Bandai Namco Teams Up with Jordan Brand for Air Jordan 1 Hi '85 Collectibles
Meanwhile, Japan-based fans can take part in a gacha-style release featuring miniaturized versions of the Air Jordan 1 Hi '85 in 18 colorways. Sixteen of these are faithful recreations of original releases, while two remain mysterious—potentially the elusive 'Reverse Shadow' and another rare or unreleased variant.
Pre-orders for the Bandai Namco x Jordan Brand Air Jordan 1 Hi '85 display models begin July 30. The gacha mini-figures will debut in-store across Japan this October, with online reservations starting August 7 and shipments expected by December.
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Forbes
9 hours ago
- Forbes
Psychic Fever Reflects On Their Beginnings, Music, And Future Goals
J-pop group Psychic Fever (full name: Psychic Fever from Exile Tribe) doesn't look like your typical pop boy band. The members – Tsurugi, Ryoga, Ren, Jimmy, Kokoro, Ryushin, and Weesa – each have their own defined style and look that isn't often seen in the J-pop industry, and that's what makes them one of the most interesting groups to emerge from Japan. Known for their dynamic performances and soulful vocals, as well as their rap, Psychic Fever has found success domestically since 2022. Their first EP, Psychic File I, debuted at #3 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and the Billboard Japan charts. Several of their songs went viral on social media, with their song 'Just Like Dat (feat. JP THE WAVY)' having over 200 million views on TikTok. Their second EP, Psychic File II, landed #2 on the Oricon Weekly Chart. They began to focus on expanding their reach globally, relocating their base to Thailand, and performing across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. The group then signed with Warner Music Group to pursue even more international partnerships, having completed their first U.S. tour earlier in the year and performed at SXSW 2025. Since then, they've been working on new music, releasing their third EP, Psychic File III, in May. Their lead single, 'Gelato,' became a popular summer hit, which differs from their hip-hop style, showcasing a softer and romantic side to the group. The music video to their second single, 'Reflection,' was released today, featuring a smooth 2000s pop vibe. When I first met Psychic Fever for lunch at The Butcher's Daughter in West Hollywood, they were all dressed in black, with their logo blinged around their necks, and matching black leather jackets. The jackets, designed by a Japanese artist, had their images beautifully painted on the back. Together, they looked like the classic '90s - 2000s hip-hop and R&B crew, which was the look they were going for. Their leader and eldest member, Tsuguri, stood out with his signature cowboy hat, giving the group a western feel to the mood. 'I love Texas,' says the 28-year-old Japanese rapper. 'You can see, I love cowboy hats. Texas has a lot of style and culture. I love it.' The group all stood up to greet me, with their manager and international A&R executive, Shimpei Okamoto, serving as their interpreter (alongside Jimmy, Weesa, and Kokoro, who also happen to speak Thai). The group exuded a cool and edgy vibe, especially in contrast to the rustic and bright setting of the restaurant. Yet, they were very soft-spoken and gracious with every question and comment I had. 'We were in LA for our fan meeting,' says Kokoro. 'We are here today and tomorrow, but then we go home.' The group had been travelling all around the U.S. and concluded their U.S. tour with a fan meeting in Los Angeles. They've been looking forward to seeing all of their fans – called ForEVER – in the U.S., and eating all the different types of food that Los Angeles has to offer. They all begin mentioning food places all at once – 'In and Out,' 'Shake Shack,' 'Sweet Greens,' – and lots of Mexican food. 'So many good places,' says Ren. The group shares with me their early beginnings, being announced as a group in 2020, but officially debuting in 2022 under LDH Records. Hiroyuki Igarashi, Chairman of LDH Japan, aimed to establish a global group and selected each member from their EXPG STUDIO Tokyo School. All of the members graduated from their school and were chosen for Psychic Fever. Although Tsuguri is the oldest, he makes a point during the interview to emphasize that everyone in the group is equal to each other. There is no hierarchy, unlike that of different groups. 'It doesn't matter ages or skills,' he explains. 'Everybody is equal as we grow up together. That's [been] the key [to our success].' That mentality has stayed with them since their pre-debut, which kept them strong as a group as they had to perform and eventually move their base to Thailand for two years. They established a strong presence there, performing numerous concerts and festivals, and appearing on various variety shows. They all expressed their love for the food and the culture. 'We loved it there,' says Kokoro. He proceeds to speak Thai, telling me he learned a lot, and begins to name items on the table. He tells us they're set to return to Thailand at the end of August to perform at the Japanese festival, Nippon Haku Bangkok 2025. He says, 'We are so excited.' The group has been labeled as J-pop for their upbeat sounds and intricate choreography, but their music has evolved as they have grown as artists. Jimmy, who is of Japanese and Nigerian descent, says he grew up listening to R&B and pop since he was a child, 'his parents' generation' artists like Boyz II Men, TLC, Destiny's Child, Usher, and the Backstreet Boys. 