The Japanese city of Tokorozawa recently unveiled an initiative that will please both manhole cover obsessives and anime fans.
The manhole covers, which illuminate via solar-powered LED lights from dusk until 2am each day, feature more than two dozen anime and sci-fi animation characters from 23 different franchises.
Here’s a short video about the Tokorozawa covers and the manhole craze in Japan:
The glow-in-the-dark manhole initiative is a clever way for Tokorozawa to collect funds for the city by allowing private businesses to advertise on the covers. Kadokawa, a media group known for its manga and role-playing games, sponsored the installation. Who knows what company will sponsor the next set of lit covers.