Brian Ashcraft

How To Make Metal Gear Solid V Cosplay Better

This is terrific Metal Gear Solid cosplay. But you know what really sells it? The ball of fire. Previously, Kotaku reported that pyrotechnic cosplay eventswere being held in Japan. Blowing shit up packs that extra punch for MGS get-ups. Great work cosplayers, dog, and explosive experts. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture,…

Report: Nintendo of Korea Is Laying Off Most of Its Staff [Update]

According to respected Korean game site GameMeca, Nintendo’s South Korean branch is being hit hard with layoffs. Nintendo of Korea was founded in 2006. Prior to that, a local distributor released Nintendo games and consoles in the region. Update (March 30 5:40am) – According to Gameple (via tipster Sang), Nintendo of Korea has commented on…

Old School Nintendo. Kyoto, Japan. By Stephen Gibson. 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: Till Dawn | Artist: The Fin. | Album: Days With Uncertainty Thanks for the recommendation, Michael! Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

The new Danganronpa 3 anime will be split into two parts. The new promo trailer, however, is filled with game spoilers, so jump ahead to 3:07 to skip those.

Anime Sculpture Will Mess With Your Mind

It really will. The wire sculpture starts with Detective Conan and then… …goes to Phoenix Wright from Capcom’s Ace Attorney series, which is getting a TV anime. This sculpture was recently on display at this weekend’s Anime Japan in Tokyo. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points…

Japanese Noodles Look Delicious with Bacon 

Be still my beating heart. We’ve got bacon, a fried egg and udon noodles. As recently noted on GNavi, Japanese restaurant Koya Bar in London serves up a very special English breakfast: fried egg, bacon and shiitake udon. I love fried eggs. I love bacon. I love shiitake and, goodness, I love udon. All this…

How An Artist’s Work Develops from Childhood to Adulthood

What a difference time and experience make. Artist Lee JeeHyung uploaded two of his Batman drawings: One was done at the age of 7, and the other one was as an adult. Here are some more of Lee’s adult-era work: Thanks, Sang for the tip! Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing…

The Cheapest and Best VR Experience Kids Can Have

You don’t need a fancy VR headset to entertain kids. But you might need a helmet. Via IT Media, here’s Hong Kong resident Newman Chan creating what is truly a wonderful VR experience for his daughter. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China…

Akihabara at Night. Tokyo, Japan. By Fenryl 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!

Meanwhile in Japan, Microsoft’s A.I. Chatbot Has Become an Otaku

This was bound to happen. So were the questions about Hitler. In the West, Microsoft launched Tay, an A.I. chatbot designed to appeal to the youth. Its rollout was, well, not good. In Japan, however, Microsoft had previously launched a schoolgirl chatbot called Rinna. Schoolgirl. Chatbot. Japan. Of course. For the past couple months, Rinna…

Pacific Rim Is The Best 1980s Anime You’ve Never Seen

If this was on television when I was an eight year-old kid, I’m certain it would be my favorite thing ever. Created by Los Angeles-based animator Jeremie Carreon, this does a terrific job of capturing the sights and sounds of a bygone animation style.

The next CG Resident Evil film has a title It’s called Resident Evil: Vendetta and will feature a scene with Leon riding a Ducati (heh). RE: Vendetta is slated to open in 2017.

Japan’s Stuffed Animal Hospital Performs Surgery on Plush Toys

When your pets need operations, they get medical attention. But what about your plush toys? If they live in Japan, they can go to the stuffed animal hospital. As pointed out by Twitter user Anzu (via Buzz Net), you can get your beloved snuggle buddies back to tiptop shape thanks to the Nuigurumi Byouin (stuffed…

The Cutest Cafes in Tokyo

If you are visiting Tokyo soon and if you like cute, keep this list handy. Because here are some, certainly not all, of the most kawaii places to eat at. In Japanese, the word “kawaii” (可愛い) is typically translated as meaning “cute.” It’s important to note that the Japanese word “kawaii” literally means “capable of…

Graduation. Towada, Japan. By Mike S. 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 Most Ridiculous Battery Charger Ever Created

This will be difficult to top. Expensive, too. “This” is a life-sized statue of One Piece character Sanji prostrating himself before us, so we can plug stuff into the single port in the back of his head. There is a plug from his butt cheek to ensure Sanji has enough juice to charge your phone.…

You Don’t Love Hatsune Miku More Than These Fans Do

Well, ask yourself: Are you willing to pay for a billboard in a subway station to show off your Hatsune Miku love? That’s exactly what a group of South Korean fans apparently did. According to Ruliweb (via tipster Sang), Hatsune Miku fan art was turned into a billboard for March 9 to celebrate what the…

Dragon Ball Fans Must Always Wonder, “Why, Spain?”

In Japan, the Dragon Ball energy attack is called “Kamehameha.” In the U.S., it’s Kamehameha. In Germany, it’s Kamehameha. In Latin America, it’s Kamehameha and sounds fucking badass in Spanish. But in Spain? Heh. In Spain, “Kamehameha” is “Onda Vital.” In Dragon Ball, “Kamehameha” (かめはめ波) literally means “Turtle Devastation Wave,” while “Onda Vital” means “Vital…

In Japan, Sony is launching a new company called Forward Works for the smartphone market. Using Sony’s practical know how, the company will use PlayStation IPs for apps in the Japan and greater Asia region.