Brian Ashcraft

Konami Updates MGSV: The Phantom Pain, Makes Ocelot Playable on FOBs

Never mind that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain came out in September 2015 or that most people are now playing something else. Konamireleased an update for the game, making Ocelot playable onForward Operating Bases. Here are the patch notes regarding Ocelot: Ocelot is finally available in FOB missions !　 You can play as Ocelot…

Steins;Gate 0 Is Getting An Anime 

Visual novel Steins;Gate 0 was originally released in Japan on the PS3, PS4 and the Vita in December 2015. It came out in the U.S. the following year. Since the source material is a visual novel, it should lend itself to an excellent anime adaptation. It wouldn’t be the first. The original Steins;Gate anime turned…

Here’s Dragon Quest XI’s remote play on a PS Vita. Looks nice, no? Ditto for the Slime nails. DQXI will be released tomorrow in Japan on the PS4 and the Nintendo 3DS. 

Switch Sales Are Causing Problems In Japan 

In Japan, the lines for the Nintendo Switch have been hell. The way that retailers are deciding who gets the consoles just caused big woes for one of Japan’s most famous electronics chains. In an effort to seemingly be “fair” and stymie the gray market, major chains like Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, and Toys “R”…

Titan Missile Museum. Green Valley, AZ. By Chris Kelley 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!

CG Woman Selling Beer In A Japanese Supermarket

If you’ve ever been to a supermarket in Japan, you’ll know that throughout the store, there are people offering free samples and prompting various products. They are real flesh and blood humans. This Asahi beer salesperson is not. In Japan, this is called “demonstration sales.” Via Game Over, you can watch a nine minute Japanese…

The PlayStation 4 has surpassed an estimated 5 million consoles sold in Japan, according to Media Create. That’s as of July 23, and with Dragon Quest XI coming to the PS4 this Saturday, expect those numbers to get a bump. 

Scenes From Hit Anime Your Name Look Very Familiar 

Your Name is one of the most successful anime movies ever released in Japan. Not only has it made a bunch of cash, but it’s also a great film. However, a new YouTube clip alleges that Your Name lifted several sequences from other anime movies. In the comparison below, via Yaraon!, the Your Name scenes…

The Great Torii at Miyajima. Hiroshima, Japan. By Zachary Gonzales. 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!

The Problem With Mighty No. 9‘s Game Manuals [Update]

Up to the very end, Mighty No. 9 can’t stop pulling a Mighty No. 9. It took over a year for Kickstarter backers to get their physical game boxes and accompanying game manuals, which are too big to fit inside some of the boxes. Update July 26 – 9:26am: As Twitter user Gregory Walsh points…

Splatoon 2 Had A Big First Week Of Sales In Japan 

In its first three days on sale, Splatoon 2 sold an estimated 670,955 copies at Japanese retail. Typically in Japan, new Pokémon games sell well over a million copies in their first few days out. For example, Sun and Moon sold 1,905,107 copies at retail. That’s at the extreme end of the spectrum, and generally…

Some Of Anime’s Most Famous Poses And Techniques

Certain anime studios—and even certain creators—have signature moves. Hallmarks or calling cards, if you will. Let’s have a look! On Twitter (via Togetter), people were talking about famous poses and stylistic techniques in anime (and manga). This article was originally published on June 5, 2015. “Gainax Stance” In Japanese, this is “Gaina Dachi” (ガイナ立ち), and…

Just As You Thought, Nintendo Is Doing Really Well

During the Wii U years, things didn’t always look so good. This time last year, Nintendo was losing more money than expected. But now, Nintendo has the Switch, and it’s doing just fine, thank you. According to Reuters, the 16.21 billion yen ($144.95 million) operating profit for the April to June period surpassed an 11.55…

Golden Gai. Tokyo, Japan. By Alexander Zitzenbacher. 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: Surely | Artist: Never Young Beach | Album: A Good Time Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.

What Prevents Esports From Taking Off In Japan 

Esports is big business. Yet in Japan, home to many talented players, it has yet to reach the same money-making heights as elsewhere. The recently foundedJapan Esports League has big-time sponsors like Twitch and Mainichi News, one of Japan’s biggest newspapers. Japanese pro soccer team Verdy also has an esports team in the league, but…

A Toyota 86 Fit For A Japanese Superhero 

Japan’s biggest superhero Ultraman is no stranger to cars. In the early 1970s, Return of Ultraman featured a rotary engine-powered Mazda Cosmo Sports. Now, in 2017, there’s a Ultraman-themed Toyota 86 going on sale in Japan. The Ultraman-themed Toyota 86 is called “M78x86.” M78 refers to Nebula M78, which is the home of the Ultras.…

The Tokyo Olympics Is Embracing The Akira Anime

When the Tokyo Olympics were first announced in 2013, there were immediate comparisons to Akira’s 2020 Neo-Tokyo Olympics. Now, the real 2020 games are not shying away from those comparisons but embracing them in a recent promotional event. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government held a projection mapping event last night with a “Three Years To Go!”…

The View From the Arc de Triomphe. Paris, France. By Morgan Jolley. 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: Akarui Mirai | Artist: Never Young Beach | Album: Fam Fam  Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to at the moment.