Yo-Kai Watch

Yo-Kai Watch

Promotional imagery for the anime
妖怪ウォッチ
(Yōkai Wotchi)
Genre Fantasy, Supernatural, Comedy
Manga
Written by Noriyuki Konishi
Published by Shogakukan
English publisher
Viz Media (Coming in September 2015)
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine CoroCoro Comic
Original run January 2013 – ongoing
Volumes 6
Game
Developer Level-5
Publisher
Genre RPG
Platform Nintendo 3DS
Released
Anime television series
Directed by Shinji Ushiro
Written by Yoichi Kato
Music by Ken'ichirō Saigō
Studio OLM
Licensed by
Network TXN (TV Tokyo), BS Japan, AT-X, Kids Station
English network
Toonami (Coming in May 2015)[5]
Original run January 8, 2014 – ongoing
Episodes Ongoing
Manga
Yokai Watch: Wakuwaku Nyanderful Days
Written by Chikako Mori
Published by Shogakukan
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Ciao
Original run February 2014 – ongoing
Volumes 1
Game
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Ganzo & Honke
Developer Level-5
Publisher Level-5
Genre RPG
Platform Nintendo 3DS
Released
  • JP July 10, 2014
Manga
4-Koma Yokai Watch: Geragera Manga Theater
Written by Coconas Rumba
Published by Shogakukan
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine CoroCoro Comic SPECIAL
Original run October 2014 – ongoing
Game
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Shin'uchi
Developer Level-5
Publisher Level-5
Genre RPG
Platform Nintendo 3DS
Released
  • JP December 13, 2014
Anime film
Yo-Kai Watch the Movie: The Secret is Created, Nyan!
Studio OLM
Licensed by
Released December 20, 2014
Game
Yo-Kai Watch Busters: Red Cat Team & White Dog Squad
Developer Level-5
Publisher Level-5
Genre RPG
Platform Nintendo 3DS
Released
  • JP July 11, 2015
Game
Yo-Kai Watch 3
Developer Level-5
Publisher Level-5
Genre RPG
Platform Nintendo 3DS
Released
  • JP July 2015
Game
Yo-Kai Three Kingdoms
Developer Level-5
Publisher Level-5
Genre RPG
Platform Nintendo 3DS
Released
  • JP August 2015

Yo-Kai Watch (妖怪ウォッチ Yōkai Wotchi, trademarked in Japan as Youkai Watch and Yokai Watch) is a series of role-playing video games developed and published by Level-5. The original game was released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan on July 11, 2013, with a set of sequels, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Ganso and Honke, released on July 10, 2014, and then an expanded version of the sequels Yo-Kai Watch 2: Shin'uchi on December 13, 2014. Nintendo is planning to publish the first game worldwide. Two manga adaptations have been produced; a shōnen manga series that began serialization in Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic from December 15, 2012, and a shōjo manga series that began serialization in Shogakukan's Ciao magazine from December 27, 2013. An anime television series produced by OLM, Inc. began airing in Japan from January 2014 and an anime film was released nationally in December 2014. In April 2015, Level-5 announced the release of Yo-Kai Watch 3 and that it would also be released in July and that the games would be released internationally, with a North American release planned for 2016.[6]

Plot

One day, whilst searching for bugs in the woods in Sakura New Town (based on Tsukuba, Ibaraki), a boy named Keita Amano (or in the video games a girl named Fumika Kodama is also an option) comes across a peculiar capsule machine next to a sacred tree. When he opens one of the capsules up, it brings forth a Yo-Kai named Whisper, who gives Keita a device known as the Yo-Kai Watch. Using this, Keita is able to identify and see various different Yo-Kai that are haunting people and causing mischief. Joined by the cat Yo-Kai Jibanyan, Keita and Whisper start making friends with all sorts of Yo-Kai, which he can summon to battle against more ill-intentioned Yo-Kai that happen to live in his town, haunting the residents and causing terrible trouble.

Gameplay

Yo-Kai Watch is a role-playing video game where the player searches around Sakura New Town for Yo-Kai using the 3DS' touchscreen. Players befriend Yo-Kai by giving them a food that they like before beginning battle, and after defeating the Yo-Kai it approaches the player character and gives them its Yo-Kai Medal, allowing it to be summoned at will. Yo-Kai can also be acquired through an in game Gasha Machine by collecting in-game coins or using Play Coins. Certain Yo-Kai are necessary for completing the game's main quest, and special rare Yo-Kai are acquired through various subquests. Yo-Kai have the capability to evolve into more powerful versions of themselves if they reach a certain level, or they can evolve by combining with particular items or other Yo-Kai. The Yo-Kai are divided amongst eight different classes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. There are also Legend Yo-Kai that can only be obtained by collecting a particular set of Yo-Kai listed in the Yo-Kai Dictionary (妖怪大辞典 Yōkai Daijiten), a compendium of the different Yo-Kai the player has encountered or befriended, and also Boss Yo-Kai that cannot be befriended in the original game, but can become the player's friends in Ganso and Honke.

