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After one lucky shopper made $2,500 from his factory defect dual-wielding Samus Amiibo, others have been pouring onto eBay in the hopes of making a quick buck.
One seller’s three-armed Peach reached $365, although it wasn’t enough to meet the reserve price.
Last summer, were you one of the many people who screamed “Shut up and take my money!” when we brought you news of the prototype cat ear-shaped headphone/speakers from recent startup AxentWear? If so, your harshly worded enthusiasm has been rewarded, as preorders have at last begun for the futuristically feline gadgets.
For those living outside Japan, a good bowl of ramen is almost impossible to find unless you’re in a big city like New York or London, and even then the options can be a bit of a let-down. And for many, the only ramen available is the dried variety that frankly has made some of our Japanese culinary experts gag.
But all is not lost, dear ramen lovers around the world. We’ve found a kitchen hack to turn ordinary everyday pasta into noodles fit for a delicious bowl of homemade ramen.
I’ll be completely honest with you here–I don’t know much of anything about soccer. I hate to fit the dumb American stereotype, but when it comes to sports, soccer is one that I definitely never got into.
I have nothing against it, of course! Partly, it’s just exhausting watching the ball bounce back and forth between players, changing directions like a whip. But on the other hand, I have to admit that it’s easy to see why some call it a “beautiful” game, and this video of a Thailand soccer team ably slipping through a Malaysian team’s defenses is nothing less than amazing.
Though spring is only a few months away, Tokyo is still downright cold these days. Of course, if you’re from a colder climate, you probably annoy your friends by running around in shorts asking why they’re shivering, but for many people here, it’s still pretty cold. Whether it’s the sea breeze zipping through the streets or some sort of reverse heat island effect, we’re not sure, but it is enough to make mornings downright brutal.
And people aren’t the only ones cursing the cold–our furry feline friends are none too fond of winter either! But unlike humans, they come with built-in scarves. Check out some of Japan’s cutest cats wrapping themselves up nice and warm with their tails.
For most of us growing up in the US in the early 2000s, there was one thing we looked forward to after school: episodes of Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. While DBZ glued us to the TV with its excruciatingly long but always awesome fight scenes, Sailor Moon gave us powerful girls with prism power. These shows were the gateway to the land of anime, where love, sacrifice and training for more power had us positively transfixed for more hours than I’d care to count.
Is it any wonder that there is an entire fandom dedicated to Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon crossovers? What’s the story behind the Saiyans and the Sailor Soldiers? Do these two series secretly belong together? Find out this time on Dragon Sailor Ball Soldiers…Z!
Let’s get this out of the way first: Miso soup is delicious. It’s a great addition to nearly any meal, but we have to admit that it is pretty…basic, in every sense of the word. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that! Basic doesn’t mean bad, though we imagine it presents a bit of a marketing problem–how do you differentiate one brand of miso soup from another? If you deviate from the tried-and-true recipe too much, it’s just not miso soup anymore!
Well, it looks like Marukome, one of Japan’s top miso paste producers, has found a way: They’ve played loud, fast, and raw rock music for their newest instant miso soup–right in the miso paste factory !
Tired of RocketNews24 items that are coherent and have some semblance of order? Me too, so here’s a video of Dragon Ball Z villain Freeza playing an excellent rendition of the One Piece theme song “We Are!” on the drums. Well, it’s nearly Friday, isn’t it?
Back in the day, Japanese console games were king. What late-20s gamer doesn’t fondly remember the classics like Final Fantasy VII, Tactics Ogre, Street Fighter, Metal Gear, the original Super Smash Bros, and the spate of Japan-produced side-scrollers owing their lineage to Mario?
Unfortunately, while great Japanese games do exist and are still being made, general consensus on English-language gamer forums is that the vast majority of modern Japanese games have devolved into 25-hour, barely interactive CG films and creepy boob-ogling simulators.
And, with this widening rift between Japanese game fans and Western gamers, the darker, dirtier corners of the Internet can get a bit cheeky with their memes.
