Brian Ashcraft

For One Dollar, This Man Would Grovel at Your Feet

In Japan, there are different types of bows. Some of them are fairly casual. Others are more formal. But one type of bowing still brings a feeling of shame. And it’s sometimes used when people totally screw up. This style of bowing is called “dogeza” (土下座) and it’s often translated as “kneeling down on the…

Another Huge Metal Gear Toy

Hong Kong based collectible maker ThreeA previously released a jumbo-sized Metal Gear REX figure. And now? Now, it looks like they’re working on a jumbo-sized RAY mecha. In these photos from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, you can see a prototype of the upcoming RAY figure. That’s resident artist Yoji Shinkawa in the pics. As…

SNK Playmore is hiring up for, as the Osaka-based studio’s help wanted page reads, “the strongest 3D King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown“. Guess they’re going to work on new games… To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet…

You Won’t Believe This Violent Video Game Theory

Professor Dong Wong Cho of Chungbuk Provincial College in South Korea has an idea about violent video games. And it’s truly bonkers. According to Professor Cho’s latest study, violent video games make graphics cards run hot and emit more radio waves. Thus, the scholar argues, this means violent video games are more harmful for the…

This fall, fighting game franchise BlazBlue is getting an animated series in Japan called BlazBlue Alter Memory. More details on ANN or the show’s official site. To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest…

This Wii U Game Doesn’t Seem as Polished as Its PS3 Version

The first Yakuza game debuted on the PlayStation 2. Last fall, an HD version of the game hit the PlayStation 3. This summer, it’s coming to the Wii U. How does it stack up? Today, the first screenshots for Yakuza 1 & 2 HD Edition for Wii U hit the internet. Via 4Gamer, there were…

Konami Explains Why Metal Gear Rising Isn’t on The Xbox 360 in Japan

In the West, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was released on the Xbox 360. In Japan, it wasn’t. Here’s why. While speaking on theHideChan Radio podcast, Kojima Productions producer Yuji Korekado mentioned that Rising was originally announced for Japan. “However, around last year, Xbox 360 sales didn’t really grow [in Japan],” added Korekado. Meaning? That while…

These Keyboard Keys Are Not Popular

Look at your keyboard. It’s filled with keys! Some of them you love using. Some of them you probably rarely use. In Japan, a new survey (via R25) revealed which ones were totally unpopular among the country’s PC users. For those who don’t know Japanese, be aware that when people type the language, they use…

Have a look at the latest entry in the Guilty Gear fighting series. Titled Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-, the game runs on the Unreal Engine and is being directed by Guilty Gear maven Daisuke Ishiwatari. It’s currently listed as “in development”.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is coming to PC, Hideo Kojima’s podcast revealed. Details about the port are TBA. [HideBlog via PG_jp]

Oh Hey, It’s a Naked Man on a Scooter, Carrying a Crucifix

It’s not everyday you see a naked man riding a scooter with giant cross. Warning: This article has content some readers might find objectionable. Last month, Kotaku brought word of a Beijing man who ran through the streets nude while carrying a sex doll. Online in China, the images soon went viral, and one Chinese…

Nintendo and Sega just announced Miku Hatsune: Project Mirai 2 for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan. It will have new songs and more features than the previous game.

Yakuza 1 & 2 Coming to Wii U in HD for Japan

Sega and Nintendo just announced that PlayStation 2 crime saga Yakuza 1 and its sequel Yakuza 2 are headed to the Wii U in Japan. The games are getting HD makeovers, and will take advantage of the Wii U GamePad via in-game maps and GamePad only play. This is the first time the series has…

First Look at Hi-Res Final Fantasy VIII for PC

Square Enix just announced that 1999 role-playing game Final Fantasy VIII is coming to PC in Japan. The PC version is slated to feature high-resolution graphics, but its release date as well as whether or not it will have additional content is still TBA. Here is a first look at the upcoming PC release: FFVIII…

Japanese Kids Pretending They Are Insects

How many more Japanese photo memes can there be? When will they stop? At this rate, never. In the last 24 hours or so, the above photo has been going viral in Japan. It’s been retweeted over eighteen thousand times. On the original tweet, it says in Japanese, “We’re sick of guitar!! We want to…

The New Pokémon Trainer’s Legs Are Too Damn Long

This is the new male Pokémon trainer for the upcoming Pokémon X/Y. His legs are long—too long. Don’t believe me? Here is a comparison (via Twitter user Twillcoco) of Pokémon X/Y‘s male trainer and the male trainers from Pokémon Black & White and its sequel. The trainer’s legs do look kinda long in the game,…

Nerdy Cafe Latte Art Is More Amazing in Color

You know what’s more mind-blowing that latte art? Latte art drawn in vibrant color. And this Japanese coffee craftsman has mastered it. You are looking at the work of “Nowtoo Sugi”. Starting this past February, Sugi began using colored bartender syrups to, as the hobby artist says, “paint” on coffee. Sugi isn’t the only one…

Father Asks for Paternity Test Because of Wife’s Plastic Surgery

If you get plastic surgery, that’s fine. Go for it. Just know that you’re not getting plastic surgery on your DNA. Recently in Wuhan, China, a man surnamed Huang (not pictured) was worried that his wife was being unfaithful. He phoned Wuhan Central University’s Hospital and asked for a paternal test for his three year-old…

There’s a Japan Lolita Association (It’s For Fashion!)

Don’t judge! This is less Nabokov and more frilly frocks. If you are interested in Victorian-era style threads, then the Japan Lolita Association just might be for you. Lolita fashion is not mainstream in Japan, but it’s had a subculture following for the last few decades. As mentioned above, be aware that the Lolita fashion…

In Japan, McDonald’s Just Super-Sized the Crap Outta French Fries

While McDonald’s in many countries is trying (feigning?) to be healthier, in Japan, the fast food chain really doesn’t seem to give a crap. If anything, McDonald’s is running fast and hard to unhealthy. Super size, Japan! For the past few weeks, there have been rumors that McDonald’s Japan is rolling out a huge size…