2019 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

B-Project: Kodou*Ambitious
Members of the fictional idol unit B-PROJECT, who were parodied as children in last year's April Fools' Day, have grown up to become members of BAMBI-PROJECT.


Boku no Hero Academia
The upcoming second movie of Boku no Hero Academia, scheduled for 2020, will be titled Dai Kaijuu Bakugo. A theatrical poster in the style of classic Godzilla film posters was also revealed.


Bungou Stray Dogs
On the official website of the Bungou Stray Dogs anime series, new key visuals were released for a parody anime titled Gakuen Bungou Stray Dogs. It continues a prank which began on April Fools' Day in 2016.


Fairy Gone
P.A. Works hired artist Takashi Mifune, creator of the free illustration website Irasutoya, to create a new trailer for the Spring 2019 anime Fairy Gone featuring the series characters in chibi form. A spin-off web series titled Fairingo will also begin streaming on April 10.


Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?
The official website of the anime series Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka? announces a spin-off robot anime titled Clockwork Rabbit: Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?, which features Tippy as a rabbit robot.


Gotoubun no Hanayome
Winter 2019's high school romantic comedy anime Gotoubun no Hanayome announced a spin-off work titled Mahou Shoujo Magical Raiha to Gotoubun no Majo, featuring Raiha Uesugi as the main protagonist.


Hibike! Euphonium
Kyoto Animation announces that the upcoming third movie of Hibike! Euphonium, which will open in theaters in Japan on April 19, is being retitled Tuba-kun no Daibouken: Ushinawareta Ougon no Mouthpiece. The movie will feature mascot characters for the instruments from the series.


Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun
The official Twitter account of the Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun manga announces a candy ("ame") adaptation of the work's title character. An anime adaptation was already announced last month.


JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Ougon no Kaze
Leone Abbacchio, a character from JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Ougon no Kaze known for mixing urine in tea, will have his signature brew released as an actual product. Seiyuu Junichi Suwabe, who voices the character, is also promoting the drink.


Kawaikereba Hentai demo Suki ni Natte Kuremasu ka?
Ahead of its Summer 2019 broadcast, the school romantic comedy anime Kawaikereba Hentai demo Suki ni Natte Kuremasu ka? is elevating the female character Yuika Koga to become the show's main protagonist. Therefore, the show's title is being changed to Kawaikereba Hentai demo Yuika wo Suki ni Natte Kuremasu ka?


Kenja no Mago
Sage Merlin Walford from the Spring 2019 anime Kenja no Mago will make his singing debut, covering the 1999 song "Mago" by famed enka singer Itsurou Ooizumi.


Kono Yo no Hate de Koi wo Utau Shoujo YU-NO
The official website of the Spring 2019 anime Kono Yo no Hate de Koi wo Utau Shoujo YU-NO was transformed into a typical Japanese website layout of the 1990s. The original visual novel of the work was first released in 1996.


Love Live! Sunshine!!
The fictional Uranohoshi Girls' High School opens a mock entrance examination website for students interested in applying to the school. Test takers are given a rating evaluation based on how well they perform in the mock examination.


Made in Abyss
Due to various circumstances, the third Made in Abyss movie scheduled for January 2020 is being retitled from Fukaki Tamashii no Reimei to Maruruk-chan no Nichijou. It features the supporting character Maruruk as the main protagonist.


Planetarian: Chiisana Hoshi no Yume
Visual novel publisher Key announces an anime titled Choujigen Senkan Planetarian Movie: Seiza Oboeteimasuka will be released on April 1, 2049. It parodies the 1984 anime movie Macross: Do You Remember Love?


Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Fine
The official website of the upcoming Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Fine anime movie announces a Hollywood live-action film adaptation. A teaser promotional video was also released. On April Fools' Day in 2017, a parody live-action film was also announced.


Sarazanmai
Supernatural fantasy anime Sarazanmai is changing the premise of its story into a show about sushi. The show's logo has been redesigned as an homage to the restaurant chain Sushizanmai. Characters from the series also make a pose similar to that of the chain's founder, the "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura.


Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai
The official website of the anime Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai announces a spin-off movie titled Haru no Mirai, starring Mai Sakurajima as its protagonist. Visitors to the Gamers and animate stores in Akihabara were able to receive a postcard version of the movie poster.


Star☆Twinkle Precure
Toei Animation announces a spin-off work of Star☆Twinkle Precure, to be titled Fuwa☆Twinkle Precure and featuring the adventures of the fairy Fuwa.


Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000%
Beginning April 1, 2019, the Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ franchise is releasing boxed smoothies as a new line of licensed products. The products are named "Yasai 1000% Prince Smoothie."


Wake Up, Girls! Shin Shou
Seiyuu unit Run Girls, Run!, which were formed in 2017 for the Wake Up, Girls! Shin Shou series, rename themselves to Dan Balls, Dan!, a pun on the Japanese word for cardboard box. They will also release a new single titled "Shakitto Start," a play on the original group's second CD single, "Kiratto Start."


Yakusoku no Neverland
The official website of the Yakusoku no Neverland announces the opening of a real life Grace Field Nursery beginning April 1, 2019. The nursery is accepting enrollment applications for children ages 1 to 12.


Yuru Camp△ and Sora yori mo Tooi Basho
Characters from Yuru Camp△ and Sora yori mo Tooi Basho exchange story settings in two new spin-off works, titled Yamanashi yori mo Tooi Basho and Sora Camp△.


Zombieland Saga
The comedy anime Zombieland Saga announces the production of a film titled Camera wo Tomemasu., a collaboration among Japan, the United States, China, and Kosovo. The film will be directed by Koutarou Tatsumi.



Other

Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu.
Following the success of Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu., mangaka Hashigo Sakurabi announces a "school battle love comedy" work featuring the lead characters from the series. The work will be titled Dakaretai Otoko-tachi ga Tatakatteimasu!!


Fate/Grand Order
Aniplex launches a Fate/Grand Order mobile game spin-off titled Fate/Grand Order Quest on iOS and Android platforms, which is playable on April 1 and 2. It parodies the famed role-playing game Dragon Quest.


Hoshi no Kirby
Video game developers Nintendo and HAL Laboratory announce that they are redesigning the character Kirby into Square Kirby. The franchise also unveiled a new product line-up featuring the new character design.


Interlink
Interlink, a Japanese web domain registry, unveils a virtual YouTuber named Anguilla Ai to represent the top-level domain .ai, which is assigned to the Caribbean island of Anguilla but is often used by artificial intelligence companies.


Toho Tokusatsu
The official YouTube channel of Toho Tokusatsu, which is dedicated to Toho's Godzilla franchise, has uploaded a teaser of the side character Jet Jaguar.


Weekly Shounen Jump
Editors of Shueisha's Weekly Shounen Jump announces the magazine's merger with Kodansha's Weekly Shounen Magazine. The new publication will be titled Shounen Janmaga.


Source: animate Times, Gigazine

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