Kotaku: Tokyo

Selecting an Idol from a Vending Machine

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 EST

Earlier this week, Kotaku reported that a noodle cafe was opening in Tokyo's otaku (geek) mecca. What makes this cafe different from the plethora of cafes dotted throughout Akihabara is that Noodol Cafe features idols pouring hot water into instant ramen. Yep. More »

New DoDonPachi Maniac Shooter Teased

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:30:00 EST

Cave, the Tokyo-based shmup studio, teased a new DoDonPachi, dubbed DoDonPachi: Saidaioujou. More details on Jan. 23. [Official Site] More »

Who Wants To Crap Next to a Window?

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:00:00 EST

Tokyo is expensive. That new Shinjuku office Square Enix is moving into must cost a large fortune. Some of the country's most expensive real estate is Tokyo's Ginza and Osaka's Umeda. More »

Live and Breathe Japanese Games? Kotaku Is Now Hiring.

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:30:00 EST

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Occasionally, people ask me, "Brian Ashcraft, is Kotaku ever hiring?" To which I reply, "No, random person, it is not." But if you were to ask me that same question today, I'd have a very different answer. More »

Japanese Shinto Tradition Goes Geek

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST

During New Year's, Japanese people visit shrines and temples. There are many traditions observed during this period, such as omikuji—a type of fortune telling. In the last few years, one ancient tradition in which people write wishes on wooden plaques is now taking a decidedly otaku bent. More »

PS Vita Launches in Japan. Did People Wait for It?

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:30:00 EST

After being revealed earlier this year, the PS Vita, Sony's PlayStation Portable successor, finally launched in Japan. More »

Watch People Build a Giant Mecha Before Your Very Eyes

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:30:00 EST

They are building the life-sized Gundam—again! They being these folks in hardhats and overalls. More »

Giant, Life-Sized Gundam Is Returning!

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST

Many a Tokyo visitor has asked me, "Brian, where can I see the giant Gundam?" I always tell them, "Random person, you cannot see it anymore. It's gone." Next spring, that will change. The giant Gundam is coming back. More »

Thank Evangelion for Tokyo's Latest Nerd Hotspot

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:00:00 EST

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Harajuku is famous for its fashion. Stylish young Japanese women flock to its boutiques, snapping up the latest trendy threads. But now, a new crowd is coming: The anime nerds. More »

Where Tokyo Meets Blade Runner

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:30:00 EDT

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Phew. All this video game stuff, especially Battlefield 3 stuff, is wearing me out. Time to take a few minutes to chill, relax, watch a soothing movie where footage of modern-day Tokyo is played to the accompaniment of the Blade Runner soundtrack. More »

Look at Japanese Booth Babes Until You Get Barfy

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EDT

During this year's Tokyo Game Show, Japanese website Inside Games thought it would be a good idea to film this year's booth companions. Maybe it was. More »

Blip Japan Artist Profile: M7Kenji

Nick Partyka — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EDT

Are you guys excited about the Blip Festival Tokyo? For those of you who are, we've got an interview with one of the artists who will be playing during the shows dates of October 22-23rd, 2011. His name is Kenji, or better known as "M7Kenji." A mobile app designer, M7Kenji has played in two Blip Festivals alongside visualists like NoCarrier, Raquel Meyers, and Visualiscious. I'm not done yet, Kenji has also worked on many Flash, Android, and iPhone apps as well as aided in the design for numerous events in and around Japan. Quite the profile, if it has whet your appetite, then read on to see what M7Kenji has had to say about his style, influences, and more: More »

░▒▓ Announcing Blip Festival Tokyo! ▓▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░

Joel Johnson — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EDT

Presented by 8bitpeoples, the second annual Blip Festival Tokyo brings a hard-hitting group of low-tech musicians and visualists to Japan to lay down an arresting distillation of the energy & spirit of the global chipmusic underground. ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ More »

Time To Rock Your Balls Off

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EDT

Japanese pop, rather Jpop, is pigeonholed as cute, ear saccharine. That might not exactly be fair. But there's no arguing, sometimes Jpop needs more guitars. More awesome hair. Sometimes it needs more metal. More »

A Giant Gundam Hand Fit for Your Ass?

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 04:00:00 EDT

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From August 13 to August 21 (my birthday!), the life-sized Gundam statue will be on display in Tokyo's Odaiba. But it won't be looming tall. It will be in pieces, strewn on the ground. More »

Don't Let Some Rules Stop Your Sexy

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:00:00 EDT

This weekend, the Comic Market, aka Comiket, tore through Tokyo. And earlier this month, new rules were revealed for skimpy Comiket cosplay: cover up! More »

The 3DS Launches at a Lower Price. Some Japanese People Buy It.

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 06:00:00 EDT

Today in Japan, the 3DS went on sale with a new, lower price. Some people lined up at stores in Tokyo, but not that many. But that's okay. More »

All the Fresh Nerd Heroin You Could Ever Want

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:30:00 EDT

On July 2, Animate is opening its latest super store in Shinjuku. If you've never been to an Animate, they're like hypermarts. For otaku. More »

Yesterday Was a Great Time for a Japanese Politician to Say He'll Ban Games

Owen Good — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:00:00 EST

On Thursday, this guy, the current governor of Kanagawa prefecture in Japan, wagged his finger at violent video games and said he'd ban them as well if he's elected governor of Tokyo. About 12 hours later, a tsunami smashed into northeast Japan. More »

Buying A 3DS Without A Pre-Order Is A Beautiful Thing

Brian Ashcraft — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 01:10:00 EST

The lines for the Nintendo 3DS didn't start this morning. No, many of them started last night. Those who waited in line were most likely able to snag a 3DS. Those who simply waited probably weren't as lucky. More »

The Masses Descend

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:00:00 EST

The lines for Comiket form — that is, the highly organized lines. As seen at 7am this morning by yuhmari. More »

Tokyo Says "Sayonara" To Freedom Of Speech?

