From video game developer Sunblink and Sanrio comes Hello Kitty Island Adventure, a cozy, life sim game! The game invites players to embark on a tropical getaway where friends and adventures are always just around the corner.
Game Synopsis
When My Melody is invited to open a gift shop at Big Adventures Park, she invites Hello Kitty and friends—including you- to come for a tropical island adventure. But things go sideways upon arrival, with the friends separated, and the park found abandoned. Join forces with Hello Kitty to restore the desolate theme park to its former glory and create the ultimate island paradise!
The game will feature iconic Sanrio characters, including Kuromi, Badtz-Maru, Cinnamoroll, Chococat, and Aggretsuko! Reminiscent of games such as Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon, Hello Kitty island Adventure will allow players to custom-make their own Sanrio-style avatars. You can share gifts, complete quests, and participate in island activities to deepen your bonds with other Sanrio characters.
Spruce up cabins to attract new visitors from among Hello Kitty’s many friends. Create a stylish wardrobe, solve mysterious puzzles, cook delectable recipes, collect friendly critters and fish, and explore the island solo or with a friend to unearth the many secrets of a massive in-game world.
Join forces with Hello Kitty and her friends to restore cuteness and glory to your theme park!
“At the heart of everything we do at Sanrio are our core values of friendship, kindness, and inclusivity,” said Jill Koch, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Brand Management, and Creative at Sanrio, Inc. “In our newest game featuring Hello Kitty and friends, giving gifts, spreading kindness, and creating smiles is front-and-center. As in life, acts of kindness can engender incredible warmth and make such a positive impact on people’s lives. And since Sunblink’s mission is to create kind, collaborative, and imaginative games, we knew they were the right development partner.”
Join Kitty Hello and her friends on July 28th exclusively on the Apple Arcade. For more information, visit the official website of Hello Kitty Island Adventure here. Watch the trailer,
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Keisuke Uyama’s Bestselling Novel Love Like the Falling Petals to receive its very first English translation. The novel, initially published by Shueisha in 2017, captivated a nation with its exploration of the beauty and pain of young love, as two souls are brought together by fate, only to be torn apart by circumstance. The novel went on to receive a Netflix adaptation in 2022, starring Kento Nakajima and Honoka Matsumoto.
The novel’s English translation is provided by Terry Gallagher, cover by artist Heikala, and variant covers by LAL!ROLE and Cheseely. Its beautiful cover art is the prefect combination to this beautifully written and emotionally charged novel, which is primed to connect with a new international audience.
In our last article, we interviewed Tokyo-based artist, Heikala about their creative process creating the novel’s cover. This time, we had the wonderful opportunity to ask Keisuke Uyama himself, about his popular novel,
Krystal: This is probably a question you get asked often; however, where did the inspiration to write this novel come from?
Uyama: When I was 20 years old, I came up with the outline of a story while walking down the hallway of my university: The fate of “aging” is a fate that humans can’t stop. At that time, I came up with the general content of this work, which is a love story between a heroine who has been aging ten times faster than normal people and a young man who loves her. This is the story I hoped to write if I could become a writer one day. After about 15 years, I was finally able to write it.
K: What’s the meaning of the title? Why did you choose cherry blossoms for the cover?
Uyama: In Japan, the title is called “My Lover Like Cherry Blossoms.” Cherry blossoms are a special flower for the Japanese, and the ephemeral appearance of them, which is often scattered in a blink of an eye, is likened to life. Since that matches the content of this work, I gave it that title. However, that may be a feeling particular to Japanese people, so when I made it into a movie on Netflix, I chose “Love Like the Falling Petals,” which is easier to imagine, considering it would be seen by people all over the world. As for the cherry blossoms on the cover, I think Heikala actually read this work and depicted that world.
K: This story has no typical happy ending; why did you choose this ending?
Uyama: The lives of the characters continue even after the novel ends. How will they live after this story? I wanted to close the curtain leaving such a lingering impression. I myself still sometimes think, “What are they doing?” I would be happy if the readers would think about their future after reading this work.
