Brian Ashcraft

Let’s Share Funny Bugs and Glitches!

If you’ve ever played a video game, you’ve experienced them. Bugs and glitches are a part of gaming—a really funny part. Recently, Japan’s largest forum 2ch did a thread, asking for people to show video game bugs. Sorry, I mean, features. Have a look: This is, by no means, the best of the best. Video…

Why Chinese Are Being Discriminated Against in Vietnam

Currently, China and Vietnam are not really getting along! Case in point: a territorial dispute that’s causing a handful of Vietnamese establishments to refuse Chinese customers. The issue is that China recently put up an oil rig in sea waters both Vietnam and China are claiming as their own. As the BBC reports, the U.S.…

Awesome Pepsi Commercial Is Samurai Meets Shadow of the Colossus…

Meets Pepsi! Don’t forget that that. Oh, and set in some desert wasteland. The soda’s latest string of commercials star actor Shun Oguri and remind me of PS2 classic Shadow of the Colossus Here is the first commercial in the series (note that this is the long version). And the second part (also, the long…

Depressing? Inspirational? Reverse Plastic Surgery Show Hits Korea

It’s come to this. There’s now a show in South Korea in which people with plastic surgery have more work done so they can look like they did…before plastic surgery. Called Back To My Face, the recently debuted South Korean television program features individuals who have had more than ten procedures done. So far, the…

Imagine Eating This Giant Parfait

You probably can’t handle this giant parfait. I dunno, maybe you can! I sure can’t. Well, not alone at least. This is Cafe Olympic, a restaurant in Nagasaki that calls itself “Parfait Heaven”—and for good reason as it specializes in huge parfait. How huge? The establishment’s jumbo size deserts start at 50 cm and max…

Behold, the Leaning Apartment of South Korea

A new apartment complex recently went up in Asan, South Korea. It went up, and then, it started to lean. According to Korean paper The Chosun Ilbo and Wiki Tree, the building was slated for completion by end of this month. However, it suddenly started leaning to one side. It’s believed that either a faulty…

A Hidden Sex Joke Found in Attack on Titan, It Seems

Inside jokes are not new to manga and comic books. They are, however, sometimes amusing and often immature. Nothing wrong with that! Online in Japan, folks are saying a recent issue of manga Attack on Titan has a lewd ditty. Originally a manga, Attack on Titan has spawned a hugely popular anime (above) as well…

Eating Häagen-Dazs Vegetable Flavored Ice Cream

How about some nice Häagen-Dazs ice cream? With tomatoes and cherries? If that’s not your thing, you can always try carrots and oranges. Japanese site Gigazine did just that. As previously mentioned, Häagen-Dazs has released some interesting flavors in Japan. But these might be the most interesting. Ever. For the tomato and cherry flavor, Gigazine…

Oculus Rift Finally Lets You Kiss Hatsune Miku

We’ve already seen tech that allows us to shake hands with virtual idol Hatsune Miku. And now, here is tech that enables the world to make out with her. In case you were wondering, her lips are made from gummies. These are the same folks who created a Pocky eating game a few years back.…

A Year-Old Game Rules the Japanese Sales Charts

Sales charts are, as a rule, somewhat dull. That is, except when they are interesting. Funny that, no? And the most recent Japanese sales charts do have one intriguing factoid. The biggest selling game in Japan for the week between April 28 to May 5 is Yokai Watch for the 3DS. According to Famitsu, it…

Meet Japan’s King of Farts

Everyone has something that makes them special. For 55 year-old Seiji Matsushita, that is being able to fart on command. Note: Some readers might find this content objectionable. Dubbed “The Great Man of the Fart World,” Matsushita was recently profile on Japanese program Monday Late Show. When asked what his profession was, Matsushita replied, “I…

Can You Spot the Differences in These Metal Gear Images?

Calling all Metal Gear Fans! Or people who like looking at things and spotting things that don’t look alike. Recently on 2ch, Japan’s largest bulletin board, a “spot the difference” thread popped up, complete with Metal Gear images that looked the same—but aren’t. For example, in the above image, there are slight discrepancies. Can you…

Chill Out with Japanese Snow Cone Art

The temperature is starting to warm up. It will be summer before you know it. And in Japan, summer means kakigori (かき氷) or the country’s version of snow cones. One restaurant has that down to an artform. Located in Okinawa, Kome Hachi Soba specializes in soba (buckwheat noodles), but in recent years, the establishment has…

Fancy Japanese Bananas Have Serial Numbers

Earlier today in Tokyo, limited edition bananas went on sale. They even had serial numbers. Yes, serial numbers. On bananas. As reported by Entabe, NariNari and on Excite News, Dole released the premium bananas at Takashimaya Department Store in Shinjuku this morning. The bananas were priced at 590 yen ($5.80) each, packaged in a special…

Kim Jong-Un Is “Getting Fatter,” Reports the Korean Media

Think being a dictator is easy? Ha! It’s stressful, and according to the South Korean media, it’s caused Kim Jong-un to pack on the extra pounds. Major South Korean newspaper The Chosun Ilbo as well as South Korean cable news network YTN are reporting rumors from Free North Korea Radio that say North Korea’s supreme…

Taiwanese Dentist Dresses Staff in Skimpy Maid Outfits

Afraid of the dentist? A Taiwanese dental clinic thinks it has a solution: hygienists decked out in maid uniforms. Um, okay! For the past several years, maid cafes have been popular in Japan and have spread outside the country. Taiwan now has maid cafes of its own—there’s even a McDonald’s that has held special events,…

When Japanese Birthdays Look Disgusting and Somewhat Frightening

Last year, Kotaku first reported on a trend among Japanese students: smushing cream puffs in people’s faces on their birthdays. Things have, well, escalated. Note: This article contains content some readers might find objectionable. As pointed out on Naver, instead of simply cream puffs, youth are now splattering each other with various combinations of flour,…

A Solution for One of the Most Annoying Things at the Movies

I love going to the movies. I enjoy watching flicks on the big screen with a crowd. But you know what I find annoying? Sharing an armrest. It’s not that I don’t want to share, but I don’t like how there’s the awkwardness of trying to figure out with a stranger in the dark which…

McDonald’s Now Serving Churros in Japan

And they’re called, ahem, McChurros. So clever! Yesterday, the fast food chain launched the churros in two flavors: Cinnamon Sugar and Maple. The Cinnamon Sugar McChurros come with packets of, well, cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on the churros, while the Maple ones have syrup for dipping. Online in Japan, many Twitter users are saying that…

Hoping for a revamped Wii U? Satoru Iwata told Asahi that rumors of Nintendo announcing a new version of its console at E3 are “groundless.” Instead, we can look forward to a new title that shows a new way to use the Wii U’s GamePad.