In an ambitious cross-industry venture designed to capitalize on the rising global appetite for short-form digital animation and music-driven entertainment, Plott Inc., Bandai Namco Music Live Inc. (operating under its premier music label Lantis), and anime retail powerhouse Animate Co., Ltd. have officially announced their joint creation: Harajuku Himegoto House (HARAJUKU HIMEGOTOHOUSE / 原宿ヒメゴトハウス).
Positioned as an original multi-platform Intellectual Property (IP), Harajuku Himegoto House combines terrestrial short-form television animation with high-energy pop music, character-driven digital content, and extensive physical merchandising. The project brings together top-tier creative talents, including celebrated illustrator Akakura for character concept designs, alongside an ensemble voice cast featuring Yuya Hirose, Yuna Taniguchi, Hayato Dojima, Yu Yoshimura, Takuma Nagatsuka, Nobuhiko Okamoto, and Showtaro Morikubo.
By fusing Plott’s expertise in digital animation production, Lantis’s music production prowess, and Animate’s retail and promotional infrastructure, the corporate triad aims to establish a high-engagement ecosystem tailored to contemporary youth culture and international fandoms.
Detailed Chronology: Unveiling at AGF2026 and Public Stage Highlights
The formal debut of Harajuku Himegoto House took place during Animate Girls Festival 2026 (AGF2026), held across November 7 and 8, 2026, at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Recognized as one of Asia’s premier conventions for pop culture, animation, and character-driven media, AGF served as the strategic platform for the project’s public launch.
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| AGF2026 LAUNCH TIMELINE |
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| Nov 7-8, 2026 | Dedicated Interactive Booth at Ikebukuro Sunshine City |
| | • Unveiling of Akakura's visual artwork |
| | • Display of official launch merchandise line |
| | • Overwhelming attendee turnout across both event days |
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| Nov 8, 2026 | Stage Event at Anime × Manga Sacred Spot EXPO 2026 |
| | • Hosted at Naka-Ikebukuro Park Special Stage |
| | • Special Program: "Gathering! Lovely Talk Show♥" |
| | • Live appearances by Yuna Taniguchi, Hayato Dojima, |
| | Yu Yoshimura, and Takuma Nagatsuka |
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| Nov 9, 2026 | Commercial E-Commerce Rollout |
| | • Pre-orders opened on Plott Store at 12:00 JST |
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During the two-day convention, the dedicated Harajuku Himegoto House exhibition booth drew dense crowds of attendees eager to inspect the character visuals, watch exclusive promotional material, and preview initial retail offerings.
The public unveiling culminated on November 8 at the Anime × Manga Sacred Spot EXPO 2026, held concurrently at the Naka-Ikebukuro Park special outdoor stage. Titled "Gathering! Lovely Talk Show♥" (Atsumare! Lovely Talk Show♥), the event featured cast members Yuna Taniguchi (voicing Melo Shouseki), Hayato Dojima (voicing Takara Kyoshika), Yu Yoshimura (voicing Kentaro Jinbayama), and Takuma Nagatsuka (voicing Kumo Inukai).
Cast members on stage during the “Gathering! Lovely Talk Show♥” special program at Naka-Ikebukuro Park.
The cast presented an in-depth exploration of the narrative premise, shared behind-the-scenes recording anecdotes, and introduced the project’s musical direction, drawing enthusiastic cheers from attendees.
Alongside the live stage presentation, the production committee released the official Teaser PV and launched the musical side of the franchise with the short-version Music Video for its inaugural track, "Aisare Houdai!! Himegoto House///♥" (All You Can Love!! Himegoto House///♥).
Official Teaser PV for Harajuku Himegoto House, introducing the core narrative setting and cast.First Theme Song MV (Short Ver.): “Aisare Houdai!! Himegoto House///♥”
Narrative Architecture, Character Profiles & Visual Aesthetic
The Premise: Cute Hitmen in a Harajuku Hideout
Harajuku Himegoto House presents a comedy setup that subverts classic action tropes. The story follows Mizuki Otokozawa, an unremarkably average young man driven by a singular fantasy: to locate and train under the world’s most dangerous hitman.