K: For those who are unfamiliar with the novel, would you recommend reading the novel or watching the Netflix series, and how do these mediums differ from each other story-wise?
Uyama: That’s a tough question. As the original author, I would like to say, “I would love for you to start with the novel!” but I think that each has its merits. If you watch the movie then read the novel, you’ll get a deeper sense of the characters, such as “What were they thinking in that scene?” If you read the novel first, the characters are as you imagine them. You can enjoy your own “love like falling petals” with them. And if you read the book and then watch the movie, you will be able to enjoy the difference between the world you imagined and the world of the movie.
Support Keisuke Uyama’s Novel
To bring this new English translation of the novel, Media Do International and Clover Press are partnering together with publisher Shueisha for a Kickstarter campaign for the first-ever English publication of the book. The Kickstarter went live earlier this week, and in less than 24 hours, it reached its goal of $2,500. Kickstarter rewards for this project are still available and you can support the novel by pledging here.
Some of the rewards that are available
“At Clover Press, we’re all about trying new genres, formats, and ways to get great books that we love into people’s hands,” said Clover Press Publisher Hank Kanalz. “Love Like the Falling Petals”is no exception and is a great example of Clover Press’s plans to expand into bringing quality international material to North America.”
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The highly anticipated live-action film One Piece released its first trailer. This is a Netflix adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s acclaimed manga series; in it protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, and his crew, The Straw Hat Pirates, aim to become the king of Pirates by locating the legendary ‘one piece’. In July 2017, Weekly Shōnen Jump editor-in-chief Hiroyuki Nakano announced the production of this new adaptation of the manga series. Eiichiro Oda will serve as an educative producer on the series, with Arisu Kashiwagi serving as the creative director and designer for the show’s brand identity. Kashiwagi is responsible for designing the series’ logo and title sequence.
The upcoming Live action adaptation is set to be released on August 31st 2023, and will feature cast members, Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji
The series is set to have 10 episodes, watch the newly released trailer,
One Piece has made a cultural impact on the anime community due to its engaging storyline and characters; this is felt throughout Japan, where One Piece has its own film festival, cafes, and theme park attractions. On September 18, 2004, the One Piece anime series premiered in the U.S. on the Fox network and later on Toonami. The anime series features the voice of Colleen Clinkenbeard as Monkey D. Luffy, Sonny Strait as Usopp, Luci Christian as Nami, Eric Vale as Sanji, Brina Palencia as Chopper, and, Christopher R. Sabat as Roronoa Zoro.
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Earlier this week, we published an article about Keisuke Uyama’s upcoming English translation of his bestselling novel, Love Like The Falling Petals. For the first time ever, the popular, romance novel is receiving an English translation. Media Do International and Clover Press are partnering together with publisher Shueisha for a Kickstarter campaign for the first-ever English publication of the book. The Kickstarter went live earlier this week, and in less than 24 hours, it reached its goal of $2,500. Kickstarter rewards for this project are still available and you can support the novel by pledging here.
Interview With Heikala – Love Like The Falling Petals Cover Artist
The novel itself is known for its vibrant colors and its iconic Japanese cherry blossoms. To better explain the artistic process behind the English cover design, we got the opportunity to speak with Tokyo based artist Heikala. Originally from Finland, Heikala works from Tokyo, Japan and this is what they had to say about working on the cover of Keisuke Uyama’s very popular novel,
Krystal: After watching the Netflix series, did that influence the character design on the cover?
Heikala: I think the Netflix film had some effect on the character designs, but while I was reading the book, I also made notes of Misaki’s and Haruto’s characteristics and sketched the characters primarily according to what was written in the story of the two.
K:What was challenging about making the cover for this novel to best convey the story to anyone picking the novel for the first time?
H: I love creating artworks that have an underlying story behind them, so the challenge was to make a piece that somehow conveys the full arc of the story in the book without giving too much away.
K: I noticed that the characters on the cover are not facing the reader; why is that? Is there a special meaning to that?
H: Even when the artwork is super colorful and vibrant, conveying the feeling of budding love, the fact that the characters are facing away gives the artwork a wistful feel to it, a beautiful sadness to the moment.