When the player encounters a Yo-Kai, he enters into battle with it using six Yo-Kai that the player has befriended previously. The touchscreen is used during battles to rotate amongst the player's Yo-Kai in battle at will. It is also used either to clear up status effects on the player's Yo-Kai or to charge up the Yo-Kai's special abilities.[7]

A common in-game event is "Oni Time", where the player character enters a nightmare realm where he or she looks for treasure chests with special items in them all while trying to avoid being seen by other Yo-Kai. If spotted, the player is chased by a powerful Oni Yo-Kai that can easily wipe out the player's party unless he or she can escape. It is possible to defeat the Oni, but only if the player's Yo-Kai are particularly powerful.[8] The player can also encounter similarly powerful Namahage Yo-Kai if the player crosses the street on a red light, but the encounter may be beneficial if the player follows the rules.[9]

Players can also participate in several side quests for experience and bug-catching and fishing minigames to obtain special items.

Yo-Kai Watch 2 expands the areas to be explored with nearly 100 new Yo-Kai in the present day of the Kemamoto region and the past, where he meets traditional Yo-Kai and the predecessor to the Yo-Kai Watch.

Media

Video games

The Yo-Kai Watch video game was announced by Level-5 at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show. It was released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS on July 11, 2013.[10] As of February 2014, the game had sold over 500,000 retail copies.[11][12] In January 2014, Level-5 filed for a trademark in the United States for "Yo-Kai Watch"[13][14] and is currently gauging interest in a Western release.[15][16] On April 7, 2015, Nintendo announced that they would be publishing the game worldwide in 2016.[17]

The Data Carddass game Yo-Kai Watch: Tomodachi UkiUkipedia (妖怪ウォッチ ともだちウキウキペディア) was first location tested in late December 2013, and debuted at the Next Generation World Hobby Fair Winter 2014 before being released in early 2014. The game is played much like Bandai's other Data Carddass games, in which the player uses an interface resembling a slot machine to determine the events of a battle between 3 of the player's Yo-Kai against 3 enemy Yo-Kai, after the player sought them out on the game interface. Winning the game awards the player a card that can be used for future Tomodachi UkiUkipedia play.

A sequel, Yo-Kai Watch 2, was released in Japan on July 10, 2014 in two editions; Ganso (元祖) and Honke (本家, both can be translated as "original").[18][19] CoroCoro Comic began running a contest for readers to design a new form for the game's mascot Jibanyan that would appear in the new game as well as in the manga in CoroCoro.[20] These were revealed to be Buchinyan, a fusion of Jibanyan and Whisper available in an update to the original game (as well as adding special Komasan and Tsuchinoko partners), and Fuyunyan, a heroic Yo-Kai that is central to the plot of the games. Ganso and Honke will also feature Yo-Kai that are unobtainable in the other version, including boss characters. Other new features include Z Medals, old Medals, train travel, bike racing, climbing poles, and a "spooky red box" that causes the player to fart or rewards a special item.[21] In collaboration with Tomodachi UkiUkipedia, the arcade game will feature unique local Yo-Kai representing eight regions of Japan, that can be used in Yo-Kai Watch 2 by using a code found on the game's prize card. On December 13, 2014, a third edition of Yo-Kai Watch 2 subtitled Shin'uchi (真打, "Headliner") was released in Japan, featuring characters and scenarios not initially included in Ganso and Honke.[22][23] As of November 2014, the Ganso and Honke editions had sold a combined 2,881,810 copies.[24] The Ganso and Honke versions sold over three million copies in 2014, making it the best-selling video game in Japan in 2014.[25]

A third installment, Yo-Kai Watch 3, and a spin-off game, Yo-Kai Watch Busters, are currently in development, according to the upcoming April 2015 issue of CoroCoro. The spin-off will allow four players to cooperate in battling boss Yo-Kai.[26] Keita's story in Yo-Kai Watch 3 will take place in the United States in the fictional town of Saint Peanutsburg where Keita's family has moved. The game will feature new "American looking" Yo-Kai and introduce the new anime protagonist Inaho Misora and her partner Yo-Kai USA-pyon.[27]

Manga

Two manga adaptations based on the series have been published by Shogakukan. A shōnen manga series by Noriyuki Konishi began serialization in CoroCoro Comic from December 15, 2012. This series has been licensed by Viz Media under its Perfect Square imprint.[28] A shōjo manga series by Chikako Mori, titled Yo-Kai Watch: Wakuwaku Nyanderful Days, began serialization in Ciao magazine from December 27, 2013. A yonkoma series by Coconas Rumba, 4-Koma Yokai Watch: Geragera Manga Theater, began serialization in CoroCoro Comic SPECIAL from October 2014.

