Brian Ashcraft

These Cigarette Fighter Planes Are a Highway to The Danger Zone

When you finish that pack of cigarettes, you’re left with more than filters and smelly clothes. There are also empty cigarette boxes—oh, and the possibility you’re getting an awful disease. But let’s ignore the health risks for a minute! Let’s just focus on those empty boxes, and the awesome fighter jets they can become. Recently…

Japan’s Biggest Role-Playing Game Gets its Own…Minivan

To promote online role-playing game Dragon Quest X, Square Enix and Nissan joined forces for this: a Dragon Quest branded Nissan Serena. The Nissan minivan was wrapped in Dragon Quest characters. The Japanese car maker is rolling out seven of these to appear at Dragon Quest events and promote the game. One lucky individual can…

Here’s a Sex Doll Reviewing Game Hardware

Before you go all what is this I don’t even, yes, you are looking at sex doll that reviews video game hardware. From handhelds like the 3DS XL to racing wheels, this pleasure aid reviews them all. The doll’s name appears to be “Doll”, and she has a huge collection of all the latest gaming…

Godzilla, Dissected for Your Viewing Pleasure

Since 1954, Godzilla—née “Gojira”— has stomped over miniature Japanese cities. The character is a movie icon. But have you ever wondered what’s inside the enormous kaiju? (Well, besides Godzilla guts…) This, apparently. The illustration seems to be from a Japanese children’s book, and it lists the different parts of Godzilla’s anatomy, including his brain, uranium…

The Queen of Pokémon Will Gross You Out. Again.

Like clockwork, every summer in Japan, you can hear cicada, or “semi” (セミ), throughout the country. That buzzing cry is something that people instantly associate with the season. And like clockwork, idol Shoko Nakagawa is back this August with more stomach-churning cicada photos. Yay? See Nakagawa, who is Japan’s queen of Pokémon, collects cicada skins—and…

This Gaming Laptop Is So Bright, You Gotta Wear 3D Shades

Samsung is giving its first dedicated gaming laptop, dubbed Series 7 Gamer, a not-so-subtle coat of bright yellow gloss. As website Engadget points out, the laptop gets an AMD Radeon HD 7870M and a SuperBright 3D LED display. It’ll be out August 14 in South Korea for the equivalent of around US$2,640. No word on…

The Cosplay Insanity that Roared Through Tokyo

Starting on Friday, the biannual Comic Market (aka “Comiket”) was held in Tokyo. Just as in previous years, the 2012 summer Comiket featured a whole slew of cosplayers milling about and posing for pics. Here are some of them. Sister site Kotaku Japan and cosplay blog Asagawo were on hand to soak up the festivities…

Kazunori Yamauchi won’t say when GT6 is coming out, because people will say it’s been delayed. Talk about forecasting.

This Store Sells Food. Plastic Food.

In Japan, fake food can look very, very real. It’s called “shokuhin sample” (食品サンプル) or “food sample”, and it appears outside restaurants so customers can know what they are ordering. Website DannyChoo.com recently visited a Tokyo shop called “Maizuru” that specializes in selling shokuhin sample. Most restaurants work closely with plastic food makers to accurately…

The Flood Tragedy Is Real. This Viral Photo Is Probably Not.

Last week, torrential rain battered the Philippines. According to CNN, flooding has impacted 2.4 million people. Tragically, the death toll has reached 90, and there are concerns over the spread of disease. Serious stuff. Online in Japan, there are photos of Filipinos dealing with an awful situation the best way they can. Some of the…

Child Reunited With LEGO Wheel That’s Been Up His Nose For Three Years

Since Issak Lasson was three, the boy experienced sinus problems. According to KSL.com, years of doctor visits and prescription medication didn’t ease the kid’s ills. That’s because for half his life, six-year-old Issak Lasson has been living with a LEGO up his nose. Last month, a doctor finally noticed something peculiar up Issak’s nose. “I…

Report: BioWare Honcho Leaving Star Wars: Old Republic Studio

Tattoos are forever! Well, sorta. Gigs at game companies? Less so. BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk has apparently left BioWare Austin, the studio behind the beleaguered MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic According to Zeschuk’s LinkedIn page, he lists his BioWare Austin position as “past”, seeming to indicate that he has left the post. The move…

This week, the court case over the teen who sold his kidney for an iPad and an iPhone went to trial.

The PS3 and PS Vita Getting a Tamed Down Adult Tactics Game

Sexy war tactics game Eiyuu Senki (Heroine War Princess) was originally released as an 18-and-up PC game. Today, the game’s developer revealed that it was being ported to the PS3 and the PS Vita. And yes, that’s probably minus the original game’s hardcore sex scenes. The developer is also working on a social game as…

Rebalanced arcade game Guilty Gear Accent Core Plus R beats up Japanese arcades this September.

This Collection of Old Apple Hardware Is Heroic

If you are super old like me (hello old friends!), you’ll remember using some of these Apple computers. If you are a young whippersnapper (hello young friends!), you might not—but you should still enjoy perusing the retro hardware that’s on display. You are looking at a Russian collection of Apple computers, which website English Russia…

Rumor: First “Leaked” Kinect 2 Image Shows Fingers and Head Patting

An image that allegedly shows off Kinect 2 has hit the internet. It not only shows improved depth perception, but a higher level of detail—such as being able to read people’s fingers and discern clothing. There’s head patting, too. As Kotaku first revealed, the next Xbox is codenamed “Durango”. Previously, insiders told Kotaku that the…

Does this Japanese Soccer RPG Look Better on the 3DS? Yes.

Level-5, the folks behind Professor Layton, are bringing the first three Inazuma Eleven Nintendo DS games to the 3DS with sharper graphics. Above, you can see how the original graphics stack up to the 3DS ones. As part of Inazuma Eleven‘s fifth anniversary, the three games will be out this winter as a single compilation…

Robot Children, Here Are Your Backpacks

Every Japanese grade schooler lugs around a big leather backpack called a “randoseru” (ランドセル). They’re sturdy and pricey, because they’re supposed last all six years of primary school. Girls usually get red or pink randoseru, while boys get black or blue. Robots? Well, they get randoseru from retail chain Nitori—complete with a six year warranty!…

Japan’s Ugliest Console Game Delayed. Again.

There are three things you can count on: Death, taxes, and Daisenryaku Perfect: Ruler of the Battlefield being delayed. A real Japanese game studio with a real office and real desks and real computers is developing this absolutely crappy-looking game. The game is slated to be released on the Xbox 360 and the PS3 for…