Kotaku: otaku

Look At These Otaku Rooms!

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:00:00 MST

Yes, yes, look.

Before I left Japan, the folks at Kotobukiya were kind enough to send me a copy of OTACOOL, a book project spearheaded by Danny Choo of dannychoo.com. The idea for the book is fantastic and works on the same principal as our desk feature — people's personal spaces shed telling light into their lives.

Countries represented include places like Japan, France, the UK, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Bulgaria, Spain, China, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Israel and the U.S.

The rooms run the gamut of anime and manga otakudom. (Hopefully future editions will expand to other types of otaku! Such as train, airsoft gun, video game, etc.) Still, it is interesting. The pictures were all submitted by users and do vary in quality — something that actually gives the book charm and a hint of realism instead of a slick, commercial feel.

Text is in both English and Japanese, making it good for those interested in practicing either language. And the book has been tearing up the sales charts in Japan. You can learn more about OTACOOL in the link below. Hooray!

OTACOOL [Official Site]

My Girlfriend Is The President Erotic Game Trailer Features Amazing Voice Over

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:00 MST

Back in July, we brought word of PC eroge My Girlfriend Is The President. Now, feel free to watch the game's trailer, complete with amazing English language movie guy voice over.

My Boyfriend is Obama [Japan Probe]

Ten Ways To Spot Otaku (There You Are!!)

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:30:00 MDT

In case you didn't know, the name of this site is Kotaku. Did you know that? Some people don't, they just click wildly around the internet like a pyromaniac in a straw factory.

Kotaku isn't a real Japanese word, it's a word somebody (not me!) made up many years ago. "Ko" in Japanese (小) means "small". "Otaku" has a couple meanings, but here it refers to someone who is obsessively interested in something. But shouldn't the site's name then be "Kootaku"? Shuddup.

There are many types of otaku: train otaku, anime otaku, game otaku, Brian Ashcraft otaku, you name it! But if you are looking at ways to i.d. otaku, here are ten — as voted on by Japan's Goo Ranking:

1. He has an anime T-shirt
2. He has an anime shopping bag
3. He has a waist pouch ("fanny pack" / "bum bag")
4. He wears a bandanna (hachimaki)
5. His bag is covered in anime badges
6. His hair is excessively long
7. He wears his rucksack over both shoulders
8. He has big, thick glasses
9. He tucks his shirt/T-shirt into his trousers
10. He wears chemical wash jeans

There are other ways to spot and stereotype otaku, but hey, these are the most popular ways Japan does it!

The ranking [Goo via Sankaku Complex NSFW] [Pic]

Otaku Cars Galore!

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 MDT

Over the weekend, the second annual ItaG Festival was held in Tokyo's Odaiba. Something like 800 itasha were on display, sporting anime, manga and game characters.

Would You Prefer To Be Slapped Or Game With A Girl?

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:00:00 MDT

It's your money — spent it the way you like. Newly opened Akihabara business "Cute Room" is offering otaku a bevy of girlfriend-like services that include playing video games, watching DVDs and playing board games with young female (paid) friends.

The girls available are pictured above.

Cute Room does not appear to be offering sexual services. Below is a list of activities that are offered with the girls, along with prices:

Play video games (Wii PS3 PSP XBOX DS) (30 minutes 1,000 yen)
Watch a DVD with the girl (30 minutes 1,000 yen)
Play board games or card games (20 minutes 800 yen)
Massage your hand (20 mins 1,200 yen)
Lie on her lap while she cleans your ear (20 mins 1,500 yen, 40 mins 3,000 yen)
Tsundere, dere dere slap (slapped both ways 1,000 yen)
Read a bedtime story (20 mins 1,000 yen)
Take a photo together (1,500 yen)
Handmade candy (2,000 yen)
Get a love letter (1,000 yen)
Get cellphone email from her (photo + message 500 yen for one, 1,200 yen for three)
Looking at you (with email movie 1 time 1000 yen, 2,500 yen for 3 times)
Bromide (300 yen each)
Exchange presents (need to call in advance, 1,500 yen)

One thousand yen is rough US$11.

