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New Disney Movie Features an 8-Bit Arcade Villain. Have a Look
Disney’s upcoming Wreck-It-Ralph is “the story of an arcade game Bad Guy determined to prove he can be a Good Guy.” Rich Moore, an animation director whose credits include The Simpsons, Futurama and The Critic, is directing. John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch are lending their vocal talents to the flick,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
I’m With Leathers
Leathers | TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Sony showed off the PS Vita and Shinobido 2 in Taipei recently. (Photo: Game Watch Impress) Inside a Chinese Hacking Den Located in a South China shopping mall, this shop doesn’t merely “fix” consoles. It fixes them so they can run pirated games. Common throughout the country, the “Chinese pirates hacking…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
Idol’s Mother Arrested for “Obscene Acts” with Junior High Student
The 44-year-old mother of singer Minami Takahashi was arrested for obscene acts with a 15-year-old boy. Takahashi, 20, is a member of AKB48, the country’s most popular female pop group and, CNET reported, a US$200 million enterprise. According to Jiji Press (via The Tokyo Reporter), the mother, pictured above, told police, “I was compelled to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
From Mecha Girls to Mecha Men, Fancy Frontier Had It All
A Japanese cosplayer wearing a NSFW costume grabbed all the headlines at the recent Fancy Frontier event in Taipei. But that wasn’t the only game, I mean costume, in town. There were an array of outfits on display that included what must be the first cosplay I’ve ever seen of Sega arcade game Boarder Break.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
Kotaku East
True Crime Gets a New Name, Lets Sleeping Dogs Lie
After the True Crime reboot was canned, Square Enix brought the Activision title, back from the dead. However, as Kotaku reported back in Aug. 2011, the game, then True Crime: Hong Kong, would not bear the name True Crime Today, in Hong Kong, Square Enix revealed that the game is now known as Sleeping Dogs.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
This Asura’s Wrath Figure Will Punch Your Face In
Ah, Asura’s Wrath. The game that allows you to punch heavily armed Buddhas and giant elephants. If you are planning on picking up the game early in Japan, good news. Capcom is giving these statues to lucky customers who buy the game’s first pressing. The figure is limited to only one hundred pieces, meaning only…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
Final Fantasy Is Bringing Pricy DLC to the 3DS
While Nintendo’s said it would help ensure that DLC pricing isn’t unreasonable, Square Enix shows us the future. One downloadable song for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is ¥150 (US$1.95); all 8 tracks are ¥1,200 ($15.60) Not cheap! [忍之閻魔帳]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
Inside a Chinese Hacking Den
Located in a South China shopping mall, this shop doesn’t merely “fix” consoles. It fixes them so they can run pirated games. Common throughout the country, the “Chinese pirates hacking den”, as website China Underground called it, specializes in flashing (modding) Xbox 360 and hacking consoles like the PlayStation 3 and the Wii. Video game…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
Truly Nerdy Snow Sculptures
The Taj Mahal built in snow? Aizuwakamatsu Castle? Taiwan’s National Palace Museum in ice? Meh! (Okay, all these are pretty cool, but stick with me.) The Sapporo Snow Festival isn’t only frozen famous landmarks, it also showcases some of the geekiest snow sculptures on Earth. When statues aren’t falling on visitors—a rare occurrence—the Sapporo Snow…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
Game Blogger Finds Dating Hard with Enormous Dick
You might know Jonah Falcon from his freelance video game articles. Or his Talkin’ Xbox podcast. Or his 13.5-inch dong The video game blogger, who’s also an actor, appeared on TLC last fall (so long ago!) to discuss his love life and to go on a date. He hasn’t had a serious relationship since the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2012 -
R2-D2. A Girl on a Pink Bike. Ray-Bans. Where To Start?
Force It | TAIPEI, TAIWAN: This photo cuts quite the tableau. What’s with that glum Gus in the background? (Photo: Game Watch Impress) The Video Game Humans of the Future Should Look This Awesome A new console generation is almost upon us, not to mention a new era in PC gaming fidelity. We know better…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
Do You Want More Lollipop Chainsaw Violence? There’s a Switch!
In the Japanese “Premium Edition” of Lollipop Chainsaw, players can switch between a “D-rated” version a “Z-rated” (think Mature) version. The standard version is D-rated. Watch the game’s trailer here, complete with sparkles and vivisections. [ゲーム情報！ゲームのはなし]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
Virtual Idol’s Snow Sculpture Injured Elderly Lady for Real
Every winter, the Sapporo Snow Festival amazes visitors with snow sculptures. This year, a “Snow Miku” of virtual idol Hatsune Miku was erected. Today, it was destroyed after injuring a senior citizen. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, a 61 year-old woman from Tochigi Prefecture was sightseeing, visiting the festival, when the 3-meter (nearly 10-foot) statue…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
Sword-Swinging Heroine Totally Ripped Off
Saber, the protagonist of the Fate visual novel series, seems to be a bit of a bookworm. An unauthorized version of the character apparently popped up in this French language textbook. The internet sleuths got to work and were able to pinpoint the exact Saber photo the books supposedly swiped. See how they match up…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
Hello Kitty and…Hooters?
When you think “Hooters”, you might think of orange hot pants, buffalo wings, or, if you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan, retired catcher Darren Daulton (who married a Hooters icon). The one thing you do not think of is Hello Kitty—until now. The famous illustrated cat is doing a cross promotion with Hooters Japan. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Coming to PS Vita
Today via Twitter, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima revealed that the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, the remastered ports of MGS2 and MGS3, would be coming to the PS Vita. Above is apparently the first image of the PS Vita port, which will use the handheld’s touch controls. The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection was…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
It’s Cold. Time for Hot Panties.
February is always so cold in Japan. This winter has seen record snowfall across the country. Akihabara, Tokyo’s geek mecca, has a way to warm up: hot underpants. Earlier this month and for a limited time only, sex toy shop M’s Akihabara sold piping hot striped underpants. Priced at ¥800 (US$10.44), the hot panties came…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
Let’s Learn How To Put On Final Fantasy Make-Up!
If you’ve played Final Fantasy IX, you know Kuja is the main bad guy. Like many Final Fantasy characters, Kuja has a stylized appearance. This video is an in-depth look at how to recreate it. The individual in the video is Michael James, who’s been playing with make-up since the age of 15. Michael’s a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012 -
Who Needs Kissing Cosplay Ladies, When There Are Video Games
And those who don’t have video games, they have cell phones, soft drinks, and cat masks. Talk about being totally set. Just like this music game playing Pikachu guy. Set! 速報＠ゲーハー板 ver.19344 [2ch]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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