For years, no, decades, a legend has sprung up around the title Final Fantasy. It says that Square, which was in dire straits, thought this was going to be its last game—hence, Final Fantasy. The game’s creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi, says that myth is wrong. As reported by Famitsu (via Game Kana), Sakaguchi recently gave a…
Destinies and names… So that’s what they were talking about. Mobius Final Fantasy was formerly titled Mevius Final Fantasy. However, in what appears to be in preparation for its international release, the name was changed, along with some other things Unfortunately, at present the only trailer available is the Japanese version, giving non-Japanese-speaking fans little…
You might think balloon art is kind of, I dunno, cheesy. Or just for kids. Not this, though. This is some next level balloon twisting. Below, you can see the work of balloon artist Matsumoto-san. There’s more than balloon animals (though, the balloon animals here are incredible), but also anime and video game characters. Be…
Kurashiki, Japan. By Mark Tica. 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!
When you visit Tokyo, there’s a list of places you must attend. Ganguro Cafe would very much like to be on that list. In Tokyo’s Shibuya, the ladies of Black Diamond have opened a “ganguro cafe and bar.” Black Diamond is a “gal circle,” and its members are into tanning, super-long fingernails, flashy clothing and…
In South Korea, several major media outlets have pointed out the same thing: the Japanese Terminator Genisys poster does not feature Korean actor Byung-hun Lee. Below, you can see the newly revealed Japanese poster: No Byung-hun Lee. Via The Korea Times, the country’s oldest English language newspaper, here’s how this is being reported in an…
The Nintendo 3DS gets a new color in Japan: Pearl White. It goes on sale on June 11. No word yet on an international release.
Artist Sam Kwok takes various Iron Man figures, repaints them, sculpts on elements, and makes some truly spectacular custom pieces. Via Kwok’s Facebookpage, you can see the different spin he’s put on the Hot Toys line of Iron Man figures. The detail in the Hot Toys is already incredible, but Kwok puts a creative—an fun—spin…
Right now, drink bottles across the world are fully exposed. They should probably cover up. Like so. According to Livedoor News, one of Japan’s largest news portals, these “bottle panties” or “bottle underpants” (ボトルのおぱんつ or botoru no opantsu) are going on sale in Japan in late May. These will be sold via capsule toy machines…
Track: Cue | Artist: YMO | Album: BGM Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment
One of the best things about each new anime season is the vast amount of new anime music that comes with it. And with so many anime this spring, there is a wealth of musical styles to enjoy. So here are ten of my favorite openings and endings—along with a few notes about why I…
Love it or hate it, there is no avoiding the fact that Sword Art Online is one of the most popular anime of the past few years. However, before you jump into the newest game tie-in, Sword Art Online: Lost Song, there’s more than a bit of lore to get caught up on first. To…
You know the point right before you drop on a theme park ride? Your heart is beating faster and tension is mounting, and then…whoosh. Imagine getting stuck at that point during an earthquake. Yesterday, there was a 5.5 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo. According to the WSJ and AP, there were no immediate reports of injuries…
When you think of Mario, you think of Nintendo. The two are linked so firmly in your mind it’s almost impossible to think that the beloved character’s games ever showed up on other systems. But it has happened—and more than once. Donkey Kong (1981-1988) The first Mario game (though he was only known as “Jumpman”…
Star Wars Battle Pod is the first Star Wars arcade game in years. I guess because playing it in game centers isn’t enough, Bandai Namco is selling it to the Japanese public. There’s a catch! And it’s the price. Update: Namco Bandai will be making the Battle Pods available for purchase in the U.S. and…
Hideaki Anno, creator Neon Genesis Evangelion, thinks that the Japanese animation industry’s days are numbered. In an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti (via EvaGeeks), Anno said the anime industry as we now know it will end in the next five to twenty years. Decline and “death” are unavoidable. Anno calls this only “a…
It looks like Nintendo is doing funny stuff on its official website with price listings to make its games look cheaper. Via Hachima, here is the official Nintendo Japanese site: Okay, so as people are pointing out online in Japan, Nintendo is listing the “tax not included” prices for its games. In Japanese, “tax not…
Yes. That’s right. Starbucks. After not having one for years, Tottori Prefecture finally got its first Starbucks this past Saturday. Across Japan, there are Starbucks all over the freaking place. But Tottori Prefecture was the final frontier for the American coffee chain. There are now Starbucks in every one of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Yay, globalism.…
Tecmo Koei renewed the trademark for Ni-Oh!, a game that was first announced back in 2005 and that still hasn’t been released. Ni-Oh! is based on an Akira Kurosawa script and running very, very late.
Track: Linda Linda | Artist: The Blue Hearts | Album: The Blue Hearts Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment
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