In December last year, Google added a new augmented reality experience to Search that let users view a 3D animated version of Baby Yoda on their devices. The company is now giving a similar treatment to several iconic anime characters, including Pac-Man, Ultraman, Hello Kitty, and more.

As per a recent blog post from the company, you can now view some of the most iconic anime characters in AR using Google Search on your phone. To do so, simply search for one of the characters mentioned below in the Google app or in any Android browser, scroll down to the 'About' section, and tap on the new 'View in 3D' button. This will open up a new page with a 3D model of the selected character. You can then tap on the 'View in your space' button, give the app access to your camera, microphone, and storage, and the model should appear wherever you point the camera.

The new Google Search anime AR experience is available for the following characters:

  • Ultraman
  • Ultraman Zero
  • Ultraman Belial
  • Gomora
  • Evangelion (EVA-01 Test Type)
  • Gundam (Odysseus Gundam, Xi Gundam, Penelope)
  • Cogimyun
  • The drums from Taiko no Tatsujin
  • Pac-Man
  • Pompompurin
  • Little Twin Stars

The AR experience is available on all Android devices running Android 7.0 Nougat or later and iOS 11 or later. On ARCore-enabled devices, you'll get easy access to all 3D characters in a carousel on the 'View in 3D' page. All the characters mentioned above come with a couple of unique animations and sound effects. Hello Kitty, Kongimyun, and Pompompurin also say a couple of lines in Japanese and English.

The video attached above gives a brief overview of how you can use the new animated AR models in Google Search.