Aniste x Chou Tokkyuu - BE@RBRICK
Anisong Station, also known as Aniste and Ani☆Sute, is a Japanese television show that focused on promoting artists that create music featured in many different anime series and anime-style games that were popular at the time. As Medicom Toy continues to broaden their catalog of BE@BRICK figures by collaborating with brands, people, and franchises, a BE@RBRICK figure featuring Anisong Station was eventually announced. This figure would later be named the “Kattobi BE@RBRICK Aniste x Chou Tokkyuu”.
Anisong Station x BE@RBRICK Collaboration Background
The collaboration between Anisong Station and Medicom Toy’s BE@RBRICK line began in 2017 with the release of Kattobi BE@RBRICK. As of early 2021, the Kattobi BE@RBRICK is the only figure that has been released through this collaborative effort.
Collaboration Planning and Launch Information
One of the first announcements of this collaboration happened on Medicom Toy’s official blog on November 23th, 2017, where the Kattobi BE@RBRICK was listed along with several other BE@RBRICK figures. This assortment of figures was all a part of a limited release and was available for pre-order through Medicom’s official online shop, Project 1/6, and C.J. Mart until December 10th of that same year. On February 20, 2018, however, the Kattobi figure would be re-released, along with some of the other figures in the previous announcement.
Kattobi BE@RBRICK Aniste x Chou Tokkyuu
This BE@RBRICK figure from Medicom Toy features a unique design created by Ryoga Funatsu, one of the hosts of Ani☆Sute. The design itself has a heavy train theme, likely alluding to the musical group he belongs to -- a boy band named Chotokkyu (localized as Bullet Train in English). The main body of the figure is white but has swirls of red, green, and blue flowing along its sides and arms. The chest of the figure also has the logo of a train and a “CAUTION” panel on it.
The figure’s head also fuses the classic bear-shaped head of BE@RBRICK figures with elements of a bullet train as well. Instead of eyes, the design of this figure opts to use windows instead. Meanwhile, the head is painted with a yellow and blue theme that runs down its back and legs. One particularly notable feature of this figure is that its head can be moved to look straight up, making it possible to have it lay down on its stomach. Doing so will greatly emphasize its train theme, as the figure also has windows lining its sides and legs. The Ani☆Sute logo is also prominently featured on the top of the figure’s head and its back, making the inspiration behind the figure clear.
- Product Name: Kattobi BE@RBRICK Aniste x Chou Tokkyuu
- Manufacturer: Medicom Toy
- Specifications: Painted and articulated plastic figure
- Height(Approx.): 70 mm
About Ani☆Sute
Ani☆Sute is a Japanese television program that aired weekly and was specifically designed for an international audience. The show originally aired from April 2017 to January 2019. Much of the show focuses on showcasing artists and musicians that have recently had music featured in currently airing anime series or other anime-style media. These artists are invited to the show and often perform their featured song on the Ani☆Sute set while the show’s hosts and narrators provide information about them and their accomplishments. The show is also hosted by two emcees: Daimao Kosaka and Ryoga. This duo often opens and closes the show, but also holds interviews with featured artists as well. Although this is a Japanese-based production, Ani☆Sute is also available with English subtitles through streaming services like Crunchyroll to make it more accessible to a worldwide audience.
About Daimao Kosaka
Kazuhito Kosaka is a comedian, entertainer, and artist that was born in Aomori, Japan on July 17th, 1973. In 1991, Kosaka made his debut as a comedian in the comedy trio known as Sokonuke Air-Line. After the group dissolved in 2003, Kosaka would form a new comedy group with another former member of Sokonuke Air-Line. This group would be named “NO BOTTOM!” (later changed to “NEW BUSHIDOU RAVERS” in 2008) and would be the point where Kosaka took up the stage name “Daimao Kosaka”.
In 2011, however, Kosaka would debut a new persona named Pico Taro. Although Daimao Kosaka and Pico Taro are the same person, Kosaka insists that they are different and that he is simply the producer for Pico Taro. Although he went essentially unrecognized outside of the Japanese audience, Pico Taro would quickly take the world by storm with his single 2016, “Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen”. The song went on to be such a hit, Kosaka was eventually asked to perform the song for an official state reception in 2017.
About Ryoga
Ryoga Funatsu, who often simply goes by Ryoga, is a Japanese dancer and celebrity that was born in Nara, Japan on October 23rd, 1994. He is a member of the boyband ground named Chotokkyu, where he acts as the leader that provides dancing and back-up vocals for the band. The band itself was formed on December 25th, 2011, and is managed by Stardust Promotion, the same group responsible for Momoiro Clover Z and several other popular groups. As a member of Chotokkyu, Ryoga also acts as a member of Ebisu Gakuen Danshi-bu (often abbreviated to EBiDAN). Aside from his activities with Stardust Promotion, Ryoga has also appeared in a select few television programs like “Tadaima, Game Jikkyochu!!”.
Related Figures
Those interested in this BE@RBRICK figure may also want to take a look at some of the other figures that Medicom Toy has to offer. Some other notable figures include a recreation of Pico Taro and characters from many popular anime series like One Piece, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Attack on Titan, and more.
Links
Kattobi BE@RBRICK Aniste x Chou Tokkyuu
BE@RBRICK Series
Pico Taro - BE@RBRICK
Attack on Titan - BE@RBRICK
BE@BRICK Label