Japan’s national soccer team floundered through the first several decades of its existence before finally earning its first World Cup berth in 1998. Since then the squad has shown steady improvement, with an impressive performance in South Africa in 2010 that saw it reach the Round of 16.

But while expectations and confidence are both running high, that doesn’t mean Japanese soccer fans don’t wish there countrymen could receive a little help from the world of comics and animation, as shown in a poll asking which manga characters they wish were a part of Japan’s team competing in Brazil.

The survey, conducted by digital bookseller Ebook Japan, garnered 729 responses. Let’s take a look at Japan’s 2-D representatives, broken down by the number one, two, and three choices for each position.

Goalkeeper
#3 – Genzo Wakabayashi

Wakabayashi is the first of several characters from Captain Tsubasa, Japan’s most popular soccer manga which has been running on and off since 1981.

#2 – Monkey D. Luffy

While the main character of pirate saga One Piece can’t match the size of most professional soccer players, Monkey’s ability to stretch his limbs at will would be a great asset in blocking the opposing team’s shots on goal.

#1 – Nurikabe

Hailing from long-running light-hearted horror series Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro, wall-shaped monster Nurikabe received more votes than any other single character, thanks to his net-filling stature and physique.

Defender
#3 – Ryo Ishizaki

Ishizaki is the second cast member from Captain Tsubasa to make the list.

#2 – Dio Brando

It’s not just Dio’s lanky Hirohiko Araki-penned limbs that would prove useful in befuddling opposing strikers, but also the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures villain’s ability to stop time (and presumably hook his teammates up with some post-game coffee).

#1 – Titan

Respondents didn’t specify which of Attack on Titan’s giants they were voting for, and while the obvious choice would be the skinless 60-meter Colossal Titan that’s become the mascot for the series, we think the nod should go to the more compact yet athletic Armored Titan.

Midfielder
#3 – Kazuya Takasugi

Takasugi is the sole delegate from soccer manga Our Field, which was published from 1992 to 1998.

#2 – Seijuro Akashi

Given that he’s a major character in Kuroko’s Basketball, we’re not sure what Akashi is doing getting picked to play the beautiful game. We suppose his ultra-competitiveness and ability to unnerve opponents with his freaky eyes might make him a worthy addition to the team, though.

#1 – Tsubasa Ozora

Captain Tsubasa himself received more votes than any character other than Nurikabe, officially making him the manga world’s most respected human soccer star.

Forward
#3 – Conan Edogawa

Look, we understand that professional sports isn’t all about physical attributes, and that a successful athlete needs a sharp mind as much as he needs a strong body. We still say that the protagonist of Great Detective Conan, intelligent as he may be, is a poor choice here, because child-sized Conan’s short legs mean he’s going to tire himself out twice as fast as anyone else running around the field.

#2 – Shungen Tanaka

Largely unknown to Western fans, Tanaka was a character in soccer manga Shoot, which was popular enough in Japan to last for 13 years and 33 collected volumes.

#1 – Sanji

One Piece’s gourmet chef is a master of kick-based martial arts, which should translate into success on the soccer field. His nicotine addiction would probably present a problem, though, as we’re pretty sure smoking on the pitch would be at least a yellow card.

Manager
#3 – Zhuge Liang

The only character who was also an actual historical figure, wise statesman and brilliant strategist Zhuge Liang shows up in the manga Sangokushi, which is set during China’s Three Kingdoms era.

#2 – Kankichi Ryotsu

We’re not sure how Ryotsu got on the list, other than because he’s the star of mega-popular police story/gag comedy Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen Mae Hashutsujo. Lazy, avaricious, and short-sighted, Ryotsu can be counted on when the chips are really down, though, so he might be just the guy to organize a come-from-behind victory.

#1 – Tatsumi Takashi

On the other hand, there’s no questioning the credentials of Tatsumi Takashi, who in the manga Giant Killing has proven himself to be not only a talented professional soccer player, but capable of turning around both amateur and pro teams as their coach.

A few problems jump out right away, though. For example, are monsters like Nurikabe and the Titans allowed to compete under FIFA rules? We’re not sure if Dio would be eligible for the team either, since he’s not a Japanese citizen. Neither is Zhuge Liang, whose status is further complicated by the fact that he’s been dead for almost 1,800 years. Monkey and Sanji also raise questions, since we’re not sure Japan even exists in the One Piece world.

Assuming these issues can be sorted out, though, we have to admit, Team Manga Japan looks like a formidable lineup, and would stand a solid chance of going all the way at the World Cup.

Source: Niconico News
Top image: Sukinet
Insert images: Adult Swim, Rakuten, Wikia, Anime Vice, Fanpop, Neoapo, WordPress, WP JP Matome, Exblog

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Origin: Japan’s manga World Cup team: Titans, pirates, and, of course, Captain Tsubasa
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So-called MAD movies are Japanese fan-made videos spliced together from clips from anime and video games. Posted on sites like YouTube and Niconico Douga, they are similar – although not identical – to YouTube poops, in that they see fans mashup footage and distorted sound to make beautiful, and bizarre videos. Truly, the internet is a wonderful place.

Today we bring you a MAD movie that throws together a Japanese pop culture David and Goliath in the form of puzzle-horror game Ao Oni (“Blue Demon”), and anime and manga publishing sensation Attack on Titan. Join us after the jump for some surreal animated mashup fun!

Without further ado, let’s see what we’ve got on our hands here:

There. Wasn’t that lovely? Just in case you’re thinking what did I just watch?! … Let’s take a closer look!

▼ Instead of Shingeki no kyojin ( 進撃の巨人 aka Attack on Titan), this vid is entitled Zenra no kyojin (全裸の巨人), or “Naked Giants”.

 ▼ Here they are. True to the movie’s subtitle, they’re “a sort of blueberry colour”.

▼ This scene would make an excellent desktop background, I feel…

▼ If one monster is Fuwaty, how much are four monsters?

▼ Amusingly incongruous South Park cameo.

