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Xbox Japan’s Tweet From Last Week Seems Pretty Embarrassing
Japan has never been an easy climb for Microsoft’s game console. Xbox Japan never seems to catch a break. And this recent E3 tweet shows exactly why. The tweet from Xbox Japan’s official account reads: “Here is the photo spot for Destiny, the latest FPS made by Bungie of Halo fame.” Less than a week…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 18, 2014 -
Kotaku EastBullying Is Bad News and So Are These Giant Anime Eyes
For a while now, giant eyes have been a thing in Japanese anime. We should be used to them. But damn, they sure are distracting when learning about bullying. Creepy, even. This is the work of manga artist Kaoru Igarashi, who created a manga series called Ijime (いじめ) or “bullying.” This is an important issue,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 18, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Hello Kitty Wants Your Blood. No, Really.
Recently, a Hello Kitty bus rolled up in Shanghai, China with one thing in mind: Blood. Of course, what’s apparently the world’s first Hello Kitty blood donation vehicle is all for a good cause as there is nothing in the least bit sinister about Hello Kitty. Nothing. Nothing at all. Kidding! Sorta! As reported by…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 18, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Chinese Students Delight the Internet with Graduation Photos
New grads at Shandong University in China decided they wanted to do something fun and memorable. They most certainly did. The students shared their graduation Photoshops on Weibo, China’s microblogging service. The images have recently spread to sites like NetEase—and now, all throughout Chinese cyberspace. Popular Chinese and foreign movies, video games, and television shows…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 17, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Amazon Japan Has Doubled Its Goats
Last summer, Amazon Japan hired a stable of goats to manicure its lawn. This year, it is hiring even more. According to Hatena News, Amazon has hired double its goat capacity—now, there are between thirty and forty of them. The goats wear employee i.d. cards while working, which consists of grazing all day. The goats…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 17, 2014 -
Kotaku EastBest New Sport: Throwing $5,000 Computers
Throwing the hammer or the javelin might have made sense in ancient times, but we don’t live in ancient times. We live in the modern times with modern things to chuck around. You know, like computer servers. Recently, tech company Speedlink Japan held its Engineer Olympic Games in Tokyo. The point of the competition is…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 17, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Destiny Is a PlayStation Exclusive in Japan
In the West, upcoming shooter Destiny is a multiplatform game. In Japan, it’s not. It’s a PlayStation exclusive, Sony announced today. Instead of getting an Xbox 360 and Xbox One release like it will abroad, the game is exclusive to the PlayStation 3 and the PS4 when it’s released in Japan on September 11. It’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 17, 2014 -
Kotaku EastThe Sex Lube Olympics Sure Looks Slippery
This weekend, the Sex Lube Grand Atheletic Meet was held in Tokyo. Covered in lotion, folks competed in a handful of events. The competition looked rather stiff! According to blogger Dutch, who participated in this year’s meet, over a hundred people participated in this subculture event. In Japanese, sex lube is called “lotion” (ローション or…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 17, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Nintendo Takes Over South Korea With Their… McDonald’s Toys
PC gaming rules South Korea. It has for years now, and that doesn’t look like it will change. But as of this week, there’s one arena where Nintendo rules South Korea: Happy Meal toys. Via tipster Sang, here are numerous pics of folks in South Korea lining up early this morning for the second wave…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 16, 2014 -
Kotaku East
This Year’s Most Memorable Anime Figure Gets an Unforgettable Cosplay
Did you forget that new Hunter x Hunter Gon figurine? Doubt it! Courtesy of Twitter user Chu Chu Retorto comes this Hunter x Hunter Gon cosplay that brings that now iconic figure to life. Of course, that sculpture brings the manga to life, making this all incredibly meta. Too meta! The Gon cosplay appeared at…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 16, 2014 -
Kotaku EastThis Might Be The Best Exercise Equipment Commercial Ever
