Welcome to this week’s review of notable instances of public transit use and urban design, as well as discussion of place identity and culture, through anime currently broadcast or screening in Japan and simulcast internationally via the web. This review also documents seichijunrei (聖地巡礼 sacred site pilgrimage) and butaitanbou (舞台探訪 scene hunting)—on this website referred to collectively as anime pilgrimage—which are forms of place-based engagement induced by the use of real locations in show settings.

Tsukimonogatari

(憑物語)

Episode 1

Back on 2014 New Year’s Eve, the latest installment of the Monogatari franchise aired in a four episode burst. I like to hold on to these for a few weeks to allow time for the butaitanbou community to chase down leads, but this time around there wasn’t too much to look at from a location standpoint. Many of the places are returnees, though there are a few interesting newcomers.

In the opening of the series, Ononoki is on Pont Neuf, the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris, France.

Monogatari is no stranger to Americana, either.

Monogatari regular Kita-Shirahebi Jinja is back for the ride. This is inspired by Igusa Hachiman-gū (井草八幡宮) in Suginami Ward, Tokyo Metropolis.

Japanese suburb texture. This has been used as the Araragi’s neighborhood since the beginning of Monogatari.

Temmabashi (天満橋), crossing the Okawa River in Osaka

As usual, we have various urban textures, completely uninhabited other than the characters in our play. This one has an American large city feel to it.

Episode 2

Episode 3

Rail infrastructure is a recurring motif. I can’t identify this as a specific location, though in previous series, stations and switchyards along the Chūō Main Line (中央本線) west of Shinjuku have commonly featured.

Our train looks an awful lot like an E233 series with a yellow or orange stripe. My money is on Chūō again.

Episode 4

As always, unnecessary pedestrian infrastructure in the middle of the forest greets visitors to the Kita-Shirahebi Jinja.

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (香港會議展覽中心)

Durarara!! X2

(デュラララ!!×2 承 Durarara!!x2 Shou)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

Episode 3

Ikebukuro (池袋), Toshima Ward, Tokyo Metropolis

Though through traffic streets thread all around the Ikebukuro central business district, the curbs have been expanded out from building fronts to create as much pedestrian space as possible.

Tokyu Hands Ikebukuro branch (東急ハンズ池袋店)

Your lie in April

(四月は君の嘘 Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@rimatai made a pilgrimage to Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture for Episode 14.

@ssslocation made a pilgrimage to Suwa Jinja in Nishi-Ōizumi, Nerima Ward for Episode 14.

Episode 14

Suwa Jinja (諏訪神社) in Nishi-Ōizumi, Nerima Ward. A blogger captured photos of a festival at the shrine in 2013 September.

The beach area, which also appeared in the OP for the first cour, is Shichirigahama (七里ヶ浜), just to the west of the Inamuragasaki (稲村ヶ崎) cape in Kamakura (鎌倉), Kanagawa Prefecture.

Protected sidewalk

Shichirigahama

Though not continuous, many sections of the Kamakura coast have a paved pedestrian promenade between National Route 134 and the beach/rocks.

Tetrapod erosion control

The Lawson comes from further east along the coast, in Sakanoshita (坂ノ下) near Hase Station.

Shirobako

(シロバコ)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@fureshima (post), @kibaichi (post), @habusan (“Field Guide“) and @ssslocation (gallery) made pilgrimages to the Chōfu Airport in Chōfu, Tokyo Metropolis for Episode 15 (previewed at end of Episode 14).

Episode 15

Chōfu Airport (調布飛行場) in Chōfu, Tokyo Metropolis

The new Musashino staff use the industry term location hunting (ロケーション・ハンティング) to describe their visit to the airfield to observe and document places and things that will inform how the studio creates artwork for their current series. When butaitanbou (舞台探訪) practitioners identify and visit the places they see in a finished work, they are reverse engineering this part of production.

