Brian Ashcraft

When Official Attack on Titan Cosplay Looks Strange

Hrm. Maybe it’s me, but those proportions sure seem, well, off. The Attack on Titan live-action movie just premiered at the the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Twitter user Paul A-D was on hand, snapping these photos of the event’s official cosplayers. [Photo: Paul A-D] Nice pantsuits. Check out Paul A-D’s Twitter page for more…

Russian Nintendo Fans Honor Satoru Iwata at the Japanese Embassy

After Satoru Iwata’srecent passing, a group of Russian fans decided to pay their respects by going to the Japanese Embassy in Moscow and creating a small memorial for the Nintendo president. According to IGN Russia, the fans converted a small information table into a makeshift memorial for Iwata, complete with flowers, candles, photos, and kind…

First Good Look at the New Gundam Anime

It’s called Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. According to the official site, the will broadcast starting this October in Japan. Well, what do you think? Do you like the art design? The shirtless mecha piloting? To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter@Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East is your slice…

In Japan, McDonald’s Gets Way Too Fancy

It’s called Restaurant M. And for one day in Tokyo, it will be serving full-course meals made from McDonald’s food. According to Weekly ASCII, Bimi, and Sorrida, the full course meal is served on plates and eaten with utensils. [Photo: Bimi] [Photo: Sorrida] There’s even a fancy menu. [Photo: Sorrida] This, for example, is vichyssoise…

A Cloudy Evening. Kyoto, Japan. By Jimmy H’ng. 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: Summer (Live) | Artist: Joe Hisaishi | Album: Kikujiro Soundtrack Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Visit Tokyo Through These Beautiful Sketches

Not every part of Tokyo is flashy. Many parts are anything but. Artist Ryota Hayashi not only shows the cityscape, but parts of Tokyo that are away from the crowds and chaos. Using colored pencils, Hayashi focuses on Tokyo and its surrounding suburbs. His tranquil sketches give a quiet dignity to the areas. Have a…

Don’t Wear Batman Capes in Japanese Restaurants

They really just get in the way. But, as actor Takayuki Yamada explains, this is not cosplay. “I’m Batman,” Yamada says as he gets up on the table after his boss says he’s too into Arkham Knight in this humorous Japanese PS4 spot. In case you missed it, check out Kotaku’s review of Arkham Knight.…

Chris Hemsworth Really Looks Like a Dog

Not in a bad way! But in a damn-The-Avengers-actor-totally-looks-like-a-dog way. Twitter user Moccchi9 noticed the similarity between Chris Hemsworth and Japanese Akita. Have a look for yourself: Agree? Disagree? Woof? To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter@Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing…

Japanese Statues Made with Dead Bugs

If you don’t like bugs, living or dead, then perhaps you might want to sit this one out. Yoneji Inamura, a resident of Gunma Prefecture, has created some unusual sculptures. [Photo: Naver] This samurai doll of Nitta Yoshisada, according to Naver, was created in 1970. It took ten months to complete and is made from…

Mount Takao. Hachioji City, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan. By Jason Capp. 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: Dragon Night (in English) | Artist: Sekai no Owari | Album: Dragon Night (Single) Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Today, There Was a Rainbow Over Nintendo’s Kyoto Headquarters

The weather was partly cloudy today in Kyoto. But through the clouds, a rainbow was apparently spotted in the sky over Nintendo’s headquarters. [Photo: bakatetu2] This photo, snapped by Twitter user Bakatetu2, was taken from Jujo Station in Kyoto. The lede photo was taken by Twitter user Kaorin1211’s husband. Top photo: kaorin1211 To contact the…

The Tokyo Olympic Stadium Makes for Good Photoshops

The price tag for 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium is now a whopping $2.1 billion. That’s more than the stadiums for the past three summer Olympic stadiums combined. That’s pretty silly! So is the stadium’s new Photoshop meme. According to the Wall Street Journal, the latest budget estimate is a 50 percent increase from the last…

Poll: The Most Beloved Manga Artists in Japan

A thousand Japanese people were asked who their “most favorite” manga artists were. The results may surprise you. Maybe not! Website Charapedia published the results of the poll. Out of the thousand who participated, 52 percent were men, 48 percent were women, 72.5 percent were in their teens and twenties, and 27.5 percent were in…

KFC Turns Pizza Crust Into…Chicken

If chicken can double for hamburger and hot dog buns, then surely, it will work as pizza crust. What could go wrong? In the Philippines, KFC is rolling out what it’s calling, wait for it, Chizza. Geddit? Heh. So far, this doesn’t appear to be available elsewhere. But before you think that might be for…

Phantasy Star Online 2 Is Getting an Anime

Phantasy Star Online 2 is being turned into a TV anime series. What’s it going to be called? Why, Phantasy Star Online 2: The Animation. Clever! The show helps mark Phantasy Star Online’s 15th anniversary. It is slated for a 2016 broadcast in Japan and will feature a completely original story. To contact the author…

Saiko Lake Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. By Cheng Hoo Sew. 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!

Kojima Productions Was “Dissolved,” Says Snake’s Japanese Voice Actor

Iconic voice actor Akio Otsuka might have shed some light on the murky Metal Gear Solid situation. According to him, Kojima Productions is no more. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this. Rumors have been swirling for months, and the Kojima Productions logo seemed to vanish from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’s…

At this Science Exhibit, You Study Pokémon

A Pokémon themed science exhibit kicked off this week in Japan. Dubbed the Pokémon Research Institute, the exhibit is centered around observing and classifying Pocket Monsters. Visitors get a Pokéball and then go around to each of the different twelve “machines” in the exhibit to get hints about which Pokémon is inside. Some of the…