Chapter 94: Soccer sucker succor

World Three has translated the latest chapter, Mourning 94: Because I'm Not Popular, My Brother Will Play Soccer. Following are spoilers.

Support WataMote: Read the new chapter online, and be sure to buy Volume 8 from Yen Press, on sale now! Volume 9 is still only available in Japanese, and the current chapter will be in, I think, Volume 10.

Series creative duo Nico Tanigawa are on a roll, scoring a direct hit with just about every chapter, lately. This time is no exception.

Only now we're getting a much needed shot of testosterone, after a series of chapters featuring some aspect of Tomoko's relations with other girls.

Volume 9 on sale in Japan

Now on sale in Japan: Volume 9 of WataMote, as well as Volume 3 of Nico Tanigawa's recently concluded series, Number Girl.

色々手に入れた pic.twitter.com/jfqT2oAHuS

— トバト（海に住む哺乳類） (@tobato_) March 25, 2016

Kitta Izumi officially joins the baseball party

When the WataMote x Chiba Lotte Marines collaboration was first announced, Kitta Izumi tweeted right away that she planned to go. Not only is she the voice of Tomoko Kuroki, but is also a former Chiba Lotte Marines cheerleader.

Now her participation has been made official. She'll be hosting some talk shows, and taking part in an autograph session.

The information has been posted in Japanese, and clarified by our friend Mokonymous.

Maybe what I suggested will also occur to them,which is to have Kitta throw the ceremonial pitch. Preferably while wearing Tomoko's school uniform! All Osomatsu had at their baseball game was some random guy wearing a big Iyami head.

Monica Rial scheduled for Orlando MegaCon

Monica Rial, Tomoko's American voice, is slated to be at the ginormous MegaCon in Orlando, Florida in May. Other guests will include Adam West and Burt Ward, Stan Lee, and a bunch of the original Star Trek crew (including Captain Kirk himself).

She is still slated for Anime Boston later this month.

Rial is known as one of the most prolific voice actors in the US, and proudly brags that she's been "keeping child actors out of work since the 90's." For the WataMote anime, she did not try to copy Kitta Izumi's voice, but rather summoned up a sort of American version that perfectly fit Tomoko's various swings, from her stuttering shyness to her mean streak.

Marine's American pitcher says "see you in Chiba!"

Major Leaguer Jason Standridge is ready for his first season with the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Nico Tanigawa drop baseball drug scandal from upcoming chapter

On Saturday, Nico Tanigawa revealed in a series of tweets that a joke referencing a recent baseball scandal was scrapped from the next chapter, at the request of their editor.

Chapter 94 of WataMote, due on March 17, will likely feature baseball in the story, even as the collaborative merchandise is revealed for the upcoming WataMote x Chiba Lotte Marines event at QVC Field.

The drug scandal involved famed baseball player Kazuhiro Kiyohara. Evidence was found by police at his condiminium that he was injecting himself with a substance containing either amphetamine or methamphetamine.

The incident was referenced in Volume 7 of WataMote, as we find Nico Tanigawa (who are a duo) listening to the breaking news on TV.

Nico Tanigawa at work

Such behind-the-scene changes are not unusual, and Nico Tanigawa also noted other baseball-related dialogue that had to be cut, simply because it was no longer true: "I was going to put a joke that ‘there was no players from the Marines in the Japan national baseball team’ in the next chapter, but actually there is now so I have to change the plot."

As always, thanks to Mokonymous for translating Nico Tanigawa's tweets and providing a link to the background information.

WataMote x Chiba Lotte Marines announce details, prices

More details have been posted about the collaboration between Tomoko Kuroki and Kotomi Komiyama's favorite baseball team, the Chiba Lotte Marines.

The dates have been announced, and there will of course be special limited edition merchandise available.

In addition, there apparently will be a fan party, and Nico Tanigawa will be on hand to autograph Volume 9, which will also be available for purchase.

All the fun takes place at the QVC Marine Field, in Chiba City, Japan [Google Maps] the weekend of April 8th, with the fan party taking place on Saturday in the Field Terrace Suite.

Check here for more details in English. Thanks be to Mokonymous for the translation!

Chiba Lotte Marines images revealed

It's Kuroki's baseball, with a gaggle of chibi Tomoko and friends.

Chapter 93: Tomoko and Yuu-chan go shopping

Chapter 93 posted at Gangan Online: shopping for Komiyama. "Because I'm not popular, I'll give presents".

Check World Three for the fan translation.

WataMote Volume 9 cover revealed

Available in its original Japanese edition from Square Enix on March 22. The Yen Press edition in English should be available later this year.

See our WataMote manga guide for an overview of Volume 9's contents.

New Nico Tanigawa series announced

Dengeki Daiouji, April 2016 issue

Reliable source Mokonymous, webmaster of watamote.com, reports the announcement of a new Nico Tanigawa series for Dengeki Daiouji, home of their previous non-WataMote series, Number Girl. It will begin serialization soon, and is apparently about a novelist.

Considering the occasional references to Haruki Murakami in the pages of WataMote, this should be a fun direction for them to go.

The reported title is tentative, and so we will come back with more details as soon as available.

UPDATE: Nico Tanigawa on Twitter seem to confirm that the title may change "significantly".

Watamote OP covered by power metal YouTuber PelleK

The extended version of the anime theme, mind. He does the growls, and he hits the high notes. Even if you don't like his style, he certainly puts his all into this performance of the classic loner's anthem.

Tomoko plays ball with the Chiba Lotte Marines

Mr. Osomatsu and Watamote Prepare For Spring With Baseball Collaborations

Tomoko is notoriously anti-baseball, and thinks they could at least do something to make the game interesting like making bats proportional to the players' d*ck size ("in length and girth"). But after fainting from heat stroke at the ballpark, it was the team that saved her, so now she owes them one.

More details about the real world collaboration between Tomoko Kuroki and the Chiba Lotte Marines will be announced in March. Meanwhile, a handful of fans here and in Japan are hoping that this renewed attention might mean that the suits at Square Enix are finally considering a second season for the anime. This is probably just wishful thinking, but if you can drag Mokocchi out to a Chiba Lotte Marines game, anything can happen.

An additional real world note: many of the character family names in WataMote are derived from the Chiba Lotte Marines roster, including Kuroki, so Tomoko's distaste for the game comes with a wink.

WataMote Chapter 92

Yoshida and the UFO catcher at Gangan Online (Japanese only).

Tomoko spends some quality time with the delinquent.

Check World Three for the fan translation.