Anime

A television anime series based on the game, produced by OLM, began airing in Japan on TX Network on January 8, 2014.[29] The series currently features three opening themes and four ending themes. The opening theme for episodeas 1-36 is "Geragerapō no Uta" (ゲラゲラポーのうた, "The Hahaha Song"), episodes 37-62 alternate between "Matsuribayashi de Geragerapō" (祭り囃子でゲラゲラポー, "Festival Music Laughter") and "Hatsukoitōge de Geragerapō" (初恋峠でゲラゲラポー, "First Love's Pass Laughter), and episode 63 onwards is "Gerappo Dance Train" (ゲラッポ・ダンストレイン Gerappo Dansutorein). All opening themes are performed by King Creamsoda with lyrics written by m.o.v.e vocalist Motsu. The ending theme for episodes 1-24 is "Yōkai Taisō Dai-Ichi" (ようかい体操第一, "Yo-Kai Exercise Number One") by Dream5, the ending theme for episode 25-50 is "Dun Dun Doobie Zubah!" (ダン・ダン ドゥビ・ズバー! Dan Dan Dubi Zubā!) by Dream5 and Bully-taichō (Motsu), while the theme for episodes 51 onwards is "Idol wa Unyanya no Ken" (アイドルはウーニャニャの件, "Idols are a Matter of Ooh-Nya-Nya") by NyaKB with Tsuchinoko Panda. The TV Tokyo broadcast of episodes 48 and 49 uses "Geragerapō Hashikyoku" (ゲラゲラポー走曲) by Yo-Kai King Creamsoda (Lucky Ikeda, Dream5, and King Creamsoda) as the ending theme.

A movie Yo-Kai Watch the Movie: The Secret is Created, Nyan! (映画 妖怪ウォッチ　誕生の秘密だニャン！ Eiga Yōkai Wotchi: Tanjō no Himitsu da Nyan!) was released in Japan on December 20, 2014.[30]

Dentsu Entertainment USA is currently seeking broadcast and merchandising partners in North America for the anime.[31] At the premiere of the Yo-Kai Watch film, Level-5's president Akihiro Hino announced that the Yo-Kai Watch anime would begin broadcast internationally in 2015. He also jokingly requested Etsuko Kozakura and Tomokazu Seki, who voice Jibanyan and Whisper respectively, to "study English".[32][33] Viz Media Europe has now licensed the series in Europe, Russia, Africa and Philippines.[28]

On April 7, 2015, Level-5 unveiled a promotional video for a second season of the anime series, which will premiere in July 2015. The second season will feature a new protagonist, Inaho Misora, and a new Yo-Kai partner, USA-pyon. It will also feature a new model of the Yo-Kai Watch called the "Yo-Kai Watch U".[34]

International Broadcast

Merchandise

Various toys, such as the eponymous Yo-Kai Watch and Yo-Kai Medals, have been produced based on the series, receiving high commercial success.[35] Hasbro will release a toy line based on the series worldwide in 2016.[36]

Reception

The original Yo-Kai Watch game received a score of 36/40 from Famitsu,[37] with its sequel Yo-Kai watch 2 also scoring 36/40.[38] Yo-Kai Watch 2 has sold over 5 million units across all three of its versions.[39]

In 2014, Yo-Kai Watch‍ '​s manga in CoroCoro Comic won the 38th Kodansha Manga Award in the Best Children's Manga category.[40]