To learn more about Heikala’s art process, check out their video on coloring the cover,
Process of painting the cover artwork for Keisuke Uyama’s ’Love Like the Falling Petals’ 🌸✍️ pic.twitter.com/j3z9jgcbmr
Archie’s Sonic comic series began publication in 1992 and was published by Archie Comic up until its cancellation in 2017, after a 25-year run. During its publication, many talented people worked on the Blue Blur’s comic adventure, including writer Ian Flynn.
Ian Flynn has been working in the comic industry for over 20 years, and he is the former chief writer for Sonic The Hedgehog comics since 2006. His work on Sonic The Hedeghog often collaborated with artist Tracy Yardley who began his career in Sonic comics in the same year. According to a 2006 interview, Ian Flynn was brought in by Archie Comics to serve as the Sonic comic series chief writer after the departure of the former series chief writer Ken Penders.
This is the first Sonic issue written by Ian Flynn, as well as the first one drawn by Tracy Yardley.IDW’s Sonic Comic Issue #1 Cover byTyson Hesse
Since 2006, Ian has put Sonic and the rest of the freedom fighters through wild arcs and adventures, from Mobius: 25 Years Later & Iron Dominion arcs to the Genesis Wave that saw the unexpected departure of many of the beloved Archie sonic characters. In 2018, IDW Publishing obtained licensing rights for the Sonic comic series and hired Ian as chief writer. The first IDW Sonic comic was published on April 4th, 2018, and became an instant hit among Sonic comic fans. The current sonic comic series has over 64 issues and counting.
The Original Freedom Fighters from Archie’s Sonic comics
….But wait, what happened in Archie’s Sonic comics? Where did all the characters go? Where can fans find out what happened to the Freedom Fighters? and more importantly, what happened that the Archie series had to be canceled? Find out all this and more in our interview with comic writer Ian Flynn. Join Ian and me as we speak about his time at Archie Comic, the Freedom Fighters, and his current work at IDW.
Unfortunately, SEGA did not allow us to speak about SONIC FRONTIERS.
There is a giveaway opportunity; if you’d like to participate, please visit our ‘ Giveaway section ‘ for more details on how to enter and our terms and conditions.
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Keisuke Uyama’s Bestselling Novel Love Like the Falling Petals finally comes to America with its very first English translation. The novel, initially published by Shueisha in 2017, captivated a nation with its exploration of the beauty and pain of young love, as two souls are brought together by fate, only to be torn apart by circumstance.
English Cover by Heikala
The novel became a bestseller in Japan and went on to receive a popular Netflix, live-action movie adaptation of the same name, in 2022. The film was directed by Yoshihiro Fukagawa, written by Tomoko Yoshida, and starring Kento Nakajima and Honoka Matsumoto.
The novel’s English translation is provided by Terry Gallagher, cover by artist Heikala, and variant covers by LAL!ROLE and Cheseely. Its beautiful cover art is the prefect combination to this beautifully written and emotionally charged novel, which is primed to connect with a new international audience.
Interview With Heikala – Love Like The Falling Petals Cover Artist
The novel itself is known for its vibrant colors and its iconic Japanese cherry blossoms. To better explain the artistic process behind the English cover design, we got the opportunity to speak with Tokyo based artist Heikala. Originally from Finland, Heikala works from Tokyo, Japan and this is what they had to say about working on the cover of Keisuke Uyama’s very popular novel,
Krystal: After watching the Netflix series, did that influence the character design on the cover?
Heikala: I think the Netflix film had some effect on the character designs, but while I was reading the book, I also made notes of Misaki’s and Haruto’s characteristics and sketched the characters primarily according to what was written in the story of the two.
K:What was challenging about making the cover for this novel to best convey the story to anyone picking the novel for the first time?
H: I love creating artworks that have an underlying story behind them, so the challenge was to make a piece that somehow conveys the full arc of the story in the book without giving too much away.
K: I noticed that the characters on the cover are not facing the reader; why is that? Is there a special meaning to that?
