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UncategorizedSkullgirls Saved the Creepiest Combatant for Last
There are fighting games that seek to capitalize on the sexier aspects of girl-on-girl fighting, and then there’s Skullgirls, where characters like Double trade sexy for scary with a twist of Gradius Reverge Labs and Autumn Games’ Skullgirls is not your ordinary 2D fighter. Crafted by fighting game professionals and rendered in a visual style…
By Mike Fahey Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Bad Chinese People, Stop Effing with the Robot Policemen!
Japan’s Nikkan Spa recently posted images of a Chinese robot cop “patrolling” the streets. Despite looking humanoid, the “RoboCop” in question was far from a robotic police officer. They also look nothing like RoboCop. RoboCop will shoot you in the face. These will not. Standing at attention, the near two meter tall sentries are not…
By Eric Jou Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Another Porn Star in the Running for a Yakuza Game
What is it with Sega’s Yakuza games and adult video stars? Whatever it is, another could be promoting the next one. Her name is Sakura Kiryu. Sega selected a host of ladies from across the country (Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Nagoya) for its “Miss Yakuza” competition. Only five of the fifteen will be selected…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 -
Kotaku EastJean Reno Makes a Great Anime Cat
Doraemon is a robot cat from the future. His ears were eaten off by a mouse (hence him being afraid of them!), and his pocket carries all sorts of amazing gadgets. Doraemon is a beloved cartoon character, and he’s being brought to life by…Jean Reno. The famed actor has appeared in Toyota ads on and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Young Chinese Women in Trouble for Writing Dirty Website
Founded in early 2011, homoerotic fantasy website “Boys Love Novels Online” (“耽美小说网”) recently went offline. The government charged its founder with spreading pornographic materials. The websites writers however, weren’t men. They were women. The website supposedly spread over 1,200 articles of gay erotic fiction during the time that it was active. While the site was…
By Eric Jou Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Udon or Soba? Fight!
In Japan, you are either an udon person or a soba person. You cannot be both! This is serious Beatles-Stones kinda stuff. Well, not that serious. And people do like both, but most of my friends and family seem to prefer one to the other. Both udon and soba, of course, are noodles. However, udon…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Bootleg Chinese Arcades Sure Can Make Popular Video Games Boring
The original Plants versus Zombies is a classic in China. Even before the Chinese version came out, the game was a success. My girlfriend, who is Chinese, had a PvZ phase. During that time, she would playPvZ everywhere she went— be it on my smartphone, tablet or on the PC at home. One time a…
By Eric Jou Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Meet China’s Real-Life Blow-Up Doll. She’s Totally Fake.
For the past few months, 17 year-old student Wang Jia Yun has been tearing the internet up in both China and South Korea. In China, she was quickly given a nickname: “chong qi wa wa” (充气娃娃 )or “inflatable doll”. Like so many of the young internet idols emerging out of China (ditto for the West),…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Report: Another Foxconn Employee Gives iPhone 5 Release Info
This year, a new iPhone looks set to hit. The big question now is when it will be released: this summer or this fall. Late last month, a Japanese TV crew filmed an interview with a Foxconn recruiter, who said the phone would be out this June. South Korea’s Maeil Business Newspaper begs to differ.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
No, Mom, I’m Not Talking to Strange Men Online
Life as a net idol is tough! If your old lady isn’t bursting down the door when you are chatting with your online fans, she wanders in when you’ve got your shirt off—which is apparently what this awkward photo depicts. Many young women are holding court on “live” video chats sites on Japan’s Nico Nico…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Report: Sony Is Firing a Whole Bunch of People [Update]
Today, Japan’s Nikkei newspaper reported that Sony is axing 6 percent of its global workforce—approximately 10,000 individuals—by the end of the year. Half the cuts will supposedly come from Sony’s chemical and LCD businesses. The paper also added that Sony is asking the seven executive directors who served through the last fiscal year to return…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 - Kotaku East
Hands On with the Official Akira Bike
There are other customized Akira bikes, sure. But there is only one that has been officially recognized by Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo. This is it. As previously posted, this US$121,000, custom-built bike raced across Japan for charity. Its final destination was a Katsuhiro Otomo exhibit, which was also for charity. Sister site checked out the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Soundtrack to (Some of) the Peter Molydeux Game Jam
Artist Bill Kiley, who we last saw putting Robocop in charge of a bunch of kittens, was recently up to his elbows in music, crafting soundtracks for games in the 2012 Molyjam Over the 48 hours the event was held, he ended up writing the music for nine games; six in San Francisco, one in…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
It’s OK, Electronic Arts, Stephen Fry Thinks You’re Doing OK
In a rare and recent piece of good news for the company, publisher Electronic Arts today received a vote of confidence from none other than the single nicest man on the internet, British comedian Stephen Fry. The TV, film and documentary legend has thrown his significant online clout (the man has over 4 million Twitter…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Rancor vs AT-ST Walker: Who Would Win?
Well, according to the brushwork of artist Benjamin Carre, it’s the Rancor with a KO. Oh, don’t look so shocked. If you can bring an AT-ST down with logs and rope-swinging wookies, you can certainly bring one down with a beast that exists only to eat and destroy things. Monsters [DeviantArt, via Super Punch]
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedSome Guy Built a 1:1 Replica Halo Shotgun (Out of LEGO)
Last year, Nick Jensen built a 1:1 Halo sniper rifle out of LEGO that was so incredible the mind still boggles as to how he got the job done. It didn’t just look like the game’s gun, it worked like one too, with bolts, ejecting magazines, the works. Nick is now back with another weapon…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Very Best In Cosplay: Anna Fischer
Well, cosplay fans, this is it. The end of a months-long look at the very best cosplay artists on planet. In that time we’ve looked at men and women, photographers and models, props builders and those who can combine the lot. All good things must come to an end, though, and next week Fancy Pants…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 -
UncategorizedThis Game Looks Like Awesome 80s Sci-Fi Come to Life
One of the best things about 80’s sci-fi were the vector graphics and user interfaces so many film and TV artists thought we’d be using in the future Seen all over the place (here’s Running Man’s intro as an example, or Escape From New York’s), they’ve sadly faded into obscurity as the world (and movies)…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012 - Uncategorized
Master Chief’s Uncomfortable Day on a High Fashion Photo Shoot
The March 2012 issue of Hong Kong’s Baccarat Magazine features a fashion spread by photographer Olaf Mueller that features a pretty young model, a giant inflatable version of the girl robot from Wall-E and Master Chief, star of the Halo series. It is not cosplay, and it is not a joke. It is fashion, people.…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 9, 2012