Brian Ashcraft

Art Lovers Can Be Figure Lovers, Too

Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker is an iconic work of art. It’s also an upcoming fully posable Figma figure. Warning: This story has famous art dick. As with other Figma figures, you can make also sorts of interesting poses like this: Or this: Or, heh, this: Priced at 3,980 yen (US$37), Figma’s The Thinker will be…

Two Things I Dislike About the New Nintendo 3DS

There are lots of things to like about the New Nintendo 3DS hardware. It’s a good machine. However, there are two things I’m not exactly crazy about. Have a look in the video below: In case you missed it, check out Kotaku‘s previous New Nintendo 3DS coverage: how the C-Stickworks, a simple speed test as…

Anime Characters Announcing They’re Pregnant Is a New Meme

Some people get excited when they find out they’re pregnant. Then some don’t want kids or don’t feel ready. There’s a whole range of emotions. But what about anime characters? How did they feel? This week, a new meme started up online in Japan under the hashtag #妊娠検査薬コラ, which means “Pregnancy Test Photoshop.” (Note: Today,…

Where One Piece Smashes into Japanese Religion

During typical Shinto festivals, you expect to see gods like Ebisu. You don’t expect to see One Piece characters smashing into each other. Then again, this isn’t your typical Shinto festival. Here, you can see a festival float (山車 or dashi) with Ebisu holding a sea-bream. [Photo: yae-mottoshiritai] This is the kind of imagery that…

How The New Nintendo 3DS’s C-Stick Works in Super Smash Bros.

Oh, and Monster Hunter. Let’s not forget that. Very important! Perhaps the most noticeable addition the New Nintendo 3DS brings to the table is a second thumb controller: the C-Stick. Two of the first games to take advantage of it are, of course, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Monster Hunter 4G I the…

For a $1,000, You Can Buy Realistic Attack on Titan Gear*

Open up those wallets! Here is a one-to-one scale Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear from Attack on Titan. It looks just like the real thing (*save for the flying bit). The replica is made from aluminum, silicone, and resin. The whole contraption weighs 10 kilograms or 22 pounds. Try getting airborne with that on your back.…

Let These Amusing Japanese Internet Photos Brighten Your Day

Hey! It’s Thursday. Which means it is almost Friday. This has been a long week. Maybe it’s been good. Maybe it’s been bad. Let’s unwind with some silly photos. It’s been a while since we’ve taken a look at goofy photos you can find online in Japan. All these images were taken from funny photo…

An Unexpected Place to See Yokai Watch Ads

Did you watch the match between Japan and Brazil last night? Neymar scored four goals against Japan in a 4-0 win. Not pretty if you’re a Samurai Blue fan! At least the game gave us one unexpected thing: Yokai Watch ads. Yokai Watch is an incredibly populargame and anime. And while the match was held…

Here’s a Custom-Made $1,400 Portable PS4

It might be a pain in the ass to carry your big-screen television and PlayStation 4 around with you. So why not lug this portable PS4, instead? Dubbed the PlayBook 4, this is the work of self-taught engineer Ed Zarick, who previously did a portable Xbox One. As Kotaku UK and Eurogamer point out, the…

Robots Making Coffee Sure Is Awkward

One day, maybe robots will make amazing cups of coffee. That day is not today. At Japan Robot Week in…Japan, companies and researchers are showing off their latest “service robots,” which include a variety of ‘bots that range from nursing robots to disaster relief ones. This is important research. Then, there’s this one—dubbed Nextage—making coffee.…

Iconic Anime Character Painted on Buddhist Temple

A 700 year-old Buddhist temple in Thailand contains something visitors might find unusual: a blue robotic cartoon cat from the future. That’s right, iconic anime character Doraemon. Earlier today, Japanese website Gigazine introduced Buddhist temple Wat Sampa Siw, which features paintings of anime character Doraemon. This certainly isn’t a traditional Buddhist motif, and as the…

So Far, Japan Prefers the New Nintendo 3DS XL

The New Nintendo 3DS went on sale in Japan last Saturday. You could either get the regular sized one or the larger New Nintendo 3DS XL. Which did most gamers in Japan purchase? The XL, it seems. Famitsu reports that during it’s first week on sale (which is, in reality, last Saturday and Sunday), a…

Sumo School Is a Magical Place

When you think of sumo training, you probably think of large men eating lots of food and wrestling each other. You should also think of large men sitting in a classroom and learning stuff. The Sumo Training School is located at the Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo stadium in Tokyo. New sumo apprentices must enrol, and as…

Testing Out the New Nintendo 3DS’s Head Tracking

One of the New Nintendo 3DS‘s most welcomed added functions is head tracking. Its purpose is to help make the 3D effect more stable, and you know what, so far, the function seems to work pretty well. In the video you below, you can see me testing the head tracking software. Keep in mind that…

You’ll Never See Starbucks Coffee Cups the Same Again

When I look at Starbucks coffee cups, I think of, well, Starbucks coffee. When artist Soo Min Kim looks at them, he sees something else entirely. For the past few years, Kim has been drawing on Starbucks coffee cups, turning them into works of art. During this time, his Starbucks cups have gotten more elaborate…

Cosplaying Politician Brings League of Legends of Life

South Korean Congressman Jun Byung-hun is no stranger to cosplay. Nor is he a stranger to League of Legends. And LoL cosplay? Well, this isn’t his first rodeo. As first reported last fall, Rep. Jun has embraced the country’s gaming community and culture, and he has worked hard to promote eSports in South Korea. Websites…

Manga Hair Is Spectacular in Real-Life

For those who wonder what magnificent manga hair would look like in real-life, wonder no more. Spotted by Twitter user mimineko, a model at a fashion show for designer Junya Watanabe has hair that looks incredibly similar to the ‘do character Noriaki Kakyoin sports in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Compare for yourself: This model really needs…

Nothing Says Traditional Japanese Food like Pokémon

During the New Year’s holidays, Japanese people eat a traditional food called osechi ryouri (お節料理). This is a very important meal, so why not eat it Pokémon style? The New Year holidays are the biggest of the year in Japan. The entire country shuts down, and folks unwind with family. For well over a thousand…

Variety reports that a Resident Evil television series is in the works. It’s apparently slated after upcoming feature film Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is released.

Changing the New Nintendo 3DS Faceplates Is a Snap

When Nintendo announced the New Nintendo 3DS would be getting faceplates, honestly, I rolled my eyes. Like, actually rolled them. But you know what? The faceplates seem like they could be pretty neat. In the video below, I do a quick explainer on how to remove the faceplates. It is surprisingly easy. (Apologies for the…