Kotaku East

Popular Japanese manga Bleach is going on a five-week hiatus so its creator Tite Kubo can recharge. He’ll need his full energy, because once the manga resumes in September, it will begin its “final act”, with Kubo giving, what sounds like, the last story arch his all.

Summer’s Here, So Cover Yourself with Bugs!

This is Shoko Nakagawa. In Japan, she’s a famous popstar and TV personality. She appears in Nintendo commercials and voices Pokémon characters. She also likes putting cicadas on her hair and face. Note: This article has content some readers might find objectionable—especially after they’ve eaten. Nothing quite says summer in Japan like the inescapable cicada…

Flowers of Evil is a Boring, Unengaging Anime

Heading into Flowers of Evil, I was excited. I had heard good things about it through the grapevine, and the fact that it was using rotoscope animation was already getting the series a lot of buzz. But by the time the season hit its halfway point, I had no problem putting it on the list…

NASA Mission Has Anime Mascots (Anime Mascots?)

NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are launching a satellite for next-gen rain and snow observation for the entire globe. This is an important mission and will help us better understand our planet’s water cycles. And it needs an important mascot. NASA decided to hold a contest to select a mission mascot. Since…

Let’s Spend Some Hands-On Time With Pikmin 3

It’s been nine years since the release of the last Pikmin game. And while it’s still weeks away from a Western release, Pikmin 3 was released in Japan this past Saturday. But what exactly is Pikmin 3 like hands-on? You can count on Kotaku East to give you a sneak peek. Check out the video…

In This Game, You Date 8-Bit RPG Stereotypes

Last week, we took a look at a boy-love game that had you date slabs of meat. But this new game has you date something else amazing: 8-bit RPG characters. The game is a visual novel called Dot Boyfriend: We’re 8bit Lovers! (ドットカレシWe’re 8bit Lovers!). In it, you play as a girl surrounded by a…

Kids Find New Studio Ghibli Anime “Boring”, But Adults Dig It

This summer, famed anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is releasing his latest film, Kaze Tachinu. According to reports, little kids are finding it “dull”. You don’t have kids, do you? Kaze Tachinu is a fictionalized animated biography of Jiro Horikoshi, who created the iconic World War II fighter plane, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Recently, there have…

In Japan, People Do Dumb Crap on the Internet, Too

Like watching people fall out of chairs? How about lighting firecrackers in their butts? Or on their faces? Kids, don’t try this at home—because people on NicoNico already have! Of course, Japan’s no different from any other country in that the internet offers a place for idiots and chaos to collide. Nico Nico is, in…

Looks like that “New Title” Namco Bandai has been counting down tois for the 3DS.

Rumor: The Former Face Of Onimusha Is Giving Up Video Games

Asian Superstar actor Takeshi Kaneshiro is supposedly giving up video games for good, according to an article by the Apple Daily News in Taiwan. Kaneshiro, who is best known for his movie roles in the Red Cliff, Fallen Angels, Chungking Express and the House of Flying Daggers, has been doing what many other famous people…

This Schoolgirl Is a Photoshop Disaster and Not an Evil Spirit

Some say this Japanese schoolgirl photo shows an evil spirit. Others say it’s just bad Photoshop. Everyone agrees that it’s pretty freaky. The photo apparently shows a brochure for a private high school in Miyagi prefecture. As awful as it sounds, look under the desk. Yikes! This image has been retweeted over four thousand times,…

Apple Investigating Alleged iPhone 5 Electrocution Death

Last Thursday, 23-year-old flight attendant Ma Ailun apparently died after being electrocuted by her iPhone 5. According to the Xinhua news agency, Ma was allegedly electrocuted when she answered her iPhone 5, which was plugged in and charging. The incident reportedly happened at Ma’s home. Since then, warnings about using iPhones while charging have been…

Man Impersonates Chinese Police To Retrieve Game Account

Losing account credentials is a hassle, but no matter how annoying it is to get them back, one should never impersonate the authorities. Unfortunately, one man in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, after losing access to one of his favourite online games, decided to impersonate public security. Now, he’s facing prison time. According to Wenzhou Online, 24…

Chinese TV Rips Off Popular Japanese Anime?

One of this year’s most popular Japanese anime is Attack on Titan. The show isn’t only popular at home in Japan, but also in other countries, including China. There, the anime’s opening recently became a focus of internet controversy. A Hunan TV talent show called Happy Man Voice: Super Boy used featured a segment called…

Remember when Level-5 said it made the last Professor Layton starring the titular professor? Well, turns out Level-5 honcho Akihiro Hino is happy how the last Layton game turned out and recently said (via ANN), “I’m thinking I want to make a new Layton.”

Dumb Facebook “Joke” Leads to Swift Ice Cream Justice

Summer is hot. One way to cool down is with delicious ice cream. But after a recent Facebook joke, numerous people in Japan probably don’t feel like getting ice cream from this Japanese convenience store chain. Originally from the United States, Lawson is now one of the largest franchise chains in Japan, where it’s now…

The Evangelion Manga Is Finally Over, and What a Ride It Was

After nineteen years and fourteen volumes, the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga finally came to an end this past week. During that time there have been an Evangelion anime series, five films, tons of games, and even numerous other manga. Yet, after all that, it remains entertaining enough to stand on its own. Good – Changes…

The Smelliest, Stickiest Pokémon Food Money Can Buy

In Japanese supermarkets, it’s not uncommon to see Pokémon branded food. Usually, it’s regular food, but with a Pocket Monster label slapped on it. There’s one Pokémon food, however, that currently stands out. And boy, it stinks. This is Pokémon branded nattou. Nattou (納豆) is made from fermented beans. It’s a slimy food that, if…

Korean TV Commercials To Delight, Amaze, and Baffle

Japan doesn’t have a monopoly on interesting and unusual commercials. Neighbouring South Korea has its fair share of peculiar ads. Some of them, like the RoboCop one, are classics. Others, you might not have seen. Have a look. (And yes, the last ad is Japanese.) CrusaderCast [YouTube] To contact the author of this post, write…

Japan’s Prime Minister is Its Newest Platforming Hero

Back in early June, the Japanese LDP political party released a small, free iPhone game called Abe-Pyon (あべぴょん). In this game you play as Shinzo Abe, the current Prime Minister of Japan, and your job is to jump from platform to platform and climb as high as you can. It’s as fun as it is…