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What does this Japanese candy have to do with the Red Sox? Quite a lot, actually

Fran W
May 22, 2014
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The Boston Red Sox have consistently had Japanese players since 2007, when they signed Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima. There’s one thing Japanese players bring to the team that’s been overlooked until now, though: delicious imported Japanese candy.

People around the world love Japanese candy, be it endless varieties of Kit Kat flavours, or do-it-yourself candy sushi. There are even companies that will mail it to you monthly for a small fee (or a hefty fee – choose wisely, readers!). And it seems that recently, Red Sox players and staff have been going crazy over Japan’s long-standing fruit chew top-sellers, Hi-Chew.

AKB48 fan shows his love the only way he knows how: By buying $300,000 worth of CDs

Casey Baseel
May 22, 2014

It’s becoming more and more common for idol singer units in Japan to pump up their sales numbers by offering some kind of special prize to fans who purchase multiple copies of the same CD. Each disc might come with a raffle ticket for a chance to shake hands with the group, and at least one band will let you straight up go on a date with the member of your choice if you buy enough copies.

By far the most coveted prizes are those handed out by Japan’s biggest musical act, AKB48. The loyalty of the supergroup’s fans is legendary, but even with their reputation proceeding them, we’re shocked at just how much cash the unit squeezed out of one ardent supporter.

Director of Gundam SEED thinks anime has too many regulations

Anime News Network
May 22, 2014

Gundam Seed director Mitsuo Fukuda recently went on a bit of a rant regarding the nature of television in Japan these days via his Twitter account. What started off as an evaluation of the way the morning news is run eventually turned into a critique of what he thought was devaluation of the Japanese people’s interests and opinions. Fukuda remarked that he ended up eventually having to turn off the television, frustrated with what he called a nonsense spouting device.

Transform!!! Toshiba unveils new laptop that can fold itself into every conceivable position

Philip Kendall
May 22, 2014

What with desktops, laptops, all-in-ones and tablets, we now have an enormous amount of choice when it comes to buying a new computer. While many of us enjoy the raw power that giant desktops have to offer, others prefer the simplicity and convenience of tablets with their slim designs and fingerprint-absorbing touchscreens.

With the Kira L93, Japanese electronics giant Toshiba is clearly hoping to cover all of its bases and please even the most indecisive computer buyer. With a 13.3-inch touchscreen that can be rotated 360 degrees, stand, detachable keyboard and stylus, the latest entry in the Dynabook series can be used up to seven different ways, making it one of the most versatile machines on the market.

Can’t wait for Sailor Moon Crystal? The original series is now streaming for free on Hulu!

Casey Baseel
May 22, 2014

Sailor Moon Crystal, the remake of anime’s most successful magical girl series ever, is set to premiere on July 5. Most people would say this is pretty soon, but for truly dedicated fans of the franchise it’s not nearly soon enough.

If you fall into the second camp, you can now make the waiting a little easier by catching up on the original Sailor Moon series, which you can watch right now for free on video streaming site Hulu.

Japanese fashion comes home: Interior design ideas for Lolita-style living

Fran W
May 21, 2014

Japan’s distinctive Lolita fashion is a subculture that is known worldwide. While some wearers of the lace petticoats, bonnets and parasols may treat it as a hobby, dressing more conventionally in their day-to-day life but wearing Lolita outfits at the weekend, for others, Lolita fashion is a full-on lifestyle with principles that they adhere to day in, day out.

So if you want to make your life as Lolita as possible, or just feel that your home needs more cutesy ruffles and buttons, check out these pictures of the new Lolita furniture and homeware range from Japanese online store Romantic Princess. Warning: things are about to get frilly.

These cats have a new favorite pastime: Getting their ears cleaned【Video】

KK Miller
May 21, 2014

A very common scene in Asian dramas and movies is where the doting parent or significant other fetches an ear pick and starts poking away in the other person’s ears. This event is commonplace in Asian families for reasons ranging from “it’s a lover’s ritual” to simply “I need to get that earwax out of your ear” (BTW: The earwax of Europeans and Africans is apparently different to the earwax of Asians and Native Americans).