While I was growing up, my family never got that involved in the discussion over whether the idolization of Disney princesses is a healthy thing or not. With three boys and no girls in the family, most of my parents’ time was instead channeled towards more immediate topics like telling their sons not to aim for the face during their regular battles in the backyard with their stockpiled arsenal of plastic battleaxes and broadswords.
As an adult, I can sort of understand both sides of the debate. On one hand, a little fantasizing seems harmless, and in and of itself, there’s nothing inherently wrong with little girls being drawn to such trappings of the princess lifestyle as a luxurious home and elegant clothes. On the other hand, criticisms about overemphasizing the value of comfort and beauty have some validity too, as if left unchecked those desires can turn into sloth and vanity.
As a matter of fact, one talented artist thinks Disney’s leading ladies make excellent stand-ins for all of the seven deadly sins.
It’s already kind of old news that one of gaming’s few potentially transgender characters has been hiding in plain sight since the late ’80s in the form of the adorable and misunderstood Mario villain, Birdo.
But that hasn’t stopped the Internet from debating all kinds of aspects about the character’s gender identity, from whether the whole “boy who thinks he’s a girl” thing is Mario canon or whether the character is pre- or post-op. While the Western web was shocked by this stunning news a while back, it seemed Japan was politely giving poor Birdo her privacy and staying out of it, until a recent Twitter post…
During the winter months Japanese people often like to relax under their heated tables (kotatsu) and enjoy a nice mikan tangerine. Its juicy sweetness and vitamin C is a great compliment to these chilly nights. But really, anywhere in the world, anytime is a good time to enjoy some variation of orange, isn’t it?
So next time you get ready to peel a mandarin or clementine how about making it into a caterpillar first like many Twitter users in Japan have been doing in recent years? It’s super easy and we’re going to show you how.
As we’ve been constantly reminding you over the past year or so, Youkai Watch is really big in Japan now, and yet some of you out there still don’t seem to believe us. We’ve watched them rip the annual McDonald’s calendar endorsement deal out of the cuddly clutches of Pokemon. We’ve seen fans carve their graven images into pumpkins. We’ve tasted of their milk. Still, there are those who think that it’s just a flash in the pan.
For those people, we present the highest honor a character in Japan can receive: a sashimi platter in their likeness.
Stop what you’re doing and get ready to lose your…ummm…stuff. Kawaii-meets-coffins idol group BABYMETAL just released a trailer for a new song featuring guitars by Herman Li and Sam Totman, the semi-legendary guitarists from DragonForce. The song is called “Road of Resistance” and our only complaint is that the trailer is too short…despite being over three minutes long.
It’s a new year, so time to get to work on your resolutions! Whether it’s hitting the gym, studying a language, or taking more time to sit down and play video games, here’s to accomplishing all your goals. Of course, when you’re in pursuit of a big goal, you may find yourself working overly hard and feeling exhausted when you hit the hay–which may result in sleeping in the wrong position. Who hasn’t woken up with a sore neck or back and wished they could call in sick and spend the day with a few dozen massage therapists?
If you’re feeling a bit of pain, we may have just the cure–and it’s inspired by none other than the manga GodHand Teru. That means it has to be effective, right?
It should be no secret that we at RocketNews24 love traditional Japanese music. Whether its Ki&Ki with their tsugaru-jamisen songs or the Wagakki Band with their fusion of vocaloid-inspired rock and traditional instruments, we simply adore the sound. Of course, we’re also fans of Nintendo’s old video games–which is what makes Famikoto one of our favorite discoveries this season!
Check out this group’s music and get ready to take a walk down memory lane with some of Nintendo’s best theme songs!
Subway may be as popular in Japan as it is in the US–which isn’t really surprising, since the company advertises itself as a healthy meal option. We’re not sure how healthy the sandwiches actually are, but that’s marketing for you. Nevertheless, it is true that a Subway sandwich certainly contains a lot more vegetables than, say, a Big Mac and fries.
And if you’re one of these Japanese Twitter users, your sandwich is literally bursting with vegetables! We’re not sure if this really a lifehack or not, but it is a way to get a sub sandwich and a salad all for price of the just the former.
