Brian Ashcraft

Compile Heart (Record of Agarest War and Hyperdimension Neptunia) has a mysterious countdown site that is counting down to…something. The site currently reads “2 in Akihabara” and the countdown is supposed to end on February 22. Dun, dun, dun.

University of Glasgow. Glasgow, Scotland. By Stephen T. Phillips. 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: Paper Crown (Live) | Artist: Liam Gallagher | Album: As You Were 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! 

Yuzuru Hanyu Would Be A Good Final Fantasy Character [Update]

This weekend, Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu won Olympic gold. In Japan, people were excited and online, they quickly pointed out that Hanyu’s dramatic poses and intense stares look like something straight from Final Fantasy Update February 20 – 2:00am: An earlier version of this story included clips of Hanyu apparently skating to Final Fantasy…

In Dragon Ball Super, Goku Is Getting More Powerful Than Ever

Goku and Jiren are battling it out in the Tournament of Power, and just when you think things could get more intense, the preview for next week’s episode shows that, yes, they can. Note: This article has spoilers. As seen in the top image, the words “Limits Super Surpassed! Ultra Instinct Mastered!!” appears during the…

An Official Mega Man Bicycle 

To mark the 30th anniversary of Mega Man (née Rockman), Japanese bicycle maker KhodaaBloom is releasing a special set of wheels. According Cyclist, it went on sale February 17 and is priced at 290,000 yen ($2,720). Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China…

Nintendo Labo Packaging In The Wild

Nintendo Labo display kits are starting to appear in Japanese retail shops. The boxes themselves are good sized, which isn’t that surprising if you’ve seen the cardboard Nintendo Labo sheets. It’s up to you to fold the cardboard, not Nintendo! While the boxes are a decent size, they are not that thick. Kotaku East is…

Evening. Osaka, Japan. By John Bovellan | 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: Drivin’ on 9 (Live) | Artist: The Breeders | Album: Last Splash Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

One Way Japanese Drivers Are Polite

I’ve been driving in Japan for over 15 years now. One of the things that always resonates is how polite people are on the road, especially the way drivers say thanks with their hazard lights. I don’t think this practice is unique to Japan. It probably isn’t. While living in the US, however, I never…

The Debate Over Whether Anime-Style Characters Look Japanese

The above image shows two characters, one done in the “anime style” and the other in an American comic book style. What follows is an explanation as to why Chie Satonaka “looks Japanese.” Before moving on to the full comparison, which was originally posted on a 2ch thread, there are several things to consider. The…

Hidetaka “SWERY” Suehiro just announced he is making a new game with Arc System Works with his studio White Owls making it in-house. The game is called The Missing, and Swery says, “Frankly, this title will blow your mind.”

The Birth of a Buddha. Monywa, Myanmar. By Quinn Levandoski | Official Site 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! 

Nothing Says Phantasy Star Online 2 Like Dry Scalp Shampoo

Phantasy Star Online 2 is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Scalp D is a massively scalp cleansing shampoo. And soon, PS02 players can dress up their characters in Scalp D themed get-ups and have them wash their hair, because nobody wants dry scalp, not even in the virtual world. In Japan, a limited edition…

First Look At The Layton Anime Series

This spring, a Layton’s Mystery Journey anime series debuts in Japan and follows the adventures of Professor Layton’s daughter, Katrielle Layton. As you’d expect, the animation looks terrific. Layton’s Mystery Journey begins broadcasting on April 8 on Fuji TV. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from…

Dragon Ball‘s Bulma Has A New Voice Actress [Update]

A new Japanese ad for a Dragon Ball branded bath cleaner features Vegeta and Bulma. Understandably, fans note that Bulma’s new voice sounds slightly different because Bulma’s voice actress Hiromi Tsuru suddenly passed away last fall. The bath cleaner commercial below is the first time Bulma has spoken since Tsuru’s death. Update February 15 –…

Rainy Night. Incheon, South Korea. By Steve Roe | 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: Apocalypse | Artist: Cigarettes After Sex | Album: Cigarettes After Sex Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

Before Tesla And SpaceX, Elon Musk Worked In Video Games

Before Elon Musk was shooting his own Tesla roadster into space, he was doing other cool stuff. Like? Making video games, that’s what. As YouTuber Scott Manley points out (via NeoGAF), Musk has a “forgotten” career in video games. During the 1990s, he worked at Rocket Science Games, and his name appeared in the credits…

Netflix Is “Not Interested In Whitewashing” Live-Action Sword Art Online, Says Producer

A live-action Sword Art Online is coming to Netflix. Executive producer Laeta Kalogridis says neither she nor Netflix is interested in a whitewashed version. Besides credits ranging from Avatar to Shutter Island, Kalogridis most recently created Altered Carbon, which she also writes executive produces. In an interview with Collider, she was asked about what she…