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Is Yo Kai Watch An Anime

Why It’s Not Just Pokmon

Yo-kai Watch 3: Sushi And Tempura Japanese Trailer | Anime Games 2016 – 3DS

Sounds like Pokémon, right? But it’s not precisely the same. The game’s theme is the key difference. If you understand a little bit about Japanese culture, that difference is significant.

Unlike Pokémon, the game is set in the real world; lurking in that world are spirits called ykai, which are invisible to the naked eye. As the main character, you’ll be gifted with a watch that lets you see and capture these spirits. Aside from the funky watch, the concept actually directly derives from Japanese folklore.

In Japan, you can buy your own Yo-Kai Watch from Bandai

This is how the official press release announcing the comic’s U.S. publication puts it: “Yo-kai, inspired by the;yokai;of Japanese folklore, are not ghosts or monsters or creatures. They can’t be seen by the human eye, but theyre everywhere, and whether they’re phantoms or everyday objects discovering their higher purpose, Yo-kai personalities are distinctly humanlike!”

Yo-Kai Watch 2

As far as the game itself — yeah, it does look rather similar to Pokémon in execution. But we all know that subtle changes to mechanics, theme, and feel often result in extremely different games; Level-5 has a lot of experience in the RPG genre and has, no doubt, put its own twists on the JRPG format.

This video, produced by the developer Level-5, should give you an idea what the first game in the series is like — even if it’s in Japanese.

Or Maybe It’s All Because Of This Video

Who really knows what makes for a successful franchise? For all we know, this video is the root of everything:

Of course, that’s obviously not true — but at the very least, it illustrates that the franchise has its heart in mainstream Japanese pop culture, rather than being a niche phenomenon, which goes a little ways toward explaining its success.

What The Heck Is Yo

Yesterday, Nintendo announced that it’s bringing Yo-Kai Watch, Japan’s latest blockbuster portable game franchise, West. The games put you in the shoes of a young boy or girl who controls spirits known as ykai in RPG-style battles.

The series has been a smash in Japan, where it’s sold in the millions; it’s spawned an animated TV series, a movie, comics, and piles and piles of toys. But what is it? Who makes it? And now that the game, show, comic, and toys are set to be released globally, what are its chances of Western success?

Read on.

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Third Game And Discontinuation In North America

The third game bought back the original cast from the first two seasons and the first two games, while Griffin Burns would reprise his role as Nate one final time.

Nathan Adams has moved from the upstate American city of Springdale to the southern town of BBQ after his father was transferred . The Yo-kai around BBQ have corresponding American looks and abilities. Unlike the first two games, the player is not given the choice to select between Adams and an equivalent female protagonist, Katie Forester.

Meanwhile, back in Springdale, which served as the setting for the first two games, Hailey Anne Thomas is now a playable character who has formed a ykai detective team. The third game only sold around 4,000 copies in the west, due to its rarity and many stores in North America only receiving two or three copies.

When I first reviewed the game I later found out that the original cast from the first two games and the first two seasons reprised their roles one final time instead of the whole season 3 cast.

And the reason why the Yo-kai Watch franchise failed in North America? Heres why:

The anime series faced a decline in viewership of the show, with the increase of recurring scrappy characters, toilet humor, the derailment of several popular Yo-kai from the games, Flanderization of several characters, and, in the case of the English dub, replacing the entire voice cast due to said budgeting issues.

Besides The Main Game What Else

yo kai watch el anime se estrena el 9 de mayo en boing

Of course, a franchise with this popularity can only expand. Yesterday, Level-5 held an event in Tokyo to show off its upcoming lineup; besides the Western release of the original Yo-Kai Watch , the company also announced three more Yo-Kai Watch games for the 3DS.

The first is, of course, Yo-Kai Watch 3, which is set in the U.S. and which stars the punningly named ykai“USApyon,” shown above.

Then there’sYo-Kai Watch Busters, an online multiplayer iteration of the franchise, and finally Yo-Kai Watch: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a Koei Tecmo-developed crossover with the venerable strategy game franchise. There are, of course, a couple of mobile spinoffs in the works, too: an encyclopedia of the series’ykai and a puzzle game.

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Studies On Comic Theory

The phenomena connected with and that which provokes it have been carefully investigated by psychologists. They agree the predominant characteristics are incongruity or contrast in the object and shock or emotional seizure on the part of the subject. It has also been held that the feeling of superiority is an essential factor: thus speaks of laughter as a “sudden glory”. Modern investigators have paid much attention to the origin both of laughter and of smiling, as well as the development of the “play instinct” and its emotional expression.

said that “One excellent test of the civilization of a country … I take to be the flourishing of the Comic idea and Comedy, and the test of true Comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter.” Laughter is said to be the cure for being sick. Studies show that people who laugh more often get sick less.