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 03:00:00 EST

Legislation was voted on today in Tokyo that some contend not only robs creators of their freedom of speech, but is unfair. More »

Bad News? No Wii Price Cut. Good News? 3DS Events.

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 03:00:00 EDT

Today at a Tokyo hotel, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata shot down talk of a Wii price cut anytime soon. This comes as Nintendo posted losses due to slow sales and the strong Japanese yen. More »

The Cosplay And Cars Of Dream Party

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 03:00:00 EDT

Another autumn, another Dream Party. The fall Dream Party was recently held in Tokyo, complete with cosplayers, booth companions and sticker-covered cars called "itasha" ("painmobile"). More »

So Many Square Enix Toys, So Little Time

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:00:00 EDT

At this year's Tokyo Toy Show, Square Enix showed off...toys. There are loads of Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts figures and knick-knacks. More »

Demented-Looking Pokemon Schoolyard Graffiti

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 04:00:00 EDT

That might be a super sentai hero in the middle! As seen in Ikebukuro, Tokyo by a lovely Kotaku reader. More »

The Neon Genesis Evangelion Convenience Store

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:00:00 EDT

Big cities in Japan are packed with convenience stores. It seems like there is one on every corner. (Sometimes there is!) There is one that stands out from the rest. More »

Tokyo's Virtual Child Porn Bill Returning

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EDT

It's not dead. Not at all. Tokyo's virtual child porn bill will be back this fall. More »

Someone In A Bikini Hug Pillow Case Walking Through Tokyo

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 07:00:00 EDT

Well, one side is a bikini outfit, and the other is a maid costume. Before you say, "This is so strange", realize that there are people in Japan saying the same damn thing. Oh, they are laughing, too. More »

Japan Lines Up For...Digital PS3 Recorder

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:00:00 EDT

Noodles. Toy figures. And grab bags at New Years. Japan loves lining up for stuff, and the PS3 torne digital recorder is no exception. More »

Proposed Virtual Child Porn Law Trucking Along

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:30:00 EST

Won't someone think of the children? The imaginary children? Don't worry, Japanese politicians are. More »

Final Fantasy XIV, The TGS Trailer

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:00:00 EDT

It just wouldn't be TGS without a new Final Fantasy trailer now, would it? Here's one for Final Fantasy XIV. More »

How To Find Our Tokyo Party

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:20:00 EDT

Next Monday we are having a Kotaku event in Shibuya, Japan. I will be there. Crecente, Totilo, McWhertor and Tim Rogers will be there as well. Other people, too! But how do you find the damn place? More »

Let The DS Show You Tokyo Disney Resort Shopping

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:00:00 EDT

Those going to Tokyo Disneyland, be sure to bring your Nintendo DS. Starting April 25, the portable can show you around shopping, dinning and entertainment complex Ikspiari at Tokyo Disney Resort. More »

Harajuku Is The Place For Hangame

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:00:00 EST

Looking for a cool place in Tokyo to try out online games? Try "flatflat" in Harajuku. More »

The Gaijin Gaming Discount

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:00:00 EDT

As the American economy continues to crater, the valve of the dollar has dropped. While we have misty-eyed memories of a time when it was 135 yen to the dollar, it's currently about 100 yen to the dollar. Spotted at a Tokyo retro game shop, the pictured sign seems directed at tourists and reads: More »

Test Out SEGA-AM2's New Arcade Racer

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EDT

This Friday (today!), SEGA is location testing new street racing game from its famed AM2 division. Dubbed R-Tuned: Ulimate Street Racing, the arcade game runs on SEGA's Lindbergh arcade system board and supports up to four players. Apparently there is also a home version in development, but that's unconfirmed. The location test kicked off today at 10:00AM Japan Time at the Shinjuku Club SEGA and will wrap up next Monday. Stop by, check it out. Tell 'em Kotaku sent cha! More »

MGS4 Japan Tour Dates

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:00:00 EDT

For those who missed meeting Hideo Kojima in the States and Europe and for those living in Japan, listen up. Konami has announced dates and places for the Metal Gear Solid 4 autographing spectacular. Kojima, illustrator Yoji Shinkawa and actress Yumi Kikuchi are slated to appear with signing pen. The dates and places and times are: More »

Racism In Tokyo

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT

It's game related. Or rather, otaku related. Somewhat. More »

English Book To Help Guide Foreign Nerds

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:00:37 EDT

Many moons ago, when foreigners came to Japan, they went to Kyoto to look at old buildings. Now, they want to go to Akihabara and play paper-rock-scissors with maids and stuff. So what are Japanese folks supposed to do? They're supposed to buy this book: Guiding Your Friends Around Akihabara In English. It's the first in a series of "Guiding Your Friends Around" books, and it teaches Japanese folks the ins and outs of explaining various things in English. Wonder if it covers the more discerning elements of Akihabara and otaku culture... More »