Kotaku East

A Fighting Game Hoax Makes News In Japan

A temp staffer for Ota City, Japan held a press conference at city hall this week, announcing that he had recently won a fighting game tournament in Paris, France. The man now admits this was a lie. Several Japanese papers reported the story, with the man claiming he had won 3 million yen (US$29,776) for…

That’s How We Travel. Hue, Vietnam. By Kevin Leong. JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line!

New Danganronpa V3: Minna no Koroshiai Shingakki (New Danganronpa V3: A New Semester for Everyone’s Killing Life) has a release date, reports the latest issue of Famitsu The PS4 and PS Vita title will be out in Japan on January 12, 2017. No word yet on a Western release date.

Studio Ghibli’s New Movie Isn’t Doing Well In Japan

The Red Turtle is Studio Ghibli’s latest release. So far, it’s not exactly a hit in Japan. The movie, which was directedby Dutch animator Michael Dudok de Wit, opened on September 17 in the country. Yahoo! Japan reports that it didn’t crack the top ten at the box office. The movie’s official Japanese website is…

Cambugahay Falls. Siquijor, Philippines. By Aaron Baggett JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line!

Zoids (remember Zoids?) are getting a “new project” in Japan, teases a new Takara Tomy website, which says it’s “coming soon.”

New Japanese Game Labels Enemies As “Immigrants”

As pointed out on NeoGAF, the invading giant ants and spiders in Earth Defense Force 5 are called “immigrants.” With the recent refugee crisis and anti-immigrant attitudes worldwide, this might not be the best word choice. It’s understandable why people outside Japan might wonder about this naming. It’s also understandable that Japanese game developers might…

One-Punch Man Anime Gets A Second Season

Did you like the One-Punch Man anime? Good news, because they’re making another season. Details are scants, but the anime’s official Twitterconfirmed the announcement. One-Punch Man debuted as a web comic, but went on to spawn a manga in 2012, while the Madhouse anime originally debuted in fall 2015. Kotaku East is your slice of…

Ten Letdowns for Foreigners Visiting Japan

Have you ever been to Japan? If so, maybe you had a swell time. Maybe you had an awful time. Let’s see if any of your complaints match up to this poll. Back in 2014*, respected newspaper Nikkei asked one hundred foreigners visiting Japan to name what they found disappointing about their trip. With the…

Dead or Alive Xtreme 3‘s VR update has been delayed, reports Famitsu. It was slated for release on October 13 in Japan, and Tecmo Koei did not give a reason for the delay. The VR update’s release is now TBA.

At This Japanese Bar, You Drink And Play In A Ball Pit

As a kid, I remember the Chuck E. Cheese’s ball pit being fun. A new bar called Ball Pool Bar Dive in Osaka recreates that experience for boozy adults. Earlier this year, a pop-up ball pit bar opened in San Francisco for two days. This new ball pit bar in Osaka, however, isn’t a pop-up…

When World of Warcraft Is A Family Secret 

For World of Warcraft: Legion’s South Korean launch, Blizzard released a series of tongue-in-cheek dramatic clips between a father and son. The clips are subtitled, so be sure to turn on the English if necessary. As pointed out by tipster Sang, Blizzard Korea did the same for Hearthstone, and you can watch those below. Kotaku…

Marugame Castle. Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. By Wilhelm Donko. JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line!

Japan Creates LED Basketball Court For Pro League 

This week in Japan, a new pro basketball league is getting underway, and tonight’s game between Alvark Tokyo and the Ryukyu Golden Kings is being played on an LED court. It’s nuts. The court for the inaugural B. League game at Yoyogi National Gymnasium is covered with LED light panels. A few years back, Nike…

The 80-Year-Old Japanese Man Who Plays Dark Souls II

When I’m 80, I sure hope I’m this cool. Last year, Osaka television program Yo~i Don! introduced a barber named Kiyoshi Kasan who enjoys Dark Souls II. This year, he’s once again been interviewed by Japanese TV. The top image, uploaded by Twitter user touketu16, shows Mr. Kasan playing Dark Souls II at home. Out…

The Cardboard Dragon Ball Z Costume You’ve Always Wanted

This might be one of the best Vegeta costumes you can buy. That is, if it doesn’t rain. The folks behind that cardboard samurai armor are now releasing cardboard Vegeta costumes for both children and adults. According to Biglobe, the child’s outfit is 3,480 yen (US$34), while the adult one is 3,980 yen ($39). Both…

The Berserk manga is reportedly going on hiatus. This comes after it returned to publication with the 38th volume, which was published this June, after an earlier hiatus. The Berserk manga is expected to return in early 2017.

Japan Sure Loves Buying Persona 5

On September 15, Persona 5 was released in Japan. Did you get it? Loads of people in Japan did, so let’s check out its first week sales numbers. Via 4Gamer, here are the top ten selling titles for the week of September 12 to September 18. (Note that these are retail sales figures.) 10. BioShock:…

A Serious Look at Big Anime Eyes

Kyoto Animation is one of Japan’s most famous anime studios. Besides its shows, the studio is famous for another thing: large eyes. This piece originally appeared 10/21/15. Many anime characters have abnormally large eyes. And many studios in Japan have their own house style. Kyoto Animation is no exception! What’s interesting is that the anime…

Miyazaki Gives Clear Answers On The Future Of Dark Souls, Armored Core

During a recent round table at Namco Bandai headquarters in Tokyo, I asked From Software’s Hidetaka Miyazaki about the future of Dark Souls, as well as what else the studio is working on. The good news is yes, a new Armored Core is coming. The bad news is that, at least for the foreseeable future,…