No trip to the Kansai region is complete without a visit to Universal Studios Japan. With a wide range of attractions featuring beloved franchises from Harry Potter to Resident Evil, it’s got something for everyone, and it’s definitely not just for kids!

Having said that, we’re betting that kid-favourite mega-series Yo-Kai Watch‘s attraction is going to be bringing in a lot of little ones and parents when it opens this summer! (Hey, it’ll free up the other attractions for the rest of us!)

It was only a matter of time until the marriage of nationally adored kids’ TV and video game series Yo-Kai Watch and one of Japan’s best amusement parks came about. The new attraction was announced during a presentation by the creators of the Yo-Kai Watch game series, Level 5, and is slated to open this summer.

According to the presentation, the attraction is designed to enable fans of the series to see their heroes up-close in a very “real” way, that cannot be experienced anywhere else. Not only will kids be able to interact with various yo-kai, but cuddly flagship character Jibanyan is also said to pay a big part in the proceedings!

▼ Jibanyan’s gonna be haunting USJ come summer!

And, of course, that’s to say nothing of the plethora of Yo-Kai Watch goods that are set to start spilling out of USJ’s many storefronts. We’re hoping for cup ramen with tiny Jibanyan heads in it, a full range of plushies, and plenty of kigurumi, socks and pyjamas. Maybe even some Yo-Kai themed food, while they’re at it.

Expectations will surely be running high for the new attraction, and, since huge queues of bloodthirsty consumers is pretty much a given whenever anything Yo-Kai-related comes out, we recommend getting there early in order to beat the crowd. If you start lining up now, you’ll probably even be able to meet Jibanyan and pals before the summer’s over…

Source: Inside Games

Main Image: Flickr © Takapprs

Inset Image: Flickr © Yuki Hirano