imagine-nation

The 2nd feature of the great creators spreading out around the world: Indie Games Special part 2!
Indie Games become more and more exciting!!
It features on very popular games of the Dojin-Indie Games event "Digital Game Expo" which was held in Akihabara!
2 creators come at imagine-nation's studio to introduce their unique and original creations!

"FAIRY TAIL" is a fantasy battle manga which has been published on Weekly Shonen Magazine since 2006.
It is a very popular manga about friendship, comedy and tragedy!
The anime version of the manga has just started broadcasting the 3rd season!
Check out the masterpiece of the manga artist Hiro Mashima!

"Immortal Hounds" is a gun action manga based on the world of immortal human beings!
What is the truth behind the freed world from death and fear?
Find out the original and parallel world of suspense and love story!
And let's discover the unique manga artist Ryo Yasohachi who was a computer programmer before!

In the early 1990's, a game which made a huge figthing game boom: "Street Fighter II"! After 24 years, here comes the latest version "Street Figther V"!
Fans cannot wait its release which will be on February 16th in the U.S.A. and on February 18th in Europe!
Don't miss the feature of the latest version of this explosive hit game,"Street Fighter V" before its release!

A very popular manga "Wave, Listen to me.", the unique characters and the speed sense of expansion attrack the young generation fan's attention!
Although it is a manga that has been serialized since 2014, its popularity keeps spreading out because of its up tempo storyline, the main character's powerful protest and its crisp!
It features also the author, Hiroaki Samura who will tell us its feelings he puts in his work and the future development of the story!

A very popular game for smartphone in Japan, a real time RPG "Re:Monster"!
It is a game based on a novel which was published in 2012 on a free novel website and got ranked in the 1st place. It became also into a Manga on Web in 2014 and its series hit over 330,000 copies sold!
The original application depicting the process of this game production made by the publisher attracts a lot of attention of many users!

A very popular anime which made a big boom in 1997 "Digital Monster"!
It is an adventure of children who were thrown out suddenly to a different world of Digimon to go back to the real world. It has been broadcasted not only in Japan but around 60 countries! It became a big hit with 6 TV anime series until 2012 and 10 movies!
To celebrate its 15th anniversary, we will feature on "DIGIMON ADVENTURE tri. - Chapter 2 Ketsui (Determination)"!

It is a special version and recap of imagine-nation featuring Anime, Manga and Game which have been already introduced on the show!
"AJIN:DEMI-HUMAN - Compel" the anime movie that shook the world! Find out the latest information of this battle survival suspense of the high school students who has been targeted from all mankind.
And also some extra information of the "MONSTER HUNTER" series that contains action games in which the player hunts unique monsters in the wilderness "MONSTER HUNTER X "!
And find out more about the fantasy battle shonen manga "FAIRY TAIL" which has been published since 2006 on Weekly Shonen Magazine!

It is a manga which has been published in the quarterly magazine "JUMP SQ. CROWN" since summer 2015.
In 2015, it has been made into an anime by the anime studio BONES INC.
It is the feature of the 2nd season of the "Blood Blockade" which was recognized as "The powerful drawing No.1!".
A very popular SF action manga that many fans have been waiting for the 2nd season anime to come out!
Let's find out the secret of this work by visiting the author Yasuhiro Nightow's busy atelier!

The popular anime "Concrete Revolutio" has been broadcasted on TV for 3 months until December 2015. 
This one is the 2nd season which will be aired from April 6th 2016!
The anime is produced by the popular anime studio BONES INC. that has produced numerous series including "FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST", "Eureka Seven" and more...
"Concrete Revolutio" is a completely original anime by BONES INC.!
What would happen if all the heroes gather in one place! All popular characters from the Showa period in Japan are featured as an obvious homage! Find out more about this brand new hero action SF anime in our next episode!

A feature of the popular anime "Big Order" which has just started to be aired in Japan since April 15! 
It is based on the famous manga written by Sakae Esuno, the manga artist known for "Mirai Nikki". This title became into an anime even its story is not complete! It's the hottest manga and the most expected to be released worldwide! Let's find out behind the scenes! And imagine-nation will present a fast feature just after the anime's on-air!

A feature of the zombie horror manga "IGAI -THE PLAY DEAD/ALIVE-"! High school students are suddenly turning into frenzied zombies, attacking and gorging themselves upon each other's flesh. It sounds like an usual zombie story but... The school is being torn apart until suddenly... they stop. With the zombies apparently back to normal... Furthermore it is also a love comedy between the normal high school boy and his girlfriend who is already a zombie! The show will feature the zombie fanatic author Tsukasa Saimura and ask his passion about these creatures!

A feature about a free game for smartphones which has been released on April in Japan: "Heaven x Inferno"! It has been produced by one of the biggest leading mobile phone carriers NTT DOCOMO in collaboration with a game development company tri-Ace. This deep action RPG has been expected so far and the pre-registration number of people before the delivery has exceeded 13 million! imagine-nation features behind the scenes of this hottest game!

