Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
December, 2013 (Page 8)
Aside from software development, Japanese video game maker Nitroplus has worked on novelization and illustration work for popular anime franchises such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Psycho-Pass, and Guilty Crown.
Yes, Nitroplus has its fingers in a lot of pies, including, surprisingly enough, pizza.
Is your cuddly toy collection lacking a little heroism? Is your troupe of Hello Kitties, freaky mushrooms and squeezable squid in need of a genuine princess? Well you’re in luck: a series of plushies featuring Princess Zelda, sword-brandishing Link and creepy wannabe elf Tingle from Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda series is due to go on sale early next year.
If you’ve traveled to Japan, you may be aware that while Narita Airport has been the main international port of access into the Tokyo area for many years, there is now an increasing number of International flights in and out of Haneda Airport, which functions as the main domestic airport in the Tokyo area. And since Haneda Airport is located much closer to central Tokyo than Narita Airport, and with more flight options through Haneda becoming available, we guess it’s understandable if some travelers to Japan prefer to use Haneda Airport instead.
Well, for a limited time, there may be even more of a reason to fly into Haneda — in the form of a large welcome poster that should delight you particularly if you’re an anime fan!
Displaying all the skill and grace of a two-year-old holding a cushion over their face and shouting “You can’t see me!”, a man in Beijing was recently captured on video lying beneath the seats of a subway train and stroking the legs of a female passenger as they appeared in front of him.
Prepare for your day to get that little bit creepier.
A man from China’s Jiangsu Province has reportedly leapt from a seventh-floor shopping mall balcony following a heated argument with his girlfriend during a five-hour Christmas shopping trip. When the young woman said that she wanted to visit one more store, the 38-year-old threw the bags he was carrying to the floor and jumped over the rail, horrifying shoppers.
Hollywood films are popular around the world and Japan gets its fair share of dubbed and subtitled blockbusters. But sometimes things get a little mixed up when changing words from English to Japanese. This gives rise to translated titles that come in a wide range of strange from unintended sexual innuendos to spoilertastic summaries.
Let’s take a look at 13 weird Japanese movie titles that make you wonder what the translators were thinking.
With its new home console, Microsoft is hoping to make Kinect – the motion-sensing camera that comes bundled in the box – one of the main features of the Xbox One experience. Far superior to the original Kinect camera released in 2010, the new unit is noticeably more accurate and can be used in almost complete darkness, also boasting a field of vision 60 percent wider than the original.
But for many Japanese gamers, Kinect simply isn’t a device that works for them. Compared to Western residences, Japanese homes are much smaller, in closer proximity to others, and in some cases with walls so thin that you might wonder whether you could punch through them during moments of nerd rage.
Can Kinect for Xbox One offer the same exciting, controller-free experience in Japan that it does in America and Europe? Our man went hands-on.
If you’ve noticed, many of our writers here at Rocketnews24 have crossed the seas to make Japan their second home. Sure, we love the local flavor, but sometimes we just crave a solid meal that smells of our hometown. The same goes for Japanese nationals living abroad.
Even though Japanese cuisine has more or less infiltrated most of the major cities worldwide, domestic foodstuffs and condiments still remain mostly inaccessible and rare in most countries. Japanese blogger Madame Riri shares a list of 10 Japanese foods that can be made at home, no matter where that may be! We’d like to call it the lifesaver list for Japanese abroad, or the inspiration list for non-Japanese who would love an authentic taste of Japan in their own kitchen!
While the Japanese education system is often highly praised by people in the West, many Japanese folks aren’t so keen on it these days. Yutori kyouiku, or “pressure-free education system,” a phrase used to describe what many see as an education system whose standards are too lax, has skyrocketed in use. Every time a young person does something stupid, it’s followed by sighs of “yutori kyouiku” by observers, who went through much harder schooling in their youth.
Although we often think people are really exaggerating when they say that the “kids of today” don’t know a thing, a recent study carried out by a professor at Tokai University has us wondering if today’s youth are lacking a little common sense…
Even though tap water in Tokyo is perfectly safe to drink, and in most cases indistinguishable from bottled water, the metropolitan government is concerned about the bad rap it gets from citizens who will not give it a try. In October, the Bureau of Waterworks, charged with providing clean and tasty water for Japan’s largest metropolitan area, wrapped up a 25-year-long project to connect the majority of Tokyo residents to great-tasting and specially treated water from the Tone River system.
According to an NHK article, the government agency wants to get the word out that their water is just as good as any store-bought bottled water and has asked 700 private citizens all over Tokyo to become “water monitors” and test their home’s tap water for minerals and judge its quality.
Unlike the creature it features, the above image has been floating around online for a few years, but recently has returned back to Japanese shores. However, here such a situation has led to a decidedly punnier outcome. Let’s read what Japanese people have to say about it and maybe learn a little unusual Japanese along the way.
Have you taken a look in your freezer lately? Has that carton of ice cream from last summer grown into an ice fortress yet? What about that mean-looking freezer burn on that mystery meat? Maybe it is time to clean out the chiller and fill it up with some surprisingly yummy frozen foods from your local Japanese grocery store.
While this is far from world-class gourmet dining, the following six foods will definitely make your stomach happy on a night when pushing the microwave’s “start” button is all the cooking you want to do. Click below to find out which Japanese frozen foods are worth your hard-earned yen!
Japan is well-known for its beautiful sightseeing destinations, particularly in and around Kyoto. From Kiyomizu Temple to the Gold Pavilion, there’s a nearly unlimited supply of gorgeous buildings to check out. But perhaps one of the most fascinating is the Phoenix Hall in Byoudou Temple, the expansive temple gracing the ten-yen coin.
