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Kotaku East
Stroll Down One of the Fakest Streets in China
H&N? Hugo BGSS? And SFFCCCKS Coffee? Welcome to Wuxi city, which might be home of the phoniest shopping street in all of China. The signs are located on a shopping street at Shimao Skyscrapers. Instead of Apple, there’s “Appla.” Instead of Zara, there’s “Zare.” H&M is “H&N.” These don’t appear to be actual shops (though,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 10, 2014 -
Kotaku East
A Truly Spectacular Cosplay Evolution
You’ve seen the evolution chart, right? The one that starts with a monkey and ends up with a human. Imagine something kind of like that, but with cosplay. This is Mel Kishida. He’s an illustrator best know his work on anime Hanasaku Iroha and the Atelier video games. A few years ago, he posted this…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 10, 2014 -
Kotaku East
The Chair You Can Wear on Your Head
Many offices in Japan have helmets in case of natural disasters. But helmets might be stored in inconvenient locations. That’s why some Japanese designers have created a new helmet that can be kept in an easy to find spot: Under your butt. Dubbed “Mamoris” (“mamoru” or 守る means “to protect” in Japanese), this emergency helmet…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku East
In Another World, Japan Got the PS4 First
It was bad enough that Japan has to wait an extra 3 months for Sony’s newest console, then the Japanese PS4 release commercial just had to rub salt into the wound. But had things gone a little differently, that ad would have shown Japanese gamers celebrating while the rest of the world waited. In an…
By Toshi Nakamura Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku East
One of Korea’s Most Talented Game Artists Leaving NCsoft
After eight years, illustrator Hyung-Tae Kim is leaving NCsoft. Earlier today, Kim confirmed the departure on his blog. Known for his work on the Magna Carta series (and more recently, Blade & Soul), Kim is perhaps the most well-known Korean game illustrator in the West. Korean fans might have felt something was up when Kim’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku EastCounting Down New Year’s Eve with Hardcore Japanese Gamers
New Year’s is the biggest holiday of the year in Japan. But don’t tell that to these folks. They’ve got arcade games to play. On a recent episode of Monitoring (an observation TV show that, um, monitors folks), footage of various places, such as a laundromat, on New Year’s Eve were shown. The purpose was…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku East
In Japan, the Cycle of Dependency Has Gone Viral
Japan’s latest internet meme is going in circles. What started out as an anti-drug poster image depicting the dangers of drugs and the cycle of chemical dependency quickly turned into a fiasco of strangeness and hilarity with a slightly cynical undertone. The original poster is as follows (With translations added below): ①The Vicious Cycle of…
By Toshi Nakamura Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Meet the Most Humble Man in China
Billionaire Guangbiao Chen is not one to brag about his many accomplishments. Why do that when his business card can do it for him? Chen, who once sold “Good Person Guangbiao Chen” canned air in China, recently claimed he wanted to buy The New York Times. Think there’s enough space on his business card for…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku East
New 3DS App Will Make a Manga Artist Out of You
Well, it probably won’t, but it couldn’t hurt. This is Comic Koubou (コミック工房 Comic Workshop), a new 3DS download-only app for easy manga creation. It’s obviously not as high-end as software like Manga Studio or Clip Studio Paint, and you probably won’t see a lot of published manga artists releasing pieces they drew on their…
By Toshi Nakamura Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Kids Show Host “Loves Cock,” Apparently
This has to be one of the most unfortunate uses of the English language on Japanese television. Ever. Morning show Miburi TV is a children’s dance program hosted by choreographer Sasuga Minami, who teaches new moves to children and wears a peculiar outfit with some very choice lingo. “Miburi” (身振り) means “gesture” in Japanese. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 9, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Hold Your Horses, Don’t Get Excited about Consoles in China…Yet
Earlier this week, China’s State Council sneakily released a document about regulations in the nifty Shanghai Free Trade Zone. Due to this release, media outlets have been calling China’s archaic 13-year ban on video games consoles to be over. I’m here to rain on everyone’s parade. The new official documentreleased on Monday by the Chinese…
By Eric Jou Published January 8, 2014 -
Kotaku East
A Visit to Japan’s Bunny Cafes
Let’s see. Japan has cat cafes, owl cafes, squirrel gardens, and penguin bars. So, of course there are bunny cafes! Called “usagi cafe” (うさぎカフェ), the furry establishments have been around for a few years now and really started to take off in 2012. But don’t think there’s a bunny cafe on every street corner in…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 8, 2014 -
Kotaku EastBehold, The Most Embarrassing PS Vita Game of 2014
The ridiculous Senran Kagura series is getting a cooking-themed rhythm game for the PS Vita. The game’s animated opening could be the most mental thing you’ll see all day. Titled Deka Mori Senran Kagura, the game is headed to the PS Vita this March in Japan. “Deka Mori” (デカ盛り) refers to “huge food servings.” Note:…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 8, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Is This New Anime Trolling South Korea and China?
This week, Soni Ani Super Sonico The Animation began broadcasting in Japan. The series features Super Sonico, the mascot character for Tokyo-based game developer Nitroplus. And one short, subtle sequence is raising eyebrows among some online in neighboring South Korea. Here are stills of the sequence in question, courtesy of South Korean site MLBPark: Did…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 8, 2014 -
Kotaku East
The Wall Street Journal has a smart analysis of China’s nebulous lifting of the console ban—namely, what it means, and why game makers shouldn’t get excited just yet. The takeaway? The latest announcement apparently adds little to what Kotaku already reported last fall.
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 8, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Another Penis-Shaped Building Erected in China
And it’s not the first phallic-looking Chinese building in recent memory, either. Remember the golden one in Beijing? The latest effort is also the tallest penis building in the city of Jinan. The structure is going up in the city center, where it towers over all. Have a look at photos (courtesy of CNR.cn) from…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 8, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Can You Tell What’s Chocolate and What Isn’t? Asks Japanese TV Show.
Perhaps, this gentleman is biting a door handle. Or perhaps, he is eating a door handle made of chocolate. In Japan, “sokkuri sweets” (“sokkuri” or そっくり means “looks like”) are deserts and confectionaries that look like other things. Traditionally, they look like other food—for example, here are some cakes that look exactly like ramen noodles.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 7, 2014 -
Kotaku EastWatch Us Play Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram
Late last month, Japan got a new Madoka Magica game: Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram for the Vita. Half visual novel and half 3D brawler, The Battle Pentagram gives fans of the anime a new original story with the popular cast of magical girls. But how does it look in action? Watch us play in…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published January 7, 2014 -
Kotaku East
Beyond the Boundary Creates a World of Beauty, Humor, and Young Love
Back in November, I called Beyond the Boundary a must-watch of the fall season. Two weeks back I called it one of the top five anime of 2013. So now, let’s break down in detail what makes Beyond the Boundary so great. Good – Thrown into a Mysterious World The world itself is perhaps the…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published January 7, 2014