Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
November, 2015 (Page 12)
Drones have sort of exploded in our cultural conscious over the last few years, garnering both media and political attention. Like many other countries, the skies of Japan seem to be full of the whirring, buzzing devices, and while the government and society are still trying to figure out exactly how they feel about these all-seeing sky robots, YouTube is quickly filling up with gorgeous videos shot with drones!
Eighteen years after making its serial debut in the Weekly Shōnen Jump Magazine, Eiichiro Oda’s internationally popular manga/anime franchise One Piece is still going strong, even being turned into a Kabuki performance this year.
Well, with the Holiday Season approaching, it seems One Piece fans will have a huge treat to look forward to just in time for Christmas. Yes, a brand new feature-length One Piece anime will air on TV next month, and details have just recently been released. The anime, titled One Piece — Adventure of Nebulandia, will be broadcast on Japanese national TV on December 19, and fans should be thrilled to see some familiar enemies from the past!
Fans of English singer and songwriter Adele were treated to an amazing first song from her new album 25, which is being released on November 20. Titled “Hello”, the song has propelled her back to the forefront of music after a long hiatus and has already broken a number of records.
But Adele isn’t the only one garnering attention because of the moving song. A cover of “Hello” performed by a high school girl in Korea is receiving high praise as it captures the power of the new single in a most humble setting.
Hard day at the office? Money or family troubles got you down? Don’t you just want to slip away to a quiet corner of your home and toss on a golden bejeweled crown to make you feel like the king or queen you ought to be?
But high-quality crowns are expensive and hard to come by…or at least they were until a couple of cosplaying Twitter users shared how they made their own realistic looking crown in just a few steps.
For those times when the train is too crowded to keep your hands where everyone can see them.
While the stories for Final Fantasy games generally have nothing to do with each other, there have been a few threads that tangentially tie the games together, such as magic, a character named Cid, and an airship. Another popular element is a set of characters that have been around since the third installment of the game, the humble Moogles.
So when the official Final Fantasy XV Twitter account polled its followers to see if they wanted the beloved Moogles in the franchise’s newest game, the obvious answer was a resounding, “Of course, kupo!”
After the sun sets in Japan, new landscapes emerge, with twinkling lights on land and at sea creating night scenes so stunning a “night view summit” is held every year to rank the best sights around the country.
While cityscapes continually take the top spots year after year, there’s one talented photographer who’s drawing our attention away from the twinkling lights of the city and towards two surprising new locations: factories and airports. While the places might seem ordinary, the images are the most stunning we’ve ever seen.
We’ve seen all kinds of maid cafes all over Japan, from ones that specialize in zombie girls to ones where the girls seductively make rice balls right in front of you. But one type of maid cafe that has been sorely lacking is one dedicated to girls with a fuller figure, the kind of girls known in Japan by the playful monicker of marshmallow girls.
But all that changes now! Shangrila is a maid cafe that recently opened in Akihabara, and it will be staffed completely by more well-rounded young women. What kind of stuff does a cafe like this have in store for its customers? Read on to find out!
Our Japanese-language reporter Meg sets out to defend the honor of her favorite ice cream flavor by eating a breat mint sundae, and also makes her English RocketNews24 video debut.
We’ve all got that song that really moves us, gets us caught up in its beats and has us tapping our feet or nodding our head. But are the pleasures of music limited only to the human species? Most would argue that yes, music is an art unfortunately lost on animals. Or, at least, that they can’t enjoy it on the same level as us Homo-sapiens.
To you nay-sayers, hold that thought, because we found one groovy cool cat who begs to differ!
Tough economic times can and do happen everywhere in the world. Even in wealthy, developed countries like Japan, some folks struggle every day to make ends meet. Sometimes, those people are families with young children.
Childhood hunger is a worldwide problem, and while no one deserves to go hungry, it is an especially sad situation for children. For one thing, they can’t really do anything to help better their situation, and secondly, they need the food and nutrition to help their bodies continue to grow properly. In Japan, approximately 16 percent of two-parent families are financially unable to provide enough food for their children, and that number jumps to 32 percent for single-parent households, according to a 2012 survey. But there are some who refuse to stand by doing nothing and are dedicating themselves to feeding the hungry children in Japan.
If you like your sushi with a side of crazy psychedelic, this new music video from long-serving Japanese band Orange Range will definitely whet your appetite.
Called “Sushi Tabetai – featuring Soy Sauce”, the catchy tune and mesmerising images are the perfect blend of cute and bizarre that we’ve come to love from the Japanese music scene.
Just when you thought “anime girls with boobs so big they can’t stand up” was going to walk away with the award for this week’s most exaggerated character design, here comes a new challenger.
The Japanese have a knack for doing things in such a way that are just satisfying to watch. Whether it’s traditional Japanese carpenters putting together pieces of wood perfectly or a grown man in a pink bunny suit bonding with rabbits, there’s no shortage of videos that make you feel like everything is right in the world.
And the next video to add to the list of things to make you go “ahh:” a Japanese knife-sharpening master turning a rusted kitchen knife into what could pass for a brand new tool. Prepare to feel like the air around you tastes a little sweeter as you watch the rust melt away with his delicate yet masterful technique.
‘Tis the season to eat Pocky! Celebrate Pocky Day with these amusing (and tantalizing) tweets from Japan!
A collaboration between video game giant Konami and prostheses expert Sophie De Oliviera Barata aims to give an amputee gamer a new arm inspired by Metal Gear Solid.
Who knew the seemingly specialized kitchen gadget was so multitalented?
If you love Japan’s bite-sized Pino ice creams as much as you love Disney’s range of adorable Tsum Tsum characters, then this special collaboration is sure to bring you joy this holiday season.
The Japanese government has asked the UN to retract its recent statement that claims 13 percent of girls in Japan are involved in compensated dating.
Celebrating Good Couple’s Day in Japan…by getting our significant others to dress us
Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fans
Starbucks Japan reveals new holiday goods for the 2024 festive season
Taking the Kyoto overnight bus for the first time
7-Eleven Japan releases fukubukuro lucky bags filled with convenience store surprises
Beautiful Totoro bag returns, still requires jumping through an extra hoop to get, still worth it
Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
Japanese mochi tasting flight has roots in samurai dining culture
This Nara workshop has been making deer crackers for more than 100 years and offers tours【Photos】
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Berserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
Mario Kart Happy Meal toys arrive at McDonald’s Japan, and SoraNews24 has the whole set!【Photos】Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fansTaking the Kyoto overnight bus for the first time
Yakuza vending machines coming to real-world Tokyo neighborhood that inspired Like a Dragon games
Starbucks Japan unveils second Holiday Frappuccino for 2024
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a rowGhibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle theme
Pringles releases a limited-edition sweet flavour in Japan
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve tooBerserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】
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
[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
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Beautiful Totoro bag returns, still requires jumping through an extra hoop to get, still worth it
Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
Japanese mochi tasting flight has roots in samurai dining culture
This Nara workshop has been making deer crackers for more than 100 years and offers tours【Photos】
Sizzler’s salad bar now available for takeout in Japan, but is it really all-you-can-eat?
Ghibli background artist Naohisa Inoue’s painting technique is out of this world
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle theme
The 5 best Japanese bento to buy at Kyoto Station
Foreign shoppers in Akihabara tip us off to an awesome souvenir idea: DIY Paper Theater kit【Pics】
Here are Japan’s most-sung karaoke songs in 2022 from karaoke system Joysound
Japanese boy bands debut new hand-washing song with dance moves and English lyrics 【Videos】