Kotaku East

Hayao Miyazaki Confirms Princess Mononoke Urban Legend as Truth

There’s a long-standing urban legend that part of Princess Mononoke is really about leprosy. Now, the film’s creator, Hayao Miyazaki, confirmed that this was no legend. It’s a fact. The thematic element in Princess Mononoke that is most commonly discussed is nature, but there are other subtextual themes running through the work. [Image via rshijima…

In Yakuza 6, You Can Beat Up a Japanese Convenience Store

Yakuza 6 isn’t out yet, but holy crap, it already looks incredible. In this footage from the demo, Kazuma Kiryu walks in on a guy brandishing a knife at a convenience store clerk. The guy tells him to buzz off and orders his goons to beat Kiryu to death. So, Kiryu punches the hell out…

Japan, Where the PS Vita Won’t Die

This week, the biggest selling video game in Japan is for the PS Vita. While the handheld seems to be on its last legs in the west, here in Japan, it’s doing pretty well. According to the latest Weekly Famitsu, the PS Vita version of the enhanced remake Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, which launched on January…

Melon soda and donuts. Mister Donut in Japan. By Michael Chen Shaffer. 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!

Noragami Aragoto Is An Action Anime in a World of Gods and Spirits

When I reviewed the first season of Noragami a few years back, I had mixed feelings about it. However, that was only because I felt it could be great once it got past its opening missteps. Noragami Aragoto was all I hoped for and more. Much of Aragoto is spent focusing on the god Bishamon.…

Track: Makka | Artist: My Hair is Bad | Album: Hitomebore E.P. Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Just a Guy Snowboarding as Gundam

This is Nama Gundam. He likes to snowboard, dressed in Gundam gear. Bless him. The Osaka resident made his Mobile Suit himself. This isn’t only cosplay, but functional snowboarding wear. It seems cushioned, and I’m assuming it’s warm. Surely, carrying Gundam weaponry while snowboarding makes snowboarding more difficult, no? He has friends! They make up…

Making Japanese Superhero Shows Looks Exhausting

The great thing about Ultraman is that the series still uses good old fashioned special effects: people wearing suits, miniature cities, and dudes throwing as much dirt as they possibly can. The above GIF features a fight scene with Ultraman Victory. It was originally uploaded by the artist Kouji Tajima (if you like this and…

Sorry, You Don’t Like Yokai Watch More Than This Person

You might like Yokai Watch. You might have the games and the toys, but do you drive a Jibanyan vehicle? I doubt it! For the past few months, people in Japan have been been spotting a kei-truck that has a customized Jibanyan paint job. Jibanyan sucks at parking. GAH. Top image: kitcchi_1999 To contact the…

The Right Way to Make a Dragon Quest Mural

Right now, there is a giant Dragon Quest mural up in Tokyo’s Shinjuku. It’s apparently made completely from Diablock, which are basically Japanese LEGO. The blocks look like pixels, so if you are going to make a Dragon Quest mural, do it like this. Especially if you are Square Enix and also want to pull…

Nothing Like Seeing ‘Fuck It’ in a Major Japanese Newspaper

The Nikkei is one of the biggest, most respected newspapers in Japan. And today, it ran an ad with the words “Fuck It.” Hey! Not that there’s anything wrong with the words “fuck” or “it.” But this could be somewhat embarrassing for Nikkei, especially considering how last year, the paper bought the Financial Times as…

A Delicious Meal. Tokyo, Japan. By Stephanie Lindgren. 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 Music Videos Are My Favorite Part of Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem

When I started playing Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem, I expected a lot of things: summonable demons,Fire Emblem characters, turn-based RPG gameplay, etc. What I didn’t expect? A ton of animated music videos for the game’s rocking soundtrack. The plot of Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem revolves around a group of people dealing…

Linkle Is More Than The ‘Girl Version’ Of Link

When we first saw the concept art and game footage, we really didn’t have much to go on. Now, with Linkle’s debut appearance in the recently released Hyrule Warriors Legends, we do—she’s far more than just “girl Link.” Linkle is one of the new characters added to the 3DS version of Hyrule Warriors and did…

First Look at the Talking Pikachu Detective Game in Action

Hinted at back in 2013, Pikachu will play a talking detective in the upcoming 3DS game Great Detective Pikachu: The Birth of a New Duo. Today, we finally get to see the game’s debut teaser. The Japanese title is Meitantei Pikachu: Shin Konbi Tanjyou (“konbi” can also mean “combination” as well as “pair” or “team”).…

The Anime Trailer Hoax That Fooled People in Japan

Earlier today, a purported teaser for the fourth Evangelion movie appeared on YouTube. Loads of famous Japanese websites (hereand here, for example) quickly ran the trailer, and some people got very excited. Too bad it was all a hoax. “At last, the conclusion to the Evangelion series.” This says there will be an announcement on…

Iconic Japanese movie studio Nikkatsu is getting into the game business. It’s launching a new game label called Sushi Typhoon Games that is aiming for the international market. Details are scant, but it has announced its first game, Irezumi no Kuni (Tattoo Country).

The Secret Garden. Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan. By Sean Apodaca. 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!

McDonald’s Chocolate French Fries Don’t Taste Disgusting

To be honest, I didn’t think they would. Even if the sight of golden fries covered in white and dark chocolate doesn’t look or sound all that appetizing, these were not too bad. Recently in Japan, McDonald’s released what it’s calling “McFry Potato Chocolate Sauce.” They’re a medium order of fries but with two kinds…

There’s a Ninja Academy in Japan

Of course, there is. According to Otakuma and Hachima, this “Ninja Academy” is in Nara Prefecture. You learn the art of handling a katana, shuriken throwing, dart blowing, how to shoot old-fashioned firearms, Japanese archery, and more. Think of these as your learning tools, because that’s exactly what they are. [GIF via gokurakumann] The lessons…