H: Even when the artwork is super colorful and vibrant, conveying the feeling of budding love, the fact that the characters are facing away gives the artwork a wistful feel to it, a beautiful sadness to the moment.
To learn more about Heikala’s art process, check out their video on coloring the cover,
Process of painting the cover artwork for Keisuke Uyama’s ’Love Like the Falling Petals’ 🌸✍️ pic.twitter.com/j3z9jgcbmr
To bring this new English translation of the novel, Media Do International and Clover Press are partnering together with publisher Shueisha for a Kickstarter campaign for the first-ever English publication of the book. The Kickstarter went live earlier this week, and in less than 24 hours, it reached its goal of $2,500. Kickstarter rewards for this project are still available and you can support the novel by pledging here.
Rewards range from the novel with a dust jacket of Heikala cover art to Tote Bags, Plastic Folders, Tenugui Towel & Calendar Prints in addition to variant covers by Cheseely & LAL!ROLE. Additional add-ons are also available!
These are just some of the available rewards.
“At Clover Press, we’re all about trying new genres, formats, and ways to get great books that we love into people’s hands,” said Clover Press Publisher Hank Kanalz. “Love Like the Falling Petals”is no exception and is a great example of Clover Press’s plans to expand into bringing quality international material to North America.”
Make to sure check out Love Like the Falling Petals on Netflix or the novel, by making a pledge on Kickstarter.
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Not many anime songs get featured anywhere other than their intended IP; however, in a rare move, Marvel included the song ‘Koinu no Carnival – From “Minute Waltz’ in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. The song was originally used in the TV anime “Classicaloid.”
Musician EHAMIC
The song was produced by vocalic producer EHAMIC for BN Pictures’ Classicaloidis, an anime series that aired on NHK E-television between 2016 and 2017. It is a comedy in which classical composers such as Beethoven and Mozart appear as “Classicaloids” in the modern age. The songs of the classical composers in the series are called “musik” in the show, and the show has gained popularity because of the collaborations by famous musicians, such as Tomoyasu Hotei for Beethoven, TSUNKU♂ for Bach, and Daisuke Asakura for Liszt.
Koinu no Carnival is the only Japanese song selected to be included in the latest Marvel movie “Guardians of the Galaxy: VOLUME 3”. The song received a great response after the film’s release and ranked No. 1 on the Spotify Viral Top 50 Global & USA Chart (as of May 12), and it also reached the Viral Top 50 in countries and regions worldwide.
The bright and light Waltz No. 6 “Minute Waltz,” originally a solo piano piece, has been arranged by EHAMIC with a samba arrangement and lots of dog barks, together with about 50 Vocaloid voices (mainly of the VOCALOID Galaco) overlapping to create a festive and fun piece.
This summer, families are invited to discover the fantastical world of ancient forests and be enchanted by the captivating adventure of Mavka, a guardian and soul of the forest, in the new CG-animated feature MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG.
About MavkaThe Forest Song
The film will make its North American debut on DVD and digital download on August 15, 2023. Distributed by Shout! Kids, in collaboration with Animagrad Animation Studio and Film.UA Group.
Ukraine-based Animagrad Animation Studio produced the film; amid the ongoing attack from Russia, the filmmaking process for MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG was arduous and hindered by continuous armed bombardment, gunfire, unrest, and massive property destruction onsite. As reported by Variety, the MAVKA production team “continued to work from their homes and from bomb shelters. Some fled to Europe and continued to work on the ambitious animated project remotely.”
The film is based on the Ukrainian drama “The Forest Song” by celebrated poet and author Lesya Ukrainka, MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG. The story unfolds in a universe that blends ancient Slavic traditions and folklore with a modern narrative that showcases Ukrainian culture, values, designs, and music.
The film’s soundtrack is composed by Dario Vero, known for The Stolen Princess, and boasts a rousing soundtrack written by well-known Ukrainian musicians, a mix of folk tunes in modern adaptations, and compositions created especially for this animated adventure. The film delivers an engaging storyline and memorable characters, this uplifting and colorful animated fairytale is bolstered by a strong young female lead character, fascinating folklores, and the relevant theme of environmental conservation.