Not enough MAD Movies for one day?! Try this MAD News Report on for size:

Or this one, which is entitled ‘Some Knuts’:

Source: Oreteki gēmu sokuhou

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Origin: When giant blueberry monsters attack: Ao Oni meets Attack on Titan【Video】
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Attack on Titan has such a worldwide following that many visitors to Japan can’t help but keep an eye out for possible sightings of the Colossal Titan as they travel around the country. Chance encounters with the steaming giant are now more real than ever, thanks to a new series of souvenir straps featuring the hungry beast at famous locations throughout Japan. Now you can see him dressed up as a samurai, devouring Tokyo Tower or reincarnated in the form of a giant gold Buddha. If you want the whole collection, you’ll have to do some travelling as each souvenir is limited for sale only at the local tourist hotspot it features. From Tokyo to Osaka, check out the Colossal Titan posing like you’ve never seen him before!

Visitors to Kyoto can spot the giant dressed up in the traditional garb of the Shinsengumi, a special police force active in the 1860s, who were responsible for protecting Shogunate representatives in Kyoto. Pop culture reveres the members of the Shinsengumi as brave heroes while historians view them as a murder squad with no scruples. A perfect description of a Titan.

Nara is famous for the Daibutsu, or giant Buddha. There’s only room for one giant in Nara and the Colossal Titan believes it should be him. He’ll have to practice the peaceful expression of a deity though. 

Osaka is all about takoyaki, those famous doughy balls of octopus the area is famous for. If there’s a giant tentacle, he’s got a giant set of jaws to devour it.

If you’ve been to Osaka then you’ll know the enormous popularity of Kuidaore Taro, the beloved drum-playing, cymbal-crashing mechanical doll that’s come to represent the famous food district. If you think the doll itself is creepy, then this shouldn’t scare you at all.

It makes sense that a steaming giant would emerge from behind Japan’s most famous volcano, Mt Fuji. This would be an awesome sight in real-life but at 60 metres tall, the Colossal Titan would actually be dwarfed by the 3,776-metre high Mt Fuji.  

Two of Tokyo’s famous landmarks meet the monster: Asakusa Shrine and Tokyo Tower.

The famous Buddha at Kamakura is either getting a rub down or about to have his head torn off.

Giants need a day out at the hot springs too. In true Japanese style, the Colossal Titan chugs a bottle of milk after a soak at the onsen.

There are many more straps for many more areas throughout the country. Some locations even have characters like Mikasa and Levi.

From Okinawa in the south to Hokkaido in the north, the Colossal Giant has his sights set on conquering the country. And with such adorable poses we might just let him do it!

Source: MAX LIMITED

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Origin: New Attack on Titan souvenir straps feature Colossal Titan at famous Japanese landmarks
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Last month, anime, movie and travel enthusiasts all got excited over the Japanese tour company offering a package that included being an extra in the upcoming Attack on Titan live-action movie. Sadly, only 50 lucky people were chosen, and everyone else who had dreamed of stepping into the world of the most popular anime in decades is out of luck.

Or are they? Just like how Attack on Titan keeps viewers on their toes with plot twist after plot twist, there’s been an exciting development regarding the live-action adaptation, which is now looking for a new pair of extras to play two of the Titans themselves.

As part of the continuing production process, the movie’s producers have set up a registration system for would-be extras. Whenever they need a few, an email is sent out asking if anyone is interested and meets the criteria, and the latest is reportedly asking for “two men of average height and build” for the role of “Titans.”

▼ This, dear reader, could be you!

The extra registration form can be found here (Japanese language only, sorry), and asks for basic information such as name age, gender, and contact information. After submitting it, subsequent casting calls will be delivered by email, with scenes tentatively scheduled for filming from now until the end of July at locations in Tokyo and the northern part of the Kanto/east Japan region.

Details haven’t been released as to whether the extras chosen to be Titans will be asked to do such bold things as performing nude or actually devouring human beings in exchange for their 15 minutes of movie fame. For true Attack on Titan fans, though, we doubt either would be a deal-breaker.

Sources: Jin, Otakuma Keizai Shimbun
Top image: Attack on Titan extra recruiting website
Insert image: Livedoor

• Want to be an extra in the upcoming Attack on Titan movie? Check out this list of weird criteria
• Two Attack on Titan animated feature films on the way – first to open this year
• Travel agency gives vacationers the chance to be extras in upcoming Attack on Titan movie
• Want more Attack on Titan? Make sure you’re in Japan winter 2014!
• Life-size Attack on Titan monster to appear in projection-mapped form in Kawasaki

Origin: Attack on Titan movie looking for two extras to play the titular giants
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The Attack on Titan real escape game series, “Escape from a Certain Fortress Town,” has proven very popular — no surprise given the popularity of both its tie-in manga and the real escape game series in general. The games scheduled for Tokyo in August have already sold out. To meet this demand, SCRAP (the games’ organizer) will hold two more Attack on Titan real escape games in Seibu Dome in the Tokyo suburb of Saitama on July 5 and 6.

Real escape games are real-life versions of popular free online “escape games” in which the objective is to escape from a prison, dungeon, hospital ward, or other confined space. In this case, players take on the role of a trainee for the Survey Corps and strive to escape a fortress town. Players must use clues and solve puzzles to decipher their escape strategy; the games therefore put more emphasis on players’ wits and intelligence than on strength. They are notoriously difficult, and the first Attack on Titan real escape game had a mere 7.5% escape rate within the one-hour time limit.

The immediately upcoming “Escape from a Certain Fortress Town” games will be in Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi, Sendai on June 22 and Fukuoka’s Yahoo Auctions! Dome on June 27-29. Tickets cost ¥3,000 ($29) if bought in advance and ¥3,500 ($34) if bought on-site.

[Via Anime! Anime! and Real Dasshutsu Games]

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Origin: Attack on Titan real escape game heads to Saitama
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Well, the public has already come forward and said that Attack on Titan‘s abrasive, but secretly caring Levi is one the most dateable anime characters of all time (the public also said they love boobs… a lot), so it’s no surprise that Levi is getting the star treatment even outside of anime circles.

