2017 April Fools' Day Collection

Each year, April Fools' Day gives a chance for creators in the anime, manga, and games industry to showcase their creativity. With the popularity of social media in recent years, many of these expressions of creativity become viral easily. Below is a selection of this year's official April Fools' jokes released by the anime and related industries.

Anime

Aho Girl
The official website of the Summer 2017 anime Aho Girl announced the series is being adapted with the characters depicted as bananas, the favorite food of lead character Yoshiko Hanabatake.


Anne Happy♪
The official website of the Spring 2016 anime Anne Happy♪ announced an upcoming movie titled Anne Happy♫ Movie: Minna de Kanaderu☆Kouun no Senritsu! The movie tells the story of the legendary warrior Happy Clover, who fights the secret organization Donyori (a term describing a feeling of sluggishness) as it attempts to spread the Unhappy Syndrome around the world.


ClassicaLoid
Bandai Namco Pictures released a teaser for a new ClassicaLoid project ahead of the broadcast of the final episode of the anime series. The teaser announced a live-action adaptation, though a second season of the anime was correctly announced later.


Detective Conan
In anticipation of the upcoming premiere of Detective Conan Movie 21: The Crimson Love Letter, the series is being retitled as Detective Heiji, taking after Heiji Hattori, a rival character in the movie. The official website of Shounen Sunday magazine also unveiled redesigned manga covers using the Detective Heiji title.


Dragon Ball Super
The official website of the anime series Dragon Ball Super announced that its next story arc will be titled Kaisha Survival-hen (Office Survival Arc). In the story arc, Son Gokuu comes from the countryside to work in the city during an economic depression at a scale not seen in a hundred years. He faces the various crises factional infighting and company hijacking. Toei Animation also uploaded teaser trailers on YouTube.


ēlDLIVE
The official website of the Winter 2017 anime ēlDLIVE exchanged the series protagonist Chuuta Kokonose with the Katekyo Hitman Reborn! protagonist Tsunayoshi Sawada. At the same time, Chuuta appeared in the 10th anniversary website of the Katekyo Hitman Reborn! anime.


Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?
The official website of the Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka? series unveiled designs for Chimame Chronicle, a nod to the Winter 2017 anime Chain Chronicle: Haecceitas no Hikari. The special site used a thematic soundtrack and included a gacha feature for which the Chain Chronicle mobile game is known, allowing players to collect Tippy Coins in order to unlock a commemorative wallpaper.


Hanayamata
The official website of the Summer 2014 anime Hanayamata announced that the anime's amateur band Need Cool Quality will make a major label CD single debut titled "Kodoku Signal."


Jigoku Shoujo: Yoi no Togi
The official website of the Summer 2017 sequel to the Jigoku Shoujo series announced a title change of the franchise to Tengoku Shoujo (Heaven Girl). A new key visual also shows lead character Ai Enma with angel's wings.


Love Live! Sunshine!!
The official YouTube channel of Lantis uploaded a 15-minute special movie announcing a live-action adaptation of Love Live! Sunshine!! using puppet dolls. Its ending sequence also parodied the ending sequence of the TV anime series.


Marginal#4: Kiss kara Tsukuru Big Bang
The official website of the Winter 2017 anime Marginal #4 announced that Hidemaro Ayanokouji, a minor character in the series, will join the Marginal #4 idol unit. Series character R Nomura also commented that perhaps the unit would change its name to Marginal #5.


New Game!
The official website of the Summer 2016 anime New Game! unveiled its upcoming sequel as Tsuyokute New Game!, which is set in a fantasy world. The story follows Aoba and her team of adventurers as she fights the demon king's armies in order to save the world of ZOI, so that she can return to the real world.


Osomatsu-san
The official website of Osomatsu-san announced a live-action adaptation set 30 years after the TV anime series. It stars the cast members of the TV Tokyo drama series Byplayers. Actor Ren Osugi plays the role of Osomatsu Matsuno, with Susumu Terajima as Karamatsu, Yutaka Matsushige as Choromatsu, Kenichi Endou as Ichimatsu, Tomorowo Taguchi as Juushimatsu, and Ken Mitsuishi as Todomatsu.


Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata
The official website of the anime series Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata announced a live-action film adaptation which would open in theaters on September 23, 2017. The film stars seiyuu Kiyono Yasuno, who voices the popular main character Megumi Katou. The Aniplex Plus online store also announced pre-orders for the film's tickets, which would include a replica of Megumi's beret hat as a bonus.


Sakura Quest
The official website of the Spring 2017 anime Sakura Quest revealed that the series now has a fantasy setting where protagonist Yoshino Koharu battles a Chupacabra.


Show By Rock!!
The official website of the Show By Rock!! anime series announced a movie titled Ailane the Dark Witch Movie scheduled to premiere in 2069. It features Bud Virgin Logic guitarist and vocalist Ailane as the lead character. Sanrio also uploaded a preview video on YouTube which contains the movie's theme song titled "Haka Nightmare."


Tsugumomo
The official website of the Spring 2017 anime Tsugumomo announced a side story of the series titled Amasogi Quest, which is being adapted into a video game. In the original manga, amasogi as the beast-like counterparts of the human-like tsugumomo spirits.


Wake Up, Girls!
The official web portal of the Wake Up, Girls! series announced a new single by seiyuu Yoshino Aoyama titled "Sugamo de KISS ME," a pun combining the seiyuu idol group's single "Sugao de KISS ME" and the Tokyo neighborhood of Sugamo. The official YouTube channel of Avex Pictures also uploaded a teaser music video.



Other

ITALL
Web solutions company ITALL Inc. announced an anime project titled Naisen!, which is the term for telephone extension numbers. The announcement video features a theme song the company previously created for its cloud telephone network service.


Fuji Television
Fuji Television announced that it would be conducting maintenance work on the iconic spherical structure of its headquarters in Odaiba.


Pokka Sapporo
Food and beverage company Pokka Sapporo announced a short animation film titled Na(goya) Inu Lassie. The title is an homage to the 1996 anime series Meiken Lassie and also references Pokka Sapporo's headquarters in the city of Nagoya and the company's lemon lassi beverage.


Tokyo 7th Sisters
Smartphone idol rhythm game Tokyo 7th Sisters announced a science fiction film titled 2034: A Space Odyssey, a winner of seven Nanademy Awards, featuring the game's Kajika Harumi and Shinju Harumi as lead characters. An actual anime project related to the game will be released on April 18, 2017.


Venus Eleven Vivid!
The official website of the smartphone game Venus Eleven Vivid!, which gathers girls as soccer players, announced a spin-off titled Vivid Eleven Beast! in a nod to the Kemono Friends franchise.


Source: Gigazine

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