-
Kotaku EastJapanReal-Life Pokémon Costume Inspires Leggy Fan Art
Iwate Prefecture in Japan recently selected Geodude as its official supporter, with the Rock Pokémon doing its best to promote the region. In the Pokémon games and anime, Geodude does not have legs, but its real-world cosplaying counterpart does. Unleash the fan art! Of course, we can see the cosplayer’s legs, but we’re supposed to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 17, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanOmega Labyrinth Life Toned Down For PS4, But Not For Nintendo Switch
Who would have thought that for this console generation the Nintendo Switch would be home to slightly racier content than the PS4? Omega Labyrinth is proof of that. Dungeon crawler Omega Labyrinth was released on the PS Vita in 2015, telling the story of Aina, who hoped to increase the size of her bust. By…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 14, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanDetective Pikachu Director Explains A Most Unexpected Easter Egg
Pokémon Detective Pikachu is full of Easter Eggs—namely, a bunch of Pokémon getting cameos. You’d expect that! But there is one Easter Egg I was surprised to see. [Note: This article includes spoilers] During one scene early in the movie, Justice Smith as Tim Goodman goes to his missing father’s apartment. On the TV, an…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 14, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanHow Hollywood Didn’t Screw Up The Detective Pikachu Movie
It seems like a miracle. As a rule of thumb, Hollywood’s video game adaptations have been subpar. But the Pokémon Detective Pikachu is the exception to the rule. The movie is good “Did you have trepidation about adapting Pokémon?” I asked director Rob Letterman late last month in Tokyo. “I still do! I’m very nervous,”…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanCelebrate Goku Day With Excellent Dragon Ball Fan Art
Did you know that May 9 is Goku Day in Japan? There is a good reason why today is the best day to celebrate the Dragon Ball hero. In Japanese, five (五) is “go” and nine (九) is “kyuu” or “ku.” Voilà, “Goku”! While not an official holiday (dammit), people are using the tag #悟空の日…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 9, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanNintendo Answer Questions About Its Plans For China
In the past, Nintendo released its consoles through a subsidiary called iQue. Even Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently admitted that they “cannot say these releases were a great success.” In a recent Q&A for investors, Furukawa was asked about Nintendo’s plans for China. Why all the China questions? Because the Switch is finally going on…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 8, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanFootage Of Alleged Taiko No Tatsujin Robbery At Japanese Arcade [Update]
Taiko no Tatsujin is one of Japan’s most iconic arcade games. Recently in Nagoya, two kids appear to have stuffed one of the drums into a plastic bag and walked out of the arcade. May 7 – 6:00am: According to Livedoor, three high school students have admitted to stealing the drum kit, reportedly telling authorities…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 7, 2019 -
Kotaku EastK-Pop Pick Of The Day: Girls’ Generation
This isn’t a song by Girls’ Generation, the iconic girl group. This is a song about Girls’ Generation. Stella Jang has consistently put out some great music, which has also led to her being featured on this column again and again with Vanishing Paycheck, Monsieur, and Beautiful. Her vocal and musical range continues to astonish…
By Seung Park Published May 7, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanDetective Pikachu Has Enough Adult Outtakes To Make An R-Rated Version
Detective Pikachu’s humor is kid-friendly. Deadpool, this ain’t. During an interview with Kotaku late last month in Tokyo, Ryan Reynolds said an R-rated version of Detective Pikachu was possible. That doesn’t mean one will happen, though! “Motion capture is a unique experience in which you are alone and you throw a billion things up against…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 6, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapan’s Noodle Slurping Noises Disturb Tourists, It Seems
