Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
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 174)
Hey! You got your Hitler videos in my K-Pop! You got your K-Pop in my Hitler videos! Who would have thought that these two viral video titans would blend together so well?
The Chinese genius who created Dictator Rap: Gangnam Style from Hitler, that’s who.
The maker goes by the name Fei Yu from Luoyang, China, who posted the video on Chinese video site, bilibili.tv. From there it spread to YouTube and infamy.
In Koga city, Shiga prefecture on October 3 at 9am a manhole cover unexpectedly shot seven meters into the air penetrating the roof over a gas station’s pumps. The 36kg lid measuring 65cm in diameter returned to the ground luckily without hitting anyone.
Japanese fast food chain Lotteria is celebrating its 40th anniversary by bringing back the Tower Cheeseburger! Yes, the Tower Cheeseburger is nothing new: RocketNews24 has reported on it before and, of course, made an ungodly sized burger out of it (pictured above).
Worry not though, as Lotteria has a lot more in store for its big 4-0. For starters, the price of their 5-storey (five beef patties and five cheese slices) Tower Cheeseburger this year will cost a measly 500 yen! (US$6)
It’s a typical drinking challenge that many guys have gotten into at one point or another. The first person to “break the seal,” or use the bathroom first, is the sucker who picks up the check.
Good times are had watching guys squirm it out and race to the urinal before wetting themselves, and all the funnier if they don’t make it in time.
However, for one group of friends in China, their friendly wager turned tragic leading to the near death of one man.
At the recent International Symposium on Optical Memory in Tokyo, Hitachi, working with Kyoto University, presented their new type of digital storage. It works on a principle similar to CDs but with a few added benefits like withstanding over 1000℃ temperatures.
Despite China’s booming development in recent years, their media has been reluctant to toot their own patriotic horn and limited themselves to phrases like “potential superpower”.
It looks like the kid gloves are off now though, as South China Post kicked off the newest nickname for the PRC, “beginning superpower” last week. This follows a busy summer of superpower-like imposition and disregard for neighboring countries all along the nation’s coasts.
With all the constant updates to smartphones and other portable devices, you would think it would be easy to maintain decent battery power by now. But no matter how smart Siri seems to get, most people still have to charge her up on a daily basis.
Some companies have decided to tackle this problem by making charging more accessible, which is where the desk above comes in: this unassuming piece of office furniture also has a built in wireless battery charger.
Plastic shopping bags are one of those things that haven’t been improved on since… ever? Sure there have been attempts to improve their biodegradability, but that’s hardly the limit to their inherent weaknesses.
This is especially well-known in Japan where premade soups and bentos fly off the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores like premade hotcakes. Using a traditional plastic bag to carry a curry rice bento always gets tilted onto its side so that it ends up looking like a crime scene when you get it home. You’re luck if the curry actually stays inside the container.
Lunch Vehicle may be the answer to this problem, taking plastic bags to the next level with its innovative design which has been influenced by tried and tested heavy industry techniques.
No doubt, by now Japan’s super toilets (known as washlets) have become a well-known symbol this country. Their bevy of features like heating and cleaning add an unprecedented level of comfort to our porcelain thrones.
However, there’s a dark side to Japan’s restrooms: what’s known as the “Japanese Style Toilet.” For those lucky enough to have never encountered one, it’s a throwback to the olden days of going in a hole in the ground. Only this time the hole is covered in porcelain and has flushing capabilities. Beyond that it’s not much different than camping or surviving a plane crash in the mountains.
Thankfully some special interest groups are working towards wiping this scourge from the nation, and they’re starting with the children.
After mastering Guitar Hero years back, I was left with an empty feeling. I had taken my plastic 4-button guitar controller out on the street to perform One by Metallica but no one paid any attention to me. In fact, passersby seemed to be intentionally avoiding eye contact.
This is why I was excited to find Rocksmith would be released in Japan on October 11. The game that actually lets you practice a real guitar in a fun way so you can walk away from it a better person with an entertaining skill!
However, my excitement took a bit of a hit when I saw the first Japanese commercial for it.
The post-secondary education business has entered dire straits in Japan. With the ever declining birth rate, schools across the nation are struggling to keep enrollments up.
In Fukuoka, Nishi-Nippon Junior College believes it has an attractive solution to this problem: the “Department of Media Promotion,” more casually referred to as the “Idol Training Department.”
Alright all you photographers, this might be your chance to take a historical, never-before seen shot of Mt. Fuji taken 261km (162mi) away in Kyoto. Although it was calculated to be possible by a geography teacher at Tsukuba University High School, Hiroshi Tashiro, it’s certain to be easier said than done.
South Koreans like big butts and they cannot lie, but those Japanese brothers try to deny. That’s right. It looks like the big butt trend has finally hit this side of the Pacific. The first nation to fall victim to a big ol’ badonkadonk: South Korea.
