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New Power Rangers Game Is Further Proof the DS Ain’t Dead
Long live the Nintendo DS! One of the, let’s be honest, best gaming platforms ever is getting a new game: a Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters for the DS. Since Nintendo DS games can run on the 3DS and since most little Japanese kids have a DS, it’s pretty smart of Namco Bandai to put this out…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Nintendo Can’t Promise Its Online Service Will Always Be Free
Another day of Nintendo honcho blowing the gasket off of things. This time, it’s Nintendo’s online service, the Nintendo Network. It’s supposed to be free, but that doesn’t mean it will be free forever. Forever is a long time. At a recent investors meeting, Iwata said, “We cannot promise that Nintendo will always provide you…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Sometimes, Video Game Outfits Just Look Goofy
Popular Capcom video game Sengoku Basara is being turned into a Japanese TV drama called Sengoku Basara Moonlight Party. The show stars Gackt and hunky dudes like Kento Hayashi, Hide Tokuyama, and Kouhei Takeda—all wearing silly costumes. These outfits would not be silly in a Sengoku Basara video game. But this isn’t a video game.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Are You Interested in Nintendo Animated Movies? I Sure Am.
Back in 2007, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto talked about his regrets over the ill-fated Super Mario Bros. movie. According to Miyamoto: “The one thing that I still have some regrets about is that the movie may have tried to get a little too close to what the Mario Bros. video games were. And in that…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
A Link to Many Wonderful Link Cosplay
As a kid, I can still remember getting that gold NES Legend of Zelda cartridge and popping in the game for the first time. It was the start of Link’s journey—and the start of mine. I’m willing to bet, I wasn’t alone. Link is not only one of Nintendo’s most iconic characters; he’s also one…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Gaikai Tech Isn’t PlayStation Only. Sony Wants to Expand It.
Sony recently bought Gaikai, an online cloud gaming service. The purchase might do more than offer a window into the PlayStation 4. It’s also a sign of things to come for Sony’s non-gaming products. Sony Computer Entertainment honcho Andrew House told The Wall Street Journal (via Eurogamer) that using Gaikai tech in Sony products other…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Let’s Be Sensitive about Tall Ladies, Too!
Yurina Kumai towers over other Japanese popstars—literally. At 176cm, she’s by far the tallest member of her group, Berryz Kobo. Sure, that’s “only” 5 feet 9 inches (some now wonder if she’s actually taller), but your typical Japanese pop star is much, much shorter. The discrepancy becomes evident when Kumai stands next to her contemporaries—or…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Korea’s Most Talented Female StarCraft Player Is Retiring
Being a female pro gamer is not easy in South Korea. In that male dominated world, Seo Ji-Soo (aka ToSsGirl) was a pioneer. She was also the country’s last active female pro-gamer. “Was”, because as of this month, ToSsGirL will retire. Known as “The Female Lim Yo-Hwan“, Seo decided to become a pro-gamer after seeing…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This Manga Artist Has Not Aged. He Must Be a Vampire.
Manga artist Hirohiko Araki, creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, is 52 years old. I would say he looks really good for 52 (he does), if he hadn’t looked the same for, oh, the past thousand years. Every year that Araki’s photo is released, people online in Japan enjoy comparing it to his photos for the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Kotaku East
When Video Games and Dirty Movies Clash
Fancy costumes! Naked people! Doing it! That’s the pitch, and in Japan, adult video makers try to appeal to otaku (geeks) with flicks featuring porn stars dressed up as video game characters. Sounds like sexy time, right? Eh… In visual mediums—whether that be video games, movies, or whatever—the background is extremely important. It can make…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Kotaku EastHow About Some Kirby Music Played by an Orchestra? Yes, Please.
In the above video, an orchestra plays a Kirby medley. It’s glorious, and it will be featured on the music CD that comes with the upcoming Kirby’s Dream Collection compilation. Kirby’s Dream Collection – Medley Recording Feature [YouTube]
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Kotaku EastKorea Gets a Theme Park Dedicated to Toilets and the Crap that Goes in Them
Outside Seoul, the city of Suwon recently opened a public park and museum dedicated to toilets. Makes sense, as the city has been a toilet pioneer in South Korea. As YouTube user KRTVtv pointed out, Korea’s public toilets were “ramshackle and disgusting” before the 1980s. In Korea, it’s being called the “world’s first toilet theme…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 4, 2012 -
Please Gordon Freeman, Do Not Cut Off Your Ear
Artist Drew Northcott brings us “Vincent Van Gordon”, a Van Gogh inspired portrait of everyone’s favorite headcrab killing physicist. According to Northcott, there might be character similarity between Freeman and Van Gogh. He adds, “There’s certainly a physical resemblance anyhow.” That’s certainly better than Freeman mailing his ear to a prostitute. Vincent Van Gordon –…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2012 -
Even Baby Cloud Strife Has Big Hair and a Deadly Cute Sword
D’wah. Now this is adowable. Baby Cloud Strife—hair, sword, and all. This photo was snapped by Jeriska at the recent Anime Expo 2012. Check out more of Jeriaska’s pics here as well as in the link below. Cloud Strife – Anime Expo 2012 [Flickr]
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2012 -
Kotaku EastHow Blatant Is This Kamen Rider Rip-Off? Pretty Damn Blatant.
Next year, a new tokusatsu movie called Space Hero Fly is hitting theaters in Taiwan. You might remember this movie the first time, when it was called Kamen Rider. Which Kamen Rider? Take your pick. Super Hero Fly is a cobbled together creation that rips off the designs of various Kamen Rider heroes, such as…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2012 -
Kotaku East
In China, Free-to-Play Call of Duty Online Is Oscar Mike
China is getting its own COD—and not merely as the new foreign bad guys. Meet Call of Duty Online. Other than the single player campaign, isn’t all Call of Duty online? Well, yes. But in China, it’s Call of Duty Online. Announced today, the game is published by Chinese gaming giant Tencent. Activision first mentioned…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Cops Arrest College Student over Wii Homebrew Software
Japanese police arrested a 19 year-old college student from Kyoto Prefecture for allegedly violating the country’s Unfair Competition Prevention Law. In short, the student was nabbed for posting Wii homebrew software online. This is apparently the first arrest of its kind in Japan. According to Japanese news reports, the “illegal program” allowed players to boot…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2012 -
Kotaku East
In China, Apple Is Being Sued Over the Snow Leopard Name
Just as Apple forked over US$60 million to use the iPad moniker in China, a household chemical company called Jiangsu Xuebao filed a lawsuit over the use of “Snow Leopard”. Or rather, the use of “xuebao” (雪豹), which is Chinese of “snow leopard”. Back in 2000, Jiangsu Xuebao filed a trademark for the use of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Man Crawls 600 Feet To Apologize to His Wife
There are ways to say I’m Sorry. Then, there are ways to say I’m Sorry. This man in Fujian province mastered the later. In a lane of traffic, the man was kowtowing—he crawled forward and bowed his head to the ground each time. A crowd gathered to see what the man, whose head was bruised…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2012
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