Brian Ashcraft

Make Everything Smell Like Cat Head with This Japanese Spray

If you own a cat, you probably know this: the back of their heads smells so damn good. One Japanese company researched that scent, recreated it, and is now bottling and selling it. Okay, not all cats smell good (some smell terrible), but according to Naver Matome, the Japanese owners of ones that do, described…

Beloved PlayStation exec Shiro Kawauchi is leaving his post in South Korea and getting a promotion back home in Japan. A group of fans have banded together to buy presents and make a thank-you-plaque for the man. The design is based on the PS4. How touching! Over the years, Korean fans have developed a super…

Grave of the Fireflies writer Akiyuki Nosaka died yesterday in Tokyo. He was 85. Drawing from his own war experiences, the prolific Nosaka published Grave of the Fireflies as a short story in 1967. Perhaps his most famous work, it was adapted into a Studio Ghibli anime in 1988. May he rest in peace.

First Look at the New Japanese Godzilla Movie Is Shaky as Hell

As Kotaku previously reported, Toho Studios is makinga new Godzilla movie. It will be the first time for the country to do so in twelve years. Now, we get a first look at…shaky camera footage. Below is a teaser for the clip, which is due out next summer. This is filmed documentary style, and it…

Concrete river. Tokyo, Japan. By Pete Donaldson 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: Reverend Black Grape | Artist: Black Grape | Album: It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Konami’s Treatment of Kojima Is Bad Business, Says Former Square Enix Exec

Yoichi Wada, who used to run Square Enix, has chimed in, giving his opinion on how Konami has allegedly been behaving towards Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima. What are the latest developments in this seemingly endless saga? As Kotaku recently reported, a Konami PR person picked up a Metal Gear Solid V award in Tokyo…

E-sports marriage! Street Fighter pros Yuko “ChocoBlanka” Kusachi and Yusuke Momochihave announced they’re getting married. Congrats to them both.

Night and Lights. Tokyo, Japan. By Jeremy Hosking. 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 Own Peculiar Way | Artist: Willie Nelson | Album: Teatro Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Here’s One Way to Deal with China’s Air Pollution: Photoshops

Terrible air pollution is plaguing some parts of China, with local governments urging people to stay indoors. How to cope? What to do? Photoshop, that’s what. Oh, and wear a mask. And don’t go outside if you don’t need to. But after that, Photoshop! Inside. As The Nanfang points out, one Chinese net user ‘shopped…

Forget in-house tech! Square Enix is having Final Fantasy VII Remake made with the Unreal Engine 4. So, there you go. Unreal Engine 4. Square Enix. FFVII.

Are Strawberry Cake Potato Chips Japan’s Strangest Snack? Nah. 

Every month, Japan seems to get a new odd-flavored snack or candy. You might think that’s peculiar, but just know that many Japanese people do, too. The country’s food and beverage makers face stiff competition, and these strange flavors are one way to stand out. Most Japanese potato chips, candies and soft drinks come in…

The Dragon Ball Cushion You’ve Been Waiting For

Bandai is releasing a Shenron cushion—make that, a really long one. You can wrap this around your neck. You make bunch it up like a pillow. And you can cuddle with it all night long like a hug pillow. Finally! [Image: Bandai] [Image: Bandai] [Image: Bandai] According to RootBuzz, the cushion—and Bandai calls this a…

Cooking with flames. Shinagawa, Tokyo. By Judd Abramson. 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!

Extreme Chinese Military Training 

Lots of countries don’t just have military training, but extreme military training. China is no exception. As noted on 2ch, the People’s Liberation Army holds special combat training exercises—many of which appear to involve jumping over flames. Or between flames. Or through flames. Whatever, there’s fire. [Image: ChinaFotoPress | Getty] The Chinese military doesn’t only…

How Final Fantasy VII‘s Cloud Has Changed

Yes, there’s the obvious difference: From 1997 polygons to slick, modern day graphics. But more than that, the character’s design has subtly changed over the years. Let’s examine those changes. Via 2ch, here is the the evolution of Cloud’s mug. Of course, if game graphics were used for the earlier titles, the alterations would be…

Though Daigo Was Defeated, He Pulled off the Coolest Capcom Cup Moment

Daigo Umehara did not win the 2015 Capcom Cup. That’s okay. He did won the hearts of fighting game fans once again with another spectacular comeback. Kazunoko, playing as Yun, dominated the tournament, taking the top spot and willing the $120,000 prize. His fellow countryman, Daigo, playing as Evil Ryu, came in second, winning $60,000.…

Why the Final Fantasy VII Remake Will Be Split Up

Square Enix is doing more than just remaking Final Fantasy VII. It sounds like FFVII will be episodic. You might have questions about this. Square Enix might even have answers. “From the beginning, we thought a Final Fantasy VII remake would be bigger than a single release,” the game’s original director Yoshinori Kitase told Dengeki…

Shinsekai. Osaka, Japan. By SalarymanDaishi. 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!