One of our reporters got a first-hand experience while travelling there recently, when she stumbled across a pair of padded panties designed to give you that extra junk for your trunk.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUtS52lqL5w?feature=oembed&w=640&h=360%5D
Behold the Lego Great Ball Contraption (GBC), dreamed, designed and built by a 21 year-old Japanese college student who goes by the name of Akiyuki, (Akiyuky if you want to search him on YouTube).
Taking over 600 hours of work, this robotic wonder is the perfect blend of engineering and art as the 31 meters of 17 intricately built stages hypnotically and seamlessly operate with the sole existential purpose of moving tiny plastic soccer balls and basketballs in a perpetual loop.
A research team from Tokushima University discovered that a substance found in hops can prevent the deterioration of muscle tissue. The breaking down of muscles in old age is a leading cause of elderly people being confined to a bed.
This is great news if only a beer or two would do the trick. Unfortunately, to harness the anti-aging effects of ale you’d have to drink enough to kill you several times over.
Burger King is currently celebrating their 5th year in Japan. But in an already saturated fast food market the famous American chain is a little late to the game.
So, in an effort to truly stand out from the crowd, Burger King Japan has designed fast food’s first black hamburger. Dubbed the Kuro Burger (lit. Black Burger), it will go on sale for a limited time starting 28 September.
The Tokyo Game show always has displays and products guaranteed to shock and amaze video game fans from all over. This year they seem to be leaning more towards the shock with this gourmet experiment.
Remember when you were a kid, you and your friends would put mustard, salt, ketchup, and squished meat into a McDonald’s cup of cola and dared each other to drink it?
This seems to be the concept behind this Soy Milk Curry Ipecac Ramen.
Sadly these days, we see more and more stories of crimes committed against young children. That’s why reporting anything out of the ordinary can help save lives.
However, on the Hyogo Prefectural Police operated online crime prevention board, “Hyogo Security Net” a suspicious person report was posted that made several people stop and scratch their heads. The police seem to have an APB out on themselves.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxMOOyQI99g?feature=oembed&w=640&h=360%5D
In the days following Nono-Chan the cat’s 8th birthday, he began to take stock of his life. He wondered if chasing strings and sleep was all there was. “Have I reached my fullest potential as a cat,” he pondered.
Bear breaks into house in Japan, quickly begins spending winter exactly like Japanese people do
McDonald’s Japan announces Evangelion burger line, releases crazy anime video for them【Video】
Starbucks Japan releases cute new zodiac goods for Year of the Snake
Ramen restaurant etiquette reminder follows altercation with angry couple: One person, one bowl
Starbucks Japan reveals new winter holiday goods to wrap up 2024
Station of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line
Miniature keychain versions of Japan’s Death Spray are coming to capsule toy machines soon
Out-of-this-world omamori shrine charms are blessed by the cosmos
Starbucks Japan releases a new Frappuccino that looks and tastes like a floral bouquet
Clever design trick means beautiful Ghibli Artboard Jigsaw Puzzles won’t have bittersweet ending
This downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the pastStation of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid LineStarbucks Japan reveals new winter holiday goods to wrap up 2024Ramen restaurant etiquette reminder follows altercation with angry couple: One person, one bowl
Japanese government will check and judge new baby name pronunciations, presents guidelines
Japanese train station vending machine has the best souvenirs for rail otaku
Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
Tokyo’s Super Mario Christmas decoration displays are super cool【Photos】
Major Japanese city is abolishing extracurricular activities at all of its middle schools
Studio Ghibli showcases traditional craftsmanship with new wallet range
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Uniqlo announces first-ever collaboration with horror manga master Junji Ito【Photos】
J-pop mega star Ado reveals she’s been living in the U.S., may not understand language acquisition
Starbucks Japan is calling it quits with paper straws
Japan’s most popular castle raising ticket prices by up to 200 percent for non-local touristsJapanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
Furikake rice seasoning sales are soaring, which is bad news for Japan as a wholeThis downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the past
Studio Ghibli heroine cardigans give you warmth and strength to face everyday challenges
Eight unforgettable hot springs, as recommended by Japan’s “Professor Bath”
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengersPossessing 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
Station of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line
Miniature keychain versions of Japan’s Death Spray are coming to capsule toy machines soon
Out-of-this-world omamori shrine charms are blessed by the cosmos
Starbucks Japan releases a new Frappuccino that looks and tastes like a floral bouquet
Clever design trick means beautiful Ghibli Artboard Jigsaw Puzzles won’t have bittersweet ending
Tokyo restaurant explicitly bans couples from dining on Christmas Eve
Small Hokkaido bookshop’s unique service is getting business from all over Japan
New Totoro, Catbus, and other Ghibli plushies transform from cushions to blankets【Photos】
Ghibli releases a Howl’s Moving Castle that walks and lights up【Video】
Testing our luck – Can visiting Japan’s power spots improve the omikuji temple fortune you draw?
This downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the past
Celebrating legal marriage days in Japan with budget-friendly photoshoots
How to get all-you-can eat doughnuts at Mister Donut for just 12 bucks!
Disney Kabuki merch collaboration appears in Japan, but Mickey doesn’t play female roles