Yo-Kai Watch

Yo-Kai Watch (妖怪ウォッチ) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Level-5. The original game was released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan on July 11, 2013, with a set of sequels, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Ganso and Honke, released on July 10, 2014. Two manga adaptations have been produced; a shōnen manga series that began serialization in Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic from 2012, and a shōjo manga series that began serialization in Shogakukan's Ciao magazine from December 27, 2013. An anime television series produced by OLM, Inc. began airing in Japan from January 2014. A Yo-Kai Watch: The Movie is scheduled to be released on December 20, 2014.

Plot
One day, whilst searching for bugs in the woods in Sakura New Town (based on Tsukuba, Ibaraki), a boy named Keita Amano (or in the video games a girl named Fumika Kodama is also an option) comes across a peculiar capsule machine next to a sacred tree. When he opens one of the capsules up, it brings forth a Yo-Kai named Whisper, who gives Keita a device known as the Yo-Kai Watch. Using this, Keita is able to identify and see various different Yo-Kai that are haunting people and causing mischief. Together, Keita and Whisper start making friends with all sorts of Yo-Kai, which he can summon to battle against more ill-intentioned Yo-Kai that happen to live in his town, haunting the residents and causing terrible trouble.

Gameplay
Yo-Kai Watch is a role-playing video game where the player searches around Sakura New Town for Yo-Kai using the 3DS' touchscreen. Players befriend Yo-Kai by giving them a food that they like before beginning battle, and after defeating the Yo-Kai it approaches the player character and gives him or her its Yo-Kai Medal, allowing it to be summoned at will. Yo-Kai can also be acquired through an in game Gasha Machine by collecting in-game coins or using Play Coins. Certain Yo-Kai are necessary for completing the game's main quest, and special rare Yo-Kai are acquired through various subquests. Yo-Kai have the capability to evolve into more powerful versions of themselves if they reach a certain level, or they can evolve by combining with particular items or other Yo-Kai. The Yo-Kai are divided amongst eight different classes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. There are also Legend Yo-Kai that can only be obtained by collecting a particular set of Yo-Kai listed in the, a compendium of the different Yo-Kai the player has encountered or befriended, and also Boss Yo-Kai that cannot be befriended in the original game, but can become the player's friends in Ganso and Honke.

When the player encounters a Yo-Kai, he enters into battle with it using six Yo-Kai that the player has befriended previously. The touchscreen is used during battles to rotate amongst the player's Yo-Kai in battle at will. It is also used either to clear up status effects on the player's Yo-Kai or to charge up the Yo-Kai's special abilities.

A common in-game event is "Oni Time", where the player character enters a nightmare realm where he or she looks for treasure chests with special items in them all while trying to avoid being seen by other Yo-Kai. If spotted, the player is chased by a powerful Oni Yo-Kai that can easily wipe out the player's party unless he or she can escape. It is possible to defeat the Oni, but only if the player's Yo-Kai are particularly powerful. The player can also encounter similarly powerful Namahage Yo-Kai if the player crosses the street on a red light, but the encounter may be beneficial if the player follows the rules.

Players can also participate in several side quests for experience and bug-catching and fishing minigames to obtain special items.

Video games
The Yo-Kai Watch video game was announced by Level-5 at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show. It was released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS on July 11, 2013. As of February 2014, the game had sold over 500,000 retail copies. In January 2014, Level-5 filed for a trademark in the United States for "Yo-Kai Watch" and is currently gauging interest in a Western release.

The Data Carddass game Yo-Kai Watch: Tomodachi UkiUkipedia (妖怪ウォッチ ともだちウキウキペディア) was first location tested in late December 2013, and debuted at the Next Generation World Hobby Fair Winter 2014 before being released in early 2014. The game is played much like Bandai's other Data Carddass games, in which the player uses an interface resembling a slot machine to determine the events of a battle between 3 of the player's Yo-Kai against 3 enemy Yo-Kai, after the player sought them out on the game interface. Winning the game awards the player a card that can be used for future Tomodachi UkiUkipedia play.

A sequel, Yo-Kai Watch 2, was released in Japan on July 10, 2014 in two editions; Ganso (元祖) and Honke (本家). CoroCoro Comic began running a contest for readers to design a new form for the game's mascot Jibanyan that would appear in the new game as well as in the manga in CoroCoro. These were revealed to be Buchinyan, a fusion of Jibanyan and Whisper available in an update to the original game (as well as adding special Komasan and Tsuchinoko partners), and Fuyunyan, a heroic Yo-Kai that is central to the plot of the games. Ganso and Honke will also feature Yo-Kai that are unobtainable in the other version, including boss characters. Other new features include Z Medals, old Medals, train travel, bike racing, climbing poles, and a "spooky red box" that causes the player to fart or rewards a special item. In collaboration with Tomodachi UkiUkipedia, the arcade game will feature unique local Yo-Kai representing eight regions of Japan, that can be used in Yo-Kai Watch 2 by using a code found on the game's prize card.

Anime
A television anime series based on the game, produced by OLM, began airing in Japan on TX Network on January 8, 2014. The opening theme is performed by King Creamsoda, with lyrics written by m.o.v.e's vocalist motsu. The ending theme up through episode 24 is performed by Dream5. Beginning with episode 25, the ending theme changes to performed by Dream5 and Bully-taichō.

Dentsu Entertainment USA is currently seeking broadcast and merchandising partners in North America for the anime.