It's easy to bring 3D animals, objects, and more into the real world with a simple Google search. That list now includes several popular anime characters from Japan, including Pac-Man and Hello Kitty. We'll show you how.
Which Anime Characters Are Available?
Thanks to Google's ARCore and Apple's ARKit, many smartphones and tablets can view 3D objects without needing any additional software. Google Search includes a handful of the most popular characters from Japanese anime, games, and TV shows. Here's the list of characters available at the time of writing:
- Evangelion
- Gomorra
- Gundam Odysseus
- Gundam Penelope
- Hello Kitty
- Kogimyun
- Little Twin Stars
- Pac-Man
- Pompompurin
- Taiko Master
- Ultraman
- Ultraman Belial
- Ultraman Zero
- Xi Gundam
How to View 3D Characters in Google Search
To bring these 3D characters into the real world using artificial reality (AR), you can use the Google app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. It can also be done simply from the Google mobile website in Chrome.
First, search for one of the characters listed above in Google. We'll be using "Pac-Man" for this guide.
Scroll down the results page and look for the "See [Character Name] in Your Space" box and then tap the "View in 3D" button.
A preview of the 3D character will appear. Tap "View in Your Space" to place it in the real world with the help of your device's camera.
You'll need to give access to your handset's camera, microphone, and storage to use this feature. Tap "Give Access" and grant the appropriate permissions.
Next, you'll be prompted to move your phone around to help the AR technology analyze the space.
Once the space has been analyzed, the character will appear. You can drag it around and use your fingers to pinch and zoom the character to better fit the area.
Tap the camera shutter button to snap a photo of the scene. Alternatively, you can select the 3D box icon to go back to the previous screen or scroll up to see related models.
That's it! You now have the power to put these awesome characters in your world. Google Search offers a lot of other fun 3D models to play with, so be sure to explore!