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Master Blaster

Writer / Translator

Master Blaster is the two-man translating team of Canada’s Steven Le Blanc and Japan’s Masami M, a pair who in addition to writing work are in English education and created the StudyNow app for Japanese students of English.

Together they have written somewhere around 1,500 articles for RocketNews24 covering such diverse topics as Chinese men selling sanitary napkins to each other and a Japanese guy dragging an ear of corn around the Tokyo train system. A few of these were actually good, but don’t take our word for it! Here’s what our beloved readers had to say:

“One isn't always in the mood for bold tastes. But when I'm in the mood for bold flavor I turn to you.”
“Stupid article. Who cares what the Japanese think it's cool. You don't call a monkey, "gorilla".”
“You know, this is about the most cogent explanation of how a turbocharger works that I have ever seen in the non-motorsports world.”
“Thanks for the article peter!”
“It's people like you who make exploitation possible.”
“It looks yummy and the story was great. Thank you for the smile.”

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Posted by Master Blaster (Page 159)

NTT showcases technology which can “correct” Japanese people’s English pronunciation

Depending on the second language you’re trying to master, pronunciation is arguably the hardest aspect to conquer. The Japanese and English languages are no exception. Japanese, with its highly syllabic alphabet, often has a hard time accommodating the often chaotic nature of natural English pronunciation.

While a native English speaker’s tongue might stumble when trying to spit out makudonarudo (McDonald) smoothly the first few times our language allows us to pick it up with a little practice. Japanese English speakers have far more adversity trying to understand all the diminished sounds of a native English speaker casually uttering the name of the famous hamburger chain.

With that, NTT has revealed technology it’s working on that may one day automatically correct a Japanese person’s English pronunciation by editing the speed and rhythm while keeping the original speaker’s voice intact.

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Japanese island to become real-life Game of Life for the summer

The Game of Life, one of the oldest board games still around today enjoys continued success around the world. Japan in particular has embraced the line of wheel spinning games, where it’s known by the direct translation Jinsei Gemu.

As 2013 marks the 45th anniversary of the Game of Life in Japan, one island has decided to celebrate by turning the entire place into one big Game of Life board complete with spinners and play money.

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We send a team to take part in the qualifying round of the Air Guitar World Championships 2013

The annual Air Guitar World Championships held in Oulu, Northern Finland celebrates the beloved guitar without actually using them. Instead, participants channel all the energy, attitude, and athleticism of playing rock guitar into their invisible air guitar while performing on stage.

With the 18th championships being held in August this year, RocketNews24 has assembled our finest imaginary guitarists, Stardust Sato and Fantastic Hatori, to represent us. However, the two must first face the qualifying round. Find out if they made the cut after the break.

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There’s something about Bubi: Japan can’t get enough of water bottles that collapse to a third of their size

Since being released in April 2013 in Japan, the American-produced Bubi brand of foldable water bottles had become a hit with the public. Despite it not being the first collapsible bottle on the market, as well as it being considerably more expensive, and while it isn’t even the dog days of summer in Japan, online shoppers here have been scooping up Bubis faster than they can be made.

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A particular tunnel in Guizhou, China has been drawing attention for its unique ability to literally turn back the clock. According to reports, when one drives through the 400 meter tunnel there is a substantial chance that their clocks will go back exactly one hour.

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With kids wanting to get their hands on tablets and smartphones rather than tops and jack-in-the-boxes, traditional toy makers are beginning to feel the heat. Although, it’s hard to imagine a perennial favorite like Lego go under, they aren’t taking any chances as indicated by a display at Sony Computer Science Labs in Tokyo during a recent open house.

The building block maker is partnering with the tech giant to implant some video game magic such as AI and DualShock control into their timeless colored cubes.  But that’s not all. Sony Computer Science Labs are cooking up some wild stuff for the young and young at heart.

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On 9 November, 2011, a member of the Association for Aid and Relief Japan, Atsushi Miyazaki was killed while helping relief effort in an earthquake stricken region of Turkey.

Although Miyazaki had made the ultimate sacrifice for another country by laying down his life, the Turkish people also have shown an unending sense of gratitude by continuing to honor his name years later.

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Honda to lend out more ASIMO-based walking belts for fine tuning in Japan

It’s been a few years since Honda first announced the ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative MObility) robot and its associated promises of a better cybernetic tomorrow. But now, the company seems to be doing some further beta testing for its Stride Management Assist technology which will assist in the rehabilitation of people with movement disabilities.

On 28 May, Honda announced it would be lending out 100 units free of charge to hospitals across Japan in order to monitor their performance and fine tune these robotic power walking belts.

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Bedhead Buster is becoming a hit with young Japanese males

Although bedhead is something of a scourge around the globe, the young males of Japan are particularly afflicted. In a culture where the morning shower is almost unanimously ignored in favor of evening baths, people with short hair especially are at the mercy of their pillows all night long.