'We experienced ourselves in our way with R&B and hip hop,' Jimmy shares. 'We are [getting older], so I would like to do more slow R&B as we get older, like Boyz II Men style.' It's why a lot of their songs from the latest EP are more slow-paced than what they've done before. They're not planning on doing away with any of their fast hip-hop and soulful beats, but want to show more sides to them. Weesa, who is of Moroccan and Zainichi Korean descent, grew up listening to Michael Jackson and rapper Mac Miller and served as an inspiration for him to become an artist. That's the type of music he'd like to showcase for himself and the group. '[Michael Jackson] is the reason why I started liking music,' says Weesa. 'Mac Miller is the reason why I started making music. Mac Miller is my hero.' Many of them expressed interest in collaborating with Western artists, as they have been performing more in the U.S. Kokoro says he'd love to work with Bruno Mars on a dance song, as the Grammy-award-winning artist has been collaborating with more Asian artists lately. Jimmy says he'd love to work with more American producers on their music, especially Metro Boomin, who has collaborated with many artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and others. He says, 'In Japan, so many rappers and artists collaborate with U.S. producers, so I want to work with Metro Boomin.' Ryushin would like to try more remix styles of songs by collaborating with DJs like David Guetta. He says, 'I can compose the music with the DJ. I like his music style.' Ryoka and Ren chose a softer and mellow collaboration, hoping to work with R&B artists like Ella Mai and KESHI, respectively. 'I want to do a duet with her,' says Ryoka. For country-lovin' Tsuguri, he wouldn't mind doing some American country music like Riley Green, who hails from Alabama. He wants to visit Nashville, the home of country music. He says Psychic Fever's music is different from that sound, but he'd like to incorporate it somehow in the future. 'Someday, I'll bring a new style,' he laughs. Psychic Fever has many plans for the future to meet more of their fans. Their ultimate goal is to embark on a World Tour and bridge the cultural gap between Japan and the rest of the world. Ryushin would love to travel to more places. He says, 'I want to go to places we've never been to perform.' Weesa feels the tides are changing when it comes to the Western world's acceptance of Japanese artists. Japanese culture has undergone significant changes since then. He says, 'People are accepting J-pop now. At the same time, we can deliver the Japanese culture as well through our performance.' Jimmy would also like to pave the way to bring more diverse LDH artists to the global stage. Not only his fellow EXILE TRIBE, but also other Japanese artists who want to explore and thrive in America. 'Right now, we only have Psychic Fever doing a U.S. tour,' Jimmy explains. 'We need to bring everyone here, and it's going to cause a crazy chemical reaction. I'm ready for that.'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Drive My Car' Star Nishijima Hidetoshi Leads Prime Video Japanese Mystery ‘Human Specimens'
'Human Specimens,' Amazon MGM Studios' latest Japanese original for Prime Video brings together acclaimed actor Nishijima Hidetoshi with 20-year-old Kabuki theater prodigy Ichikawa Somegorô in a psychological thriller that delves into the darkest corners of human obsession. Based on a novel by Minato Kanae – whose previous work 'Confessions' earned international recognition and an Academy Award submission for Japan – the five-part series follows a butterfly researcher who confesses to turning six young boys, including his own son, into 'human specimens.' More from Variety Daniel Dae Kim's 'Butterfly' Is All Action With Little Heart: TV Review How to Watch Outside Lands 2025 Live Online 'Squid Game' Star Lee Jung-jae and 'The Glory's' Lim Ji-yeon to Lead Prime Video Korean Rom-Com 'Nice to Not Meet You' Nishijima, whose international profile soared following his lead role in the Oscar-winning 'Drive My Car' (2021), takes on the role of Professor Sakaki. Making his first foray into contemporary television drama, Ichikawa has already established himself as a rising talent in traditional Kabuki theater, an art form recognized by UNESCO. Veteran director Hiroki Ryûichi, known for 'April Bride' (2009) and 'The Waxing and Waning of the Moon' (2022), helms the series. This marks his second collaboration with Minato following their critically acclaimed 'Motherhood' (2022). The story unfolds through multiple perspectives, revealing layers of truth behind Professor Sakaki's disturbing actions while examining complex father-son dynamics and humanity's obsession with preserving beauty. 'We are excited to present to our Prime customers worldwide a new series that will leave a lasting impression,' said Thomas Dubois, head of French and Japanese originals at Prime Video. 'This dark and compelling drama series earnestly confronts the eternal questions that Minato Kanae explores with her sharp pen – the purpose of life and the nature of love.' Nishijima added: 'The original novel by Minato Kanae is layered with powerful themes – the infinite depths of parent-child love and conflict, the complexity of human nature, the fine line between art and madness, and the desperate pursuit of beauty. I was captivated by how the story kept surprising me with unexpected turns right up to the end.' Ichikawa said: 'Sometimes, humans find a strange beauty in their endless desires and inner darkness. Perhaps this is because these very desires are what make us human. Minato Kanae portrays this human essence through descriptions that are sometimes hard to face yet utterly gripping – impossible to stop once you start reading.' Minato added: 'As a mystery writer and parent, I challenged myself to tackle 'filicide' – perhaps the most difficult theme for me to imagine,' she said. 