Category Archives: Japan Envy

Japan Envy: New Pokémomo, Regional Pokémon Goods

I think it’s become pretty apparent by now that one of my favorite subjects for Japan Envy posts is the Pokémon-related merchandise that never makes it out of Japan. Well, I’m happy (or unhappy, depending on how you look at it) to report that I continue to have reasons to envy Japan’s awesome Pokémon merchandise, as two of my favorite Pokémon goods series are getting new lines in the upcoming months.

First is the Pokémon Tōchi, or Regional Pokémon (literally “Local Pokémon”) series. These are designs that are limited to specific areas of Japan, and as such can only be found certain Pokémon Centers. I really like regional goods and am always interested in the unique “local flavor” each city of Japan has, so aside from that creepy Pikachu whose head is far too big for his body, I’m generally all for this kind of series. Here are the newly-released designs:

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From the left to right, the prefectures represented are Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, and Okinawa. As I mentioned before, something about that Pikachu really doesn’t jive with me, but I think the Meowth and Oshawott designs in particular are very cute. I personally have a special place in my heart for Hyogo prefecture, as that’s where I spent a year when I studied abroad in Japan, so the “weathervane-raiding sailor man” Oshawott (that’s a direct translation of the description! I can’t make this stuff up) definitely speaks to me, but my favorite overall would have to be the pineapple Meowth. Too bad it’s only available in Okinawa.

The new Regional Pokémon goods will be available at the Osaka and Okinawa Pokémon Centers from the end of April, with no end date specified. Available merchandise will include keychains, pens, and hand towels (pictured above), as well as socks, which apparently will go on sale in May.

Next we have the second line in the Pokémomo series, which is a collaboration with illustrator Momo Okada. While it’s hard to beat the first Pokémomo series, as it featured not only Snorlax, but Plusle, Minon, and Gengar, Momo Okada’s weirdly charming Pokémon interpretations just can’t be ignored, regardless of the Pokémon she’s drawing.

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The second Pokémomo series will be available at Pokémon Centers nationwide starting from the 11th of May. I hope they make adult-sized socks, because I know I could totally rock a pair or two!

Japan Envy: Le Café de Gaspard et Lisa

Have you ever heard of Gaspard and Lisa? The children’s book series chronicling two inseparable animal pals’ misadventures in Paris has taken Japan… and, well, maybe the rest of the world, by storm. In all honesty, I’d never heard of Gaspard and Lisa before going to Japan, but after becoming enamored with the adorable duo I saw plastered on everything from notebooks to aprons, I learned that they came from a children’s book series called The Misadventures of Gaspard and Lisa by Anne Gutman. They’re popular enough in the west to have garnered an animated series that has been broadcasted worldwide, and, as with many cute, albiet random, children’s mascot characters, the duo almost appears to be more popular in Japan than they are in English-speaking countries! Granted, I can’t profess to really know how popular Gaspard and Lisa are internationally, but where can you expect to find a themed café in their honor?

Le Café de Gaspard et Lisa is located in Numazu City, Shizuoka prefecture, and as you can see from the little mountain depicted directly below the words “Gaspard et Lisa” in the logo above, Mt. Fuji is visible in Numazu on clear days (other interesting, but useless, Numazu tidbit: the city produces more dried horse mackerel than any other region of Japan).

From what I understand, the area is a fairly popular tourist spot for its hot springs and Mt. Fuji views, but it’s still a little surprising that the café isn’t located in the heart of a big city such as Tokyo. Unfortunately that probably means I’ll never make it to the café myself… So instead I’ll spend the rest of this post drooling over its gorgeous food and decor!

I love how they’ve made literally everything Gaspard and Lisa-themed, all the way down to the presentation of the food!

Funnily enough, today is actually the 1 year anniversary of the café. To honor the event, they’re currently having a Gaspard and Lisa cheesecake campaign…

Too cute! It’s neat to see the Gaspard and Lisa versions so different from one another. I’ll take both!

All images are from the official Le Café de Gaspard et Lisa website, which I highly suggest checking out, as they have far more images of the café and food than I have space to share here. Don’t forget to head over to their blog, too, where you’ll be able to see more pictures of limited edition merchandise, special food items, and the area where the café is located!

Bonus Lisa curry:

Japan Envy: misdo HELLO KITTY Campaign

I’ll tell you, Japan sure knows how to sell me food. From Rilakkuma Kit Kats to Totoro Cream Puffs, they know exactly how to appeal to my love of cute mascot creatures to ensure I’ll never stop craving their adorable sugary confectionaries. This time, Japan-wide donut chain Mister Donut has teamed up with Hello Kitty to offer the cutest range of donuts in existence:

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Now, maybe I’m easily amused, but I really do love the simplicity of this campaign – all they’ve done is add a little pink (I assume chocolate) bow to some nicely-colored donuts and it’s instantly recognizable as a tribute to Hello Kitty. According to this article, the cupcake on a stick shown above (more colors can be seen if you follow the link) were designed with the Universal Studios Japan ride Hello Kitty’s Cupcake Dream as inspiration and will be available in green apple, strawberry, and orange flavors. There will also be four regular donut varieties, including “green apple whipped cream,” “green apple fashion,” “orange crème fraîche” and”pon de strawberry.” I think the question on everyone’s minds is: What on earth does “green apple fashion” taste like?