However, one young engineer from America, Max Valverde may have developed a cure that the whole nation can use.  Marketed as Bedhead Buster (Neguse Basuta) in Japan this shower-cap looking invention is fast becoming a hit with the teenagers for being able to easily and effective rid them of uncontrollable hair.

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Put the power to control your presentations on the back of your finger with Kokuyoseki

Japanese office supply company Kokuyo S&T says that obsidian is believed to be a powerful stone which can protect against evil and calmy improve one’s focus and endurance.

This is why they named their newest device with the Japanese word for obsidian, Kokuyoseki. This little gadget slides onto your finger like a regular ring and lets you smoothly navigate your presentations without having to touch your computer.

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Abu Dhabime? Middle Eastern mech anime ‘Torkaizer’ turns Japan’s heads with trailer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9AyVYTqZC0?feature=oembed&w=640&h=360%5D

Japanese animation has over the course of its evolution branched out into several sub-genres based on the proliferating light novels and manga series. While this is great, it seems as though the once-loved era of giant fighting robots seems to be slipping away.

Gundam‘s still chugging along and Evangelion has been enjoying its reboot, but there hasn’t been a whole lot new going on. Enter Abu Dhabi-based Alter Ego Productions with their trailer for Torkaizer which offers a fresh look on a classic genre.

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At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Chinese mega-entertainer and occasional political commenter Jackie Chan made some waves by stating his desires to become the next Iron Man. With current Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. reaching that magic number of three we may soon see a new actor step into the suit of armor. But could the current king of colorful kung-fu really be up to the task?

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Keep your clothes looking sharp on the go with a Portable Trouser Press

It’s a problem all professionals have to face. You’re meeting a client out of town but after an extended period in your vehicle of choice, your collar’s flattened, pants are saggy, and your tie is crinkled making you look like some kind of hungover 1950s gumshoe.

I used to avoid losing valuable creases in my clothing by travelling naked. However, after my second suspended sentence I was thrilled when my parole officer recommended the Portable Trouser Press to me. It’s fantastic!

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Cabinet members of Japan gather to make an official position regarding PM Abe’s HaaaAUUUUnted HoooOOUUUuse!

On 24 May, members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet convened to make and official statement concerning long standing rumors swirling around the opposition party. These rumors are regarding the Prime Minister’s Residential Quarters (Sori Daijin Kotei) and the super spooky ghosts that may dwell inside.

Since taking power last September Prime Minister Abe has implied, “I’m not spending the night in that place,” by never spending the night in that place.

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Grand theft watermelon: 700 hundred fruit snatched from Ibaraki farm

To pull off the perfect crime one has to minimize risk while maximizing the yields. If you’re going to rob a bank you’ll have to put up with safes, cameras, random customers, polite staff and a quick police response.

So who is sitting on a goldmine but least expecting to get robbed? While not as expensive as more authentic melons, watermelons go for a rather high price in Japan. However, you’d have to be crazy to try and steal a bunch of watermelons… Right?

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Lifelike 3D dolls in Japan are one part frightening, two parts awesome

Making oneself into a fully posable action figure was once a mere pipe dream for those of us who weren’t movie stars, rock stars or the combination of both that is Mr. Sato. But now with technology and some craftsmanship anyone can immortalize themselves in the medium of dolls… until they come to life in the middle of the night and kill you.

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Chinese school principal kowtows to entire student body, tearfully begs students to study harder

On 2 May at a school assembly at Yang Gongmiao Elementary School following the May Day holiday weekend, students and faculty were shocked to see their principal get down on his hands and knees and plead for them to put more effort into their work.

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Death by stereo: Japanese electronics chain found boasting deals on death through Yahoo! search

Upon hearing rumors swirling around the internet that a search on Yahoo! Japan’s struggling search engine does something strange when you enter the words “death” and “die” in Japanese, our reporter went to check it out. Could Japan’s most popular online search tool have revealed the sinister truth about a household name?

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On 20 May the International Labor Organization (ILO) released their Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013 report which outlines the employment environment for people aged 15 to 29 in nations around the world.

Among the statistic were NEET rates among 34 OECD countries’ young people. A NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rate is the percentage of youth who are not working or in school of any kind.

On average, 15.8 percent of tens and young adults fall in this category in developed countries. The following is a full list of the studied countries.

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Japanese woman found guilty of murder after refusing to accept welfare

On 16 May Kumiko Osawa was found guilty by Sapporo District Court after pleading guilty to the assisted suicide of her 70-year-old mother. According to the prosecution, Osawa had agreed to kill her mother after the two nearly ran out of money. In addition, about one year prior to this they had refused to accept government assistance as a matter of pride.

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