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zeromcd73 · Jul 20, 2014

With the huge popularity of the Youkai Watch games and franchise in Japan a movie was previously announced to open in Japan in December later this year.

Yesterday was the day that 500,000 limited edition early movie tickets were sold to customers. The big thing about this early ticket though, is that it comes with a rare medal and card!

And of course the lines came!

6:00am in the morning:

Dr. Buni · Jul 20, 2014

I guess the people calling it "This generation's Pokémon" weren't exaggerating.

Uncle Rupee · Jul 20, 2014

The Krispy Kreme sign in one of those photos reminded me that Japanese will queue up for almost anything. When Dunkin' Donuts first opened a store in Tokyo there were queues.

BriBri · Jul 20, 2014

At least they have an ace game to play whilst they're queuing.

FreedomFighter · Jul 20, 2014

Level 5 must be happy to see this. Next Wednesday's MC thread should show a strong holding for YW2.

Ekid · Jul 20, 2014

zeromcd73 said:
Today was the day that 500,000 ... rare medal and card!
:

Hum...
Reminds me of the Mew's special card for one of the Pokemon's movie (the second i think).

Tizoc · Jul 20, 2014

What's to say the movie won't be a trite, uninspired, generic anime trope infested movie? Cuz I'd like for it to be good, but you never know when they just want to make a quick Yen >_>;

For that matter...how long will the movie be?

reptilescorpio · Jul 20, 2014

Tizoc said:
What's to say the movie won't be a trite, uninspired, generic anime trope infested movie? Cuz I'd like for it to be good, but you never know when they just want to make a quick Yen >_>;

For that matter...how long will the movie be?

Doesn't matter.

It's Youkai Watch.

zeromcd73 · Jul 20, 2014

Ekid said:
Hum...
Reminds me of the Mew's special card for one of the Pokemon's movie (the second i think).

I've still got that Mew card somewhere

Orniletter · Jul 20, 2014

Ekid said:
Hum...
Reminds me of the Mew's special card for one of the Pokemon's movie (the second i think).

The first one . The second movie was about Lugia and the three birds.

The first one was about Mew and Mewtwo and the whole cloning thing.

My 7 year old self loved it back then.

Des0lar · Jul 20, 2014

Uncle Rupee said:
The Krispy Kreme sign in one of those photos reminded me that Japanese will queue up for almost anything. When Dunkin' Donuts first opened a store in Tokyo there were queues.

This is true. I saw a line for special popcorn. I mean really?

Ekid · Jul 20, 2014

Orniletter said:
The first one . The second movie was about Lugia and the three birds.

Are you sure ? Wasn't the card in question in the hand of the bad guy at the end of the movie ?

chrono01 · Jul 20, 2014

Des0lar said:
This is true. I saw a line for special popcorn. I mean really?

To be fair, popcorn is pretty great.

Also, that lineup is insane. I really hope Nintendo brings Youkai Watch to NA. I mean, they would be insane not to, but crazier things have happened...

Orniletter · Jul 20, 2014

Ekid said:
Are you sure ? Wasn't the card in question in the hand of the bad guy at the end of the movie ?

There might have been regional differences (I´m from Europe/Germany) but I´m 1000% sure we got it with the first movie.

L~A · Jul 20, 2014

Reila said:
I guess the people calling it "This generation's Pokémon" weren't exaggerating.

Of course they weren't. First people I heard saying that were retailers, who have been seeing copies of both games sell like hot pancakes. No idea how far the whole thing will go... will it reach Pokémon-levels of popularity?

And the most impressive thing about Pokémon isn't so much how popular it is, but how consistently popular it's been. If Youkai Watch can do the same... I wish Level-5 good luck (oh, and please localise the games already, ha ha).

I've been watching the anime lately, and it's really great, lots of fun.

firehawk12 · Jul 20, 2014

I'm glad there seem to be kids there and it isn't all 30 year old guys buying thousands of tickets. lol

Magicpaint · Jul 20, 2014

Level 5 really hit the jackpot with Yokai Watch.

Krispy Kreme...yum.

Black Door · Jul 20, 2014

For such a popular game in the motherland they sure are taking their sweet fucking time releasing it internationally.

Kouriozan · Jul 20, 2014

Not surprising Level 5 is milking as much as possible.
Just don't kill this IP please as fast as the other.

