Hello Kitty to Collaborate with... The Simpsons?

Crossover merchandise will celebrate momentous anniversaries for both properties.

In an announcement that is both delightful, shocking, and weird, Sanrio has announced that there will be a special crossover line of products featuring Hello Kitty and The Simpsons set to launch in 2014.

2014 is huge for both properties‒Hello Kitty is celebrating its 40th anniversary, while The Simpsons will be celebrating its 25th. According to USA Today, the collaboration between Sanrio, Inc. and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products "will target collectors with limited-edition collectibles, while offering something for all fans."

The article also quoted Sanrio president and COO Janet Hsu, who said that the line will be "a fun and unexpected take on The Simpsons' transformation within Hello Kitty's super-cute world."

No further details have been revealed yet, but the products are expected to launch in mid-2014, just in time for back to school shopping.

src: 

animenewsnetwork.com  

usatoday.com

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax Arcade Game's Gameplay Video Streamed!

Shizuo, Shana, Asuna, Kuroyukihime, Kirino, Mikoto, more fight in Sega x Dengeki Bunko crossover

Sega began streaming a new promotional video for the upcoming anime-based fighting game, Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax, on Tuesday. The trailer features six of the game's previously announced characters as they fight in the upcoming 2-D, side-scrolling fighter.

The trailer features each of the character's individual play styles as well as reveals that each of the characters is allowed a supporting character from their respective series. Leafa will support Asuna (Sword Art Online), Wilhelmina will support Shana (Shakugan no Shana), Tōma Kamijō will support Mikoto Misaka (A Certain Magical Index), Kuroneko will support Kirino Kōsaka (Oreimo), Celty will support Shizuo (Durarara!!), and Haruyuki will support Kuroyukihime (Accel World).

Publisher ASCII Media Works and game developer Sega announced Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax, their crossover 2D fighting game, last month at the Tokyo Game Show 2013 event. The game is the fourth collaboration between ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko imprint and Sega, and it marks Dengeki Bunko's 20th anniversary.

The title is a side-scrolling action game featuring such characters as Asuna from Reki Kawahara's Sword Art Online light novel series and Shana from Yashichiro Takahashi's Shakugan no Shana light novel series. The game will use a standard eight-way joystick and four buttons — A (weak attack), B (medium attack), C (strong attack), and D (support, to summon support characters). Players can also dash, back dash, and two levels of jump. A+B or A + B + down will unleash special Impact Skill attacks. Pressing A + B+ C simultaneously will expend one Blast icon for various Blast attacks.

src: animenewsnetwork.com

Kingdom Hearts III's D23 Expo Japan Game Footage Streamed!

PS4/Xbox One game previewed at this week's event

Disney Japan began streaming footage from Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts III game on Tuesday. The footage first debuted at the D23 Expo Japan event earlier in the week.

Kingdom Hearts III is slated for both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.

src: 

0taku.livedoor.biz

animenewsnetwork.com

Anpanman Manga/Anime Creator Takashi Yanase Passed Away

Anpanman manga and anime creator Takashi Yanase passed away due to heart failure in a Tokyo hospital on Sunday, October 13 at 3:08 a.m. He was 94.

Yanase gained widespread popularity when the Soreike! Anpanman television anime premiered in 1988 and became a hit — not only in Japan, but overseas as well. His superhero character Anpanman has appeared in over three dozen anime projects since then.

Yanase was not only the oldest elder statesmen in the manga world, but he was also accomplished in music. He wrote the lyrics for the late Taku Izumi's song "Te no Hira wo Taiyō ni." (Izumi composed the music for the various Soreike! Anpanman anime projects.)

Before he became a full-time manga creator, Yanase worked in the Mitsukoshi department store chain's advertising department and contributed to its wrapping paper designs and other work. He was an ardent supporter of his hometown in Kami District, Kōchi Prefecture and designed the Gomen Ekio-kun character for Tosa Kuroshio Railway's Gomen Nahari Line.

Yanase served as the head of the Japan Cartoonists Association from 2000 until last year, when he retired due to his age and health.

src:
nikkei.com
animenewsnetwork.com

pixiv.com/chio