On June 27, Levi graced the cover of the popular women’s magazine, FRaU, for the magazine’s book and manga special edition that included a manga awards page – several of which, no doubt, Levi is now the proud owner of.

Artist and Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama drew the cover especially for the issue, which features Levi reclining in a fancy office chair, with a manga and a pair of classy loafers; a look the youthful hero probably doesn’t get to sport too often in the world of Attack on Titan.

Inside, the issue featured a long interview with Isayama where he talked about, uh… anime things. I don’t know, okay? I was too embarrassed to pick up a copy at the convenience store.

The special issue obviously indicates that women and girls are reading and enjoying Attack on Titan as much as the guys are, alluding to the possibility that the runaway hit manga and anime’s secret to success is broad appeal, despite the series’ ultra-violence and dystopian setting.

The 12-page feature and the rest of the magazine – if you’re into male J-Pop idols and girls fashion advice – can be yours at newsstands and convenience stores for 690 yen (US$6.80).

To wrap things up, here is a cool compilation of Levi being Levi on the show:

Source: Hachima Kikou
Photo: FRaU via Hachima Kikou

• Meet the $1,200 Attack on Titan figure that sold out in two hours in Japan
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• Want more Attack on Titan? Make sure you’re in Japan winter 2014!

Origin: Attack on Titan star Levi graces cover of Japanese women’s magazine
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Who doesn’t love light, crunchy chocolate snacks that you can pop easily into your mouth, right? The Chocoball chocolates, from major Japanese snack maker Morinaga, have long been a popular snack in Japan and available in a wide range of flavors over the years. And what do you get when you cross over a well-loved snack like that with one of the biggest manga/anime hits in recent years? You get an awesomely cool snack, like these Attack on Titan ChocoBalls that have just been released this week!

Yes, this chocolate and manga collaboration comes in three exciting flavors for a limited time, and we have to say Kyuro-chan, the mascot bird for the ChocoBall brand, definitely looks dashing and ready to take on some Titans as he appears on the packages cosplaying as the main characters from the manga! So, ready to take a look at the special collaborative ChocoBall products?

The three flavors are each available in five different packages, which when lined up together form a connecting picture.

▼Here are the five packages the peanut flavored Attack on Titan Chocoballs come in, priced at 70 yen (US$0.70) for a 24g (0.85oz) pack. They have a peanut and crisp center covered with chocolate — a classic combination. Four of the package designs feature Kyuro-chan as Eren, the manga’s protagonist, and one as Levi, the powerful warrior.

▼One of the four Eren designs:

▼And this is Kyuro-chan as Levi:

▼These are the five caramel flavored packages, with a sweet caramel center again covered in chocolate, sold at 70 yen for a 27g (0.95 oz) pack. Now, caramel and chocolate –that has to taste good together!

▼Four  of the deigns depict Kuro-chan as Armin, one of which is shown below.

▼The other package design shows Kuro-chan as Elwin:

▼And there’s also the strawberry flavored ChocoBalls, once again priced at 70 yen (US$0.70) for a 24g (0.85 oz) pack. This fruity flavor contains a white chocolate and rice puff center covered with strawberry chocolate. Yum … strawberry and white chocolate, that’s also a proven combination! 

▼Here’s one of the four designs for Kyuro-chan as Mikasa:

▼And this is Kyuro-chan as Zoë, the fifth design:

▼Oh, and when you open the small retractable lid  on the packets, you’ll be greeted by the face of the Colossus Titan!

▼And while the product below isn’t an Attack on Titan contribution, Morinaga announced at the same time that they are also selling this new ChocoBall flavor — the Shiratama Anmitsu (70 yen for a 25g [0.88oz] pack), which is a Japanese dessert made with agar jelly and  served with red bean paste, various fruits and small white mochi (rice cake) balls called shiratama. While certainly not a conventional flavor for a chocolate snack, Shiratama Anmitsu is a long-time favorite dessert with the Japanese and may be worth a try if you’re looking for something a little different.

All of these products will be available  until the end of August, so there’s still a bit of time to buy them if you’re going to be in Japan during that period. As for us, you can be sure we’re quite happy to see one of our favorite snacks combined with one of our favorite manga. Go kyuro-chan, and fight the Titans for us, but make sure to leave us with plenty of sweet treats!

Source and photos: Morinaga & Co., Ltd. press release

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Origin: Morinaga releases Attack on Titan ChocoBalls — packages feature mascot bird Kyurochan in cosplay!
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It’s easy to forget when you’ve got the adorable little Pikachu as the franchise’s mascot, but the word ‘Pokémon’ is actually a blend of the English words ‘pocket’ and ‘monsters.’ Usually people aren’t thinking about that fact as they catch as many of the cute little critters as they can in each new video game installment, but one artist is out on a different quest to remind everyone that pokémon are indeed monsters at their core.

Artist Beth Emery, otherwise known as zsparky on art-sharing community site DeviantART, is gaining attention online for her creepily brilliant drawings of pokémon portrayed in the artistic style of Attack on Titan. 

Warning: You may never be able to see Jigglypuff in the same way after seeing these pictures…

For your viewing pleasure, we have compiled a contrastive analysis of Ken Sugimori’s original Pokémon designs and Beth Emery’s Attack on Titan-style renderings below. Enjoy, and don’t run for the hills screaming!

▼Who could ever resist the adorable puffiness of Jigglypuff?

Bulbapedia

▼Or the cuteness overload of Clefairy using its Metronome attack?

Bulbapedia

▼But wait – two terror-inducing pink Titans appear at the city wall! Rattata, get out of there!!

▼Lickitung was always a bizarre pokémon to begin with…

Bulbapedia

▼…But now it’s been made postively grotesque! We hope that’s saliva on its tongue and not the remains of some unfortunate Squirtle…

▼How many of you chose grass-type Bulbasaur as your starter Pokémon way back in Generation I?

Bulbapedia

▼If you did, we sincerely hope that your buddy resembled the specimen above, and not this bloodsoaked one (umm, where’s Ash??).

