Featured

Casey Baseel

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Casey Baseel spent his formative years staring in frustration at un-subtitled Japanese TV programming shown on Southern California’s international channel. Taking matters into his own hands, he moved to Tokyo to study the language, then found work in Yokohama a decade ago teaching, translating, and marketing hotels he can’t afford to stay in. When not participating in the eternal cycle of exercising to burn the calories form his love of Japanese food, Casey scours used comic and game shops for forgotten classics, drags his wife around the country in a quest to visit all its castles, sings karaoke not nearly as well as he thinks he does, and counts the days until the summertime bars open on Enoshima Beach.

Twitter RSS

Posted by Casey Baseel (Page 523)

New Final Fantasy may not have playable female characters, will have almost naked male hero

When video game developer Square Enix gave the largest preview to date of its upcoming role-playing game Final Fantasy XV, it rubbed some fans the wrong way. Just about every installment since the series switched to having set characters has featured female adventurers, but the company announced that the playable cast of Final Fantasy XV is entirely male.

While details are still scarce about the separate but concurrently in-development game Mevius Final Fantasy, newly released screenshots of the smartphone title also feature only a male character. With a Y-chromosome suddenly seeming like a necessary bit of adventuring equipment, does this mean Final Fantasy has consciously decided to turn its back on the many female fans who’ve helped it achieve the success it enjoys today?

Probably not, since while it’s not certain whether or not Mevius Final Fantasy will allow female gamers to create a character in their own likenesses, it’s absolutely certain that the game is planning to provide a generous serving of extra-lean beefcake.

Read More

Why are young Japanese women going crazy for this 100-yen Daiso wristwatch?

Even with one of the most outspokenly pessimistic presidents in the business world, Japan’s Daiso 100-yen shops are one of the most successful chains in the country. Walk into any branch, and you’ll see a huge mix of demographics among the customer base, including starving students, newlyweds setting up their own household, and thrifty families.

But while Daiso’s huge product selection gives it a wide appeal, it’s usually not the first stop for fashionable young ladies who’re looking for trendy accessories. So it’s been a surprise for the chain’s managers that since November, women have been snapping up Daiso-brand wristwatches like they’re designer timepieces, even though they’re dirt-cheap at just 108 yen (US $0.92) after tax.

Read More

Hugh Jackman stars, sings J-pop cover, and speaks Japanese in ads for Toyota【Videos】

When you get to be as big a company as Toyota, you can afford to go out and get A-list talent for your commercials. Over the last few years, the automaker’s created a series of ads starring boy band SMAP’s Takuya Kimura and film icon Beat Takeshi.

In the commercials, collectively known as ReBORN, Kimura and Takeshi play historical figures Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, reincarnated in modern Japan. The latest installment even has a special guest star as Hugh Jackman, Wolverine himself, shows up to help spread the word about Toyota’s newest eco-friendly cars.

Read More

In the name of the moon, I will marry you! Couple holds awesome Sailor Moon wedding in L.A.

A while back, we took a look at some Japanese wedding receptions that took cues from Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda and Konami’s Beatmania rhythm game. Japan isn’t the only place where fictional fandom and romantic nuptials cross paths, though.

This month, an American couple that seems to love Sailor Moon almost as much as they love each other took their vows, and not only are the outfits they wore for their ceremony the classiest cosplay we’ve seen in a long time, they’re just the beginning of the wedding’s many elegantly beautiful anime-inspired touches.

Read More

Samurai Darth Vader figure and his light-katana tempt us to the dark/awesome side of the force

It’s been said that the costume design for Darth Vader, one of the most recognizable outfits in the history of film, was heavily inspired by samurai armor. The similarities are pretty easy to spot, what with the face plate and helmet backing that continues lower down the back of the neck than what’s normal for western helms.

But what if you kept going until you came full-circle, and designed a set of samurai armor based off of Vader’s? You’d get something like this awesome figure that just went on sale in Japan.

Read More

Regional mascot/hyper pear Funasshi’s new album hits number four on Japanese charts【Videos】

Earlier this week, we took a look at the year’s 20 most popular karaoke songs for teens, and found that the list was made up entirely of anime themes, vocaloid songs, and the Japanese version of “Let It Go” (proving there’s literally nowhere you can go where you won’t run into the Frozen hit). And while we’re sure the 2-D sweep put a smile on the face of otaku and technophiles, we can imagine some traditionalists grumbling about a lack of music with a connection to anything real.

