Brian Ashcraft

This Year’s Most Embarrassing Japanese Game Magazine Article

You might know Japanese celebrity Mari Yaguchi from her appearance in Yakuza 4. Or maybe you remember her days in pop group Morning Musume. Or you might have recently heard Yaguchi’s husband caught her screwing another man. On May 21, Japanese magazine Josei Seven published an article, claiming that Yaguchi’s husband, 27 year-old actor Masaya…

This July, the manga version of Neon Genesis Evangelion is ending its long run. The final entry in Yoshiyuki Sadamoto‘s manga version will appear in an upcoming issue of Young Ace. The manga began in December 1994. To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East…

Behold, Japan’s Geekiest Taxi Cabs

In Japan, taxis are typically black. Sometimes, they’re white or even yellow, but generally, people think of them as being dark-colored and dull looking. These taxis, however, are anything but. You are looking at “itataku” (痛タク). “Ita” (痛) literally refers to “pain”, but it’s now slang for things covered with geeky stickers, whether that’s cars,…

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, who is sidelined with an illness, sent out word to One Piece readers, apologizing for making people wait for the next issue. In the statement, he seemed in good spirits and really wanted folks to read the “new development” in the upcoming One Piece. Good to know! To contact the…

Korean Mother Reshaped Her Daughter’s Face with a Spoon (Apparently!)

Instead of shelling out for plastic surgery, one mother in South Korea decided she could make her daughter beautiful through things like massaging her child’s face. With a spoon. This week on popular Korean show Martian Virus, the mother discussed how she thought, even as a baby, that her daughter was ugly, worrying that the…

Clothing Stereotypes Exist In Japan, Too

Recently on 2ch, Japan’s largest forum, people have begun collecting images of college students decked out in similar outfits. Online in Japan, this largely became a way to poke fun at college students—because, hey, making fun of college students is universal, no? Not all these photos depict college students (though, most seem to). What’s more,…

Nintendo Will Have a Large Booth at E3

Previously, Nintendo said it was not holding a big E3 press conference. It also said it was bringing E3 to…Best Buy retailers across the U.S. But that doesn’t mean Nintendo will have a rinky-dink E3 booth. No siree! In fact, Nintendo is wheeling out two booths for E3. And they look pretty darn big! Compare…

Now, This Is One Stunning Retro Japanese Console

The Twin Famicom is an interesting game console. Produced by Sharp, it was Nintendo’s Famicom console and Disk System melded into a single console. While it looked nice enough, there is a way to make it look better: Lots and lots of gloss. Via Tiny Cartridge, this is the work of Slovenian artist Zoki64, who…

In South Korea, Japanese anime Jin-Roh is being turned into a feature film with Kim Ji-woon (The Last Stand) directing. According to Hankooki (via tipster Sang), actor Kang Dong-won is being floated as the possible lead. To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East is…

Wikipedia Writers Sure Know Their Hentai

Outside of Japan, the word “hentai” is used to refer to a certain type of Japanese anime, manga, or video games. It’s a genre. In Japan, it’s not. Recently on 2ch, Japan’s largest forum, people discovered the Chinese language Wikipedia entry for “hentai”. Many thought it was hilarious how long the entry was. It’s really,…

Sure Seems Like Jaleco Is Either AWOL, Or Worse, Dead

Remember Bases Loaded? And Wii role-playing game Ougon no Kizuna (above)? Or that Japanese truck driving game? The company known for those titles, Jaleco, seems to have fallen off the map. This afternoon, Kotaku phoned Jaleco’s Tokyo office. There was no answer, and a recording said the number was “no longer in service”. As noted…

Chinese Newspaper Confuses the Japanese Military with…DeviantArt

A website for Chinese newspaper Global Times recently published photos of a new Japanese military helicopter “design concept”. Too bad it’s not real. It’s not even made by the Japanese military. On Global Times’ website Huanqiu.com, the text reads, “This appeared online today; it seems to be a concept for a Japanese Self Defense Force…

“Offensive” Sex Buddha Statue Removed from Bar

A statue of Buddhist deities engaged in what looks like sexual intercourse was dubbed “crude and blasphemous” in China. According to Xinhaunet and ShangahaiIst, a bar in Lijang, Yunnan province commissioned the four-meter tall statue. It has since been removed after complaints. The bar’s owner decided to have the statue removed after repeatedly having to…

Origami Gives You Instant Derp

Look at these cool dudes! They’re so serious. If only there was an easy way to make them look like total goofballs. Turns out, there is. Here’s the “serious” cover of Weekly Jump, featuring popular manga Gin Tama So, how do you make this look ridiculous? Origami! Good times. The images were originally uploaded to…

Here’s What People in Japan Think of Xbox One

The original Xbox had a rough time in Japan. Ditto for the Xbox 360. How are things faring for the just announced Xbox One? Um… Xbox Japan put a translated version of the presentation online for Japanese gamers to watch (yes, as Famitsu points out, the console is getting a Japanese release). And on 2ch,…

Japanese Artist Paints Amazing Finger Art on an iPad

And not just on an iPad, but also on an iPhone. Shizuoka-born artist Seikou Yamaoka uses his fingers and an app called ArtStudio to produce truly stunning digital works. In the above video, you can watch Yamaoka bring Johannes Vermeer’s masterpiece “Girl with a Pearl Earring” to life on his iPad Mini. The video is…

It’s a Clock! A Radio! An Alarm! The New Xbox Is All in One.

Kotaku reader erocker414 writes, “I took a couple liberties to make it look more like my beloved radio/alarm clock. Now I don’t dislike it as much.” Wood panelling isn’t new to clock radios—or video game consoles, for that matter. And it does make everything better. Everything. More on erocker414’s Kinja site.

Popular Cat Meme Creator in Trouble with the Law

During the 1980s, a cat photo fad swept Japan. Dubbed “Nameneko” (なめ猫), the pictures featured feline friends dressed as high school thugs. The trend went global, spreading to the U.S. for a brief time. But this month, the trend’s creator is in hot water for tax evasion. In 1979, the story goes that then young…

One Piece Creator Hospitalized, Manga on Hiatus for Two Issues

This March, One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda took a week off due to a “sudden illness”. Today, it was announced that Oda has been admitted to the hospital. Moreover, the One Piece manga will be on hiatus for two issues. According to an official Shonen Jump release, Oda has a peritonsillar abscess, which is an…

3D Coffee Art Reaches New, Dizzying Heights

Late last year, Kotaku first brought word of coffee artist Kazuki Yamamoto. He makes stunning cappuccino art. In the last few months, Yamamoto has been perfecting his three dimensional creations. He’s gotten even better. From Hello Kitty to Vault Boy from the Fallout games (friggin’ Vault Boy!), Yamamoto whips up pop culture in steamed milk.…