Photo credit: The Paper
Shanghai police arrested 25 suspects over a counterfeit anime toys / figure operation that netted over $42,000,000 USD. It all kicked off when back in June, police in the Huangpu district received a tip from an unnamed source and discovered these roughly made toys being sold in many shops, which included famous brands like Bandai Namco, Megahouse and Nintendo.
Twitter user “Tsukuru-San” might be an Amazon Prime member who has accumulated a large number of empty boxes, but instead of throwing them out, he transforms them into anime / video game weapons. These aren’t some miniature sculptures that you put on display, but rather functional creations that make for great social media posts. His latest creation is the centipede blade, which is able to retract / extend on command, from Tokyo Ghoul used by the character Kureo Mado. Read more for videos and additional information.
Photo credit: Sheng Lam via Design Boom
Illustrator Sheng Lam wanted to put an anime-style twist on many of today’s most popular social media platforms, including Spotify, Netflix, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. So, he transformed them into retro gadgets of sorts that correspond to what kind of social media platform they are, like a “Phasebook” floppy drive, “Instogram” Polaroid camera, “Soundkloud” mini disc player, and more.
Yes, there’s a real pastor who performs baptisms in virtual reality, and YouTuber Syrmor recently documented this phenomenon for internet users to see. DJ Soto, a Christian pastor, wants everyone to be able to experience baptisms regardless of their situation, whether they be in a wheelchair or are recovering drug addicts, and also reach people who may not be able to attend traditional church service.
Nexus Mods has created an interesting Fallout 4 mod, called “AnimeRace,” that does exactly as it sounds. Simply put, the mod adds a race modeled after anime characters that can be used as a player or NPC. The former is compatible with equipment and hairstyles. “These characters are very lively because they can have various expressions,” said the modder. Read more for two additional videos and a download link.
In Japan, it’s common to find internet cafes and capsule hotels for cheap nightly accommodations, but now, there’s a place just for manga fans. Officially called the “Manga Art Hotel, Tokyo”, it’s located in Jimbocho, Japans’ “city of manga,” complete with over 5,000 manga titles (English versions included) to choose from during you stay in one of the 35 guest rooms. Read more for a short tour of one of the guest rooms, additional pictures and information.
No, this isn’t an exclusive opportunity for a billionaire or lottery winner, but rather a real Studio Ghibli theme park that’s set to open in 2022, built on the Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagakute City, Japan. The attractions will be based on popular animated movies like ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ and ‘Spirited Away,’ while the main gate resembles the buildings from ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’. Currently, a basic plan of the park has been released, showcasing a few of the rides, attractions, and forest trails. It will be themed after the iconic, European-style brick buildings seen in many Ghibli movies, as well as include statues of boars, spiders, and other creatures. The local government says that the park will be built at the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagakute city. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
Photo credit: Twitter via Bored Panda
A Japanese artist who goes by “02ESyRaez4VhR2l” on Twitter specializes in transforming product packaging, like Pringles cans, into anime-inspired sculptures, and has gained quite the following on the social media service. On a related note, did you know that the consistent saddle shape of Pringles chips are mathematically known as a hyperbolic paraboloid? That’s right, their designers allegedly used supercomputers to ensure that the chips’ aerodynamics would keep them in place during packaging. They were originally known as “Pringles Newfangled Potato Chips”, but other snack manufacturers objected, saying they failed to meet the definition of a potato “chip”. So, the FDA ruled in 1975 that Pringles could only use the word “chip” in their product name within the following phrase: “potato chips made from dried potatoes”. Read more for more examples of product packaging turned art.
Photo credit: Xuedaixun via Bored Panda
Let’s face it, many social media users go on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. to look at animal pictures, but China-based artist “Xuedaixun” does so for an entirely different reason. This person grabs the most popular photos on these networks and transforms them into anime-inspired human characters, both cats and dogs. For the most part, the poses are kept, and in some cases, even the hairstyle. Read more to see some of the artist’s most popular works.
Photo credit: Thomas Romain via Bored Panda
Animation creator Thomas Romain lives in Tokyo and when not on the clock, he likes to spend time with his two boys. Rather than watch anime, he takes their doodles and transforms them into incredible anime characters. Whether they be golems, monsters, warriors, royalty, and endless others, he’s able to work his magic. Read more for additional pictures and another video.