Kotaku East

Dating Sims Improved My Japanese

When I announced my intention to date a virtual girl in the newest iteration of Love Plus by asking all of you to help me choose which romantic foil to go after, I noted that it would not be my first dating sim. Moreover, I mentioned that dating sims are the best tool I know…

Yes, That’s Japan’s Self-Defense Force Covering a Hatsune Miku Song

I hesitate to call it a “military band” because technically Japan doesn’t have a military – it has a “Self-Defense Force.” Senbon Zakura (千本桜), one of the popular songs featuring virtual idol Hatsune Miku, made its debut to the internet back in 2011. Since its initial release, the song has become one of Miku’s staple…

Chinese Porn Identification Officer is Sickened By Porn

Somewhere in the world, some guy might think being a porn censor is the best job in the world. Sitting around and watching porn all day may look good on paper to some, but according to an actual Chinese government porn watchdog, the job is sickening. Censorship is a big part of what makes China…

The 13 year-old video game console ban was “lifted” late last year with the creation of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. Since then, there have been revisions to the regulations on how the FTZ will be governed. Today, People’s Daily reports that the regulations are now set and game consoles are okay for sale in…

Shaolin Monks Own Smartphones, Are Not Allowed To Play Video Games

The Shaolin Temple, that place you hear about in all those Wu-Tang rap songs, is very much part of the 21st century. But despite the Shaolin monks and their affinity for technology, according to the abbot, video games and television are off limits. Shi Yongxin, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple in China’s Henan province,…

Chinese Movie Poster is Advertising the Wrong Thing

Every year, less than 50 foreign movies are allowed to be shown in theaters in China. Transcendence happens to be one movie that’s allowed in China this year, but looking at its marketing materials, one might think that it’s Johnny Depp shilling something other than a movie. Last Friday, on April 18, the latest science…

Help Me Choose Which Virtual Girl to Date

Dear readers, I am about to embark on an experience unlike any other in my 30 years of life: I’m going to date a virtual girl in New Love Plus+, the newest game in the (in)famous Japanese dating-sim series. But even before I start, I find myself at an impasse. Which of the game’s romantic…

I Have a Real Love/Hate Relationship with Noragami

I have never reacted to an anime quite the way I reacted to modern fantasy Noragami: I either loved it or hated it with never a feeling in between. Good – A World of Gods and Ghosts Noragami is a modern Japanese fantasy with roots in the Shinto religion. There are two layers to the…

Watch Hatsune Miku Sing Frozen‘s “Let it Go”

Ever wanted to see virtual idol Hatsune Miku sing the iconic, Academy Award-winning song from Frozen? Two years back, I tried out the song editor in Project Diva Extend for the PSP by making a custom level with Hatsune Miku singing “Call Me Maybe.” But while Miku in my video did sing and dance, its…

The Latest Persona 3 Trailer Has Sun, Sand, and a Humanoid Tank

ATLUS just released the 3rd trailer for the 2nd installment of the Persona 3 movie series, Persona 3 The Movie – #2 Midsummer Knight’s Dream – and it looks like everybody’s favorite self-aware humanoid tank is joining the team. Check out the trailer below with subs by yours truly. If you missed the 2nd trailer…

Final Fantasy XIV Director’s Tale of MMO Woe Has a Beautiful Ending

The conclusion to Naoki Yoshida’s MMO story is like something out of a fairy tale. Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, previously wrote about his initial sour experiencewith the massively multiplayer online gaming world. This week, in his semi-weekly column in Weekly Famitsu, he revealed the rest of the story…

Manga Teaches Japanese Kids All About The Avengers

Some would argue that the current American comics industry is mainly focused on the 18 to 40 male audience, but in Japan, they’re starting them young. In this month’s Monthly Korokoro Comic (月刊コロコロコミック), a Japanese manga focused on young children, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes got the spotlight with their own separate mini-manga. Titled Marvel Avengers (まーべるあべんじゃ～ず)…

Silver Spoon Is an Amazing Slice-of-Life Tale That Transcends Its Genre

I generally hate slice-of-life stories. I find them meandering and pointless. But Silver Spoon stands at the pinnacle of the genre and weaves a tale so full of life lessons, deep characters, and thematic exploration that even I can’t help but love it. [*Note: This is a review of the second season of Silver Spoon…

LEGO Builder Creates Life-Sized Hatsune Miku Statue

Making a life-sized Hatsune Miku statue is not easy. What’s more, it takes time. Lots and lots of time. This, for example, took six months’ worth of work. Hatsune Miku is a virtual idol who also stars in a series of Sega music games. LEGO builder Chaos Brick documented the construction process. It’s not step…

There’s a Wii U GamePad… Racing Wheel

The wheel, of course, is the Wii U GamePad. Makes sense! Japanese peripheral maker CyberGadget is rolling out a “Handle Stand” for the Wii U. It comes with a clamp so the GamePad can be used with racing games. If that’s not your thing, it’s also bundled with a more traditional wheel that has a…

The Enemy Robots in This Anime Have Giant Penis Guns

Daimidaler: Prince vs. Penguin Empire is the story of a boy who finds that by doing perverted things—i.e., groping women—he can power and pilot a giant robot. And with a premise like that, is it any surprise the enemy robots have giant penis guns? [*Note: This article contains content some readers might find objectionable.] These…

Square Enix has closed their India-based mobile game studio, according to a report by MCV India. During its one year of operation, the studio hasn’t released any games, although it was reportedly working with developers on several titles.

Check Out the 20 New Songs in Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd

The newest music game filled with the songs of Hatsune Miku and her Vocaloid pals hit shelves in Japan a few weeks back. And as you would expect, Project Diva F 2nd comes with a load of songs—20 of which are new to the games. So let’s give them a listen. Akatsuki Arrival – Last…

​China Is Serious about Kicking Ass at League of Legends

Want to get good at League of Legends? Like, real good? You need to go to China’s new LoL bootcamp. Chinese eSports outlet 175kh.com recently unveiled the training center, which is located in Shanghai’s university district of Songjiang. There are about seven institutes of higher learning located in the area. That’s no accident, because the…

A Square Enix mobile developer has recently talked to Famitsu (via Siliconera) about a pair of new SaGa and Mana games which will “stay true to all [our] memories from the [SNES] and PlayStation era.” The developer also mentioned that Square Enix’s second mobile division would be “helping out” with the games.