mixi, Inc. [J] has announced the termination of service for “mixi coworker’s network” and mixi video [J] on the SNS “mixi.”

Service for “Mixi coworker’s network” began in June of 2010, and it allows you to find coworkers who register their place of work at the same company as yourself.  Also, “Mixi video” is Mixi’s own video sharing function which opened in February of 2007, and it allowed users to upload videos and paste them onto their profile or diary entries.  However according to the company, because both services are falling short of their expectations for user numbers, they came to the conclusion that they should focus their attentions on other communication services and bring these to a close.  “Mixi coworker’s network” will close service on May 23rd (Thurs.), and “Mixi video” will halt new video posts from May 23rd and terminate service at the end of July.  Also, from June (planned), they will offer a service that allows download of posted video data.

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Tags: Japan, VSMedia by samueljlilly
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Asahi Broadcasting Company [J] and Smikie Inc. [J] have released an iOS game application themed on the popular TV series “Dai Kaizou!! Gekiteki Before After” (Great Remodeling!! Dramatic Before and After).  Download is free.

In this construction and management simulation game, the player becomes an artisan builder and craftsman by making home improvements and spicing it up by arranging various items around the house.  Already a title of the same name is offered for GREE [J], but it has no connection with this and is a separate game of its own.  Purchasing items requires coins, but you can raise plants to acquire them in your garden, so free play is possible.  Also it has social components where you can visit friends’ houses.

Dai Kaizou!! Gekiteki Before After [J]

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Tags: iOS, Social game, VSMedia by Chiho Komoriya
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NHN Japan, Inc. [J] has announced the broadcast of the animated TV series “LINE TOWN,” featuring popular characters from their free smartphone calling and mail application “LINE,” on Tokyo TV Channel 6, starting from Wednesday April 3rd at 6:30 PM.  This is the second time that LINE characters have been animated.

“LINE TOWN” [J] is an anime series in which Moon, Coney, Brown, James, Jessica, and Sally, the well-known characters from LINE Stamp, play out their human emotions in the setting of “Line Town.”  Already from January of this year the 5 minute short animation “LINE OFLINE ~Salary Man~” has been broadcast on Tokyo TV, but “LINE TOWN” fills a 30 minute time slot from 6:30 to 7:00 PM.  Also it is planned to be rerun on BS Japan starting from April 9th and air every week on Tuesday from 5:00 to 5:30 PM.  What’s more, the opening and ending theme are both directed by the renowned Nakagawa Shoko.

LINE [J]

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Tags: VSMedia by Chiho Komoriya
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CyberAgent, Inc. [J] has announced that the number of users of “Kiite Yo! Mirucho” (Listen Up! Mirucho), a new sensation community service for Ameba for Smartphone [J] which connects people through monologues, has topped over 500 thousand.

“Kiite Yo! Mirucho” is a community where you lightheartedly tweet whatever you want “monologues” through a Mirucho mascot character.  You can enjoy the character’s development as Miruchi grows and and evolves, passing through over 50 stages, by tweeting your thoughts and hearing other users’ monologues.  The number of users has grown to over 500 thousand in the half year since its service release in August of 2012, over 100 thousand tweets are made per day, an average of over 20 users react to each post with a “Kiita Yo” (I heard you).  As for the “social fatigue” of loosely connecting on an axis of monologues, it supports carefree communication, and as a unique community service its user base is expanding.

Also, from March 8th, they have begun to offer “Wari To Doh Demo Ii News” (relatively inconsequential news) as a new function.

Kiite Yo! Mirucho [J]
free

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Tags: Community, VSMedia by Chiho Komoriya
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CyberAgent, Inc. [J] has announced the sales of corporate advertisement products “Ameba Pigg Area Tie-Up with Matsumoto Kiyoshi” which promotes guidance and purchases at real shops, in cooperation with Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Inc. [J], via their 2D virtual space Ameba Pigg [J].

“Ameba Pigg Area Tie-Up with Matsumoto Kiyoshi” is a service which distributes free original Pigg corporate items at a limited term basis at the newly established “Matsumoto Kiyoshi Digital Shop” in the Shibuya area within Ameba Pigg, and furthermore issues coupons that allow customers to get limited original Pigg items when they purchase targeted products at Matsumoto Kiyoshi shops in the same area.  The enterprise allows for sales promotion for over the counter goods at the about 700 Matsumoto Kiyoshi shops in all of Japan simultaneously with the over 14.2 million “Ameba Pigg” users, as it can lead users who simulated products in Ameba Pigg to real shops and promote product purchases.

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Tags: Marketing, Social game, VSMedia by Chiho Komoriya
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