Voice of Evangelion’s main character sad to see how often he gets left out of anime group shots

https://ift.tt/2MMIgZM Casey Baseel

”Shinji isn’t here,” reports Megumi Ogata, over and over.

Evangelion is, without question, one of the most respected, influential, and attention-commanding anime series of all time, and so you have to imagine that Megumi Ogata, the voice actress who plays Eva’s main character, teenage mecha pilot Shinji, is pretty proud of that point on her resume. Every time there’s a new Evangelion fan event or creative collaboration, it’s proof that the franchise that her character sits at the center of is not just remembered, but still being experienced and engaged with by new fans to this day.

And yet, when organizers need a splashy, eye-catching visual to promote the latest promotion, quite often Shinji is nowhere to be found.

…いない、、、 (・_・、) #エヴァ https://t.co/l5GWlj6Ioi

—
緒方恵美 (@Megumi_Ogata) May 20, 2018

“Shinji isn’t here (・_・、),” tweeted Ogata along with the above snapshot, which shows the entrance of a pachinko parlor celebrating the installation of Evangelion-themed gambling machines with what appear to be life-size murals of every other principal Eva pilot in the series…but not Shinji. A similar snub happened at 7-Eleven, which had an Evangelion clear file freebie offer last summer which included Shinji in some illustrations but none of the ones on display.

▼ “I stopped by 7-Eleven, and they’re having a new Evangelion giveaway promotion! But…once again, Shinji isn’t here (・_・、)”

#AbemaTV に向かう途中、セブンイレブンに立ち寄ったら、新しいプレゼント企画がやってた！！ でも、 …また、いない、、、 (・_・、) #エヴァ #緒方内田と夜あそび https://t.co/7ilVKwipuK

—
緒方恵美 (@Megumi_Ogata) August 13, 2018

And in perhaps the unkindest cut of all, the traveling Evangelion and Katana collection, which is making its return to Tokyo after a six year absence with a new, updated exhibit at the Shinjuku Takashimaya department store art gallery this Friday, has a beautiful illustrated flier with the Eva pilots decked out in kimono and posing with Japanese swords and daggers, once again with Shinji, of course, omitted from the group photo.

▼ “Shinji isn’t here either… (・_・、)”

また、いない、、、 (・_・、) #エヴァ https://t.co/twouna8wyn

—
緒方恵美 (@Megumi_Ogata) August 25, 2019

▼ Video preview for the Evangelion and Katana exhibition

Fans offered their sympathies to Ogata for Shinji once again being pushed out of the katana-shine spotlight, leaving comments like:

“Looks like no one told the organizers that the protagonist is Shinji.”
“I bet Kaworu and Shinji wish they could be holding a sword together…”
“So did Shinji run away after all?”
“You can almost hear Shinji saying ‘Well, I wouldn’t look cool in a kimono anyway.’”
“When you stop and think about it, it’s weird that the main character isn’t featured.”
“If you think of this as a group shot of the potential love interests that doesn’t feature the man character, that kind of thing happens a lot.”

There’s actually some profundity to the last comment, in that in a lot of anime, the intent is for the audience to see themselves in the main character, and to latch onto a side character as an object of adoration. Especially with Evangelion, Shinji is a collection of insecurities and growing pains, and many would argue it’s those who appreciate Evangelion’s heavier, more serious thematic elements who watch to follow Shinji’s narrative arc. While the rest of the cast have their own complexities as characters, they’re also given much more conventional charisma which allows for their individual cults of personality, which is why Rei is the one with her own paint color, Asuka the quickly selling lingerie, and Mari the screen time in the long-awaited trailer for the fourth, and final, Rebuild of Evangelion movie.

But in a rare case of recognition, Ogata was happy to discover that in the promotional image for the Evangelion Artwork Selection exhibition, which is being held as part of a set with the katana display, Shinji is present! …sort of.

