No one, including his family and his publisher, has seen or been in contact with Usui since he left on Friday. Police in his hometown of Kasukabe, Saitama, have launched a search effort, and it has already expanded to other prefectures.

“Crayon Shin-chan” has become an iconic character around the world. The manga began serialization in 1990 in Futabasha’s Weekly Manga Action, but it later moved to the magazine Manga Town. “Crayon Shin-chan” has also been on television as an anime series since 1992, with a feature-length film released every year since 1993.

Digital manga, that’s manga sold and viewed on mobile phones, sales are improving over in Japan with the market recording sales near $345 million, which is up 43% since 2007. However, the book and magazine market is still declining.

So what’s the most popular manga genre for mobile phones? Josei, romance comics for adult women, often with sexual content.

The limitation of screen size is hampering wider adoption in Japan, according to the report. Adoption in the U.S. is limited by the mobile devices available and the network, but the iPhone is providing an initial platform here for a rapidly growing first market for digital comic content.

Image and news source: ICv2

Erina Mano, from Hello! Project, has been chosen to play a role based on the iconic Sanrio character Hello Kitty in an upcoming theatrical production. This will be Mano’s first time acting and starring in a play.

Titled Koisuru Hello Kitty, the play is described as a “school love comedy” that deals with romance and friendship. The main character is a Hello Kitty doll that turns into a human, portrayed by Mano.

“Koisuru Hello Kitty” will be performed at the Aoyama Round Theatre in Tokyo this November.

Source: tokyograph

Yuri Ebihara, also known as Ebi-chan, was in Hong Kong to promote her “f*ing MOTESTO” line of stockings, an item which led to a rise in Chinese interest in the popular model after they went on sale in Shanghai last year.

This would be Ebi-chan’s second take at the emerging Chinese market. She attended several events at JET STORE, a fashion building, over the weekend to promote her stockings. Although she greeted the attendees in Cantonese, many fans responded in Japanese saying “We love you!” and “You’re the best Ebi-chan!”

Source: Japan Today

The BS Fuji TV show, Suppin College – Supi Curry created by female university students, held an event at Fuji TV’s Odaiba headquarters, featuring surprise guests Cunning Takeyama, Megumi Yasu, and Daigo. The trio performed on BS Fuji as Cunning Daiyasu ☆ Yoshii followed by a yukata fashion show featuring 21 students.

Daigo performed his trademark crossed-hand “Wish!” move together with the students, who afterward commented how happy they were that they got to do “Wish!” together with him.

Source: Japan Today

You’re probably tired of hearing anything about the full-scale Gundam. That’s cool. How about hearing, or in your case reading, some news about Testujin 28, or Gigantor. Okay, maybe that’s old news. But it’s not that old.

Looks like Japan is aiming to have the life-size Gigantor to be completed by October. Just like the full-scale Gundam, the life-size Gigantor will stand tall at 18 meter (close to 60 feet or 5 stories tall).

Check out the video below.

Source: Anime Vice