Squid Love and Soccer Crab, Meet Japan’s Silliest Movie Maker

Back in 2007, Japanese filmmaker Minoru Kawasaki told SlashFilm, “I want to be silly for the rest of my life!” Well, so far, that’s exactly what he’s done. Influenced by Ultraman and Japanese monster movies, Kawasaki is a master of the brilliantly absurd. His films have followed a wrestler who turned into a squid, a…

Guy Returns Stolen Spacebars to Internet Cafe

Over the last few a days a story about a Chinese man returning stolen spacebar keys to an internet cafe has captured the attention China’s online gaming message boards. The story is exactly what it sounds like: a Chinese man stole spacebar keys from his local internet cafe seven years ago and out of the…

Here, Catch All These Brand New Pokémon Toys!

At the recent Chara Hobby event outside Tokyo, a whole slew of new Pocket Monster toys were on display. Many of the toys, viewable in the above gallery, will be in crane games in Japanese arcade games. Snag ’em if you can! 【キャラホビ2012】「ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ」、サトシ＆デントがフィギュア化 [インサイド] Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing…

Anime Director Arrested for Threatening to Stab People in Osaka

In June 2008, Tomohiro Kato announced online that he was going to unleash an attack in Tokyo’s geek mecca, Akihabara. He ended up driving a rented truck into a crowd and going on stabbing rampage. Seven people ended up dead and ten were injured. Kato was sentenced to death. This July on the night of…

This Sushi Looks Disgusting, Colorful

Maguro? Check. Salmon? Check. Ikura? Check. Normal colors? Um…. Here’s a sushi combo platter that looks anything but typical. Spotted in China by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, who also looks anything but typical, the image went viral in Japan. Some said the colorful sushi looked unappetizing, while others wondered if it was safe to eat. It’s…

How Dragon Quest Just Pissed Off Its Most Famous (and Oldest) Fan

Dragon Quest X is an online MMORPG. That might’ve made some fans pleased, but one in particular—legendary actress Keiko Awaji—is not happy. “What I’m interested in is Dragon Quest,” Awaji recently said on Japanese TV. Instead of, like she has in the past, gushing about why she loved Dragon Quest, this time, she talked about…

Japanese Company Turns Human Ladies into Plastic Models

For years (decades, even!), photo correction has erased human physical flaws. Thanks to software like Photoshop, retouching has improved and is available to more people. But not everyone is good at Photoshop. Enter Bijyo Photo, a Japanese service that will make your face smaller, your skin lighter, and your boobs bigger. But will it actually…

Epic has uploaded a .pdf including technical details and new screenshots for its upcoming Unreal Engine 4.

A Fantasy Game Where Your Actual Voice is Your Only Friend

While Kinect developers struggle to wrangle a decent non-dancing game experience out of Microsoft’s peripheral, indie PC studio Indomitus Games are working on a PC game where you need a microphone. Because your voice will be the only way you can get stuff done. In Verbis Virtus is an upcoming fantasy title where you play…

Commander Shepard Will Shoot the Next Cosplayer She Sees

Things you will see in this week’s round-up of the best in cosplay: comeone dressed as TF2’s Tentaspy. Two Mass Effect ladies. Two Warhammer 40K outfits. Raiden from Metal Gear Rising. A disturbingly life-like Connor from Assassin’s Creed III. And not one, or two, or even three, but eight Monster Hunters. While this is an…

Aww, Guys, This Video Game Wedding Was Just Lovely

Kotaku reader Ben and his special someone Bethany were recently married in Indianapolis, and as you can probably tell by the fact I’m writing about this on the site, they didn’t just have a normal wedding. Their ceremony was one catered a little more to our interests, as it included a SNES wedding cake (complete…

Let’s All Watch a Nintendo 3DS Melt in a Microwave. Then Turn up on Ebay For $2241.

That way we can share the experience. I know that as far as back as Day of the Tentacle I’ve been interested in seeing the effects of putting things in a microwave that are not designed to go in a microwave, but have been too cowardly (or…health-conscious) to do it. Thanks heavens for the internet,…

Because You Need to See More Bums & Strippers From the Star Wars Universe

That old Ben Kenobi really was a damn fool. Mos Eisley wasn’t the galaxy’s most wretched hive of scum and villainy. It wasn’t even Tatooine’s (um, Jabba’s Palace?)! No, you want scummy villains, you head to the planet where all the action is: Coruscant. This concept art from the upcoming Star Wars 1313 revels in…

The Mystery of Pokémon Trading Finally Revealed

It’s 2012. We take stuff like the transfer of data for granted. But back in the day, for kids, trading Pokémon between Game Boys seemed like a little big of magic. Magic that’s explained, in great detail, above. It’s the Link. Cable. puraspokeweas [via Tiny Cartridge]

Now That is One Fine Arcade Stick

I’ve got an arcade stick. Fancy Hori one. I had thought, up until this very moment, it was the bee’s knees. Turns out it’s not even the bee’s ankles. So thanks, Shadaloo, for the Monday morning downer. Shadaloo make custom fight sticks. Users can choose their components (serious arcade/fight fans being picky about their brands…

Can a 3DS Survive a Four-Foot Drop?

Nintendo has a reputation for – the odd dodgy hinge aside – building sturdy, reliable hardware. As you’d expect, given the battery of tests they put their handheld systems through But that’s lab science. What about the real world? This series of tests, dropping a retail 3DS onto concrete from various heights, sets out to…

The A-Team of Video Games Kicks Ass Sans Cigars, Jewellery

Artist Mike Sekowski takes the idea of fan fiction and drags it somewhere even Garry’s Mod would struggle to keep up with. A glorious image, to be sure, but just how much use would Mario be in a real fight? I’m imagining scenarios involving head-stomping and mushroom-swallowing are somewhat limited on the modern battlefield. Then…

The Week in Games: The August Wind is a Raider

It’s an unusually robust week considering it’s one dominated by two huge names—Guild Wars 2, which becomes available to everyone on Tuesday, and Madden NFL 13, on shelves the same day. There are three collections available for PlayStation 3, plus downloadable content and downloadable titles on all major services. Tuesday • Madden NFL 13 (Xbox…

I Think We All Know the Punchline to This Portal Picture

Reddit user Pheadlessg is to be married on Saturday. His fiancée allowed him one video game-themed gesture at the wedding reception, so he chose to dress these Portal turret figures from ThinkGeek in a bridal veil, hat and bow-tie and use them as cake toppers. Assuming they actually intend to serve one … I’m getting…

With No Frills, Exhibition Modes Still Show Things You’ll Never Forget

In cataloging the greatest thrills and moments I’ve had as a sports video gamer, all but one or two have come in a career mode of some type. In some cases, it came because I strictly avoided the game’s exhibition features. For example, in 2011, just barely qualifiying to play The Masters meant something to…