Tokyo-based mobile app developer Yappa started distributing the manga works of Tezuka Osamu, with a content distribution technology that the company also used to develop the Sankei Newspaper's iPhone/iPod app also uses (I mentioned the app a bit in this article).

The company publishes a new issue online every week, and each issue takes a title from his manga series including Astro Boy, Princess Knight, Three-Eyed One, Phoenix and Black Jack.

The app is available for free for the next six months, and now you can download it at the Japanese iPhone/iPod AppStore (the link to the app page).   A Windows Mobile app will be available soon.

Image (c) Tezuka Productions

See Also:

• Tezuka Osamu Weekly Magazine [J]
• Weekly Tezuka Manga Posted on Yappa's iPhone App (Anime News Network)

Tags: Cellular Phone, Community, Company, Japan, New Service, Service, Software, Trend by Masaru IKEDA
No Comments »

Fit's Dance Contest is a contest being held by Lotte, one of the biggest sweets seller in Japan, utilizing YouTube as a platform.

An example dance is provided featuring Takeru Satou and Nozomi Sasaki, a popular actress and one of the most beloved icons on Japanese Tumblr.

Rather than asking for original dances, both the song and the choreography are assigned by the contest.

Contestants will simply judged by the play count on YouTube. The winner will get 1,000,000 yen (10,000 USD) and the sweet for one year.

There are over 30 samples already uploaded on YouTube.

A choreography blog widget ("blog parts" in Japanese) is also provided.

[edited by mitcho (Michael Erlewine)]

Tags: Japan, Video by Akky Akimoto
1 Comment »