▼The orphaned Cubone in Lavender Town charmed fans in the original generation of games.

Bulbapedia

▼But what happened to you?! You’ve evolved into a Colossal Titan Cubone!

▼Mr. Mime is usually more than eager to protect you with its Light Screen attack.

Bulbapedia

▼But not any more! Now Mr. Mime bears an uncanny resemblance to a rampaging Titan…

Well, readers–have you been thoroughly traumatized after seeing your childhood memories morphed into bloodthirsty Titans? Props to Beth for her imaginative and masterful drawings! Be sure to check out her page on DeviantART.

Sources: Kotaku Japan via My Game News Flash
Images: DeviantART – zsparky

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Origin: Artist turns adorable Pokémon into terrifying Attack on Titan-style monsters
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With its immense popularity, it’s no surprise that Attack on Titan has spawned some amazing cosplay photos. We’ve shown you a brilliant Serbian’s take on Erwin Smith, and today we’re heading back to Eastern Europe to show you someone the Internet apparently thinks looks exactly like Mikasa Ackerman.

Or maybe they’re actual photos of Mikasa running around in the real world? Everyone, be on guard just in case any titans show up!

When the Internet develops a crush, it doesn’t take long for that crush to develop from casual lust into pure, unadulterated obsession. The latest object of networked love is a young Russian named Katya Lischina, who has attracted attention from around the world in both the West and in Japan.

▼Transforming from normal girl into anime character in three easy steps!

While Katya is certainly an attractive girl, what seems to have really gotten fans of the young woman excited is just how similar she looks to a certain anime character: Attack on Titan’s Mikasa Ackerman. This comparison photo, for example, doesn’t even to seem to a proper attempt at cosplay–someone simply noticed that Katya happens to look a lot the Survey Corps member. We have to admit that the resemblance is nothing short of striking!

▼She really nails that solemn look.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, depending on your perspective), Attack on Titan is still fiction, though Katya is certainly real! We think…

▼We don’t remember any camera phones in the anime, after all.

Katya was elevated to minor Internet celebrity status just this month when a photo of her appeared on 9Gag, spurring infatuated Internet users to learn more about her. Since then, numerous fan communities have appeared on Instagram and Facebook, where one page has accumulated over 41,000 likes since it was established on July 11.

The young Russian woman is not even a model it turns out–she’s apparently a university student and an artist. With so many fan pages floating around, it’s hard to tell what’s real, but it looks like she has a DeviantArt account with some pretty damn good illustrations.

▼Katya’s take on Chell from Portal

▼”Gamer Girl,” also by Katya

Finally, here’s a cat cosplay video from Katya. We’re starting to see why so many have fallen so fast!

Unfortunately, as we mentioned before, there’s not a lot of information about this young woman. With so many fans, it’s hard to separate fact from fantasy, though there’s no denying that she does look an awful lot like Mikasa. That said, we’re not even sure if she likes Attack on Titan–though we expect she probably does.

Regardless, we can’t help thinking that maybe people should really stop bombarding her with “marry me” messages. Call us old-fashioned, but that doesn’t seem like the best way to get to know someone…

Sources/images: Instagram, Facebook, DeviantArt, VK

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Origin: Is Attack on Titan a documentary? Mikasa spotted in Russia!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Pokémon fans recently got some good news when word came that Pikachu will soon be taking over the city of Yokohama. It’s not just cute and cuddly anime icons running rampant in Japan this summer, though.

Next month, Lawson convenience stores across Japan are going to be invaded by the remorseless and/or skinless cast of Attack on Titan, and they’re bringing a staggering amount of merchandise with them..

Even with no news about the inevitable continuation of the Attack on Titan TV anime, fans of creator Hajime Isayama’s gritty epic have plenty to look forward to. On August 8, the 14th collected volume of the Attack on Titan manga goes on sale, as do tickets for a November art exhibition focusing on the series at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo’s Ueno.

In celebration, Lawson is rolling out a huge number of Attack on Titan goodies, even by the prolific standards the franchise has already set for merchandising and marketing.

Let’s start with the edibles. Pastries, Danishes, and all other sorts of baked goods are a mainstay of Japanese convenience stores, and while we’ve got no idea what’s in the Titan Footstep Bread, we’re anxious to try it (unless it’s filled with the Titan’s favorite food, people).

If you’re looking for something to cool off with during the summer heat, there’s a yogurt gelatin dessert that comes in a special collector’s glass. It’s an absolute certainty that the Levi version will sell out long before the Eren one.

Ditto for these buckets of chocolate.

If you’re worried that eating that much candy will make you a plump and slow-moving, and therefore an attractive target for the man-eating Titans, Lawson is ready with smaller-quantity indulgences like chewy yogurt candies and chocolate wafers, the latter of which come with a trading card.

Similarly, these instant noodles come with one of eight stickers.

▼ We’re hoping the clerks at our local Lawson follow Levi’s example and start greeting customers with the Scout Corps salute.

And of course, the Attack on Titan potato chips are endorsed by spud-loving Sasha.

The downside to anime-themed food though is, obviously, that it’s gone one you eat it. If you want something more lasting, during the campaign Lawson will be selling Attack on Titan pins and magnets.

Attack on Titan tissues come in two types, silly and dramatic.

Towels only come in two varieties of wacky, though.

We’ve got no idea what the contents of the mysteriously named Clean Up Box are, but we’re sure fastidious neat freak Levi would approve.

Personal grooming is just as important as keeping your surroundings clean, so Levi’s face also graces the packaging for deodorant sheets, facial papers, and lip balm.

Some parents worry about their kids spending all day reading manga and neglecting their schoolwork. The considerate Titans are willing to do their part in encouraging education though, with notebooks and erasers, and sticker-style index tabs.

Or, if you’re more the digital type, Lawson is also selling a mouse/memo pad bundle.

▼ Perfect for listening to your Attack on Titan opening and ending theme playlist.

All of these items are offered for sale inside Lawson, and also provide points that can be put towards entering drawings for the even cooler Attack on Titan items below, like rubberized straps featuring the anime’s cast teaming up with Lawson mascot/best-selling fried chicken snack Karaage-kun.

