I recently took the opportunity to see the theatrical 4K screening of the feature-length Gundam Wing:Endless Waltz Special Edition in theaters. It was preceded by two short works from the world of Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans, and those are what I’ll be focusing on.
First up was Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urdr-Hunt Special Edition: The Path of the Little Challenger. The title is a real mouthful, and that’s because it’s a compilation work consisting of animated shorts from the Urdr-Hunt mobile game, which is set in the Iron-Blooded Orphans universe. It centers around a boy from Venus named Wistario Afam, who enters a mysterious stellar scavenger hunt called the Urdr-Hunt.
The conceit of the story is clearly derived from the source material’s game-esque elements, and the shorts themselves are a little disjointed, with the in-game elements meant to glue them together seemingly replaced by narration and possibly other bits of animation. The main cast of Urdr-Hunt does not include any established characters from the anime, but a number of side characters do make appearances. Given that the presentation is inherently flawed—it feels less like it’s about creating a cohesive work, and more about having an established version of the animations in a format that doesn’t require you to play a game that is no longer available—I ultimately don’t begrudge it being a bit of a slog to watch.
My main takeaways come in two parts: First, I enjoyed the way it expands on the woefully under-explored setting of Iron-Blooded Orphans, such as the appearance of more of the Mobile Armors from the “Calamity War” that is so essential to the backstory. Second, as the only Gundam series explicitly in favor of polyamory, I could tell that this element was still very much present in the main “love triangle.” Nothing is conclusive or happens outright, but it isn’t fooling anyone.
Following Urdr-Hunt was the Iron-Blooded Orphans 10th anniversary short, Wedge of Interposition. It takes place between seasons 1 and 2, and shows the Tekkadan crew transitioning to a new stage in their lives now that they have some real notoriety, with particular focus on Orga as the leader having to learn how to interact with more “civilized” bigwigs by doing things like “learning to read and write.” I found the short to be a brief yet heartwarming look at the group’s camaraderie, which I realize is quite rare among Gundam entries. Sure, there are plenty of stories about people being brought together in war, but any sense of unity usually comes from severe growing pains.
And then the ending credits are filled with shirtless pictures of Orga, Mikazuki, and the rest. Truly, they know their audience.
The conclusion I came to in watching both of these is that I certainly wouldn’t mind a prequel or sequel to Iron-Blooded Orphans. While I really like the animeoverall, one of the more disappointing things in the end was not getting to see more of the worldbuilding. What we have with these two short pieces is decent, but I think there’s plenty more stories to tell.
Apocalypse Hotel reminds me why I fell in love with anime.
Its story centers around the cutting-edge Gingarou Hotel, which is run entirely by advanced robots. Ever since a global pandemic forced the entirety of humanity off the planet, Acting Acting Manager Yachiyo and the rest of her fellow mechanized staff have been taking care of the hotel every day waiting for everyone to return. While they’re accustomed to getting zero visitors day in and day out, a guest of extraterrestrial origins suddenly arrives one day, setting the Gingarou Hotel on a long and path full of surprises.
Across 12 episodes, Apocalypse Hotel sets the bright and courteous spirit of hospitality against the darkness of its post-apocalyptic setting, drawing a sublime contrast that accentuates both growing hope and deep despair. Instead of going with a more self-contained format or taking a more serialized approach, Apocalypse Hotel treats each episode like a vignette along an enormously vast timeline. Some things remain the same, other elements reflect the fact that decades can pass between each episode, and the interplay between these two elements tells the story just as much as what’s happening on screen. I already love stories that appear episodic but are actually telling a greater narrative overall, and this series greatly succeeds at this approach.
The clever format is further supported by a gorgeous aesthetic and superb animation that’s both charming and moody. Whether it’s a festive dance number of an opening, characters maintaining the hotel daily, or even the occasional action scene, everything is depicted beautifully.
I think Apocalypse Hotel ends up being a great companion work to something like Frieren: From Journey’s End, which also similarly focuses on the long passage of time from the perspective of the long-lived. Whereas Frieren often looks at a past so full of history that half of it has been forgotten, Apocalypse Hotel peers into a future yet unknown and all its possibilities, all while focusing on the everyday of a surprisingly simple luxury establishment.
It took me a few years, but I finally got around to watching Season 2 of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, wherein the titular bride, Chise, attends a magic high school. I don’t believe I ever reviewed Season 1, but here we are anyway.
