An update on that questionable Chinese Ultraman film: It was released today in China with the movie’s studio saying it legally licensed the rights from a Thai company with the international rights and that China’s highest court ruled in the studio’s favor. Noted!

The studio behind the Disaster Report games, Granzella, is teaming up with Namco Bandai for a unique spin on the series: Surviving Ultraman and kaiju fights. It’s called City Shrouded in Shadow, and I think it’s a brilliant idea. No word yet about a Japanese release date or if this will get a Western release.

Can't a person just walk around the city dressed as Ultraseven without being questioned by the cops? Is that too much to ask? Guess so!

Tetsujin 28-go is a Japanese manga and anime about a boy who controls a giant robot. You might know it as Gigantor. It was also released in South Korea, where the gentleman who owns this restaurant fell in love with the cartoon. Bless him.

Stone statues play a prevalent role in Japanese life. You see them at Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines, and you also see them in front of houses and businesses or in gardens as decoration. Ditto at cemeteries.

Godzilla and his atomic breath are one of the most recognizable metaphors for the atomic bombings of WWII—and they're also icons of Japanese pop culture. With a steady supply of Kaiju movies, giant monsters nestled themselves comfortably in video games, creating a huge library of monster mayhem-based titles. We have…

Whether it's the Power Rangers, Ultraman, or Kamen Rider, male Japanese superheroes have one thing in common: they are tough and masculine. These poses aren't.

You thought the full body tights stopped at Totoro? That's just the tip of the iceberg. There are more nightmares to be had. Many more.

In years past, you'd always see them outside convenience stores and in parking lots, coping a squat next to their Subarus and Hondas, smoking cigarettes. They were tough looking. They were thugs. And they'd sit like they're squeezing out turds.

Earlier this month in Tokyo, Bandai showed off some of its latest figurines. Iconic characters were recreated in sculpted plastic. Many of the figures were aimed at older collectors, and one set in particular depicted stood out: the crucifixion of the Ultramen.

Makaon has a hobby. She likes to make sculptures of pop culture characters as well as insects, animals, and more. But she doesn't use clay. She doesn't use stone. Makaon uses cans.

Across Japan, it's harvest time. In September, the rice turns a golden hue. The color—my favorite—is koganeiro (黄金色). Scarecrows stand watch over the rice fields. Most scarecrows in Japan are rather pedestrian—what you'd think a scarecrow would and should look like.