Eagle Talon's 'Poipon 18' Hits 420K Views, Continuing 14-Year iPhone Tradition

The latest installment of the long-running Eagle Talon (秘密結社 鷹の爪) short anime series, "Poipon 18," has surpassed 420,000 views on YouTube. The series, which parodies a fictional smartphone called "Poipon," has been released annually for 14 years to coincide with new iPhone launches.

FROGMAN, the director and creator, commented on the tradition. "Honestly, I want to stop," he said. "But a new iPhone comes out every autumn." He described the series as a personal volunteer project that began as fan service, noting that audience anticipation on social media each fall compels him to continue.

The cumulative view count for all "Poipon" shorts now exceeds 5.2 million. The series follows a predictable formula: the character Deluxe Fighter obsessively acquires the latest Poipon phone, only for it to be destroyed in an unexpected disaster, leaving the hapless Eagle Talon organization to deal with the aftermath.

While the core plot remains unchanged, each short incorporates topical humor and parodies of that year's news, trends, and technological shifts.

The series is a staple of the Eagle Talon franchise, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The main series is a comedy about a bumbling secret society, the Eagle Talon, and its ambiguous hero rival, Deluxe Fighter.

All previous "Poipon" episodes are available in a playlist on the official Eagle Talon YouTube channel.

Source: PR Times via DLE