Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Michelle always seems to find her way back to Japan, having been there for vacation, study abroad, and work. During her time on the JET Programme, she lived on the island of Chiburi in Shimane, Japan’s “least popular prefecture.” In her heart, she will always be a member of that sleepy little fishing village she once called home. When she’s not swearing like a sailor while playing video games, Michelle enjoys playing soccer and “studying” Japanese.
Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Page 7)
That’s it folks, the third and final day of E3 is over and it’s been a privilege to bring you coverage of 2014’s expo. We’ve had a great time freaking out while trying our Project Morpheus, and were pleasantly surprised to find that Sunset Overdrive is just as fun as it looks. There’s more coverage to come, but in the meantime, here’s our last photo compilation from Day Three to tide you over!
As is expected at any gaming expo, there were plenty of booth babes, swag and cosplay to be found. However, unlike events such as Tokyo Game Show, all three were kept to a minimum.
But fear not, RocketNews Nation, we searched high and low to bring you photos of sexy ladies, freebies, and costumed strangers from E3…just because you asked so nicely.
Walking through the Los Angeles Convention Center, we can’t help but notice a certain game popping up in all sorts of unexpected places. From the nook in the vaulted ceiling to the women’s restroom, Sunset Overdrive, has taken over E3.
Day Two of E3 has come and gone and we still can’t get enough of this crazy expo devoted to gaming. It was an absolute blast to play Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U and we feel so lucky to have had the chance to check out Sony’s Project Morpheus virtual reality headset (although, a slightly less terrifying demo would have been appreciated).
Here come the photos from DAY TWO!
If you’re a big gamer but weren’t able to attend this year’s E3, you may be wondering what the overall vibe is in amongst all of those giant, flashing screens and cardboard cut-outs. So before we headed back to our hotel to get some much-needed sleep at this end of this busy, busy day, we thought it might be nice to show you what each of the “Big-three’s” booth looks like this year. We’re nice like that.
The promoters of Just Dance 2015, Ubisoft’s sixth dancing game of the series, sure do know how to get people’s attention at E3. Songs such as “Happy” by Pharrell Williams and Run DMC’s remix of “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith already make you want to tap your toes. But they’ve also deployed cute dancers at the Just Dance booth to encourage the crowd to start, well, dancing. Even Wolverine couldn’t resist slicing the air with his claws to the game’s groovy beats.
And on Day Two of E3 2014, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the elusive unicorn…dancing with his hippo pal to “What Does the Fox Say.” Yeah, we don’t know why either, so you’d probably better just watch the video…
My hands are still trembling after demoing The Deep on Project Morpheus, Sony’s virtual reality headset. The game brings players into the middle of shark-infested waters with only a flare gun and a flimsy steel cage for protection. It’s this generation’s Jaws in a new, terrifying reality never seen before, and will no doubt scar another decade of children who will be too scared to take a bath. Check out our hands-on review and have fun laughing at me screaming to myself during my battle against a Great White.
SUPER SMASH BROS!!!! It’s been six years since we’ve seen a new version and this latest one, playable on Wii U and 3DS, did not disappoint. With new characters, like the Wii Fit Trainer and Little Mac, and new levels, including one where Pong starts playing right on the screen, the only thing that could have made it better was if we placed first in our battle and won a Nintendo T-shirt.
After playing Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, I have concluded that it’s, in a word, awesome (but it still can’t salvage my signature button smashing technique).
We’re here at E3, and we realize the focus should be on the games, but we did take a small detour and poked around the merchandise store for some sort of souvenir (somehow, I wasn’t satisfied with the mutant rabbit balloon swag from Sunset Overdrive). Overall I wasn’t impressed with the T-shirt designs or commemorative mugs inscribed with “E3,” but there was one exception.
The first day of E3 2014 has come to a close and our heads are spinning from all the Gamecube throwback controllers and unexpected Just Dance participants…or are we still just a little queasy from that Oculus Rift demo (more on that soon!)? Either way, we feel so lucky to have been a part of this huge event and want share some of our favorite photos from the day.
Let the photo dump begin!
Potato chips and chocolate aren’t as obvious of a choice as chips and salsa, but the Royce Confectionary Company in Japan has had a impressive amount of success with their Potato Chip Chocolate snacks. With their sweet and salty flavor combination, these little treats are uncommonly satisfying. And even if you don’t live in Japan, you’re in luck, we have a super simple recipe just for you!
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We’re out here in Los Angeles for E3, the largest annual video game and entertainment expo in the world, and we got things off to an awesome start at the Xbox Media Briefing on Monday. Check out our RocketNews24 exclusive photos and video from the event.