Well, is a human-sized pear real enough for you?

Read More

Make studying violent with these Legendary Weapon pencil toppers

When I was in junior high school, for a couple of weeks it seemed like whenever the teacher’s back was turned, all the kids in the classroom were engaged in pencil fighting. One combatant would hold his pencil lengthwise, his opponent would try to shatter it with his own, and then they’d switch, taking turns until only one pencil was left intact.

When you stop and think about it, it’s kind of a dumb game. Sure, destruction being a critical component gives it an undeniable appeal. No matter how talented you are though, in the end, you’re just swinging around a writing instrument, and not an awesome foe-cleaving weapon.

Unless, of course, you have one of these cool Legendary Weapon pencil caps.

Read More

As someone who used to own several anime T-shirts, I can see the appeal of clothing yourself in images of your favorite series. Some might argue it’s silly to turn yourself into a walking billboard for any product or organization, but if the art is part of what attracted you to the show, wanting to wear a piece of it doesn’t necessarily brand you as some sort of mindless slave to consumerism.

If nothing else, it’s a way to communicate your passion for your hobby to those around you, and can occasionally serve as an ice breaker for meeting like-minded individuals. In a sense, anime clothing is the uniform of an anime fan.

Although, in the case of this incredibly dedicated otaku, it’s more like his armor.

Read More

Japanese politicians propose officially designating March 11 as Great East Japan Disaster Day

This coming spring will mark four years since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. While that’s not nearly long enough for the those who experienced the tragedy first-hand to forget about the destruction, sadness, and fear, some politicians are concerned that in time memories will fade, which is why a bill is being introduced in the Japanese Diet to establish March 11 as an official day of remembrance of the disaster.

Read More

The true meaning of December 25: The birth of Levi from Attack on Titan

With all of the secular Christmas decoration displays at shopping centers, and Japan’s focus on finding a date at this time of year, it’s all too easy to forget the real reason for the holiday on December 25. Really, the central figure in our minds shouldn’t be Santa, nor the cute girl or hot guy you just went on a Christmas Eve date with.

Christmas is a day when we should all stop for a moment to remember that the holiday is an observation of the birth of an amazing individual. Someone who, at times when our souls are tested, has always been there to show us the way, through his combination of wisdom, courage, and ability to effortlessly slice a 30-meter giant to death.

In other words, happy birthday, Attack on Titan’s Levi!

Read More

Age ain’t nothing but a number! Japanese beauty pageant for women over 35 crowns newest winner

While respect for the elderly and admiration of the experienced are both parts of Japanese culture, when it comes to ideals of fashion and human beauty, the country definitely puts a premium on youth. It’s not at all unusual for the careers of female models, actresses, and entertainers to have their career reach its zenith in their late teens or very early twenties, then disappear from the public eye altogether.

Since 2010, though, the Bimajo Contest beauty pageant has been challenging the idea that if you’re old enough to have graduated from college you’re just about too old to be considered beautiful. Each year assembles a field of attractive women in their late 30s and 40s, and this week the pageant crowned its newest winner.

Read More

A trait of good business leaders is that however high they rise in the company, they never overlook the organization’s frontline operations. It’s important, even for presidents and CEOs, to understand how low-level employees go about their tasks and the manner in which products are purchased and used.

According to accusations from Korean electronics maker Samsung, though, a senior executive from rival LG Electronics got a little too zealous in his point-of-sale activities when he stopped by a retailer and broke one of Samsung’s display models.

Read More

Naruto fans turn message maker system’s interface lemons into ninja lemonade with awesome artwork

Manga artist Masashi Kishimoto’s ninja saga Naruto finally came to a close last month. But after 15 years of being on the receiving end of the awesome artwork and heartfelt words of the Naruto cast, fans now have a chance to send some of their own with a nifty message-writing tool on the franchise’s official website.

Unfortunately, it isn’t very user-friendly. But just like how Naruto’s titular blond ninja never gives up in the face of adversity, so too have fans found a way to work around the clunky interface and come up with some powerfully cool creations.

