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Crowdfunding Begins for 'VR Manga' Sequel to Tatsuya Egawa's Magical Taruruuto-kun
posted on by Karen Ressler
Media trading company LL (Double L) launched a campaign on crowdfunding platform Makuake on Thursday for a "VR manga" sequel to Tatsuya Egawa's Magical Taruruuto-kun manga. The sequel, titled Magical Taruruuto-kun REBOOT!, will be available on "milbox touch" personal VR devices if it is funded.
Egawa (Golden Boy, Tokyo University Story) is collaborating on the project but not directing it himself. Toneplus Animation Studios will handle the CG animation, and the staff includes producer Akihito Hotehama, technologist Naoji Taniguchi, scenario writer Hako Taneda, and sound creator Takayuki Nakamura. The project also has plans for voice actor participation.
The sequel's story takes place after the end of the manga, when Honmaru, Iyona, and the others have graduated high school and are now attending a magic school. Not only does the VR manga show images in 3D, it also allows the user to interact with the presentation. Several items from the manga, such as the magic goggles "Mi-H-n" that let the user see through clothes and the "Hormoneger" that changes a person's gender, will be usable in the VR manga.
The project is seeking to earn 1.5 million yen (about US$13,000) for six chapters, the first of which will be distributed for free if the project is funded. Backer rewards include chances to meet Egawa, perform in the VR manga, and participate in the scenario-writing.
The "milbox touch" is a cardboard VR device that works with smartphones. Users can tap and scroll with a panel on the side to interact with VR presentation. The project has plans to distribute a special version of the "milbox touch" that looks like the "Mi-H-n" goggles.
Egawa published the original manga in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from 1988 to 1992. The series inspired a television anime adaptation from 1990 to 1992, as well as three movies.
In the story, fifth grader Edojou Honmaru is one of the most trodden upon losers in his class, until he meets Magical Taruruuto-kun. Taruruuto's powers help him deal with all his hardships, such as girls, bullies, and numerous other challenges.
Double L announced in April that it was recruiting a writer for a remake of Magical Taruruuto-kun to be released over smartphone apps.
Source: Comic Natalie, (link 2) via Kai-You
