Nintendo leading the legal charge against the R4, even asking individuals to anonymously rat out retailers selling the devices. One Akihabara R4 retail shop recently closed due to "adult reasons" — some on the Japanese internet are inferring that the heat from Nintendo has caused the store to shutter.

R4 cartridges are used to pirate Nintendo DS video games.

This Den-Den Town "store" in Osaka is advertising its R4 wares with a sign board that notes, "These products are not illegal." The R4 exists in a gray area legally. There's a court injunction against the Chinese R4 makers for "violation under Japan's laws". Last year, Nintendo (and 53 other sofware companies) took action against the makers of the R4 cart.

Osaka is already home to the R4 vending machine.

Signs in the apartment building direct customers to the "shop".

This is not to say that R4 devices are not being sold openly in cities like Osaka and Tokyo, because they are. But for how long?

後を絶たないマジコン販売、任天堂やソフトメーカーが再提訴に踏み切るも営業続行 [GIGAZINE]

Best part? They're all sold out.

Nintendo has been fighting the R4 piracy flash carts and fighting them hard. There's a court injunction against the Chinese R4 makers for "violation under Japan's laws". Yahoo! Auctions is prohibiting the device's sale.

Retailers in both Akihabara and Den-Den Town do continue to carry the R4 devices. However, stores are apparently trying to liquidate their inventory before it becomes illegal to sell R4 devices in Japan.

マジコン販売の最先端はマジコン自販機 [Ota Road]

Back in 2006-7, there seemed to be several cases of otaku hunting, but since then, the streets have been relatively safe.

This latest duo targeted their victims in Osaka's Den-Den Town, the gaming/anime/manga/electronics district of the city akin to Tokyo's Akihabara. One of their tactics included dropping their own already broken cell phone and asking for "repair money." Those otaku who didn't have any money to cough up, the suspects tried forcing the victims to take out a loan from a lending company.

The men, aged 20 and 22, have confessed to targeting approximately one hundred "otaku looking" individuals and mugging them to the tune of roughly US$30,000. And now they're arrested.

Shin Otaku Gari [AltJapan]

Pullip Dolls [Senaka Blog]

Yes, you are. A thirteen year-old boy.

Boy touching and all, the game seems to be a smash — SNK's biggest since, geez, I dunno... a long time! Well, a smash in nerd hubs like Den-Den Town and Akihabara, where the game has been selling out. No clue how it's doing in the rest of the country. Remember when SNK used to make fighting games? I don't!

Hit the jump for saucy sell out images.

Boy Touching [My Game News Flash]
Akiba Sell Out [Akiba Blog]
Den-Den Sell Out [Senaka Blog]

Obviously the above display is for a sex game. Spotted in Osaka's Den-Den Town, this display goes the extra mile: there's aren't just rubber jubblies, but rubber jubblies in a brassiere and behind plastic. What's more, the plastic case is locked! That way people don't, you know, try to touch the faux mammaries. The name of this game? Oppai Baka, or as I like to say, "Boob Fool." There are two words for that plastic display case: absolutely necessary. Brian Ashcraft

Ero Game Promotion [Ota Road]

When the DS Lite first went on sale in Japan, it sold out. And then it sold out again. And again. As soon as the product showed up in stores, it was cleaned right out. From late 2005 until April 2007, getting a DS Lite was hard. You had to be lucky. But, is the supply-and-demand problem slowing? Blog Ota-Road points to a flood of Lites that have hit stores in Den-Den Town. While I was in Tokyo over the weekend, I noticed that it's much easier to get a Lite there as well. And people I was talking to kept bringing up the same thing: The DS drought is over. Well, until Dragon Quest IX hits, and people start buying Lites in four packs. Get 'em while you can, Japan. Brian Ashcraft

DS Lite Can Be Purchased Recently [Ota Road]

Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy VII looks, err, different. She looks somewhat depressed. I would be too if I were on the cover of Kuusou Jikken -Vol. 7- ("Imagination Experiment -Vol. 7-). "Hentai doujin" comic books like this often feature famous characters from video games or animation doing shameful, embarrassing things! They're printed in small numbers so that they can hopefully slip under the radar, but are carried in popular bookstores in places like Akihabara and Den-Den Town. This particular doujin comic group, or circle, has done other naughty mangas with the likes of Mai from King of Fighters. So! If you are curious, there are some NSFW-ish Tifa pics at the link below. Just know: There's a reason why Tifa looks glum. Brian Ashcraft

Tifa's New Manga [Akiba Blog]

One word best sums up Japan's relationship with the DS: Insane. The portable has sold oodles (yes, OODLES) and continues to do so. Likewise, the Wii is a big seller. So, Nintendo's been producing the DS Lite for a while now, so there shouldn't be shortages still, right? And the Wii, well, that can't be that hard to make so Japan should be swimming in them. Nope! Both products seem in short supply. A Den-Den Town retailer tells Japanese blog Ota Road:

The shipments for March and April have been small.

It's been possible to purchase *used* versions of the DS Lite and the Wii up to now. There's talk that the shortages should ease in April, making it possible to easily purchase the consoles here. April? That coincidences with the financial year in Japan. What a kwinky dink! Brian Ashcraft

DS Lite, Wii Shortages [Ota Road]

Ack! That sure ain't Toriyama's Blue Dragon. Rather, that's the art work of Takeshi Obata, the artist behind mega popular manga Death Note. Based off the Xbox 360 video game and written by Tsuneo Takano, Blue Dragon RalΩGrado has been making regular appearances in Weekly Shonen Jump since last December. The shirtless dude with nipple covers is mammary-loving "Ral." His blue dragon is named "Grado." The manga is now being published in book form. Hit the jump for a peek of Ral fondling a woman's jubblies. Brian Ashcraft

Blue Dragon Manga [Ota Road]

Who needs jubblies when you've got robot toys? Spotted at Sofmap in Den-Den Town is this truly RAD display for upcoming erotic PC title Patro Vessel from May-Be Soft. Anyway, the game seems to be set in a crime-ridden city that causes cops to take to the skies and screw. Mega points for playing up the cool robots instead of the cartoon sex.

And yes, that embedded link above is NSFW. The one below ain't. Brian Ashcraft

Patrol Vessel Display [Ota Road]

I haven't been to Akihabara's Super Potato in something like 8 months. No, need to! The legendary game store chain is based out of Osaka, and there's one near my house. I can walk to Super Potato.

Yesterday, went to the Akiba branch with Patrick Macias and Matt Alt. Perhaps my memory is crap, but it's really, really changed. The controllers hanging from the ceiling are gone. There are new lamenated signs. And the top floor is a mini-arcade. You can smoke there, too. Good if you smoke, I guess!

I dunno, I kinda missed the old Akiba Super Potato. You know, with the grime, like we have here in Osaka. Perhaps that just doesn't fly in Akihabara anymore. Brian Ashcraft

Sofmap in Den-Den Town inexplicably stuck this original Xbox next to an Xbox 360 neon sign. It's not for sale. But, I mean, what if a customer is interested in purchasing this unit? Or if somebody walked out of the store with it? My question: Why is it there? The way in which Japanese retailers handle displays never ceases to amaze. Not news in the least, but certainly odd! Brian Ashcraft

The Retronauts (1Up's Jeremy Parish and Wired's Chris Kohler) descend on Ninten-centric retailer Super Potato and go game shopping. Setting's perfect for Kohler and Parish to totally geek out and try to make some money in the process. Brian Ashcraft

Retronauts Descend On Akiba [New Launches]