Patrons select a room to spend with their paid girlfriend. Rooms include a big sister room, a maid's room, a classroom, a Japanese room or a Monster Hunter-style room. After selecting a room, customers pick out a costume for the girl. The price breakdown is ¥4,000 for 40 minutes, ¥5,500 for 60 minutes, ¥7,500 for 80 minutes and ¥2,000 for every 20 minutes after that.

秋葉原　CuteRoom 脳内エステ&リラクゼーション [Official Site via Digi Maga via Canned Dogs]

Foreign Otaku Results Hit Japanese Newsstands

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:00:00 MDT

Just a heads up! This past Spring, paper mag Otaku USA surveyed foreign otaku for a Famitsu article.

Otaku USA's otaku-in-chief Patrick Macias stated at the time, "We want all foreign otaku to rise forth and fill out our 'Foreign Otaku' survey below. The results will be published this summer in an issue of Weekly Famitsu, and (because we're big-hearted and foolish) we'll follow up on the Otaku USA website with appropriate post-game analysis."

The idea was to help provide an insight into non-Japanese otaku.

Well........ Said article is hitting this week's Famitsu. If you answered the survey, that's your raw data! Now in Japanese! In Famitsu!

Will be interesting to see if there is a difference between Japanese and non-Japanese otaku.

OTAKU USA x FAMITSU: "Otaku World Culture" explosion [An Eternal Thought in the Mind of Godzilla]

iDOLM@STER Toy Buying iNS@NITY

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:00:00 MDT

The latest cute big-headed Nendoroid series is Namco pop idol sim franchise iDOLM@STER.

Earlier week the second entry in the Nendorid iDOLM@STER line went on sale with a single set priced at ¥6,000. Here, someone bought 29 sets for a grand total of ¥174,000 (US$1,842).

Maybe this individual is planning on selling them off if they somehow appreciate in value. Or maybe, just maybe, he or she is going to leave them stacked and just stare.

1箱6000円のアイマス「ねんどろいどぷち」を29箱大人買いする信者 [はちま起稿]

This Is An Encyclopedia of Otaku

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:00:00 MDT

Look what just arrived on my desk, today. This! Yes, this.

Written by the always insightful Patrick Galbraith, The Otaku Encyclopedia is just that, an otaku encyclopedia. From A-Z, the book covers everything Japanese nerd — an impressive feat. It also features interviews with maids, famous cosplayers, arts like Takashi Murakami, retro game idol Haruna Anno and otaku heroine Shoko Nakagawa.

The book is edited by Andrew Lee and published by Kodansha International, which put out my arcade book, Arcade Mania.

The Otaku Encyclopedia is out in Japan right this very second and will be available abroad this fall.

The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insiders Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan (Paperback) [Amazon]

Hey Foreigners! Tell Famitsu About Your Otaku-ness

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 21 May 2009 03:00:00 MDT

The always delightful Otaku USA has hooked up with Japanese game mag Famitsu in hopes of finding out what is going on in your nerdy, foreigner head. Oh goodie.

Otaku USA bossman Patrick Macias blogs, "We want all foreign otaku to rise forth and fill out our 'Foreign Otaku' survey below. The results will be published this summer in an issue of Weekly Famitsu, and (because we're big-hearted and foolish) we'll follow up on the Otaku USA website with appropriate post-game analysis."

Onward foreign geeks, onward!

OTAKU USA x FAMITSU - The 2009 'Foreign Otaku' Survey [An Eternal Thought in the Mind of Godzilla]

PC Game + Webcam Makes In-Game Upskirts Now Possible

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:00:00 MDT

It was only a matter of time. Erotic game Tech48 is using face tracking technology to let players do things like look at in-game heroines from various angles — that, and up their skirts.

Developed by eroge maker Teatime, the game uses a special webcam and face tracking software to locate players' faces. So when players move left to right, the in-gamer character follows them with her eyes.