▼ It’s Titan time!

The same illustrations also show up on the postcard sets.

Of course, it’s not an authentic Japanese sweepstakes without clear files.

▼ Did Levi learn to tie his kimono sash by reading our how-to article?

We suppose you could use this towel for its intended purpose of drying your hands and face, or tie it around your neck like a scarf for the world’s laziest Mikasa cosplay costume.

A few prizes still seem to be in the planning stage, like the stacking figure set and the poster signed by Isayama himself.

Likewise, the figurines of Levi and Eren in their summer kimonos are just silhouettes at this point in time.

▼ They’re either standing on a stone path or a slice of pie.

Still, we expect all of these to be ready to go by the time Lawson’s promotion starts on August 5, or by August 25, when it wraps up, at the latest.

Sources: Jin, Narinari, Comic Natalie
Images: Comic Natalie

• Attack on Titan star Levi graces cover of Japanese women’s magazine
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• Attack on beards! Schick and Attack an Titan team up for series of animated shorts 【Video】
• Meet the $1,200 Attack on Titan figure that sold out in two hours in Japan

Origin: Titans attack Lawson convenience stores, bring tons of anime goodies with them
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Live-action Attack on Titan film director Shinji Higuchi confirmed on Wednesday that the project will span two films. Both are slated to open next summer. The movies are currently filming across Japan including on Hashima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture.

Higuchi stated that, with the supervision of Attack on Titan Hajime Isayama, the story will be based on the world and characters of the manga, while incorporating new characters and new formidable enemies. Yuusuke Watanabe (Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, live-action Gantz,Gantz II: Perfect Answer, 20th Century Boys, Gatchaman) is writing the script. Film critic Tomohiro Machiyama, who is also friends with Isayama, is working on the scripts together with Isayama and Watanabe.

Isayama’s manga depicts the battles between humans and the giants who now rule the world outside humans’ walled enclaves.

23-year-old actor Haruma Miura is starring in the films. Joining the cast is Hiroki Hasegawa, Kiko Mizuhara, Kanata Hongou, Takahiro Miura, Nanami Sakuraba, Satoru Matsuo, Satomi Ishihara, Taki Pierre, Jun Kunimura, Shū Watanabe, Ayame Misaki, and Rina Takeda.

Hajime Isayama’s original Attack on Titan manga has inspired four spinoff manga, and a 25-episode television anime version aired last year. Isayama launched the series in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in 2009, and the manga now has 40 million copies in print.

Kodansha Comics is publishing Isayama’s original manga in North America. The company is also releasing three of the four spinoff manga, and the Attack on Titan Guidebooks: INSIDE & OUTSIDE. Vertical is publishing the Attack on Titan: Before the Fall light novel series.

Both Funimation and Crunchyroll streamed the anime version of the manga as it aired in Japan, and Funimation released the first part of the series on home video this year.

Source: Eiga.com via Otakomu

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Origin: Live-action Attack on Titan confirmed for 2 films
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While we spent plenty of time at this week’s summer Wonder Festival snapping pictures of the awesome cosplayers, they’re really not what the event is about. Wonder Festival is actually Japan’s biggest modeling convention, with hundreds of displays of the latest figurines and garage kits.

We sent our Japanese-language reporter Meg out to the Makuhari Messe convention center, and she brought back a batch of photos sure to have anime fans clearing off space on their desk for one more figure.

Starting things off is this gorgeous figure of Sakura Kinomoto, the titular heroine of creative team Clamp’s Cardcaptor Sakura.

Facial features tend to be a stumbling block on anime figurines, so it’s nice to see the face on this piece from manufacturer Karumiya looking close to how the character appears in her TV series and manga.

Sakura’s design proved so popular that Clamp later refined it for another character of the same name in its Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.

The maker of this Tsubasa Sakura and its intricate surrounding environmental touches came all the way from Taiwan to show it to the Wonder Festival crowds.

While anime is the big draw, Wonder Festival also covers video game characters. This Etrian Odyssey IV Dancer, crafted by designer Sisiro for Shunshudo, was such a hit that its entire stock is already sold out.

Moving from dancers to magical girls, the costuming here is as feminine and frilly as you’d imagine for someone named Love Momozono, who’s also known as Cure Peach.

You’ve got to admire the amount of work that went into her corkscrewing tresses and ruffled skirt.

A-Toys’ Female Titan, on the other hand, is a lot more intimidating.

The Attack on Titan statue is still in its preliminary stage, which is why it was shown unpainted. Appropriately, it’s 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) tall, meaning it’ll tower over most other figures you choose to display it with, just like a naked giant should.

▼ That doesn’t mean super-deformed Mikasa is backing down, though.

There’s no rule that says monster girls have to be scary, though.

For example, Nyarlathotep here, as designed by Goddes for Megami Jimusho, is one of the many Cthulhu-like entities that populate the series Nyaruko: Crawling with Love.

Well, technically, since she comes from outer space, she’s more an alien girl than a monster girl. Either way though, she sure does have nice hair.

Another combination of cute and weird, here’s designer Kafu N’s Matoi Tsunetsuki for manufacturer Hakomusu.

It looks even better painted, since the serial stalker from Sayonara Zestubo-Sensei is sporting a vividly-colored kimono, in an attempt to mimic the traditional fashion sense of her high school homeroom teacher/object of obsession.

Finally, proving that even almost 50 years after his debut people still can’t get enough of anime’s most famous master thief and his femme fatale, The Cube had Lupin III and Fujiko Mine on display.

The highly stylized versions of creator Monkey Punch’s beloved rogues have us thinking that with manga, anime, and live-action adaptations on their resumes, maybe claymation should be next on the list for Lupin and company.

