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Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain Doesn’t Want You to Know About His Pokémons
You’ve gotta hand it to Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain. One minute the guy is proposing a three-page limit on bills in Washington, then he’s calling Jon Stewart a racist, and now… well, now he’s breaking out the inadvertent Pokémon references. In his closing statement during last night’s Republican Primary debate, Cain got all deep…
By Kirk Hamilton Published August 12, 2011 -
Goodbye Pikachu Rip-Off! It’s Been Fun.
Earlier this month, Japanese netizens noticed that a mascot created to promote the environment in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture looked a helluva lot like Pikachu. The character’s name is Eco-chan and was unveiled late last year. When the character’s wearable suit was created, a city staffer said that it looked like Pikachu. However, the person who…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 11, 2011 -
Pokémon‘s Pokéball Explodes Across the Sky
Every summer, huge fireworks displays light up the sky across Japan. The fireworks come in an array of colors, but the pyrotechnics don’t stop there. Some fireworks change color, some explode to form Saturn-like spheres or even Hello Kitty’s face. This year, a Pokémon Pokéball was spotted at the Nagaoka fireworks display in Niigata. Photo…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 8, 2011 -
If You Could Eat Any Video Game Animal…
Yes, commenter GeshGav returns to Speak Up on Kotaku for the second day in a row, this time asking one of the most important questions you can ask about a video game character — would you eat it? Without getting weird about it – which animal in gaming looks the most delicious? I’d have to…
By Mike Fahey Published August 5, 2011 -
Silly Excuses for Pikachu Ripoff
Remember that city in Japan that created a Pikachu ripoff? Sure you do! Kotaku posted about it yesterday. The character Eco-chan opened an environmental center in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and was supposed to be used in green publicity campaigns. According to Japanese news reports, it was only after the character’s costume was complete that a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 4, 2011 -
There’s Very Little Time Left to Catch These Pokémon
How do you fit all 151 original Pokémon in one pokéball? Graphic designer Deanlord shows us how in one amazing t-shirt design, available for only a few more hours through TeeFury.com. The humble artist captures the spirit of the original Pokémon games in this gorgeous gathering of 151 pocket monster pals, tastefully silhouetted against a…
By Mike Fahey Published August 2, 2011 -
This Post Will Ruin Your Breakfast
Shoko Nakagawa, queen of Pokémon and star of an upcoming Zelda commercial, gained fame a few years back for sticking her cat’s head in her mouth and smelling its butt. She has another unusual hobby. Putting odd things (NSFW?) on her head. During summer in Japan, the sound of cicadas is heard throughout the country.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 2, 2011 -
Is This a Pikachu Ripoff?
One of the Japanese media’s favorite topics is how China copies everything, whether that be giant Gundams or toys. But Japan is no stranger to ripping off the creative work of others. This is “Eco-chan”, the mascot for an environmental community center in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture. Let’s not screw around, Eco-chan sure as snot looks…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 2, 2011 -
Cowboys and Pokemon
Forget Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde, this parody has ten times the star power of Cowboys & Aliens. Pikachu, Charmander and Jigglypuff all make cameo’s in X-Play’s Cowboys & Pokemon. Ash Ketchum has no memory, a price on his head and one question – who’s that pokemon? X-Play Comedy: Cowboys & Pokemon [G4tv…
By Sam Winstrom Published July 26, 2011 -
Pokémon, Japanese Icon
Pocket Monsters first launched in Japan back in early 1996 on the Game Boy. Later that year, a card game followed. By the late 1990s, the series was supposed to be a fad, a passing fancy. Yet this month in Japan, two Pokémon feature films hit Japanese theaters. Pocket Monsters isn’t a fad, in Japan,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 -
In Search of New and Exciting Collectible Card-Based Video Games
Appropriately named commenter Tengen Toppa Duck Face has a craving for video games based on collectible card games, but his experience is limited to Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon. Somebody help a brother deal a fresh hand in today’s Speak Up on Kotaku. Are there any collectible card video games that come highly recommended, new or old?…
By Mike Fahey Published July 25, 2011 -
Did Pokémon Beat Ghibli?
In its first weekend, anime Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie placed second at the Japanese box office, behind the new Harry Potter. Ghibli’s Kokurikozaka kara, co-written by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by his son, placed third. [Eiga.com via ANN]
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 20, 2011 -
Watch the New Pokémon Airplane for Almost Six Whole Minutes
There’s a new Poké jet. This is it! On July 18, this All Nippon Airways Boeing 777-300 Peace Jet landed in Hokkaido. The plane then taxied to the arrival gate. This isn’t the first plane featuring Pocket Monsters, and this plane aims to promote the latest Pocket Monster animated feature film. However, the “Peace Jet”…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 20, 2011 -
Pokémon Rumble Blast Scrambles to America
This fall, Pokémon Rumble Blast lets players take control of wind-up Pocket Monsters and battle it out. The game will be released this month in Japan as Super Pokémon Scramble, and it’s a sequel to a WiiWare title. In Pokémon Rumble Blast, players can collect over 600 Pocket Monsters (including monsters from Pokémon Black and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 19, 2011 -
A Packed House for Pokémon
Catch ‘Em All | TOKYO, JAPAN: It’s summer in Japan, which means only one thing: a new Pocket Monsters flick. (Photo: Famitsu) Don’t Just Sit There, Let These Toys Blow Your Mind Gundam. Draonball. Kamen Rider. Great Mazinger, even. Namco Bandai’s 2011 Tamashii Nation toy show proves just how wonderful (and awesome) Japanese figures can…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 18, 2011 -
Oh Jigglypuff…
…why so serious? By Dan Hipp
By Luke Plunkett Published July 18, 2011 -
She Didn’t Have Friends. She Had Pocket Monsters.
Ever wonder why nerd heroine Shoko Nakagawa is the queen of Pokémon? Because growing up, she was lonely. Very, very lonely. “When I was a kid, I didn’t have friends,” Nakagawa recently said at press event. “But I did have Pokémon.” Nakagawa has previously discussed her experience with bullies in junior high school. Seeing kids…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 18, 2011 -
So How’s That Non-Nintendo Pokémon Game?
As of today, Pokémon is available on non-Nintendo hardware, namely smart phones. Pokémon Say Tap? was released on the Apple App Store, and sister site Kotaku Japan checked it out. Pokémon Say Tap? is a free rhythm game for the iOS and Android. It’s free, so you get what you pay for. The point here…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 15, 2011 -
Do You Have Ten Hours? Over a Hundred? This Post Is for You.
YouTube user TehN1ppe posts ten hour clips. Ten hours! Ten hours of endless loops, like Mario climbing a vine. For ten hours. Or Mudkip. Yep, Mah, Hiep, Mah, Hiep. For ten hours. Or Nyan Cat. For ten hours. Or epic sax guy. For ten hours. Trololo? Ten hours. As website Game Set Watch points out,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 14, 2011 -
A Green Lantern Finale, an X-Men Split, The Old Republic and More New Comics Recommendations
There are new comics in comic shops and available for download on many of your favorite digital devices (no, not your microwave) every Wednesday. I have recommendations for you. One of them is a limited time offer… for a digital comic. Go figure. Comics You Should Consider Buying (from comics shops) American Vampire: Survival of…
By Stephen Totilo Published July 13, 2011