Kotaku East

Beijing’s Smog – It’s Like Living in Silent Hill All the Time

If you’ve read any international news regarding China recently, you’ll definitely have read about the environmental disaster that is Beijing’s air. Over the weekend and heading into the week, Beijing’s been covered in a terrible haze of “smog”, causing issues with traffic, air travel, and most importantly health. The Air Quality Index, an index used…

This Pokémon Nerd Hero Is Way Good at Drawing

One of my favorite things is watching people draw. I’m not very good at drawing, but there’s something relaxing about watching people who are. Late last year, Japanese celeb Shoko Nakagawa appeared on a variety program and was able to show off how talented she is at art (and how other celebrities aren’t!). Nakagawa, who…

Magazine with Scandalous Photo Goes on Sale in Japan

Young Magazine is a weekly manga that features serialized comics, like Initial D. Aimed at young males, the publication also features pin-up bikini photos. This week, the magazine features a questionable image of Tomomi Kasai, a former member of Japan’s biggest girl group AKB48. In the photo, Kasai is topless, and a young boy covers…

Over a thousand workers at a Foxconn supplier went on strike, demanding better pay.

When You Die, You Cannot Take Pornography With You

One day, you’ll die. Your worldly possessions will stay behind. Perhaps there are things you want your loved ones to see. Then, there are those things you probably don’t. Nagoya based Keepers handles estate sales for those who pass on, and employee Taichi Yoshida recently gave words of caution to News Post Seven—namely finding stuff…

Atlus recently trademarked “P Studio” in Japan. It’s apparently connected to the Persona games.

A Game Developer’s Take on Japan: the Myths and the Reality

One well-received and much commented-on blog post I wrote many years ago covered the “stages of living in Japan”. These are the 5 stages I have witnessed, again and again, in myself and in others, and though your mileage may of course vary, they seem pretty spot on. I daresay they could be applied to…

Japan’s Most Recommended Anime Films of 2012

Back in November, 1,049 Japanese people were asked by survey company goo Ranking to choose which animated or Tokusatsu (think Godzilla or Power Rangers-style) movies of 2012 they would recommend to other people. Here are the top five recommended films of 2012—all of which are anime. #1 — The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki The…

Why Ash Ketchum Always Loses (And Why That’s Okay!)

Since the late 1990s, Ash Ketchum has been training Pocket Monsters. And with a decade plus under his belt (sixteen years, actually), you’d think he’d be pretty good. You’d be wrong. In Pokémon League play, in which trainers have their Pocket Monsters battle, it always seems like he’s losing. Well, that’s because he is. And…

I’m Not Entirely Sure What to Think About Robotics;Notes (And It’s Already Half Done)

From the creators of the visual novels Chaos;Head and Steins;Gate comes the anime adaptation of their latest game, Robotics;Notes. While at first the Robotics;Notes anime seems like little more than a near-future high school slice-of-life story, it soon devolves into a myriad of different stories, often of completely different genres. Good — A Realistic Giant…

All These Little Steve Jobs Heads Are Creepy

They really, really are. That’s okay, because that Steve Jobs figure is already kind of creepy! Japanese figure maker Legend Toys nailed Jobs’ face, which is a testament to the company’s sculpting talents. All these little Steve Jobs heads lined up all neat like, however, is a testament to Legend Toys’ ability to freak people…

You Can Now Rent Ninja in Japan. They’re Not Deadly.

Well, it’s about friggin’ time! Starting this month, a new service will deliver ninja on the time and to the place of your choosing. The name of this new service? Why, Ninja Delivery. So clever. Don’t expect these on-demand ninja to climb walls and assassinate enemies. But who cares when ninja are only a phone…

This “Adult 3D Racer” is Neither a Good Racing Game, Nor a Good Visual Novel

When I heard about Moero Downhill Night Blaze (and its recent Western release), it was described as a Japanese-made “adult 3D racer”—a description that sent my mind reeling. How do you make a game that is both a porn game and a racing game? My mind came up with more than a few “interesting” theories,…

This Lineage II Elf Statue Is Neat and Tidy

Heads up, Lineage fans. Japanese figure maker Max Factory is rolling out a Lineage II Elf figure. As Japanese site Moeyo (NSFW) points out in its review, this is one tidy looking statue. Can you imagine wearing something white like that outside? Think of the dirt stains! Plastic sculptures don’t have to worry about that…

Like Creepy Woody, This Skeleton Warrior Is Nothing But Good Times

A skeleton wielding a sword is supposed to be scary. It was scary in 1963 when special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen created a whole army of them in Jason and the Argonauts. How do you kill something that’s already dead? But what happens when you take a Skeleton Warrior out of Jason and the Argonauts?…

Here’s What (Some) Japanese Developers Are Looking Forward To In 2013

And so this is 2013, and what have we done? Another year over, and a new one’s just begun… Holiday songs aside, 2013 is upon us, and that means reflecting on the past year and looking forward to things to come. This week, Weekly Famitsu asked several Japanese game developers about their plans for 2013.…

The Titles Pokémon X/Y Were Predicted in 2008. Maybe as a Joke.

Think back to 2008. That September, Pokémon Platinum, an enhanced version of Pokémon Diamond/Pearl, hit shops in Japan. Yet, people online made one sort of accurate prediction—and one very accurate prediction. People? Sorry, I meant soothsayers. On Yahoo! Japan’s questions section, someone asked what people thought the next Pocket Monster installment would be titled. Then,…

Let’s Identify The Games In Capcom’s Upcoming Anniversary Collection

Video game maker Capcom is 30 years old. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the company is looking back to its roots. As a 30th anniversary celebration, Capcom is releasing the Capcom Arcade Cabinet Retro Game Collection: A collection of Capcom games from the 8-bit era. Capcom producer Kenji Kataoka spoke with Japanese game magazine Weekly…

Work for Nintendo and People Will Want To Marry You (Apparently!)

A new Japanese poll of 500 men and women between 20 and 39 years old revealed that the most desirable company a prospective partner could work for was Nintendo. According to website Business Media, Japanese airline ANA came in at second place. Third was (very successful) scale maker Tanita, followed by Google and Apple. Those…

In Japan, Dominos Has Kobe Beef Pizza

To ring in the New Year, Dominos not only has a very special pizza, but a very pricey one. For a limited time, pizza lovers can order a “Kobe Beef Steak” special. A medium costs ¥4,800 (US$55), while a large is ¥5,800 ($66). Sixty-six bucks! The Kobe beef is covered in a simple special sauce,…