Kotaku East

Heads up fighter fans! BLAZBLUE CHRONOPHANTASMA (their caps, not mine) hits Japanese arcades on Nov. 21, says 4Gamer

The Secret Life of Japanese Toys

If the Pixar flicks are about the secret lives of toys, then YouTube user ugoorePowerPlant‘s stop motion clips are about the secret lives of Japanese toys. Courtesy of sister site Kotaku Japan, the above short is called “Fuufugenka” (夫婦喧嘩) or “marriage quarrel”. 夫婦喧嘩 [ugoorePowerPlant via Kotaku Japan] Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet…

How Sony Is Turning into a Ghost in Japan and Around the World

For some people in Japan, Sony is already dead. The only question they have is how did Sony die, or who killed it, and how long will the spectre of Sony remain haunting Japan. It’s a pessimistic view of the company but it’s one reality in this island country. Mr. and Mrs. Nakayama have run…

Evangelion 2.22 is a Film That Plays On Your Expectations

We are now less than a week out from the Japanese release of Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo. Over the past few weeks we have looked at my personal history with the Evangelion franchise in general and the first film in the Rebuild of Evangelion series, Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone, in specific.…

All-You-Can-Eat Burger King? This Is Madness, Japan.

To mark the fifth year of Burger King’s return to Japan, the fast food chain is once again offering a special deal for a limited time: an all-you-can-eat burger buffet. Between November 17 and 21, those who order a large black burger meal deal between 2pm and 11pm get to stuff their faces with as…

Report: Pleas for Japan’s Most Infamous (and Frightening) Blogger To Stop

Japanese actress Aki Higashihara writes a blog—a blog that has been nicknamed the “Death Blog”. It’s called the “Death Blog” after Japanese manga Death Note, because her track record has not been good. Well, it’s been good at causing bad things, such as the death of the Nintendo Wii. As previously noted, here’s a round…

The Bravely Default Browser Game is Deeper Than I Expected

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is not the only game to bare the Bravely Default moniker. There is also a tie-in browser game called Bravely Default: Praying Brage. We’ve already had a look at some of the game’s… less than stellar artwork but luckily these character portraits do not reflect the overall art style of the…

Here’s How You Build a Giant Z.O.E. Statue

Ever wondered how Konami built that large Jehuty statue and then put it on a building in Tokyo? No? Well, here’s a photo montage that might clue you in. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from…

Japan’s Traditional Seals Get Very, Very Nerdy

In Japan and most of Asia, documents require a seal. The Japanese word for these stamps is a typically “hanko” (判子) or inkan (印鑑), and they’ve been used for over a thousand years. People’s names are carved onto them, and take the place of a signature when doing things like opening a bank account, getting…

You’ll Need to Clean Out Your Ears to Watch This Game in Action

Over the course of this generation in gaming, more than a few Nintendo-published Wii titles have never made it outside of Japan—despite it being the best-selling console of the generation. One of these unfortunate titles is Kiki Trick, a video game based completely around listening. Somewhat resembling music title Rhythm Heaven in both style and…

This Guy’s Geeky Latte Art Will Blow Your Mind

Meet Kazuki Yamamoto. He’s a latte artist. You’ve probably seen the work of latte artists before and how they can draw things like hearts or leaves in steamed milk. But you’ve probably never seen anything like this. Yamamoto draws anime, manga, and video game characters in latte—as well as celebrities and animals. Whether it’s Pokémon…

According to a Chinese newspaper, Apple will apparently start trial production next month for the iPhone 5S.

It’s Like China Is Making a Real Stargate Transport Ring

In the Stargate universe, there are these giant rings called, well, Stargates, that are portal devices that allow quick travel through space. In China, there’s this. Located in Fushun, it’s called the “Ring of Life”. According to Reuters (via The Atlantic), the structure is 157 meters tall, is built using 3,000 tons of steel (not…

Want to Intern for Kotaku East?

It’s that time again. It’s time to look for Kotaku East interns. Do you live in Asia? Would you like to intern with Kotaku? Have I got something for you! In particular, Kotaku East is looking for interns in Asia that are located outside of Japan. Here are the particulars: • You must be over…

There’s a New Paid Dating Service Just for Japanese Nerds

For some, it’s not enough to have virtual girlfriends. Maybe they want the companionship of a real one, but aren’t good at meeting people. Open your wallets, Japanese geeks! There’s a new service called “Moé Date”. And for a price, you can have a girlfriend for a few hours. “Moé” (萌え) literally means “budding”, but…

Out of 1,161 Japanese gamers polled, 40.4% want a Wii U, 33.4% a Vita, 21.2% a 3DS, 19.7% a PS3, and 9.6% an Xbox 360.

China’s Board Game Magazines Are Totally Not Just About Board Games

China’s one of the few places in the world where print media is still being consumed by the masses. Part of the reason for that is the State running most (if not all) media. Because China still consumes print, I am able to show off one of China’s more interesting geek-chic publications, China’s Board Games…

Domino’s Pizza Is Giving Out Truly Bizarre Discounts in Japan

Japanese people love pizza. The three most popular delivery restaurants that duke it out for the country’s pizza pie preferences are Napoli Pizza, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s. But as of today, Domino’s might get more business thanks to an amazingly odd discount campaign. You can get 25 percent off your delivery if you have one…

14 Year-old Swallows Pencil Lead To Escape Internet Addiction Clinic

Sent to an internet addiction rehabilitation center for, well, being addicted to the internet, 14 year-old Chen Wei (a pseudonym) couldn’t take the treatment at the center. So much so that he tried to kill himself to escape. Chen Wei from Wuhan, Hubei province, was “addicted” to online multiplayer games. Not sure what to do…

Japan’s Most Talented Pro-Gamer Is Now Appearing in a Japanese Manga

As far as Street Fighter players go, they don’t get much bigger than Daigo Umehara. He has an endorsement with peripheral maker Mad Catz, and he even authored a book. But it doesn’t stop there. He recently popped up in a Japanese manga. But not just any manga! According to this Japanese blog, Umehara is…