StevePharma · Jul 20, 2014

I can't spot JJ aka sprsk in that line can you guys?

JJ post if you're OK.

HawthorneKitty · Jul 20, 2014

Daaaamn.

Dragoshi1 · Jul 20, 2014

Orniletter said:
There might have been regional differences (I´m from Europe/Germany) but I´m 1000% sure we got it with the first movie.

We got the Mew card during showings of the 2nd movie, the villain owned the card in the Lugia movie.

Aaron · Jul 20, 2014

Still shorter than the secret shop line.

JoeM86 · Jul 20, 2014

L~A said:
Of course they weren't. First people I heard saying that were retailers, who have been seeing copies of both games sell like hot pancakes. No idea how far the whole thing will go... will it reach Pokémon-levels of popularity?

And the most impressive thing about Pokémon isn't so much how popular it is, but how consistently popular it's been. If Youkai Watch can do the same... I wish Level-5 good luck (oh, and please localise the games already, ha ha).

I've been watching the anime lately, and it's really great, lots of fun.

Indeed. Games still break records on sale, the movies are always in the top 5 for the year in Japan too, if memory serves. Youkai Watch's anime does beat Pokémon in the weekly ratings more often than not, though.

I can't see Youkai Watch matching Pokémon in terms of overall success, though. That said, I can see it standing alongside Pokémon and Monster Hunter as successful portable gaming sensations over the years.

Those lines are crazy, though.

zeromcd73 · Jul 20, 2014

Movie trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkIsJHjpwN4

Forkball · Jul 20, 2014

I've been playing Yokai Watch 2 and I'm really enjoying it. Kind of like Earthbound meets Pokemon with its own unique additions. I'd be careful about calling it the next Pokemon. Pokemon's been around 20 years and YW has survived one.

lifeexpectancy · Jul 20, 2014

What the fuck? Stand in line for a "limited edition".... movie ticket? Even with the 'medal' or whatever, I mean huh? Besides, 500,000 of them doesn't exactly make them 'limited', except for the fact that they're limited compared to the millions of movie tickets sold each week, but I still can't wrap my head around this...

Ken · Jul 20, 2014

Himura Kenshin looks jealous.

lifeexpectancy said:
What the fuck? Stand in line for a "limited edition".... movie ticket? Even with the 'medal' or whatever, I mean huh? Besides, 500,000 of them doesn't exactly make them 'limited', except for the fact that they're limited compared to the millions of movie tickets sold each week, but I still can't wrap my head around this...

Maybe the bonuses are really meaningful to YW players.

massoluk · Jul 20, 2014

Reila said:
I guess the people calling it "This generation's Pokémon" weren't exaggerating.

Yup, this is Pokemon level shits

JoeM86 · Jul 20, 2014

lifeexpectancy said:
What the fuck? Stand in line for a "limited edition".... movie ticket? Even with the 'medal' or whatever, I mean huh? Besides, 500,000 of them doesn't exactly make them 'limited', except for the fact that they're limited compared to the millions of movie tickets sold each week, but I still can't wrap my head around this...

Three years ago, there were huge lines to access a special Snivy at the Pokémon Center in Tohoku

ArtHands · Jul 20, 2014

Kouriozan said:
Not surprising Level 5 is milking as much as possible.
Just don't kill this IP please as fast as the other.

Milk? It was all planned right from the start to be a cross media franchise.

JoeM86 · Jul 20, 2014

ArtHands said:
Milk? It was all planned right from the start to be a cross media franchise.

Indeed. It was quite an oddity in fact.

Before the anime came around, the game was having mediocre sales at best. Then, the anime came and things turned around for the game. Sort of the inverse of Pokémon, where the anime's popularity is due to the games.

Dr. Buni · Jul 20, 2014

L~A said:
Of course they weren't. First people I heard saying that were retailers, who have been seeing copies of both games sell like hot pancakes. No idea how far the whole thing will go... will it reach Pokémon-levels of popularity?

And the most impressive thing about Pokémon isn't so much how popular it is, but how consistently popular it's been. If Youkai Watch can do the same... I wish Level-5 good luck (oh, and please localise the games already, ha ha).

I've been watching the anime lately, and it's really great, lots of fun.

It would be interesting if Youkai Watch could reach similar levels of popularity as Pokémon, though it likely won't.