Typically, the person getting their ears cleaned has their head in the other person’s lap, their eyes closed, enjoying the ear pick getting to places a finger can never reach. And it turns out that our ever-curious furry feline friends have taken notice of this relaxing event and have decided that they too want their ears cleaned.

And what’s even stranger is, they seem to like it!

Japanese pop singer’s arrest on drug charges delays Hayao Miyazaki Blu-ray collection

Casey Baseel
May 21, 2014

Having grown up in Los Angeles, where celebrity drunk driving arrests are only slightly less common than rainy days, I’m generally not shocked when I hear about an entertainer being in trouble with the law. Things are very different in Japan, though, and whether it’s because those in the public eye are better behaved, more skilful at covering their tracks, or have a cozier relationship with the mass media, stories about major transgressions by performing artists are few and far between.

So when pop musician Aska was recently arrested, it sent shock waves through the country. Of course, if you’re not a fan of Japanese pop music from two decades ago, you probably think the 56-year-old singers legal problems are none of your own.

That’s not the case, though, if you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli anime.

Everyday Japanese names that make English speakers chuckle

Fran W
May 21, 2014

Funny things, names. In Japan, I am lucky enough to share mine with a delicious kind of stick-chocolate treat, which not only means that I can introduce myself as such: “Fran – you know, like Pocky, but not as cheap”, but also means that I often get given chocolates with my name on the packet, which I can confirm is something of a win-win situation.

My family name, however, is a terrifying mix of Rs, Ls, Ys and Ws that tends to provoke confusion and mild panic here in Japan. I have a good stock line for accurately communicating its spelling and pronunciation in the UK (“Wrigley, like the chewing gum”), and another one for Americans and/or baseball fans (“like Wrigley Field”). I’ve never come up with a good line to use on Japanese people, though, except to awkwardly mutter “um… yeah, sorry, it’s kind of a difficult name. Don’t worry, people in England can’t pronounce it either.”

But what if your name means something embarrassing or just downright odd in another language? Today, we bring you five kinds of Japanese names that make English speakers do a double-take, or a little snort into their coffee.

Hatsune Miku and Pharrell Williams team up in new remix music video

Krista Rogers
May 21, 2014

All-around music guru Pharrell Williams can’t possibly get any “happier” as he continues to ride the waves of last year’s worldwide hit “Happy” into Japan. He released a special Japan-version music video for the song on May 13, and even appeared as a special guest on May 16th’s episode of popular Japanese music variety show Music Station, where he performed in front of an ecstatic Japanese crowd. And the fun doesn’t stop there, because he has yet another treat for his Japanese fans–a collaboration with everyone’s favorite Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku!

Miku, who made a splash for herself last month when it was announced that the virtual idol will be performing as the opening act for part of Lady Gaga’s upcoming world tour, stars alongside Williams in the music video for a remixed version of a Livetune song. The original song serves as the theme song for prolific Japanese artist Takashi Murakami’s directorial debut film. Just wait until you see the adorable avatar version of Williams dancing alongside Miku in the video!

Dip your feet into some Fondue Slippers

Michelle Lynn Dinh
May 21, 2014

If you’re tired of lace-up sneakers and boring fluffy house slippers, there’s a new type of footwear that’s sure to shake up the shoe industry. Inspired by 1960s house party cuisine, Fondue Slippers are a thin replica of your foot that combines the satisfaction of not wearing shoes with all the fun of melted cheese. They’re kind of like those barefoot running shoes, just without all the false health benefit claims and they’re coming to you straight from (of course) Japan.

The demise of traditional Japanese tatami flooring?

Angelina Lucienne
May 21, 2014

If you imagine a Japanese room, chances are you think of something like the picture above: a simply furnished room with sliding shōji doors, a tokonoma with a hanging scroll, and a tatami mat floor. These are examples of the virtues of traditional Japan that many foreigners often hear extolled (along with futon, sushi and judo). When they occupy such an important part of Japanese identity, you wouldn’t think they would be in danger of disappearing anytime soon.

However, the demand for tatami mats has gone down by one third in the last 20 years and many artisans are worried the trade will soon be lost, as more and more of them find themselves rapidly aging with no successors to continue the business. Why is it that tatami floors are becoming rare now, after enduring for so long?