In other series, that might be the point where things fall into a comfortable routine and use the school setting to bring out the popular tropes. However, Ancient Magus’ Bride uses it as an opportunity for expanding the lore. Magic and sorcery are already portrayed in a fascinating and mysterious manner, and those qualities only grow stronger and deeper.
One of the most interesting things about this arc is the way it introduces peers for Chise. Until now, she has been surrounded by people significantly older than her, or beings far removed from humanity. But here we have teenagers close in age to Chise’s, each of whom have their own unique challenges but are shown as relatable for her. At the same time, the questions surrounding Chise’s own being only increase, and having your protagonist be a center of some of the enigmas makes for a compelling story.
I found the plot development engaging and hard to predict, and the ending made me appreciate the build-up even more. I’m ready for Season 3 with a renewed interest in The Ancient Magus’ Bride as a whole.
Shounen series are often built on their appealing characters. Many feature a large cast so that each fan can find their favorites, with each character having a different aesthetic, personality, and power set. But some titles will subordinate other aspects of storytelling to prioritize “rule of cool” above all else: If something serves to make a work more awesome and thrill fans, logic and consistency can take a backseat.
One title that immediately comes to mind is Bleach, while the biggest example in recent memory has to be Jujutsu Kaisen.
The ridiculous popularity of Jujutsu Kaisen is undeniable. Putting aside the 11 wins last year at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, it both sells well and occupies a huge chunk of the current fandom mindshare. It also attracts fans of all genders, ages, and walks of life. When I look at the characters, it feels like each one is meant to be the coolest person in the world to a specific type of audience. This isn’t inherently bad, but it’s such a major aspect of JJK that I think it can detract from the series.
Examples:
Gojo Satoru is like half the characters in Naruto because he has special eyes. In many ways, he’s Hatake Kakashi x2: Gojo doesn’t just cover one eye but both. His power set is based on infinity and negative infinity or something, and it’s appealing to people who want a guy who can have his hands in his pockets while warping reality and minds. Combine that with his svelte figure, pale complexion, and of course beautiful eyes, and you have someone who is effortlessly stylish.
Fushiguro Toji takes a different angle. Rather than have the biggest, baddest power, he’s basically an amoral, barrel-chested Occult Batman with the demonic equivalent of a utility belt. For those who value being the supposed underdog and winning through sheer hard work and tactical prowess, Toji is the epitome of a character they can get behind.
Nanami Kento is a straitlaced guy in a business suit who looks like an office worker—because that’s what he used to be. He’s stoic but kind, and his powers invoke the concept of overtime to power him up while also using math ratios to create weak points. For those who see a caring and reliable individual as the truest example of greatness, Nanami fits the bill to a tee.
Okkotsu Yuta is basically Ikari Shinji from Evangelion if he became strong and determined (and is literally voiced by Ogata Megumi).
In these cases and more, nearly every character in Jujutsu Kaisen feels like what you get if you asked 100 people to each write their own power fantasy + ideal partner. There’s a real thrill to it all, but I think it can come at the expense of a coherent narrative, often feeling like too many things are tacked onto each character without any sense of moderation.
I often see people praising different aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen. They’ll talk up the action. They’ll praise the characters. But I almost never see anyone praise the plot or the storytelling. “Rule of cool” turns into “ruled by cool,” as if the series is a highlight reel. That’s sometimes all it takes for a shounen series to succeed, but I do end up wanting more.
The new year is upon us, and one of the most stacked anime seasons in recent memory is upon us, particularly when it comes to sequels. I’m still trying to catch up on shows from 2025, so I hope I can keep up with everything.
Speaking of being behind on things to watch, I’m going to finally watch KPop Demon Hunters. I literally saw kids dressed up as the characters for Halloween, not to mention knowing more than a few who adore the film. Will I be drawn into the Kpop vortex as well?
And once again, a huge shout-out to my patreon members, especially the names below. I hope the new year has good things in store for you.
I would dedicate a post just to my entry, Lamprey Man, but there are rules against posting it elsewhere, so all you’re getting is a link.
Long-time readers of the blog might recall that I’ve long been a huge Mega Man fan, and even posted some Robot Master art/designs in the past. Even if I don’t get picked, just getting to enter is reward enough.