We've seen technology used in gaming before. The erotic game spin? When players crouch down, it's possible for players to peek up the heroine's dress.

There's a YouTube clip which shows this groundbreaking technology in action. We're pretty sure if these developers had put their minds to things beside upskirts, they could be curing cancer or something.

Tech48 [Official Site NSFW via Asiajin]

Nothing Says Cute 2D Fighter Like Maid Cafe Food

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:00:00 MDT

Two dimensional PlayStation 2 fighter Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2 was released this month in Japan. What better what to mark the occasion than with a maid cafe?

Starting April 3, Akihabara's Cure Maid Cafe will be hosting the "Arcana Heart Cafe @ Cure Maid Cafe". It'll feature food with hearts squirted on them or heart-shaped edibles as well as colorful fizzy drinks named after characters.

Released in arcades in 2006, Arcana Fighter is wall-to-wall cutesy female fighters. Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2 brought new cute-as-pie fighters to the fray.

「すっごい！アルカナハート2」、期間限定カフェがオープン [IT Media]

The Cruelest April Fool's Joke In Japan

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MDT

This is going to be hard to top. Japanese website Akiba Blog has run a post saying that Dragon Quest IX went on sale last night.

According to Akiba Blog, over two-thousand people lined up at midnight today for DQIX. Midnight. Today. Today is April 1, and Dragon Quest IX is slated for release this July. This is according to the website. Note: people did not actually line up for it last night! The website merely has faked the launch.

Still, very cruel for those who woke up today and checked Akiba Blog website and thought they'd missed the game's launch — especially considering the number of times Dragon Quest IX has been delayed and how many Japanese gamers are impatiently waiting for it.

Still, don't be surprised if frazzled individuals are running around Akihabara, frantically looking for DQIX after reading this Akiba Blog post. If you happen to see any, be sure to let them know the game is sold out and new shipments are expected shortly.

This is just one of many April Fools jokes circulating on the Japanese internet. Website Canned Dogs has a great round-up of today's pranks. Stand outs include a Queen's Blade live action flick, SNK announcing Star Radish and a retro version iDOLM@STER.

Wii Height is pretty great, too.

ドラゴンクエスト９本日発売！秋葉原で2000人以上の行列が [Akiba Blog]

This Girl Is Wearing A Famicom Bikini She Crafted Herself

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:00:00 MDT

Retro gaming maniac, pin-up model and underground photo Amano Ai (aka Julie Watai) is putting out a new DVD called Plastic Candy. In it, she dons a DIY Famicom bikini made moments before the shoot.

Ai says the bikini was inspired by this erotic game, but we're prone to believe she cribbed it from this design. But, hey, whatever!

Back in 2006, Ai released a cheese cake photobook called Samurai Girl about gamers and otaku culture. Click through the link below to watch the NSFW clip.

Nintendo girl - Japanese Sexy Strip - Amano Ai (天野あい ) [Hobby Blog via Boing Boing Gadgets]

Iroha In Living Color

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MDT

A sample, unpainted figurine of Samurai Shodown character Iroha was shown earlier this month at a Japanese hobby show. Let's have a look at the finished product.

The 1/6 scale Iroha was sculpted by modeler Dzou. Iroha does not yet have pricing, a release date or proper coverage for her tush.

やまと「SIF EX サムライスピリッツ天下一剣客伝いろは」サンプルレビュー [Moeyo! NSFW]

Another Iroha Figure For The Fire

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:00:00 MST

SNK previously let Samurai Shodown character Iroha get ravaged [embedded link NSFW] in "combat picture book" Queen's Gate. Now, SNK is letting her do the ravaging in figure form!

Granted, there could be way more ravaging, and there are slightly more explicit pictures in the link below for those with discerning tastes. The Iroha figure is being produced by long-standing figurine maker VOLKS INC. and will be appearing in the March-April Hobby Japan.