Following urban legends, Mizuki travels to Harajuku—Tokyo’s global capital of avant-garde youth fashion and pop culture—in search of a secret, legendary assassin hideout. Upon arriving at the designated address, however, he discovers that the "lethal sanctuary" is actually an outrageously bright, pastel-pink cafe staffed by an eccentric crew of seven self-proclaimed "cute assassins."
Rather than grim mercenaries, Mizuki encounters a chaotic mix of hyperactive fashionistas, a foul-mouthed gothic-lolita doll, a speed-obsessed centaur, and a debt-ridden clown manager. The narrative chronicles the daily slapstick antics and misadventures of these seven lethal yet absurdly adorable cafe staff members.
Mizuki Otokozawa (CV: Yuya Hirose), the ordinary protagonist thrust into Harajuku’s most eccentric cafe.
Cast and Character Directory
The franchise introduces a colorful ensemble brought to life by prominent voice talents:
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| CHARACTER NAME | VOICE ACTOR | CHARACTER ARCHETYPE & DESCRIPTION |
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| Mizuki Otokozawa | Yuya Hirose | The Protagonist: An ordinary guy seeking to find the |
| (男沢ミズキ) | (廣瀬裕也) | world's strongest hitman, acting as the straight man. |
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| Melo Shouseki | Yuna Taniguchi | The Hype Gal: An eternally positive, high-energy gal |
| (少石めろ) | (谷口夢奈) | who unconditionally affirms and hypes up everyone. |
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| Takara Kyoshika | Hayato Dojima | The Goth-Loli Doll: A sharp-tongued, foul-mouthed |
| (凶鹿宝) | (堂島颯人) | assassin dressed in intricate gothic-lolita fashion. |
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| Kentaro Jinbayama | Yu Yoshimura | The Super-Centaur: A high-speed, high-strung centaur |
| (陣馬山ケンタロウ) | (義村優) | whose physical agility is matched by his eccentricity. |
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| Kumo Inukai | Takuma Nagatsuka | The Dark Avenger: A gloomy, melancholic youth who |
| (犬飼雲) | (永塚拓馬) | specializes in quietly dispelling grudges and dark thoughts.|
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| Hitoshi Hazamazawa | Nobuhiko Okamoto | The Deco-Manager: A 50-year-old cafe manager obsessed |
| (硲沢仁心) | (岡本信彦) | with decora style and vibrant accessory customization. |
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| Show Dokeshi | Showtaro Morikubo | The Debt-Ridden Jester: A flamboyant, clownish figure |
| (道化師ショウ) | (森久保祥太郎) | burdened by an astounding 2 billion yen debt. |
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Hitoshi Hazamazawa (CV: Nobuhiko Okamoto), the 50-year-old decora-obsessed cafe manager.Show Dokeshi (CV: Showtaro Morikubo), the flamboyant jester carrying a 2 billion yen debt.
Visual Craftsmanship by Akakura
Central to the project’s identity is the original character design work by Akakura (赤倉), an illustrator with a social media following exceeding 300,000 across global platforms. Akakura has built an international reputation through solo art exhibitions in major cultural centers including Tokyo, Paris, and Taiwan.
Known for utilizing vivid, saturated palettes, intricate modern fashion accents, and detailed texturing, Akakura’s designs for Harajuku Himegoto House capture the spirit of Harajuku’s street fashion cultures—ranging from Decora and Gothic Lolita to exaggerated Pop Art aesthetics.
The Tri-Party Corporate Synergy: A Media-Mix Blueprint
The creation of Harajuku Himegoto House highlights a calculated collaborative framework between three leaders in Japanese digital entertainment, music, and anime retail.
Plott Inc. (Planning & Animation Production):
Plott has emerged as a disruptive force in Japan’s digital animation sector, pioneering YouTube-native and short-form digital anime series (such as Teikou Pengin). By leading the planning and animation production for Harajuku Himegoto House, Plott leverages its expertise in fast-paced comedy pacing, digital character engagement, and online content optimization tailored for modern mobile audiences.