Skippu-dōri Shotengai (すきっぷ通り商店街) in Musashi-Sakai, Musashino, Tokyo Metropolis

In the background is Asagaya Staion (阿佐ヶ谷駅), which straddles Asagayakita and Asagayaminami in Suginami Ward, Tokyo Metropolis. Katsuragi is standing outside the main entrance to the Asagaya Pearl Center Shōtengai (阿佐谷パールセンター商店街).

The Idol M@ster Cinderella Girls

(アイドルマスターシンデレラガールズ Aidorumasutā Shinderera Gāruzu)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@FateViVid made a pilgrimage to Shibuya (municipality), Shibuya Ward and Sangenjaya, Setagata Ward (both Tokyo Metropolis) for Episode 1.

@R_ada_cchi made a pilgrimage to Tokyo, Post 1 (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku and Kagurazaka), Post 2 (Yoyogi, Sangenjaya, Shibuya ekimae) for the OP and Episode 1.

Episode 3

Train carriage hanging advertisement

Train station (probably Shibuya) platform billboard advertisement

Shibuya ekimae

Turfed and publicly accessible river embankment (土手 dote)

Setagaya Maruyama Park (世田谷丸山公園) in Sangenjaya (三軒茶屋), Setagaya Ward

Orix Theater (オリックス劇場) in Nishi Ward, Osaka [Credit: @lidges, from Twitter]

Saekano -How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend-

(冴えない彼女（ヒロイン）の育てかた Saenai Hiroin no Sodatekata)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@FateViVid made a pilgrimage to Takada, Toshima Ward, Tokyo Metropolis for Episode 1.

Episode 2

The first third place for the series is modeled on the Komeda Kissaten, Hōya shop (コメダ珈琲店保谷店) in Fujimachi, Nishitōkyō, Tokyo Metropolis. [Credit: @ssslocation, from Twitter]

Nozokizaka (のぞき坂) in Takada (高田), Toshima Ward, Tokyo Metropolis

Shonen Hollywood -Holly Stage for 50-

(少年ハリウッド -HOLLY STAGE FOR 50-)

Episode 16

Harajuku Station (原宿駅)

The president’s latest promotional activity has Shōnen Hollywood circulating around Harajuku for “spontaneous” encounters with fans.

Takeshita-dōri (竹下通り)

Hokoten is shorthand for hokōsha tengoku (歩行者天国), lit. pedestrian paradise, when a street is closed to vehicle traffic on set days and times.

The pedestrian zone is setup on the unnamed street that runs parallel to the Yamanote Line, along the east side of Yoyogi Park.

Looking south down Meiji-dori (明治通り) from Omotesandō (表参道)

Takeshita-dōri

In this episode, hokōsha tengoku extends to Omotesandō.

In front of the Omotesandō entrance of  Harajuku Station

Tokyo Ghoul √A

(東京喰種トーキョーグール√A Tōkyō Gūru √A)

Episode 3

There is concern as to whether Hinami will be safe (from ghoul hunters) attending an event at a local bookstore alone. Anteiku staff reason that the store is just “in front of the station”, so the high visibility and activity level should make it an unlikely time and place for a strike.

Abandoned underground shopping arcade that was once part of the connecting passages for a disused subway station

Other Pilgrimage

@ye_bi_su made a pilgrimage to Uji, Kyoto Prefecture for the manga Hibike! Euphonium Kitauji Kōkō Suisōgaku-bu e Yōkoso, the source material for the next Kyoto Animation TV series, premiering 2015 April.

@cairn_07 made a pilgrimage to Hannō, Saitama Prefecture and Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo Metropolis for Yama no Susume Second Season.

@fureshima made a pilgrimage to Mount Tenran and Mount Tonosuyama in Hanno, Saitama Prefecture for Yama no Susume Second Season.

@ngwrb made a pilgrimage to the Wakasa Seaside Park in Kōtō Ward, Tokyo Metropolis for Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works.

@ye_bi_su updated his previous pilgrimage to Kyoto to include cuts from Umekōji Park for Tamako Love Story.

@fragments_sue made a pilgrimage to Fushimi Inari Taisha and Keage Station in Kyoto for Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha.

@cairn_07 made a pilgrimage to Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture for Tamayura: More Aggressive.