Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Global (Page 19)
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s finally time to announce the winners of our Anime Encyclopedia 3rd Revised Edition giveaway!
Click the link below to find out if you’re one of the four lucky people who won a copy of this gargantuan guide to all things anime!
In Japan, the majority of people bathe at night before going to bed. Even if they don’t stick to the traditional routine of rinsing off before soaking in a hot bath, most Japanese find the idea of climbing into bed without having at least hopped in the shower first supremely icky – almost as icky as walking around your home while wearing your outdoor shoes.
In the west, however, many of us prefer to shower before leaving the house in the morning. No matter how well you slept the night before, the thought of not washing prior to putting on work clothes and heading out for the day seems pretty gross to most of us.
So for this week’s Super Mega Important Debate, we’re asking you to answer this one simple question: Do you bathe before bed or before work each morning?
Oculus, Sony, Valve, and even Samsung have been heralding virtual reality as the future of gaming and entertainment for what feels like an age now. The few glimpses we’ve seen of the fledgling technology have both impressed and intrigued us, but titles that resemble the kind of games we can expect to play when these companies finally launch their respective headsets are still few and far between.
The unusually named Headmaster, however, is a good example of what we can probably expect to play as the technology finds its feet.
Although hardly new, Japan has been undergoing something of a boom in pancake consumption in recent years. With several trendy new restaurants opening up around the country, there has also been a significant rise in the popularity of homemade pancakes as well. Yes, with its warm and fluffy texture and mildly sweet flavor it’s certainly hard to turn down a hotcake, isn’t it?
While everyone is having a good time with their pancakes, some researchers and medical professionals would like to remind us all that pancakes and similar flour based foods have the potential to not only make us very ill, but in some cases may lead to death.
But before you go cursing out these wet blankets of science for ruining yet another beloved food with their health warnings, there’s actually an incredibly easy way to not die from eating flapjacks as well.
It’s no secret that Disney has been hugely successful in Japan. The Japanese anime industry may have cultivated a unique style over the years that’s quite different from that of the international entertainment giant, but the public here in Japan definitely seems to love all things Disney, from beautiful lingerie to adorable mini-cakes.
So we guess it’s not too surprising that Disney characters have now been recreated using traditional Japanese crafts, which is the concept behind the Disney Japan Classic Series of merchandise. Join us for a look at what delightful forms the familiar Disney characters have taken at the hands of traditional Japanese artisans! Read More
The internet’s full of weird stuff. Usually, it’s really out-there, kooky, insane, bizarre-o weird stuff, but every now and then something comes along which is weird in a baffling way. Take this video of a cat poking some cotton swabs around as if trying to arrange them in a particular way. It was favourited 1.5 thousand times on Twitter, yet nobody commented on it, possibly because no one knows what to make of it.
What is the purpose of the video? Is the cat some kind of feline savant? Is there some deep, philosophical meaning behind the placement of the cotton buds? See if you can work it out…
Nintendo has announced that Super Mario Maker, its extensive Mario-themed level creator software for Wii U, will go on sale from September 11 this year. A new Amiibo figure and level designer’s guide book are also scheduled for release.
It may not look “modern” anymore, but the flat greys of Sony’s early PlayStation hardware brings wide smiles to those of us who grew up playing classics like Resident Evil and Final Fantasy.
Though years of play wore down the originals, Sony’s issuing original PlayStation-themed gamepads and headphones in honor of the orig nal console’s 20th anniversary. They look like this:
One of the biggest manga hits of the past 15 years is most certainly One Piece. You can talk about ninjas or titans, but the perennial favorite for top manga has been about those pirates of the Grand Line. Of the many treasures they have encountered during their journey, they have now uncovered something that is truly one of a kind, a Guinness World Record. The official One Piece website was happy to announce that author Eiichiro Oda and the manga One Piece are going in the record books as the comic book with the most issues published by a single author.
Lego building blocks are a fantastic toy for growing kids and adults alike. These snap-together bricks allow you build pretty much anything, regardless of whether you follow the instructions included in the box or throw caution to the wind and build whatever pops into your head. With the success of The Lego Movie and a sequel and spin-off movies in the works, the outlook for this 65-year-old toy has never been better.
But there is an alleged little-known secret hidden in the core of Lego’s sensibility. If you take a random sampling of Lego bricks, you will notice that there are far fewer green ones than any other color. The reason why may surprise you.
If you spend a lot of time on the internet, like all of the RocketNews24 team does, then you can’t help but notice when a new “do this stupid thing” challenge starts going aroud. Whether it involves chugging cinnamon, blowing up your lips, or scarfing hot peppers, it’s all pretty silly stuff that normally we’re way too sophisticated to have a go at.
But something about the “hold a coke with your boobs” challenge captivated the attention of our Japanese writer P.K. So much, in fact, that he decided to have a go for himself! Warning, this post is potentially NSFW for everyone who doesn’t work in the RN24 office!
