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4Chan Used to Promote a Japanese Manga (Well, Sorta)
In Japan, it’s not uncommon for books and manga to be promoted with Japanese internet forums, such as 2chan. Retailers and publishers might put stickers or banners that say something is popular online. But, as website World Three pointed out, they’ve expanded. At the bottom of Japanese manga It’s Not My Fault I’m Not Popular,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
Nintendo’s New Voice Recognition Software Being Tested in Japan
Nintendo is working with mobile phone carrier NTT on new voice recognition tech that can convert spoken words into text. The tech is aimed at students with disabilities. Words are converted to text, and the data is stored and accessed through the cloud, allowing students to also review and study later as well as see…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
How a Mickey Mouse Parody Killed a Fan Game
In Japan, “doujin” titles are the video game equivalent of fan fiction. A very, very small percentage of doujin game developers go pro. The vast majority is confided to making fandom for fun. Because of that, many Japanese game companies look the other way. Disney is not a Japanese game company, and Disney is so…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
Is This the Smallest Game Boy Ever Made?
The original Game Boy was big enough to fit in an enormous pocket. This Game Boy is big enough—make that, small enough—to clean your teeth. Measuring 0.02mm by 0.1mm, this Game Boy cannot play video games of course, but it does have drawn on buttons and a screen. It’s smaller than a one yen coin…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
A Shirtless Man Holding Large, Pointy Objects
Elffi is the pride of Finnish cosplay. The 23 year-old, who is currently studying business management, represented his country at the World Cosplay Summit in Japan—which is like the Olympics of cosplay. Whether it’s Final Fantasy: Dissidia or Bleach, Elffi finds a way to bring these Japanese creations to life by either taking off his…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
Playing Against Napoleon Dynamite on Xbox Live Needs Less Quizzing, More Tater Tots
Famous people are just like you and me. They put on pants one leg at a time. Some of them love video games and enjoy mixing it up on Xbox Live. But the vast majority of them don’t advertise their superstar online. Though, some celebrities have such recognizable voices, that the moment they open their…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
This Custom Portal 2 Toy Has Its Eye on You
The work of custom toy creator Christian Hooton is no stranger to Kotaku. Whether it’s StarCraft or Portal, Hooton’s craftsmanship dazzles. Check out his latest creation: a 7-inch Portal 2 Wheatley light-up toy. Hooton worked about a month to finish the Wheatley, which is made from lightweight plastic and has a moveable center “eye” that…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
Pac-Man in Lights
Puck | Long exposure photos taken with friends. (Photo: Eric Deitz | SeeSpotRun) Nintendo Network Announced; Digital Distribution of Games Envisioned Hinted at in the boxshot of a 3DS game last week, the Nintendo Network was formally announced by the Japanese games maker today in a meeting with investors. More » The Other Brothers Aren’t Called…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
Cosplaying Politician Versus Cosplaying as a Politician
Cosplay is a way for people to escape. It’s a way for people to take on another personality and be something that they are not, whether that ‘s a game character, an anime character, or in Kumiko Hayakawa’s case, a ring girl in a boxing match. Hayakawa, who attended California State University in Sacramento, is…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
PixelJunk Venturing from PSN to Steam
Kyoto-based Q-Games revealed today that its PSN title PixelJunk Eden would be headed to Steam. Priced at US$9.99, the Steam version will include the game’s “Encore” DLC pack. Eden‘s full 17-song soundtrack, which includes unreleased tracks, will be available via DLC for $5.99. For the Steam version, the game has been retuned. The Grimp, the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
Let’s Help Nintendo Re-Name the Wii U!
While the Wii U will finally bring HD gaming to a Nintendo and sports some neat onboard tech, there’s one big problem: it has a stupid name. It really does. Wii U? Bwah? The moniker is bound to cause confusion among customers. Try explaining to your grandmother the difference between a Wii and a Wii…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
SoulCalibur Poster Is as Subtle as Ass Cheeks in the Face Can Be
And you thought the giant boobs were crass? Ha! This is another advert for upcoming fighting game SoulCalibur V. It’s cheeky. Literally. The ad copy isn’t subtle, either. Over the thonged butt, it reads, “The series’ greatest masterpiece” in Japanese, a statement that later might prove more controversial than the giant ass depicted. As commenter…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
How Do You Like These Apples? These Flying Apples?
Gravity Rush, née Gravity Daze in its native Japan, is a stunner. So is this ad, which features a schoolgirl, an old lady, and floating apples. Sony Computer Entertainment sent sister site Kotaku Japan an apple to promote the game. Check out photos in the gallery and more in the link below. Slated for a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
From Grand Theft Auto to Dancing Pudding
Everybody’s got to start somewhere. For fashion blogger turned singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, it was the streets of chic Harajuku where she first made her biggest splash. Like so many hipster Harajuku kids, her fashion was cutting edge—outrageous, even. But unlike so many hipster kids, she didn’t shy from shilling an Xbox 360 game, a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
Report: Student Used His DSi Camera for Underwear Photos. Dick Pics, Too.
In 2004, when Nintendo originally launched the Nintendo DS with its PictoChat feature, it wasn’t uncommon for people to doodle dicks. Then Nintendo put a camera on the DSi, and the inevitable happened: penis photos. According to Japanese site ZakZak, which is running a story from Spa!, a tabloid, about teachers’ stories “unbelievable things” Japanese…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
Nintendo Is Releasing a “Totally New” 3DS Mario Sidescroller
In the last few months, Nintendo put out a couple of Mario games—namely, Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. But Nintendo isn’t finished. There’s another Mario title on the horizon; it wasn’t publically known until today. At a recent analyst meeting, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata explained that Nintendo is working on many titles…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
How the Wii U Could Change the Way You Shop. Forever.
The Nintendo Network is the Kyoto-based game maker’s upcoming service that envisions digital game distribution and, most likely, downloadable content. Nintendo is outfitting the Wii U controller with tech that could radically change the way gamers shop. “A big feature regarding the Wii U’s controller is that we decided to embed it with NFC functionality,”…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2012 -
Back When Sega Had Hard Hats
Sonic | SAN FRANCISCO: A Sega of America exec posed with Mayor Willie Brown at Sega’s then new headquarters back in 1999. (Photo: AP Photo/Court Mast, ho) Do Apple, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo Really Care? Do We? For Westerners, the conditions are shocking. Workers slave away for hours on end, pulling overtime, until their legs…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 26, 2012
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