Kotaku East

Nintendo Ends Support for Original DS in Japan

In Japan, Nintendo said that starting next month, it will no longer support the original “phat” Nintendo DS. The Nintendo DS launched in Japan in December 2004, eventually causing a sensation after its dog-rearing and brain-training games exploded in popularity. The original Nintendo DS became so popular in 2006 that Nintendo DS units were imported…

The Up-All-Night Stream Plays Digimon World: Next 0rder [Stream Over]

Well, I enjoyed the last game and the new anime. So let’s see how enjoyable the newest romp in the digital world will be with Digimon World: Next Order. [Update: The stream is over, but you can watch it in its entirety at the links below.] Part 1 Part 2 Digimon World: Next Order was…

15 Singing Robots Sounds Like a Choir From Hell

Here it is. The soundtrack for the inevitable robot insurrection. You know, when they rise up and kill us all. Via Culture Lab, we have fifteen Pepper robots singing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. And plotting our demise. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea,…

Keep Your VR Headset Clean, The Japanese Way

Your face can get grimy. So can other people’s. Disposable sanitary guards for VR headsets sound like a very good idea. Our colleagues at Gizmodo Japan previously spotted “VR Masks” at SXSW, and they can now be purchased for sets of 100 masks for 2,980 yen or US$27. These masks are specifically for VR demos,…

Turning Photos into Anime Images

Twitter user ujr50138 has uploaded some images showing how photos can be turned into anime stills, thanks to the power of Photoshop. These effects can be achieved by lowering the brightness, but increasing the contrast and adding in blue shadows to show reflected light. Adding in yellow-green and blue highlights to vegetation also helps give…

Ace Attorney’s First Episode is a Cheap-Looking But Loyal Adaptation

With five main games and four meaty spin-offs, the only thing surprising about Ace Attorney getting an anime is that it took this long to happen. Too bad it’s not exactly the prettiest one out there. Episode one follows the first case of our hero Phoenix Wright as he defends his best friend, Larry, from…

The Inevitable Sailor Moon Hamburger

It’s very, very pink. The pink buns, we’ve seen before on Kotaku. And in Japan in recent years, other characters (here and here, for example) have been turned into burgers. This is the latest. Starting on April 16, a Sailor Moon-themed cafe is opening in Tokyo’s Roppongi for a limited time. Included on the menu…

Dragon Ball‘s Newest Super Saiyan Name Was a Mistake

The newest Super Saiyan form is Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan. Which sounds silly, yes. That’s why, as Kotaku previously reported, it was changed in the manga. Now the most recent Dragon Ball Super is following suit. As mentioned before, a Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan is when a Saiyan gets the power of a…

Japanese Company Apologizes for 9 Cent Price Increase

Akagi Nyugyo Co. is apologizing for increasing the price of its long-selling ice treat Gari-Gari Kun. Starting April this month, each popsicle’s price will be raised from 60 yen to 70 yen. This is the first price hike in 25 years. Sorry about that! As the Mainichi News points out, Akagi isn’t the only company…

Shinjuku Streets. Tokyo, Japan. By Dodong Dela Cruz. 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!

Track: Run Away | Artist: Alexandros | Album: Run Away / Oblivion Single

Buy Official Final Fantasy XV Clothing for Thousands of Dollars

Final Fantasy XV might be a fantasy based on reality, but making that fantasy real sure is expensive. Japanese fashion designer Roen created in-game outfits for the game and even was working on the title back when it was Final Fantasy Versus XIII. As Fashion Press reports, the official site went up yesterday, March 31.…

And Now, Godzilla Versus Evangelion

I’m rather reluctant to call this an April Fools joke. Usually, Japanese companies are super incredibly clear about labeling stuff as an April 1st gag. This hit earlier today, appearing on the official Evangelion site as the “most maximum collaboration of 2016.” So, that’s what it is, really. A tie-up between two different properties, which…

Japan’s Best April Fools Jokes of 2016

Today is April 1st. Know what that means? Internet hijinks everywhere online, including in Japan. For the past few years, the country has done a solid job with April Fools (you can see previous coverage here and here), and this year is no exception. Here’s a roundup of some of this year’s standout gags. Drone…

Night View. Bangkok, Thailand. By Pierre Aden 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!

The Back to the Future Ride Is Officially Dead

The last remaining Back to the Future ride in the world is closing this spring. Back to the Future: The Ride will be no more. According to Cinema Today, Universal Studios Japan in Osaka will shutter the attraction on May 31. The ride opened at Universal Studios Florida in 1991 and Universal Studios Hollywood two…

Miitomo gets its first commercial in Japan, which features schoolgirls (of course!). In the ad, one teen finds out that, unbeknownst to others, her friend is a professional wrestler. The commercial’s tagline then asks if you really know your friends.

Chrono Trigger’s Techs Get a 3D Update

I’ve already talked about how I Am Setsuna’s battle system shares more than a little in common with classic JRPG Chrono Trigger. But it’s not just the battle system. Quite a number of Chrono Trigger’s techs show up remastered in I Am Setsuna as well. Let’s compare, shall we? X-Strike Double Cure Fire Sword Ice…

In the Cemetery. Kyoto, Japan. By GiantBoyDetective 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!

Married Life Suits Master Thief Lupin III

What happens when the world’s greatest thief gets married? A whole lot more than he bargained for. Lupin the 3rd Part 4 is the story of Lupin and the gang’s adventures in Italy. It begins with his marriage and soon devolves into a battle against MI6 for a treasure of unspeakable value—with Lupin’s new bride…