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Japan’s Pokemon DSi Portables Coming To America
Forget for a moment that the 3DS is hitting U.S. retailers in late March. In early March, black and white Pokémon DSi units are coming to the States, each priced at US$179.99. The bundles were released in Japan last year.
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 23, 2011 -
Why Do Pokémon Games Take So Damn Long To Come Out In The West?
Pokémon games are always released in Japan months before they make their way to Western markets. It’s not conspiracy; instead, it’s because developers GameFreak like to make sure Pokémon names truly mean something, regardless of the language used.
By Luke Plunkett Published February 23, 2011 -
The Pokémon Trading Card Game Moves Into Cyberspace
After more than 12 years of success in the real world the Pokémon Trading Card Game goes virtual this April with the Pokémon Trainer Challenge. Finally a way for older fans to play without looking completely creepy. I’m a staunch supporter of trading card games, but I’ve never had a chance to play the Pokémon-flavored…
By Mike Fahey Published February 15, 2011 -
Why They Still Make Pokémon Movies
The easy answer, of course, is that the Pokémon movies still make money. The longer answer is slightly more involved. Since 1998, there has been a new Pocket Monsters anime in Japan every year, like clockwork. And not only are they released each year, but they are always released during the same month: July. There…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 15, 2011 -
The Pokémon Captured At Toy Fair 2011
I found the Pokémon booth at Toy Fair 2011, and in the booth I found Pokémon DS cases, Pokémon card tins, a Pokémon movie, Pokémon toys… Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon. I also found some lovely Pokésymmetry. The main push is for Pokémon Black & White, the paired DS games that come out in the U.S. in…
By Stephen Totilo Published February 13, 2011 -
This Pokémon Was Too Controversial To Live
A recent interview in Best Buy’s official @Gamer Magazine reveals that plans for a Pokémon based on the lovable creature above were scrapped after being deemed too controversial. What’s controversial about Dolly the sheep? She’s a clone. Or she was a clone, at least. Dolly the sheep, often referred to as the world’s most famous…
By Mike Fahey Published February 11, 2011 -
Don’t Buy And Sell Pokemon Data In Japan, You’ll Make People Angry
Japan is going a bit copyright crazy of late. It’s not cool to sell customized figures online, it’s not cool to rent video games in love hotels, and now, it’s apparently not cool to sell Pokémon save data. On Japan’s Yahoo! Auctions, there is a cottage industry in which saved in-game Pokémon are bought and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 8, 2011 -
Um, Nice Pokéballs
There are people who have got Pokémon tattoos who may regret that decision in ten years time. And then there’s this guy, who will have many more regrets than that, and a whole lot sooner. He’s had his arm modified. Cut open at the elbow and small lumps inserted beneath the skin in what those…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 2, 2011 -
Pokémon Will Teach You To Type, Or You Will Die Trying (Or Typing!)
Remember that mysterious Pokémon game from last year’s Tokyo Game Show, the one that was for the DS but would include a proper keyboard? It’s out in April in Japan. And still makes absolutely no sense. It’s called Pokémon Typing, and is intended to serve as a touch-typing aid for kids, get them clacking away…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 1, 2011 -
There Are Changes Hiding In The Next Pokémon Game
The average person might look at this year’s Pokémon game and believe he or she is looking at last year’s Pokémon game. The series evolves at the speed of continental drift, but this time, Nintendo says, the changes are big. Pokémon Black and Pokémon White, released for the Nintendo DS in September in Japan and…
By Stephen Totilo Published January 31, 2011 -
When It Comes To Kooky Japan, Don’t Believe The Hype
Japanese schoolgirls hitting the streets of Tokyo with blinking LED teeth. Sounds like a crazy fashion trend. Too bad it’s just crazy and a fantasy propagated by the Western media. Earlier this month, a New York Times blog post mentioned a new fashion trend: LED for teeth. “Method Man might have helped make gold fronts…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
Drunkémon — Gotta Regret ‘Em All
Apparently in the throes of a bad breakup, one artist did what we all do in times of disappointment and distress: Seek medication in the form of that good, good likker. Then he made up some Pokémons. Kevin Nguyen, an editor of The Bygone Bureau, drew this, saying it was inspired by a breakup. We’re…
By Owen Good Published January 28, 2011 -
So That’s Where Blanka Gets His Juice
The Street Fighter Blanka needs a RECHARGE! Chewing down on that electrifying Pokemon Pikachu gives him a quick fix. Great idea by banzanza RECHARGING by banzanza Need your daily fill of geek eye candy? If so, head over to Justin Page’s Rampaged Reality and get your fix. Republished with permission.
By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2011 -
The Origins Of Pokémon (In Two Minutes)
The story of Pokémon is a long and ridiculous one. Cutting its origins down to a two-minute web animation saves us all a lot of trouble, heartache and having to actually watch an episode of the awful Pokémon cartoon series. DJChlorine has taken the very first episode of the long-running Pokémon animated series and broken…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 25, 2011 -
These Children Need To Calm The Eff Down
You think new Pokémon Happy Meal figures get Japanese kids in television ads excited? You are wrong. They do not. A new McDonalds ad features three children, a sheepish mother and SpongeBob toys. SpongeBob is popular in Japan, where he’s translated into Japanese. But the kids in the commercial are way too excited. In fact,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
What If Pokémon Featured Real Animals And Tons Of Profanity
The world of Pokémon is bright, colorful, and filled with joy and wonder, but what if we replaced those colorful pocket monsters with real animals, and the kind-spirited characters with foul-mouthed Brits? I think it would go something like this. Much of the ground covered by this short has been covered before. It is ridiculous…
By Mike Fahey Published January 14, 2011 -
Who’s That Pokémon, And Why Is She Taking Off Her Clothes?
From the burlesque troop that brought us Metroid’s Samus Aran stripped down to her skivvies comes the Anime Babes show, in which Pikachu jumps on stage and ruins childhood memories forever. Much NSFW-ness ensues. The Devil’s Playground burlesque troop continues to delight, astound, and disturb geeks everywhere with their ongoing to tribute to everything we…
By Mike Fahey Published January 13, 2011