MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Users can now access and enjoy some of their favorite anime characters in 3D and augmented reality (AR) using Google Search on mobile devices.
These characters are:
- Hello Kitty
- Pompompurin
- Little Twin Stars
- Ultraman
- Gomora
- Ultraman Zero
- Ultraman Belial
- Pac-Man
- Taiko no Tatsujin
- Evangelion
- Gundam Penelope
- Gundam Odysseus
- Xi Gundam
- Cogimyun
“Filipinos are one of the biggest fans of anime and Japanese pop culture in the world. Tagalized anime series used to dominate on free-to-air TV, becoming a significant part of many Filipinos’ childhood. Now in the digital era, we want to use Google Search to bring anime fans closer to their beloved characters and bring back their fondest memories with them. During difficult times, we hope that simple joys like this can also provide comfort in one way or another,” said Mervin Wenke, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for Google Philippines.
Globally in the last five years, the Philippines has been the number one country with most Google searches for Hello Kitty, number eight for Little Twin Stars, and number nine for Gundam.
How to access and share
You can search for one of the characters on Google using a mobile device and tap “View in 3D” to rotate or zoom in and see it up close. You can also bring the characters from outer space into your space with AR and turn up the volume to hear Hello Kitty deliver a cute message or Pac-Man’s retro sound effects.
- Android: Search for “Hello Kitty” or one of the 14 characters on the Google app or any Android browser and tap “View in 3D.” The 3D content can be seen on devices with Android 7 Plus while AR content can be accessed on ARCore-enabled devices.
- iOS: Search for “Hello Kitty” or one of the 14 characters on the Google app. The 3D and AR characters are available on iOS 11.0+ devices.
Users can also take a photo or video of the AR characters using the camera or recording button. Share photos and videos on social media with the hashtag #Google3D.
