Twitter user Otakapin does a pretty good impression of the Monster Hunter: World character creation tool. His short clip has already racked up over 1.8 million views. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to…
At this year’s Sapporo Snow Festival, the centerpiece is an enormous Final Fantasy XIV snow sculpture. FFXIV producer Naoki Yoshida appeared on stage, giving a speech during the festival’s opening ceremony. The sculpture is lit up with projection mapping during the evening. This isn’t a first for Final Fantasy. Last year, Final Fantasy VII was…
A man in Zhejiang Province, China had to be carried out of a net cafe after losing feeling in his legs following a marathon gaming session. According to QQ (via Newsweek), the man didn’t take a break during a reported twenty-hour gaming session. When he tried to get up to go the restroom, he discovered…
An Amazing Dumpling Shop. Tainan City, Taiwan. By Ross Goodwin. 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: Look Inside America | Artist: Blur | Album: Blur Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.
This April, Kaz Hirai will step down as Sony CEO in a management transition he proposed to the Sony Nominating Committee. His successor is company exec Kenichiro Yoshida. The management shuffle takes effect April 1, when the Japanese financial year begins. Hirai’s current titles are Director, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, President and Chief Executive Officer.…
In Japanese, “pro gamer” previously had one definition: a gamer who got money to play. Hence, a professional. Today, the word was given a new definition by the newly established Japan Esports Union. The organization is supported by Japanese gaming’s biggest organizations (such as CESA and JAMMA) and will issue pro gamer licenses for a…
Yusuke Murata, who illustrates One-Punch Man for Weekly Young Jump, is doing a manga version of Back to the Future Bob Gale, who co-wrote the original film, is overseeing the manga, which is based on the movie’s screenplay and titled BTTF Murata first showed off a Back to the Future illustration on Twitter a few…
The second Gintama movie will be released in Japan on August 17. It’s current—and temporary title—is Gintama 2
Ever wonder what happens to unwanted manga? Here, it gets torn into pieces to make toilet paper. Manga artist Rensuke Oshikiri recently visited a warehouse publisher Kodansha manages. (Full disclosure: My first two books were published by former subsidiary Kodansha International.) The warehouse holds returned and defective manga volumes. Workers feed the manga volumes into…
Goma. The Democratic Republic of Congo. By Warren McKenzie. 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: Livin’ On A Prayer | Artist: Bon Jovi | Album: Slippery When Wet Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.
The Nintendo Switch sure is doing great. Previously, we’ve seen how its sales numbers compare with the PS4’s, but let’s now look at how it stacks up with Nintendo’s last two consoles. The comparison is interesting, because the Wii, of course, was a smash hit. The Wii U was not. These sales charts appeared at…
Gambling-themed manga Akagi debuted in the early 1990s. Today, its run is coming to a close. Set in the mahjong world, Akagi told the story of a gambling genius who uses unorthodox techniques to keep others on their toes and test his luck. According to the manga’s official site, Akagi’s 27-year run is “finally concluding.”…
Traffic cones are roadside eyesores. But in Japan, there are spiritual ones, depicting the guardian of travelers and children. On Japanese roads, stone Jizo Bosatsu statues are ubiquitous. If you’ve taken a walk in the city or a hike in the countryside, you’ve come across a Jizo statue, often wearing hats or bibs. Few deities…
Going to the toilet at Ichiran Ramen, means more than high-tech washlets. It means all the toilet paper you could ever want. Just check out these Google image search results: That’s because in the popular ramen chain’s restrooms, there are rolls and rolls of toilet paper on the wall. If the restaurant somehow runs out,…
Asakusa. Tokyo, Japan. By Alejandro Aguilar. 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: Musicology | Track: Prince | Album: Prince’s Greatest Hits Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.
Often foreigners in Japan are complimented on how they use chopsticks. Many, however, are not actually using them properly. Then again, neither are most Japanese people. Go figure. As Kotaku reported in 2012, only 30 percent of Japanese people in their 40s and 50s hold chopsticks correctly. Each year, that number gets smaller and smaller.…
In Japan, Monster Hunter: World has set a record for PS4 retail debut, selling 1,350,412 package copies in its first three days. That doesn’t include downloads, so the actual total is higher. Either way, impressive launch!
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