Dwango
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Animation software used by Studio Ghibli will soon be free
You may not have heard of Toonz animation software, but you've no doubt seen work it was used in: Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away and Tale of the Princess Kaguya (above), or the animated series Futurama. Now, the Toonz Ghibli Edition used by legendary Japanese filmmakers like Hayao Miyazaki is going open-source, making it free to use by studios and novice animators alike. The deal came after Japanese publisher Dwango acquired the software from Italian developer Digital Video. It's now focusing on customization and training, but will still sell a premium version to companies "at a very competitive price."
Japanese companies testing 360-degree VR broadcasts for live events
All the fun of a live event, minus the spilled beer and bank-breaking ticket prices. That's what this team-up, from Japanese telecoms giant NTT and the company behind video network NicoNico Douga, is about. They have co-developed a 360-degree broadcast video system that aims to replicate live concerts and more. The system will let viewers choose where to look, as it'll connect to existing head-mounted displays (HMDs) allowing a certain degree of personalized viewing, although both sides are pushing to call it interactive -- you might remember Next3D's slightly similar plans to deliver immersive video through the Oculus Rift. Through the collaboration between NicoNico owners Dwango and NTT, the live video content (recorded at an existing event space in the middle of Tokyo), has been developed alongside broadcast technology aimed at "optimizing both video and audio quality." Users can move their HMD around to shift their view, and the cloud processes and machinations aim to maximize stream quality for where (and on what) you're viewing, "as if you're really there." The system will aim to strike a balance between broadcasting both a stable stream and a high-quality one, with mobile users staying connected, while PC users on less dense networks get a better stream. The entire service is now being put through stress testing. Both companies are looking to see how effective the new service is before developing it further, although a collaborative Hatsune Miku concert is now probably inevitable.
Nintendo buys shares in company with mobile video content platform
Nintendo has purchased stock in Dwango Co., the parent company of Japanese mobile video content platform Nico Nico Douga, Business Week reported yesterday. Before you spread news of Nintendo finally venturing into smartphones however, know that Nintendo spokesperson Yasuhiro Minagawa has stated that the company is not planning to use the service to distribute games. Minagawa explained that the purchase was made at the request of Dwango's chairman, Nobuo Kawakami. Nintendo's stock prices rose by 5.15 percent after the purchase, the highest they've been since the month of August. The bump in stock prices follows Nintendo's call with investors last month, during which Nintendo stated that the Wii U "still has a negative impact" on their profits. During the same call, Nintendo reported an operating loss of 23.3 billion yen ($236 million) due to advertising initiatives and research and development for Wii U software.
Ringtones for dogs coming to Japanese cellphones
Just when you think you've given your dog everything it could ever want (gold plated water dish, rhinestone collar, a copy of Tegan and Sara's "The Con" on vinyl) the Japanese go and one up you. A Tokyo-based content provider named Dwango announced today that it would start selling specialized ringtones which can be heard only by dogs. The service, called Inu ni shika kikoenai chakushinon (ringtones only dogs can hear) will make free downloads available to current DoCoMo i-mode subscribers. No word on whether the company will provide Bluetooth headsets and holsters suited to our canine friends, but we understand plans are in the works for a line of bacon-themed wallpapers. [Warning: read link is a PDF, and it's in Japanese][Via CrunchGear]
