Kotaku East

Turning Women’s Thighs into Billboards

Literally, the Japanese phrase “zettai ryouiki” (絶対領域) means “absolute territory”. But for Japanese geeks, it means something else—but something nonetheless absolute. The term refers to the area of exposed flesh between high socks and a hemline. This is a location that’s often fetishized in anime and manga—and soon, it’ll be a fetishized for advertising. The…

In Hong Kong, Superheroes Live Very Normal and Somewhat Bittersweet Lives

Being a superhero seems so glamorous. There are the outfits, the universe saving, and the crime fighting. But in Hong Kong, the lives of superheroes seem so normal. They get parking tickets, they work in markets, and after a long day, they sit down for delicious dinners. That’s the concept behind these photos, titled “Heroes…

This Rich, Arrogant Gamer Might Piss You Off

At the recent China Joy gaming expo in Shanghai, a rich gamer apparently rented an entire booth so he could have it all to himself and play a new online game. According to reports, the gamer booked the booth for thirty minutes, and there were even three booth companions on hand to fan him while…

This Flying Battleship Is Over 16 Feet of Awesome

Spotted at the recent Wonder Festival, this 1/35 scale Space Battleship Yamato measures over 16 feet was was erected to promoted upcoming anime Space Battleship Yamato: 2199 The anime is a modern updated version of the first season of the classic Japanese space saga, Space Battleship Yamato 全長5メートルで圧倒的迫力のヤマトなど「宇宙戦艦ヤマト2199」ブース [Gigazine]

Resident Evil 6 Will Let You Infect Other Players’ Games as Bad Guys

There’s a new mode in Resident Evil 6, and it lets you enter other people’s games—and kill them. Dubbed “Agent Hunt”, it’s available after you’ve cleared the game and allows you to play as a RE6 creature—presumably a monster—and take on the game’s protagonists. Agent Hunt is only available on specific stages. And Agent Hunt…

PS Vita Rip-Off Appears at China’s Biggest Gaming Expo

Even though the actual PS Vita was at the recent China Joy gaming convention in Shanghai, a Vita inspired copy was there, too. From iReadyGo, the Much 3G is an Android-powered handheld that sure looks like the PS Vita (though, it seems to be missing rear-touch and proper analog sticks). Tech company iReadyGo even had…

An upcoming patch will enable gamers to play Dragon’s Dogma on a new Easy mode. How about a patch for the boring bits?

Hanging Out with Darth Vader Sure Seems Fun

Camping. Skateboarding. Getting your hair done. If you’re a looking for a buddy, Darth Vader is the Sith Lord you want. Vader appears in the Samsung Galaxy spots for Japanese mobile carrier Docomo. Debuting last fall, the commercial is part of the “Walk with You” series of commercials that turns celebrities in personified cell phones…

Naruto, All Freakishly Tall and with Breasts

Nana-chan ningyou (“Nana-chan doll”) is a huge female mannequin in front of Nagoya’s Meitetsu Department Store. Since 1973, she’s towered over shoppers in a variety of seasonal and promotional outfits. Recently, Nana-chan donned Naruto gear as part of a campaign for the new Naruto animated film, Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, giving Nagoya the…

The Upcoming Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Title Will Be Revealed Next Month

As previously hinted, Square Enix will be revealing the latest entry in its Final Fantasy XIII “Lightning Saga” at the upcoming Final Fantasy anniversary event in Tokyo’s Shibuya on September 1. Square Enix’s Yoshinori Kitase confirmed to Famitsu that work on the latest entry in the Lightning Saga has “just begun”. At the Final Fantasy…

A Chinese Arcade Cabinet Built for RPGs

Side-scrolling role-playing game Zhan Hun (roughly, “Soul Decapitation”) made an appearance at the recent China Joy gaming convention in arcade form. The wuxia game is a single player role-playing title set in ancient China, and its arcade demo cabinet was outfitted with buttons and a joystick for those who like arcade controls as well as…

This Is Not Fried Chicken. You Cannot Eat It.

Your mouth might water. Your stomach might growl. You might want to reach out and shove these chicken wings into your mouth. But you cannot for two reasons: One, they exist on the internet, and two, they’re not actually fried chicken. They’re fake. In Japan, plastic food is called “shokuhin sample” (食品サンプル) or “food sample”.…

Here Is What’s New in New Super Mario Bros. 2

In 2006 Nintendo released New Super Mario Bros.—the first big 2D Mario title since the SNES’ Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. This game would go on to be the best selling game of the DS’ formidable library, selling over 28 million copies worldwide. Now, six years later, it’s a new decade and a new…

HD Games Are Like Putting on Tons of Make-Up. Wait, What?

While I can appreciate the skill and art that goes into make up, I find this Sony teaser to be baffling. It’s comparing HD editions of video games to a woman being made up. The central point is that a woman whose face is covered in make up is the same woman underneath. But the…

All Female Theater Group Bringing Ace Attorney To Life (Again!)

The Takarazuka Revue has twice done productions based on Ace Attorney. Those went so well that the troupe is planning on doing a third next January. It will center around Miles Edgeworth. Takarazuka actress Hiro Yuumi will play Miles—hopefully not in that Louis Vuitton raincoat. She’ll be reviving her Edgeworth role from previous productions 宝塚歌劇『逆転裁判』第3弾、2013年1月に公演決定！　今回の主役は検事マイルズ・エッジワース（御剣怜侍）！！…

Man Declares Love to Booth Babe and Is Taken Away by Security

At the recent China Joy gaming expo in Shanghai, a young man in mirrored sunglasses stormed the stage with a bouquet of roses that were made from 100 yuan bills. He presented the roses to a booth companion and confessed his love to her. She didn’t exactly seem pleased and neither did show security. The…

Final Fantasy III Is Totally Coming to Ouya

Square Enix is bringing its Android version of Final Fantasy III to Ouya. Sure, FFIII is a game you’ve played—and bought—a million times. And you can buy it again when it hits Ouya in March 2013! [Square Enix]

3DS XL Forced on the Circle Pad Pro

While you probably wouldn’t want to do this yourself (it certainly doesn’t look comfortable!), one Japanese gamer apparently forced the recently released 3DS XL on the Circle Pad Pro and got it to recognize the larger 3DS—which makes sense! Nintendo will release a Circle Pad Pro for the larger 3DS. If you don’t like destroying…

New Super Mario Bros. 2 Is, Well, a Mario Game (And That’s Not a Bad Thing)

Six years ago, Nintendo returned to its 2D platforming roots with New Super Mario Bros. It went on to become not only the bestselling DS title but also the third bestselling hand-held title ever (behind Pokemon Red/Blue and Tetris) with over 28 million copies sold worldwide. After a brief detour to the Wii, the series…

Japanese Cosplayers Turn Up the Summer Heat

Holy crap summer in Japan is hot. That doesn’t keep the country’s cosplayers from wearing full body costumes, such as Godzilla or Jin Roh outfits. It also certainly doesn’t discourage them from wearing skimpy ones, either. At the recent Wonder Festival, a slew of cosplayers turned up to show off their costume creations. Sister site…