Brian Ashcraft

There Are Now 100 Pokémon Manholes In Japan

Last year, the first Pokémon manholes were installed in Japan. A year later, there are now one hundred of them in the country. Pokémon manholes, dubbed Poké Futa (ポケふた) or Poké Lid, have been installed in a variety of prefectures, including Hokkaido, Iwate, Fukushima, Kagawa and more. The latest six are in Tokyo’s Machida, making…

Track: Prism | Artist: Bully | Album: SUGAREGG

Grandparents Make Cute Totoro Bus Stop

In Kyushu, Japan, a married couple wanted to celebrate turning seventy the best way possible: with a giant Totoro. Turning seventy years old in Japan is koki (古希), the word referring to the fact that in the past the milestone was rarer than today. To mark the birthday, the couple wanted to do something for…

$9,000 Stolen From Ninja Museum In Japan

On August 17 at 1:30 am, the alarm at the Ninja Museum of Igaryu in Mie, Japan went off. CBC News reports that the door to the office had been broken into and a safe with two days’ worth of proceeds totaling over 1 million yen ($9,400) had been stolen. The safe is said to…

Robot Restaurant Exec Hosted Nazi-Themed Event, Reports Japanese Magazine

Flash, from major Japanese publisher Kobunsha, is reporting that the owner of the Robot Restaurant hosted a Nazi-themed event in 2017. Robot Restaurant is a popular Tokyo tourist destination, featuring singing, dancing, and robot-like contraptions. According to Flash (via Tokyo Reporter), 69-year-old Keiichi Morishita, chairman of Morishita Group, hosted an event in which swastika-emblazoned Nazi…

Shinjuku Gyoen Garden In March 2020. Tokyo, Japan. By Jimmy W.  JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line!

Anime Magic Spell Turned Into Covid-19 Barrier

To protect from the novel coronavirus, stores in Japan (and around the world) have installed plastic barriers. They might be effective, but they’re rather dull. Twitter user Takumi Armory, a company which specializes in fantasy-themed props, has created this anime magic spell-style divider that it says can “defend against viruses.” Priced at 15,000 yen ($143),…

Compile Heart has announced a Neptunia game for the PS5. Titled Go! Go! 5D Game: Neptune re★Verse, the game currently does not have a release date. However, the announcement was made on the tenth anniversary of the series. Can you believe it? Ten years of Neptunia 

Why Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Isn’t Available In China

Microsoft just released a new Flight Simulator. Players around the world are enjoying the game—save for China. The last Flight Simulator came out on Steam in 2014, and that version previously came out in 2006. But this latest edition hasn’t made it to China. As South China Morning Post reports, the game has not been…

Over 150 Capsule Toy Machines Installed In Tokyo Train Station

Do you like capsule toys? Akihabara Station is now home to a wall of over 150 gachapon vending machines. Called Kenelestand, the slick-looking gachapon area was designed by well-known designer Akira Mabuchi. As Spoon & Tamago points out, what makes these capsule toys so interesting is that they are aimed at adults, instead of children.…

Ash From Pokémon No Longer Has Superhuman Strength

Ash Ketchum’s strength is legendary. He can carry heavy Pocket Monsters with ease. He can lift logs and throw them. Rather, he could. In the latest episode of the Pokémon Journeys anime, Ash and Goh tried to lift a heavy log but they could not. Ash said it was “impossible.” Remember, in 2006, Ash lifted…

The Surprising Similarities Between My Neighbor Totoro And Grave of the Fireflies

In 1988, Studio Ghibli released My Neighbor Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies as a double feature. The Hayao Miyazaki film followed the adventures of two sisters with a mysterious fuzzy friend, while Isao Takahata’s film dealt with two siblings experiencing the horrors of war. At first glance the movies don’t appear to have much…

Kyoto Animation’s Delayed Swimming Anime Will Be Out Next Year

Free!, the popular swimming anime, was supposed to get a feature film this summer. In 2019, during the wake of the Kyoto Animation tragedy, it was announced that the feature anime would be delayed due to “various circumstances.” Now, in good news for fans, the movie has been confirmed for 2021. The teaser below announces that…

Yep, This Is a Hello Kitty Melon

Hello Kitty’s face has been on seemingly everything—whether that’s stationary, toilet paper, toasters or even that infamous vibrator. But don’t forget the pricey produce! Above is a Hello Kitty Furano melon from Hokkaido, Japan. Melons in Japan can get very expensive, especially the gourmet ones. But, generally speaking, the ones you find at local supermarkets…

Earlier this year, The Pokémon Company released a handful of ASMR videos. Now they’ve released a new one. As Kotaku previously explained, auditory sensory meridian response, or ASMR, is a tingling sensation that comes from listening to certain sounds. 

Nintendo, It Seems, Has Removed Mario’s Nipples

Back in 2017, the world experienced the glory that is Mario’s nipples. But now in 2020, they appear to have vanished. See? Well, no. You can’t! As website Automaton points out, Mario’s nipples should be here—or so. Nintendo has made official art of the character striking a similar pose, nipples and all. The new art…

VR Boxing Is More Fun When Punching Rocky In The Nuts

When doing the training session in PlayStation VR game Creed: Rise To Glory, take a few potshots at Rocky Balboa in the face and in the nards. The sound effects are excellent as is Rocky’s look of disappointment.

The official Mother (Earthbound) merch Twitter announced that on August 17 it will be making an announcement. Previously reveals have been goods-related so expect the same here.

The Anti-Mask Protesters And Covid-Deniers In Tokyo

In pre-pandemic Japan, mask-wearing was a way of life. If you got sick, the polite thing to do was wear a mask to avoid wearing infecting others. If you were suffering from seasonal allergies, you would don a mask to help protect yourself. Mask wearing was not uncommon. Even before covid, it was normal and…

Pokémon Go Player Arrested For Assaulting Friend

In Hokkaido, Japan, 56-year-old Kanehisa Satoh has been arrested after an alleged altercation with his 55-year-old friend over Pokémon Go. The two first met several years ago while playing Pokémon Go. The altercation broke out over a Gym in Pokémon Go while both were in a stopped car, reports Sankei. “I got pissed because he…