'It was particularly challenging to express colors and specimen designs through words alone. That's precisely why I strongly hoped for a visual adaptation, and my wish has been granted in the most wonderful way possible.' Hiroki said: 'This series explores humanity's obsession with beauty through the lens of a complex father-son relationship. The series aims to carefully yet boldly portray a world where love and madness intersect, expressed through butterflies and art.' 'Human Specimens' will be available worldwide exclusively on Prime Video beginning Dec. 18, with all five episodes releasing simultaneously. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Digital Trends
15 hours ago
- Digital Trends
Every Nintendo console release in chronological order: it goes back way before the NES
For many gamers, Nintendo was our introduction to the world of video games. Whether it was booting up Super Mario Bros. on the NES or Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2, Nintendo consoles have been the default system for kids for decades. However, Nintendo's history dates back even further than the most passionate Nintendo fan might realize. The Mario maker wouldn't become a household name until the NES arrived in the mid-'80s, but Nintendo has been spreading joy through gaming for well over half a century now. While some hardware didn't hit the mark, hit franchises like Zelda, Pokémon, and Mario always delivered enthralling experiences that helped define multiple generations of gamers. With such a rich history, I want to walk down memory lane with you to recall every major Nintendo console released from its origins up to today. Recommended Videos Note: I will be leaving out all the various versions and redesigns of consoles, such as the various Game Boy, DS, and Switch models. Color TV-Game – 1977 Even the most hardcore Nintendo fan who is always at the ready to hit you with the fact that Nintendo began in the 1800s selling Hanafuda cards is unlikely to know that the first true Nintendo console was the Color TV-Game from 1977. Nintendo partnered with Mitsubishi to create a line of five different models over the course of six years. These consoles had a set of built-in games, most of them versions of Pong, with newer versions having slight upgrades in hardware. While quaint by today's standards, Nintendo clearly knew what it was doing right from the start since it was the best selling system of the first generation. Game & Watch – 1980 The good old Game & Watch is where most Nintendo historians will mark the start of Nintendo's video game history. The story goes that designer Gunpei Yokoi was inspired to create a small, handheld game when seeing a businessman on a train entertaining himself by messing around with a pocket calculator. Thus, he designed a game that could be carried around in someone's pocket to help pass the time on the train. Game & Watch consoles only played one very basic game each, but introduced a ton of important features for video games. Handheld games were the obvious, but this was the first time a D-pad was used to control a character. Nintendo Entertainment System – 1985 As successful as the Color TV-Game and Game & Watch were overseas, it was the Nintendo Entertainment System that gained worldwide notoriety. Called the Famicom in Japan, the NES took all the learnings from other home consoles, such as swappable cartridges, and melded them with amazing franchises that are still going strong today. This was the birth of the modern 2D platformer in Super Mario Bros., the introduction to the Legend of Zelda, and the hidden mysteries of Metroid. The NES single-handedly revitalized the home console market thanks to its revolutionary controller and software lineup. Game Boy – 1989 As great as the NES was doing in the home market space, Nintendo knew there was a massive market for gaming on the go that no one else was properly servicing. There were other handhelds out there before the Game Boy, but none as powerful and compelling as this. It wasn't quite an NES in your pocket, but it was darn close. Plus, the Game Boy might have had the best launch game of all time with Tetris. Even if it only played that, I suspect the Game Boy would've sold a ton. The fact that Nintendo kept this system going for over a decade with only minor upgrades is a testament to its understanding that fun trumps power. Super Nintendo Entertainment System – 1991 Nintendo kept the naming convention simple and clean for its second major home console release. The SNES was, in every way, just a better version of the NES. We went from 8 to 16-bit graphics, got four face buttons and two bumpers, plus one of the strongest libraries of games yet. Other developers were starting to understand game design a lot more by this point, but Nintendo itself continued to make everything else look basic by comparison. Super Mario World, A Link to the Past, and Super Metroid are all still regarded as some of the best in their series and totally playable over 30 years later. Virtual Boy – 1995 It was only a matter of time before Nintendo stumbled, but thankfully the Virtual Boy was more of a side project than a core system. Nintendo had always been pushing the limits with