Who would have thought 2025 would turn a one-off Enemy of the Week from the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam into one of the coolest characters in anime in 2025? Challia Bull didn’t even get to appear in the Gundam movie trilogy! But now he’s seen in a whole new light as a force to be reckoned with, not only for his Newtype powers but also his shrewd mind and wealth of experience. Even his Mobile Armor, the Kikeroga in the GQuuuuuuX universe, became one of the most interesting mecha designs of the year.
Best Aspiring Scholar
Jolenta (Orb: On the Movements of the Earth)
The entire cast of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is worthy of praise as richly defined characters who reflect the complexity of humanity and its relationship with knowledge. I’ve decided to highlight Jolenta in particular, however, because of her added challenge of being an intelligent and inquisitive young girl who was stymied not only by the prevailing religious beliefs of her time but also the sexism that permeated even the sacred halls of scholarly thought and education. Yet she defies those barriers, puts her life and well-being on the line for the sake of expanding human knowledge, and becomes something unexpected yet far greater: a revolutionary figure.
Best Puppet Protagonist
Shāng Bú Huàn (Thunderbolt Fantasy)
They don’t make ’em quite like Shang Bu Huan, both literally and figuratively. Not only is he the face of a Taiwanese-Japanese co-production for a fantasy-genre puppet-theater series, but he also calls to mind the stoic and witty action heroes and manga protagonists of decades past like John Matrix and Kenshiro. I think what’s ultimately really impressive about the so-called Sword-Plundering Nemesis is that in a series full of charismatic and memorable characters like Thunderbolt Fantasy, Shang never got lost in the shuffle or any less intriguing. His humility and quiet confidence put him on par with the greats.
Best Dance Partners
Wanda Hikari and Kotani Kaboku (Wandance)
I’ve been following the Wandance manga for many years, so I was glad to see the series get an anime adaptation. While it hasn’t quite lived up to the manga in terms of its visuals, the incredible bond between Wanda and Kabo still shines through.
It’s a classic problem in anime romances that male-female pairings often don’t have that feeling of “equal partners and rivals” that is so common and exciting in BL or yuri pairings, but that’s exactly what we get from these two and their ever-growing love of dance. They’re sweet, wonderful, and supportive of each other…and when they’re together, they feel unstoppable.
Final Thoughts
I decided to mix things up this year and get rid of specific gendered categories in the hopes of not boxing myself or the characters in.
Overall, my picks don’t have a great deal in common, whether in personality or actions taken. If I had to pick a point of convergence, though, it would be that they all bring something unexpected to the table within their stories and worlds. They invite us to re-think how we view things, whether they have to do with revision and revival, science and education with respect to politics and cultural norms, what goes into making a main character, or expectations of what a “conventional” romance looks like.
When talking about the mecha genre, omitting the merchandise component often tells an incomplete story. Most shows are historically also toy commercials, and sometimes decisions can be traced to bottom lines more than creative choices by a director or writer. But what about a giant robot that, for the most part, was only ever a toy?
That’s the story of Gattai Robot Atlanger, a robot from the 1970s that didn’t have a cool and dramatic TV series to excite the imagination and endear itself to an audience, yet still managed to find success by looking cool, being affordable on a kid’s allowance, and having lots of playability. And my goal in writing this article is to provide an informative but not comprehensive look at Atlanger to help others who are curious.
Background
My interest in Atlanger (sometimes known as Atranger or Atlanjer) started a few years ago, though I don’t remember what was the catalyst that prompted me to look for more information. Nevertheless, I was intrigued by the idea that there exists a beloved hero from the golden age of super robots that often doesn’t get included because of an accompanying anime or tokusatsu title. However, when I tried to find English websites, articles, or anything that talked about it at length, I kept coming up short.
So I decided to give it a try myself. I’m nowhere close to being an expert on Atlanger, but I wanted to have something out there for English readers. I also wasn’t a kid in 1970s Japan and I haven’t collected any of the toys or other merch, so everything I know is just second- or even third-hand knowledge. Hopefully, those who lived through it, or are perhaps bigger toy and model enthusiasts, can hopefully expand on what I have here.
Before I get into things, a few notes:
First, a special thanks to long-time robot fandom comrade VF5SS for pointing me towards a book released in Japan all about the company behind Atlanger: Outsider Plamodel Art -Aoshima Bunka Kyozai Co.’s Unusual Power of Imagination-. It’s been the biggest boon in this endeavor, though it means there are likely a number of biases that come from working mainly off of one resource. I’m also grateful to the YouTube channels pokopokoMyTube, Robo-Labo J, and Arisa Honda for providing detailed looks at many of the products and releases I discuss below.
