Brian Ashcraft

After Child Pornography Fine, Rurouni Kenshin Will Resume Publication This June 

After Nobuhiro Watsuki was charged with possession of child pornography last fall, his manga Rurouni Kenshin was placed on hiatus. This June, it will resume serialization in Japan. Earlier this year, Watsuki was fined 200,000 yen ($1,870) for violating the country’s child pornography law for this possession. Starting June 4, however, Rurouni Kenshin’s “Hokkaido Arc”…

Le Mont Saint-Michel. Normandy, France. By Robbert Vervuurt. 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: Break The Night With Colour | Artist: Richard Ashcroft | Album: Keys To The World Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Nioh Statue Costs Nearly $1,000

Japan’s Prime 1 Studio has crafted a 24-inch statue of Nioh hero William. It’s nice! And expensive. The deluxe version statue, which is limited to only 750 pieces, costs 105,900 yen ($984). Previously, Prime 1 released a standard version, which was only 63,900 yen ($593). Below is the newer, more expensive release. Kotaku East is…

This Isn’t Just A Cat Cafe, It’s Like A Cat Theme Park 

If you’re going to pick one cat cafe in Tokyo, this one seems nice. Last fall, a new area opened around the cafe called Kichijouji Petit Mura (“Little Village”), turning this area into a small theme park for cat lovers. The on-site cat cafe, which is called Cat Cafe Temari no Oshiro, would be right…

Nintendo Now Selling Cardboard Separately In Case You Destroy Your Nintendo Labo Creations

Before purchasing Nintendo Labo, one of my concerns was about replacement parts. What if my kids destroy the cardboard? What if I accidentally sit or step on a Toy-Con? Good news, because starting today, Nintendo’s online shop will start selling replacement cardboard. Nintendo previously addressed in this Nintendo Labo FAQ, stating, “But if you need…

Three Chairs. Ibusuki, Japan. By ShuYung Wu. 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: Lost in the Supermarket | Artist: The Clash | Album: London Calling Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

South Korea Makes Corn Dogs Better With Tulips 

At Everland, South Korea’s largest theme park, tulips are in bloom. To celebrate its Tulip Festival, the flowers are even emblazoned on corn dogs. The batter isn’t corn-based like in the States, but is more akin to pancake or waffle batter. I’d never thought about putting designs on corn dogs before! Good thing this theme…

SNK Is Working On New Hardware Packed With Games

The SNK brand is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To mark this milestone and to thank fans, the Osaka-based game company is working on a “new game machine” that will feature a compilation of popular Neo-Geo games. In the teaser tweet, SNK Japan refers to the hardware as an “atarashii geemuki” (新しいゲーム機) or “new game machine.”…

The Sega Saturn Reborn As A Scale And Body Monitor 

The Sega Saturn doesn’t only live on in our memories, but as a bathroom scale in Japan. Japanese scale maker Tanita created this, which actually isn’t just a scale. It’s also a body composition meter The official English language description reads: Sega Saturn represented a leap into the new age of entertainment. Body Composition Monitor…

Clouds. Kik, Croatia. By Marvee Anthony Sumaylo. 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: Hungarian Rhapsody No.12 | Artist: Van Cliburn Playing Liszt | Album: Live Performance　 Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Iconic Shibuya 109 Building Is Changing Its Logo

If you’ve been to Tokyo, you’ve seen Shibuya 109. The building is a symbol of Japanese youth culture. If you’ve played Square Enix’s The World Ends with You, then you also are familiar with it. In that game, however, 109 was rebranded as 104 Website Kai-You reports that now, after nearly 40 years, 109 is…

A Life-Sized Anime Figure Worth Pondering 

One of the most famous Devilman tableaus shows the character sitting deep in thought on Tokyo Tower. The pose is recreated in toys and small figures. A few years back, it was even turned into a life-sized figure, which folks are now rediscovering. Just look at how it matches up! This is excellent. It also…

As previously reported, arcade game Border Break is coming to the PS4 in Japan, so third-party peripheral maker Hori is making these twin sticks. According to Famitsu, they’re priced at 18,334 yen ($171). However, if pre-orders don’t reach 3,000 units, the controllers won’t go into production.

10000 Roses. Mactan Island, Cebu, the Philippines. By Martin Tan. 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! 

Konami Is Making A New Castlevania Game For iOS

It’s called Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls and going into closed beta in Japan. No word yet on a release date or if the action game will get an international release. The game is set in a world in which Dracula seems to have been completely erased and peace has descended until… someone decides to resurrect…

Track: Gomibako Kara, Blues | Artist: Pistol Takehara | Album: Good Luck Track Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

YouTuber Apologizes For Seven Minutes After Tournament Loss

Last Saturday, YouTuber Mokou posted a video in which he said he’d retire from pro gaming if he didn’t win any prize money at this past Sunday’s Puyo Puyo tournament. He lost and now he’s really sorry. In the earlier clip (below), Mokou came across as rather cocky as he claimed defeat would mean retirement.…