Bandai Namco Music Live Inc. / Lantis (Music Production):
Operating under the world-renowned Lantis music label, Bandai Namco Music Live oversees all musical composition, soundtrack engineering, voice talent recording, and live music production. Lantis’s track record in producing chart-topping anime theme songs and managing character-song franchises ensures that Harajuku Himegoto House maintains a strong musical identity. The primary music directive focuses on upbeat, catchy, positive pop compositions that mirror the vibrant Harajuku backdrop.
Animate Co., Ltd. (Promotional Cooperation & Retail):
As Japan’s largest specialty retail chain for anime, manga, and video game merchandise, Animate provides an unmatched physical and promotional network. Beyond organizing event stages at major conventions like AGF2026, Animate’s retail storefronts and e-commerce platforms give the project immediate, nationwide commercial reach.
Official Statements & Creative Insights
Commenting on the public unveil and the process of designing the cast, lead character illustrator Akakura shared insights into the creative journey:
"Designing these characters was a deeply stimulating experience. From personality types that I naturally excel at drawing to unique character archetypes that I had never attempted before, conceptualizing and executing their visual designs was both challenging and incredibly fun!
I am filled with anticipation and excitement to see how these eccentric, highly expressive characters will move, interact, and evolve as the story unfolds from here on out."
— Akakura, Lead Character Designer & Illustrator
The production committee reinforced that Harajuku Himegoto House aims to deliver music and animation centered around themes of "Happy, Lovely, and Positive!", creating an uplifting entertainment experience across television, digital platforms, and live music venues.
Commercial Strategy & Merchandising Matrix
To capitalize on the project’s launch momentum, the production committee launched an initial line of commemorative merchandise. Following its physical debut at AGF2026, pre-orders opened digitally via the official Plott Store on November 9 at 12:00 PM JST.
The initial launch merchandise line, available online via the Plott Store.
The launch catalog includes character-driven collectables designed for fans and collectors:
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| MERCHANDISE ITEM | PRICE (TAX INC)| TOTAL TYPES | AVAILABILITY / NOTES |
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| Acrylic Character Stands | ¥1,760 each | 7 Varieties | Plott Store & Retail Outlets |
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| Random Tin Badges (Vol. 1) | ¥550 per pack | 7 Varieties | Blind-packaged collectible badges |
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| Random Cheki-Style Trading Cards | ¥385 per pack | 14 Varieties | Instant-camera style portrait cards |
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| B2 Commemorative Tapestry / Poster | ¥3,300 | 1 Variety | AGF2026 Venue-Exclusive Item |
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Note: The B2 Commemorative Tapestry remained an exclusive reward for venue attendees at AGF2026 and is excluded from standard e-commerce distribution.
Future Outlook & Industry Impact
The announcement of Harajuku Himegoto House reflects a growing trend in the anime industry: designing cross-media IPs natively suited for short-form television broadcast, online video platforms, streaming networks, and music services simultaneously.
Rather than relying on traditional manga or light novel adaptations, the alliance between Plott, Bandai Namco Music Live, and Animate represents a vertically integrated strategy. This model streamlines content production, music release cycles, digital fan engagement, and retail merchandising under a single unified initiative.
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| UPCOMING PROJECT MILESTONES |
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| Broadcast Details | Specific TV broadcast schedules, network affiliates, and |
| | streaming platform availability to be announced shortly. |
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| Music Strategy | Full version release of "Aisare Houdai!! Himegoto House", |
| | followed by character-specific singles and music videos. |
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| Social & Media Mix | Ongoing character lore updates, visual reveals, and web |
| | content distribution via official X (Twitter) channels. |
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As terrestrial broadcast dates, network affiliations, and digital distribution schedules are finalized, Harajuku Himegoto House stands as an exciting project to watch—promising a fresh blend of Harajuku pop aesthetics, comedic action, and high-energy music.
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