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)
A new restaurant modestly named “Robot Restaurant” has opened in Shinjuku on 18 July but already has generated a lot of buzz on the internet. Its quick surge in popularity may have to do with the rumored post-apocalyptic giant robot show that goes on while you eat and is said to cost 10 billion yen (US$127M) to create. We had to go and see if this is for real.
The baseball world in Japan has been shaken to its core by a pitch so fast it stands among the fastest in the world – and it was done during a high school game.
The pitch, thrown during a televised semifinal match between Ichinoseki Gakuin and Hanamaki Higashi, has focused all the attention of professional baseball onto young Shohei Otani, the pitcher for Hanamaki Higashi High School.
It seems you can buy just about anything on the internet these days, and here’s another bit of proof to put on the pile. What’s the one thing you could add to your home and garden that would make you stand out among your neighbors?
You got it; an 18 meter (59’) tall, 3 ton (2205 lbs) Brachiosaurus statue.
You may have read our previous report about how Japan’s top sword makers had been called upon to bring your favorite weapons from the hit anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion off the screen and into reality.
Well, the day has finally arrived as the Bizen Japanese Sword Museum has at long last opened their “Evangelion & Japanese Sword Exhibit” utilizing traditional sword making techniques to create swords of the future Evangelion universe.
It seems the days of keeping novels or magazines on a stand by the toilet are slipping away from us as more and more people are taking their smartphones into the loo to pass the time. On top of this, social media has paved the way for everyone to update the world on all their daily minutiae.
And what could be minuter than broadcasting our bowel evacuations to the world. On an individual basis such information might be meaningless to others but when analyzed en masse we can learn something about the pooping habits of a nation.
Who doesn’t love Lego? It’s a toy that has certainly stood the test of time and transcended all boundaries of gender, class and geography with its simple yet endless possibilities.
And who doesn’t love Tokyo? It’s a city that has certainly stood the test of time and grown into quite the cultural mecca of food, science, and art. However, it’s a big city that requires time to explore fully. So why not head down to Decks in Odaiba, Tokyo Beach to see the best of it in everyone’s favorite medium – Lego! But that’s not all Legoland Tokyo has to offer.
It seems that some of life’s simplest yet most widespread problems never have solutions. Millions of men worldwide have to watch their hair fade away with no reliable cure. Or how about that man or woman who somehow manages to sit next you on the subway or bus making your eyes water with their biological curse of body odor, better known by bacteriologists by its scientific name: “pit stank.”
Pit stank doesn’t discriminate. The victims are our fathers, sisters, children, and spouses. However, thanks to the pioneering efforts of a legal rep for an NPO in Sendai working with Tohoku University’s New Industry Creation Center the world is one step closer to a cure for this socially scorned affliction.
A recent first round qualifying game for the high school league national championship between rivals Nichidai Fujisawa (Japan University’s High School) and Buso ended in controversy after a botched infield fly ball was mishandled causing a Nichidai runner to steal home and earn a walk-off victory for their team.
According to South Korea’s Far East Daily newspaper, China’s public radio broadcast an interview with a currently active Major General who spoke like many Generals do, with much aplomb and sabre rattling to be heard. Let’s see what he has to say.
On first hearing about this story, it’s easy to be skeptical that a review for a can of cat food could possibly be as unnerving as one buyer’s comment on Rakuten (Japan’s answer to Amazon) was purported to be.
Most of us have spent enough time on the internet and saw our share of Goatses and blue waffles. So how could an online review for a tin of Mon Petit Whitefish & Tuna For Kittens possibly turn our web-hardened stomachs?
It did.
Dating can be difficult and costly no matter what country you live in, but because of the economic inequality and old-fashioned customs of China it can be a down-right nightmare.
Take one Mr. Hu of Hubei Province whose girlfriend, ironically named Ms. Yuan, he had been dating for a couple months. However, because of money troubles he was unable to buy her presents and had to turn to a life of crime.
However, what could have been a romantic “man in love against the world” kind of rebel story turned out incredibly lame when the target of Hu’s criminal behavior turned out to be none other than Ms. Yuan herself.
Established by a 10 member team including journalists, activists and University professors, the committee for the “Most Evil Corporation of the Year” (in Japanese “Black Corporation Award”) has made a shortlist of nominees each vying to be the blackest of businesses.
In Japanese, the term “black business” refers to companies who rake in huge profits while exploiting their own work force by discrimination, harassment, unpaid overtime, and short-term contracts. This type of business is a widespread problem in Japanese society but often goes on undiscussed in mainstream media.