▼ “Shinji is here! Faintly!! ヽ(；▽；)ノ

こっちにはいた！ うっすらと！！ ヽ(；▽；)ノ #エヴァ https://t.co/AYy2HTGpD8

—
緒方恵美 (@Megumi_Ogata) August 25, 2019

Congratulations Shinji, and remember, it’s OK for you to exist.

Related: Evangelion Katana and Art Work Selection official website
Source: Twitter/@Megumi_Ogata via IT Media
Top image: Evangelion Katana and Art Work Selection official website
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SoraNews24’s Seiji goes to England to find fame with the spirit of Yngwie Malmsteen

McDonald’s new mochi shiratama McFlurry’s name is a mouthful, but our taste buds want it anyway

https://ift.tt/2ZFUt4H Casey Baseel

McDonald’s isn’t entirely confident in its newest Japanese-inspired dessert, but we believe in it.

McDonald’s McFlurry frozen desserts are a great option when you feel like mixing your sweet treats. Sometimes you just can’t decide between ice cream, Oreos, or KitKats, so really the only sensible thing too is stir them together, grab a spoon, and satisfy multiple cravings at once.

For its next McFlurry, though, McDonald’s Japan is experimenting with adding in a traditional Japanese favorite: mochi. Specifically, the newest member of the McFlurry family will have shiratama, bite-sized mochi dumplings, as its star ingredient.

Next month, McDonald’s Japan will start offering the McFlurry Custard Shiratama Nokketemita, or the “McFlurry Custard that We’ve Tried Putting Shiratama On.” Honestly, we’re not sure there’s any need for the lack of confidence implied by the official name, because while shiratama McFlurries are unprecedented, shiratama themselves have a long history of going great with ice cream, like in the slightly retro Japanese dessert called cream anmitsu…

みはしは 私は決まってクリームあんみつだ！ https://t.co/KDiiiBKgGM

—
タ紀😸個人垢 (@wonimaru) August 27, 2019

…as well as in green tea ice cream parfaits and other East/West fusion desserts, to say nothing of the delicious mochi-enhanced ice creams from Haagen-Dazs.

Those of you who are budding linguists might be a little confused by McDonald’s photos, though, since “shiratama” literally means “white orb,” but the dumplings in the shiratama McFlurry are yellow. That’s because to keep them from getting too soggy or sticky, and also to make them extra-delicious, McDonald’s has given them a custard coating. Between that and the custard sauce and crunchy corn flakes, the new McFlurry promises to be a rich, satisfying indulgence, plus the color scheme has us wondering if we’ll also see shiratama added to hoped-for future revivals of the Pikachu and Gudetama McFlurries.

The McFlurry Custard Shiratama Nokketemita goes on sale September 4, priced at 320 yen (US$3), and really the only drawback we can find is that the long name seems like it’ll be kind of a pain to say, especially for people like us who plan on ordering them as frequently as possible, but we suspect that McDonald’s clerks will understand you just fine if you abbreviate your order down to just “shiratama McFlurry.”

Source, images: McDonald’s press release
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Gothic Punk Plaid Harajuku Street Style w/ Twin Tails, Putumayo Hoodie, Deorart Bow Top, Striped Socks, Hangry&Angry Backpack & Platform Boots

https://ift.tt/30Pmfx0

Easily catching our attention on the street with her plaid style is Yukachin, whom we often feature on our Harajuku street snaps.

Sporting striking red contact lenses and twin tails with plaid hair bows, Yukachin is dressed in a black double-breasted hoodie jacket with contrast plaid cuffs and ruffled trims from Putumayo, worn over a white ruffle shirt with a red plaid bow from Deorart. A matching red plaid skirt with ruffled lace trims from Putumayo, black-and-white striped thigh-high socks with bows, and a pair of black leather buckle boots with grommets and chain trims finished off her style. Her accessories – mostly from Takeshita Street – consists of hair clips, hair bows and multiple knuckle rings. In addition, she is sporting a monochrome print Hangry & Angry backpack with plaid ruffles.

Yukachin loves visual kei music and she is active on Instagram.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Tokyo Street Style

We all float down here, Kitty… Sanrio’s It movie collab is more cute than creepy

https://ift.tt/2PmWoeh Katy Kelly

Crouch too close to the sewer, and you might catch a glimpse of red…oh, it’s just her ribbon.

