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Kotaku East
Finally, Panties for Your Drink Bottles
Right now, drink bottles across the world are fully exposed. They should probably cover up. Like so. According to Livedoor News, one of Japan’s largest news portals, these “bottle panties” or “bottle underpants” (ボトルのおぱんつ or botoru no opantsu) are going on sale in Japan in late May. These will be sold via capsule toy machines…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 27, 2015 -
Dying Light‘s Japanese Censorship Is Almost Dead
In Japan, video games with dismembered human bodies and red blood are often censorsed. Dying Light is no exception. Make that, was When Dying Light was released in Japan earlier this spring, the in-game blood looked green or blue. In the above GIF, you can see how Dying Light’s Japanese version (greenish blood and all)…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 26, 2015 -
Resident Evil Zero Is Getting an HD Remaster
And it’s headed for, deep breath, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC. The game is a prequel to the first Resident Evil game and follows the characters Billy Coen and Rebecca Chambers as they discover the origin of the T-virus. Originally released on the GameCube in 2002, a Wii version was released back…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 26, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Earthquake Stops Tokyo Disney Ride at the Worst Possible Point
You know the point right before you drop on a theme park ride? Your heart is beating faster and tension is mounting, and then…whoosh. Imagine getting stuck at that point during an earthquake. Yesterday, there was a 5.5 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo. According to the WSJ and AP, there were no immediate reports of injuries…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 26, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Buy Your Own Star Wars Battle Pod for Just $98,000 [Update]
Star Wars Battle Pod is the first Star Wars arcade game in years. I guess because playing it in game centers isn’t enough, Bandai Namco is selling it to the Japanese public. There’s a catch! And it’s the price. Update: Namco Bandai will be making the Battle Pods available for purchase in the U.S. and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 26, 2015 -
Nintendo Wii Blamed for Fire
A Colorado man lost his RV and many personal belongings in a blaze that firefighters believe his Nintendo Wii could have started. “This had nothing to do with the wires,” RV owner Trevor Pellegrin to KKTV (via Wii U Daily). “It started in the actual console of the Wii.” “I was coming back from a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 25, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Evangelion Creator Predicts the Death of Anime
Hideaki Anno, creator Neon Genesis Evangelion, thinks that the Japanese animation industry’s days are numbered. In an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti (via EvaGeeks), Anno said the anime industry as we now know it will end in the next five to twenty years. Decline and “death” are unavoidable. Anno calls this only “a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 25, 2015 -
Kotaku East
How Nintendo Makes Its Games Appear Cheaper in Japan
It looks like Nintendo is doing funny stuff on its official website with price listings to make its games look cheaper. Via Hachima, here is the official Nintendo Japanese site: Okay, so as people are pointing out online in Japan, Nintendo is listing the “tax not included” prices for its games. In Japanese, “tax not…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 25, 2015 -
Kotaku East
In Japan, a Thousand People Just Lined Up at Starbucks
Yes. That’s right. Starbucks. After not having one for years, Tottori Prefecture finally got its first Starbucks this past Saturday. Across Japan, there are Starbucks all over the freaking place. But Tottori Prefecture was the final frontier for the American coffee chain. There are now Starbucks in every one of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Yay, globalism.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 25, 2015 -
Kotaku East
The Worst Japanese Sales Week In a Long Time
Oh boy. The most recent video game sales numbers in Japan are not good. In fact, they’re bad. Very bad. As blog Hokanko points out, the most recent Media Create sales figures—which date from May 11 to May 17—are the worst since 2001. This period was the week that followed Golden Week, a string of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 22, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Love Hotel Is Like Disneyland Meets Having Sex
Well, aren’t all Japanese love hotels like that? No, actually. They’re not. Even in Japan, the Sky Paradise Rakuen is most unusual. Think the Jungle Cruise or the Pirates of the Caribbean ride plus people screwing. Located in Oita Prefecture, Sky Paradise Rakuen was recently featured on Japanese television show Ariyoshi Hiroiki no Dare Toku!?…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 22, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Pokémon Pearl Was a Little Different in Taiwan
As gamers, we all have shared experiences. When I say certain game titles, say, Pokémon Pearl, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Right? Not exactly. According to Twitter user and Taiwan native @Taiwanjin, “Reminiscing on Pokémon Pearl with a Japanese friend didn’t quite jive, because for some reason, things in the the Taiwanese version…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 22, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Inside Tokyo’s Infamous Suicide Train Station
Japan has a high suicide rate. It’s one of the highest in the world. And one Tokyo train station, a known suicide spot, is doing what it can to stop people from taking their lives. If you are feeling depressed or ever contemplate taking your own life, please talk to someone, whether that’s friends, family…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 21, 2015 -
As Far As Hobbies Go, This is Wonderfully Odd
Meet Tomoyuki Shioya. The 32 year-old spends his days at a corporate job. In his free time, he enjoys his hobby: Taking photos in those head-in-a-hole boards. To date, he has over two thousand photos of them. They are fantastic. He’s always on the look out for a new entry in his collection. “I can…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 21, 2015
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