Second, a lot of name spellings below are unofficial and are my best guesses.
And last, while the word “successful” is used in various resources, it’s not entirely clear what defines a success. Outsider Plamodel Art gives some sales numbers, but they’re for Aoshima as a whole, and not just Atlanger by itself. At least in terms of overall profit, the company made hundreds of millions of yen throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Aoshima and the Birth of Atlanger
Aoshima Bunka Kyozai began in 1918 by selling model kits of airplanes, and the company still makes model vehicles today, including for the racing manga and anime series Initial D. The story of Atlanger’s specifically, however, begins in 1975. The company had previously released a Mach Baron toy, but that year saw something of a super robot drought, with supercars being the hot new thing. In this environment, the staff at Aoshima decided they would take matters into their own hands, and the third-generation company president, Aoshima Masao, went about personally designing their first original robot.
According to its lore, Atlanger is a robot originating from Atlantis 8,000 years ago. Made up of the alloy orihalcon discovered by the scientist Picard (Pikaru), it was created by the Atlantean prophet Palou (Paruu) to defend the Earth against an invasion from the Dark Planet Gloustar (Ankoku Sei Guroosutaa). Atlanger is actually assembled by combining four vehicles: the Grand Tiger, the Mighty Bird, the Red Clipper, and the Target Carrier. When fully formed, it strikes an impressive figure thanks to its Mazinger-like aesthetic and its golden yellow highlights (especially its bird-like chest plate), as well as its four major armaments. Those would be the Broken Cutter sword, the Miracle Defender shield, launching fists called Rocket Clippers, and the flight-granting Red Wings.
This name and backstory were created after the robot was already designed, and some details appear to have changed or gotten fudged over time. For example, later versions would state that the pilots of Atlanger were fighting in the year 2500 CE after a second invasion from Gloustar. Aoshima would also introduce other allies like the robot Dryger; a Grendizer Spazer-style flying vehicle that can combine with Atlanger called the Tiger Shark; and the large battleship Gattai Kyokan Yamato, which has its own mecha on deck called Gattai Robot Musashi.
Atlanger within Mecha History
The fact that Atlanger is composed of vehicles that join together cleanly might feel pretty run-of-the-mill today, but it was no small deal at the time. 1975 was after Getter Robo introduced its “smash ’em together” gattai sequences but before Combattler V and its detailed combination that could be replicated nicely in toy form. While the Atlantean robot’s design wasn’t as elegant as Combattler’s, it was a bridge between the more logic-defying approach of the former and the more realistic one of the latter. And unlike Aoshima’s Mach Baron (which had a similar feature but which didn’t reflect its presentation in the Super Robot Mach Baron TV show), this was “official.” Atlanger was also fairly novel in its concept, being a robot with a fantasy angle similar to Reideen—which coincidentally came out the same year and is also from a lost continent (Mu).
This timing and relative originality is part of the reason Atlanger found a place in the toy market, but another major factor was price. Aoshima’s complete robots were sold in supermarkets and dagashi shops for 1,000 yen (around 2,115 yen adjusted for 2025 inflation), but individual vehicles were also available for 500 yen each. While kids might not be able to afford the whole thing, they could also settle for a part and maybe hope to get the rest down the line. The toys were also often cross-compatible, so you could take parts of one robot or vehicle and attach them to another. A battleship could have heads and arms sticking out of it. There were no rules, like seen in this absurdly and decidedly non-canon Ideon vehicle called the “Ideon Colossus.”
One of the reasons why the Aoshima kits like Atlanger (and Mach Baron before it) were so relatively inexpensive is that they were made entirely of plastic, unlike the diecast metal toys seen elsewhere that were often twice as expensive. In this sense, they could also be considered precursors to the Gunpla craze, with Gundam predecessors like Zambot 3 and Daitarn 3 even getting Aoshima versions. Atlanger and pals were also much simpler to construct.
Aoshima would later create smaller kits more proportionally in line with Gundam model kits. Although Aoshima’s kits were slightly more expensive (400 yen vs. 300 yen), they were also larger and more colorful.
Yet, despite (or perhaps because of) Atlanger’s affordability, it wasn’t immune to economic hardship. One curious thing about the aforementioned Broken Cutter is that the sword is so unusually short that it’s practically a dagger. Japan was still feeling the effects of the 1973 oil crisis, and this was one way to save on manufacturing expenses.
