It’s been 30 years since the adventures of Crayon Shin-chan first hit Japan’s manga shelves. The mischievous character known for his witty jokes, and unnatural sounding Japanese, has been a fan favourite ever since. The series has seen 50 volumes of manga, over 1,000 anime episodes, a range of video games and an ever-growing collection of products that continue to crop up even 30 years later.

To commemorate the occasion, a special exhibition will be held at the Tokyo Anime Center, and will highlight the original art of Shin-chan’s creator –Yoshita Usui – and the historical development of the series, from the original manga to its spin-off anime television show, movies and games.

Additionally, the exhibition will implement augmented reality via the smartphone application ‘HoloModelsTM’. Through their smartphone visitors will then be able to enjoy the exhibition alongside AR versions of the characters, who will appear on the phone screen at various points throughout the venue.

A reproduction of the exhibition will also be released via the virtual event application ‘Cluster (クラスター‪)’ for a limited time only. This application is designed so that everyone can participate no matter where they are or when they are watching. The app allows users to watch from smartphone devices, PCs, or through vr consoles, and is redefining the meaning of ‘virtual gatherings’.

Crayon Shin chan 30th anniversary exhibition

Dates: Friday April 16th – Sunday May 23rd
Tokyo Venue:Tokyo Anime Center in DNP PLAZA SHIBUYA (1-21-3 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Shibuya MODI 2F)
Opening hours: 11: 00-20 30: 30
Virtual Venue:Cluster