Kotaku East

For a Limited Time, This Cafe Will Kick Hentai Customers

Some cafes serve good coffee. Others have delicious sweets. For the next three days, this cafe will dish out pervert attacks. Located in Akihabara, Tokyo’s geek district, Cure Maid Cafe is being converted into Punishment Cafe (おしおきカフェ or oshioki kafe) for the next three days. This is part of a promotion for iOS game Punishment…

Five More Fall 2013 Anime That Are Totally Worth a Watch

With the winter holidays coming up, you may find yourself with a little free time and no anime to watch. Luckily, this season has several excellent anime you should already be watching. But what if you’ve already watched those? Well, luckily those aren’t the only great anime to come out this season. Outbreak Company Currently…

Perhaps The Cutest Pokémon Goods I’ve Ever Seen

In Japan, there are loads of Pokémon-branded goods. Some of them look fine, some of them don’t. These, however, are something special. The Pokemon Center, a chain of Pocket Monster shops in Japan, is collaborating with Shinzi Katoh, a designer who does all sorts of goods. In his thirty-year career, he’s apparently designed over ten…

The Beauty of Japan’s Abandoned Ruins

Japan’s “haikyo” (廃墟), or “ruins,” are fascinating. They provide a look into a world which time forgot, but French photographer Jordy Meow hasn’t. Meow has been cataloging haikyo across Japan—from a deserted love hotel in Chiba to an abandoned theme park in Nara. The photos, courtesy of DailyGeekShow, are hauntingly beautiful: If you like Meow’s…

Oh Come On, Russia’s Freaky Mutant Looks So Fake

But that doesn’t mean it’s not scary! Last month, an “unknown creature” filmed climbing up an apartment building in Russia appeared on YouTube channel papotimes. You can watch the clip below. If you dare. And earlier this week, the video got a second wind, reappearing on another YouTube channel and website Before It’s News as…

First Look at Lupin III Live-Action Movie Actor in Costume? Maybe!

There’s a live-action Lupin the Third movie being made in Japan. Master thief Lupin is being played by Japanese actor Shun Oguri. Here’s what is being called the first look at him in costume. The image surfaced on 2ch, Japan’s largest forum, and looks to originally be from a Chinese social networking site. It might…

Expect The Phantom Pain When Lots of People Have PS4s

Excited about Metal Gear Solid V? Wondering when the main part, The Phantom Pain, is coming out? Game creator Hideo Kojima recently named a launch window for the game. It’s incredibly vague. Hideo Kojima was in New York for the release of the PlayStation 4 earlier this month and was approached by Weekly Famitsu about…

Smash Bros. Director’s Job Would Kill Me

You’ve heard the stories of games where famous producers are involved in name only. Such is definitely not the case with the upcoming Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Smash Bros. for Wii U Series creator Masahiro Sakurai is nothing if not a hard worker, but as his column in Weekly Famitsu reveals, his involvement…

Where Fashion Meets Japanese Fantasy and StarCraft II

Namechecking Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano? Running a StarCraft II team? Zhang Jingna is not your typical fashion photographer. Zhang (AKA “zemotion“) is one of the most talented young photographers in the world, shooting photos for Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Photo Vogue as well as Mercedes Benz, Montblanc, and Lancôme, among many others. Along with…

Anime 2013 Holiday Buyer’s Guide

Have you got an anime fan in your life and have no idea what to get him or her for Christmas? Don’t worry. From series on Blu-ray and streaming subscriptions to figures and jewelry, there is plenty out there awaiting your selection—so much so that a few tips might be in order. So here are…

Sega Promises Not to Screw Up Atlus

It wasn’t long ago that we got the news that Persona series developer Atlus had become part of Sega. But if you’re worried that Sega’s involvement might dilute the potential greatness that will be Persona 5, fear not. “[Game development] will be the same as it’s been before.” Sega head honcho – and now Atlus…

Fifteen years in, and Lineage has made the equivalent of US$1.8 billion, NCsoft announced earlier this morning in South Korea. Talk about evergreen. [Thanks, Sang!]

GTA Online Bug Changing Characters’ Race and Gender in Japan

Today, Rockstar released the Beach Bum update in Japan for Grand Theft Auto V. It’s made players’ characters appear… different. On 2ch, Japan’s largest forum, and Twitter, GTA V owners showed how the update was changing their GTA Online characters’ looks. White characters are turning black, young characters are turning old, and female characters and…

Plants Vs. Zombies Garden Warfare will also be on the PS4, a Korean game rating’s filing says. According to the Korean Game Rating Board, Electronic Arts registered the PS4/Xbox One/360 versions of the game this week. Kotaku is following up with Electronic Arts. [Thanks CatMario!]

Is there a new Tales game incoming? Namco Bandai launched a Japanese teaser site titled “Next Tales” that looks back at the series’ history.

Popular K-Pop Group Accused of Ripping Off J-Pop Group. Again.

On YouTube, Korean pop group Crayon Pop racks up millions of views. Their videos feature members wearing colorful and interesting outfits. And some are calling them rip-offs. On 2ch, Japan’s largest forum, people are accusing Crayon Pop of stealing outfits from million-selling Japanese group Momoiro Clover Z. The allegations have also appeared in the group’s…

They’re Making a Live-Action Lupin the Third Movie

The Japanese movie industry is turning beloved manga and anime Lupin the Third into a live-action feature film. How thrilling. Or nerve-racking. Or both! The movie is slated for a summer 2014 release. Above, you can see the first official promo image from the flick, courtesy of its official site and IT Media The movie…

The Persona 3 Movie Will Leave You Wanting More

This last weekend saw the release of Persona 3: Birth of Spring, the first movie based on the excellent JRPG Persona 3. But while it is an excellent adaptation of the game, its limited scope keeps it away from much of what made the game so great. Good – Overcoming Ambivalence Makoto Yuki (the official…

Yes, Anime Style Electric Car Charging Stations Exist in Japan

Of course they do! Well, at least in one town. Hakone, Japan, which is located outside Tokyo, has Neon Genesis Evangelion electric car changers. Evangelion is set in Hakone, which is renamed “Tokyo-3” for the anime. In Hakone, as part of an Eva campaign and environmental promotion, IT Media reports that Evangelion branded Panasonic Elseev…

Bitcoin Mining Is Getting Out of Control

Bitcoins are digital currency that can be mined by computers solving mathematical puzzles. Over the years, they’ve shot up in value. They might make you rich! Maybe not! It’s a Bitcoin rush, and the mining operations are getting large, complex, and bonkers As website Hong Wrong points out, the puzzles are getting increasingly difficult. And…