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Kotaku East
The One Piece “Mistake” People Are Talking About
The latest One Piece manga is out in the new issue of Weekly Jump. And in the above image from the magazine, there is what looks like an artist mistake. Try spotting it. Go on. Do it. Here’s the full image,. [Photo: onepiecesokuhou] For those who weren’t able to notice the mistake, Twitter user Takumi…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 3, 2015 -
Kotaku East
The Up All Night Stream Plays Kirby and the Rainbow Curse [All Done]
Back on the Wii, you saw everyone’s favorite pink blob turned into a ball of yarn. So now join me in his new Wii U adventure where he is a ball of clay. Update: The stream is now over but you can watch it in its entirety below. Watch live video from BiggestinJapan on Twitch…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published February 3, 2015 -
Kotaku EastFinal Fantasy XV, The Cat Simulator
Just as Square Enix used a “Dog Cam” to show off FFXV, it’s now using a “Cat Cam” to do the same. At the recent Taipei Game Show, a feline friend explored an in-game train station. The below video is from ETtoday: Here’s the same footage, but at a slightly higher resolution: While right now…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 3, 2015 -
Kotaku East
The Studio Ghibli Theme Park We Deserve
While you can visit Studio Ghibli, it’s not a theme park. It’s a museum (hence, the reason it’s called the Ghibli Museum). But what we really want is a proper Ghibli amusement park. Like this. As noted on 2ch, Twitter user Takumi created a map for what he calls “Tokyo Ghibliland.” Sure, it’s heavily modelled…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 3, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Pikachu Keeps Loners Company at Pokémon Cafe
For some folks, eating alone is awful. But not at the Tokyo Pokémon Cafe, where Pikachu will watch you eat. As noted on Naver, people visiting the cafe solo get to sit across from a plush toy Pikachu. [Photo: snivylover] [Photo: future39_miku] [Photo: alpacapaca] [Photo: tetsukire] [Photo: aimia492] The Pokémon Cafe isn’t the first to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Lupin the Third, A Visual Comparison
Over the forty years since the Lupin The Third’s debut, the characters have evolved. They’re different! And that’sexpected. Via Twitter k_sawada0731, let’s see how the characters in the original anime opening stack up with a modern take. The remade credits sequence appeared in Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan: The Movie, which was originally released…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Amazingly, Akame Ga Kill Managed to Win Me Over
When it reached its midpoint, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with Akame Ga Kill. However, by consistently bucking trends and subverting expectations, it won me over in the end. [Note: This review contains massive spoilers for Akame Ga Kill. For a non-spoiler look at the series, check out our review of the first half.] Good –…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published January 30, 2015 -
Kotaku East
The Sailor Scouts Don’t Look Half Bad as Retro Game Sprites
As I wait out the two-week period between episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal, I often find myself jonesing for my next fix, which leads me to strange places on the internet filled with wonderful things—like collections of mid-90s Sailor Moon game sprites. So if you ever wondered what Sailor Moon and the scouts looked like…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published January 30, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Dating Show Contestant Dresses Up as a Cat To Find Mr. Right
People are so superficial. That’s why one dating show contestant in China decided to hide her real appearance and dress up like a cat woman. As one does. The mysterious contestant appeared on dating program If You Are the One. It’s like watching a Khajiit character from Skyrim trying to make a love connection. According…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2015 -
Kotaku EastFinal Fantasy Explorers Is Crystal Chronicles Meets Monster Hunter
It’s time to team up and go hunt some of Final Fantasy‘s most iconic creatures. Good – Iconic Monsters There’s not a lot of plot to Final Fantasy Explorers. You make a character, come to the one town on a remote island, and receive quests from its inhabitants. The island itself is a macrocosm of…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published January 30, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Xenoblade Chronicles X Sounds Utterly Massive
Xenoblade Chronicles X is an upcoming big Wii U game. Literally. In a recent Famitsu interview (via Hachima), Monolith Software’s Tetsuya Takahashi talked about the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles X. From the sound of it, the game is massive. According to Takahashi, during their most recent gameplay check, there was over 300 hours of playtime. “But…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Why Vending Machines Are So Popular in Japan
Right now, I am visiting New York. There are not many vending machines here, like there are in Osaka, where I live. Surely, there must be a good reason for Japan having all those vending machines. Turns out, there are several. Stroll through the cities. Stroll through the countryside. You’ll see ’em. Known as “jidouhanbaiki”…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 29, 2015 -
Kotaku EastCompared to the Original, Dragon’s Dogma Online Will Be a Huge Game
Capcom will be releasing a new online open world action RPG this year based on its 2012 release, Dragon’s Dogma Announced in this week’s Weekly Famitsu, Dragon’s Dogma Online is made to essentially be the original Dragon’s Dogma, but fully online. The game was initially developed in parallel to the expansion, Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen,…
By Toshi Nakamura Published January 29, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Smash Bros. Could be its Creator’s Last Game
The potential cost of a great game. In his semi-weekly column in Weekly Famitsu, Smash Bros. series creator Masahiro Sakurai addressed fan letters. One such letter focused on the toll developing the latest games has taken on him Wrote the fan, “Hello, Mr. Sakurai. It sounds like development of Smash Bros. was really, really hard.…
By Toshi Nakamura Published January 29, 2015 -
Kotaku East
These Aren’t School Test Doodles. They’re Art.
Exam papers aren’t only for test taking. In South Korea, they’re for drawing. Previously, Kotaku has covered interesting schoolbook doodles (here, here, here, and, um, here). Some of the tests are finished and scored. Some are blank, save for the added illustrations. In Korean, these are called “test examination scribbles” (시험지낙서). That’s not exactly an…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 29, 2015 -
Kotaku EastMan Plays Super Mario World with His Nose
And pretty well, mind you. But he does play Super Mario World by using his nose to blow into a musical instrument. NicoNico user Wakou does this by using a program called Audio Pad, which allows him to control Mario with sound (which is why he doesn’t talk during the video, because any noise impacts…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2015 -
Kotaku East
The First Sushi Restaurant on a Japanese College Campus
You’d think that Japan would have more sushi restaurants on school campuses. But nope, this appears to be the first of its kind in the country. Called Osakana Club Hama, the sushi restaurant is located on the University of Tokyo’s Kashiwanoha Campus in Chiba. Originally, it was located in Tokyo’s Nakano near one of the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2015 -
Kotaku East
Sailor Moon Crystal is a Nostalgia Trip
It’s been a long half-a-year, but last episode, Sailor Moon Crystal wrapped up its first story arc. And while it is no doubt a flawed anime on several levels—especially by today’s standards—for many of us, it is a nostalgia trip like none other. The Nostalgia Goggles While I’ve talked about my anime viewing origins before,…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published January 27, 2015 -
Kotaku East
How To Join Call of Duty Online
Don’t you hate it when a game that you’re dying for is in private Beta? It sucks being locked out of the fun, even if it is in the name of testing. Well if you’re one the many people who commented that they wanted to try out Call of Duty Online, Kotaku‘s got the guide…
By Eric Jou Published January 27, 2015