The anime movie had the highest grossing opening weekend of any Japanese film since at least 2000, making ¥1,628,893,000 (US$13.58 million).[41] As of January 6, 2015, its sixteenth day of release, the film had earned over ¥5 billion (US$42 million).[42] By the following the week, it had grossed over ¥6.5 billion (US$55 million) at the Japanese box office.[43]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Level 5 International America Teasing Yo-kai Watch And Little Battlers Experience". Siliconera. December 22, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2015-04-07.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=news&nid=3626&pageID=6
  4. ↑ "Level 5 Is Partnering With Hasbro For Yokai Watch In The West And Toys Coming 2016".
  5. ↑ "Yo-Kai Watch, BeyWarriors & More to Premiere in Toonami Asia's Anime Siege Block".
  6. ↑ "Yo-Kai Watch heading west in 2016". Made For Gaming. April 7, 2015.
  7. ↑ "One Can Only Hope Yo-Kai Watch Gets Localized in English". Gaming and Tech Network. April 15, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Can't Sleep Onis Will Chase You In Level-5's Youkai Watch". Siliconera. June 9, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Level 5's Next Major RPG Has A Number Of Areas To Explore". Siliconera. July 11, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Level-5's ghostly Pokémon-esque title Yo-Kai Watch is probably heading to 3DS | Yo-Kai Watch news | 3DS". Pocket Gamer. October 15, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Yo-Kai Watch Receiving A New Game in Japan Already - 3DS News @ Nintendo Life". Nintendolife.com. September 18, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Yo-Kai Watch Ships Over 500,000 Copies In Japan". Siliconera. February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  13. ↑ Hillier, Brenna (January 22, 2014). "Yo-Kai Watch trademark gives hope of western release for Level-5 ghost hunter". VG247. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Level-5 trademarks Yo-Kai Watch in the U.S.". Gematsu. January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Twitter / LEVEL5_IA: Between the game and the anime". Twitter.com. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Level-5 Asks If Fans Want Yo-Kai Watch in the West - News - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Nintendo To Publish Yo-kai Watch In The West In 2016". Siliconera.com. Retrieved 2015-04-07.
  18. ↑ Hillier, Brenna (September 17, 2013). "Youkai Watch follow-up announced". VG247. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Yōkai Watch 2 Game Debuts on July 10 in 2 Versions - News". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Level-5's Ghost Raising RPG, Youkai Watch, Is Already Getting A New Game". Siliconera. September 16, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  21. ↑ （志賀康紀）. "3DS「妖怪ウォッチ2 元祖／本家」個性豊かで見た目もユニークな妖怪たちが続々登場！ - GAME Watch". Game.watch.impress.co.jp. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Yokai Watch 2: Shinuchi announced". Gematsu.
  23. ↑ "First look at Yokai Watch 2: Shinuchi". Gematsu.
  24. ↑ "Japan's Video Game Rankings, November 17-23". Anime News Network. November 26, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  25. ↑ Phillips, Tom (January 7, 2015). "Japan's console market at lowest point for 24 years". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Yo-Kai Watch 3, Yo-Kai Watch Busters Games Announced". Anime News Network. March 12, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Yo-kai Watch 3 Game Announced With USA Setting". Anime News Network. April 7, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Viz Media Adds Yo-kai Watch Manga to Perfect Square Imprint - News - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2015-04-07.
  29. ↑ "Yōkai Watch TV Anime to Premiere in January". Anime News Network. November 16, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Level-5's Yo-kai Watch Games Get Film in December". Anime News Network. June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Dentsu Entertainment USA Seeks Broadcast & Merchandising Partners In The Americas". PRNewswire. April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Yo-kai Watch to Air in U.S., Europe, Other Regions Globally". Anime News Network. December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  33. ↑ "「妖怪ウォッチ」世界へ！ジバニャンはジバニャンのまま". シネマトゥデイ. December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Yo-Kai Watch Anime's 2nd Season Previewed in Video". Anime News Network. April 7, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  35. ↑ Brian Ashcraft. "Buying Japan's Most Popular Toy Was Crazy Hard". Kotaku. Gawker Media.
  36. ↑ "Hasbro to Launch Level-5's Yo-kai Watch Toy Line in 2016". Anime News Network.
  37. ↑ "Japan Review Check: Yokai Watch, New Super Luigi U". Polygon.
  38. ↑ "Famitsu Yokai Watch 2 Review Score". GoNintendo.
  39. ↑ "Yokai Watch 2 sales top five million - Gematsu". Gematsu.
  40. ↑ "Yo-kai Watch, Baby Steps Win 38th Kodansha Manga Awards". Anime News Network. May 8, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  41. ↑ "Yo-kai Watch Has Highest Opening of Any Japanese Film Since 2000". Anime News Network. December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  42. ↑ Mark Schilling (January 5, 2015). "Japan Box Office: ‘Big Hero 6′ Wins Holiday Weekend". Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  43. ↑ Gavin J. Blair (January 13, 2015). "Japan Box Office: 'Big Hero 6' Stays on Top". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved January 13, 2015.

External links