It's like Instagram for Otaku

Tokyo Otaku Mode's Otaku Camera is a nifty little free app that lets you shoot pictures as if they were part of a manga strip. You've got all kinds of choices, and the app is available for both iOS and Android platforms through the App Store and Google Play. 

I had a chance to play around with it, particularly now (so far past release) because a Hello Kitty pack was added to the frame selection. 

Otaku Camera (Android, iOS [Reviewed]
Developer: Tokyo Otaku Mode
Publisher: Tokyo Otaku Mode
MSRP: Free (App Store, Google Play)

When you fire up Otaku Camera for the first time, you get the default frame options as well as a couple of special One Piece-themed frames for your shooting pleasure. You could take a funny picture of yourself (or a friend) and turn them into one of those "WANTED" signs, for example. 

How it works:

Pick out a frame that you want for your image and set it to preview. Then get ready to take your shot, which will already be coming up in black and white, sketchy-looking and totally off-balance by default. When you have it all lined up, you just click on the screen to make the shot, and then you're given a few options like a brightness slider or another for details in the image. You can play with those until you achieve the desired effect, and by then you should have an often hilarious rendition of an actual panel in a manga.

Once you go into the downloads area to see all the extra stuff though, you've got plenty more options - including a charming (and free) set of Hello Kitty/Sanrio frames. Rather than being themed to the manga motif that the app has going on, the Sanrio frames allow you to take pictures in color. They're pretty cute, allowing you to take pictures that make it look like you're wearing a fluffy hat or Hello Kitty's iconic bow.

If you're into camera apps, particularly funny ones that do things to your images, this is a cool one to have. You could "mangatize" your existing images or take new ones within the app, and the button that lets you save the images also lets you share them via email or social media easily. I should also mention that even though there's a "frame shop" section, they're all free, and some of them are actually only available to download for a limited time. It's tough to argue against a free app that produces fun results, so I'd say give it a shot if you have an Android or iOS device.