Keeping Up with the Times, or At Least Trying
Atlanger comes from a specific period of time, but as Aoshima’s flagship mecha, it has been updated in numerous ways over the decades.
When the company started making those smaller and vaguely Gunpla-esque kits through its Mini Gattai line, they introduced “New Atlanger” in 1981, a version with a more angular design and elements very reminiscent of Gundams and other real robots.
Years later, they would release Hattenkei (Successor) Robo Atlanger, which looks a lot more like a 90s Sunrise/Takara Brave Robot.
In 2012, Evolution Toy released a premium poseable figure in its Dynamite Action Series. One interesting feature of this toy is the fact that it comes with two versions of the Broken Cutter: a longer one and a shorter one. The former is more aesthetically pleasing and what you expect out of a super robot’s sword weapon. However, the latter has history, calling back to the original toy and its material circumstances. I find it funny and charming that the stubby Broken Cutter is so iconic for Atlanger that they bothered to include it as an accessory.
Most recently, 2021 would see a new model kit called the ACKS Gattai Atlanger, and it again made a move to modernize. However, while it indeed sported a “modern super robot” aesthetic, the real feature that spoke to the times was the fact that it came with an additional figure: a cute and sexy anime girl named Hotaka Atori, who wears an outfit reminiscent of Atlanger. This girl figure could even attach some of the robot parts to become a mecha musume of sorts.
Actually, There Is an Atlanger Anime, But…
I went through the majority of this article emphasizing that Atlanger-related narrative media wasn’t really a factor. That technically isn’t true, though there is an important caveat: It’s always been in service of the toys themselves to a degree that exceeds even the merchandise tie-ins of other mecha.
Aoshima’s products, including but not limited to Atlanger-related toys, were portrayed in manga form through the 1970s and 80s, first in children’s magazines by Shogakukan focused on individual elementary grade levels, and then in their own Aoshima Comics. However, these were primarily short promotional comics meant to show how cool the toys are, not unlike the pack-in comics that came with He-Man products in the US.
Then, in 2011, Aoshima released a one-episode 15-minute OVA titled Gattai Robot Atlanger at Winter Comic Market 81. Its purpose was to celebrate Atlanger, but also to coincide with a figure release: the 2012 Evolution Toy version mentioned above.
The plot sees Atlanger on the eve of a retirement ceremony after decades of service in the fight and eventual stalemate against the aliens from the Dark Planet. When a new attack occurs, it’s up to Asuka Ken (one of the old pilots of Atlanger) to jump in the cockpit once again. This time around, he’s joined by a group of young co-pilots who are skeptical about the effectiveness of this outdated machine, but the classic robot proves to still have what it takes in battle. At the climax, Atlanger showcases its ability to split into four vehicles, as well as its combined form with the Tiger Shark, to win the day—all while a theme song is performed by tokusatsu and anime music legend Kushida Akira (Gavan, Xabungle). Overall, the OVA is a love letter filled with nostalgia. There’s even a meta commercial for the old 1975 toy included!
(Curiously, this wasn’t Atlanger’s first anime appearance. That would be, bizarrely enough, a very brief cameo in the opening of Episode 8 of Oreimo in 2010. The same studio, AIC, worked on both.)
An Atlanger manga then debuted digitally in 2021. GattaiAtlanger was published on the Dengeki Hobby website, coinciding with the ACKS model kit release and featuring multiple cute moe girls. In this version, Atlanger was a sentient guardian deity robot who fought against a threat to humanity called Shadow (not Gloustar). After a cataclysmic battle, the AI for Atlanger was sent back across time and space, meeting schoolgirl Hotaka Atori, who becomes capable of transforming magical girl–style and even summoning Atlanger in super robot form. This manga ran for six chapters, with the ACKS kit version of Gattai Robot Musashi also showing up.
In every case, the merch ends up being the true center of attention. Atlanger is simply a robot that happens to have an anime, rather than being an “anime robot.”
Concluding Thoughts
Gattai Robot Atlanger began as an affordable robot toy first and foremost, with any media tie-ins being ancillary at best, and somehow still found success. This spirit has persisted, defining the presence and memory of Atlanger over the course of four decades.
Without a defining anime/manga image at its core, the aesthetics of Atlanger shifted from one iteration to the next. The 70s super robot toy made way for the 80s real robot–adjacent model kit, and each later release saw more and more changes that fluctuated based on how much they were trying to call back to the original and how much they were trying to modernize.
