Brian Ashcraft

Making Anime Idyllic and Beautiful

Nizo Yamamoto made his name as a background artist and art director—a really, really great one. If you are familiar with his name (you should be!), you’ve probably seen films he’s worked on, such as the films he worked on while at Studio Ghibli, such as Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the…

Anime Episode Resembles Real-Life Murder, Won’t Be Broadcasted

This week’s episode of popular anime Psycho-Pass New Edit Version won’t be broadcasted in Japan. In light of a recent murder, the show’s creators deemed the episode “inappropriate.” Note: This article contains content some readers might find objectionable. It also contains what some readers might view as spoilers. As reported by our colleagues at Jezebel,…

Peaches Sold as Sexy Butts in China

Peaches have long been compared to backsides. Because, well, peaches look like tushes! And now, thanks to some fruit venders in China, they really look like butts. Sexy butts. These peaches are apparently being sold to capitalize on the the upcoming romantic Qixi Festival. They’re a novelty present! And should be taken as such. But,…

Can You Even Do This in Fighting Games?

Tricking has been called “the most extreme martial art.” That’s for good reason. What’s tricking? It’s a combination of an array of martial arts with gynmastic flips to create a truly spectacular performance. The video below is from a few years back, but it’s a good explainer: While tricking has certainly established itself, it still…

Professional DOTA 2 team Rave were given sports visas by the South Korean government to stay in the country as athletes. The players—who are from the Philippines, the U.S., and Canada—can stay in the country for up to a year and play eSports. [Thanks, Sang!]

There’s No Reason To Get Out of Bed. Ever.

You know some mornings when you wake up and think, “Why do I have to get out of bed?” Well, you don’t! Behold, the “Super Upward-Looking Dozing Desk.” It’s for folks who like to doze and nap. Folks like me. Going on sale this month in Japan for 8,980 yen (around US$90), the desk can…

Tokyo’s New Final Fantasy Cafe Is Beautiful

That shouldn’t come as a surprise: Final Fantasy games are usually beautiful, too. But I’ll tell you what, this Final Fantasy XIV themed eatery is a stunner. Behold, the Eorzea Cafe. Modelled after the Carline Canopy, it’s named after Eorzea, the region where Final Fantasy XIV takes place. Inside the cafe, you can see weapons,…

In Japan, Starbucks’ Secret Menu Isn’t So Secret

Diehard Starbucks drinkers are probably familiar with its secret menu, whipped up by dedicated fans and creative Starbucks employees. In Japan, one furtive drink in particular is now out in the open. In Japanese, secret menu is called “ura menu” (裏メニュー), and, like elsewhere, the country’s Starbucks have numerous customized drinks that aren’t official. Due…

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Poster Has an Unfortunate 9/11 Reference

While the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie will be out August 8 in North America, it won’t be out until September 11 in Australia. Paramount Pictures’ Australia branch showed off the movie’s poster, which is truly unfortunate. As you can see, the poster features the half-shelled heroes jumping out of a burning skyscraper. At…

Pervy Super Famicom Game Lets You Play One-Handed

Makes sense as this is, perhaps, the Super Famicom’s most dubious unlicensed game: SM Teacher Note: This article contains content some readers might find objectionable. Recently, Twitter user No3_hiyamugi uploaded the following pic from the game’s instruction booklet. The underlined section reads, “You can use your right hand freely” (右手は自由に使えます or “migi te wa jiyuu…

Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Rez and Lumines fame is working on a new puzzle game. 4Gamersays it’s for smartphones, while Insider says the platform hasn’t been announced. The title is TBA, but the game will have a “mysterious story” and is slated for this winter. Currently, there are negotiations for a global distributor.

Pokémon Wearing Glasses Is a Meme

Who knew Pocket Monsters looked so good in glasses? I sure didn’t. But now I do. In the past few days, fans have been uploading photos of their Pokémon plush toys wearing glasses. Their look is somewhat unexpected! Even Pokémon game designer Junichi Masuda has been retweeting the pics. I’m assuming that recent promotional material…

If Your Phone Rings on Live TV, Don’t Do This

Recently, on a Vietnamese morning show, a guest was talking about the serious flooding in Lang Son when something unexpected happened: His phone rang. In the clip below from YouTuber Góc Thư Giãn, you can see the stealthy way the guest dealt with the situation: Very smooth! Didn’t even notice. Phóng Viên Ném Điện Thoại…

Here’s a Godzilla Plush Toy Priced at $500

Open your wallets! Wide. Germany’s premiere stuffed toy maker Steiff is releasing a Godzilla plushie for a whopping 51,300 yen, or $504. According to website Response, the Godzilla plush toy will mark the character’s 60th anniversary. Measuring 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall and covered in mohair, each Godzilla is made by hand by Steiff’s…

Accused Murderer and Victim Both “Liked Anime”

Over the weekend, a Japanese teenage girl was accused of brutally murdering a 15 year-old acquaintance. The crime is shocking and terrible. And some members of the Japanese media have pointed out that the suspect and the victim might have shared a love of anime. According to Kyodo News, the suspect, who is a minor,…

EA Korea has been rebranded Spearhead. This looks to be an effort to make the studio, which is responsible for FIFA Online 3, more of a brand name for EA. [Thanks, Sang!]

S.W.A.T. Team Wedding Photos Are More Romantic Than Tactical

Twenty-nine year-old S.W.A.T. team member Hou Weilin wasn’t able to get time off from work to take wedding photos, so he did the next best thing: He brought his wedding pics to work. According to the Global Times (via The Nanfang Insider), the couple appeared in a series of romantic special weapons and tactics-themed pics.…

Darth Vader Is Teaching Japanese People English

Is this a joke? Nooooooooooo! This is for real. A Darth Vader-themed English-Japanese dictionary was released this month in Japan. According to website Japan Star Wars, the dictionary is priced at 3,131 yen (about $31), comes in a Darth Vader case, features Vader binding, and has a collection of Lord Vader’s English phrases. [Photo: Gakken]…

Crossdressing Ex-Maid Allegedly Torches Building in Attempted Robbery

Last month, security camera footage showed what appeared to be a woman with long hair and a skirt entering a building in Tokyo’s Ueno in the middle of the night. An hour passed, and the figure emerged from a building, which was soon engulfed in flames. Today, that suspect was arrested: A 27-year-old man. The…

Pikachu Taking Elevators and Escalators

Did I say Pikachu? Sorry, I meant Pikachus. Plural. This ad marks an upcoming Pikachu event in Yokohama. The name of the event is “Pikachu Tairyou Hassei Chuu” (ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ) or loosely, “Loads of Pikachus Springing Out.” The event kicks off on August 9 in Yokohama. Expect many Pikachus. ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ！CM [PokemonCoJp] To contact the author of…