new ways to play, such as motion controls and lightguns as far back as the NES, but virtual reality was a nut no one had cracked. Nintendo gave it a shot, but even the gaming titan couldn't manage to pull it off. The black and red screen was a killer for most, but the awkward design of the hardware itself made it almost impossible to play comfortably. It also wasn't even real virtual reality, but more of a simulated 3D effect. Nintendo 64 – 1996 Speaking of 3D, the N64 is a strange case. On one hand, the Nintendo first-party games felt a full generation ahead of the others who struggled to grapple with 3D design. On the other hand, the library was woefully small and the system itself didn't sell all that well. Again, this wasn't the first time an analog stick was used to control games, but Nintendo was the first major company to include it in its controller by default, which would soon become standard. This was also the last major console to stick to cartridges while the competition, specifically PlayStation, opted for CDs. Game Boy Advance – 2001 If the Game Boy was an NES in your pocket, the GBA was the SNES in your pocket. This long-overdue handheld upgrade was superior in every way. Beyond the graphics, the design itself was much more comfortable and pleasing, especially the horizontal screen. What was most appealing about the GBA, and would become a highly requested feature to this day, was backwards compatibility. All original Game Boy games fit right into the GBA as well as the new titles. Nintendo even toyed with merging the handheld with the home console with an adapter that allowed players to connect to a GameCube in certain titles. GameCube – 2001 That brings us to the good old GameCube. This block of a home console was a bit hit and miss in retrospect. It was the weakest-selling compared to the Xbox and PS2, but had some of the more contentious first party games at the time. While they are more appreciated today, Super Mario Sunshine and The Wind Waker were both seen as a letdown compared to previous entries. Nintendo DS – 2004 Rather than wait another decade to give us a handheld upgrade, Nintendo struck rather quick with the DS. That would normally be a recipe for disaster, but Nintendo sidestepped the controversy by once again allowing full backwards compatibility with the GBA. The dual screen design of the DS was another big risk, but one that paid off big time. A ton of unique games suddenly became possible using the two screen system and stylus, as well as built-in Wi-Fi support for online functionality. It skyrocketed to become one of the most successful systems ever made. Nintendo Wii – 2006 Console sales had been declining after the SNES, which perhaps was the impetus for Nintendo to go weird with the next home console rather than fight head-to-head as it had before. Rather than embracing HD graphics like the others, the Wii remained in SD but revolved around motion controls. That idea didn't come to fruition on the NES, but in 2006 the technology was good enough to make it work. And boy did it work. The Wii broke into markets no other game console had, suddenly appearing in nursing homes as well as young kids' living rooms because anyone could hold the remote and know how to play. Nintendo 3DS – 2011 This is technically part of the DS line, but I think the 3DS deserves a special mention because it did have exclusive games that set it apart. As you can guess by the name, this system is essentially the DS again but with more powerful guts and the ability to use stereoscopy technology to create the illusion of 3D without needing glasses. While not something that completely changed the way games were played, it was still a marvel to see and kept the handheld system relevant for another six years. Nintendo Wii U – 2012 The only bigger stumble Nintendo took than the Virtual Boy is the Wii U. The combination of a confusing name and marketing strategy, plus a weird Game Pad controller that ended up being more of a hindrance than a cool control method buried this system. I still maintain that the Wii U had a lot of potential if properly handled, but it sadly never managed to overcome its troubles. The only saving grace is that every amazing game released on the system eventually got a port to the next console. Nintendo Switch – 2017 What's there to say about the Switch? Nintendo had a lot to prove this time and made sure not to make any of the same mistakes it had with the Wii U. We knew right from the start what this system was and why it was special, but it also had the software to back it up. Launching with a Zelda game was massive, and combining all Nintendo's development focus onto the hybrid system rather than splitting between home and handheld devices ensured a steady stream of amazing games. Even though its successor has hit the market, there's a very good chance the Switch sales could creep their way up to become the best selling console of all time. Nintendo Switch 2 – 2025 And that brings us to today, with the Switch 2. We're still early on in its life, but it has already broken records as the fastest selling console in history during its first month. I don't see that pace slowing down soon, either, with an incredible lineup of titles on the way to draw in fans from all over. This is just a more powerful Switch in almost every way, plus some minor tweaks like mouse controls, but Nintendo clearly didn't want to fix what wasn't broken. We'll have to see how that plays out in the long term with its upcoming video games, like whatever new Zelda game is coming and the next Pokémon entries.
