Kotaku East

The Lighter Side Of China’s Compulsory Military Training

It’s September again, and that means the start of a brand new school year. In China, the new school year for college freshmen means more than just moving out of house and partying; it means compulsory military training. But it seems there is some fun to be had despite the training’s harsh nature. Attending university…

Naked Man Meditates in Busy Chinese Street

Yesterday, a Russian student at a university in Hainan, China began meditating in the middle of a busy thoroughfare. Chinese people and other foreigners stopped to see if the man was alright. He wasn’t. The man continued to remove articles of clothing while he was meditating, until he ended up completely naked. The man apparently…

CGI Makes Ninja Dancing Better

I didn’t know ninja dancing was a thing, let alone ninja dancing CGI. This is Enra, a Tokyo-based dance troupe that mixes dance rhythms, martial-arts influenced acrobatics, and computer graphics. The group is spearheaded by Nobuyuki Hanabusa, who made a career of creating computer graphics for Japanese television shows and commercials. The performers have impressive…

The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Brings Awful Tasting Game-Based Cakes

Later this week, millions of ethnically Chinese people will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by getting together and having large family meals. Fast forward to the following week, millions upon millions of gifted “moon cakes” will be rotting away in the trash. Even the ridiculously cute and ornate ones. Traditionally the Mid-Autumn Festival, a harvest- and…

One of Japan’s Most Amazing Buildings

Japan is filled with buildings—many of them are impressive. One Osaka building, however, stands apart. It’s not because it’s particularly tall or even that beautiful. It has a highway passing through it. This is the TKP Gate Tower Building, and it’s a structure that blew my mind well over a decade ago when I saw…

The PS Vita Screen Comparison to End all Vita Screen Comparisons

Previously, Kotaku posted a comparison between the original PS Vita and the new, slimmer PS Vita. You might have seen it. But that was just a photo and didn’t move. Now, there’s a video. It moves. In the video, the original Vita is stacked on top of the new revamped Vita. Stick around to 2:50…

Apple Customers Escape Japanese Typhoon in Apple Store

Today a powerful typhoon bringing heavy winds and torrential rains hit Japan. Flash flood warnings hit parts of the country and in certain areas, people were ordered to evacuate. This was serious stuff. So, how the hell are you supposed to wait for a new iPhone? Since mid-last week, Apple fans have been lining up…

Pikachu (And Friends) with No Ears

You’ve seen a Pikachu numerous times, but have you ever seen the character without ears? Online in Japan recently, a thread on 2ch, the country’s largest forum, popped up with people contributing altered photos of iconic characters sans ears. Like this. And here’s the Miffy we all know and love. Here’s Miffy without ears. Rilakkuma,…

The Hot Toys Event in Japan Was a Geekgasm of Iron Man

I’ve made no secret for my love of the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece line of collectible figurines in the past. So, when I discovered that they were having an exhibition event in Tokyo, I immediately set about finding some way to go. Well, it turned out that while the exhibition itself would be from Saturday,…

The JoJo Fighting Game is Plagued With Problems But Still Fun to Play

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of Japan’s longest-running and popular weekly manga. The new PlayStation 3 fighting game JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle is a love letter to the manga that any fan will enjoy. Sadly, while it is quite fun, it has several glaring problems. Good – A Fan’s Wet Dream All-Star Battle is…

No Joke, There’s an Anime About Talking Zits

Ever wondered what would happen if your acne could talk? Well, there’s an anime about that. Nyuru Nyuru!! Kakusen-kun is the story of Nyuruo, a newborn whitehead living on some girl’s nose. Each two-minute episode chronicles his adventures and those of the other zits around him as they deal with problems like two giant, pinching…

These Character Changes Are Ridiculous

Over time, characters evolve. They change! But the way the characters in PS3 game Atelier Rorona have changed is something to behold. Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland was originally released on the PlayStation 3 in 2009. Now, the game’s developer is releasing a “new” remake version, revamping the gameplay and characters. Some of the…

These Chinese Kids’ Rides Are Terrifying

You know those coin-operated kiddie rides. They’re usually somewhat cute, right? Not these. They’re the stuff of nightmares. Usually located outside supermarkets, in arcades, or in hypermarts, kiddie rides are a fairly common sight, even in China. In neighboring Taiwan, net users have assembled some of the most frightening Chinese kiddie rides they could find.…

Is this teaser site counting down to a Kingdom Hearts game? As noted by Japanese site Amaebi, the “Project Destati” teaser site has the word “Kingdom Hearts” in the page’s source code. As of posting, the countdown ends in three days. Make of it what you will.

Japan’s “Anal City” Must Be Fixed

In Hakata, Japan, there’s a shopping center called “Canal City.” Well, it’s usually called that, except for when the sign’s “C” burns out. Then, it’s something else entirely. Recently, the sign did burn out, causing Twitter users like @taiji_utagawa to upload images and people to snicker. The tweet has been retweeted over eight thousand times.…

I Love Cyborg 009, and the New Graphic Novel Does Not Disappoint

Cyborg 009 is one of Japan’s most famous manga series as well as one of its most iconic characters. It’s also getting a new English language adaptation. Created by Shotaro Ishinomori in 1964, an era under the shadow of the cold war, the manga focused on a group of 9 individuals who were made into…

A Counter-Strike Party on 9/11? It’s Actually Worse Than it Sounds

Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of 9/11. And one bar in Shenzhen, China apparently decided to throw a party—complete with unsettling cosplay. Hey, the bar said it was a fun party! As pointed out by The Nanfang Insider, the event featured men in military- and Middle Eastern-style garb, brandishing weapons and shooting “Americans.” According to…

In Case Any of You Were Wondering Just Who This Character Is…

If any of you caught the Japanese Sony press conference on Monday, there was a moment when they were showing a medley of upcoming PS Vita games where the screen went black and some random archer-ish character popped up for a moment. That character was Akagi, one of the anthropomorphized battleships (an aircraft carrier, to…

Entertaining Kids Is Effing Hard Work

Children! You have no idea how good you have it. Just wait until you grow up and find yourself dragging your own kids to cartoon events like this. Or worse, performing on stage—especially when you’re not up to it. Here, you can see characters from Anpanman, the beloved children’s anime, at what looks like a…

What Do Some Japanese Think of the New Godzilla?

Hollywood is making a new Godzilla movie. The last time Hollywood made a Godzilla movie, many in Japan hated how the lead kaiju looked. Make that, many on planet Earth hated it. What about this latest effort? The image above was spotted at an expo in Brazil and as our colleagues at i09 point out,…