Japan

Earlier this year, The Pokémon Company released a handful of ASMR videos. Now they’ve released a new one. As Kotaku previously explained, auditory sensory meridian response, or ASMR, is a tingling sensation that comes from listening to certain sounds. 

The Anti-Mask Protesters And Covid-Deniers In Tokyo

In pre-pandemic Japan, mask-wearing was a way of life. If you got sick, the polite thing to do was wear a mask to avoid wearing infecting others. If you were suffering from seasonal allergies, you would don a mask to help protect yourself. Mask wearing was not uncommon. Even before covid, it was normal and…

Pokémon Go Player Arrested For Assaulting Friend

In Hokkaido, Japan, 56-year-old Kanehisa Satoh has been arrested after an alleged altercation with his 55-year-old friend over Pokémon Go. The two first met several years ago while playing Pokémon Go. The altercation broke out over a Gym in Pokémon Go while both were in a stopped car, reports Sankei. “I got pissed because he…

Check Out These Hello Kitty Hotel Rooms

While foreigners cannot really enter Japan at the moment and folks aren’t traveling, perhaps you, like me, are often going on vacation in your mind. I think about where I would like to go and where I would like to stay. For example, this Hello Kitty themed hotel room. As Time Out reports, the Asakusa…

Manga Writer Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault, Manga Pulled From Publication

Tatsuya Matsuki, the scribe behind manga Act-Age, has been arrested for alleged sexual assault against a middle-school girl in Tokyo. According to Sankei (via Tokyo Reporter), the 29-year-old groped the girl on her way home from cram school. She contacted the police, who checked the local security camera footage. Matsuki then became a person of…

The Photo Of The Giant Gundam Flipping Its Middle Finger Is Fake

Twitter user Yokkun has posted a public service announcement: the viral image of the giant Gundam flipping the bird is not real. The original image was taken by Yokkun, but was altered. “This image is fake,” Yokkun wrote, adding, “Others have modified the images I took.” Here are Yokkun’s unaltered photos. This latest giant Gundam…

In Japan, there is a chain of Pokémon Center retail shops. They also have an online shop, but the official Pokémon site is now warning of a phishing site, stealing personal info and credit card numbers. The correct URL is https://www.pokemoncenter-online.com. 

First Look At The Promised Neverland Live-Action Adaptation

As Kotaku previously reported, The Promised Neverland is getting a live-action adaptation that is slated for Japanese theaters later this year. The Promised Neverland tells the story of orphans who seem to be living a wonderful, happy life in which all their wants and needs are met. The truth, however, is far more sinister. The…

Live-Action Recreation Plays Homage To GTA, Yakuza, And Metal Gear Solid

YouTuber Komazawa Isolation took advantage of empty Shibuya streets to do a live-action open-world recreation that pays tribute to Grand Theft Auto, Yakuza, and Metal Gear Solid Have a look! It’s pretty great.

Ikki Tousen Anime Studio Declares Bankruptcy

The anime studio known as Arms has declared bankruptcy. It was best known for the Ikki Tousen (above) and Queen’s Blade anime. Ikki Tousen, originally a manga, was a battle anime in which schoolgirls’ uniforms become tattered during fights. It spawned PS2 and PSP games. Arms was founded in 1996, cutting its teeth on hentai…

Japan’s Latest Giant Gundam Is Glorious And Nearly Finished

Finally! Almost! Japan’s latest one-to-one scale Mobile Suit Gundam statue is nearly finished. This latest giant Gundam has gone up near Yokohama’s Chinatown in the Yamashita Futo harbor in a special area that will be called The Gundam Factory. Previously, we checked in on the statue in early June. It was coming along great Shinto…

Gaming Masks Help Fight Covid And Exist In Japan

Gaming products love LED. If a company wants to make a gaming PC, a gaming keyboard, or a gaming mouse, light-emitting diodes are a constant. So these “gaming masks” should be no surprise. According to Famitsu, these Illumi-on branded gaming mask covers are outfitted with LED lights charged by USB. They come in black and…

Sega Apologies After Producer Uses Slang To Mock Puzzle-Game Esports Pros

On a recent Sega livestream, Yakuza executive director and producer Toshihiro Nagoshi talked about the company’s iconic puzzle game Puyo Puyo. During the discussion, he said that Puyo Puyo esports players were “serious-looking kids.” He then hemmed and hawed, chuckled, and said that these pros seemed like they eat beef bowls with cheese. Beef bowls…

Street Fighter Pro’s Home Damaged After Freak Explosion [Update]

In Fukushima, Japan, a restaurant blew up in a freak accident. Street Fighter player Torimeshi, who signed a pro gaming contract last fall, lived right next door. In the above image, posted by Torimeshi, the red circle is his room. Thankfully, he was not at home with the restaurant blew up. Update 08/02/20 – 5:43…

Ghost of Tsushima‘s Kurosawa Tribute Is More Than Skin Deep

Ghost of Tsushima’s Kurosawa Mode is a black and white cinema-style filter that pays homage to the filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While it might seem like a surface-level nod to the Kurosawa films that inspired the game, the game reflects the famed filmmaker’s sensibility in more than just visual cues. Note: This article contains spoilers. Traditionally,…

Konami Launches A Line Of Gaming PCs

Besides developing video games, Konami has long making arcade, pachinko, and other amusement hardware. Now, add gaming PCs to that list. The PC gaming brand is called Arespear and features the tagline, “Advanced revolution of esports.” The name is from Greek mythology, combining “Ares” with the word “spear.” Currently there are three entries in the…

Yakuza Director Praises Ghost of Tsushima, Says Japan Should’ve Made It

Toshihiro Nagoshi, Sega’s executive director of the Yakuza games, has many good things to say about Ghost of Tsushima Ghost of Tsushima is a worldwide hit, and it has been well received in Japan. In a recent Sega livestream (via Hachima), Nagoshi was asked about his thoughts regarding the game’s success. “To be honest, we…

Dragon Ball Themed Sweets Coming To Family Mart In Japan

Wagashi (和菓子) are traditional Japanese sweets made with mochi and sweet fillings to be enjoyed with tea. This week, Dragon Ball themed confections are going on sale at Family Marts across Japan. As evident in the ad copy above, which claims “Japanese sweets for men,” this appears to be aimed at dudes. (M’kay!) Priced at…

Square Enix Wants To Release Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 As Soon As It Can

In April, Square Enix released Final Fantasy VII Remake. While speaking with Weekly Famitsu, the game’s developers revealed that part 2 is currently in production, picking up where the first remake left off. “While we are earnestly working on it [part 2],” co-director Naoki Hamaguchi told Famitsu, “we may make you wait, but please look…

The World’s Most Expensive Pokémon Card Breaks A New Auction Record

Last year, the ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator card sold for $195,000. That was the highest price paid for a Pokémon card. Until now. The Pikachu Illustrator card was given out to winners of a comic contest that was held in Japan in 1997-98. Thirty-nine of these cards were awarded, but only ten apparently still exist. Back…