No "mon" franchise ever matched Pokémon in its seventeen years of existence (or is it eighteen already?).

Still, there is a first for everything, they say.

yGray · Jul 20, 2014

I'm just not seeing the appeal. Especially the appeal for adults.

Orniletter · Jul 20, 2014

Ekid said:
Are you sure ? Wasn't the card in question in the hand of the bad guy at the end of the movie ?

Dragoshi1 said:
We got the Mew card during showings of the 2nd movie, the villain owned the card in the Lugia movie.

Apologies !

JoeM86 · Jul 20, 2014

yGray said:
I'm just not seeing the appeal. Especially the appeal for adults.

Ah memories. People said the same for Pokémon.

Zweizer · Jul 20, 2014

I knows it's not at the same level of Pokemon yet, but how does it compare to, say, Digimon? I'm rather curious to see how this franchise will evolve.

JoeM86 said:
Ah memories. People said the same for Pokémon.

The similarities are getting uncanny.

zeromcd73 · Jul 20, 2014

Zweizer said:
I knows it's not at the same level of Pokemon yet, but how does it compare to, say, Digimon? I'm rather curious to see how this franchise will evolve.

I don't think Digimon is a great comparison since it wasn't a video game that evolved into a mass media franchise like Pokemon/Youkai Watch. It was originally created to be the boys version of Tamogotchi.

Code:

[3DS] Youkai Watch 2 Honke/Gansho - 1,281,096
[PS1] Digimon World - 246,859

The first Digimon World on PS1 is awesome. Loved it as a kid and still love it now.

Zweizer · Jul 20, 2014

zeromcd73 said:
I don't think Digimon is a great comparison since it wasn't a video game that evolved into a mass media franchise like Pokemon/Youkai Watch. It was originally created to be the boys version of Tamogotchi.

Had no idea it was originally an alternate Tamagotchi. Interesting, and makes sense.

Currygan · Jul 20, 2014

yup, the Pokemon analogies are getting more plausible by the day

SatelliteOfLove · Jul 20, 2014

Magicpaint said:
Level 5 really hit the jackpot with Yokai Watch.

Krispy Kreme...yum.

That's what I took from this. Hell, they're probably doing good business with the captive audience if they're open.

Black Door said:
For such a popular game in the motherland they sure are taking their sweet fucking time releasing it internationally.

As it stands, it'll come out after Omega and Alpha I think?

JoeM86 · Jul 20, 2014

Maybe I should make a Youkai Watch site, too

Black Door said:
For such a popular game in the motherland they sure are taking their sweet fucking time releasing it internationally.

Well, it did take over two years for Pokémon to make it out of Japan.

Lashley · Jul 20, 2014

If there are 500,000 of them they can't be that rare?

Dr. Buni · Jul 20, 2014

Now Level-5 only needs to follow the Pokémon steps and give us a female playable character (if there isn't one already?)

JoeM86 said:
Maybe I should make a Youkai Watch site, too

You should.

JoeM86 · Jul 20, 2014

Reila said:
Now Level-5 only needs to follow the Pokémon steps and give us a female playable character (if there isn't one already?)

You should.

Haha, my Pokémon site keeps me so busy, have so much on my plate right now. Youkai Watch on top of that would just slay me.

According to StreetsAhead though, there is no Youkai Watch equivalent to my site

Dragoshi1 · Jul 20, 2014

Reila said:
Now Level-5 only needs to follow the Pokémon steps and give us a female playable character (if there isn't one already?)

You should.

There is, actually.

Fumika is the female choice, I just never see her used in marketing for the game, and she's more or less a side character in the anime.

zeromcd73 · Jul 20, 2014

JoeM86 said:
Maybe I should make a Youkai Watch site, too

crinale · Jul 20, 2014

Used shops are buying premium medals for $150/piece or more.
The thing is getting a little out of hand actually...

Kouriozan · Jul 20, 2014

Where is the trading card game?

Also, they really should announce the release of the first game for the West, something so huge just can't stay in Japan, that's cruel T_T

squall23 · Jul 20, 2014

Black Door said:
For such a popular game in the motherland they sure are taking their sweet fucking time releasing it internationally.

These are the guys that took 3 years plus a few days to release Inazuma Eleven in Europe.

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