SciFi Japan

    Japanese Amusement Park Reopens With New Godzilla and Osamu Tezuka Attractions

    The Seibuen Amusement Park will soon reopen with a new Godzilla ride attraction. Image courtesy of Seibu Railway Co. © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD. TM & © TOHO CO., LTD.

    Source: Seibuen Amusement Park press release

    SciFi Japan is pleased to share – direct from Seibu Railway Co. -- the press release and large images for the new "Seibuen Amusement Park" that will open next month with new Godzilla and Osamu Tezuka character attractions. Read on for the full details…

    Seibu Railway Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, President: Kimio Kitamura) and Seibuen Yuenchi Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, President: Takumi Fujii) have announced the grand opening of the new Seibuen Amusement Park on Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

    Photo courtesy of Seibu Railway Co. © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD.

    First opening in 1950, Seibuen Amusement Park became a popular tourist attraction reaching an annual attendance of 1.94 million in the 1980s. Dwindling attendee numbers in the recent decades have necessitated a massive reimagining and upgrade to the park. Temporarily shut down on October 20, 2020, the park will be relaunched as a new but nostalgic entertainment experience that will create "warm feelings of happiness" in the hearts of its guests. Passing through the entrance gates, guests will enter the nostalgic world of the 1960s where liveliness, energy and enthusiasm burst out. They will be immersed in a 360° experience that includes the “Sunset Hill Shopping Street” featuring 30 stores and surprise live performances. In addition, the park will introduce its own currency as bonus attraction to the shopping experience.

    Beyond the vibrant shopping district, there are many amusement park attractions that will enrich the experience and allow guests to immerse themselves in nostalgia. Towering on a hill looking over the shopping area is a movie theater known as the "King of Entertainment.” Here there will now be a new large-scale ride attraction that brings together Japan's leading creative minds to engulfs guests in a whirlpool of breath-taking excitement. Introducing this time is the world's first permanent ride based on Godzilla, the giant monster created in 1954 that has continued to surprise and excite fans around the world into the present day. In “Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle” (ゴジラ・ザ・ライド大怪獣頂上決戦, Gojira za Raido Daikaijū Chōjō Kessen) guests are thrown into the midst of the fierce battle between Godzilla and King Ghidorah, and enjoy a series of thrills as they are suddenly attacked.

    In addition, the new area "Let's Go! Leo Land” (レッツゴー!レオランド, Rettsu Gō! Reo Rando) that families can enjoy to their heart's content is also available. This is the world's first family area with appearances by characters such as Astro Boy and Jungle Emperor (aka Kimba the White Lion) that were created by Osamu Tezuka, one of Japan's greatest manga artists.

    The new Seibuen Amusement Park not only evokes strong and nostalgic feelings for older generations, but also has the "emotional" feelings for the generation living in Reiwa, reaffirming the importance of person-to-person contact. That's why now, as an experience that strongly touches people's hearts, park organizers want to wrap guests in a "warm feelings of happiness."

    The Seibu Group has always put safety and security first in its business. While paying close attention to the ongoing situation of the coronavirus infection, they will strive to ensure that everyone can visit the park safely and with peace of mind.

    The park has updated their promo art to include new stars Godzilla, Leo and Astro Boy. Image courtesy of Seibu Railway Co. © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD. TM & © TOHO CO., LTD. © TEZUKA PRODUCTIONS

    ATTRACTIONS

    " Sunset Hill Shopping District"

    The lively and energetic " Sunset Hill Shopping District" is lined with 30 stores, and guests will see the world of the 1960s everywhere they look. The area was designed with attention to detail to enhance the feeling of being in Tokyo back in the Showa era. This shopping street is not just a reproduction of an old townscape, but a big stage space where unexpected live performances are held everywhere. Since there are no barriers like between audience seats and the stage, guests can enjoy a new immersive experience where they are always involved in entertainment. For example, a policeman who had been giving directions will suddenly embark on a spectacular parkour chase with a thief, squeezing between guests in an up-close acrobatic performance. In addition, the nosy and friendly residents of the shopping district will continue to involve guests in skilled live performances that are completely unpredictable.

    Seibuen Currency depicting Leo and Punja from Osamu Tezuka's <em>Jungle Emperor</em>. Image courtesy of Seibu Railway Co. © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD. © TEZUKA PRODUCTIONS

    Seibuen Currency and Dining

    Photos courtesy of Seibu Railway Co.

    The new Seibuen Amusement Park will introduce two types of in-park currencies, "Hyakuseibuen" 「百園(ひゃくせいぶえん)」and "Juseibuen" 「拾園(じゅうせいぶえん)」, so you can enjoy shopping and various experiences at the same time. The banknotes are decorated with Leo and Punja from Osamu Tezuka's popular manga Jungle Emperor, and organizers have paid thorough attention to the color and texture of the bills so that they feel like money of the Showa era. Even through the shopping experience, the park will bring guests back into the past as much as possible.

    Adding to the "nostalgic times" experience are the classic dining options such as the "Shokudo Sukerokuya" rice omelet and the tasty "Meat no Homi" croquettes that are perfect for eating while walking. Guests can also enjoy a plate of hot Spaghetti Napolitana at "Cafe Victoria." These delights can only be experienced here using Seibuen Currency.








    Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle key art with logo. Image courtesy of Seibu Railway Co. © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD. TM & © TOHO CO., LTD.