Kitty White lives a busier life than most little girls who just happen to resemble the animal they’re named after. There’s a running gag that Kitty, the mascot of Sanrio’s star Hello Kitty line, can’t say no to any job she’s offered: whether that’s purifying spirits, battling giant mecha, or even helping her fans get married, Kitty approaches all her jobs with gusto.

In her latest collaboration, however, we can’t help but worry she might be finally out of her depth. Is Kitty too cute to pull off a crossover with horror movie It?

▼ The basis for the collaboration is the chilling poster of Pennywise from upcoming sequel, It Chapter Two (titled It: The End for its Japanese release).

Sanrio will be inviting the monstrous clown into their own turf, the Tokyo-based theme park Puroland, as part of their yearly Halloween celebrations. In anticipation for the sequel’s nationwide release on November 1, Puroland will run a frightening collaboration of their own during 2019’s Pure Halloween Party-Kawaii Masquerade.

As for Kitty herself…well, she’s certainly looked scarier.

▼ Aww…!

There’s something about the text declaring “Hello…” in a gaudy, Chiller-esque font, right above a huge movie-style billing for Kitty herself. Presumably it’s meant to allude to the scene where Pennywise meets protagonist Bill Denborough’s brother, beckoning him into the flooded grate with a beguiling “Hi, Georgie”. Coming from Kitty, though, it just feels like a chirpy little greeting. Hi, Kitty!

The event itself promises to bring evocative photograph spots, tie-in food and special decorations, so you’ll really feel like a demented evil clown might just pop out of the scenery. Thankfully, all of the collaborative efforts look a lot more nerve-wracking in real life than the adorable, beady-eyed Kitty from the poster.

▼ The blood-red mousse cake on offer conjures up It’s classic red balloon imagery

Fans of mascots and horror will want to get their tickets quickly – Puroland is notoriously popular around Halloween time, and it’s not often you get the chance to meet a classic horror villain while surrounded by smiling Sanrio characters!

Related: Sanrio Puroland official website
Source: Puroland via Netlab Entertainment
Images: Puroland
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The top 10 Castles in Japan to visit in 2019, as ranked by TripAdvisor users

Gekkeikan releases new alcohol-free Japanese daiginjo sake

https://ift.tt/30MXRMh Oona McGee

Ever wanted to enjoy the taste of premium Japanese rice wine without the alcohol? Now you can! 

Japan has been making big strides in the non-alcoholic beer world for a number of years now, with its latest triumph being the All-Free All-Time clear beers, sold in plastic bottles for day-drinking at work.

But what about those of us who prefer the taste of something other than beer during the workday?

Finally, there’s an enticing alternative, with the announcement that well-known Kyoto-based sake maker Gekkeikan is bringing out alcohol-free premium Japanese sake!

For years, the only type of non-alcoholic “sake” on the market has been amazake, a thick, syrupy, sweet concoction made by mashing rice with koji mold. However, non-alcoholic sake that tastes like real sake is much rarer, and Gekkeikan is going all out for their new release with a version that’s said to taste like premium daiginjo.

Daiginjo is a high-end grade of sake that requires at least 50 percent of the outer rice layers to be polished away. This high-polish requirement results in a more refined product, making it the most prized variety at sake breweries throughout the country.

Gekkeikan’s new “Special Free” beverage is said to capture the same fruity taste and aroma of a premium daiginjo, only with zero alcohol and zero sugar. The drink promises a rich, full-bodied flavour, thanks to a special blend of amino acids.

▼ Plus, the new drink comes in a bottle that makes it look more like a Japanese cider than an alcoholic beverage.

Gekkeikan recommends drinking their “Special Free” in the same way you would drink a regular daiginjo, chilled and alongside dishes that pair well with rice wine.

Each 245-millilitre (8-ounce) bottle is set to retail at an open price point at stores around the country from 26 August.

Source, images: PR Times via Japaaan
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