Sadly, the hall has been undergoing repairs since September 2012, making it off-limits to visitors. Fortunately, the Phoenix Hall will reopen in March next year, but what a bummer it must have been for visitor who missed out over the last 16 months. Well fret not, disappointed sight-seers! We’ve found something almost as awesome: A Nico Nico Douga user has made a near-exact replica of the structure–using only cardboard!
It’s been said that Christmas in Japan is for lovers, and that’s bad news for someone like our Mr. Sato. That’s not to say he’s unlucky with the ladies, but whenever he goes in for that first kiss his prickly stubble never fails to repel them.
However, Christmas is also a time for miracles, and while walking through the Akihabara streets last week, a blue Oasis appeared before him. Staffed by several sexy women clad in cute blue Santa outfits stood the Gillette Skin Diagnosis Event.
Even superheroes need a break from saving the world once in a while. This awesome ride may be made by a Batman fan, but if the creators at DC Comics ever drew the Dark Knight partaking in some sort of recreation on his day off, golf does seem like the perfect hobby for Bruce Wayne.
But just look at the quality and detail in this fan-made cart! No wonder it caught the attention of so many Japanese netizens this past weekend.
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It’s Monday again and you know what that means! Your Monday Kickstart video is here to get you going through another week.
If there’s a wall, you’re going to want to lean on it. If there’s a sofa, you’re going to want to sit on it. And if there’s a gigantic double bed in your hotel room, by George, you’re going to want to belly flop into it. And sometimes, your friends capitalize on this very notion, with some hilarious results.
Before March 11 2011, Fukushima Prefecture was pretty much unknown outside of Japan. Within the country, however, Japan’s third-largest prefecture was known for much more than its nuclear power plant. Along with being a producer of delicious, mouthwatering peaches and home to areas of stunning natural beauty, Fukushima was also known as a hotspot for incredible ramen noodles.
Now, some of the more prominent ramen restaurants in the area have banded together to remind us all that the real heart of Fukushima has always been fuelled by ramen power. And they’ve even got shiny, new anime characters to prove it!
Weird and wonderful things happen on Tokyo’s Yamanote train line. From puzzle-solving challenges to weddings and men walking ears of corn, it seems the popular downtown route is a great way get on board with new trends.
From this month, Yamanote line trains will be continuing their tradition of innovation with a surprising collection of artistic photographs. Mounted at a perfect angle for the eye of the passenger, these photos will take you away from the discomfort of a crowded train and transport you to a much more beautiful place.
Earlier this year, we brought you news of cute earphone jack puppies, perched atop owners’ smartphones in a number of irresistibly cute poses. Just when we thought things couldn’t get any cuter, the company behind the adorable animals announced an update to the series with an extraordinary litter of samurai warrior kittens.
If you like your cats with a side of history, this could be the most perfect gift you could ever wish for.
Starbucks Japan’s Lucky Bag #3: A fukubukuro surprise we weren’t expecting
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
There’s an official PlayStation lucky bag, but what’s inside?【Photos】
The mystery destination of the SoraNews24 end-of-year party left us speechless
The Häagen-Dazs Japan fukubukuro lucky bag is filled with…ice creams from 2023
Will we roll in the riches or the dirt with Mulan Akiba’s 2025 capsule toy lucky bag?
Lingerie lucky bag from Japan’s Peach John includes anime cosplay bra/panty set, maybe by accident
Tsukiji Fish Market Vendor Releases Tuna For Home Assembly
What do you eat when you catch a cold? We asked 11 of our Japanese reporters
Reebok Insta Pump Fury OG sneakers: Take a walk on the kawaii side with Hello Kitty and Gudetama
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the SnakeThe top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
McDonald’s Japan has a fukubukuro lucky bag that everyone wants to get their hands on
What’s in Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2025?
Let’s go open a Lego Japan lucky bag…o
Square Enix releases a Final Fantasy fukubukuro lucky bag for New Year’s in Japan
Animate Akihabara releases a lucky bag for the first time in years, and it’s amazing
Kura Sushi has secret menu items in Japan, and here’s how to find them
Pokémon fans aren’t happy with the Mister Donut fukubukuro lucky bag for 2025
The perfect budget-friendly hot spring hotel near Narita AirportThe top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
Bear breaks into house in Japan, quickly begins spending winter exactly like Japanese people doHayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Snake
Starbucks Japan is calling it quits with paper straws
Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
This downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the pastMcDonald’s Japan has a fukubukuro lucky bag that everyone wants to get their hands onWhat’s in Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2025?
Station of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line
Starbucks Japan reveals new winter holiday goods to wrap up 2024
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Will we roll in the riches or the dirt with Mulan Akiba’s 2025 capsule toy lucky bag?
Lingerie lucky bag from Japan’s Peach John includes anime cosplay bra/panty set, maybe by accident
Tsukiji Fish Market Vendor Releases Tuna For Home Assembly
What do you eat when you catch a cold? We asked 11 of our Japanese reporters
Reebok Insta Pump Fury OG sneakers: Take a walk on the kawaii side with Hello Kitty and Gudetama
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Is the all-you-can-eat KFC buffet in Tokyo really as good as they say it is?
How to properly eat a traditional Japanese tonkatsu meal
Japan Travel: Explore a hidden cave on a tiny monorail roller coaster thrill ride in Nara
Pickax-wielding yakuza member ambushes movie star Beat Takeshi in Tokyo
Free-to-download Demon Slayer backgrounds! Just the thing to entertain friends, terrify coworkers
Five reasons there’s no tipping at restaurants in Japan