-
Meet the Brand New Pokémon Trainers
This year, a new Pokémon game, Pokémon Black and White 2, is headed to the Nintendo DS. The latest issue of Japanese magazine CoroCoro Comic revealed new details about the game, including the first images of the game’s brand new trainers. Set two years after Pokémon Black and White, BW2 features a Pokedex with about…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 12, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Do Not Share Resident Evil 4 Online in Japan. The Cops Might Get You.
Heck, do not share anything online in Japan. The Hyogo Prefecture cyber police nabbed a 34 year-old man for doing just that. On Jan. 26, he uploaded an episode of anime Toaru Majutsu no Index II as well as the PC version of Resident Evil 4 via closed source Share software. The police picked up…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Report: Peeping Toms Targeted Cosplayers
Cosplayers have it rough. It’s not simply coming up with the outfits and posing for all those pics. It’s also the jerkwads they have to deal with. Of course, not all cosplay photographers are bad people—many are very good people. But according to Japan’s Weekly Jitsuwa, there was apparently a “tousatsu team” (盗撮チーム) or “Peeping…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
She’s a Model, She’s Famous, She’s in Pokemon
Every summer there’s a new Pokemon feature film in Japan. And every Pokemon film seems to rope in a big celebrity to do voice work. In the past, Akihiro Miwa and Shoko Nakagawa lent their talents to the flicks. For the upcoming flick, popular Japanese model Rola will be voicing “Marine”, a young girl Ash…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku EastThis 3DS Game Still Looks Bananas
Guild 01 is an upcoming 3DS game made by four different creators. It’s not really “one game” per se, but four games. The games include Kaiho Shojo, a shooting game from Goichi Suda. There’s also Rental Bukiya de Omasse—a game in which you are an arms dealer. Then there’s Air Porter, a airport baggage simulator.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
It’s Like My Little Pony, But with Evangelion
You are looking at some of the strangest Neon Genesis Evangelion products ever released: Evangelion branded mini toy horses. Neon Genesis Evangelion is an iconic Japanese manga and anime that launched in the mid-1990s. The Italian inflatable Rody toy is teaming up with apocalyptic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion for mini Rody horses made to look…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Cop Flashed a Schoolgirl While Dressed…As a Schoolgirl
Cosplay is a fine hobby. Heck, if you are into cross-dressing, that’s fine—who am I to judge? But flashing people is not cool. Flashing schoolgirls is definitely not cool. And neither is flashing schoolgirls while dressed as a schoolgirl. According to Japanese media reports, a 37 year-old policeman was arrested for exposing his genitals to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Try To Survive This Round of Plastic Fever
Kyoto-based figure maker Volks held its seventh “Hobby Round” show in Tokyo this weekend. At it, Volks unveiled a host of new and upcoming figurines and models. There’s the usual bishoujo (“beautiful girl”) insanity, but also Volks military vehicles and mecha. What always makes Volks so interesting is how varied its range is. Check out…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Three of Japan’s Biggest Game Makers Joining Forces
Sega. Capcom. Namco. The three game companies are collaborating on a new role-playing 3DS game called Project X Zone The game features characters from the three game makers. So Capcom is bringing Ken and Ryu from Street Fighter, Zero and X from Mega-Man, Jill and Chris from Resident Evil, and Dante from Devil May Cry…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Foreigners in Stupid Japanese T-Shirts
You know “Engrish”? The incorrect and strange English that appears throughout Japan is something some English (and even Japanese) speakers enjoy laughing at. You see funny English on signs, company slogans, and, most often, t-shirts. Hahaha, right? But what about when foreigners don t-shirts with goofy Japanese? More hahaha. Japanese and English are very different.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Resident Evil 6‘s Ridiculous $1000 Collector’s Edition
“Premium Edition” bundles often include statues or plastic weaponry. They’re a way for fans to feel closer to the game—and a way for publisher to milk extra money from said fans. And boy does Capcom love milking money! And with this bundle, Capcom is going to milk a lot of it. The upcoming Premium Edition…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 11, 2012 -
Lost Planet 3 Debut Trailer Leaks Online
A leaked trailer shows that Capcom is readying a new entry in its Lost Planet series. The Lost Planet 3 trailer shows a frozen tundra, reminiscent of the the earlier game’s settings. The CGI heavy trailer, however, shows more snow, more bugs, and more giant mechas—and more giant mechas fighting giant bugs. The game is…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku EastFrench Presidential Candidate Goes Green with Final Fantasy
Above, French presidential candidate Eva Joly makes her pitch as the country’s Green Party representative. While she might not be familiar to Kotaku readers who do not follow European politics, the music playing underneath the campaign spot should be. It’s from Final Fantasy X If American presidential candidates can quote Japanese anime, why can’t French…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Gundam High Fashion Sure Is Bizarre
You are looking at Gundam inspired clothes. You know. Gundam. Giant mechas. Colorful uniforms. Gundam. Starting this April, a new men’s shop called “Strict-G” is opening in both Tokyo and Shizuoka. It will feature Gundam flavored clothing and accessories from Japanese brands, such as Edwin. Bandai Namco is also producing “original” clothing items, such as…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku EastDressing Final Fantasy as Assassin’s Creed Still Looks Underwhelming
Yes, yes. Japanes role-playing game Final Fantasy XIII-2 is getting downloadable costumes that include Mass Effect and Assassin’s Creed outfits. If you didn’t find the screenshots thrilling, here is the AC trailer…you might find thrilling. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: I really don’t understand the point of these cross game costume…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Your Girlfriend or DotA? An Online Love Story.
It could be a complete fabrication. Or it could be a true story. Regardless, a love story is making the rounds online in China. It’s not just any love story. It deals with addiction, DotA, and one decisive match. The boyfriend in the story, as website Tech In Asia pointed out, seems like a jerk.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku East
From Persona to Baseball Hot Pants
Lisa Yoshiki sure is busy. When not cosplaying as virtual idol Hatsune Miku in glossy magazines, she’s appearing on stage in the recent Persona theatrical play. And when she’s not doing that? She’s doing other things, like appearing at Japanese baseball games. Yoshiki, who grew up wanted to be a manga artist, recently threw out…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku East
China Gets Its First Female Street Fighter Champ
Xiao Zhao became her country’s first female Street Fighter champion after coming out on top at a Super Street Fighter IV: AE v2012 tournament. Playing as Dhalsim, she defeated her competition at the Nanning Mario Arcade Center in Guangxi last month. Her prize? Besides self-satisfaction and that large cardboard cutout, Xiao Zhao was awarded an…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku East
North Korea Has a Tractor Simulator. It’ll Plough the Fields of Your Mind.
The wizards in North Korea created this: a computerized simulator that teaches students how to drive a tractor. It may not be pretty (it’s certainly not), but goodness, doesn’t it look amazing? This photo was taken at the Samjiyon Schoolchildren’s Palace in Samjiyon, North Korea. It’s an institution that specializes in after school programs for…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012
Brian Ashcraft
Brian Ashcraft's posts