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Japan (Page 1209)

Whether you call it Comic Market, Comiket, or Comike, the twice-a-year event is the largest gathering of creators and fans of dojinshi, Japanese self-published comics. Each iteration of Comiket draws hundreds of thousands of otaku to its venue at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center.

Something else that’s known by more than one name is the Trans-Pacific Partnership. A proposed trade agreement between a dozen nations, including Japan and the U.S., the legislation is more commonly referred to by the acronym TPP in the Japanese media.

As negotiations between the U.S. and Japan continue, some anime and manga fans are worrying that the Trans-Pacific Partnership/TPP could be disastrous for Comic Market/Comiket/Comike, but just how justified are these fears?

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Ghibli’s Spirited Away film shrunk into 5-minute, 8-bit video

CineFix’s 8-Bit Cinema feature has turned plenty of popular films into video game-style videos likeTitanic, The Fast and the Furious, and The Walking Dead. On Tuesday, the group uploaded a version of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli‘s award-winning film Spirited Away, with a MIDI-version of Joe Hisaishi‘s score to boot. Much of the film’s story is condensed into a quick five minutes and is transformed into 8-bit and “a little bit of 16-bit” art.

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Takashi Miike’s live-action Terra Formars anime adaptation casts its lead actor

As Japan’s biggest anime and manga hits become increasingly mainstream in their popularity, more and more of them are getting live-action adaptations. One of the latest series tapped for the transition is Terra Formars, the sci-fi action manga from writer Yu Sasuga and Kenichi Tachibana.

The first major news about the project came in February, when it was announced that Takashi Miike will direct, and now the live-action Terra Formars has found its star.

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Halal ramen comes to Tokyo with Asakusa restaurant, and it’s so good anyone will enjoy it

For decades, the international perception of ramen was that it was something for lazy college students to buy in bulk for when they wanted a quick, hot meal, with only minimal thought given to flavor or presentation. And while ramen does sometimes take that form, assuming it’s all like that is sort of like basing your whole image of pizza on microwavable frozen varieties.

Thankfully, there’s a ramen renaissance going on, as the rest of the world is getting onboard with just how delicious Japan’s favorite noodle dish can be. In response, some restaurants in Japan are adapting to make their food more accessible to foreign visitors, such as this restaurant in Tokyo that serves halal ramen.

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Squid ink toaster oven pizza released by Nippon Ham

I’m sure we can all remember those happy childhood days when Mom would go into the kitchen to wrestle a squid. The sound of tentacles swishing through the air and muffled curse words could mean only one thing: Squid Ink Pizza for dinner!

But now, having grown up into the cold world of adulthood, that simple joy of Mom’s homemade squid ink pizza has fallen by the wayside. Luckily, Nippon Ham has stepped in to help take us back to those days with their new Squid Ink Pizza.

Could a toaster oven pizza from the supermarket capture such a familiar taste of home? We bought one to find out!

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Galaga x Tekken crossover app previewed in video

The official YouTube channel for the Tekken franchise began streaming a promotional video for Galaga Tekken, a free smartphone game app that was first teased as an April Fools’ Day joke.

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It’s said that barbers’ poles, with their interlaced contrasting stripes, are a holdover from the Middle Ages, with the red and white symbolizing blood and bandages. In those days, the field of surgery was still at such an early stage in its development that the guy who cut hair would also handle operations and amputations. After all, cutting was cutting, right?

In our modern era, though, you’d never think of asking your doctor to take a little off the sides, nor would you trust your hairdresser to remove a tumor. So isn’t it time for barber shops to get a new symbol, like this one in Aomori with a compliment of giant Gundam statues hanging around outside?

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  • Apr 30, 2015

New developments at Tokyo Disney Resort announced, plans include Frozen port in Tokyo Disney Sea!

© Disney

If you’ve been waiting for Disney to come up with new ideas to make their parks at Tokyo Disney Resort even more awesome than they already are, then your wish has just been answered! That’s right, Disney fans will have something big to look forward to as several new themes for the redevelopment of both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea were announced this week. And not surprisingly, part of the plans include a new area with a Frozen theme (we were wondering when that was coming). So, let’s see what Disney has in store for us.

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Conbini-talk with Mr. Sato: How to make a convenience store snack 100 times more delicious

Japan’s convenience store- (conbini) littered landscape is a breeding ground for competition, and with that comes increasingly more delicious food and drink in an increasingly wider variety.

This shouldn’t be news to anyone who lives in Japan, but our self-confessed conbini connoisseur Mr. Sato says he has developed a way to make one of their snacks 100 more delicious than its regularly sold.

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Japan tops list of countries with shrinking population projection, but no one’s surprised

As you may have heard, the Japanese population has taken a turn for the older…and the smaller. In fact, it has even topped a list of five countries facing “extinction” according to Sputnik Japan. The statistics have got a lot of people talking online, and we’re here to share all the tongue-wagging with you!