But even in terms of tapping into nostalgia, Atlanger hasn’t been able to get what most other mecha receive when they’re made into premium robot figures. High-quality lines like Soul of Chogokin, Masterpiece Transformers, Master Grade (or higher) Gunpla, and even Evolution Toy’s Dynamic Action Series all try to close the gap and find a compromise between the physical objects, the visual media, imagination, and nostalgia. Alternative designs like Hajime Katoki mobile suit variations or the Amakuni Kizin line might re-think or exaggerate certain elements or proportions while staying pretty close to this idea. But because “fidelity to the original” isn’t really a factor, there is no “platonic ideal” to aim for in this case. In a way, that’s perfect for Atlanger.
But eschewing faithfulness to source material isn’t telling the whole story. In an essay in Outside Plamodel Art, quintessential mecha designer Okawara Kunio (Gundam, Zambot 3, many others) talks about the degree to which the “combining” aspects of Aoshima’s licensed toys paid little attention to how a robot was portrayed in their own media. This wasn’t uncommon at the time (see the original Clover Gundam toys), but Okawara believes that while other companies were always trying to create new ideas and gimmicks for toys, Aoshima was more about providing “teaching materials” that could foster learning in kids. To me, it sounds like Okawara is saying that Atlanger and company were like a halfway point between action figures and Legos, and thus occupied a unique position on store shelves.
So while Atlanger won’t ever have the powerful politics of Mobile Suit Gundam, the iconic status of Mazinger Z, the dozens of variations of Super Sentai, or the challenging introspection of Evangelion, it does emphasize something special: a primary devotion to play, where “messages” and “themes” are secondary to imaginative, hands-on exploration by the young and the young at heart.
I was convinced to check out the anime The Gorilla God’s Go-to Girl just based on the name. Turns out that it’s not just a silly alliterative title, but also an otome game–like reverse harem where a meek girl named Sophia Riller gets the powers of a gorilla and uses them to help others out and inadvertently romance the boys. It was originally a web novel, and the title translates to the much more straightforward The Lady Blessed by the Gorilla God Is Adored by the Royal Knight in Japanese.
The silliness is welcome, as is the somewhat incongruous setting. Watching Sophia swing around and subdue bad guys with great ape strength, as well as win the hearts of the knights are exactly the things I wanted to see out of Gorilla God. However, I have a problem with the show: It doesn’t go far enough. The content is about 40% gorilla antics at best when I think it should be 80%.
If they ever make a second season, I hope it’s able to lean into the premise even further, even if it means deviating from the source material a bit.
The twin VTubers of hololive, Fuwawa and Mococo, have talked before about their fondness for Genshiken. Last month, they revealed another connection to Kio Shimoku’s beloved story about a college anime and manga club.
FUWAMOCO dedicated an entire karaoke session to the otaku icon, voice actor, and moe singer Momoi Haruko. At the beginning of the stream, they explained that not only is Momoi their kami oshi—essentially their all-time favorite—but that she was the very person who introduced them to the idea of Japanese idols and the Akihabara subculture of the 2000s.
FUWAMOCO then kicked off their setlist with the opening to “Kujibiki Unbalance,” and afterwards revealed that they learned about Momoi and idol culture thanks to bonus footage on a Genshiken DVD, in which she (as part of the band Under17) performed the Kujibiki Unbalance opening! It was their first time seeing a crowd cheering together with glow sticks, and upon learning more about Momoi, connected to the fact that she was an anime fan who felt like she didn’t fit in. Essentially, she’s their idol in more than one sense of the word.
The twins proceeded further down Akiba memory lane with songs like “Mouse Chu Mouse,” “Tenbatsu Angel Rabbie,” and “Ai no Medicine.” That last one was the opening to Nurse-Witch Komugi-chan: Magikarte, a Soul Taker spin-off in which Momoi played the main heroine. FUWAMOCO even covered “NANIKA”—one of Momoi’s newest songs, for which the twins themselves contributed to the chorus!
Partway through, Momoi herself actually sent a superchat to FUWAMOCO, making this one of the most memorable karaoke streams ever. Seeing them thanked by the actual woman who inspired them to take this path, it felt like a true full-circle moment for the twin demon guard dogs of hololive. And to think: It was all because of Genshiken.
OGIUE MANIAX 