Kotaku East

Hello Kitty Has Been Launched into Space. Literally.

One of Japan’s most famous cute characters is now orbiting the Earth. That’s right, Hello Kitty has been shot into space. According to Reuters, a 1.6 inch tall Hello Kitty is on the Hodoyoshi-3 satellite. The Hello Kitty figure is next to a window overlooking our spinning blue planet. Above the window is an electronic…

Japanese Women Don’t Want To See Man Nipples

Of course, men in Japan have nipples. And seeing those nipples, it seems, is unsettling to some of the country’s women. Good thing there are several products for men to hide those nipples. In a report published on Huffington Post Japan, a recent poll asked 750 adult women, ranging from their 20s to 60s, if…

This is an Overdose of Attack on Titan Manga

I’ve been reading the Attack on Titan manga for a while now, but ever since the anime came out, things have been getting out of hand. From its (relative) humble beginnings as a somewhat bizarre manga story about a world where humanity must live behind walls to protect itself from predatory giants, the success of…

If you like shoot’em up games, good news. Hiroshi Iuchi (Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Gradius V) recently revealed he is working on a new shooting game. Called Ubusuna, it’s a download title for the PS4.

How Digital Game Sharing on the PS4 Will Work [UPDATE]

So, Sony’s upcoming update feature is going to let me borrow and play my friends’ games without actually owning them? Holy crap, I’m on board. But how does it work? And what game limitations (if any) are there? “How it works is, for example, say, a friend has a game that I don’t. I ask…

Ladybeard Is One Pretty Pin-Up Model and Wrestler

This is Ladybeard. Cosplayer, pin-up model, wrestler, and a heavy metal singer. Oh, and sometimes, a movie reviewer. The bearded idol has been perfecting this look for years now, telling GirlsWalker that he first wore his sister’s school uniform to a costume party when he was 14 years old, which got a good reaction. Since…

Report: The Last Guardian Won’t Be at the Tokyo Game Show

Are you surprised? So, the bad news is that The Last Guardian will miss TGS. Again. The good news is that the team is apparently “making great progress.” When Eurogamer asked Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida if The Last Guardian will be at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, he replied, “I don’t think so. “Sorry.” The…

Why Lady Gaga’s Outfit Upsets Some People in Japan

Lady Gaga is in Tokyo. According to her, it’s her “favorite place.” Too bad she’s just pissed off some folks online in Japan. On her Instagram account, Lady Gaga uploaded two photos of herself wearing a colorful outfit with Korean characters written on it. The Korean characters 컬러 appear mean just that: color. Innocuous stuff,…

Did Japan Just Make Crocs Worse?

Or better? These are actually called “Akiba Sandals” and are from a Japanese pop group. Unlike real Crocs, these sandals are modeled after kaiju feet and… make a squeaking noise when you walk. It is possible to “turn off” the squeak. In Japan, Crocs are still quite common, especially in summer, because people need slippers…

Models Walk on Insects for Chinese TV

And did so in hopes of winning a chance to work in Italy—as a model, that is, and not as a bug exterminator. Note: This article contains content some readers might find objectionable. As pointed out by That’s and ChinaNews, Guangxi TV teamed up with an Italian fashion agency for a satellite television show called…

There’s A Female Link, And Her Name Is Linkle

Did you know there’s a female version of Link? I didn’t! But according to a recently released Hyrule Warriors art book, there is. Well, sorta. The art book supplement shows character designs for Hyrule Warriors as well as designs for various “original” characters. Included in that is a “girl version of hero Link” (勇者のリンクの女の子版) called…

GIFs Bring Old Chinese Art to Life in a Charming Way

That’s the Yongzheng Emperor. He ruled China in the 18th century. And now, several hundred years later, he’s being turned into animated GIFs. The interesting thing is that this isn’t some random internet person making these GIFs. Apparently, according to Pouch, a staffer from the Palace Museumin the Forbidden City in Beijing created them. The…

Hope You Haven’t Had Enough of Japan’s Oddest English Book

English Words That Don’t Appear on Tests isn’t your typical English textbook for Japanese students. Thank goodness. Previously, Kotaku has covered the book (here and here). It’s truly wonderful and strange, and that’s the point. Because, you know what? The English language is wonderful and strange, too. Japanese people often find English rather difficult, and…

The Five Anime of Summer 2014 You Should Be Watching

We are now six weeks into the summer anime season, and with 44 new anime on the air it can be more than a little difficult to know which ones to watch. Luckily, we at Kotaku East are here to help with our recommendations. I have spent the last few weeks getting fully caught up…

In Japan, You Can Get Raw Meat on Conveyor Belts

You know conveyor belt sushi, right? Little plates of sushi go around on a conveyor belt. Well, it also appears there is conveyor belt meat. Yes, raw meat. Last month, Japanese website Gigazine visited a conveyor belt meat restaurant called Issoyoubin in Mie Prefecture. [Photo: Tabelog] Conveyor belt sushi is called “kaiten zushi” (回転寿司）in Japanese,…

Watch Us Play Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines

Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines is a turn-based JRPG with an amazing-looking traditional Japanese art style. But that begs the question, does it play as good as it looks? Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines was released in Japan for the PlayStation Vita on July 17, 2014. It has been licensed for a Western release, but no specific date has…

Giant Patlabor Mecha Withstands a Real Typhoon

For the live-action Patlabor movies, they made a giant Patlabor mecha. It might look like just some promotional prop, but they built it tough. How tough? Strong enough to weather a typhoon. This weekend, much of Western Japan was hit hardest by the typhoon, Osaka included. The life-sized AV-98 Ingram from the anime, manga, and…

Final Fantasy Blue Ramen Looks Utterly Disgusting

That new Final Fantasy cafe in Tokyo? Oh, it looks wonderful. The blue ramen it’s serving? Not so much. As pointed out on Radio Kaikan, Dengeki Online (above) and elsewhere, this is called “Sea King Leviathan‘s Chilled Ocean Noodles.” So, yeah, they’re blue and they’re cold. [Photo: Radio Kaikan] [Photo: LiveDoor] Who the hell wants…

Giant World of Warcraft Bird Wins Cosplay Competition

During this year’s China Digital Entertainment Expo, or China Joy, Blizzard held their annual Blizzard themed cosplay contest. And while China Joy’s known for some rather revealing cosplay, the winner of Blizzard’s event was covered head to toe. Not even her face was showing. The winner of the Blizzard China Joy cosplay competition won the…

Porn Star Vacation? There’s a Catch.

In Japan, a talent agency is holding a raffle to see who can win a chance to go on a porn star vacation. But there’s a catch. Actually, there are several. Note: This article contains content some readers might find objectionable. As pointed out by 2ch, Japan’s largest internet forum, an adult actress talent agency…