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Japanese dentistry association says don’t hesitate to brush right after you eat

That might not sound like a shocking headline for those of us whom have been taught to brush right after every meal from an early age. But recent reports from the past decade have been suggesting something different.

Articles from the Mayo Clinic, Colgate, and New York Times among others have been advocating waiting 30 to 60 minutes after eating to brush. Apparently the delayed brushing movement has gotten so strong that parents Japan are beginning to complain to schools making children brush their teeth right after lunch time.

So the Japan Society of Pediatric Dentistry (JSPD) issued a statement telling everyone to not believe the hype and that it’s actually in your best interest to brush right away.

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Marshmallow girls want to cosplay too! Plus-size costumes to be released next fall

Over the past couple of years there has been something a revolution in the perception and treatment of chubby girls in Japan. With the coining of the term “Marshmallow Girl,” plus-sized girls across Japan have been gaining confidence and options in the fashion world. There is now a fashion and beauty magazine dedicated to these girthy girls and even an idol group!

Although the fashion world is slowly coming around to providing for these larger-than-average young ladies, there are still holes in certain sectors, like cosplay. “Marshmallow girls” can rejoice, however, as a special line of plus-size costumes is due to be released this fall.

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How to do Japanese karaoke the right way: Six tips for newbies, mic hogs and nervous singers

Karaoke in Japan tends to be a little different from in the west, and it comes with its own set of rules and etiquette that it’s a good idea to learn if you want to keep being included in karaoke parties.

Whether it’s your first time ever singing in (semi-)public or you’re a seasoned karaoke veteran back home, these six tips for not being a total karaoke bore will help make your singing sessions super special (and not at all humiliating…).

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  • Apr 29, 2015

What’s so special about Japanese swords? We interview master katana maker Norihiro Miyairi!

You could say that the traditional Japanese sword, or katana, symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Japanese spirit. We see these swords quite often in comics, anime and movies, but how well do we really know the spiritual and cultural elements they embody?

To find out, we went to a true expert to learn about the fascinating and mysterious world of Japanese swords. Join us for an in-depth interview with master katana maker Norihiro Miyairi!

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We are officially colossal with these free Attack on Titan face packs! 【Photos】

“On that day, the writers of RocketNews24 received a grim reminder. We lived in the shadows of the Titans and had to become the Titans themselves to live in these cages we called the Internet.”

Free Attack on Titan face packs?! Of course we had to try it! We even made some customizations in an attempt to give Satosshi a run for his money, but alas, it seems that none of us have attained his level of Rocket-ness as of yet. Check out our titanic beauty experience after the break!

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Truth in advertising: Lotteria’s monstrous Burger with Everything on It is exactly that

You can probably describe about 90 percent of fast food with some combination of the words “convenient,” “greasy,” and “delicious.” In the case of Japanese hamburger chain Lotteria, though, you’ll want to make an addition to your vocabulary list: “crazy.”

Oh, sorry, looks like a typo slipped through. That should actually be “crazy!!!”

Lotteria is sort of the playground daredevil of the Japanese fast food scene. On just about any given day, you’ll find at least one item on the menu that seems to have been created not so much because it’s a good idea, but so that the restaurant can say, “Hey guys! Look at what I can do!” Every now and again, though, Lotteria gets its batch of crazy sauce just right, which is why it’s bringing back the awe-inspiring Burger with Everything on It.

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Evangelion creator says even Hayao Miyazaki anime don’t have enough Miyazaki

How much of a Hayao Miyazaki purist are you? Have you never once set your Spirited Away DVD to the English-dubbed audio? Do you cringe at the thought of watching Castle in the Sky Laputa with its reworked soundtrack? Do you actually pronounce warrior princess Nausicaa’s name with the “shi” sound it contains when rendered in Japanese text?

Even if you answered yes to all those questions, it’s unlikely you’ve got as much love for the Studio Ghibli cofounder as Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno. Why? Because for Anno, even movies directed and written by Miyazaki himself don’t have enough Miyazaki-created content.

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Possibly the most considerate pedestrian crossing button ever installed

Push-buttons at a pedestrian crossing are a pretty standard safety feature at most intersections.

But how long does a push button need to be? And we’re not talking about the length of time waiting once you press the push button, but the length of the actual push button…

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Japanese Fitness expert recommends toddlers play catch, climb on jungle gym, sumo wrestle

Remember when you were a little kid, and your parents would take you to the park to play? Not only were you having fun, you were developing important motor skills as you ran around, did somersaults, and swung on the monkey bars. Maybe when you got a little older and more coordinated, you’d even play catch with your mom and dad.

But did your parents love you enough to have a couple of sumo bouts against you?

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Norman Reedus comments on Silent Hills’ reported cancellation

The Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus posted his reaction to reports that director Guillermo del Toro said their Silent Hillsgame project is not going to happen.

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