A feature about the manga "GURAZENI" which has been published on "Weekly Morning" since January 2011!
The story describes the growth of a pitcher's life with his team who is always thinking about "money". It is the hottest baseball manga for "adults"! In spite of being busy for writing the manga, Yuji Moritaka, the author and Keiji Adachi, the manga writer have accepted the interview for imagine-nation! Thorough dissection the charm of the hottest Manga GURAZENI!

Niconico Indies Game has been held 6 times since dwango's establishment in 2013. It is a popular game contest which takes place when high quality independent creations gather. The applicants for the event increase year by year. At Niconico Chokaigi 2016, which took place on April 29th and 30th at Makuhari Messe, the Niconico Indies Game booth was set. Game fans could see and experience the prize-winning games. Many people from several game companies came to inspect the venue as well!
imagine-nation features some next generation creators' original games! Find out the incredible indie games world which shows its global expansion!

A dark mystery manga that is highly supported by office workers: "KUROKOCHI"! A story about Keita Kurokochi, a bad detective, who solves violent crimes and unresolved incident which takes place in Japan, such as 300 million yen robbery. It is very unreasonable but exhilarating detective story! Richard Woo, the author who doesn't often accept to be interviewed and the manga artist Kono Koji accepted imagine-nation's coverage! 
Find out the latest information and the deep relationship between the author and the manga artist on the show.

There is a huge cat boom in Japan! So can be seen in the Manga industry also!
Most mangas describe very cute cats but there is a manga which portrays the cat in a very cool way! This time imagine-nation features "Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai", the latest manga from the famous author Hiroyuki Takei. He also wrote "Shaman King" which will be published in the U.S.A. in October. Even though he was very busy after publishing his manga in April he agreed to give us an interview. Let's find out what is behind the scene!

One of the biggest title, which has been popular for 20 years : "RESIDENT EVIL"! It is a feature about the latest game of this famous series, a battle shooting game "UMBRELLA CORPS" (PC/PS4)! This big title has been already released in the US and it will be coming up in Japan on June 23!
The movie is planned to be on screen next year! Don't miss the feature on the latest movie of this creepy monsters series!!

A special feature of the latest anime which has just started to be broadcasted in Japan since July 4th: "D.Gray-man HALLOW"!
The original manga is from "D. Gray-man" of Hoshino Katsura who became into a female manga artist from an animator.
It is a dark fantasy, one of her famous work that has been sold over than 22,500,000 copies! Even after 10 years from her last publishment, the work is so dense and dynamic! Find out the latest information about this incredible anime expected from fans around the world on imagine-nation!

After 20 years of its publishment, the youth baseball best selling novel which has been sold over than 10 million copies becomes into an anime! A great sense pitcher meets a great catcher who catches his best pitching. Even they fight strongly, they end up as the best team as "Battery" and grow together...
It is a spectacular baseball drama beyond the framework of children's literature! "Battery", the best anime coming up this summer! Check it out!

A popular 4 panel comic essay "Nordic Girl Åsa discovers the Mysteries of Japan" which has been released twice (in March and in September) last year. This year the Chinese version got released as well!
The author is from Norway! The female Nordic manga artist Åsa Ekström describes differences between Japanese and Nordic culture in 4 panel manga style! Check out behind the scenes and how she is working in Japan as a manga artist.

A popular manga which continues to be published since 2011, "Dimension W".
It is a well known SF action in Japan but it has been localized in English and it became very popular worldwide.
imagine-nation features the latest information of "Dimension W" and makes a special interview to the author Yuji Iwahara!

Idol training simulation game "THE IDOLM@STER" was on sale since the end of July as the first PS4 (PlayStation®4) dedicated software in Japan! 
This title is a pioneer of the idol boom, such as "Love Live!" and "Ensemble Stars!". So far 16 series of THE IDOLM@STER have been produced as home video games which have achieved sales of 1.2 million! It is a feature of the 17th title of the series: "THE IDOLM@STER PLATINUM STARS".

"Weekly Shonen Champion" a manga magazine which is famous from its popular titles such as "BAKI THE GRAPPLER", "Yowamushi Pedal" and more.
This time, we introduces "Prisoner Riku" which is the most momentum now in all of weekly shone namazines! It started its series from 2011. In 5 years it has published 27 volumes of manga. Hot, straight hero "Riku" is determined to jailbreak in order to prove he is innocent! 
Find out the atelier of the author in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture and check out the story of the hot guy fighting for justice!

"Ekiden" which means "road relay" started in 1917. It is an athletics sports event to celebrate the 50th anniversary for transferring the capital of Japan to Tokyo. Ekiden which is known worldwide as "road relay" was born in Japan. imagine-nation features a manga, depicting the story about a team and their work in an ekiden! The author was a runner in the "Hakone Ekiden" 30 years ago. He became a manga artist and has written a manga about ekiden. Check out this new and exhilarating youth graffiti work!

