Kotaku East

Ten Awesome Anime Openings and Endings from Winter 2014

I love anime music. Long before I even took my first Japanese class, I was rocking out to anime theme songs. And as we have 47 new anime this season, that means we also have 47 new openings and endings—and that’s even without the new second half themes from the fall anime that are still…

“Bean Beards” Are the Best Fake Japanese Trend

This is not a real trend. Japanese people aren’t actually wearing bean beards for fashion. Shame, because this is wonderful. In Japanese, there are red beans called “azuki” (アズキ) that are eaten in sweets or for special occasions. That’s why artist Takao Sakai, who’s known for his playful food-themed art, calls the project “Azurer.” His…

Watch as Two Classic Puzzle Games Collide in Puyo Puyo Tetris

Everyone loves Tetris, but let’s face it, it hasn’t really changed all that much from its original incarnation. Puyo Puyo (Puyo Pop), while not as famous outside of Japan, is equally fun yet has also changed very little over the years. But when these two puzzle classics collide, it makes for one new addictively fun…

The Perfect Beauty of Cat Island

In Japan, there isn’t just one cat island, but a couple. And recently, one internet commenter visited the most famous one in the country and took some lovely photos. Located in Miyagi Prefecture, Tashirojima was home to over a thousand people during the 1950s. As previously mentioned, only a few hundred people live there now,…

Attack on Titan Live-Action Special Effects Look Terrifying

Remember that Attack on Titan Subaru commercial? The ad featured giant Titans. Two of them were actors in scary make up. And the third? From the looks of these behind-the-scenes pics, the third one—the Colossal Titan—was a giant puppet. According to IT Media, seven puppeteers controlled the large-scale maquette. According to me, the puppet looks…

Sony sold 322,083 PlayStation 4s in Japan during the console’s first two days on sale, reports Famitsu. In comparison, Sony sold 88,443 PS3s in Japan during its first two days when it launched in 2006.

Chinese Robot Will Decimate Your Flappy Bird Score

I know, I know, you’re all probably sick of Flappy Bird by now. Flappy Bird this, Flappy Bird that. I promise you that this story, despite its focus on Flappy Bird, is different. This story has a robot! Late last week, two Chinese developers, Liu Yang and Shi Xuekun, released a video of the duo…

“Panda Dogs” Born in China

Not one panda dog, but three were recently born in China’s Jiangsu Province. They’re not actual pandas, but have markings that make them look like them. They’re panda dogs! D’aww, so cute. According to iFeng, the three pups were born in a litter of six, with the other three dogs looking like dogs. All pups…

Beijing’s New Swanky Internet Cafe Has Insane Fees

Internet cafe’s in China are a dime a dozen. However, as China has grown more affluent with the times, so has its, well, internet cafes. One newly opened club in Beijing might be the most ridiculous one yet. Ridiculous in an expensive way. Recently opened in Beijing’s Sanlitun entertainment district, the new Cuz Club sports…

Bank Teller Laughs at One Truly Awful Robber

Recently, a man walked into China Construction Bank in Shanghai with a meat cleaver. He apparently wanted to rob the bank. Things did not go as planned. The man entered the bank, while talking on the phone. When he looked like he was going to pull the fire alarm, a guard supposedly shouted at him.…

It Takes a Brave Person To Work Behind This Game Store Counter

And it takes a braver one to walk up to it and buy something. Note: Some readers might find the content of this article objectionable. Japanese store Game Shop Seagull Izumi Bypass shop is somewhat infamous for its in-store promotions. Below is a recent in-store display for adults-only PC game Happy Maher Fragmentation Dream Yikes!…

This Is What Happens To Your Discarded iPhone

Have you ever wondered what happens to a discarded iPhone? Does it crackle in the sun? Does it wallow in the electronic filth until its battery leaks and runs? Maybe it just sits there like a dusty brick. Or maybe, just maybe, it breathes life anew in the land of China. As we have posted…

Fashionable Young Woman Breaks Roof Tiles with Her Head

Japanese actress Rina Takeda stars in a new credit card commercial. In the ad, the 22 year-old uses her head. Studying karate since she was ten,Takeda is black belt in Ryukyu Shorin-ryu Karate. She made her film debut in the martial arts flick High Kick Girl! In it, she did her own stunts and performed…

Here’s a Japanese Pizza Hut That looks…Different

A Pizza Hut in Tokyo looks, well, not quite like the other Pizza Huts in Japan—or anywhere else, for that matter. Starting today, the branch in the Kanda neighborhood has morphed into the “Otonokizaka branch” in honor of popular anime/manga Love Live! This particular Pizza Hut serves Akihabara, which is the city’s geek and electronics…

Quizzing Japanese PS4 Owners About Games and Console Preferences

February 22nd! Launch day for the PS4 in Japan! What games were people buying? We were dying to know. Of course, nobody in line was really thinking about other consoles. But, we had to ask anyways. Launch day of the PlayStation 4 in Japan started at midnight with a Sony countdown event and some stores…

​Japan’s Finally Gotten Their PS4s

After watching Sony’s newest video game console make its debut away from home, Japanese video game lovers are finally getting their hands on the PS4. No Banderas from the first guy to get one, though. Come on, dude. The debut of the Japanese PS4 happened a few hours ago—check out the stream here—with legendary game…

Let’s Try and Figure Out This New Deep Down Trailer

It seems like every teaser for Capcom’s big, upcoming PS4 title is designed to confuse viewer with a bunch of random dialogue and rabid monster enemies, while showing off the bleeding-edge tech that makes it run. This one is no different. Still… look at that fire! The voiceover narration in this new clip—meant to celebrate…

Why I am Unable to Enjoy Space Dandy

A few weeks back, I polled our user-run blog, Talk Amongst Yourselves, about what they thought the best anime of winter 2014 is. Hands down, the answer was the latest anime from the creators of Cowboy Bebop: Space Dandy. Unfortunately, it is an anime I am completely unable to enjoy. I am aware that I…

The PS4 launches tomorrow in Japan, but the countdown to the console’s launch event begins today at 8:30am EST. Watch it right here.

The Thinnest Latex Condoms on Earth Certainly Are Stretchy

A Chinese company recently took the Guinness World Records for the world’s thinnest latex condom. It comes in at 0.036 millimeters. According to AFP, a press conference held this week in Hong Kong to announce that Guangzhou Daming United Rubber Products set this new world record. It was previously held by Japanese condom maker Okamoto…