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Station Idol Latch! Project Turns Tokyo's Yamanote Train Stations Into Idols With Anime
posted on by Egan Loo
AOI Pro., Amuse, and Origamix Partners are launching the Station Idol Latch franchise with anime, manga, game, and novelization plans as part of their AAO Project initiative. The creators reimagine all 30 stations of Yamanote, the train line that circles central Tokyo, into idols who also work as station staff members. The East Japan Railway Company is supervising and collaborating on the planned franchise.
The franchise will start streaming a weekly voice drama on YouTube on June 3. The franchise is also planning music releases, events, concerts, and ways for fans to take part.
The franchise announced six of its cast members:
- Kenshō Ono as Rion Shōji (Tokyo Station)
- Atsushi Tamaru as Yūki Shindō (Shinjuku Station)
- Nobunaga Shimazaki as Mikado Aobazuku (Ikebukuro Station)
- Tetsuei Sumiya as Rui Utsusemi (Ōtsuka Station)
- Masahiro Itou as Miharu Suwa (Nishi-Nippori Station)
- Ryōta Aoyama as Yūya Taketsune (Takadanobaba Station)
The staff will announce the remainig cast members in the future. Yukinojo Mori wrote the lyrics, and Yuki Tsujimura and Ken Itō scored the music for the theme song "Latch! ~Sore ga Mirai no Tobira~" (Latch! That's the Door to the Future).
The AAO Project initiative also features about 40 other planned franchises, including Glory Days with original character designs by Hiroaki Samura (Blade of the Immortal), Gekikō no Red-Eye (Deep Crimson Red-Eye) drawn by Daruma Matsuura (Kasane), Fringe/Raid designed by Waka Hirako (My Broken Mariko), Kanaete Power Gem (Wish-Granting Power Gem) conceived and designed by Akemi Takada (Patlabor, Kimagure Orange Road, Creamy Mami designer), Goldays conceived and scripted by Masafumi Nishida (Tiger & Bunny), and Mon-Pan co-conceived by Wit Studio.
Source: Comic Natalie
