Anime, manga, and software studios have been marking April 1 with a slew of April Fool's spoofs and jokes. Here are some of those that have cropped up this year - click on the thumbnail images to see the original!
Satomi Akesaka
The voice actress announced that she had gotten married to someone outside the anime and voice-acting community.
Google Japan
What's more intuitive for entering Japanese characters into computers than a drum set or Morse code? Google has this year's answer. Thanks to Dmysta3000 for the tip!
Yui Kano
The voice actress announced that she had gotten married and will henceforth be known as Yui Suzuki.
Majikoi - Oh! Samurai Girls
Gyoubu Shakadou is getting his own all-ages PC game, Shakadou-san no Junai Road (Shakadou's Pure-Love Road). It's available now for download.
Mobile Suit Gundam
Do you know about the life-size bust of Gundam Seed Destiny's Strike Freedom Gundam at the Gundam Front Tokyo mini-park? It turns out that it's not just a bust.
Monster Hunter
For one day only, Monster Hunter Frontier Online players can receive a baptism by fire from the previously undiscovered creature "G."
Movic
The evil secrety society Meganeito hijacked the retailer Movic and began offering Eyeglasses hugging pilows, Eyeglasses breast mousepads, Eyeglasses boys-love drama CDs, and the prankster's classic, X-Ray Specs.
Muv-Luv
Software developer announced a Muv-Luv social game: Idar My Star: Tsunderella Gals. The company also announced A Certain Scientific Railgun Type-002 anime premiering this month, the Puella Magi Marimo Majica? film opening this fall, a custom "Kasumi Dayo" item in the PlayStallion 2 game Hatsune Kasumi Project Alternative 3, an actual Type-00R Takemikazuchi mecha at the Muv:Luv Front Yokohama theme park at Yokohama Yamashita Park, A-3 Pictures' April sequel anime My Little Sister Can't Be a Samurai., the PlayStallion 3 game Jijo's Bizarre Adventure: Akane School Battle, the final episode of the robot anime LabJanji - The Flower of Rin-ne, a store campaign for the Tsudora Forest game, the smartphone app Beta Baka Nii-san, the original video anime Nikumarerumono, The Super Dimension Guardian Muv-Luv Limited sequel film, the launch of the online RPG Puzzle & Hives, and sunglasses inspired by Total Eclipse's Orson.
Mushibugyo
The anime's website would load up random splash pages with word puns on "Mushibugyo." [Images via NicoTubeAnime]
Nashibugyo (pear)
Hoshibugyo (planet)
Kushibugyo (skewer)
Ushibugyo (cow)
Nabebugyo (pot)
Ishibugyo (rock)
Niconico
After last year's ZeroWatch and Qwatch, the streaming service and a certain developer is offering its most powerful version: Zwatch.
There are many more anime/manga/game April Fool's Day celebrations out there, so if you know of one we've missed, feel free to let us know in our forums or by email (newsroom at animenewsnetwork.com).
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