In Japan, there’s an inexpensive clothing chain called Shimamura (しまむら). Online, people tend to make fun of Shimamura and say it’s “not cool.” But can it make anything seem dorky? One meme tried to find out. Below is an actual Shimamura. Above the shop’s logo, it reads, “Fashion Center” in Japanese. Thing is, many in…
In Taiwan, Nintendo is localizing Doraemon: Nobita’s Number Adventure, which, of course, features the iconic blue robotic cat Doraemon. To mark the game’s release, Nintendo is holding a contest in which five lucky people can win the above 3DS. As Siliconera points out, that makes this one rare—and incredibly collectible—3DS handheld. This Doraemon 3DS Will…
Katsuhiro Otomo created the now classic Akira manga. He brought that to the screen as a groundbreaking anime. And Otomo is not interested in making a sequel. In a Japanese TV interview earlier this summer, Otomo talked about his latest effort, the anime Short Peace. Otomo also talked about why he continued to produce varied…
Breaking it! Pummels it! Chop it! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH… Oh goodness, this is amazing. The biggest Dota 2 tournament in the world wasn’t only home to talented players, but also to wonderful eSports announcers. This video of Korean casters, via tipster Sang, features some of the best. This is fantastic stuff, highlighted in a terrific clip that…
Ollie Barder, a senior game designer at People Can Fly, really likes mecha. Like, really, really, really likes them. Don’t believe me? Check out his desk. Recently Epic Games visited People Can Fly and were amazed by Barder’s desk—probably amazed that the man can get any work done! Barder tells Kotaku that’s actually “very easy”…
There appears to be a local arcade in Japan with one clear rule: If you are caught playing smartphone games, you’ll get kicked out. Spotted by Japanese Twitter user @komathi_eiki, the sign says that social networking titles and portable games are not permitted. Those who are discovered playing either of these will have to leave!…
Yesterday in Tokyo, a bolt of lightning struck Tokyo’s Odakyu Electric Railway. The incident looks both stunning and scary. Below, you can see footage of the lightning storm. Skip ahead to around the 1:18 mark to see lightning strike the carriage, which caused a power outage. As IT Media points out, minutes after the train…
Movie director Guillermo Del Toro is in Japan to promote Pacific Rim. He had a big day out in Tokyo that was filled with ice cream and giant mecha. It looks like the best day ever. In this clip from Japanese morning television, you can see Del Toro enjoying, as he calls it, “fat otaku…
Project Phoenix, an indie JRPG with a seasoned staff, already hit its Kickstarter goal—no, make that nearly doubled its goal. Congrats!
Over the years, Japan has seen an array of interesting and unusual vending machines. And recently, a brassiere dispensing one debuted in Tokyo. Last Friday, Japanese lingerie maker Wacoal rolled out a bra vending machine at its Une Nana Cool branded specialty shop in Shibuya. The vending machine is packed with the popular wireless “Fun…
Never mind that Studio Ghibli’s newest anime Kaze Tachinu was dubbed “too liberal” by some in Japan and its creator Hayao Miyazaki was called a “traitor.” In South Korea, the movie is also being criticized, but for the opposite reasons. Hayao Miyazaki really can’t win, can he? Online in Japan, the movie was blasted and…
In Japan, fast food chain Lotteria had a special store manager last Friday for one terrifying day only: Sadako from The Ring At the Lotteria in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro neighborhood, Sadako worked the register by popping out, frightening customers, and serving up a special shake created in her likeness. What better way to send a chill…
“Censorship level: Thailand” is no joke! Check out just how tough the country’s censorship is. For years now, anime viewers in Thailand have been dealing with ironclad regulations for broadcast dubs—something that fans outside the country have also noticed. But it’s not just anime. On Thai television broadcasts, stations censor alcohol consumption, weapons pointed at…
This weekend, Comic Market (aka “Comiket”) rolled through Tokyo. How scorching was it? Time to bust out the thermal cameras! Japan’s largest networks featured Comiket on their news variety shows, focusing on the boiling temperatures. The country is being hit with a heat wave that has topped 40°C (104ºF). The high temps are serious; sadly,…
The International 2013 Dota 2 Championship has a winner: Swedish eSports team Alliance. The team claimed a top prize of $1.4 million, defeating Ukrainian powerhouse Natus Vincere in a climactic five-game match during the Grand Finals. The International is the largest Dota 2 event of its kind; this year’s total prize money hit $2.8 million.…
It’s summer! It’s hot, especially in China, which is seeing record heat waves. To cool off, some people eat chilled watermelon. A few kids are even wearing it. According to Xinhua, China’s largest news agency, the trend started this past July in Wenzhou when photos of a small kid dressed in a watermelon suit (above)…
Look, over the years, One Piece has gotten some odd branded items. But even the One Piece jeans and luxury goods make sense, on some level at least. But what about this? You are looking at One Piece branded water servers that dispense Mt. Fuji mineral water. There are three different versions: “Cool Black” with…
It’s Geek Week on YouTube! The latest clip showcases some of the best and most creative cosplay that appeared at this year’s Comic-Con. So many wonderful outfits and talented cosplayers! I Just Want To Be A SuperHero – Cosplay Music Video [SneakyZebra@YouTube via Dtoid] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or…
Today is Friday! Wahoo! But next Monday is…Monday. Boo. And it’s going to be awful. In the above video (courtesy of Laughing Squid), little Yerin Park has an terrible, no good, very bad morning. Seems she stayed up too late playing on Sunday night, and her parents had a hard time getting her to bed.…
One of the biggest retailers in the world is rumored to be making an Android gaming console. Website GameInformer reports that Amazon is readying an Android console for release by year’s end. The console will be bundled with its own controller, and Amazon will be making use of the Android apps already available on its…
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