Photos: RocketNews24

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Origin: Cute Cardcaptors, titanic females, and the other cool anime figures of Wonder Festival【Photos】
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Running Universal Studios Japan has to be a pretty tough job, since it’s never quite been able to step out from the shadow of Japan’s theme park juggernauts, Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea. You have to figure part of that stems from Universal’s weaker portfolio of beloved characters and settings. Whereas a trip to the Disney parks means a chance to rub elbows with the cast of Aladdin, Toy Story, and The Little Mermaid, visitors to USJ have had to settle for Jaws, Water World, and Backdraft.

But Universal Studios Japan has a new plan that involves not minding the first two-thirds of its name, but that last word, as the park is planning to add new attractions based on Attack on Titan, Evangelion, and other hit franchises from Japan.

When USJ first opened in Osaka back in 2001, it seemed to be off to a good start. The intense media focus and being the most premium theme park in the Kansai region meant a steady stream of visitors.

Once the initial excitement died down, though, USJ realized it was having problems luring people back for a repeat visit. The opening this month of the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter area, something Universal’s original theme park in California doesn’t even have yet, is giving USJ’s attendance numbers a shot in the arm, but that doesn’t mean the park’s managers are resting on their laurels.

According to a report by the Nikkei, on January 23, USJ plans to open a series of new attractions collectively called Universal Cool Japan, drawing from the imaginative worlds of Japanese anime, manga, and video games. Universal Cool Japan will use props and replicas to recreate the settings and characters of some of the biggest hits from the fields of Japanese animation and digital entertainment. USJ also plans to give visitors the opportunity to participate in escape games, the puzzle-based challenges that are growing in popularity in Japan, set within those worlds.

Two delegates will be representing the world of anime: manga artist Hajime Isayama’s giant-slaying/all-endorsing Attack on Titan, and director Hideaki Anno’s giant robot slugfest/clinical depression study Evangelion.

▼ USJ hasn’t said anything about featuring both franchises in the same attraction, but we can dream, can’t we?

On the video game side, USJ will showcase two long-running hits from publisher Capcom, Biohazard (known internationally as Resident Evil) and Monster Hunter. While both series have had displays at the park before, USJ is promising updated looks for the Universal Cool Japan project.

While this is all exciting news for otaku and gamers alike, the announcement does have one downside.

▼ Or two, if you count the fact that Street Fighter isn’t part of it (which you really should).

The attractions are only scheduled to run for a limited time. Keep your pants on, Attack on Titan fans, you’ve got until May 10 of 2015 before Universal Cool Japan shuts down, but still, we’d make those Osaka hotel reservations sooner rather than later.

Sources: Nikkei (via Jin via Twitter), Universal Studios Japan
Top image: Operation Rainfall, Pikdit (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: 30 Min, Universal Studios Japan, The Reticule

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Origin: Attack on Titan and Evangelion coming to Universal Studios Japan
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A stamp rally, a promotional event in which you rush, saunter or dawdle around a local area collecting rubber stamps from checkpoints, is a popular summer activity in Japan. It often takes the form of a themed rubber stamp chained to an inky board that can be found at each station along a railway line, thus encouraging kids (and their accompanying, ticket-buying parents) to visit a bunch of places by train during the summer holidays.

Rubber stamps aren’t just for kids, though. Adults are welcome to collect the stamps in a book to keep for themselves, or if you catch ‘em all on the promotional leaflet and hand it in to the organisers, you can sometimes win some cool prizes or goods relating to the show or characters being promoted. And this summer, Attack on Titan attempts to bring the stamp rally kicking and screaming into the 21st century, with a railway rally entitled Attack on Chichibu. The twist: it’s a stamp rally where there aren’t any stamps.

How does that work, then? Well, in Shingeki no Seibu Tetsudou (“attack on” or “advance on Seibu railways“) you collect digital stamps on your smartphone at locations around Chichibu City, which allow you to listen to limited edition recorded voice messages from characters Eren, Mikasa, and Levi. Which, depending on how much you like Attack on Titan, digital wallpapers,  and “limited edition recorded voice messages” (they’ll be in Japanese, but if you’re in Japan you’re probably cool with that), is either going to be really fun or stupendously boring.

▼ The traditional stamp rally set-up. Not pictured: parent begrudgingly thinking about the cost of today’s train tickets.

GetHiroshima

The campaign runs from August 6th to November 5th, and encourages participants to visit locations around Chichibu city. Visitors who scan four separate “Survey Points” on their smartphone before returning to Chichibu station and scanning the QR code at the checkpoint there can hear those special recorded messages.

▼ The train is called the “Red Arrow“, though, which is pretty cool.

Also up for grabs to visitors who scan at least one code from a station along the Seibu line is this three-part set of limited edition Seibu railway-Attack on Titan promotion goods, consisting of original stickers, files, and cardboard circular fans:

▼ The design of the clear file (kuriā fairu), which despite the name, is not necessarily transparent.

▼ Front and back of the map-fan. As well as being a limited-edition collector’s item, it can also be used as a map, or a fan.

What do you reckon, Rocketeers? Wanna ride the Red Arrow with Eren, Mikasa, Levi, and a bunch of other anime fans? Or has Attack on Titan finally taken its tie-in promotions too far? Let us know in the comments!

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Origin: Attack on Titan stamp rally perfect for Japanese-speaking train fans, probably sucks for everyone else
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While some may dread their birthdays, we like to think everyone deserves the chance to have their existence celebrated. Heck, even if you’re not a real person, you still deserve to have a happy birthday, right? Especially if you’re a shape-shifting titan!

That’s right, in case you missed it, August 1 was none other than Reiner Braun’s birthday! And considering how popular Attack on Titan is, it’s no surprise that adoring fans pulled out all the stop to celebrate. Though we have to admit, we think they probably could have left a few stops in place…

The going rate for a picture may be a thousand words…but these might tell much longer stories. Here are some of the best Twitter photos celebrating Reiner’s birthday.

Our first set was tweeted by Japanese Twitter user @mmmaaaoook. His message was simple but accurate: “Wall Reiner. Happy birthday, Reiner! #ReinerBraunBirthdayFestival2014 #ReinerBirthdayWishesRT”

▼Attack of Clone Wars anyone?

▼He really wasn’t kidding about that wall, was he?