Comedy may be divided into multiple based on the source of humor, the method of delivery, and the context in which it is delivered. The different forms of comedy often overlap, and most comedy can fit into multiple genres. Some of the subgenres of comedy are , , , and .

Some comedy apes certain cultural forms: for instance, parody and often imitate the conventions of the genre they are parodying or satirizing. For example, in the United States, parodies of newspapers and television news include , and ; in Australia, shows such as ,, and perform the same role.

Uncharted : A Thief’s End

“A leap ahead of its predecessor” –

Dice/EA

“An exhilarating journey to hell and back” –

Bethesda / iD

“Easily the most impressive visuals on the PlayStation 4” –

Insomniac Games

“Does for time what Portal did for physics” –

Remedy Entertainment

“A wild beast begging to be tamed” –

Bandai Namco

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Who Made This Game

We have good reason to expect the game itself is solid: Yo-Kai Watch was made by Level-5, developer behind well-known franchises Professor Layton and Inazuma Eleven, as well as Ni no Kuni and Fantasy Life, two well-liked RPGs from the PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo 3DS, respectively. The company has a history that stretches back to the early PlayStation 2 days, and has a number of notable critical and commercial successes under its belt.

Ni no Kuni

Nintendo will be publishing the game in the West. It has had a close relationship with Level-5 for years — having published Professor Layton, Inazuma Eleven, and Fantasy Life outside Japan.

Lets Talk About The Rise & Fall Of Yo

Yo-Kai Watch Season 2 episode 50

Yo-Kai were everywhere, caused you problems and messed up your hair…

On April 29th, 2016 Yo-Kai Watch made its European debut with the release of Yo-Kai Watch 1 on the Nintendo 3DS. With this, Yo-Kai Watch was now a global franchise. A monster collecting JRPG like Pokémon, Digimon and Fossil Fighters, the expectations of the series was high. The series was doing quite well in its native Japan were its popularity exploded around the same time as Yo-Kai Watch 2 hit shelves. Its popularity rivalled, and at points even exceeded, that of Pokémon which resulted in headlines such as Yokai Watch Could be the Next Pokémon. Fast forward to the present and the franchise is in hibernation. Its merchandise is in dollar-stores, the anime didnt even finish its run in the west and Yo-Kai Watch 4 localization is in limbo.How could this franchise that looked so promising is barely limping along over 5 years later?Lets dive in.

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Is It Any Good

This anime series takes a surprisingly intuitive and visual approach to exploring emotions, even if the whole unseen-forces-controlling-people’s-actions angle is a bit disconcerting for younger kids. Viewers can see the Yo-Kai causing the ruckus even if the characters can’t , and each one’s appearance directly relates to the specific mood it evokes. The juggernaut Dismarelda causes people to argue;;persistently annoying Negatibuzz makes people doubt their self-confidence; and so on. Similarly, positive influences such as;Happiere and Blazion light up the scene as courage, joy, and hope incarnate.

Not only does this make for many colorful, creative characters, it also encourages kids to identify different emotions and accept them as normal. Their mood swings may not be caused by spirits,;but to be honest, sometimes it feels that way, and often the best remedy for a bad mood is an influx of positive energy. In any case, Yo-Kai Watch is a great starting point for talking about feelings and behavior with kids and tweens.;

Popular Anime And Comics Too

We’ve already touched on the existence of the Yo-Kai Watch anime and comics; it’s merely left to note that, just like the games, they’re very popular. The show currently ranks among Japan’s top 10 animated programs ratings-wise. It also spawned the 20thbest-selling manga series in comics-obsessed Japan for all of 2014, and DVDs of the show are selling, too.; The franchise’s first movie broke its distributor’s record for advance ticket sales — and after debuting at number one at the box office, made millions of dollars on release.

The TV show’s opening. The show has boosted TV Tokyo’s ratings.

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Who Else Is Involved

In Japan, a major franchise like this will typically be coordinated across multiple companies; that means a TV network for the show as well as Bandai for the toys; there’s also a big manga publisher for the comic , and of course Level-5 releasing the games.

As stated above, heavy-hitters are involved here, too. Of course, Nintendo is publishing the game, and will likely put a lot of weight behind it. Notably, Hasbro has nailed down the toy license. What you might forget is that the company was a big contributor to the success of Pokémon during its heyday.

The first Yo-Kai Watch product to hit the West will be the boys’ comic adaptation, published by Viz Media this September. Viz is the largest manga publisher in the West, and is a joint venture between Shogakukan and Shueisha, creators of Shonen Jump — Japan’s most popular manga magazine, and home to franchises like Naruto and One Piece.

Second Game And Second Season Including Budget Costs

Gotta haunt em all: Is America ready for Yo

I bought the second game after I skipped the first game since I had Yo-kai Watch Wibble Wobble . I used YouTube to help what to go next as I did with Pokémon Y. Sun and Moon started as a sneak peek which later became a premiere on Disney XD but I refused to purchase Sun and Moon for the 3DS because of an art style change and the main protagonist attending school with his classmates none of which traveled with Ash, like in both real life and in fiction. And, so far, Suiren/Lana is the only female companion ever to wear pants, as opposed to the other female companions wearing either shorts or skirts who previously traveled with Ash .

