features

Anime taxi cab enters service on streets of Tokyo

2 Comments
By Casey Baseel, RocketNews24

In general, choosing which taxi to ride in is a pretty simple process in which we ask ourselves “Is there a taxi in front of me?” and “Does it look like someone recently lost control of his bodily functions in the backseat?” As long as “Yes” and “No” are the respective answers, most of us will hop right in.

Of course, this makes it difficult for taxi companies to gain an advantage over their competitors. Differentiating yourself is especially hard in Japan, where taxis are almost uniformly spotless. And yet, Tokyo-based taxi operator Gojo Kotsu has found a way with an "ita"-taxi, or taxi plastered with anime-style artwork.

Taking its name from "itasha," the customized graphic-covered rides of hardcore otaku, Goju Kotsu features smiling schoolgirl Pronama-chan, the mascot of the programming community of Japanese video-sharing website Nico Nico Douga.

The ita-taxi was first displayed at the Nico Nico Super Conference online pop culture convention, where it got an overwhelmingly positive reaction from cosplayers and other attendees. In response, Goju Kotsu decided to put the car into actual service.

August 12 was the ita-taxi’s first day on the roads, coinciding with the opening day of the summer Comiket indie comic and fan art extravaganza. Initially the special taxi will be stationed in the neighborhood surrounding Tokyo Big Sight, the venue for Comiket, but giving its inherently mobile nature, anime fans who need a lift might be able to flag it down in other parts of the city too.

Source: @Press

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Tokyo’s tea taxis will serve you a cold drink while giving you a lift this summer -- Japanese Twitter user reveals why taxi drivers flock to Big Sight during Comiket -- Tokyo making big changes to taxi service and fares, looking for a few “testy” drivers

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


2 Comments
Login to comment

Why not? Though it's not showing enough skin to be a real "itasha"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This'll attract a lot of Otaku passengers!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites