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Kotaku East
Japan’s Favorite Robotic Cat Made Hellish for Good Hygiene
Brushing your teeth is important. Just ask Doraemon, the robot cat from the future! A Japanese dentist decided that Doraemon (and his sister Dorami) plush toys would make perfect models for teaching brushing, so the good doctor added phony teeth and a Joker smile. The result is horrifying. 歯医者にある『ドラえもん』があまりに恐すぎるネットで話題に [秒刊SUNDAY]
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 18, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Dunking Oreo Cookies in Breast Milk Looks Difficult
Oreos and milk, a snack time classic. Dunking Oreo cookies in a warm glass of milk? No problem. But dunking them in a warm glass of boob? The above ad apparently debuted this month in South Korea with the tagline “Milk’s favorite cookie” (more info here). In the print spot, a nursing baby holds an…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 18, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This 3DS Game Cart Sure Is Classy
Remember when people got excited about cartridges? The first time I saw The Legend of Zelda‘s gold casing as a kid, I nearly lost my shit. With the advent of discs, those days are nearly gone. Still, there are the occasional instances when people to say, “Oh, now that’s nice.” The upcoming Fire Emblem: Kakusei…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 18, 2012 -
Kotaku East
In China, You Can Eat the iPhone 5
The inevitable iPhone 5 might not be out in the West yet, but it’s out in China. And it’s delicious-looking. This “mango-flavored” ice cream treat boasts a “Western-style flavor” and is shaped like Apple’s iconic logo. It kind of looks like a fried egg. There also appears to be a pear-flavored version, but apparently no…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 18, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This Japanese Video Game Sets Feminism Back, Oh, a Good Hundred Years
Girl’s RPG: Cinderellife is the newest game by Level-5. Far from the puzzle solving of Professor Layton or the giant armored suits of White Knight Chronicles, this title is directed toward the female gamer demographic—just as the name suggests. But what exactly is a “Girls RPG,” I wondered. Is it about a strong female protagonist,…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japan’s Beer Machine Promises a Perfect Pour
A perfect pour in Japan has just the amount of right amount of head. This beer tap (beer fountain?) tilts the glass, just so. At after the beer is poured, foam jets out, and a creamy head is poured. I’m not sure if this exists outside of Japan. Perhaps it does. When I first came…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Man Arrested for Stealing Super Rare…Stickers
On April 16th, a 34 year-old male stole a total of 2,500 Bikkuriman stickers in Hokkaido, Japan. First going on sale during the 1980s, the Bikkuriman stickers are packaged with chocolate snacks. Being around for so long means that certain Bikkuriman stickers are worth well over $1,000—just as some of the stolen stickers were. With…
By Toshitaka Tachibana Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Porn Is Overdosing on Video Games and Anime
If something exists, then, yes, there is a dirty movie of it. Video games and anime exist, so, yes, there are dirty movies of them. Japan just seems to have more of them. Sure, the West has its own video game porn parodies. Blue movie versions of World of Warcraft, Left 4 Dead, and Tomb…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku EastHostess Clubs Are Invading Video Games (Host Clubs Too!)
Last year at the Tokyo Game Show, Level-5 announced they were making an RPG on the 3DS specifically targeted toward girls. I was interested by the idea. What exactly is a “girl’s RPG.” Would it present girls with a strong female role model or would it just be a traditional princessy love story? But whatever…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This Girl’s Face Does Not Lie
Japanese idol group AKB48 hold meet-and-greet events in which its young idols shake hands with their rabid fans. It’s a chance for their adoring public to rub elbows with their favorite singers. Some of AKB48’s fans are older. Some are young. Some are cool. And some are not. I know the difference, you know the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Famous Anime Characters Will Now Tell You Where to Drive and What to Wear
Ever since its first apperance on TV in 1995, Neon Genesis Evangelion has been a popular series for anime fans of many nationalities. In anticipation for the upcoming new movie, Evangelion 3.0: You Can (not) Redo, the official Evangelion Store has some new Eva
By Toshitaka Tachibana Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Sony Introduces New Hardware for PS3 Digital Recording and Streaming
Sony’s Japan-only digital recording system, Torne, is getting an upgrade. Say hello to Nasne. Outfitted with a 500GB HDD, Nasne comes with an onboard digital and terrestrial tuner. Using Torne’s software, Nasne can record and stream to a variety of Sony devices—such as the PS3, the PS Vita, the Vaio, the Sony Tablet, and Experia…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
A Samurai’s Guide to Harakiri
Suicide is not to be taken lightly—especially in Japan, where it has a long (and bloody) tradition. In Japan, samurai committed seppuku (切腹 or “ritual suicide”) if enemies captured them or if they defiled the samurai code. The ritual suicide, also called “harakiri” (腹切り), was performed in front of an audience, and samurai sliced open…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku EastIn This Role-Playing Game, You Eat, Shop, And Seduce Men
Girl’s RPG: Cinderellife on the Nintendo 3DS purports to be—as the name suggests—an RPG for girls. But what exactly does that entail? Mostly running around a city, buying clothes, talking with men, and finding true love—all in a hostess club setting. And while the setting is more than a little questionable, the game is presented…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Grandpa Really Wanted To Hold This Statue with Ridiculous Breasts
At the age of 88, this grandfather got his hands on a Cattleya statue from Queen’s Blade. But grandma wouldn’t let grandpa see Cattleya topless—not at his age! Figure collector HSkeleton had been gushing to her grandpa for months about this enormous Cattleya from Queen’s Blade statue, and her grandfather was keen to check out…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
What Do You Say to a Man in a Gundam Mecha Suit?
Clive Lee is a Singapore-based game designer, a Flash programmer, and a cosplayer. He is also a hero. Lee specializes in amazing Gundam cosplay, bring the huge mecha to life with huge costumes. His work is truly impressive. Just look at the detail and craftsmanship that goes into each of his outfits. Bravo. In the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
The City Where Japanese Nerds and Japanese Temples Meet
The smoke from cooking fires mingles with potent incense and perfume, a heavy smell that hangs cloying in the air. This is Ōsu, an old “temple town (monzenmachi) spread between Ōsu Kannon and Banshōji in present-day Nagoya. While it might seem an unlikely pairing, the spiritual and the commercial have long been aligned in Japan,…
Patrick W. Galbraith Published April 17, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Spurned Singer Arrested for Computer Crime
The Japanese entertainment industry is crawling with young women who hope to become the next geek idol. With her anime songs and maid outfits, Mako Okita might seem like any other hopeful, but she stands out. How many idols can say they’ve been arrested for cyber crime? Late last week, Okita was arrested by Japanese…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 16, 2012