Brian Ashcraft

A Close-Up Look at Sony’s New Hardware

Today in Tokyo, Sony showed off its latest gaming hardware. There was a slimmer and smaller version of the PlayStation 3 as well as two new PS Vita colors. The new PlayStation 3 comes in two colors—black and white—while the PS Vita will soon be available in Cosmic Red and Sapphire Blue. Here’s a look—up…

Why Level-5 Is So Keen To Make More Studio Ghibli Games

Hayao Miyazaki isn’t just an animator, a filmmaker, or a director. He’s a cultural institution. Japanese kids grow up on his films. They are part of the country’s zeitgeist. Meeting Miyazaki must be quite an experience, even when you are the biggest game developer in Japan. Make that especially when you are a famed game…

Emperors Saga, the latest Saga game, is a card-based title for Japanese smartphones.

Pokémon Are So Cute When They’re Small

Spotted by sister site Kotaku Japan, these—dare I say—pocket-sized Pocket Monsters sure look darling. Some of these Pokémon toys were shown last August. Here are more—have a look! ［キャラホビ2012］コロコロっとしたデザインのポケモンギャラリー [Kotaku Japan] Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every…

Next March in Japan, Nintendo is shuttering its mobile news site Nintendo Mobile, which also offered ringtones.

These Are Not The Nerdiest Jeans in Japan

A pair of Neon Genesis Evangelion jeans were recently unveiled in Japan. These are not the first Eva jeans. Heck, they’re not even the geekiest jeans Japan has to offer. Even with the large Nerv logo on the back pocket, Japan has seen geekier jeans. Oh, yes. And no, I’m not talking about those El…

Anime director Mamoru Oshii won’t confirm whether or not Patlabor is getting a live-action movie.

China Launches “One Thousand” Ships to Protect Disputed Islands

Things between Japan and China are heating up over a territorial spat. One thousand Chinese fishing vessels set sail and will land in the disputed islands known as “Senkaku” in Japanese and Diaoyu in China. The “one thousand” number is from China National Radio. Here are photos of the ships. The scene looks like something…

Sixteen Minutes of That Capcom Meets Namco Game. Sixteen!

Upcoming tactical role-playing game Project X Zone is headed to the 3DS. Here’s the game’s latest trailer, which is sixteen minutes long. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and soak up the latest gameplay footage. 「PROJECT X ZONE（プロジェクト クロスゾーン）」第2弾PV [YouTube] Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points…

The Ladies of Resident Evil

As far as big name horror franchises go, they don’t get much bigger than Resident Evil. The survival series is iconic, spawning a slew of games and Hollywood hit films. No wonder fans love cosplaying as RE characters. Resident Evil doesn’t only star strong male characters, but strong female ones, too. Next week, Kotaku will…

In Airport Scanner, You Scan People’s Luggage

This is actually a clever idea for a smartphone game: you watch people’s baggage and try to spot weapons. See? Clever! But Airport Scanner is much more than that. In Airport Scanner, there are a variety of things you must keep an eye out for—from pistols and dynamite to ice skates and large bottles of…

Starting Today, Canned Air Is On Sale in China

In Spaceballs, one of the greatest movies ever made, Mel Brooks huffs canned air. The movie features a made up brand called “Perri-Air”, but that doesn’t mean canned air is fiction. Today in China, billionaire Chen Guangbiao launched his line of canned air. Each can of “Good Person Chen Guangbiao” (that’s the trademark!) canned air…

“Fukyu” Apparently Means “F**k You” in Canada

A Japanese restaurant named “Fukyu” was ordered to change its name by the Quebec Superior Court. The name referred to a style of karate, but a Montreal judge said it was “clearly inappropriate”. Japanese speakers would not confuse “fukyu” with “F**k You” because the word is made up of the characters for “fu” and “kyu”.…

Only one playable mech in Lost Planet 3‘s single-player campaign, says Capcom.

Arrested Arma Developers Leave a Message for Friends and Family

Earlier this month, news broke that two game developers were arrested in Greece for “spying”. The developers had been working on ArmA III, a near future military game set on a Greek Island. At the time, the studio at which the developers work, Bohemia Interactive, said the two men were not visiting the island of…

The Original 151 Pokémon Made Very, Very Small

This summer, talented internet person Ninjazzy made the original 151 Pokémon in clay. That’s impressive! It’s even more impressive after you realize Ninjazzy not only did that, but made them small enough to stand on a penny. No wonder these are called Pénnymon. The level of craftsmanship and detail on display here is heroic. Have…

Capcom doesn’t want you to get your hopes up for a new Mega Man game announcement this December.

The Console War Is Not Over. It Lives on in This Anime.

Remember when Nintendo and Sega duked it out to the death in the console wars? Japanese manga Aoi Sekai no Chuushin de is a fantasy take on that gaming fight, with the Segua Kingdom waging war against the Ninterudo Empire for control of the territory known as Consume. Segua is knocked back on its heels,…

The Most Disgusting Bowl of Ramen on Earth

At this year’s Tokyo Game Show, game company D3 Publisher is apparently offering Dream Club curry ramen with soymilk and other stuff. Dream Club is D3P’s hostess simulator, and this colorful ramen is a real world way to prove yourself to the in-game hostess Amane. There are two versions: both are barftastic. The deluxe version…

OK, Tensions Between China and Japan Are Getting Serious

Anti-Japan tempers continue to flare in China. Japanese stores are being vandalized and looted, and Japanese factories are being destroyed. The images emerging from China can be described as unreal—shocking, even. Last month, the anti-Japan protests started brewing in China over disputed islands (called “Senkaku” in Japan and “Diaoyu” in China). There are supposedly oil…