This is a special recap introducing the latest information of the manga, anime and games that we have already featured on the show! Don't miss it!

"Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai", "D.Gray-man HALLOW" and "THE IDOLM@STER PLATINUM STARS"!

"FIRE FORCE" is the latest manga by Atsushi Okubo, who is world renown for his popular manga "Soul Eater". This is a battle action manga depicting the success of the firefighters who fight with the fire monster Homura Bito. As soon as the manga was released, huge posters of it were put up everywhere in the city! It is listed as the hottest one in the Weekly Shonen Magazine!
Even though the author is extremely busy with writing the manga, he has kindly accepted to be interviewed for our show! He will also show us his studio! The manga is also being considered to be published overseas and also may be made into an anime. Don't miss this science fantasy manga!

In December 1987, the first software for a family computer was launched. 48 works came up to now and it has exceeded the total global shipments of 110 million copies!! It is the RPG game which represents Japan: "FINAL FANTASY".
This time, imagine-nation features the latest one, "FINAL FANTASY XV" dedicated for XBOX ONE ® and PS4 ® which will be released worldwide at the end of November! Before its release, the movie "KINGSGLAIVE FINAL FANTASY XV" was on screen since July! It marked a high evaluation and increased the expectation of the software! Find out more on the show!

This time imagine-nation features "Golden Gold". This greatly anticipated manga is being sold even in the largest bookstores in Tokyo!
In August 2016, it overtook "HUNTER x HUNTER" and "BERSERK" taking the first place in the famous manga ranking "Konomanga ga Sugoi"!
The story is about a middle school girls who finds a small and weird looking "God of Luck". It comically portrays everyday life with an alluring essence of horror.

"In this corner of the world" is an anime movie which will be on screen from November 12 in Japan.
The story takes place in Hiroshima Prefecture during the World War II. It describes the point of view of a young girl SUZU, who has a hard time surviving amidst the war. The director is Sunao Katase. He has previously worked as a creator in anime production with Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
"Mai Mai Miracle" is an anime movie directed by Katase in 2009. It was a long running hit movie and became famous and popular by word of mouth. He is renown worldwide and has won several awards. Check out his latest work which took him 6 years to make!

The hottest spot for "Otaku" in Japan is "Akihabara". But the hottest spot for "Fujoshi" is of course "Ikebukuro"!
This time it is a feature of this city at the east exit where is very popular and receives a lot of foreign tourists after Shibuya!
It is a special place where has created a boom like "Otome Road", "Butler cafe", "Ita bags", "BL" and more...
It is also now a hot spot where it has a lot of VR experience facilities, shops segmented by hobby taste, concept cafe, several types of events supported by Toshima city... this city keeps evolving!
The show delivers the latest information on this wonderland "Ikebukuro"!

"Personification" is a technique often seen in games' and animation's industry.
As represented by the "KANTAI Collection" and "HETALIA", personification games or anime are genres which have a lot of elements that make them very popular worldwide.
"TOUKEN RANBU", personifies Japanese "name of sword" to make a handsome character who has existed or still exists! Historical elements and individual character settings are so captivating. It is popular enough to become into a TV anime which has started broadcasting in Japan from October. Next to a "Rekijo" would it be a "Touken Joshi" as a trend? Don't miss "TOUKEN RANBU HANAMARU".

Nick and Chiaki went to make a report about "2016 Japan Vietnam Festival". It was the biggest Japanese festival in Vietnam which was held at the "23th September in Ho Chi Minh 1st Ward" from November 19(Sat) to 20(Sun). It is a big event and last year 220,000 people visited it! What kind of excitement was brought to this year's festival?
Nick and Chiaki found out not only about the event but also how Japanese pop culture is accepted and influenced the Vietnamese people.
They experienced and reported on Vietnamese pop culture spot following it's history... find out more in the show!

Following the previous episode featuring Vietnam's event, the 2nd part focuses on the problems hidden behind the prosperity of J-POP culture in Vietnam.
A report of the remarkable development with anime distributors who act vigorously to face such problems, young people who strive to make Vietnamese original manga / anime and the current situation of Cosplayers etc! A number of active approaches to develop animation and manga industry! Are the Vietnamese original ones coming soon?

"Akihabara" has become a large classic place to visit in Tokyo. From May 2011 in Akihabara, "AKIBA'S TRIP" that has been developed as a home game console's title, has sold 500,000 exclusive titles which can be said as a hit in the original series industry.
The most characteristic part of "AKIBA'S TRIP" is that the city of Akihabara was reproduced as it was, clearing various rights such as the appearance and arrangement of the building.
This time imagine-nation features "AKIBA'S BEAT" which was newly announced as an action RPG game while keeping the basic concept intact!
Find out the whole Akihabara color, including the latest information of the TV anime which will be broadcasted in January in our next episode.