Director Oleg Malamuzh
Director Oleg Malamuzh and Sasha Ruban direct the English-language movie. The movie features a talented voice cast of Laurie Hymes (Lupin III: The First), Eddy Lee (Your Name), Sarah Natochenny (Pokemon Master Journeys), Tom Wayland (Pokemon), Marc Thompson (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Scottie Ray (Zane Truesdale), HD Quinn (A Night Before Christmas), Nikki Thomas (Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous), Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld (Pokemon), and Mike Pollock (A Cat in Paris).
MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG is available for pre-order now at Amazon.com and will be available in stores, other fine retailers, and digital entertainment platforms.
Movie Synopsis
Mavka – the soul of the forest – has been chosen by the supreme spirits to become the forest’s new guardian. But when she meets a talented human musician named Lucas – a man on the hunt for a mysterious tree with the power to give life, she is faced with an impossible choice between her newfound love and her duty to the spirits. Can humans and the forest live in harmony, or will greed and vice destroy them both?
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Celebrating its 15th anniversary, producer and distributor of award-winning and artist-driven animation GKIDS announced the limited theatrical release of Keiichi Hara’s newest film, LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR.
KEIICHI HARA’S LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR
The film is directed by Keiichi Hara known for Miss Hokusai, Colorful, & The Wonderland. The film features animation from the lauded A-1 Pictures, and is adapted from the beloved novel of the same name by Mizuki Tsujimura. The film is set to screen in select theaters nationwide on June 21 and 22nd only.
Lonely in the Castle ENG KeyartLonely in the Castle Author, Mizuki Tsujimura.
The film held its International Premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, making it the first time a Japanese animated feature was selected for the festival. Additionally, had its US premiere at the New York International Children’s Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, and was a box office hit during its domestic release in Japan in December 2022, grossing over one billion yen (approx. 7.3 million USD).
Keiichi Hara in 2011 at the Salón del Manga in Barcelona, Spain | (C) Mutari
Director Keiichi Hara has worked with various past collaborators on the project, including screenwriter Miho Maruo and composer Harumi Fuuki who also worked on Miss Hokusai & The Wonderland, in addition to acclaimed artist Ilya Kuvshinov (The Wonderland) for visual concept and castle designs.
In Theaters Nationwide
GKIDS will release LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR theatrically in both its original Japanese language with an all-new English dubbed version in select theaters nationwide on June 21 and 22nd, tickets are now on sale here. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for Keiichi Hara’s films, including his previous features Summer Days with Coo (2007) and Miss Hokusai (2015).
Film Synopsis
Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.
Learn more about on the official website, LonelyCastleMovie.com. You canread the novel by Mizuki Tsujimura here or listen to it in audiobook. Lonely Castle in the Mirror, by Mizuki Tsujimura is a heartfelt drama about the pains of growing up and the unlikely bonds that can bring people together.
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To celebrate the union of The Justice League and RWBY, Warner Bros. hosted the world premiere of the first ever collaboration between The Justice League & anime inspired series, RWBY at this year’s WonderCon!
A post-screening panel was headlined by the voice talent of Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and RWBY’s long-running cast – Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle (RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (The Detective is Already Dead) as Blake, and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang – alongside Jeannie Tirado (Soul, Saints Row) as Green Lantern, and Tru Valentino (The Rookie, The Cuphead Show!) as Cyborg.
Also included on the panel are producer/director Kerry Shawcross (RWBY franchise) and screenwriter Meghan Fitzmartin. Watch the FULL panel below,
Film Synopsis
Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One finds the Justice League facing off against a new horror: adolescence! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern and Vixen are surprised to find that not only have they materialized on a strange world called Remnant, but they’ve also been transformed into teenagers. Meanwhile, the heroes of Remnant – Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang – find their world has been mysteriously altered. Can the combined forces of the Justice League and Team RWBY return Remnant to normal before a superpowered Grimm destroys everything they know?
Release Date
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Rooster Teeth Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One, available to purchase Digitally and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray on April 25, 2023. Available to preorder on Amazon:
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