-
Kotaku East
Girls Plus Hardware Equals Hardware Girls
Photographer and pin-up model Julie Watai, whom Kotaku has featured before, is releasing a magazine version of her Hardware Girls photos. The photos feature girls with old game consoles, arcade circuit boards, PC parts, and other various electronics. You know, hardware. Osaka-born Watai is not only a big nerd and popular pin-up model, she’s a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Nine Ways Japanese Women Know You Are a “Creepy” Otaku
Some of you are nerds. That’s fine. Some of you are not. Likewise—fine. But for the geeky male readers out there, not all members of the opposite sex are going to be down with your peculiarities. According to Japanese site Sugoren, here are nine ways that Japanese women can instantly spot “creepy” otaku. Sugoren also…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2012 -
Nintendo Flirted With 3D, HD Displays for Wii U Controller
This holiday, the Wii U, Nintendo’s upcoming game console, goes on sale. The Kyoto-based game maker revealed the machine last summer and continues to provide new details about the consoles; however, there is still so much that’s unknown. Nintendo’s Wii U patent fillings recently surfaced, providing a look at what the company was planning. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2012 -
Nice Prinny Hats!
Disgaea | TOKYO, JAPAN: Developer Gamania is developing a casual game called Phantom Brave. (Photo: Game Impress Watch) New Details about Resident Evil 6 Emerge Details about Resident Evil 6 are super scant. Today, however, that changes. Today, they are simply scant as the game’s developer shed some more light on the title, providing more…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Fukushima Ghost Towns
On March 11, a devastating earthquake and tsunami rocked Japan. In its wake, the country’s Northeast was ravaged. Buildings and lives were destroyed and lost. Photographer Satoru Niwa documented the days following the disaster in late March 2011. Some of the photos show the extent of the quake and ensuing tsunami’s destruction. The resulting images,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Look, It’s Persona 4 in Living Flesh
Japanese role-playing game Persona 4 is being turned into a hardcore porno. This is not the cast of that flick. Sorry! Instead, these are the folks starring in the Persona 4 stage show. Called Visualive Persona 4, the show combines movie-style special effects with a live performance. Visualive Persona 4 opens next March at the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Leaked Far Cry 3 Trailer Gives Release Date
A leaked German Far Cry 3 dates the game for a Sept. 6 release. The trailer is CG and a longer version of a previously released teaser. If real, it’s unclear whether the release is worldwide or Europe-only. Kotaku is following up to confirm with Ubisoft. Watch the full trailer in the link below and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japan Isn’t All Neon Lights
There’s a tired stereotype that Japan looks like Blade Runner. Sure, some parts do, but the vast majority of the country doesn’t. While most of Japan isn’t terribly exciting (not necessarily a bad thing!), it sure is pretty. This is a picture about three minutes from my house. I live in a modern and, for…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Maids Entice Young Men to Give Blood
In Japan, you expect to see maids in cute cafes, slinging coffee and rice omelets. But for two days earlier this week, they popped up in an unexpected location: a blood donation center. This winter the blood donated for transfusions is short. That’s why a center in Fukuyama decided to bring in four young maids…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
New Details about Resident Evil 6 Emerge
Details about Resident Evil 6 are super scant. Today, however, that changes. Today, they are simply scant as the game’s developer shed some more light on the title, providing more info about the upcoming title. As previously revealed in the game’s trailer, Resident Evil 6 is set in China. Today, Capcom revealed that the setting…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Square Enix Setting Up Shop in India
Square Enix is starting operations in India and is staffing up. If you speak Japanese and Hindi, and have an awesome hairdo, apply! (That last part is not a staff requirement—just a game character one.) [Square Enix Japan]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Cosplayer Feels Heat For Flashing Taiwanese Police Car
While Japanese cosplayer Ushijima Ii Niku (“Good Meat”) was in Taiwan, she caused a media storm after showing up to an event in her underpants. The incident even made the evening news there. But that’s not what is pissing of the country’s police force. Ushijima posed for a photo in front of a Taipei squad…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Jackets So Badass, They’ll Punch Your Teeth In
Yesterday, Japanese game designer Hideo Kojima posted a photo of himself wearing the jacket actor Ryan Gosling wore in the movie Drive. But Kojima, best known for his Metal Gear games, didn’t call it a “jacket”. No, the famed designer called the coat something else: a sukajan. Sukajan (スカジャン) are colorful jackets with embroidered designs…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Armed Cops Called over Call of Duty Game
When the S.W.A.T. arrived at a North Texas home in Lewisville, there were told a shooter was in the house. There was, but it wasn’t the shooter the police expected. It was a kid playing Call of Duty: Black Ops. On Monday a little after 5pm, a teenage boy was playing Call of Duty: Black…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2012 -
Metal Gear Online Is Dead
Launching back in 2008 with Metal Gear Solid 4, Metal Gear Online, the online Metal Gear spin-off, had 1.3 million members at one point in 2009. This summer, Metal Gear Online is going offline. The game’s service is finished, Konami stated today. On June 21, the MGO‘s in-game client will come to an end. But…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This Chocolate Isn’t Painful. It’s Sweet and Dorky.
You know “itasha”, right? It means “painmobile” and refers to cars covered in nerdy stickers. These days, everything that has been covered with nerdy imagery—from Shinto plaques to bicycles—seems to get the “ita” label in Japan. Heck, there are even “itachoco” this Valentine’s Day. I guess a literal translation would be “painful chocolate”. Check out…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 14, 2012
Brian Ashcraft
Brian Ashcraft's posts