chance to sit on one. ― Do you love the idea of sitting with your Pokémon? Well now you'll have the chance to sit on one. The amount of merchandise The Pokémon Company releases each year is unsurprising. And among all the toys, plush dolls, and all sorts of other items, some of the largest merchandise items they sell are the ...

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