Kotaku East

Japan Is Getting “Below Freezing” Soft Drinks

Starting next month, Asahi is rolling out “Freezing Cider.” It will be sold at minus 5 degrees celsius (23 degrees fahrenheit). How cool is that? The drink has a slightly stronger flavor that your typical Mitsuya Cider. However, the moment you open the plastic bottle, the drink turns into an instant ice sherbet. So, this…

Masami Ochiai, the Chairman of Index Corporation, and his wife, Index president Yoshimi Ogawa, were arrested on fraud charges for allegedly cooking the company’s books. Index Corporation previously owned the Atlus brand, which has since been transferred to Sega.

An Anime Figure You Will Never Forget

There are lots of anime figures. Truth be told, many of them simply are not that memorable. This one, however, is. This is a figure of Hunter x Hunter character Gon after he transformed into an older version of himself. What’s the big deal, you say. Well… Wowzers! The figure is around 17 inches tall,…

Chinese College Looks Like Hogwarts from Harry Potter

Is that the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Nope, these are the new facilities for the elite Hebei Academy of Fine Arts in China. In China, folks have certainly noticed that the buildings look like the iconic wizard school. As reported on Sohu, Kanka News, and MSN China (via The Nanfang), the university’s head,…

A Godzilla Poster So Awful, It Made the News

A local movie theater in Penghu, Taiwan has created a stir with its Godzilla poster. It’s so bad, it’s good. As reported by Taiwan’s SET News, the poster shows a hand-drawn Godzilla, flashing the peace symbol. In the background, you can see the Taipei 101 landmark skyscraper. According to SET News, Godzilla looks like he’s…

​Nisekoi is the Epitome of a Cliché Rom-Com Anime

Nisekoi reads like a “cliché romance-comedy anime” checklist: A harem of girls? Check. A long lost childhood love? Check. Characters who hate each other falling in love? Check. An endless cycle of “will they won’t they?” Check. All in all, it embodies the very essence of a modern rom-com anime. Good – Childhood Love Versus…

Here’s What Mass Panic Looks Like

This weekend, crowds dispersed at a busy shopping area in Shenzhen, China after there were rumors of a knife attack. False alarm, say official reports. According to Shenzhen Daily, the panic was caused after police received phone calls of a slashing incident at Dongmen Pedestrian Street, one of Shenzhen’s busiest. The area sees nearly half…

A Gamer Buyer’s Guide to Otaku Mecca Akihabara

So, you’re planning to visit Japan and want to come home with a pile of Japanese games. There’s only one place to go, the cultural hub of otaku everywhere, Tokyo’s Akihabara. But there are hundreds of stores in Akihabara, so where exactly should you go to find the cheapest prices or the rarest finds? Book…

The Moment That Changed How I Viewed Music in Games

Back when I was a kid in the late 80s and early 90s, game music didn’t seem like anything special. Sure, I knew the Mario Bros. Rap and could hum the theme to Sonic the Hedgehog, but no game music ever captivated me. Then I played Final Fantasy VI To me, game music had always…

And Here Come the Xbox One Games for Japan

Earlier today on NicoNico, Tokyo-based entertainment company Mages revealed that anime Psycho-Pass is getting an Xbox One game. Don’t watch the trailer if flashing lights and quick cutting bother you! The Psycho-Pass game will feature an original story. It currently does not have a release date. Mages also revealed adventure game Mystereet F, which includes…

Fighting Crime with S&M Rope Bondage

Cop shows can start to feel the same. Even interrogation scenes can seem similar. Police drama Tokubou is different. Very, very different. The show follows the adventures of police officer Souhei Asakura, the head of the Community Safety Bureau and a master of, well, rope bondage. Those who can’t be arrested are punished and those…

Japan Is Getting Another Coffee…Soda

A new cola plus coffee drink was recently released in Japan. Or maybe that should be coffee plus cola? Just call it Cafe do Cola. This “Brazilian Soda” beverage hopes to capitalize on next month’s World Cup, which will be held in the South American country. Do people in Brazil even have a cola plus…

The Xbox One is finally getting a release date and price for Japan. The console hits September 4 and is getting two price points: 39,980 yen or US$392 (sans Kinect) and at 49,980 yen or $490 (with Kinect). The console was released in North America and in Europe on November 22, 2013.

In Japan, the World Cup Is Sold with Pikachu

The World Cup is starting soon—real soon. June 12, actually! You know what that means? Merchandising. And in Japan, that means Pokémon merchandising. Since Japan’s official World Cup mascot is Pikachu, the character is being put on a whole bunch of things so people will buy them. Makes sense! Better yet, in Japan, Pikachu is…

Be Prepared For More China In Transformers 4

Transformers is big in China. In fact, I’d say it’s huge! Being as popular as it is, the movies are a giant marketing opportunity for advertisers, especially advertisers in China. This year’s Tranformers: Age of Extinction will be no different, and it’s expected that the Chinese advertising will be stronger. The Wall Street Journal China…

Dress Made of Live Butterflies Won’t Let You Fly

A celebration of a new “butterfly” festival in Nanyang Henan ended with tears after the festival’s symbol appeared decked out in a dress comprised of real butterflies. First reported by the Chinese site GWM.cn, the folks at Nanyang’s Baotianman tourist spot started a new festival to celebrate the spot’s famous butterflies. In line with their…

Left 4 Dead‘s Arcade Game Actually Sounds Kind of Bad

This weekend, a location test for Left 4 Dead‘s arcade game kicked off in Tokyo. While the idea of a Left 4 Dead arcade game might sound great, the reality of one doesn’t seem like it. On Twitter (via My Game News Flash), many players sounded off about the game. There were reports of bugs,…

Man Suffers Brain Hemorrhage After Three-Day Gaming Marathon

A young man in China’s Hunan province was sent to the hospital last week in what looked like another case of a sudden death in an internet cafe. Luckily, the man is still alive. According to a report by Voice of China, 26 year-old Xiao Qiang collapsed at his seat in the internet cafe after…

Popular Card Game Is Now Melting Eyes

It’s been over a decade since Duel Masters debuted. The manga spawned a trading card game, which is still widely enjoyed. If you’ve never played, you’ll need to know something very important: bring sunglasses. Here is what Duel Masters trading cards used to look like. Over the years, the cards have become increasingly… busy. Which…

Two members of idol group AKB48, Rina Kawaei and Anna Iriyama, were attacked at an event this weekend by a saw-brandishing man. Both sustained cuts on their hands and head, but are expected to recover from their injuries. The suspect, 24-year-old Satoru Umeta, was arrested for attempted murder. [Thanks Mox Factor!]