While you might come up short with badges to train Charizard, you probably have enough cashola to do that. Slated for an April release, the fully poseable action figure is priced at ¥3,990 (US$46)—though, I’ve seen it priced at around $30 online in Japan. The Charizard figure is part of Bandai’s D-Arts line of action…
Zelda is more than a damsel in distress. She’s more the namesake of The Legend of Zelda games. For fans, the magic-wielding princess is one of the most iconic Nintendo characters. Hence, all this cosplay! Above is a sample of some—not all—of the best Zelda cosplay from the bowels of internet. The above gallery focuses…
There are new Pokémon games! And if this batch of screens is anything to go by, the games are going to be pixelated purdy. “We brought Pokémon into an entirely new dimension and we’re incredibly excited to bring Pokémon X and Pokémon Y to fans,” said game designer Junichi Masuda, in an official release. “The…
Tonight, Nintendo unveiled the newest Pokémon games, Pokémon X/Pokémon Y. They’re completely new titles for the 3DS. One point of interest: in the core series, as long as you consider diamond, pearl and platinum color shades, these are the first Pocket Monster games that are not named after colors. The three starters look to be…
It’s not easy making friends. For some in Japan, it’s even harder. Enter “Rental Friend”. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, the country’s largest newspaper, a Tokyo based firm called Client Partners offers a “Rental Friend” service—among other services—at its locations across the country. The article recounts how last summer, one lonely 25 year-old named Kouichi…
But, who doesn’t want long legs? In the past few years, especially after leggy Korean popstars like Girls’ Generation (above) hit it big in Japan, long limbs have definitely been in. For those who want added proportions, there’s an easy answer: Head on over to your local Japanese video game arcade. Twitter user Tanichan101 uploaded…
For a limited time only, beloved puzzle game series Professor Layton is getting its own chocolate treats in Japan. This month, candy company Glico is rolling out “Professor Layton’s Riddle Solution Break Chocolate”. The chocolates come in two flavors: gateau chocolate or English tea sponge cake. The bite sized chocolates come with one riddle card…
Ah, Twitter. Japan loves you so. Like the rest of the world, Japan has gone gaga for the microblogging service. But surely, even the most active Twitter users can take a break while working out, right? This image shows a Japanese magazine article on “Mobile Tweeting Yoga”, with various tweet-friendly yoga exercises, like the Tree…
Pocket Monsters are supposed to be cute. That’s just the way it is. Or rather, the way it should be. But these Pokémon are anything but cute. They’re butt ugly. Bad teeth, simpleton stares, and generally surly dispositions turn some of the cutest Pocket Monsters into some of the ugliest. Even the teeth hurtingly cute…
Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata says a “free to play” model might be used for new games with no established fan base.
Gotta give Final Fantasy studio Square Enix this: man, they can sure make dazzling cutscenes. Here is the new prologue for the revamped Final Fantasy XIV. Square Enix is massively overhauling its massive online FF game. Previously, Square Enix showed off a dungeon in the new Final Fantasy XIV. If you missed that, watch that…
Soine-ya is a “snoozing with women” establishment that first opened in Tokyo’s gaming and geek district, Akihabara. Since then, Soine-ya has become popular enough to open another branch in Tokyo’s Shinjuku. Soine-ya is just sleeping with women, not sleeping with women. But for a price, you can rest your head on some woman’s tush. A…
A poll of 1,000 Japanese folks revealed that only 15% want to buy a WiiU. Over 50% don’t feel like buying one!
Swiss surrealist artist H. R. Giger is credited with designing the Alien (née Xenomorph) from the iconic movies and games. The character appeared in a 1976 work by Giger. But could it be actually much older than that? That’s what one internet user named Zhao is claiming in China. This painting, Zhao blogs, was allegedly…
With a name like Comic Market, you’d think the late December event in Tokyo would be all about manga. It’s so not. While Kotaku’s Toshi Nakamura was getting an insider’s look at the event, outside in the chilly cold, fans donned colorful, creative, and often crazy outfits, bringing their favorite video game, anime, and manga…
Saitama is located outside Tokyo. And like most areas surrounding giant cities, it gets a bad rap and has earned the nickname “Dasaitama” (ダ埼玉). That’s a word play on “Saitama” and the Japanese word for uncool, “dasai” (ダサい). I’d agree if there weren’t ramshackle roadside arcades which are more than desolate and decrepit. They’re endearing.…
Naruto and .hack// game studio CyberConnect2 is working on three original titles
The service you get at McDonald’s in Japan is world class. The staff is polite and prompt, and there’s still a focus on presentation. So it’s a shame that McDonald’s just screwed things up. In Japan, McDonald’s is mucking things up with a special promotion. Called “Enjoy! 60 Second Service”, the concept is that if…
It’s been a long year! Can you believe it? Time has flown by. Let’s take this opportunity to look back at 2012, Kotaku East style. Reporting to you live from Asia, Kotaku East is a look at games, subculture and more—much more. Here’s a smattering of the most memorable (and interesting) stories Kotaku East ran…
The 2012 year is almost over. Soon, it’ll be time to get out those top hats and ring in the New Year. But many you don’t want to wear a top hat. Maybe you want to wear something else. Like these folks. Here is a look back at the year that was in cosplay, sans…
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