Kotaku East

In Japan, McDonald’s Jumbo-Sized Cola Is a Forever Alone Reminder

Small. Medium. Large. Jumbo-sized! The latest McDonald’s drink size for Japan doesn’t come with one slot for straws, but two. Available for a limited time, it’s big enough to share…for those who have someone to share with. Like this! [Photo: mizukiaaaluv] But, as noted on website BuzzPlus, for those who don’t have much of a…

The Ending Credits Are My Favorite Part of Hyrule Warriors

That’s right: not the gameplay nor the cutscenes nor the story. My favorite part of Hyrule Warriors is the ending credits. [Warning: If you don’t want spoilers about the credits of Hyrule Warriors, then read no further.] At first glance, the credits of Hyrule Warriors seem like nothing special. After all, it’s just scrolling credits…

Let’s Hope the Attack on Titan Live-Action Movie Is This Amazing

Here’s the opening theme song for Japanese anime Attack on Titan matched with scenes from a Bollywood musical. The result is magical. Apparently, the clip was originally uploaded to Nico Nico, but has since popped up on sites like Attrip. Other people have also done Attack on Titan opening theme mash-ups (for example, here’s Attack…

Is This The Oldest Image of a White Dude in Japan?

Blond hair. A big nose. These aren’t just the white people stereotypes Japanese people have today. They also could describe one unusual individual in a 13th century Japanese scroll. Here, compare to the white people stereotype that still exists in Japanese popular culture: According to the Tokyo National Museum, the scroll dates from the Kamakura…

Is This Blue Burger Amazing? Or Disgusting?

As previously noted, the color blue is an appetite suppressant. Yet, here we are, with a blue burger designed to look Earth. I’m not sure I could eat this, and boy, I love burgers. Part of me thinks it’s amazing that there is a chicken burger that looks like our planet. The other part of…

Science Museum Turns Lockers into a Giant Periodic Table

While visiting the Nagoya City Science Museum, Twitter user Kantaku noticed something very cool: the coin lockers. See how they’ve been turned into a giant periodic table? The name of each element is written below each symbol in Japanese, allowing visitors to store their belongings in Helium, Calcium, Oxygen, Potassium, and more. The number of…

The Official Pikachu Maid Costume

Considering how popular maid cafes are in Tokyo’s gaming district, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Pikachu Cafe got a maid outfit of its own—temporarily, at least! That’s celebrity Rika Adachi working as a maid and restaurant manager in a special event held at the cafe. According to Inside Games, this is the first…

A Look Back at Geek Fashion in Japan

Remember the 1990s? I do! While there were some very cool styles, there were some truly awful ones, too. Then, there’s this: 1990s Akihbara fashion. Recently postedagain online, these scans show off what some people (well, these people) were wearing in Tokyo’s geek district of Akihabara in a much simpler time. Note that some of…

Today, Sony revealed that a 500GB Charcoal Black PlayStation 3 is going on sale in Japan from August 28 for 25,980 yen ($253). The current 250 GB models (here and here) are priced at 23,790 yen ($232) each and will ceased being shipped by late August in Japan. No word about how this impact PS3s…

“Stunning New Pokemon Project” To Be Announced

There’s a new Pokemon project in the works. More details will be revealed in a “big announcement” next week. So yes, this is an announcement of an announcement, with the teaser site saying, “This summer, details of a stunning new project from Pokemon will be announced.” The teaser site specifically states, “shougeki no shin purojekuto”…

The Saturday Morning Stream Plays Hyrule Warriors [All Done]

While not out for another month in the West, Hyrule Warriors—the lovechild of The Legend of Zelda and Dynasty Warriors—was released in Japan this past Thursday. And since I’m here in Japan with my Wii U all ready to go, Fahey has graciously allowed me to stream for you all this fine Saturday. I say…

Why Yokai Watch Shoplifting Made the Evening News in Japan

Right now, Yokai Watch is incredibly popular in Japan. The 3DS games, the kiddy arcade games, the toys, and the anime are all smash hits. And one network news channel recently reported about a Yokai Watch shoplifting incident. Look, shoplifting is wrong. Don’t do it. But TBS News, a major Japanese television broadcaster, recently ran…

Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines Is a Throwback to Classic JRPGs

Tied together by a beautiful Japanese watercolor art style, Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines mixes RPG dungeon crawling and multi-generational breeding to create a gaming experience that will have classic JRPG fans giddy with joy. Good – A Story You Make Yourself In Oreshika, you play as a family whose members are cursed to live their entire…

It’s Like Avatar, But with a Naked Runner and a Sex Doll

Recently, a naked man painted in blue paint carrying a blow-up doll was spotted running around Beijing. And yes, photos ended up online. Warning: This article contains content some readers might find objectionable. Online in China, the press has been making comparisons to the James Cameron film Avatar (for example, here are major Chinese sites…

Dragonar Academy is Fanservice Schlock …But it Has Dragons, You Guys

Dragonar Academy was not one of the stand-out anime of last season. In fact, it ranges from mediocre to terrible in just about every aspect. Yet from the moment I learned of its existence, I knew I’d have to watch it: It’s an anime about a dragon riding academy, you guys. I’ve talked about guilty-pleasure…

The Delicate Beauty of Japan Sweets Will Amaze and Delight You

“Wagashi” (和菓子) is the name for traditional Japanese sweets. And in Kyoto, those confectionaries are an artform. As noted by website Spoon & Tamago, Kyoto-based photographer Hajime Nakamura has been taking photos of beautiful wagashi—as well as the nature that inspired them. The resulting comparisons are truly inspiring. Eating in Japan is a highly visual…

Why Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines Is a Game Made of Memories

Let me tell you a story. There once was a girl name Hiko. She was the first child born under her family’s curse. Her father was, well, me. Her mother was a low level fire goddess. In her first few months of life, I trained her to use my own weapon: a naginata. A few…

Cop In Trouble After Punching an Arcade Machine

A police officer in Shizuoka, Japan recently punched an arcade game screen, breaking it. Talk about a rage quitter. According to MSN Japan, last month the officer was gaming at a local Iwata City arcade on his day off. While playing the game, the title of which isn’t given, the 20-something year-old officer got pissed…

Japanese Cosplay Heats Up the Summer

It’s August. It’s friggin’ hot. And like every summer around this time, Tokyo Big Sight is steamrolled by Comic Market. So cue the cosplayers, please! Comic Market (Comiket) is a bi-annual event primarily dedicated to fan-made comics. This event, which has been held since the mid-1970s, has helped popularize cosplay in Japan over the decades.…

Monster Hunter Helps Bring Couples Together

Dating isn’t easy – just ask Dr. Nerdlove. It’s a lot easier if you’ve got common interests to break the ice with and get the conversation flowing. In Japan, there’s anime. There’s also one of Japan’s most popular games. “Machicon” is a relatively recent phenomenon in Japan. In order to help stimulate awareness and jump-start…