The mobile game Azur Lane, developed by Shanghai Manjuu and Xiamen Yongshi, has captivated a massive player base across Asia. Its standout character designs have earned it a dedicated following even in Japan, the home of fellow ship-girl franchise Kantai Collection.
During the "Azur Lane EXPO - Azur Lane 9th Anniversary" event held from September 5-6, the official livestream unveiled a piece of merchandise called the "Wall-Butt Phone Stand." This bold and bizarre design, which literally features a character's翘臀 (perky butt) and lower body stuck in a wall, instantly became a hot topic on X (formerly Twitter).
The product's official name is the "'Help Me, Commander!' - Smartphone Stand," and it's a 3D recreation of the swimsuit-clad St. Louis with her lower half "stuck in a wall." It retails for 6,500 JPY (tax included).
How do you use it? It's simple: just lean your phone against the character's "body," letting her lower half serve as the stand. The base even includes a hole for a charging cable, so despite its ridiculous appearance, it actually has some basic utility.
Additionally, the product comes with a downloadable wallpaper illustration of "St. Louis stuck in the wall." This means that by setting the wallpaper on your phone and using the stand, you can perfectly recreate the hilarious scene of the character being completely stuck inside your phone (the wall).
When this bizarre piece of merch was revealed, even the presenters on the show didn't know how to react. One had a bewildered "Huh? Um...??? Whaaaat?!?" expression, while another couldn't help but ask, "Is this really okay?"
The audience was in stitches, with comments pouring in: "This is so dumb (and I mean that as a compliment)," "A work of genius, please stop this madness lol," and "It's so lewd yet so hilarious, it's unbelievable."
There's a reason *Azur Lane* is known as "the game that's guaranteed to release weird stuff for its anniversary"—it has a history. For its 8th anniversary, the game released an equally baffling piece of commemorative merch: the "Wobbling Butt & Boob" Phone Stickers. These two items could be stuck on a wall or phone, and a spring on the back would make the character's butt or chest jiggle with the slightest vibration.
To top it off, Yostar itself officially stated, "They have absolutely no practical use." This cemented their place in the annals of classic *Azur Lane* anniversary merch under the "Why was this even made?" category.
By comparison, this year's "Wall-Butt Phone Stand" can at least hold a phone, prompting one netizen to quip, "It's practical this year, an improvement over last year." On the other hand, since it's also used with a phone, another joked, "This time it's not just a butt, she's grown legs too."
Of course, the "Wall-Butt Phone Stand" wasn't the only shocking item in the 9th-anniversary lineup. The officials also rolled out a variety of other playful and mischievous goods. For example, there's the "'Just Firm Enough That Your Finger Won't Sink In' - Soft Squeezable Boob Badge," which features a three-dimensional chest as part of the badge.
There's also the "'Midnight Channel' - Bookmark," designed to have the character's chest rest on top of the book's pages. They even released a "Dress-Up Acrylic Stand," which features a nearly nude character base and separate, magnetic clothing pieces, allowing players to "dress" the character themselves.
From the surprisingly functional "Wall-Butt Phone Stand" to the "Soft Squeezable Boob Badge," "Boob Bookmark," and magnetic dress-up stands, the *Azur Lane* 9th-anniversary merchandise once again showcases the developers' uninhibited and playful spirit. Perhaps this knack for coming up with new, wild ideas each year is exactly what makes the *Azur Lane* anniversary so highly anticipated by its players.
If you're interested, feel free to browse the 9th-anniversary goods and see all the weird annual creations for yourself at the Yostar OFFICIAL SHOP ONLINE XD.