The fourth movie in the *Persona 3 the Movie* series which began in November 2013 and is based on the popular *Persona 3* video game will finally be released on Jan. 23, 2016.
Having first been born as a video game in 2009, then adapted into a TV anime, a theatrical anime, a manga, novel, and even a stage play, *Steins;Gate* has been developed across a mix of media. Five years since its birth, there are no signs of its popularity slowing.
A limited-time shop will be opening for *Bungo Stray Dogs*, just announced to be becoming an anime. The shop will be open in Shinjuku Marui Annex from Aug. 29 to Sept. 16.
Ume Aoki will hold her first solo exhibit this fall at the Mori Art Museum in Ueno, Tokyo. The “Ume Aoki Exhibition” will run for 10 days, from Oct. 3–12.
Based on Masamune Shirow’s *Ghost in the Shell* series, the first key visual to the stage play *Ghost in the Shell: Ghost is Alive* has been released. The visual puts the focus on Motoko Kusanagi played by Kaede Aono.
On Aug. 23, maids and cosplayers gathered in Akihabara for a water sprinkling event, Uchimizu Musume Daishugō!! 2015, bringing some relief from the hot summer weather.
Have you heard of a toy called *kendama*? A *kendama* is a toy made up of a cross-shaped sword (ken), and an open hole for the ball (tama). Stabbing the ball with the pointy bit of the sword and getting the ball in the hole - it’s difficult, but that’s why it’s so much fun.
Western Japan’s largest manga and anime trade show, the Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair 2015, also called Kyomaf for short, will be held in Kyoto for two days, Sept. 19 and 20.
Since July 24, the “The Boy and the Beast Exhibit” at Shibuya Hikarie in Tokyo has been a huge success. By Aug. 16, 24 days after it opened, over 50,000 people had visited. Continuing from that exhibit in Shibuya, it will tour to Osaka.
Exclusive Blu-ray and DVD box sets for the legendary ‘90s anime *Neon Genesis Evangelion* will be released on Aug. 26. This special anniversary release will be celebrated with an exhibit at Parco Gallery X in Shibuya.
Comic Market 88, the world’s largest doujinshi event, was held from Aug. 14–16. This year’s Comiket, as it’s lovingly referred to, brought in approximately 550,000 people over three days.
The latest video is…a high school girl stressing out in a bathroom stall? The music video for the opening theme to *Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace*, “Speed to Masatsu” (Speed and Friction), has now been released.
The retail site SuperGroupies, which sells apparel and has held collaborations with many anime, is now holding a collaboration with the popular series *Gintama*.
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