If there is one thing anime fans want, it is to step into their favorite series if just for a little while. Living in the Dragon Ball universe would be stressful, but places like J-World Tokyo allowed people to live their best otaku life with little risk. However, it seems the park’s time is running out for good.
Videos by ComicBook.com
According to reports by Comic Natalie, J-World Tokyo is set to close its doors this spring. The park is set to shut down on February 17, 2019. So, if you were hoping to check out the park, then you better have made plans to go before the end of February.
So far, no reason has been given for why the park is closing, but reports indicate the location was developed with a six-year plan in mind. Still, despite its short lifetime, J-World Tokyo did some impressive things. Created in 2013, the Ikebukuro-based amusement park opened to great fanfare. J-World Tokyo housed various attractions based on Shonen Jump titles such as One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, and more. The indoor park allowed fans to play up close with their favorite anime protagonists, but that time is coming to a quick end.
With J-World Tokyo closing, netizens may be wondering if Japan is giving up on its anime park attractions, but that isn’t quite the case. There are other parks around the country which cater to otakus from all walks of life. In fact, Universal Studios Japan has become a champion for anime rides over the years. The park’s Cool Japan summer program has welcomed a slew of anime-centric attractions for series like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Sailor Moon, One Piece, and more.
Sadly, none of these Universal Studios rides have translated to international audiences. For instance, Universal Studios Orlando has managed to keep any anime out of its gates, but recent rumors hinted that could change soon. Last year, reports surfaced speculating that Universal Studios was planning to create attractions for Pokemon at its Florida resort, but those rumors have since fizzled out. Now, it seems more likely that Japan would welcome the Pokemon Park first, so fans will want to keep an eye on Tokyo’s theme parks moving forward.
Do you wish there were more anime attractions in U.S. theme parks? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
