4.29.2014

Mobile game of Crayon Shin-chan is cute! but unfortunately it's released only in Japan

Bushiroad released a mobile game of Crayon Shin-chan of popular Manga/Anime developed by Applica late last week.

Crayon Shin-chan is a Japanese popular Manga/Anime started in 1990. It follows the adventures of the five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin-chan" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, dog, neighbours, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture. Particularly, anime is very popular, the movies are produced  every year from 1993, and they are appreciated from adults. Now, they were exported to other Asian countries, and the copyright trial occurred in China and Korea. (via Wikipedia)



A theme song of this year's movies is Japanese POP star Kyary Pamyupamyu!

Unexpectedly this is the first time that a game for smartphones of Crayon Shin-chan was released.



This is a simple running action game. While Shin-chan run and collects sweets in Kasukabe city where sweets were scattered by a mystery UFO. Various obstacles appear to stages, and a game is over when Shin-chan conflicts with them.


Players can win medals whenever they finish a play, and play Gacha of cos-play clothes using them. They are very cute and have various special effects. Furthermore, they can play Gacha of rarer cos-play clothes when they purchase a gold balls for real money.


I use a robot suit now. This is a tie-up item of this year's movie, and was distributed for free with a limitation of 50,000 in commemoration of the release of the game.

This does not have the particularly new element. However, anyway this is cute. BGM, graphic design, UI, texts, etc...all of them reproduce the atmosphere of the anime faithfully. I think the most important element is a voice. Japanese game industry utilize voice actors. In Japan, voice actor is a popular job and their voices are very popular among fans, too. In mobile games, it's an important element for acquisition of active users. In this game, Shin-chan talks like anime. His unique tone is impressive.


I think that it's accepted even if this is released in other Asian countries. However, unfortunately it's released only in Japan now. Official site is here.

4.28.2014

GungHo and Square Enix released the arcade game of the Puzzle and Dragons

Now, Puzzle and Dragons is in everywhere in Japan. GungHo and Square Enix released an arcade game version of popular mobile game Puzzle and Dragons "Puzzle and Dragons Battle Tournament" last week. 1 play is 100 yen.





The basics of the game of this do not have many changes from a mobile version. Players fight against enemies with a puzzle, gets monsters and characters and bring them up.




However, the new elements are added.


Players can choose avatars of their own. There are eight kinds and of course can customize them.

And this is the most important element. Players can battle with other players in Japan on real time.

In an arcade game, how do players save data? Japan has IC card "NESiCA" of exclusive use of the arcade games.


Players can save their avatar data, battle data, deck data and story data using this. Furthermore, they can get a privilege in conjunction with Puzzle and Dragons of the mobile version using this.

GungHo and Square Enix magnify setting shops of this from now on.

4.24.2014

The Japanese personifies everything, even samurai swords

I wrote about Japanese sea fight simulation game Kan-Colle(艦これ) for PC Web browsers until now.

See Also:
"Kan Colle" --- simulation game that personified battleships of the Japanese empire navy as girls

This is the game that personified battleships of the Japanese empire navy in cute girls, and became very popular.

Would DeNA be influenced by it? They announced such a new mobile game last week. They accept the pre-registration now.


The title is "Youtou Arashi to Fubuki -Sword of Twins-(妖刀 あらしとふぶき -Sword of Twins-)". Youtou(妖刀) means mysterious sword in Japanese. In this game, the brother of Arashi and Fubuki fights against Youkai(妖怪: Japanese monstrous being) while collecting various swords.


The swords which existed in Japan become fairies and appear. For example...

Futsunomitama(布都御魂)
A holly sword that Takemikazuchi(建御雷神:Thunder-God) used in a Japanese mythology.

Real sword is this. (This is a copy reproduced in the Meiji era) This is enshrined in Isonokami Shrine(石上神宮) now.

Nikkousukezane(日光助真)
A sword of Ieyasu Tokugawa (徳川 家康), the Tokugawa clan samurai warrior and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.

Real sword is this. This is enshrined in Nikko-Tosho-gu(日光東照宮) now.

Tenkoumaru(天光丸)
A sword of Minamoto no Yoshiie(源義家), the Minamoto clan samurai warrior of the late Heian period.

Real sword is this. This is enshrined in Tsuboi-Hachiman-gu(壷井八幡宮) now.

Shichiseiken(七星剣:Seven star sword)
Straight swords which were made based on Chinese Taoism. The feature is that Big Dipper is engraved. Originally they were swords for ceremonies of ancient China, but made some in Japan, and saved at temples and museums now.

One of them. This is a sword of ancient Japanese politician Prince Shotoku(聖徳太子).

Ichigohitofuri(一期一振)
A sword of Hideyoshi Toyotomi(豊臣秀吉), the feudal lord, politician and samurai warrior of Sengoku period(The Middle Ages in Japan).

Now, the Japanese emperor has it and it's not shown openly. However, we can buy its imitation in Amazon.co.jp.

Many sword-girls appear for a game as well as these and we can check them in teaser site. Unfortunately all of they are written in Japanese. I do not know whether this game is released in foreign countries except Japan. Will this attract overseas users like Kan-Colle?

4.23.2014

King established a Japanese branch in Tokyo at last

King.com established Japanese branch King Japan in Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo. General Manager is Ken Edahiro(枝廣憲). He was CMO of gloops of the Japanese mobile game developer. They start a job offer of CTO, CMO and producer in Tokyo at once.

via https://www.bizreach.jp/content/executive/king_japan_candy/

Candy Crush Saga is popular in Japan. Therefore King broadcasts Japan's original TVCM.



They promote Japan's original ad development more triggered by having established King Japan. They opened a Japanese page of Candy Crush Saga, Twitter account and Facebook page in the beginning.

Supercell attacks in Shibuya

Finland's mobile game developer Supercell was purchased by Japan's GungHo and SoftBank last year. Since then they were active for a Web ad and mobile ad of Clash of Clans and Hay Day in Japan. However, they began the notice of the real ad at Shibuya Station, Tokyo at last. You can watch this in Yamanote Line area of Shibuya Station until April 27.

"Build, Guard, Battle, Addict!"

In addition, they install a special booth in SoftBank Shop Shibuya from April 25 - May 30.

Visitors can play Clash of Clans and Hay Day, and get those stickers here. Furthermore, various goods are presented to the people who changed a mobile model at here during this period.

By the way, game conference OGC 2014 is held tomorrow in Akihabara, and Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen performs a commemorative speech of the 10th anniversary of OGC.

4.20.2014

Real cafe of mobile romance sim for women


Japanese mobile game contents company Cybird opened a time-limited cafe of their mobile romance sim in shopping building SoLaDo Harajuku.


They run the romance sim for women "Ikemen" series, and they have 7 million users. (Ikemen means handsome men in Japanese)





Other movies are here






The name of the cafe was "Koi ga hajimaru cafe"(cafe of love begins) and opened from March 21 - April 20. Originally SoLaDo is a shopping building optimized for girls, but there became the place more optimized for girls by collaboration with Cybird. Life-sized panels of characters are set up to a cafe, drinks which featured romance sims were contributed, and coasters of the original design of characters were presented to visitors who ordered drinks. When I went there, 100% of visitors were girls.

In addition, they will hold the fan meeting event tomorrow here.


4.11.2014

Nameko collaborated with Demon Kakka of the coolest heavy metal singer in Japan

The most popular mobile game in Japan "Nameko Saibai Kit(なめこ栽培キット:Mushroom Garden)" series held a fan meeting event last week in Tokyo. Unexpectedly this is the first time that they held a fan meeting event.

This is its poster. Demon Nameko stands next to Nameko. Well, this expresses the special guest of this event.

Yes! He is Demon Kakka(デーモン閣下)! (閣下:"Kakka" means "Excellency" in Japanese) the coolest heavy metal singer in Japan! He was the frontman of the legendary Japanese heavy metal band Seikima-II(聖飢魔II), and is known for always working entirely in character. In addition, he active as entertainer, journalist and Sumo commentator. (via Wiki). It is a digression, I'm a metal heads since the days of a primary schoolchild, and huge fan of Seikima-II. Because when I knew the holding of this event, I thought that this was just an event for me! :)

*Seikima-II...Japanese heavy metal band formed in 1982. A group of "Akuma" (devils), from the futuristic hyper-evolved dimension "Makai" ("demon world"), that are preaching a religion, in order to propagate Satan through the use of heavy metal music. Each member is a demon of a different hierarchical class, with His Excellency Demon Kogure being leader of the "Akuma" and His Majesty Damian Hamada being the "Crown Prince of Hell". In accordance to the prophecy and after completing their world conquest, the band disbanded at the end of the century on December 31, 1999 at 23:59:59. (Via Wiki)

Nameko and heavy metal? This is not a funny combination. Nameko released the second music CD "Nameko no CD 2(なめこのCD 2: CD of Nameko vol.2)" in the end of last year. Demon Kakka sang "Jigoku no Nameko no Uta(地獄のなめこのうた: Nameko's song in the hell)" in that. This event was related to it.


This CD was sold before the event start. It was very popular, and Nameko fans made a line to about 100 meters to buy this. Of course I bought it, too.

The members who gathered for an event were slightly strange. Big seven Namekos, heavy metal singer of a white face, young women, metal heads, small children and their parents…. Demon Kakka said, "There is a peaceful atmosphere. I have not experienced the event of such an atmosphere". Such a strange mobile game event will not have an example worldwide :)

Demon Kakka talked about "Jigoku no Nameko no Uta". This is a heavy metal arrangement version of "Nameko no Uta(なめこのうた: Nameko's Song).

Nameko no Uta

It's a cute song. Luke Takamura which was band mate on Demon Kakka in former guitarists of Seikima-II arranged this in a hot heavy metal number. Furthermore, his current band CANTA played this. The drummer of CANTA is Raiden Yuzawa of former drummer of Seikima-II. In other words, three former members of Seikima-II gathered through Nameko. This is the first time that they collaborated after they dissolved a band. Demon Kakka said, "The high tone shout of this was the most difficult in my 30 years music career. Because I recorded it many times again." "The band has very superior technique, too. They are the strongest trio band. Not only my song but also they are splendid. This is a precious example musically."


By this event, a music video of "Jigoku no Nameko no Uta" was showed to the public first.



Hell yeah!!! \m/



By the way, Nameko Saibai Kit releases newer game apps this month. The title is " Neo Nameko Saibai Kit". Demon Kakka played the demo version, and looked very happy. (The left man is Cardboard Nameko. He is evangelist of Nameko and continues sending charm of Nameko every day)


Finally a dance lesson of Nameko was carried out for small children. Dance lesson for children after loud heavy metal? However, fans enjoyed it naturally.

I wish heartily this topic is shared by metal heads and mobile game industry of the world.