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Kotaku East
Let China Show You What Crowded Really Means
If you plan on going sightseeing right now in China, you might want to reconsider. That is, unless you like huge crowds and being pressed up against strangers. If so, go now. And quick! It’s “National Day Golden Week” in China, which is a seven-day holiday that kicks off every year on October 1, the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 4, 2013 -
Kotaku EastAdorable D.I.Y. Japanese Candy Will Delight You
Waffles. Curry rice. Hamburgers. All and more in miniature candy form. But the best part? You get to make them yourself. And then eat them all up. In Japan, this type of candy is referred to as “intellectual development candy” (知育お菓子 or “chiiku okashi”). The term is actually a registered trademark held by Japanese confectionery…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 4, 2013 -
Kotaku East
Here’s What Mighty No. 9‘s Creator Thinks of Rain
Keiji Inafune of Mega Man Mighty No. 9 and Soul Sacrifice fame is a man full of opinions. And today, you’re going to hear his opinion on Rain. Rain? Yes, Rain Rain and Soul Sacrifice are entirely different games. But they share something in common you might not know about: Both were produced by Sony…
By Toshi Nakamura Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku East
Well, That’s One Way to Censor Animated Nipples
Ideas of what’s socially acceptable differ from country to country. What some might think is okay, others might not. Take blue pierced animated nipples, for example. That might be cool where you live. Maybe not. Note: This story contains content some readers might find objectionable. When Japanese anime Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic was broadcast…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku East
Everyone Gets Pokemon X and Y At The Same Time. Here’s Why.
As the release date of Pokemon X and Y approaches, this will be the first game in the official series with a (for the most part) simultaneous international release, and those involved hope that by doing so, they’ll be able to level the playing field. “Until now, the pattern has been to release games overseas…
By Toshi Nakamura Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku EastColorful Penguins Have Something To Do with the PS Vita Slim
I’m not sure what, but who cares? Colorful penguins might not be slim and light, but they sure are cute! PS Vita２０００ TVCM 「登場」篇 [PlayStationJp@YouTube] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku East
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Gamers Want Dead or Alive Bikinis
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate: Core Fighters is a free-to-play version of DoA 5 Ultimate. The game has perks and items available for purchase, including the story mode of the full game and all the other characters. But it looks like what players really want are the sexy threads. One of the Dead or Alive…
By Toshi Nakamura Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku East
South Korea Is Finally Getting a Robot Theme Park
Disneyland? Meh. Universal Studios? Been there, done that. Robot Land? Now, we’re talking. For years now, there has been talk in South Korea about a robot theme park. Construction was supposed to start in 2009, but it never happened. (Heck, several years ago, I spent some time in South Korea talking to researchers about it…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku East
Breathe or Play the Nintendo DS? A Mother’s Chilling, Final Question
According to Japan’s largest media outlets, a question about video games has ended in an unsettling murder. Note: This post contains content that some readers might find objectionable. In Tokyo, 42 year-old mother Shizu Shigeta is on trial for killing her 5 year-old son in September of last year. Asahi.com reports that her five-year old…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku East
Why Is Ash from Pokémon Such a Loser?
The Pokémon Origins anime special offered a reminder of one thing: Ash is a pretty lousy Pokémon trainer. If only he could reach his true potential! Eh, he can’t. Note: This post contains spoilers. If you’ve followed the Pokémon anime, you’ll know that Ash (or “Satoshi” as he’s called in Japan) isn’t exactly the best…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 3, 2013 -
Kotaku East
“Godzilla Rat” Found in China
According to reports out of China, there have been rumors of abnormally large rats in Shaoyang county. And then, a villager caught one. Note: This story contains content some readers might find objectionable. Sanxiang Metropolis Daily (via WantChinaTimes) reports that the freakishly big rodents were apparently preying on fish in a local pond. Farmers finally…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 2, 2013 -
Kotaku East
These Korean Rooms Are Compared to Prison Cells For Good Reason
In big cities in Asia, space can come at a premium. Not every residence is a shoebox, but they do exist. And some of them are truly awful. Tokyo, for example, has coffin apartments. China has “ant colonies.” And South Korea? In the past, there have been teeny-tiny sleep and study spaces in South Korea…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 2, 2013 -
Kotaku EastJapan’s Newest McDonald’s Commercial Is Bonkers
This isn’t the most annoying Happy Meal commercial Japan has seen, but geez, it sure is up there. Below you can see a new McDonald’s TV spot for the new Despicable Me 2 Happy Meal. The movie was recently released in Japan. What. The. Hell. Despicable, indeed! This certainly isn’t an isolated incident, as you…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 2, 2013 -
Kotaku EastOdd Japanese Gadget Lets You Smell Meat On Your iPhone
You know what’s better than meat? The smell of meat. That is, should you be a carnivore. And if you are and can’t afford proper meat, there’s a Japanese gadget for you. This is “Hana Yakiniku” (鼻焼肉), which literally means “nose grilled meat.” As IT Media points out, it’s a small 17-gram peripheral you stick…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 2, 2013 -
Kotaku East
And the Internet’s Grand Prize Winner… The Hypnocat!
D’wah, look at those eyes. So cute! No, really, look at those eyes. What a darling little—All glory to the Hypnocat. This feline is actually named Snoopybabe and is possibly the most famous internet cat in China. When not destroying Chinese micro-blogging service Weibo, Snoopybabe likes racking up “likes” on Instagram. Recently, Snoopybabe has also…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 2, 2013 -
Kotaku East
Nintendo Says Wii Production Will “End Soon” [Update]
The Wii was a juggernaut during Nintendo’s last console generation. Since going on sale in late 2006, it sold 100 million. Now, it seems those days are over. For good. On Nintendo.co.jp, the Wii page reads, “Manufacturing is scheduled to end soon” (“kinjitsu seisan shuuryou yotei” or 近日生産終了予定). In Japan, Nintendo has been known to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 1, 2013 -
Kotaku East
How to Know if Something is Moé
The past decade or so has seen a major change in anime (and in turn manga and Japanese games as well). At the center of this change is one word: “moé.” If you are into anime at all, you have likely heard the term (and if you’re on the internet, probably as a pejorative). But…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published October 1, 2013 -
Kotaku East
Attack on Titan is Good. Damn Good. But Not Perfect.
Almost five months ago I called Attack on Titan one of the must see anime of the spring season. Three months ago, I said it was good, but didn’t live up to its own potential. And as for my final verdict? It’s definitely worth watching, though still not quite perfect. [Note: This review contains moderate…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published October 1, 2013 -
Kotaku EastI’m in Love with This 8-Bit Akihabara
Kunio-kun is a game series that has been around since the NES era. While only a few of the Kunio games have been released in America, like River City Ransom and Super Dodge Ball on the NES, the series has resulted in over 20 titles in Japan in the past two decades. But although the…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published October 1, 2013 -
Kotaku East
KFC Is Turning Really, Really Japanese
Japan is no stranger to unique Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. There was that fancy KFC bar that opened in Tokyo last year. And today, a very Japanese style KFC is also rolling out in the metropolis. Located in Tokyo’s Meguro, the Japanese style KFC served chicken “karaage” (から揚げ), which is a way of deep-fried cooking.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 1, 2013