【コラム・ネタ・お知らせ】クイーンズゲイト「いろは〜QG ver〜」、「ディズィー」と新企画 [Akiba Blog]

A Very Large Doll With A Very Large Sword

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:00:00 MST

Fans of erotic computer game Fate/stay Night, open your wallets. Wide. A 5-foot tall statue of warrior Saber is yours for a mere US$8,500! First released in January 2004 from former amateur developer TYPE-MOON, Fate/stay Night has since been spun off into anime, manga and a Capcom arcade fighter. This doll isn't brand new per se, but that doesn't make it any less magnificent. Or expensive. The price breakdown isn't for the faint of heart — or poor, for that matter:

• Top of the line 5 foot figure: ¥480,000
• Swords: ¥150,000
• Dress: ¥180,000
TOTAL: ¥810,000 (US$8,500)

*Real lady not included.

No wonder there's an installment plan.

等身大フィギュアセイバー [Paper-Moon via Sankaku Complex]

Adult iDOLM@STER Computer Game Copies PSP Packaging

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:00:00 MST

Namco Bandai's popular pop idol sim THE iDOLM@STER has gone portable and hit Japanese PSPs. Previously, the series was only available in its original arcade version and ensuing Xbox 360 one. THE iDOLM@STER has players train young girls to become pop stars. Like anything popular there is of course a smutty version. And there is! The recently released THE iDOL REVOLUTION is very much an adult game. Here's a product description: "Yuji works for a talent agency. One day, he takes in charge of a new project called the "Idol Revolution". His mission is to train five rookie idols, Misaki, Sayaka, Kana, Momoka, and Ayano. Surrounded by five unique idols, he works hard every day. As he himself grows up as a project leader, the idols gradually fall in love with him...." iDOL REVOLUTION goes further than simply knocking off the PSP iDOLM@STER SP — the erotic computer game actually pays homage the game's PSP packaging! Wonder what "PFP" means. On second thought, no, no we don't.

Bishoujo Game of a Producer "Playing" with Idols: A Sample of I-Mas-SP-like Package [Akiba Blog/NSFW]

Pay Maids To Role Play, Cosplay With You

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:00:00 MST

Shopping in Akihabara? Fun. Shopping in Akihabara with a role-playing maid? Funner. Maid establishment Ecri offers discerning Japanese otaku the chance to hire a maid to "role play" video game or anime characters while hanging out, grabbing lunch or shopping with your maid companion. The Akihabara-only service is ¥6,000 (US$60), and there are three options for your companion's outfit: maid, cosplay and civilian clothes.

This is not prostitution. Though for some, having a woman pretend she's Gundam's Sayla Mass and you Amuro Ray might very well be better than sex.

Ecri [Official Site via Danny Choo]

Japanese Prime Minister In Erotic Game

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:00:00 MDT

The Prime Minister of Japan is Taro Aso. Educated abroad, Aso even competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics on the Japan's shooting team. He's best known now as apparently being a fan of manga Rozen Maiden and is thus popular among Japanese otaku. With that strong geek connection, no wonder an erotic game character named "Souri" (which means "Prime Minister" in Japanese) looks strikingly like Aso. The official site does make a disclaimer that this character is "fiction," and that there's no rational between the character and reality. The game is called Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai! with the "maji de" ready (Japanese for "really") being a pun on phrase which could also mean "with a real sword." That explains the game's sword motif. No idea how this Taro Aso character will come into play during the game.

Hit the jump for "Souri" sketches as well as a photo of the Prime Minister.

真剣で私に恋しなさい！ [NSFW Official Site] [Pic]

Lolita Metal Gear Solid 4 Figurines

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 MDT

Metal Gear Solid 4 may been released earlier this summer, but that doesn't mean the merchandizing is gonna stop! This December, Konami is releasing a set of 7cm "Fugimate" MGS4 figurines. Priced at ¥2,940 (US$27), the set includes Snake, Raiden, Ocelot and Otacon — all as shoeless little girls with giant heads.

MGS4 Figures [Konami Style Thanks, Randy!]