▼Tap to deal 1 point of direct damage? D’oh, wrong card game!

While the wall of Reiner was certainly, um, daunting, sometimes it’s the smallest packages with the biggest bang. For example, when it comes to insane Reiner love, @wall_ggg definitely takes the cake. “Happy birthday, Reiner! I made a cake. (Let’s get married.) #ReinerBirthdayFestival2014 #AugustFirstReinerBirthday #ReinerBirthdayWishesRT #AttackOnTitan #Let’sGetMarried”

▼Reiner ass cake? Well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Our next set of photos comes from @shibainu177, whose tweet was linguistically simple but visually striking. Check out the tweet and photos below.

♥︎｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡♥︎｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡♥︎｡･ﾟ♡
Happy Birthday Reiner.B
♥︎｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡♥︎｡･ﾟ♡ﾟ･｡♥︎｡･ﾟ♡
#ライナー生誕祭2014 http://t.co/3BrY72u2A0—
かなめ (@shibainu177) July 31, 2014

▼Yep, these photos are sparkling.

▼At first, you’re like, “Oh, this person sure has a lot of Reiner stuff…”

▼And then you realize this is actually an altar. So that makes it all better, right?

And speaking of altars to Reiner–which would be an awesome post-grunge Seattle shoegaze band name, in case you’re looking–here’s another fan who loves Attack on Titan more than you will love anything ever. Look, @labbitboy, we totally get obsessively buying all the merchandise from your favorite shows, but maybe shake things up a bit and get some train stamps or something.

▼Oh, wait, there’s a pink Buddha head in there.
Oh, wait, there’s a pink Buddha head in there?!

▼We will say this though, that is an exceptionally tidy alter.

▼We get buying duplicates, but maybe you could get rid of one or two?

▼On the other hand, why stop at two when you have ten? Sounds reasonable to us!

Taking things down a notch, our next Reiner birthday tweet isn’t packed with dozens and dozens of figures–but it certainly is quite festive! Tweeted by @hatoyama3_3, the photo comes with this ecstatic message: “Happy birthday, Reiner! I like you as the soldier loved by all, but I’m looking forward to seeing you as an even more active warrior! Stay the always cool Reiner you are! #ReinerBirthdayFestival2014″

▼So…much…yellow!!

The final photo celebrating Reiner’s birthday is a happy medium between obsessive merchandise collecting and cake. There are still a ton of Reiner keychains, but maybe @1ichirurey0801 owns a car rental shop. Regardless, the photo below came with the message: “Happy birthday, Reiner!!! I like you, the older ‘brother’ everyone relies on, more than anything! I pray that you’ll be able to make it back to your hometown safely!”

▼Sure, sure, hometowns, happy birthday, give us some caaaaaake!

Well, we’re a few days late, but we’d still like to wish Reiner a happy birthday! To celebrate, we’re gong to listen to a 10-minute loop of Reiner grunting on YouTube. Feel free to join, but be sure to put on your headphones first…it’s probably not something you’d want your boss to overhear…

Source: Jin115, Twitter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Images: Twitter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

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Origin: Internet wishes Attack on Titan’s Reiner a happy birthday, things get just a little weird
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Who would win in a fight between a Titan and Ultraman? How were the Walls built? Seeing as Titans never eat or drink, are they surviving through photosynthesis? If these are the questions that keep you awake at night, then we’ve got some bedtime reading for you.

Kūsō Kagaku Dokuhon (空想科学読本, literally “fantasy science reader”) is a series that addresses, queries and explains the science behind popular Japanese anime and manga. This time around, writer Rikao Yanagita has turned his hand to the inescapable Attack on Titan series, in this 208-page illustrated work that promises to answer all your titanic scientific ponderings.

Yours for a mere 864 yen (around US$8), Shingeki no Kyojin Kūsō Kagaku Dokuhon will be released on August 8, and the contents look pretty impressive to us! Did you know for example:

• An amateur who tried to ride the 3-D manoeuvre gear would crash into the ground at 78 kilometres an hour.
• A 60 metre high Titan would have a body temperature of 602 degrees.
• Usain Bolt is the only human on earth who could outrun a 4 metre Titan.
• The people who built the Walls must have carried 60,000 tons of stone every day in order to complete them.
  
• Eren’s punch is 6,561 times as powerful as a regular human’s.
•  A 15 metre Titan’s sweat alone would weigh 23 tons.

Plus “how to escape from an approaching Titan”; ” why do Titans come from the South?”; and “what the flip is the secret behind Levi’s super strength anyway?”

The Kūsō Kagaku Dokuhon series are available in Japanese only, but if you read it, or are studying the language and looking for something fun and motivating to learn with, we reckon this could be just the ticket! Available for pre-order on Amazon now.

▼ Three cheers for a Titan tie-in that actually isn’t weirdly irrelevant for once!

Source and images: Comic Natarī

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Origin: The science of Attack on Titan explained: Finally, a Titan tie-in that looks kinda cool
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There are a lot of things people love about runaway anime and manga hit Attack on Titan. Aside from the iconic and unsettling Titans themselves, the series has a unique setting, unpredictable plot, and bouts of intensely visceral action.

Just about the only thing fans don’t gush over is, oddly enough, the main character. Sure, protagonist Eren may have the tragic back story, pure heart, and burning sense of justice that are required of male action anime leads, but in terms of popularity, he ranks far, far behind the coolly efficient Levi.

Whereas Attack on Titan’s narrative often slows down as Eren struggles under the weight of his role as protector of humanity, pretty much every second Levi appears on screen is dedicated to showing what a badass he is. Levi is so awesome, you wonder why he isn’t the star of his own anime. Well, soon enough, he will be.

In addition to creator Hajime Isayama’s original manga, a number of spinoff comics began serialization after the Attack on Titan anime turned the franchise into a full-fledged pop cultural phenomena. Some of these, like Attack on Titan: Junior High are silly gag series that obviously don’t exist within the same universe as the main story. One manga that is meant to be taken seriously, though, is Attack on Titan: No Regrets.

