Kotaku East

Guess Which Game Falls Under Which Awesome Japanese “Genre”

Ever wonder why Metal Gear Solid comes with the tagline “Tactical Espionage Action” printed right on the box? Well that’s simple. While it may be a tagline in the West, it’s actually the game’s official genre in Japan. While in Japanese stores games are listed under the typical, broad genres you’d expect—i.e. RPG, action, shooter,…

Nintendoji is Cute, Quirky, Dungeon-Crawling Fun

Earlier this week, we took a brief look at Nintendoji, a Nintendo title only available to gold or platinum members of the Japanese Club Nintendo. And because of its very limited release, both Japanese and Westerners are unlikely to be able to ever play it—which is a real shame as it is a fun, cute,…

This Year’s Most Embarrassing Japanese Game Magazine Article

You might know Japanese celebrity Mari Yaguchi from her appearance in Yakuza 4. Or maybe you remember her days in pop group Morning Musume. Or you might have recently heard Yaguchi’s husband caught her screwing another man. On May 21, Japanese magazine Josei Seven published an article, claiming that Yaguchi’s husband, 27 year-old actor Masaya…

Japanese Media Seems to Want Otaku to be More “Otaku-ish”

For the longest time in Japan, to be an otaku was to be an outcast. To be labeled an “otaku” was to be branded with the staple of being an awkward, obsessive social outcast, and/or potential sexual predator/criminal. While the times have changed, it appears that Japanese mass media’s preconception of the “otaku stereotype” has…

This July, the manga version of Neon Genesis Evangelion is ending its long run. The final entry in Yoshiyuki Sadamoto‘s manga version will appear in an upcoming issue of Young Ace. The manga began in December 1994. To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East…

Behold, Japan’s Geekiest Taxi Cabs

In Japan, taxis are typically black. Sometimes, they’re white or even yellow, but generally, people think of them as being dark-colored and dull looking. These taxis, however, are anything but. You are looking at “itataku” (痛タク). “Ita” (痛) literally refers to “pain”, but it’s now slang for things covered with geeky stickers, whether that’s cars,…

How Empathy Takes the Fear Out of Horror

After playing Saya no Uta – The Song of Saya this past week, I’ve been thinking a lot about horror games. And when it comes to me personally, I have to accept that all my life I have been a complete wuss when it comes to the horror genre. While watching a horror movie or…

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, who is sidelined with an illness, sent out word to One Piece readers, apologizing for making people wait for the next issue. In the statement, he seemed in good spirits and really wanted folks to read the “new development” in the upcoming One Piece. Good to know! To contact the…

Korean Mother Reshaped Her Daughter’s Face with a Spoon (Apparently!)

Instead of shelling out for plastic surgery, one mother in South Korea decided she could make her daughter beautiful through things like massaging her child’s face. With a spoon. This week on popular Korean show Martian Virus, the mother discussed how she thought, even as a baby, that her daughter was ugly, worrying that the…

Clothing Stereotypes Exist In Japan, Too

Recently on 2ch, Japan’s largest forum, people have begun collecting images of college students decked out in similar outfits. Online in Japan, this largely became a way to poke fun at college students—because, hey, making fun of college students is universal, no? Not all these photos depict college students (though, most seem to). What’s more,…

Here Are Ten Games Japanese Players Recommend

2013 is approaching the halfway point and this year, we’ve already seen several heavy-hitting game releases. Oftentimes it’s difficult to choose a single game to buy out of several when you have a limited budget. The biggest and most influential factor in making a choice is usually other players’ opinions. Gamer recommendations will trump the…

Now, This Is One Stunning Retro Japanese Console

The Twin Famicom is an interesting game console. Produced by Sharp, it was Nintendo’s Famicom console and Disk System melded into a single console. While it looked nice enough, there is a way to make it look better: Lots and lots of gloss. Via Tiny Cartridge, this is the work of Slovenian artist Zoki64, who…

In South Korea, Japanese anime Jin-Roh is being turned into a feature film with Kim Ji-woon (The Last Stand) directing. According to Hankooki (via tipster Sang), actor Kang Dong-won is being floated as the possible lead. To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft Kotaku East is…

Wikipedia Writers Sure Know Their Hentai

Outside of Japan, the word “hentai” is used to refer to a certain type of Japanese anime, manga, or video games. It’s a genre. In Japan, it’s not. Recently on 2ch, Japan’s largest forum, people discovered the Chinese language Wikipedia entry for “hentai”. Many thought it was hilarious how long the entry was. It’s really,…

Sure Seems Like Jaleco Is Either AWOL, Or Worse, Dead

Remember Bases Loaded? And Wii role-playing game Ougon no Kizuna (above)? Or that Japanese truck driving game? The company known for those titles, Jaleco, seems to have fallen off the map. This afternoon, Kotaku phoned Jaleco’s Tokyo office. There was no answer, and a recording said the number was “no longer in service”. As noted…

I May Have Misjudged Freedom Wars

My good friend Martin has a saying whenever we talk about upcoming movies: “Trailers lie.” Rarely will what we see in a trailer accurately encapsulate what the actual finished movie or game will be like. A trailer is designed specifically to garner interest, and not necessarily to truthfully describe what it’s selling. And yet, even…

Chinese Newspaper Confuses the Japanese Military with…DeviantArt

A website for Chinese newspaper Global Times recently published photos of a new Japanese military helicopter “design concept”. Too bad it’s not real. It’s not even made by the Japanese military. On Global Times’ website Huanqiu.com, the text reads, “This appeared online today; it seems to be a concept for a Japanese Self Defense Force…

What Chinese People Think About The New Xbox

The original Xbox and Xbox 360 weren’t allowed to be sold in China due to the country’s console ban. With the ban looking to stay in place for the foreseeable future, the availability of the Xbox One as well as other next-generation consoles in China is questionable. Regardless of the availability, Chinese gamers are still…

“Offensive” Sex Buddha Statue Removed from Bar

A statue of Buddhist deities engaged in what looks like sexual intercourse was dubbed “crude and blasphemous” in China. According to Xinhaunet and ShangahaiIst, a bar in Lijang, Yunnan province commissioned the four-meter tall statue. It has since been removed after complaints. The bar’s owner decided to have the statue removed after repeatedly having to…

Origami Gives You Instant Derp

Look at these cool dudes! They’re so serious. If only there was an easy way to make them look like total goofballs. Turns out, there is. Here’s the “serious” cover of Weekly Jump, featuring popular manga Gin Tama So, how do you make this look ridiculous? Origami! Good times. The images were originally uploaded to…