Read More

Big Hero 6 ads in Japan leave out the action, moviegoers surprised to find awesome robot flick

Last weekend, my wife and I decided to go to watch Disney’s Big Hero 6, which had just opened in Japan under the title Baymax, after its marshmallow-like central robot character. As we made our way into the theater, she asked me if I had a pack of tissues, adding, “I heard the movie is really touching.”

This kind of took me by surprise. Sure, most Disney films have a heartwarming side to them, but wasn’t this movie about a team of superheroes and their robot?

If you’ve seen Big Hero 6, you know by now that it does a solid job of handling both action and emotional scenes. You probably wouldn’t get that impression from the tender Japanese ads for the movie, though, which is why many Japanese moviegoers were pleasantly surprised to find that Baymax isn’t just sweet, but also pretty awesome.

Read More

One Piece becoming a kabuki play with the Straw Hat Pirates taking the stage in Tokyo

Between the huge success the One Piece franchise has found in comics, animation, video games, and associated merchandising, you wouldn’t think there’d be too many more avenues for it to expand into. And honestly, it doesn’t have to, as Eiichiro Oda’s manga, the starting point of the tales of pirates, treasure hunting, and friendship, is still going strong, with its 76th collected volume being released later this month.

But just like the Straw Hat Pirates don’t have to embark on grand adventures, but choose to do so anyway, One Piece is about to head into uncharted waters, as the anime and manga franchise is set to become a kabuki play.

Read More

One of the really big differences between Japanese and American broadcasting is the relative lack of reruns on Japanese TV. With four, roughly 13-week seasons a year, and not nearly the plethora of channels available in the U.S., Japanese TV series, anime included, tend to chug straight from start to finish, and once they’re done, if you want to see an episode again, usually your only choice is on DVD or Blu-ray.

Once in a while, though, smaller carriers will pick up a series for rebroadcast after it’s finished its initial run. It’s a rare occurrence, though, so a recent poll asked anime fans which series they’d most like to see shown on TV one more time.

Read More

“2D vs. Katana” exhibition shows off recreations of swords from anime and video games in Osaka

Last year, Tokyo’s Ueno Royal Museum held an exhibition of Japanese swords inspired by the mechanical and character designs of landmark anime Evangelion. As cool as some of the pieces looked, though, you won’t find any scenes in the giant robot franchise where someone actually fights using a katana.

On the other hand, right now the Osaka Museum of History is holding an event that goes even further in bridging the gap between fantasy and reality, by displaying recreations of amazing blades seen in anime, manga, and light novel illustrations.

Read More

Ready to tie the anime knot? Company offers marriage certificate for you and your 2D waifu

Over the last few years, it’s become a trend for truly obsessive anime fans to start referring to their favorite female character as their wife, or waifu, thanks to the Japanese language’s almost complete lack of terminal consonants. Honestly, the whole phenomena is crazy, because how can you claim someone’s your spouse with no legal paperwork?

Seeking to make the spousal bond between husband and anime wife just a little more legitimate, one company is now offering marriage packs, complete with marriage certificates, for two popular anime lasses.

Read More

There’s still a lot of room for improvement regarding the availability of elevators in Japan’s train stations and other public facilities, but the country doesn’t have a totally sub-par record in helping the disabled retain their mobility. For example, on the sidewalks of most moderately large streets, you’ll find a row of bumps that operate as a guide for blind pedestrians, indicating not only any curves in the walkway but also warning of intersections and steps ahead.

Obviously, good manners dictate keeping the path clear, but in all that empty space one Japanese motorist saw a perfectly-placed parking spot. And while Japanese culture often errs on the side of not sticking your nose in other people’s business, it looks like one elementary school student couldn’t let this go without giving the driver a piece of his mind, even if the inconsiderate owner wasn’t anywhere to be found right then.

Read More

New Evangelion short film now streaming on animation studio’s website

It’s been almost two years since the theatrical release of the third Rebuild of Evangelion movie. The film series is a reboot of the phenomenally successful and influential psychological science-fiction anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. Or maybe it’s a sequel. Actually, knowing series creator Hideaki Anno’s penchant, and talent, for throwing viewers gigantic curve balls, it could be something else entirely.

All we really know is that fans have been waiting since January of 2014 for more Eva, and their patience has been rewarded with a brand-new, highly artistic Evangelion short that’s already streaming online.

Read More

  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 520
  5. 521
  6. 522
  7. 523
  8. 524
  9. 525
  10. 526
  11. ...
  12. 580