Weekly Review of Transit, Place and Culture in Anime 189

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.

Media and General Interest

Higashiji Kazuki interview
KAI-YOU published an interview with Higashiji Kazuki, who has served as art director on many P.A. Works anime series, as well as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Kon Satoshi film Paprika. The interview goes into considerable depth on the creative and technical aspects of designing anime backgrounds.

Chichibu Kokosake event
Saitama Shimbun published an article about a one day promotional event held in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture for Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda. (The Anthem of the Heart), which drew approximately 6,000 fans.

Love Live! Sunshine!!

(ラブライブ！サンシャイン!! Rabu Raibu! Sanshain)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@touyoko_com made a pilgrimage (updated post) to Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture for Episode 6.

@keihi49 made pilgrimages to Numazu for Episode 4, Episode 5. and Episode 6.

@tenohira17 made a pilgrimage to Numazu for Episode 5.

Episode 6

Fountain at the Awashima Hotel (淡島ホテル)

[Credit: @obsidiana_verde, Twitter; @keihi49, Twitter]

Awashima Jinja (淡島神社)

Mito swimming beach (三津海水浴場)

Remains of Nagahama Castle (長浜城跡)

This week, Aquors tasks itself with creating a promotional video for their school. They throw themselves into searching for places they think will convey the attractiveness of Numazu to high school students.

Numazu Sannoura Tourist Information Center (沼津三の浦観光案内所)

Mikan (蜜柑) are an orange variety and one of Numazu’s commercial products. They’ve been sneaking into most episodes prior, but now they’re out front and center.

Mito swimming beach

Numazu Station (沼津駅) south exit

Numazu Nakamise Shōtengai (沼津仲見世商店街)

Cycling up to Izu-Nagaoka Station in Izunokuni (伊豆の国), Shizuoka Prefecture. This is the first area location outside of Numazu city limits, though it’s not far to the east.

[Credit: @k_in_JolShika, Twitter]

Izu-Nagaoka Station (伊豆長岡駅)

Shōgetsu (松月) bakery/cafe in Numazu

Rikō-dōri Shōtengai (リコー通り商店街)

Mito Post Office bus stop (三津郵便局バス停)

Awashima Hotel (淡島ホテル)

[Credit: @obsidiana_verde; Twitter]

Numazu Deep Sea Aquarium (沼津港深海水族館)

[Credit: @obsidiana_verde, Twitter]

Ultimately, their emphasis on physical places and conventional tourism attractions results in an uninspiring first attempt at the video. But a newcomer to the city helps them see the significance of the entire community coming together each year to clean up the shoreline on the first day of beach season. Sometimes the software is more important than the hardware.

Mito swimming beach

Orange

(オレンジ Orenji)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@kbt_tigers1985 made a pilgrimage to Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture for Episode 5, and visited the special Orange art exhibition at Matsumoto Parco department store.

Episode 6

This week depicts Matsumoto Bonbon (松本ぼんぼん). The popular summer festival featuring many groups of bon odori (盆踊り) dancers is the largest annual event in the city.

Publicly accessible greenspace in the embankment along the Ta River (田川), near Yohashira Jinja

Yohashira Jinja (四柱神社)

Matsumoto Castle (松本城)

Agata no Mori Park (あがたの森公園)

New Game!

(ニューゲーム Nyū Gēmu)

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@626shin made a pilgrimage to Mitaka and Asagaya, Sugnimi Ward (both Tokyo Metropolis) for Episode 1 through Episode 4.

Episode 6

Shinjuku Wald 9 (新宿バルト9) cinema in Shinjuku 3-chōme (新宿3丁目), Shinjuku Ward

[Credit: @unimaru_, Twitter]

The view from the elevator is curious. They’ve shifted Takashimaya a bit north, so as to line up with the Tokyo Metropolitan Govenment Building, then dropped Shinjuku Central Park in where Shinjuku 3-chōme would be.