That’s really not an overstatement, because as far as silly exercise commercials go, it’s hard to top this Japanese television spot for Wonder Core, a sit-up machine. Have a look for yourself, and if you can think of better goofy exercise equipment commercials, post them in the comments section below: ワンダーコア TVCM「倒れるだけで」篇 ３０秒 [ShopJapan] To contact…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 16, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Not Everything Is as It Seems with This Body Art
Hikaru Cho is a young Japanese artist with a knack for creating interesting and memorable works painted directly on the body. Works like this. Kotaku has previously featured Cho before (here and here). She’s recently done a campaign for Amnesty International and has been busy creating more striking body art. Via Cho’s official site, let’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 16, 2014 -
Kotaku EastKorea’s Got (Taekwondo) Talent
Everyone is good at something. This martial artist, dubbed “Taekwondo Girl” (태권 소녀) is very good at, well, taekwondo. As tipster Sang points out, the Taekwondo Girl goes by the name “Taemi” or “K Kim.” The 24 year-old has appeared in a couple martial arts movies. You might remember her from this amazing pitch she…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 16, 2014 -
Kotaku East
The Darth Vader Samurai Figure We All Deserve
Star Wars is famously inspired by Japanese samurai films. So it makes sense for Bandai to release this wonderful Samurai-style Darth Vader. Dubbed, “Movie Realization Samurai General Darth Vader,” the figurine was recently displayed at the Tokyo Toy Show. Designed by Takayuki Takeya, the 7.8-inch figure is slated for a winter 2014 release in Japan.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 13, 2014 -
People Say Aaron Paul Is Turning on Their Xbox Ones
Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul’s latest role is starring in Xbox One ads. In them, he sits on the sofa, and, according to some, turns on strangers’ Xbox One consoles. The nerve! In the commercial, Paul shows off the Kinect voice command features for Xbox One, saying, “Xbox One on.” That command is apparently switching…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 13, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Godzilla Invades a Tokyo Park
Hollywood’s latest take on Godzilla hasn’t yet opened in Japan. But when it does later next month, there will be a huge statue in a Tokyo park to mark the event. Starting July 18 and wrapping up on August 31, the Tokyo Midtown Green and Park will be home to a 1/7 scale Godzilla. IT…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 13, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Two Men Arrested for Allegedly Stealing…320 Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards
I reckon there are things thieves brag about stealing: diamonds, exotic cars, and priceless art. Wonder where Yu-Gi-Oh! cards fall into that mix. Especially ones stolen from high school students. Yu-Gi-Oh!, of course, is an enjoyable card game, spawned from the manga of the same name. Some of the rare Yu-Gi-Oh! cards fetch a pretty…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 13, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Do You Have $30,000 for This Giant Optimus Prime Statue?
Just think, you can buy a new car or 6.5 foot Optimus Prime? Oh, and it doesn’t transform, it just stands there. And points—at you, probably, laughing silently. As part of Transformers’ 30th anniversary, Takara Tomy is offering this made-in-Japan Optimus Prime for a cool 3 million yen (nearly $30,000). The statue is being crafted…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 13, 2014 -
Kotaku EastChinese TV Inexplicably Uses Dota 2 Documentary Footage [Update]
Free to Play is Valve’s terrific documentary on the Dota 2 scene. A recent eSports documentary by Chinese governmental television inexplicably uses footage from the Valve film. Inexplicably, because the Chinese film leaves Dota out. CCTV (China Central Television) is a state broadcaster in China, and the gaming documentary it recently broadcasted is, as Games…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 12, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Don’t Fall for This Pokémon World Cup Hoax
Yesterday, a tweet from what appeared to be a FIFA World Cup Twitter account said the Japanese soccer team arrived in Brazil in a Pokémon jet. And people fell for it. Lots of people. The tweet was retweeted over 7,000 times. USA Today, The Sporting News, SB Nation, The Toronto Sun, and even CBS Sports…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 12, 2014
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