The second main game in the series, was released in Japan on July 10, 2014 as two versions, Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls. 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 the player time travels to meets traditional Yo-kai and sees their grandfather, who made the predecessor to the Yo-kai Watch. A third version, Psychic Specters, was released on December 12, 2014 to coincide with the first Yo-kai Watch film Yo-kai Watch: Tanj no Himitsu da Nyan!. Psychic Specters featured characters and scenarios not initially included in Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls.

I did cosplay Nate on Halloween 2018 and then again in May 2019 while I got an iMac from PC Richard because my Windows laptop is not 2020 compliant .

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Will It Work In The West

Nobody thought Pokémon would take off when it launched in 1998; in fact, quite the opposite. Nintendo was even advised to redesign the IP and its characters to appeal to American kids.

If anything, today’s kids are much more used to anime aesthetics, and lots of Japanese toy lines show up on Western shelves. On the other hand, that means that the games will actually have to be good enough to catch their interest — since the basic idea isn’t intrinsically novel.

In the end, it’s hard to predict if the IP will really appeal to Western children — and if enough of them already have or want 3DSes, and if their parents will buy them.

However, what’s clear is that the franchise will be a big priority for the companies involved in bringing it West, which certainly can’t hurt. Generally, popular Japanese franchises languish unless they get a serious push. Very often, their backers aren’t big enough to do that in the West. But this one has the backing of Hasbro and Nintendo so far — both major forces in consumer marketing. If a big TV network gets on board for the cartoon, Yo-Kai Watch‘s chances of success will also be boosted.

It Did Catch On Its Native Japan But Not So Much In North America

This post only applies to the English cast and not the Japanese original cast.

I took a break from Pokémon Y after finishing the 3DS game back in mid-2014 and later skipped Sun and Moon due to a change in the art/animation style. Cartoon Network had the rights to air the Pokémon anime series expired back in late 2016 prior to the pay TV network had its ownership transferred to Warner Bros. Entertainment around two and a half years later. This begs the question after a four-year-hiatus from Pokémon: Why did Yo-kai Watch failed in North America ? Im going to teach you why Yo-kai Watch failed in North America including the loss of the original English cast due to budget costs.

What will happen to the Yo-kai Watch fans in North America? Did they move on after the franchise didnt catch on in North America? Maybe we should find out

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What Parents Need To Know

Parents need to know that Yo-Kai Watch is an enjoyable anime series that explores emotions in a creative, engaging way that can help you talk with your kids about their feelings and how to cope with struggles such as low self-esteem, sadness, and anger. The show oversimplifies the process of solving what can be complex troubles;, but it’s a great way to start a conversation about emotions. Expect some mild name-calling and to hear “butt” a lot. Nate and his friends also suggest that they’re attracted to girls and break some rules such as;watching forbidden movies late at night.;

What The Game Is

Yo Kai Watch Episode 5

The series sprang from games developed by Level-5, creators of the Professor Layton series and developer of Dragon Quest IX for Square Enix.;

Though the first game won’t hit the West until 2016, in Japan, there are two installments of the franchise already. Level-5 released the latest, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Shin’uchi, on December 14th last year. Like Pokémon, the games come in multiple iterations; Shin’uchi is the third version of the second game in the franchise. The very first game was released in 2013.

2009’s Dragon Quest IX

The word “yo-kai” refers to traditional Japanese spirits that spring from the country’s folklore; the designs in the game are clearly based on those, but many have cute or humorous twists.

Much like Pokémon, the game is an exploration and battle RPG where you recruit a large variety characters that lurk in the world, waiting to be discovered. As a boy or girl character, you’ll explore the town, hunt for ykai, and battle to progress through the game’s story.

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And Popular Toys: Why Hasbro Wants In

Bandai, whose Yo-Kai Watch success we’ve already discussed, produces a huge variety of toys for the franchise, and they sell, sell, sell. The Yo-Kai Pad, a tablet-like device, sold out within two days of its initial release. That’s nothing new for the franchise, however. Here’s a toy from the franchise being sold for five times its original price at a Japanese used-goods store:

¥21,600 is is almost $180 at today’s exchange rates. According to Bandai’s site, that set originally retailed for ¥4,400, or less than $37. Image from .

It’s no surprise that Yo-Kai Watch toy releases equal big lines in Tokyo, then:

A Yo-Kai Watch toy’s release-day queue in Japan. Image from .

It’s obvious why Hasbro’s interested. The massive global toy-maker sees the franchise’s potential. And there’s important history there, too: At the height of the Pokémon craze, when Hasbro had the toy license in the West, the company’s earnings were boosted by its massive popularity.

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