Brian Ashcraft

Track: Hear My Train a Comin’ | Artist: Jimi Hendrix | Album: Both Sides of the Sky Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Ikaruga is coming to the PS4! Treasure has announced it’s developing a PlayStation 4 version. The release date will be announced soon. No word if it’s getting an international release.

Using AI To Turn Real People Into Anime Art

Nijigenka (二次元化) is Japanese for “2D-ification.” It’s a term for when artists take photos of people and turn them into anime characters. But now researchers are starting to have AI do the image-to-image translation. At a recent workshop about deep learning in Tokyo, a researcher from Fudan University gave a presentation on creating anime characters…

The Soccer Anime That Andrés Iniesta Loves 

Late last month, it was announced that Andrés Iniesta was leaving F.C. Barcelona for a three-year deal with Vissel Kobe. That’s exciting for J League fans, but what must have been cool for Iniesta was meeting the man responsible for his favorite anime. Again. Yoichi Takahashi debuted his manga Captain Tsubasa back in 1981, a…

At This Capsule Hotel, There’s Free Beer

In the past few years, there has been a capsule hotel revival in Japan. Th lodgings are more plush and comfortable than ever. One new chain is offering more than slick interiors- it has free beer on tap. Free drink services are nothing new to capsule hotels, but they typically provide soft drinks But at…

Memories Of Spring. Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival, South Korea. By Lexi | Seoul Searching JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line! 

Find Tattoo-Friendly Hot Springs, Gyms And Hotels In Japan

In Japan, many hot springs, public pools, sports clubs and hotels will not allow guests with permanent ink. A new website helps those with tattoos find welcoming establishments. Other sites like this already exist, but what makes Tattoo-Friendly.jp worth mentioning is that it also has an English language search option. The site lists onsen (hot…

Here’s a small Pikachu voice recognition toy that will look in your direction and babble “Pika Pika.” According to Takara Tomy’s YouTube description, everyone from small kids to foreigners can play with it. No word of an international release.

This week, the English language version of Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc was not published in Viz Media’s digital edition. Previously, it was simultaneously published when the Japanese version was released. Creator Nobuhiro Watsuki was fined for child pornography possession earlier this year.

Clear Coca-Cola Will Be Released In Japan 

This month in Japan, Coca-Cola is releasing a clear version of their soda with the clever name of, wait for it, Coca-Cola Clear. According to My Navi, Coca-Cola Japan came up with the concept, and the company’s US headquarters spent a year developing it. Ditching the caramel ingredient, Coca-Cola had to tune the drink to…

View Of Sargathmatha. Gokyo Peak, Khumbu, Nepal. By Stephen Howland | Instagram JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line! 

Track: Ruby Tuesday | Artist: The Rolling Stones | Album: Between the Buttons (US Ver.) Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Eiichiro Oda Draws One Piece‘s Luffy As An Old Man

Monkey D. Luffy is a young man in One Piece, but what will he look like as an old one? Eiichiro Oda recently did a “what if” drawing of the iconic pirate. In the SBS of the most recent One Piece, Oda drew Luffy and Ace at 40 years old as well as at 60…

Spanish Team Welcomes Japanese Soccer Player With Anime And Cosplay

Takashi Inui, who plays on the Japanese national team, is joining Real Betis. The team announced the news in a Twitter clip that’s packed with numerous manga, anime, and video game nods. The stuff with Doraemon is kind of messed up Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking…

The World’s Ugliest Car Returns For An Anime Tribute

The Mitsuoka Orochi, which our colleagues at Jalopnik called “the world’s ugliest car,” is back for a special one-off anime tribute. The Orochi, named after the legendary eight-headed Japanese serpent, went into production in 2006. By 2014, coach builder Mitsuoka decided to call it a day, slaying the Orochi. Mitsuoka didn’t ramp up Orochi production…

Minatogawa-Jinja Temple. Kobe, Japan. By Helmut Perchu. JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line! 

Track: Plainclothes Man | Artist: Elliot Smith | Album: Heaven Adores You OST Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Japan Baffled By These Men’s Pants

Famed British designer Kim Jones is collaborating with budget-priced Japanese clothing chain GU on a line of menswear. Much of it looks fine, but these pants are baffling folks in Japan. Owned by Uniqlo, GU is a mass market chain you find in suburban shopping malls, and these “slim taper pants” feature a rather unique…

Crayon Shin-chan’s Japanese Voice Actress Is Leaving The Anime 

Voice actress Akiko Yajima has voiced the titular Shinnosuke Nohara in Crayon Shin-chan since the anime debuted in 1992. Now she’s leaving what’s perhaps her most famous role to date. Besides Shin-chan, Yajima has voiced an array of characters since 1989. Most recently, she’s done Pipimi in Pop Team Epic It was Yajima who asked…

Manga Style Paint Jobs For Model Cars Still Look Incredible

Kotaku previously introduced Initial D model cars that Twitter user Shinga had painted to look like manga art. Shinga is back with more, and his latest work continues to amaze. In the earlier version, Shinga placed his models on a flat sheet of paper. This time around, he’s made a 3D papercraft. This time around,…