Only 4 July, Suwon, South Korea officially opened their newest attraction; “The Restroom Cultural Park” which is the world’s first toilet theme park. To answer the question on everyone’s mind – What the…? – we should first look at a little background on Suwon city.
This city located outside of Seoul is well known for two things. First, the great Hwaseong Fortress ranks among UNESCO’s world heritage and has ruins which run throughout the city. Second is their recently deceased mayor who was known affectionately as Mr. Toilet.
How many of you forgot to put your phone into manner mode (vibrate) when going into the office or a movie theatre only to have it ring and draw the angry scowl of everyone in the room? Of how about when you remember to turn on manner mode but when forget to turn it off you miss that important message you were waiting for?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have an app that automatically turns your manner mode on or off depending on where you are? Wouldn’t it be nice to have HexRinger?
With the recent opening of the Tokyo Sky Tree, it’s older little brother, Tokyo Tower has its work cut out for it to gather tourists. In an effort to break out of the shadow of the tallest tower in the world, Tokyo Tower plans to add “Japan’s first autonomously moving robot with a signboard.”
Here’s a hypothetical that you can discuss with your neighbors during the next BBQ or dinner party: One of your neighbors had fallen into a pit full of human excrement and the rest of you have to rescue them. Who goes in? What would you do?
This crappy situation played out in a central China province after a pig running into the cesspool of a farm resulted in two people being hospitalized.
One of the most popular anime and mangas around the world in recent times has got to be Naruto. With such fame often comes fan fiction, and thanks to the development of easily available production equipment, fan movies are an ever improving art form.
The fledgling American production team Thousand Pounds Action Company has put together a YouTube movie with an original story based on the Naruto universe. A follow-up to their celebrated Street Fighter X Tekken video, the Naruto movie has been getting an equally good reception and then some.
However, would Naruto fans be offending with their handling of the source material, and could this tiny movie company grab the attention of non-fans with their talents? We take a look at it from both sides to see.
The following is a list of the 30 most sold video games in Japan in the history of video games across all platforms. Western Gamers may be surprised that violent shooters take a rather large backseat to RPG’s, mushroom stomping, and Pikachus in the minds of Japanese game consumers.
Tokyo University’s Wildlife Research Center has discovered that a group of monkeys living on Awaji Island are more laid-back than all other monkeys in Japan. The cause of this, they claim, is a gene that dictates our gentleness.
Researchers put an ample supply of monkey bait within an 8 meter circle marked out on the group and then observed the monkeys. Of the monkey population on Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture a whopping 180 monkeys came out to enjoy the treats inside the circle together with minimal conflict. Read More
![[Breakthrough] A Cursive Lower Case Y Looks Just Like Lupin III](https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/07/e383abe38391e383b3.jpg?w=405 "[Breakthrough] A Cursive Lower Case Y Looks Just Like Lupin III")
Hot on the heels of the latest Higgs boson development, leading graphologists are in a frenzy to confirm a new hypothesis set forth by one Twitterer: A cursive English letter y bears a striking resemblance to anime’s favorite criminal Lupin III when you add little eyes, a nose and an ear.
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Japanese city loses residents’ personal data, which was on paper being transported on a windy day
Ghibli Park now selling “Grilled Frogs” from food cart in Valley of Witches
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Historical figures get manga makeovers from artists of Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and more
Suntory x Super Mario collaboration creates a clever way to transform into Mario【Videos】
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Secret Kitchen bento serves Japanese flowers, birds, wind and moon in a box, but is it worth it?
Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Studio Ghibli releases new action figures featuring Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind characters
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo to KyotoRed light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goodsForeigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour TotoroJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotesAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
New Pokémon cakes let you eat your way through Pikachu and all the Eevee evolutionsMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Suntory x Super Mario collaboration creates a clever way to transform into Mario【Videos】
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Secret Kitchen bento serves Japanese flowers, birds, wind and moon in a box, but is it worth it?
Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it
A Gintama fan’s emotional 19-year journey to buy a proper Lake Toya bokuto wooden katana【Pics】
Shinjuku arcade breaks Guinness World Record for having the most crane games
Japan’s massive matcha parfait weighs 6 kilos, contains hidden surprises for anyone who eats it
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Lest we forget 1936: The year fake Mickey Mouse attacked Japan
We stroll down memory lane while actually strolling down Sazae-san-dori in Fukuoka City
Father and son dissect a gachapon capsule toy machine to show us its magical insides【Video】
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
What is Teru Teru Bozu? The tragic history behind the Japanese fine weather doll