I’m most interested in this pon de strawberry! I bet it’s just as tasty as
it looks. 

In addition to these adorable donuts, the misdo HELLO KITTY campaign (that is the official name, capitalization woes and all) will be offering some limited-edition headphone jack accessories for customers who purchase 600 yen (approximately $6.20USD) or more worth of Hello Kitty donuts:

Also available in black, white, and red! (link)

I’ve always thought headphone jack accessories were a bit silly, but I don’t know if I can resist a polka-dotted Hello Kitty bow dipped in chocolate. If I could, I would buy the five or so donuts required to get said accessory, and I would enjoy every minute of eating all five or so donuts by myself. But alas, the campaign runs from April 1st until the end of May, which means I won’t get a chance to try them myself when I go to Japan in June…

So, what do you think? Is the misdo HELLO KITTY campaign a stroke of genius, or just plain weird?

Japan Envy: Funghi (Nameko) x Hello Kitty

Anyone remember the Touch Detective series for the Nintendo DS? No? Well, if you don’t, don’t feel bad, as they pretty much went unnoticed by most of the gaming populace. Funnily enough, however, the cute mushroom “mascot” of the game, Funghi, or Nameko in Japanese, has recently taken the nation by storm, and I highly doubt most of the people consuming the plethora of character merchandise actually know where it came from.

Funghi’s gotten so popular, in fact, that he’s spawned a strangely calming little mushroom cultivation app for mobile devices, as well as a match-three-esque puzzle game that you can play a sample of online here. Very soon, fans will even get to play the puzzle game on their 3DS’s! So, while Touch Detective drifts into the unknown, Funghi’s superstar status continues to propel him forward. It’s funny how some things take off unexpectedly, isn’t it?

Funny how a game based solely on the popularity of a minor
character is celebrating developer Success’ 35th anniversary

Of course, any cute character that’s anyone gets a Hello Kitty crossover at some point or another, and Funghi is no exception. Spurred on by my recent acquisition of a copy of the December 2012 issue of the Japanese version of Seventeen magazine, I thought I’d share some of the weirdly adorable Hello Kitty designs featured in its pages. I think it’s pretty obvious by the two page spread and the fact that the free pouch that came with the issue is plastered with Hello Kitty x Funghi that the collaboration has proben to be quite popular with the young female crowd!

Even the bag the freebie comes in is cute! I wonder what the significance of apples is, though… (you’ll see more of them later)

Side A of freebie pouch

I always found it a little creepy that the sound Funghi makes is “nnf nnf”…

Side B of freebie pouch

Closeup of the decal on the front. Apparently this marks the first time Hello Kitty has appeared without any clothes on. And what on earth is that thing in the middle?

Two page spread featuring Funghi x Hello Kitty merchandise. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version!

My favorite thing about the Funghi phenomenon is all the different Funghi varieties there are! I especially like the fuzzy purple Funghi-wearing Hello Kitty shown above.

I should probably actually read the descriptions surrounding all of these illustrations, because I have absolutely no idea what apples and pharaohs have to do with Funghi. Either way, it’s pretty cute!

Finally, here’s but a small sample of the Funghi x Hello Kitty merchandise available in Japan.

Food for thought/Additional information: 

  • Success, the developers of Touch Detective and Touch Detective 2 1/2, did Zoo Keeper and Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja for the DS! 
  • Not only can you buy Touch Detective and Touch Detective 2 1/2 in English on iOS devices, but Mushroom Garden/Funghi Gardening Kit and Mushroom Garden: European Winter are available for both iOS and Android devices for free! Go check them out! They’ve taken Japan by storm, and I, too, have been sucked in by the charm of Mushroom Garden: European Winter (I think it has something to do with the snow)
  • The Funghi mobile games are done by a company called Beeworks Games, who also happen to have a Facebook page where they post far too many cute Funghi pictures
  • Alternatively, you could go to the main Funghi website (Japanese only) if you wish to truly understand the reach this weird little mushroom character has

Japan Envy: Animal Crossing: New Leaf Merchandise

 

With the Japanese release of Animal Crossing: New Leaf rapidly approaching, I’m finding my head full of cute, colorful animals and visions of collecting everything from fish to furniture. In honor of its impending release, I decided to round up some of my favorite Animal Crossing: New Leaf merchandise… plus a bonus Style Savvy: Trendsetters crossover! Keep in mind this isn’t an exhaustive list, as there are a ton of newly-added Animal Crossing: New Leaf items on Amazon Japan, so click that link and browse yourself if you can’t get enough from my picks below.

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These 3DS LL covers are drop dead adorable, if you ask me! Unfortunately they won’t go on sale until December 31st, but they may be worth holding out for if you’ve recently picked up (or are planning on getting) a new 3DS XL/LL! There are a couple of other designs available, but the above two are definitely my favorites.

