by Estim20, HSM Editor

One of the benefits of Home is seeing different developers produce their own versions of certain styles. While certain developers are better known for certain features and clothing options (Drey being a reliable source of formal wear, for example), genres of clothing are not outright owned (even if dominated) by specific developers. Gothic clothing, for example, is Delirious Squid’s bread and butter but if you browse Konami’s selection, you will find more to round out your collection.

Anime is a strange example to provide in this context. On the one hand, it is consistently viewed as an eastern invention, particularly Japanese, and filled with all sorts of tropes that aren’t usually perceived as common in the Western hemisphere. There is some basis in reality in this perception, in that cultural histories for the United States and Japan don’t often line up – the concept of a knight does conjure up different ideals, for example, as well as distinct aesthetics. Samurai and English knights aren’t often mistaken for one another, to point out specific cultural heritages.

On the other hand, Home has more than one developer producing anime-inspired content for the average user. Granzella is its greatest herald, bar-none, with Konami releasing a small list alongside it. Both are Japanese companies, so many may not be surprised by this revelation – but, lest we forget, Lockwood has developed its own line to provide our avatars with an anime flavor.

It’s here where we introduce more to LKWD’s promising anime line. Blog copy, ahoy!

“Having friends is great. Having anime friends is even better. You know, friends who are bright, colourful and startlingly enthusiastic about everything – saluting, making heart signs to show their love and victory signs to show their approval. Give your friends an anime makeover by sending them Lockwood’s Cute Anime Poses Pack from the Gift Machine.

If it’s a makeover for yourself you’re looking for, give the Kalila or Rami outfits a try. Summer sun may seem a long way off, but in the Kingdom of the Skies the days are always warm and the evenings are always balmy. These latest colour variation give the Arabian-inspired swimwear a sultry evening look, ideal for cool drinks by the pool as you watch the sun set over the Kingdom’s distant misty islands.

And finally, a reminder that the Gift Machine Spring Clean ends this week, so get there before the goodies are cleaned out for good!”

Pictured: The Wrong Moe

Anime has a varied encyclopedia of styles and content awaiting an interested party. If you can name a genre, a level of seriousness or quirkiness, and an aesthetic, you’ll be able to find it. As said, there are some evergreen tropes that aren’t looking to change that any time soon. Among these evergreens are the school girl uniform and concept of moe – as opposed to Moe, whether it is the Springfield bartender or Stooge. Trust me, there are massive differences.

The definition of ‘moe’ can be a bit vague, but it hovers around the concept of ‘cuteness.’ It generates the kind of reaction where you just want to give the person a hug, become a big brother (or big sister) for them, and so forth. As such, there are ways of handling it anime-style.

LKWD’s cute LMO pack fills a void for the anime enthusiasts in this regard. While there are means of getting the image across if one so desired, this pack reflects its anime inspirations. As a social tool, it should help reinforce why LMOs bloomed in 2013 – being able to convey certain emotions is a crux of a social MMO, so the more the merrier.

On the other side of LKWD’s content update is its summer preparation via the Arabian themes of Jewels of the Skies. Lockwood has a dedicated vice grip on taking chances with different styles. After all, between Delirious Squid, Iron Fusion, Drey, and other lines, LKWD isn’t going to let a little thing like ‘filling numerous needs’ prevent them from filling more.

Recolors are nothing new to Home, but there’s a reason for that. Even if the items themselves are matches fashion-wise, sometimes you need additional colors to mix and match freely. And given we don’t generally let the user pick a color when buying an item by any other means, it’s good to see recolors crop up when needed.

Also: is it just me or does the female swimwear from this set make anyone else think of Jasmine dressing up in Leia’s palace outfit in Return of the Jedi? Not a complaint, but it is a curious aside.

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