    Godzilla's First Large-Scale Ride Attraction

    With a scale and quality that far exceeds the imagination, “Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle” will shock guests to their very core. The world's first permanent Godzilla-themed large-scale ride attraction is set inside the Sunset Hall movie theater where visitors can also relax on the hill overlooking the Sunset Hill Shopping District.

    For decades, Godzilla, who has made a name for himself not only in Japan but around the world, has been the pinnacle of special effects movies. Not only does that match the world of the new Seibuen Amusement Park, but it also brings together the creative wisdom of Japan to present a ride of overwhelming scale and quality.

    In "Godzilla the Ride", guests are thrown into the midst of a fierce battle between Godzilla and King Ghidorah and enjoy a series of sudden thrills that offer no time to breathe. Unexpected and thrilling developments rush one after another! A series of shocking developments awaits that are unthinkable in everyday life.

    Takashi Yamazaki and Shoichiro Tsuno. Photo courtesy of Seibu Railway Co.

     

    "Godzilla the Ride" is a collaboration between Shoichiro Tsuno of Katana Marketing and Entertainment Co., Ltd., a company that boasts an outstanding track record in theme park motion experience design, and the overwhelming visual beauty created by Japan's leading film director, Takashi Yamazaki. Yamazaki is best known for his award-winning blockbuster ALWAYS- SUNSET ON THIRD STREET- movie trilogy, which featured a cameo by Godzilla during a dream sequence in the second entry.

    Guests will feel the thrill and exhilaration like they have never experienced before by precisely matching the story to the movement of the ride along with the incredible imagery created with attention to detail. In addition, the giant monsters that appear in this ride feature new designs specially created by Takashi Yamazaki for Seibuen Amusement Park. Although it has a strong and stately appearance reminiscent of the classic Godzilla from the Showa era, Yamazaki updated the design to seem intuitively cool even now.

    "Godzilla the Ride” Story Outline

    Built on a small hill seen from the shopping area of a Tokyo street sits a movie theater loved by the people of the city. The everyday peace of life as usual is disrupted when a mysterious giant creature, King Ghidorah, suddenly appears in Tokyo.

    King Ghidorah moves toward Saitama, knocking down buildings in its path. Then, an emergency broadcast announces that another giant monster is approaching.

    The park guests are instructed to get into the deluxe armored vehicles of the "Special Disaster Countermeasures" (特災対, Toku Wazawai Tai) response unit. But, when they are caught up in the unbelievable fight between Godzilla and King Ghidorah, will they be able to escape to safety?

    Nostalgic Attractions

    Many of the classic Seibuen Amusement Park attractions that have been loved for decades have been renewed with sound effects and lights to recapture the nostalgic atmosphere of the 1960s.

    After passing through the shopping district, guests will see the "Big Ferris Wheel", which is the symbol of Seibuen Amusement Park, and the "Merry-Go-Round", which is illuminated at dusk. Attendees can also feel the aerial speed of the "Rotating Trapeze.”

    Let's Go! Leo Land logo. Image courtesy of Seibu Railway Co. © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD. © TEZUKA PRODUCTIONS

    "Let's Go! Leo Land" is Born!

    In addition to the nostalgic attractions outside the shopping district, the new "Let's Go! Leo Land" will offer fun for the whole family. In this area, characters from Japan's leading manga artist Osamu Tezuka's popular works Astro Boy (鉄腕アトム, Tetsuwan Atomu) and Jungle Emperor (ジャングル大帝, Janguru Taitei) will appear, which will be nostalgic for adults but new for children.

    Tezuka adapted Astro Boy in 1963 as Japan's first long-running TV anime series, introducing the world to TV anime. Jungle Emperor soon followed. These works laid the foundation for Japan's world-class manga and anime culture. Both series grabbed the hearts of children and continue to be loved from the Showa era to the Heisei era, and even now in Reiwa, and also represent the world view that the new Seibuen Amusement Park is aiming for. "Let's Go! Leo Land" will liven up the guest experience of the entire amusement park.

    "Let's Go! Leo Land" includes 4 ride attractions including the roller coaster "Astro Boy's Moon Trip" (アトムの月面旅行, Atomu no Getsumenryokō) and the rotary ride attraction "Jump! Jungle Hero Leo" (飛べ!ジャングルの勇者レオ, Tobe! Janguru no Yūsha Reo) that both adults and children can enjoy.

    There will also be a shop called "Let's Go! Bazaar" (レッツゴー!バザール, Rettsugō! Bazāru) that sells Seibuen Amusement Park limited edition goods of Astro Boy, Leo and other popular Osamu Tezuka characters.

    ■ About preventive measures against the spread of new coronavirus infection

    Seibuen Amusement Park aims to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections so that guests can visit the park with peace of mind.

    Map of the new Seibuen Amusement Park. Image courtesy of Seibu Railway Co. © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD. TM & © TOHO CO., LTD. © TEZUKA PRODUCTIONS

     

    DETAILS

    Address: 2964 Yamaguchi, Tokorozawa City, Saitama

    Opening Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2021

    Business Hours: Varies by Day

    Attractions: 12 Rides

    Shopping District: 30 Stores

    Dining: 12 Eating and Drinking Facilities

     

    1-Day Ticket (Admission + Attractions) Prices

    Adults (Junior High School Students and Above) ¥4,000 (¥4,400 Including Tax)

    Children (3 Years Old to Elementary School Students) ¥3,000 (¥3,300 Including Tax)

    Free for Children Under 3 Years Old

     

    © SEIBU Railway Co., LTD. All Rights Reserved

    TM & © TOHO CO., LTD.

    © TEZUKA PRODUCTIONS

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