Honestly, you can’t make this stuff up.
Earlier today, retailer Animate’s Akihabara location hosted a Pop Team Epic event. Specifically, the Pop Team Epic Twitter account announced that the store would be giving away “Clone Popu-chin” masks at the store on January 20, from 3:00PM – 4:00PM local time.
“Popu-chin” was the name of Popuko’s vulgar idol character, who appeared in yesterday’s episode (“The Documentary”). Yes, the one who smoked cigars and broke beer bottles on fans’ heads.
The announcement went live at about 11:30AM local time. The event organizers greatly underestimated the overall reception, as Pop Team Epic fans swarmed the store, to the point that traffic was unable to pass through the streets out front.
The Tokyo Police were called in, and deemed the event too dangerous to go on. The event was shut down early, leading to an apology being posted to the Pop Team Epic Twitter account.
本日15時と16時からアニメイト秋葉原にて予定しておりました、『クローンポプちん』(お面)配布会ですが、沢山の方が集まり過ぎてしまったため、危険な状況と判断させていただき、中止とさせて頂きました。誠に申し訳ございません。
— アニメ「ポプテピピック」公式 (@hoshiiro_anime) January 21, 2018
Rough Translation: Though the “Clone Popu-chin” mask giveaway was supposed to run from 3:00PM – 4:00PM at Animate Akihabara, so many people showed up that it was deemed too dangerous to proceed. We had to cancel. We’re sorry.
Twitter exploded with photos and videos from the event… many of which involve at least one person flipping off the store. You can check a few of our favorites out below.
秋葉原アニメイト店頭でのポプテピピックお面配布会、めちゃめちゃ人集まってるんだが pic.twitter.com/PYRWF6lCVt
— すずき (@michsuzu) January 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/uapmj/status/954958484293894144
配布中止。竹ユルさねー pic.twitter.com/MhVMX9EZ9E
— 響け！りっきー㌠ (@watanabe_euph) January 21, 2018
【超速報】ポプテピピックのお面、人が集まりすぎた結果、警察からの指導で配布中止。解散指示が出てブーイング。ファックサインの嵐で笑ってる #クローンポプちん量産計画 #ポプテピピック #akiba pic.twitter.com/ijy5oIU0Q6
— コクブカメラ/転職した (@kokubucamera) January 21, 2018
Source: Hachima Kikō
