Brian Ashcraft

The World’s Most Dangerous Fireworks Festival Looks, Well, Unsafe

As far as fireworks festivals go, they don’t get much more dangerous than this. Held annually in Tainan City, Taiwan at the end of Chinese New Year, the festival features thousands of bottle rockets launched from a “beehive” to cleanse evil spirits and bring good fortune. No wonder this has been called “the most dangerous…

Imaginary Boyfriends and Girlfriends Are the Best

They are! They don’t forget things, break your heart, or act annoying. They also don’t exist, but don’t hold that against them. These photos were taken by photographer Lin Xi, who said he’s inspired by anime and manga, and appeared on China’s micro-blogging service Sina Weibo around Valentine’s Day. The images were viewed thousands of…

Here’s Something You Don’t Usually See at Japanese Console Launches

Over the years living in Japan, I don’t ever recall seeing anything like this at a console launch. Nope. I’ve never seen a group of young people in glow-in-the-dark hockey masks, waiting for a console. Not once. Spotted by Japanese site Inside Games, these are actually pop music singers. They’re members of a new idol…

Does Your Insurance Cover Street Fighter Characters?

I’ll tell you what. When I park my car, the thing I fear most isn’t theft, careless drives, or hazardous weather. It’s Ryu. Courtesy of Kotaku reader Kazegami_1, this commercial for Anadolu Sigorta, one of Turkey’s largest insurance companies, shows the iconic fighting game character making quick work of a sedan in a real-life bonus…

Please Don’t Eat Rice Ball Cat

You are not looking at a rice ball. You are looking at a furry cat butt. However, does resemble a rice ball. Just don’t eat it! Rice balls or onigiri (おにぎり) are typically triangle shaped treats that are packed with pickled plums (梅干し or umeboshi) or edible kelp (昆布 or konbu), among other things, and…

How Many Game Commercials Have You Seen with a Health Warning?

Be aware that this ad for the latest Harvest Moon game might make you barfy. The clip, which is promoting Harvest Moon: Tsunagaru Shin Tenchi, carries the following warning: This video contains special footage that reproduces the field of view of various animals. These visuals may cause discomfort in some viewers. Small children and viewers…

Why Look Like a Slob When Playing War Games

In Japan, there are numerous “street snap” sites. They take photos of hipsters who hang out in cool urban areas to show what stylish and outrageous trends are taking Japan by storm. Well, now there’s a fashion snap site for survival games. The Japanese street snap fashion trend was pioneered in the late 1990s when…

There’s a Cat Food Restaurant in Japan. It’s for Humans.

My idea of a dinner out isn’t being served what looks like cat food by a feline waiter. But hey, that’s just me. Tomorrow in Tokyo, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company is opening “Restaurant Mon Petit,” which is named after Mon Petit cat food. (In the U.S., the brand is known as “Fancy Feast.”) February 22…

Japanese Kaiju Turned into Fashion Models

If you’ve seen Ultraman, you probably know these characters. Chances are, though, you’ve never seen them like this. To mark the “ultra” renovation of shopping center Amu Plaza Hakata, superheroine Mother of Ultra and some famous Ultraman kaiju morph into models. I would so watch a tokusatsu movie with a style savvy superhero and fashionista…

Advil Has a Strange Way of Showing Menstrual Cramps in South Korea

Headaches aren’t fun. Neither are toothaches and back pains. And menstrual cramps suck, too! But in South Korea, Advil has an odd way to illustrate that. Medicine company Pfizer has hired Olympic swimmer Tae-hwan Park to sell Advil in South Korea. He’s starring in commercials like this and appearing on the pain medication’s official website:…

Attack on Titan Booze Will Get You Drunk

How about some Attack on Titan plum wine? If you drink enough, you too might run amok with your clothes off. The limited edition Attack on Titan Japanese plum wine (梅酒 or umeshu) and non-alcohol plum juice use local, well, plums from the region where Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama grew up. But it…

Relax, 3D Latte Art Has Been Perfected

You might have been wondering whether or not 3D latte art has been finally perfected. I’m here to tell you that, yes, it has. Previously, Kotaku showcased geeky latte art, cool color latte art, and amazing 3D latte art. And Ito Yuichi at Belcorno, an Italian restaurant in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is a master at…

On February 22, Nintendo is kicking off a software sale campaign in Japan. Know what else happens on February 22? The PS4 is released in Japan. But I’m sure that’s just a kwinky-dink.

Japan’s “Naked Festival” Is a Sea of Man Butt

In Japanese, “hadaka matsuri” (裸祭り) literally means “naked festival.” One of the most famous naked festivals was recently at Okayama, Japan. It looked like this! At a naked festival, the male participants aren’t actually naked. However, they are typically dressed only in fundoshi (ふんどし), which is a traditional Japanese loincloth, and hope to get lucky—rather,…

Japan’s Transformers Hotel Room Is More Than Meets the Eye

You heard me. Japan has a Transformers themed hotel room. It’s outfitted with toys and Transformers bed linen. What more could you need, really? The Asahikawa Grand Hotel, which is located in Hokkaido, teamed up with toy maker Takara Tomy to create this limited time only Transformers room. Below, you can see photos from Japanese…

Here’s an Officially Licensed Mario…Golf Bag

Mario golf. Get it? Well, if you have five hundred bucks, you can. According to NariNari, Japanese golf accessory company Enjoy Caddie Bag is releasing a Mario golf bag. Made of faux leather, the bag is covered in Mario—whether that’s small details like Super Star zippers or big details like the huge “M.” Here, have…

Forgive Me If I Want to Snuggle This Disney Bus

I don’t ever recall having the desire to nuzzle a bus. Maybe the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro? This brand new “Duffy Bus” from Tokyo Disney Resort certainly invites snuggles. Come here, bus. How about a hug? Duffy, of course, is the Disney Bear. The character is popular enough in Japan to warrant his own…

Atlus (The Company) Is Back from the Dead

Last year, there was concern about Atlus. Its parent company, Index Corporation, was in a pickle, and the Atlus brand ended up in Sega’s hands. But Atlus is no longer simply a brand. Atlus is back! As a company, Atlus ceased to exist as a registered corporation in Japan a few years back. On paper,…

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Is Getting Its Own PS4 Console

To mark MGS V: Ground Zeroes’ release, the Sony Store is releasing a special Ground Zeroes emblazoned PlayStation 4 in Japan. Via Kojima Productions‘ Twitter account, the limited edition console features the Fox Emblem—hence calling this PS4 the “Fox Edition.” Priced at 46,980 yen (US$462), the special console comes with a copy of the game…

Okay, I Want This Arcade Game for My Living Room

Or my bedroom. Or the den. Or the dining room. Wherever, this huge cabinet can fit. It doesn’t matter. Steel Chronicle: Ganesh is an upcoming arcade game from Konami. The cabinet, which features huge screens inside, is very, very large. It also has feedback and a sound system to help immerse you even more. The…