It’s only April but the sheer amount of cool collaborations we’ve seen in just one quarter of the year has been astounding. Uniqlo proves that it’s got more up its sleeve with the launch of the first Oshi no Ko x UT line of T-shirts. Training like a demon has a new meaning with Garrack’s brand new Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba smart watches. Shueisha redesigns their critically acclaimed range of history books to be illustrated by famous manga artists. And last but definitely the most unique, Honkai Star Rail partners up with Zoff for some slick new glasses.
Uniqlo Launches Its First Oshi no Ko Collection
This might be Uniqlo’s greatest anime and manga collaboration in 2024. Rep your oshi through this upcoming Oshi no Ko UT collection.
Five T-shirts will be available, two in black, two in white and one in a light blue tone. These will come in various sizes to accommodate all body shapes and types. We love the white T-shirt with Japanese writing on the chest, which translates in English to “Ai Infinite Permanence My Oshi Forever!!!” On the back of this is an iconic shot of Ai on stage with a neon pink signature on the bottom right. This heavily contrasts the black Ai T-shirt which hints much more closely at her dark side with a close up of her face.
For something cuter and perfect for spring, the light blue T-shirt is for you, with a pink and purple illustration of Ruby and Aqua when they were kids. Lastly, Yoasobi fans might want to check out the black bunny T-shirt as it includes the rabbit character that was heavily featured in the “Idol” music video.
The official release for this collection is early July. Make sure to call ahead before visiting any Uniqlo store, as start dates can vary.
These Smart Watches Will Have You Training Like a Demon (Slayer)
You might have thought you’ve seen it all, but here’s a brand new line of Demon Slayer merch that’s also quite functional. Introducing Garrack’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba smart watch. Like most health tracking devices, this watch is said to help you manage your daily exercise and health including step count, heart rate and sleep management.
The two smart watch models available are inspired by Tanjiro and Nezuko. The green version is for training and themed after Tanjiro himself while Nezuko’s is in hues of pink is for preserving sleep.
To exude Japanese quality, the watch band is made using Nishijin textile, a high-quality silk fabric from Kyoto that is commonly used for the construction of kimono and obi. For Tanjiro’s model they’ve incorporated the characteristic checkered pattern of his haori. The strap also has details from the anime such as the tsuba (‘handguard’) that Tanjiro uses as well as the one given to Tanjiro by Rengoku.
The pattern of Nezuko’s obi is used as a motif for her watch model. On the underside of the watch strap, you’ll find vine-like etchings similar to her demon mark. The strap buckle also has a bamboo design, similar to the bamboo muzzle that Nezuko wears. Both watches come in a luxurious paulownia wooden box and a serial number plate, perfect for those who will want to collect this piece of exclusive merchandise.
True to Tanjiro’s personality, his training theme means a user can tap into the “full concentration” mode and there are also breathing exercises. There’s also apparently something called “pillar training” but what kind of fitness regiment this entails, remains to be seen. For Nezuko’s sleep theme, there is more detailed data on your rest such as depth of sleep, number of times you woke up and the quality of your breathing as you slumber.
These Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba smart watches are currently retailing at ¥35,200. Find out more about them here. Pre-orders for the watches will start from 10 am on Wednesday April 24th. If you’d like to see them in person before committing, you can also find them on display at Ontime Shibuya Loft and Takashimaya in Osaka on the first floor.
Honkai: Star Rail Collaborates with Zoff
While not as expensive as a guaranteed in-game five star character, each pair of glasses will set you back ¥12,200 and comes with the set lenses. You will also receive a stunning glasses case with an elegant gold embossed logo featuring the Astral Express train and a cleaning cloth matching the character that the glasses design is inspired by.
There are four designs in total featuring the characters Kafka, Imbibitor Lunae, Acheron and Aventurine. Each have their own unique color palette to suit a range of styles and personalities. We’re a big fan of Kafka’s pair of glasses which come with an intricate spider and web pattern, true to the way her attacks appear in game. For something more subtle Imbibitor Lunae’s motif expresses the curvature of a dragon and also has some light detailing of a dragon’s mane.
Aventurine, one of the game’s newest characters, has the quirkiest design of all with a brown and teal color scheme. The front of the frame has sparkling rhinestones, alluding to a pair of dice and the ritzy nature of the world of Penacony.
Where To Pick These Honkai Glasses Up
Thankfully, you won’t need to win a 50-50 to score a pair of these. You can order them online at the Zoff official online store, the Zoff Rakuten Market store or over at the Zoff ZOZOTOWN store. Not in need of glasses and just want to check them out? Head on over to the Grand Tokyo Shibuya store from May 7th to May 19th where shop windows will be decorated with character banners, for your viewing pleasure. More info can be found on Zoff’s website.
Famous Mangaka Recreate Historical Figures in Their Style
If you’ve ever wondered what Winston Churchill or Adolf Hilter would look like in the style of Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo, well, wonder no more. This is just one of the many crossovers that we’ll see throughout the entire collection. Other noteworthy artists and styles that are featured here included Ramses II illustrated in the style of Yasuhisa Hara’s Kingdom and Napoleon by Hirohiko Araki of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure fame.
About the Series
The Educational Manga World History series is well known amongst Japanese students for being a good source of supplementary knowledge alongside what they might be using at school. According to Shueisha, it’s designed with the flow of a textbook and is suitable for daily study and in preparation for entrance exams. Other aspects of these books that make them unique is a larger focus on human drama and emotions, which is said to help students remember key elements of history that may be otherwise dry.
The relaunch of this acclaimed series of books is in conjunction with Shueisha’s 100th Anniversary Project. This also marks the first time the books have had a revamp in the last 22 years.
Will combining the artistic finesse of manga with textbooks help keep students from dozing off at school? Or perhaps the sight of Shin-ichi Sakamoto’s rendition of Gandhi will inspire them to study harder. All we know is that these covers are incredibly cool and might even be a collector’s piece down the line. Amazon Japan currently only lists the old paperback versions of these books. Check back closer to the release date if you want to pick up your own.