I think we can all agree that math is a pretty handy thing to understand, right? A basic concept of things like fractions and algebraic equivalents is what keeps us from getting taken advantage of by con men who make such tempting offers as trading two of their shiny monies (or even three!) for our one paper money when the latter is actually of greater value.
Still, basic math is all about following the proper procedures to arrive at the one true solution, which is why you don’t get partial credit for having the wrong answer on your math assignment just because you took a novel approach and wrote the numbers with nice penmanship. As such, you can program a machine to spit out the answer in a fraction of a second, and with a new smartphone app, all you have to do is snap a picture of the math problem, and let the app take over from there.
Okay, Rocketeers, time for a pop quiz: what is Japanese sake? Turns out the question is actually a little more complicated than it looks on the surface.
If you were just looking at the clock and smiling because you’ve reached the end of your workweek, but have since switched to frowning and looking at the Tokyo weather report (clouds or rain all week long), cheer up, because it just so happens there’s a great indoor event going on.
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2015 kicked off earlier this week, and until June 14 will be showcasing the works of talented short film makers from around the globe at venues in Tokyo and Yokohama. Best of all, admission is free, and today we’re taking a peek at some of the festival’s amazing computer animated shorts that are screening this weekend.
As much as I sometimes wish I were young again, there’s no denying the fact that youth has its drawbacks. For example, just think of all the things someone under the age of 15 can’t do in Japan: they can’t enjoy a glass of elephant poop beer, vote for some naked, sword wielding guy standing in municipal elections, go to an Edo period erotic art show, or buy a carton of Marlboro and exquisite steak curry at the same place.
And if the muckety mucks in the Japan Basketball Association have their way, anyone under 15 may soon be prohibited from playing zone defense. However, the JBA would like to remind youths that it’s for their own good, and hurts the association more than it does them.
One of the first things you notice when you come to Japan is how great everybody looks. The guys all know how to wear a suit, and the ladies dress conservatively and stylishly. In fact, it’s a well-known phenomenon that many foreigners who arrive in Japan for a prolonged stay will, within a few weeks, start smartening themselves up as a direct result of the example set by fashion and beauty-conscious Japanese.
But a shocking and kind of sad survey has revealed that in terms of being happy with their looks, the people of Japan are actually ranked bottom in the world…
We know you’ve kept you waiting, but it’s finally time to announce the winner of the RocketNews24 competition!
Join us after the jump to find out who we’ll be flying over to Japan to fulfil their Japan dream experience!
Calling all anime enthusiasts and obsessive collectors! Today we have a very special announcement that will put a big smile on your face and have you doing flappy hands like a sugar-rushing toddler in a toy shop. Thanks to the good people at Stone Bridge Press, we have one hardback and three electronic copies of the incredible The Anime Encyclopedia 3rd Revised Edition to give away!
Join us after the jump to find out how to make this book your own.
Do you remember where you were when you played your first Super Mario Bros. game? If you’re old-school like us, you’ll probably remember the feel of that rectangular gray NES controller in your hands, or if you’re Japanese old-school, then the burgundy Famicom controller probably means a great deal to you. If you are a bit younger, perhaps your first time with Nintendo’s rotund plumber was with Super Mario World or Super Mario 64. Or how about Super Mario Sunshine or Super Mario Galaxy? Needless to say, if you are a gamer, you’ve got a Mario memory somewhere in there!
Nintendo is excited to celebrate the 30 years of Mario this year, and they want you to head down the warp pipe to check out the history of Mario and what is coming up next.
Nintendo may be ditching its historic proprietary operating systems (OS) and instead using Android to power its next games console, according to Japanese newspaper Nikkei, Kotaku reported.
If true, this could be a big win for Google, while helping to boost Nintendo’s flagging sales.
Ohaw? Ruibe? Pocche? While traveling in Japan’s north, we try Ainu cuisine for the first time
Narita Airport Transit & Stay Program returns after six years with free tours and festival experiences
Japan’s double-decker portable rice cooker/bento maker is better than ever with new version
Wait, some Shinkansen trains already have private booths that only cost 1,500 yen for an hour?
We recommend not buying one pack of Japan’s new convenience store corn soup-flavor fried chicken
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
German woman rescued from Mt. Fuji after suffering altitude sickness symptoms, hiking to peak anyway
The Japanese government is ending its Cool Japan Fund program
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dadSushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around TokyoStudio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness RecordsAnime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about itSushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
German woman rescued from Mt. Fuji after suffering altitude sickness symptoms, hiking to peak anyway
The Japanese government is ending its Cool Japan Fund program
KFC Japan unveils new Tsukimi collection that takes moon-viewing to extreme levels
Masturbatory aid maker Tenga releases officially licensed anime versions in Japan and U.S.
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Ninja theme park suddenly closes in Japan, shadow warriors undone by shady real estate deals