When I first moved to Japan at the turn of the century, I was told that noodle lovers need not fret about making slurping sounds while eating. Among some, that attitude is changing. There is now concern over “noodle harassment.” Or in Japanese, nuuhara (ヌーハラ、which is short for “nuudoru harasumento”). The word came to a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 6, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanBehold, Chun-Li Themed Sneakers
Japanese shoe brand Onitsuka Tiger is releasing two pairs of Chun-Li inspired sneakers. Both are based on Onitsuka’s iconic Mexico 66 SD with Chun-Li themed color patterns and dragon designs. The Tiger and Street Fighter logos are emblazoned on the heel flap. The sneakers come with a download code for players to dress Chun-Li in…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 3, 2019 -
Kotaku EastK-Pop Pick Of The Day: Shampoo
Congratulations are due for Shampoo, which never fails to bring a double-take to anyone who hears the name for the first time. “This song is called what?” This 2011 track was a hard pivot for After School, who thus far had pretty much exclusively stuck to powerful, in-your-face tracks like Diva or Bang and had…
By Seung Park Published May 3, 2019 -
Kotaku EastSouth KoreaSoldier Arrested After Going AWOL To Watch…Avengers: Endgame
Military professionals are paid to answer the call of duty. However, one soldier in South Korea answered the call of Marvel. According to WowTV (via tipster Sang), eighteen soldiers with the Republic of Korea Air Force 20th Fighter Wing left their base yesterday for public service duty. One of the troops, however, vanished. The military…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 2, 2019 -
Kotaku EastK-Pop Pick Of The Day: Wonder
English lyrics? In K-Pop? This might be the furthest we’ve stretched the definition of the genre so far, but Wonder is worth it. Don’t let this song’s lack of Korean lyrics fool you, or dissuade you from giving it a listen. ADOY is eminently a Korean indie band, formed in 2015, who just happens to…
By Seung Park Published May 2, 2019 -
Kotaku EastChinaThis Osaka Tradition Is Dangerous
Pictured is Ebisu Bridge. It’s the most famous in Osaka, and the Dotonbori canal below runs through the heart of the city’s southern district. When people in Osaka are celebrating, inevitably folks start jumping off Ebisu Bridge into the water below. This is called the “Dotonbori dive” (道頓堀ダイブ). Originally, it was baseball fans who jumped…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 1, 2019 -
Kotaku EastK-Pop Pick Of The Day: The Chaser
Out of the dozens upon dozens of boy groups that debuted near the beginning of K-Pop’s recognition on the world stage in the early 2010s, few have had more impact or have lasted as long as INFINITE. INFINITE released their first album, First Invasion, in 2010. They overcame a lukewarm debut to gain a reputation…
By Seung Park Published May 1, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanWelcome To Itasha Heaven
Itasha (痛車) literally means “pain mobile” and either refers to the pain it inflicts on car owners’ wallets to trick out their rides or how it affects the eyes of those who see these wheels. The Japanese word tengoku (天国) means “heaven.” At this year’s NicoNico Chogai event, there was an itasha tengoku that certainly…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 30, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanJapan Says Goodbye To The Heisei Era
The current Japanese imperial era ends today when Emperor Akihito abdicates the Chrysanthemum Throne. It is the end of an era. The Heisei Period began on January 8, 1989 when Akihito ascended to the throne. The day prior, his father, Hirohito, had passed away, ending the Showa Era (1926-1989). Traditionally, new eras begin when the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 30, 2019 -
Kotaku EastK-Pop Pick Of The Day: Summer Man
A common side effect of obsessively following a single music genre is burnout. My love for K-Pop has waxed and waned over the years, and in the interim, I find substitute genres to keep my ears busy. When I do come back to K-Pop (and I always do), I end up searching for music that…
By Seung Park Published April 30, 2019 -
Kotaku EastJapanTokyo Restaurant’s Logo Is “Da Sh*t”
In Tokyo’s Akasaka, there is a fashionable-looking restaurant that serves up cuisine made with Japanese soup stock called dashi. It looks great. It might even be so good that it’s “da shit”! The establishment’s actual name is “Dashi Plus.” The stylized logo is written in English with a plus mark that inadvertently turns “dashi” into…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 29, 2019