Summary
2024 will be the 15th anniversary of two very famous anime series,Steins;GateandMonogatari. These two series seemingly have nothing in common with one another at first glance other thanboth being fantasy/sci-fi anime, and going on to become timeless successes. However, that has not stopped the new series from announcing a very unexpected collaboration, which is coming later this year.
The news was first teased by theSteins;Gateofficial X(formerly Twitter) page back on September 12th. Then, a more official announcement came via YouTube last week, which announced a formal anniversary collaboration event happening between the two series. There will be three distinct parts to the collaboration celebration - an event at Tokyo Tower, a themed café, and a special pop-up shop.
Celebrating Over 15 Years
These Anime Have Left Quite a Legacy
Steins;Gatefirst aired in 2011, running from April to September with 24 episodes. The anime serieshas various spin-offs, including video gamesand a sequel titledSteins;Gate: Oukoubakko no Poriomania.Steins;Gateholds an impressive score on MyAnimeList of 9.07, ranking as the number 3 anime of all time on the website. While it did not go on to have many more seasons, its legacy has lived on through its dedicated fans and high level of quality.
Monogatari, on the other hand, is the name of a series of anime which encompassesMonogatari Series: First Season, Monogatari Series: Second Season, Monogatari Series: Final Season, Monogatari Series: Off Season,andMonogatari Series: Monster Season(which is currently airing). There are well over 100 episodes to watch in total. The series' popularity is what has kept it going for so many years, with scores consistently above 8 according to MyAnimeList.
The Steins;Gate x Monogatari Anniversery Event
Everything Known About the Collaboration
When this collaboration was first hinted at via theSteins:GateX account, it was vague at best. That did not stop fans from picking up on the clues left in the post less than 24 hours after it was originally posted, though, and speculations about a possible collaboration began. The day after the mysterious post was made, Stephanie LIu atSiliconerareported this translation and interpretation:
The Tweet in question reads like Okabe is saying it, saying that the operation is going well. Then, the speaker reacts with shock at some emojis. After they recover, they say that this is yet another choice of Steins Gate and then end the message with El Psy Kongroo, which is the customary way Okabe ends his phone calls.
The emojis in the Tweet are a crab, a snail, a monkey, a snake, a cat, a flower, and then two vampires. These emojis in this order seem to be a reference to the Monogatari series of light novels. In Monogatari, main character Koyomi Araragi helps the girls he encounters in school or around town with problems that have to do with supernatural oddities. In Hitagi Crab, he helps his classmate and future girlfriend Hitagi Senjogahara with a crab that stole her weight. Then, in Mayoi Mai Mai (Snail), he helps a lost girl named Mayoi Hachikuji return home. And so on and so forth.
They were right, and a little over a month later the official event was announced. The trailer for it on YouTube is only a litle over a minute long, so there have not been many details released at this time. What has been announced, though, is that there will be aspecial event at Tokyo Tower, along with a themed Animax Café, happening in mid-October 2024. Additionally, there will be an exclusive pop-up shop in mid-November 2024.
While more official details have not been released yet, guesses can be made based on similar past events about what will likely be available. Previous anime events at Tokyo Tower have included cut-outs of characters and photo opportunities for fans, usually with Tokyo’s skyline behind them, along with special merchandise featuring the characters and Tokyo Tower. An Animax Cafe will definitely have aspecial menu that has been themedafter the anime, along with even more exclusive merchandise. And finally, a pop-up shop will be exactly that - lots and lots of specail goods to buy!
As the promotional video features the characters from bothSteins:GateandMonogatariwearing one another’s clothes, the collaboration goods will likely be the same. It will be a really special event for fans of both series, as no one could have ever imagined that the two anime would ever come together for something like this. It is a very special way to celebrate their 15th anniversary, and more details should be on the way soon as the events will kick off in less than a month.
