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Kotaku EastThe Halo 4 Release Date Is Easier to Remember in Japanese
Ha, this is pretty funny—if you understand Japanese and even if you do not. Released earlier this spring, this is the Japanese language version of the “Red vs. Blue: Remember to Not Forget” clip that was supposed help you to remember to…not forget Halo 4‘s release date. Rooster Teeth started their popular Halo-based machinima comedy…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Motion Controlled Angry Birds Are Flinging onto Samsung TVs
Samsung will be home to a motion-controlled version of Angry Birds. This July, the Angry Bird app will catapult itself onto Samsung’s Smart TV, complete with motion and voice controls. As depicted in the above photo, players can pull back their hands to get the feeling of launching one of those birds. Put a plush…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2012 -
Kotaku EastThe Greatest “He Looks So Damn Guilty” Interview Ever
This news clip is in Japanese, but the guilty look on this man’s face is universal. On the early morning of July 9, a 16 year-old was slashed in the face. When TV Asahi arrived on the scene that same day to cover the incident, reporters happened to find a man out on evening bike…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Phantasy Star Online 2 Hacked as an Alleged Prank
Free-to-play online game Phantasy Star Online 2 was hacked, and non-playable characters were moved about as, it seems, some sort of prank. In the game’s Ship02 location, non-playable characters were moved out of players reach, making it impossible to interact with important NPCs. As you can see in the screenshots, the non-playable characters were placed…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2012 -
Kotaku East
The Porn Star Had a Perfect Name, But She Still Didn’t Win
Sega’s Yakuza gangster games and porn stars are no strangers. A few years back, adult film star Rio made it to the final selection process to see which hopefuls would appear in the game. Then, there was the Yakuza hostess who starred in an adult movie after appearing in Yakuza 4… This go round another…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2012 -
Kotaku EastYour Anime Eyes Are Freaking Out Japan. Stop It.
Back in 2009, Lady Gaga’s eyes got huge in her “Bad Romance” video. That, along with a Hello Kitty photo shoot, helped spawn a series of YouTube videos on anime eyes make-up tips. Not sure where Japan was during all this, but it clearly was not paying attention. This week, a Japanese site posted some…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2012 -
This Sega Arcade Is Ridiculously Over the Top
Sega’s Tokyo Joypolis is not Sega’s best arcade. That does not matter. What it is, however, is Sega’s biggest spectacle. It’s less a game center and more a video game inspired theme park. Still, for a hyperbolic arcade experience, few can compete. And as of this week, Tokyo Joypolis has a new coat of paint.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2012 -
This Pikachu Can Pull a Man’s Arms Out of His Sockets
It’s Han Solo’s co-pilot, Chewbacca, crossbred with Ash’s buddy, Pikachu. The result? Wookimon? Chewbachu? Pikachewie? Yes, Pikachewie That’s what custom figure maker KodyKoala is calling it—and he should know because he made it. According to KodyKoala: I used a Jakks 2007 Electronic Pikachu and I covered him in Apoxy sculpt and made him look hairy.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Chinese TV Censors David’s Privates. Then, It Uncensors Them.
If you go to an art museum, you’re bound to see naked people. That’s okay! That’s art. And when you are talking about artists (well, we are), everyone can agree that Michelangelo is one of the artistiest artists there ever was. His naked people are fine, because they are art Apparently China’s governmental TV missed…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Nippon Ichi Reveals Several New Projects
Today in Tokyo, Japanese game maker Nippon Ichi Software revealed a trio of new games. One of the revealed titles was Kamisama to Unmei Kakumei no Paradokusu (The Paradox of God and the Fate Revolution). The game features character designs by Noizi Ito (of Haruhi Suzumiya fame), and follows a high schooler who suddenly turns…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Go On, Let Morrigan Drive You Batty
The hair. The tights. The wings—especially ones coming out of her noggin. Since debuting in 1994 Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors, Morrigan Aensland has become one of gaming’s most iconic characters. A fan service favorite, Morrigan continues to attract cosplayers, eager to put on succubus’s revealing outfit. But who dons her duds best? Who pulls off…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Okay, This Tomato Looks Like a Duck
In Shizuoka Prefecture, there’s a tomato that looks like a duck. A local restaurant got a bag of produce from a customer, and in it there was this. Part of it had yellowed, forming the bill, and a spot looks like the duck’s eye. The restaurant owners thought it looked too cute to eat, so…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku EastWatch This Elderly Japanese Couple Tear Up DDR
Meet Mr. and Mrs. Akiyama. Now 72 and 68, they first appeared on Japanese television two years ago to show off their love for DanceDanceRevolution. Japan has its fair share of old people. It also has its fair share of old gamers (here, here, here, and here). Recently, Akiyamas appeared on a “where are they…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This Death Blogger Might Need an Internet Time Out
It hasn’t been a good past few months for Japanese actress Aki Higashihara. Her blog—nicknamed the “Death Blog”—has been on a roll. That’s…not good. Higashihara’s blog is called the “Death Blog” after the Japanese manga Death Note, because her entries seem to make bad things happen. Over the years, her luck has been infamously bad.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Catherine Returns in Figure Form, But Cannot Out-Sexy Her Former Self
Back in summer 2011, Japanese figure maker Max Factory showed off one sexy Catherine statue. This summer, it’s Art Spirits’ turn with a sexy figure of its own. Thing is, this new figure doesn’t surpass last summer’s effort. Heck, it doesn’t even come close. Website Moeyo had a chance to check out this figure, which…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Metal Gear Solid 4 Is Finally Getting Trophies
Good things comes to those to wait—or trophies, rather. MGS4 is finally getting PlayStation trophies via patch. The timeframe isn’t clear, but it could be in August, when a budget re-release of the game hits in Japan. [ゲーム情報!]
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Why Japan Is Delighted with Obama’s Twitter Account
Right now in Japan, President Obama is trending on Twitter. It’s not his politics. It’s not something he said. It’s something he’s done. Rather, it’s something his Twitter account allegedly did. In Japan, people are saying President Obama’s official Twitter account is following an anime girl. Make that, an anime girl bot. Okay, yes, Obama’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2012 -
Smash Bros. Creator’s Studio Closes Down, Smash Bros. Sequel Apparently Unaffected
Project Sora, the studio headed up by Smash Bros. Masahiro Sakurai, has been dissolved. Project Sora, a spin-off studio of Sora Ltd. (both run by Sakurai), last worked on Kid Icarus: Uprising. Sora Ltd. was established in 2005 as freelance gaming agency for Sakurai to work on games, and Project Sora was established in 2009…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 10, 2012