Kotaku East

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…

A Look Back At Chinese Net Cafes Through The Years

Since time immemorial, Chinese internet cafes have been the hub, the nexus of all gaming in China. That’s soon to change now with access to mobile devices, home computer setups and the advent of video game consoles in the Chinese living room. Chinese news site NetEase has dedicated a slideshow to the “passing” of the…

Chinese Government Pledges To Support Game Developers

In an almost “weird that it didn’t happen sooner” kind of way, Chinese state media reports that two Chinese ministries will join together to help develop and support burgeoning animators and game developers. Economic Daily, a state-funded paper in China, reports that the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Finance have set up a…

This Parade of Pikachus Looks Like a Pokemon Invasion

Last Friday, a bunch of Pikachus began marching through Yokohama. Your typical Friday, this wasn’t. As previously reported, this is part of a Pikachu event this summer in Japan. Friday was the first day of the “Greet Pikachu” event, which features a stream of Pikachus. It’s like these cute, yellow overlords have taken over, and…

Microsoft Korea has *finally* announced a release date for the Xbox One in the region: September 23. [Thanks, Sang!]