If you’re sad that December is coming to a close and aren’t quite ready to stop basking in the holiday spirit, here’s a story (albeit a non-Christmas one) from the heart of Tokyo that’s sure to give you the warm fuzzies. Originally made popular in English on the image-hosting site Imgur, this tale of a stranger’s unexpected act of kindness traveled back to Japan where it happened, thanks to the Internet, and subsequently brought smiles to scads of Japanese netizens’ faces.
Read their reactions at the end of the article, after learning about how Lee Mingwei’s participatory art installation and 22-year-old Alice’s seemingly small yet impactful act of courage brightened the day of a metro worker named Daisuke and reddened his ears. As one online commenter put it, “I bet this guy never imagined that his smile would spread joy all around the world!”
When American actor-director Misha Collins, who you might know from roles in Supernatural and 24 or appearances in CSI and ER, visited Japan recently, his tweets sparked excitement online. Mr Collins tweeted several snaps of his time in Japan, including his encounter with a very eccentric Santa Claus!
Say what you will about the evils and pitfalls of social media, but if nothing else, it’s at least made it easier than ever for people to enjoy a small taste of fame. Social media like Facebook, Twitter and Vine democratize what becomes popular and what doesn’t, what people want to see and what they don’t.
In this case, the viewers of Vine have spoken: They want to see people playing with action figures in front of their moms.
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
Anime Industry Report shows overseas anime market is bigger than Japanese one, but is this a cultural tipping point?
The etiquette rules for visiting Shinto shrines in Japan
Starbucks Japan saves the best for last in our fukubukuro lucky bag haul
Starbucks unveils new Valentine’s Day Frappuccino in Japan
Lingerie lucky bag from Japan’s Peach John includes anime cosplay bra/panty set, maybe by accident
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
A first-time visit to Kyoto’s Gion Festival becomes a night to remember
Japan’s favorite popsicle is changing the way it tastes and feels for first time in over 20 years
School textbook is withdrawn after “teacher” on the front is recognized as Japanese adult video starJapan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
Let’s go open a Lego Japan lucky bag…oAnime Industry Report shows overseas anime market is bigger than Japanese one, but is this a cultural tipping point?
McDonald’s Japan has a fukubukuro lucky bag that everyone wants to get their hands on
There’s an official PlayStation lucky bag, but what’s inside?【Photos】
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Snake
What’s in Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2025?
Starbucks Japan’s Lucky Bag #3: A fukubukuro surprise we weren’t expecting
Square Enix releases a Final Fantasy fukubukuro lucky bag for New Year’s in JapanJapan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
Bear breaks into house in Japan, quickly begins spending winter exactly like Japanese people doHayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Snake
Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
This downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the pastMcDonald’s Japan has a fukubukuro lucky bag that everyone wants to get their hands onWhat’s in Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2025?
Station of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line
Starbucks Japan reveals new winter holiday goods to wrap up 2024
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
Possessing 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 societyJapan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
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
Lingerie lucky bag from Japan’s Peach John includes anime cosplay bra/panty set, maybe by accident
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
A first-time visit to Kyoto’s Gion Festival becomes a night to remember
Japan’s favorite popsicle is changing the way it tastes and feels for first time in over 20 years
School textbook is withdrawn after “teacher” on the front is recognized as Japanese adult video star
History’s worst job? Japanese noblewomen used to hire servants to take the blame for their farts
Japan’s snack of almonds and whole fish might not be for everyone【Taste test】
Say hello to the Big Bomb Onigiri, a beast of a Japanese rice ball
Japanese osechi New Year’s meal lucky bag gives us way more than we bargained for
Niconico Video user crafts miniature violin-playing Darth Vader out of paper just because he can
How to get a free Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut with your coffee in Japan
Biryani Restaurant in the Middle of Tokyo Offers a Delightful Taste of Spice with Your Rice, Open One Day a Week
Feast creates bras for petite “Cinderella busts,” draws attention for upcoming My Melody lingerie