Taking place years before the start of the normal Attack on Titan manga, No Regrets focuses on Levi’s past. As it opens, he’s not an elite member of the Titan-fighting Survey Corps, but instead the leader of a pack of thieves. As the story unfolds, the reader sees Levi meet the Survey Corps’ commander, Erwin, and take the first steps toward becoming the giant slayer he is when he and Eren meet.

▼ Levi, seen flanked by partner in crime Fallon and admirer Isabel

The spinoff has proven popular enough that for the upcoming 15th and 16th collected volumes of the regular Attack on Titan manga, publisher Kodansha has recently announced that it will be releasing limited editions that come bundled with animated DVDs based on No Regrets.

Unlike Attack on Titan manga, No Regrets is serialized in Aria, a monthly comic anthology targeting female readers (which serves as testament to Levi’s gigantic fangirl fanbase). Neither the art nor story is by Isayama, but the two-part anime version brings back the key staff from the Attack on Titan TV anime, including director Testuro Araki, character designer Kyoji Asano, and the animators at Wit Studio.

Both limited-edition bundles are priced at 2,840 yen (US$28.10). Volume 15 is set to be released on December 9, with preorders being taken until September 19, while Volume 16 comes out April 9 of 2015, and can be ordered until January 23. There’s no word as to how long each DVD will be, but one thing we can say for sure, regardless of running time, is that at some point Levi will do something cold as ice, and look completely awesome while doing it.

Source: Hachima Kikou, Cinema Today
Top image: Blogspot
Insert images: Blogspot, Kodansha (1, 2), Aria

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Origin: Attack on Titan’s Levi getting his own two-part anime DVD series
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In at least one way, the members of Attack on Titan’s Survey Corps have it good. Sure, they may have to spend every day in fear of the legions of man-eating giants that surround their city, but they also get to zip through the air in their cool wire-firing harness system known as the three dimensional maneuver gear.

Those of us who aren’t part of the Titan-fighting band of warriors have to make do with more mundane forms of transportation. If you’re looking to still feel a connection to Attack on Titan’s tan-jacketed group of heroes, though, this anime suitcase may be just the thing.

The double-sided design features four members of the series’ cast. Aside from main character Eren and fan favorite Levi, Titan-obsessed researcher Hange and Survey Corp commander Erwin will join you as travel companions.

The opposite side is much more low-key, although fellow fans will instantly recognize the Survey Corps’ Wings of Freedom insignia, plus the telltale green hue of their campaign cloaks.

While it comes with the above two illustrations, the suitcase itself isn’t technically illustrated. Instead, it has an outer polycarbonate sheath into which the above sheets are slipped. The logic behind this design could be that it allows purchasers to easily return the suitcase to a no-frills design for business trips, or maybe it’s just a way for the manufacturer to sell additional artwork down the road.

▼ Since Mikasa is currently nowhere to be seen, we’re guessing it’s the latter.

Priced at 24,000 yen (US $238), this isn’t a cheap cosplay prop, but a legitimate piece of travel equipment. The grips are cushioned, and the extendable handle can be adjusted to three heights, so travelers shouldn’t have any problems regardless of whether they’re closer in stature to compact Levi or lanky Jean. The four-wheeled suitcase is 550 mm tall, 360 wide, and 230 deep (21.7, 14.2, and 9.1 inches), with a weight of 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds). Frequent flyers will also be happy to know that the suitcase is carry-on-sized.

▼ Be advised that you will still need to store any Titan-killing blades you’re traveling with as checked baggage, however.

The set, which includes the suitcase and both illustrated sheets, is available only through preorders, which are being taken between now and September 15. Online, the bundle can be ordered from Animate or Movic (here and here, respectively), or also at Animate or ACOS retail outlets. Delivery is expected to be made around November 20.

Source: IT Media
Top image: Movic
Insert images: Movic, Shingeki no Kyojin Channel, FC2

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Origin: Pack on Titan! Anime suitcase is perfect for a trip outside the walls
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The University of Tokyo Newspaper posted an interview with Shintarō Kawakubo, the editor of the Attack on Titan manga, on Wednesday. In the interview, he discusses the popularity of the series, “The serialization is slated to end in three to four years, but Attack on Titan is a work that will be passed down from generation to generation for a decade — no, five decades.”

Hajime Isayama‘s manga depicts the battles between humans and the giants who now rule the world outside humans’ walled enclaves. Isayama launched the series in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in 2009, and the manga now has over 36 million copies in print. Attack on Titan: Junior High, Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, and Attack on Titan: No Regrets received special chapters in Kodansha‘s Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine in March.

Kodansha Comics publishes the Attack on Titan: Junior High, Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, and Attack on Titan: No Regrets spinoff manga in North America, as well as the original Attack on Titan manga.

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Origin: Attack on Titan editor: Manga to end in 3-4 years
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Even the biggest anime sceptic has heard of Attack on Titan by now. One of the most popular manga and anime series this decade, you can’t move for news, promos and merch in Japan, and with two feature films on the way, it’s showing no sign of slowing down any time soon.

The series isn’t for everyone, though. What with its terrifying, human-devouring titans and tense, rooftop-hopping battles, Attack on Titan can be a bit much for some. Thankfully, this adorable cosplay video is more likely to leave viewers cooing with delight than squirming in their seats. This pint-sized Mikasa doesn’t look like she’d make much of a titan slayer, but as we’re about to see, her chubby little hands know how to swing a sword.

Put a man in a Colossal Titan mask and bodysuit up against a four-year-old dressed in survey corps gear and what do you get? Well, in truth you get a pretty weird video, but for the most part it’s tremendously cute.

YouTuber and cosplay lover D Piddy has been shooting Colossal Titan videos for a while now, but it looks like the scaled-down sinew-shower has finally met his end.

Killed by bottom slapping. What an awful way to go.

Be sure to check out “Attack on Tokyo” below for even more of D Piddy’s worrying Colossal Titan undulations.

Source/images: YouTube – D Piddy

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Origin: Tiny Mikasa stars in the cutest Colossal Titan slaying video you’ll ever see
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