Brian Ashcraft

Let’s Play Stars Now Have A Talent Agency In Japan

Further proof that Let’s Play stars can go mainstream, even in Japan. Game Impress Watch reports that Watanabe Entertainment, one of Japan’s biggest talent agencies, is teaming up with Dwango, the company that owns NicoNico, to set up a new talent that specializes in Let’s Play streamers called “Watanabe Amaduction.” “Amaduction” is a combination of…

Todai-Ji. Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. By James Injaian. 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!

Smuggler Caught with 9,000 Memory Cards Taped To His Legs

That’s a lot of memory cards. According to South China Morning Post (via That’s), the man was trying to enter Shenzhen, China from Hong Kong when he was caught with over 9,000 memory cards. CCTV reports that the border officials claim the suspect even tried to bribe them after he was caught red handed, er…

The Messy Workspaces of Famous Manga Artists

Have you ever wondered which manga artist has (or had) the messiest environment, whether that be for work or play? Let’s find out. As Kotaku recently posted, whether a manga artist is famous or not, people’s work environments can be unique expressions of their personality. In the past, we’ve taken a good look at some…

1980s Anime Shown on Japanese TV, Edited Like All Hell

The Fight! Iczer One original voice anime was first released in 1985. It features Cthulhu, robots, and naked anime girls. A recent TV broadcast in Japan thought the best way to handle the adult scenes was with giant black bars. [Image: hidaka3] Oh, and a notice to viewers to watch the watch the parts of…

In Japan, the PS3 version of Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is delayed until April 28. The PS4 version, however, will be out, as scheduled, on March 31 in the region.

Line Shop. Seoul, South Korea. By Michael Song 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!

Think Dark Souls, But with Samurai

Ni-Oh! has been development for over a decade, but if this gameplay is any indication, it’s gonna be worth the wait. The title’s developer, Team Ninja, finally got around to uploading an official version of the Tokyo Game Show footage, which was shown behind closed doors. It reminds me of Dark Souls, but set in…

Artist: Uverworld | Track: Born Slippy | Album: Ø Choir [Via Richard Smart] Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Ace Attorney 6 will be out in Japan on June 9. The game is heading the Nintendo 3DS (for demo impressions, see here), and currently, there is no word yet about a Western release date.

Check Out this Sanrio Character’s Butthole

Sanrio character Pom Pom Purin is overtaking Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station. On Biglobe News, two helpful models were on hand to point out the obvious. Yep, that’s a butthole. Thanks. The display marks the character’s 20th birthday. (Back in 2014, a sweet-looking Pom Pom Purin cafe opened in Tokyo, but I don’t remember the character’s backside…

First Look at the Ace Attorney Anime

Phoenix Wright and co. are making the leap to an animated TV series. Here’s the debut trailer. Well, what do you think? The anime will debut April 2 in Japan. In case you missed it, here is Kotaku’s review of the Ace Attorney feature film. To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com…

The View from Tokyo Tower. Tokyo, Japan. By Eduardo Konishi de Souza. 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!

First Details on Nintendo’s Universal Studios Collaboration

As Kotaku reported last year, Nintendo is coming to Universal Studios Japan. Today, the first details—namely, how large the Nintendo area will be, how much will be spent, and when it should be completed—have been made public. According to Sankei News, forty billion yen (US$351 million) is being invested in this project with the deal…

Track: On Your Own | Artist: The Verve | Album: Northern Soul Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Japan’s Scariest Manga Artist Loves Japan’s Creepiest Cosplayer

Junji Ito’s art is scary. And cosplayer Ikura’s recreations of his work are creepy nightmare fuel. No wonder he’s a fan. Kotaku previously introduced Ikura’s work, but as IT Media recently pointed out, one of the most amazing thing about her cosplay photos is that they have the Ito seal of approval. He’s been retweeting…

No, Jackie Chan Is Not Dead

People on the internet keep saying that Jackie Chan is dead. He’s very much alive, and I wish they’d knock it off. Recently, a rumor has been floating around Chinese-language bulletin boards that the English-language press was reporting Chan had died in a car accident in Queensland, Australia. This same Queensland car accident hoax apparently…

Goofy Nintendo Execs Are the Best

Meet Satoru Shibata. He’s the President of Nintendo Europe. Honestly, I don’t know if he’s good at the business, but I do know that he’s good at the Yo-Kai Watch dance. Very good. From the most recent Nintendo Direct for UK/Europe: Always nice to see execs in suits willing to have fun and not afraid…

In Japan, people can sign up for a chance to enter the Pokémon Go closed beta. It’s for Android (version 4.3) and iOS (iPhone 5 and up). Note that you must live in Japan and, according to the official site, have a Gmail account.

Stargazing at a Shinto Shrine. Kyoto, Japan. By Orrin Heath. 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!