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And of course, you’ll also need a pouch to carry that 3DS LL in, right? Once again, Nintendo’s got you covered! I’m not sure I’m completely sold on the bright yellow, as it doesn’t quite go with the more muted colors of the other accessories, but I do like the pattern on this one.

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Might as well get the whole set, right? You’ll be needing a card case to keep those games in! This one holds 12 3DS cartridges. I really like the rainbow and balloon backdrop!

Finally, Animal Crossing: New Leaf styluses! I wish I had a source for this image, but I believe it’s a scan from an issue of Famitsu? Someone more knowledgeable please correct me if I’m wrong. Anyway, I’m a huge fan of the new alpaca duo, so I’d probably pick that one, or perhaps the stylus with one of the Able Sisters on it. They’re too adorable, but perhaps they’d be a bit clunky to use?

Well, that may be it for physical merchandise, but there’s one more Animal Crossing: New Leaf-related thing I’d like to mention… The Style Savvy: Trendsetters crossover clothing! That’s right, owners of the Japanese version of Style Savvy: Trendsetters will be privy to a KK Slider-themed t-shirt (for free), along with a whole outfit coordinate designed after Gracie from Animal Crossing:

I’m such a sucker for these kinds of things! I love the Gracie outfit, in particular. Would you think I was crazy if I told you I was considering buying a Japanese copy of Style Savvy: Trendsetters just for these exclusives? Okay, you’re right, that is totally crazy. Don’t worry –– I have a feeling I’ll be getting a copy of the English version in the near future, and I’m not so bad as to buy a second copy just for two in-game outfits. Promise!

Only two more days! 

Japan Envy: TokiMemo Girl’s Side Credit Card and Exclusive Events

I have to say, this is going to be my favorite Japan Envy posts in a while. Why? Because it’s about Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side-themed VISA credit cards!

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Of course, there’re credit cards for virtually everything these days, but this is the first time I’ve seen a credit card game tie-in before (feel free to point out others in the comments, if you know of any). And this isn’t just any game tie-in, but an otome game tie-in!

The perks of this card are that once you collect a certain number of points, you’ll be rewarded with various exclusive merchandise. The lowest revealed tier contains stickers featuring characters from the three games, and there’s also a 800-point option that gets you a signed illustration.

But most interestingly, only cardholders will be able to attend a certain upcoming event being held in celebration of the series’ 10th anniversary. On March 9th and 10th, cardholders will have the chance to go on a “live 2.5D” date with one of the series’ 32 different characters:

It’s still early, so there aren’t many details available on the website, but it will take place at Tokyo Disneyland and there’ll be all sorts of exciting things for fans going on, such as appearances from the voice actors and special exclusive goods for sale. 
But who cares about that –– this date thing is what’s got me really interested! Apparently, it will consist of some kind of animation sequence that actually changes depending on the things you say. Along those lines, the website is touting that it’s an event where you’re not merely watching, but actually actively participating in. I’m not sure how they’re going to go about achieving any of that without having everyone just playing copies of the various games, though… 
So, if there was a credit card available for your favorite game franchise or company (Nintendo VISA, perhaps?), would you want one? What kind of perks would you want it to have? I’ll be completely honest and admit that even though I probably wouldn’t actually attend the date event, I’d want a TokiMemo credit card solely because of the fact that it’s so adorable! 
For more information on Tokimeki Memorial: Girl’s Side, head over to my Otome Game Primer post!

Japan Envy: POKÉMON with YOU Train

Anyone who’s a fan of Pokémon probably knows that Japan has plastered the lovable critters faces in virtually every inanimate object available – including trains, school buses, and even airplanes. The upcoming POKÉMON with YOU train (yes, that capitalization is intentional), however, takes the trend a little bit further by featuring a full Pokémon-inspired interior and special play carriage with the theme of a “Pokémon forest” for rambunctious children!

Of course, these images are an artist’s interpretation and do not reflect what the final train will look like exactly, but it will probably be fairly similar to what’s pictured above and below.

Now, I can safely say that I would definitely ride the POKÉMON with YOU train if given half a chance, but I’m not really impressed with the color scheme, especially those horrid bright-colored seats in the first illustration. Yuck! 
If I were the president of The Pokémon Company (and I clearly should be), I would’ve utilized the gorgeous designs used in the Pokémon Time merchandise series exclusive to Pokémon Centers in Japan. Well, at least the outside looks pretty adorable: 

The POKÉMON with YOU train is part of the POKÉMON with YOU program, which was established as a way to spread happiness to the children of Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It will run in the Tohoku region of Japan (the Northern section of Honshu, Japan’s main island, which was most affected by the disaster last year), consist of two cars, and have 100 different Pokémon featured throughout. The first week of service, December 22nd to the 28th, will be exclusive to victims of the disaster, following that it will be open to the public for 160 days. That means it’ll still be running when I visit Japan in June! Now, if only I could find a reason to go to Tohoku and a child to bring along so I don’t come off as a total weirdo…

I wonder if the stewards will wear Pokémon-themed uniforms like the attendants on the Pokémon planes?

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