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Kotaku EastJapanHow Japanese Arcades Are Trying To Protect Against The Novel Coronavirus
Japanese arcades are places where people gather. But in the age of covid-19, that’s difficult, especially with machines so close together and players touching the same buttons and joysticks. The novel coronavirus has hurt business for arcades. Mikado, above, had to launch a crowdfunding effort to help make up for lost income. As noted on…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 21, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanAttack On Titan Live-Action Actor Haruma Miura Dies At 30
On July 18, actor Haruma Miura was found dead in his Tokyo apartment. He was 30 years old. As Mainichi Daily News reports, Miura made his debut as a child actor on a 1997 morning drama series, and went on to win the newcomer award at the Japan Academy Film Prize for his role in…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 20, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanKyoto Animation: Don’t Visit The Location Of The 2019 Arson Tragedy
In July 2019, Kyoto Animation’s Studio 1 building was set ablaze, leaving 36 people dead. The studio has since been demolished. Today, Kyoto Animation issued a press release, asking fans not to visit the site. “Any entry into the premises of Kyoto Animation 1st Studio is prohibited without permission,” reads the release. “Since the vicinity…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanUltraman Themed Suit Is Serious Business
In the Ultraman series Ultraseven, there is an elite defense force known as Ultra Garrison. Japanese clothing brand Takeo Kikuchi is selling a suit modeled after the group’s uniform. Here is a comparison with the Ultra Garrison uniform, courtesy of Pure Invention author Matt Alt. The suit has all sorts of neat little Ultraseven details.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 17, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanCompany Is Sorry For Making Crappy Figures
IA and ONE are popular Vocaloid singing voice synthesizer characters in Japan. To celebrate their birthdays, a pair of new figures have gone on sale in Japan. They’re relatively expensive and, well, apparently not very good. Each figure is priced at around 35,000 yen ($327). Above is concept art, and below is what fans are…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 16, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanPet Fish Is Trying To Finish A Pokémon Game
If you think finishing a Pokémon game takes a long time, try playing one as a pet fish. That’s exactly what one pet fish in Japan is doing. Mutekimaru Channel is tracking fish Mutekimaru (aka Maurice) as it makes its way through Pokémon Ruby. As Soranews notes, the fish is obviously not aware it is…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 16, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanThink Spider-Man, But With Plastic Bags
In Spider-Man, Peter Parker invented devices worn on his wrists known as web-shooters. Twitter user Tsukasa-3D invented his own shooters, but for shopping bags. Recently in Japan, even convenience stores have started charging customers for plastic bags and to avoid paying these charges, people need to bring their own. Using a 3D printer, Tsukasa-3D created…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 14, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanBathe In Red Water At The Evangelion Hot Springs
This month, the Hakone Kowakien Yunessun resort in Kanagawa, Japan rolled out a special Evangelion themed hot springs. In Evangelion, the Second Impact is a huge explosion in Antarctica after which the oceans run red with “blood.” At this onsen (hot springs) resort, the water in the slides and cave baths are colored red. This…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 9, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanJapan’s Roller Coaster Screaming Ban: “Please Scream Inside Your Heart”
As Japanese theme parks start to reopen, guidelines have been issued to (hopefully!) help ensure a safe experience for visitors, including visitors being asked not to scream on roller coasters. According to The Wall Street Journal, a video message tells park visitors, “Please scream inside your hearts.” Previously, Kotaku reported that haunted houses in Japan…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 9, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanAnime Weathering With You Gets Its Own Official Motorbike
Last year’s hit anime Weathering with You is getting its own Honda motorbike. The company’s iconic Super Cub appeared in the animated feature film, and later this month, a real-world version is going on sale in Japan. The Weathering with You motorobike is available for the Super Cub 50 and the Super Cub 110 variants,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 8, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanSega Announces Mini Arcade Cabinet Filled With 36 Games
Today, Sega Toys has announced a miniature version of its iconic Astro City arcade cabinet. The latest in a string of mini hardware, it will be released in Japan this December and come packed with 36 games. The Astro City Mini is priced at 12,800 yen ($119). According to Sega’s official release, the Astro City…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 7, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanBaki the Grappler, But In The Flesh
Long-running manga Baki the Grappler recently got a new anime adaptation on Netflix. It follows the exploits of macho Baki Hanma in the underground fighting world. Imagine Baki for real, minus the brutal battles but with the muscles. Meet bodybuilder Naotaka Yokokawa. The resemblance between Baki and Yokokawa has been pointed out on Twitter, and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 7, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanBuggy Switch Game Pulled After Using Zelda Music Without Permission
On July 2, open-world game Final Sword was released on the Japanese Nintendo eShop. Players soon noticed something familiar. The background music sounded like “Zelda’s Lullaby.” Have a listen for yourself. Compare to “Zelda’s Lullaby.” According to Automaton, Final Sword has been removed from the eShop after using Zelda music without permission. HUP Games, Final…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 7, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanDragonball Figures Look Even Cooler With New Paint Jobs
Know how to make already badass Dragonball figurines and statues look even better? Have some incredibly talented artists add a new coat of paint. Previously, we’ve seen anime-style paint on Gundam models, and today, let’s look at them on Dragonball—namely, let’s see how repainting the statues and figurines can make them even cooler. Below are some…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 6, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanLet’s Check In On Japan’s Latest Giant Gundam Statue
Japan’s newest giant Gundam is being erected near Yokohama’s Chinatown in the Yamashita Futo harbor in a special area that will be called The Gundam Factory. The 59-foot moving Gundam will have walkways, allowing visitors to get up close to the statue. Above is a CG video imagining what the finished giant Gundam will look like.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanThere’s A VR Mega Man Experience In Japan
Starting July 18, a VR Mega Man (aka Rockman in Japan) will be playable at the Plaza Capcom shot in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro. At the Plaza Capcom location, there’s a permanent VR corner, where people can experience Rockman VR: Aimed At The Virtual World In the VR game, players don a headset created by Dr. Light…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 3, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanA Giant Evangelion Statue For Only $14,700
This month a 6.5 foot Evangelion Unit-01 will be released in Japan. It’s priced at 1.58 million yen or $14,708.62. Available for order online, the limited-edition statue, made by Kaiyodo, was shown earlier this year at the Wonder Fes in Japan. Famed figure sculpture Shinobu Matsumura created the original statue, which was then scanned for…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanStudent Arrested For Allegedly Threatening To Bomb Konami, Kill Employees
In Tokyo, police have arrested a second-year high school student for allegedly threatening to bomb Konami headquarters. According to Yomiuri, the 16-year-old suspect is accused of making these threats between June 16-18 on the review section of an online app store. (Yomiuri did not specify which one.) Mainichi reports that the game in question is…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 1, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanThe Real-Life Go-Karting Company Nintendo Sued Didn’t Meet Crowdfunding Goal
A crowdfunding site was launched in Japan to support the karting company Nintendo sued for intellectual property infringement. The global pandemic has significantly affected the Japanese tourism industry, impacting the rental kart company, which was previously called Maricar. Earlier this year, the company was ordered to pay Nintendo 50 million yen ($458,000) for violating the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 1, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanNew Giant Evangelion Attraction Opening In Japan
This October, Eva Kyoto Base will open at Toei Kyoto Studio Park in Kyoto. The attraction features 49-foot-tall Evangelion Unit-01 bust with a photo spot for visitors. Via Oricon, these press photos feature maiko, decked out in beautiful kimono. Because Kyoto, I guess! There is also a cockpit photo spot as well, and according to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 29, 2020