Brian Ashcraft

PlayStation VR Pre-Orders Draw Crowds in Japan

On Saturday, PlayStation VR pre-orders began at Japanese retail shops. The VR headset won’t be out until this October, but if the lines are any indication, Sony could have a hit on its hands. According to the Mainichi News, one of Japan’s biggest newspapers, around five hundred people waited for pre-orders at the Yodobashi Camera…

New and Old. Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. By Nathan Seyler. 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: My Neighbor Totoro (Live) | Artist: Joe Hisaishi | Album: N/A Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Here’s Sir Ian McKellen Reading Fate/stay Night

During an interview with Chinese streaming service Bilibili, famed British actor Sir Ian McKellen was asked to read a bit of Fate/stay Night As pointed out on ANN and Sankaku Complex, the dialogue he’s reading is the full version of Archer’s incantation. I think he sells it! Sorta. You? Kotaku East is your slice of…

Tokyo Ghoul is being turned into a live-action movie. Originally a manga, it was adapted into a popular anime and has spun off stage and video game versions, too. Details are currently scant about the film version, but it does have an official website.

The Charms of Dating a Japanese Horror Character 

While watching the classic Japanese horror movie Ring, have you ever thought what it would be like to date Sadako? Something like this, it seems. Japanese site Walker Plus recently spent the day with the character for a photo shoot that should give you an idea of said date. Maybe you could meet for coffee.…

The Chinese One Piece Live-Action Movie Seems Like a Hoax

Yesterday, a Chinese company based in Shanghai apparently issued a press release claiming it had purchased One Piece’s copyright from creator Eiichiro Oda for 1.6 billion yen (US$ 15.1 million) and was planning to make a live-action movie. That is simply false, the manga’s publisher said today. The original press release stated that Japanese actor…

A Bicycle. Tokyo, Japan. By Abdul 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: St. Petersburg | Artist: Supergrass | Album: Road to Rouen Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Watch the Chinese Overwatch Rip-Off in Action

Earlier this spring, stills and artwork of an Overwatch clone appeared on Chinese sites. Now, we have footage of the game in action. As Redditor Rebirdhk previously pointed out on r/Overwatch, the game is called Legend of Titans. Overwatch does have an official release in China, and Legend of Titans appears to be for mobile,…

Headless Idols Sure Are Freaky

Nothing like seeing a troupe of idols standing on stage, singing their headless heads off. Free-to-play The Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage seems to have some amusing bugs and glitches: For example, audiences that have vanished. Um… This. Well then! Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points…

A 21-year-old man was arrested in Japan for allegedly creating and distributing Puzzle & Dragons cheat software free of charge, reports The Tokyo Reporter. The suspect supposedly updated his software over 30 times after Gung-Ho released updates to combat cheating. The suspect is quoted as telling police that he wanted to show off his coding…

Rumble Roses Character Designer Shiro Kotobuki Has Died

While in his twenties, artist Shiro Kotobuki was in a traffic accident, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. He didn’t let that stop him and went on to become a successful character designer and artist. Sadly, Kotobuki, whose real name was Hiroshi Kobayashi, passed away yesterday. Kotobuki began painting as a part of his…

Dengeki Online asked Tetsuya Nomura about more The World Ends with You, and he replied that he “wouldn’t say it’s impossible.” Nomura added that he’s been asked numerous times about a sequel, but making it happen isn’t that easy.

Portable Shrine at Takayama Matsuri. Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. By Jordan Chow. 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: Plus Minus Zero | Artist: Six Lounge | Album: Plus Minus Zero (Single) Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

The Final Fantasy XV Character With a Surprising Backstory

Prompto Argentum is razor thin, sports Final Fantasy hair and wears Final Fantasy style clothes. But he wasn’t always that way. In the latest episode of the Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV anime, we get Prompto’s backstory. The younger version seems like a nice, gentle soul. Unlike the Prompto of FFXV, he wasn’t in shape and…

Japan Is Getting New Pokémon 3DS XLs

Just in time for Pokémon Sun and Moon, here are two upcoming 3DS XL units for Japan. Whaddaya think? The yellow portable features Pikachu, while the black one features new Legendaries Lunala and Solgaleo. According to Nintendo, each portable is 20,304 yen (US$191) and do not come bundled with Sun and Moon. Both will be…

Good news, Korean gamers! As pointed out on Gameshot (via tipster Sang), Microsoft Asia is localizing the following titles for South Korea: Gears of War 4, ReCore, Forza Horizon 3, Halo Wars 2, and Dead Rising 4. For the region, that’s a good chunk of games to announce at once.

Jackie Chan: The Warcraft Movie’s Success in China Scares Americans

The Warcraft movie is a smash hit in China. Action star Jackie Chan has opinions about what that means. While speaking at the Shanghai Film Festival, Chan is quoted by The Hollywood Reporter as saying the China was seen as a “nothing market” by the West for decades. That, however, has changed. “Warcraft made 600…