As we’ve declared before, convenience stores are one of the many things Japan gets awesomely right. And out of all the conbini in Japan, one of the greatest things housed within the walls of popular convenience store, Lawson, isn’t found on the shelves, but nestled safely behind the counter. Yes, their perfectly plump, consummately crispy fried chicken dubbed “Karaage-kun” costs a mere 210 yen (US$2.05) for hot, salty bliss. With a heart full of love for Karaage-kun, we could barely contain our jealousy upon learning that Mr. Sato, the most…unique reporter from our Japanese site, was invited to the Lawson headquarters to try out their new grilled Hokkaido corn-flavored Karaage-kun.
And so Mr. Sato marched down to crispy chicken HQ, still rocking his post-apocalyptic haircut, to try our most favorite convenience store snack. Little did he (or we) know that he would also be presented with an ultra-top-secret fried chicken unfit to be consumed by children younger than 15 years of age.
Burger King Japan has just announced the “60th Anniversary ‘B’iKing Battle,” inviting anyone with the stomach and speed for eating seven Whoppers in half an hour to apply. Sounds pretty sweet, right? Maybe…we have a feeling the grand prize is the last thing participants will want to receive after polishing off two-days’ worth of calories.
Luigi has always played second fiddle to his brother Mario and it seems all those years of pent-up jealousy and anger have surfaced in Nintendo’s eighth edition of Mario Kart. Scores of English-language sites have already reported on what many are calling “Luigi’s Death Stare,” and all that news coverage has finally made it over to Japan, inspiring a multitude of comments by surprised Japanese gamers.
There have been several commercials pulled off the air in Japan that some have dubbed “racist” and plenty of online banter to add to the debate. But we’ve also seen anti-anti-Korean protesters in Tokyo willing to stand up against truly hateful right-wing activists and many other examples of Japanese citizens whose actions seem to show that Japan is not as xenophobic as some may believe.
So is Japan racist? It seems there isn’t a clear-cut answer, but leave it to “twin brothers” Ken Tanaka and David Ury to bring us a humors video confronting this long-standing question.
We’re not entirely sure who invented child leashes, but they have found their way to Japan and the controversy that surrounds them has been imported right alongside. Discussed widely on Japanese online parenting forums, the disputed child gear are dubbed maigo himo (literally, “lost child cord”) and have become increasingly available at online shopping sites such as Rakuten.
But no matter what you call it – be it lost child cord, leash, harness, tether, or reins – one thing’s for sure: No one can agree if they are an embarrassment or proper parenting tool.
From the country that brought you carbonated espresso comes a coffee and cola drink claiming to be Brazilian that’s described as a “delicious Carnival.” Wait, what?
All the rumors are true! Sony has just announced a partnership with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group to produce and sell PlayStation consoles in China. There have been plenty of knock-offs floating around on the grey market, but this new partnership with Sony marks the first time in 14 years China will allow the sale of consoles.
We love all of the unofficial holidays in Japan. From Fundoshi (also known as Japanese loincloth) Day to Cat Day, people all over the country have special events (and discounts) to look forward to all year round.
But May 23 marked Kiss Day in Japan and netizens all over the country celebrated the seemingly romantic occasion with some decidedly strange drawings in a bizarre illustration battle on Twitter.
Red light district sushi restaurant in Tokyo shows us just how wrong we were about it
Sandwiches fit for a sumo served up in Osaka【Taste Test】
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Tokyo Tsukiji fish market site to be redeveloped with 50,000-seat stadium, hotel, shopping center
Starbucks Japan adds a Motto Frappuccino to the menu for a limited time
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFTMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
All-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 monthJapanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotesFrench 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 Kyoto
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
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 goods
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 Totoro
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello KittyAll-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky loungeMore 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 evolutions
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitelyMcDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
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
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
French Fries Bread in Tokyo’s Shibuya becomes a hit on social media
Pokémon Sleep camping suite and guestrooms coming to Tokyo Hyatt along with giant Snorlax burgers
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Anime girl English teacher Ellen-sensei becomes VTuber/VVTUber and NFT
Mt. Koya planning to instate visitor’s tax to cope with huge tourist numbers
Turns out you can draw all four original starter Pokémon with just three colored pencils【Video】
Beautiful Ghibli sealing wax kits let you create accessories and elegant letter decorations【Pics】
Secret Kitchen bento serves Japanese flowers, birds, wind and moon in a box, but is it worth it?
Kyoto’s 100 Demons yokai monster parade returns!
Katsudon vs. tonkatsu vs. katsu sandwich – What’s the best way to eat pork cutlet in Japan?
Japanese company starts project to restore Nakagin Capsules to capsule hotel
What does blood type have to do with the Japan national football team?