Kotaku East

Ramen Waiter Robots Coming To Japan

Later this month, ramen chain Kourakuen in Fukushima will begin trialing robot waiters to bring patrons hot, steaming bowls of ramen. Called K-1, the robot is supposed to help with social distancing in the age of covid-19, offering contactless service and reducing the burden on restaurant staff. K-1 is outfitted with voice guidance as well…

There Are Now 100 Pokémon Manholes In Japan

Last year, the first Pokémon manholes were installed in Japan. A year later, there are now one hundred of them in the country. Pokémon manholes, dubbed Poké Futa (ポケふた) or Poké Lid, have been installed in a variety of prefectures, including Hokkaido, Iwate, Fukushima, Kagawa and more. The latest six are in Tokyo’s Machida, making…

Grandparents Make Cute Totoro Bus Stop

In Kyushu, Japan, a married couple wanted to celebrate turning seventy the best way possible: with a giant Totoro. Turning seventy years old in Japan is koki (古希), the word referring to the fact that in the past the milestone was rarer than today. To mark the birthday, the couple wanted to do something for…

$9,000 Stolen From Ninja Museum In Japan

On August 17 at 1:30 am, the alarm at the Ninja Museum of Igaryu in Mie, Japan went off. CBC News reports that the door to the office had been broken into and a safe with two days’ worth of proceeds totaling over 1 million yen ($9,400) had been stolen. The safe is said to…

Robot Restaurant Exec Hosted Nazi-Themed Event, Reports Japanese Magazine

Flash, from major Japanese publisher Kobunsha, is reporting that the owner of the Robot Restaurant hosted a Nazi-themed event in 2017. Robot Restaurant is a popular Tokyo tourist destination, featuring singing, dancing, and robot-like contraptions. According to Flash (via Tokyo Reporter), 69-year-old Keiichi Morishita, chairman of Morishita Group, hosted an event in which swastika-emblazoned Nazi…

Anime Magic Spell Turned Into Covid-19 Barrier

To protect from the novel coronavirus, stores in Japan (and around the world) have installed plastic barriers. They might be effective, but they’re rather dull. Twitter user Takumi Armory, a company which specializes in fantasy-themed props, has created this anime magic spell-style divider that it says can “defend against viruses.” Priced at 15,000 yen ($143),…

Compile Heart has announced a Neptunia game for the PS5. Titled Go! Go! 5D Game: Neptune re★Verse, the game currently does not have a release date. However, the announcement was made on the tenth anniversary of the series. Can you believe it? Ten years of Neptunia 

Why Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Isn’t Available In China

Microsoft just released a new Flight Simulator. Players around the world are enjoying the game—save for China. The last Flight Simulator came out on Steam in 2014, and that version previously came out in 2006. But this latest edition hasn’t made it to China. As South China Morning Post reports, the game has not been…

The Surprising Similarities Between My Neighbor Totoro And Grave of the Fireflies

In 1988, Studio Ghibli released My Neighbor Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies as a double feature. The Hayao Miyazaki film followed the adventures of two sisters with a mysterious fuzzy friend, while Isao Takahata’s film dealt with two siblings experiencing the horrors of war. At first glance the movies don’t appear to have much…

Yep, This Is a Hello Kitty Melon

Hello Kitty’s face has been on seemingly everything—whether that’s stationary, toilet paper, toasters or even that infamous vibrator. But don’t forget the pricey produce! Above is a Hello Kitty Furano melon from Hokkaido, Japan. Melons in Japan can get very expensive, especially the gourmet ones. But, generally speaking, the ones you find at local supermarkets…

Earlier this year, The Pokémon Company released a handful of ASMR videos. Now they’ve released a new one. As Kotaku previously explained, auditory sensory meridian response, or ASMR, is a tingling sensation that comes from listening to certain sounds. 

The Anti-Mask Protesters And Covid-Deniers In Tokyo

In pre-pandemic Japan, mask-wearing was a way of life. If you got sick, the polite thing to do was wear a mask to avoid wearing infecting others. If you were suffering from seasonal allergies, you would don a mask to help protect yourself. Mask wearing was not uncommon. Even before covid, it was normal and…

Pokémon Go Player Arrested For Assaulting Friend

In Hokkaido, Japan, 56-year-old Kanehisa Satoh has been arrested after an alleged altercation with his 55-year-old friend over Pokémon Go. The two first met several years ago while playing Pokémon Go. The altercation broke out over a Gym in Pokémon Go while both were in a stopped car, reports Sankei. “I got pissed because he…

Check Out These Hello Kitty Hotel Rooms

While foreigners cannot really enter Japan at the moment and folks aren’t traveling, perhaps you, like me, are often going on vacation in your mind. I think about where I would like to go and where I would like to stay. For example, this Hello Kitty themed hotel room. As Time Out reports, the Asakusa…

Manga Writer Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault, Manga Pulled From Publication

Tatsuya Matsuki, the scribe behind manga Act-Age, has been arrested for alleged sexual assault against a middle-school girl in Tokyo. According to Sankei (via Tokyo Reporter), the 29-year-old groped the girl on her way home from cram school. She contacted the police, who checked the local security camera footage. Matsuki then became a person of…

The Photo Of The Giant Gundam Flipping Its Middle Finger Is Fake

Twitter user Yokkun has posted a public service announcement: the viral image of the giant Gundam flipping the bird is not real. The original image was taken by Yokkun, but was altered. “This image is fake,” Yokkun wrote, adding, “Others have modified the images I took.” Here are Yokkun’s unaltered photos. This latest giant Gundam…

In Japan, there is a chain of Pokémon Center retail shops. They also have an online shop, but the official Pokémon site is now warning of a phishing site, stealing personal info and credit card numbers. The correct URL is https://www.pokemoncenter-online.com. 

First Look At The Promised Neverland Live-Action Adaptation

As Kotaku previously reported, The Promised Neverland is getting a live-action adaptation that is slated for Japanese theaters later this year. The Promised Neverland tells the story of orphans who seem to be living a wonderful, happy life in which all their wants and needs are met. The truth, however, is far more sinister. The…

Live-Action Recreation Plays Homage To GTA, Yakuza, And Metal Gear Solid

YouTuber Komazawa Isolation took advantage of empty Shibuya streets to do a live-action open-world recreation that pays tribute to Grand Theft Auto, Yakuza, and Metal Gear Solid Have a look! It’s pretty great.

Ikki Tousen Anime Studio Declares Bankruptcy

The anime studio known as Arms has declared bankruptcy. It was best known for the Ikki Tousen (above) and Queen’s Blade anime. Ikki Tousen, originally a manga, was a battle anime in which schoolgirls’ uniforms become tattered during fights. It spawned PS2 and PSP games. Arms was founded in 1996, cutting its teeth on hentai…