Shin Japan Heroes Universe

Shin Japan Heroes Universe (シン・ジャパン・ヒーローズ・ユニバース, Shin Japan Hirōzu Yunibāsu, abbreviated as SJHU) is an ongoing Japanese collaborative project between Studio Khara, Toei Co., Ltd, Toho Co., Ltd and Tsuburaya Productions, and is developed by Hideaki Anno. The project is intended for merchandising purposes, uniting films that Anno had worked on bearing the katakana title "Shin" (シン・).[lower-alpha 1]

Shin Japan Heroes Universe
Official logo designed by Yutaka Izubuchi.
Created byHideaki Anno
Owner
Years2022–present
Official website
Official website (in Japanese)

History

Development and announcement

"No, we don't have any plans for it. It's all we can do to make one movie for one character right now."

– Shinji Higuchi (co-director/effects director of Shin Godzilla and director of Shin Ultraman) after being asked if there are plans to expand SJHU into cross-over films.[2]

In February 2022, Studio Khara, Toei Co., Ltd, Toho Co., Ltd and Tsuburaya Productions announced a collaborative project titled "Shin Japan Heroes Universe", which unites properties that Hideaki Anno had worked on bearing the title "Shin", such as Shin Godzilla, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,[lower-alpha 2] Shin Ultraman and Shin Kamen Rider.[3][4]

Back in 2016, Khara and Toho had previously collaborated on similar cross-over projects uniting Rebuild of Evangelion and Shin Godzilla such as Godzilla vs. Evangelion and Godzilla vs. Evangelion: The Real 4D.[5][6]

The SJHU project came to fruition after a meeting between Khara, Toei, Toho, and Tsuburaya was held, under the supervision of Anno, who stated it "was conceived in the discussions of the related companies, from the idea of combining characters that are proud of Japanese culture, in a collaborative way, to further expand them around the world and stimulate fun. [...] Originally, projects with a wide range of copyright sources are difficult to adjust, and the commercial benefits are not significant. So it's a plan that can only be made by content holders who prioritize fan service over business cooperation itself."[7] He also added that "it is a project that uses a common item called Shin as an expedient. In the future, the word Shin will be removed...we hope that the development of SJHU will please our fans as a new pleasure that transcends the boundaries of the character(s) worlds."[8] The official logo was designed by Yutaka Izubuchi while the promotional visual teaser image was drawn by Mahiro Maeda.[3]

In August 2022, Shinji Higuchi stated that the project is intended only for merchandise, special events, and tie-in events and that the films are meant to be individually separate rather than replicating the Marvel Cinematic Universe formula.[2]

List of announced projects
  • May 2022
  • July 2022
  • October 2022
    • A pachinko game titled Godzilla vs. Evangelion: G Cells Awakening was announced.[11][12]
  • November 2022
    • A Shin Japan Heroes Amusement World commemorative wristwatch was announced. The watch features a 41 mm case with a dial that showcases the four Shin franchises and will be available for pre-order from Premium Bandai on November 25 for ¥33,000.[13]
    • Tamashii Nations announced a new line of figures based on the designs of Eva-01, Godzilla, Kamen Rider and Ultraman.[14]
  • January 2023
    • Snack food company Befco announced a special campaign promoting a SJHU themed bakauke pack.[15]
    • Uniqlo announced a new line of T-shirts for March 2023.[16]
  • March 2023
    • An izakaya inspired by Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time and Shin Kamen Rider will open in Tokyo's Kabukicho district from March 10 to May 28.[17]
  • April 2023
    • The video game SD Shin Kamen Rider Rumble will feature a season pass with three DLC packs.[18]

See also

Notes
  1. The katakana for "Shin" in the films Japanese title was chosen by Hideaki Anno as it can either stand for "new" (新), "true" (真), or "God" (神).[1]
  2. Known in Japan as Shin Evangelion Theatrical Edition (シン・エヴァンゲリオン劇場版𝄇, Shin Evangerion Gekijōban 𝄇). It is the only film in the Rebuild of Evangelion series to use the same katakana for "Shin" (シン・) also used in Shin Godzilla, Shin Ultraman, and Shin Kamen Rider.

References
  1. Komatsu, Mikikazu (September 23, 2015). "Toho Opens Official Website for 2016 "Shin Godzilla" Film". Crunchy Roll. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  2. Baron, Reuben (July 28, 2022). "Shin Ultraman And Shin Godzilla's Shinji Higuchi Won't Be Doing Any Film Crossovers - Exclusive". Looper.com. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  3. Komatsu, Mikikazu (February 13, 2022). "Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider to Collaborate in Shin Japan Heroes Universe Project". Crunchyroll. Retrieved March 7, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. Li, Nicolaus (February 16, 2022). "Hideaki Anno Launches "Shin Japan Heroes Universe" Project". Yahoo!Life. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  5. Medina, Nd (April 1, 2016). "Godzilla vs Evangelion Merch Isn't An April Fools' Joke, Just The Answer To Our Prayers". Player One. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  6. Squires, John (May 15, 2019). ""Godzilla vs. Evangelion: The Real 4D" Experience Coming to Universal Studios Japan This Month!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  7. "『シン・ジャパン・ヒーローズ・ユニバース』公式サイト". シン・ジャパン・ヒーローズ・ユニバース. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  8. Dutta, Debopriyaa (2022-02-16). "Shin Godzilla Director Hideaki Anno Is Creating His Own Shin Movie Universe With Kaiju And Robots". SlashFilm.com. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  9. Morrissy, Kim (May 18, 2022). "'Shin Japan Heroes Universe' Project Unveils Amusement Attractions in Bandai Namco Stores". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  10. "映画『シン・ウルトラマン』や新番組『ウルトラマンデッカー』のキャラクターがスマートフォンゲーム「パズドラ」に登場！限定グッズのプレゼントキャンペーンも実施！". Tsuburaya Station (in Japanese). Tsuburaya Productions. July 18, 2022. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  11. Suzuki, Miki (2022-10-17). "Godzilla vs Evangelion Ad Showcases Epic Eva Transformation for Pachinko Collab". CBR. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  12. "Evangelion And Godzilla Fuse in New Crossover Trailer". ComicBook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  13. Mike (November 5, 2022). "Latest Shin Japan Heroes Amusement World Merchandise Is Wristwatch". Mike Shouts. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  14. "Shin Universe Introduces New Figures, Hints at Crossover". ComicBook.com. November 20, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  15. "シンばかうけキャンペーン | 株式会社栗山米菓｜Befco（ベフコ）". 株式会社栗山米菓｜Befco（ベフコ） | (in Japanese). 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  16. Harding, Daryl (January 16, 2023). "Hideaki Anno's Shin Japan Heroes Universe Comes to Uniqlo's UT Line in March". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  17. "Evangelion, Shin Kamen Rider Izakaya Opens in Tokyo on Friday". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  18. Bashir, Dale (2023-04-07). "Kamen Rider, Godzilla, Evangelion and Ultraman Will Officially Crossover in an Upcoming Video Game". IGN Southeast Asia. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.