Newsflash: Wii U Zelda hack ‘n’ slasher Hyrule Warriors arriving in Japan on August 14

Philip Kendall
May 21, 2014

It may not be the Zelda game that fans of the series are truly craving, but Dynasty Warriors-inspired hack and slasher Hyrule Warriors, or Zelda: Musō (“unparalleled”) in Japan, will reportedly be hitting Japanese shelves on August 14.

Traffic accidents kill over 300,000 per year in SE Asia, Toyota calls in Taylor Swift to help

Cara Clegg
May 21, 2014

For many people around the world, it’s an automatic reaction to buckle up whenever you get into a vehicle. However there are still many countries where, despite having the laws in place, there isn’t much of an awareness of the tragic consequences failing to strap yourself in can have…that’s where Taylor Swift comes in.

World-famous Shibuya scramble crossing to become even more epic with giant(er) screens

Philip Kendall
May 21, 2014

The Shibuya crossing, also known as theShibuya scramble, is without a doubt one of the most famous locations in the world. Now the go-to location for establishing shots of Japan when producers aren’t focusing on geisha and picturesque temples, the intersection has been featured in numerous TV shows and movies, and is a must-see for any visitor to Tokyo.

Surrounded by tall buildings, each covered in giant screens and ads vying for pedestrians’ attention, the Scramble is traversed by an incredible 500,000 people each day, with roughly 3,000 pedestrians crossing every time the lights change during peak hours, making it one of the flashiest and most popular places to advertise in Japan.

And now, it’s about to get just a little bit flashier.

How to make McDonald’s four-patty burger diet-friendly: Hold the everything

Casey Baseel
May 21, 2014

A lot of people in Japan start to feel down in the dumps in May, as the excitement of the new jobs and school years they started in April gives way to a daily drudgery with the next public holiday months away. For us, though, May has suddenly become the happiest month of the year so far, with the return of McDonald’s Japan’s massive four-patty Mega Mac on May 19.

Here at RocketNews24, we try to stay one step ahead of the latest burger trends, however. Sure, everyone’s excited about having extra meat now, but what if the next big thing is less meat? Could we order our Mega Mac with no meat, or anything else, for that matter?

As it turned out, not only was McDonald’s willing to indulging us in our minimalistic burger experiment, they even got in on the process by offering us some advice.

Three misconceptions guys have about how to be popular with the ladies

Krista Rogers
May 21, 2014

The media usually likes to give advice to men for impressing all the women out there. But what you don’t normally hear about is whether those tips actually work or not. Some commonly held beliefs may actually be nothing but misconceptions.

Japanese website Niconico News ran an article about three such tactics that men believe will help them attract the ladies…which will actually backfire on them, at least according to the ladies themselves. If you’re reading this and you’re a man, you may want to take note, or else you could make a serious blunder next time you’re trying to impress your date.

Extreme Japanese bargain hunting – We buy a car for 10 bucks

Casey Baseel
May 21, 2014

Japan has an image as an expensive country, but with a little searching, you can find some pretty good deals. For example, the other day I went out and got a haircut, bought a shirt, and had a pretty good sushi lunch, and none of those three expenditures cost me more than a thousand yen (US $9.80).

Still, my bargain hunting skills can’t compete with those of our Japanese-language correspondent Go, who with 980 yen just bought himself a car.

McDonald’s Japan’s eight-nation World Cup menu kicks off next week

Casey Baseel
May 20, 2014

Japan loves cheering on its sports teams in international competitions, and with the World Cup just a few weeks away, soccer is set to dominate TV programming, advertising, and the national consciousness in general.

If you’re not personally a fan of the Beautiful Game, you might feel a little left out of the conversation for the next couple weeks. So since you won’t be using your mouth for talking, why not stuff it with some of the 14 new World Cup-themed menu items McDonald’s is rolling out in Japan?

Alice in Wonderland shop in Nagoya, another opening in Osaka this week!

KK Miller
May 20, 2014

What if we told you to follow the white rabbit? Would you have the knee-jerk reaction of “hell no!” or would you pull a Neo and see just how deep the rabbit hole goes? If you find yourself in Nagoya or Osaka, following the white rabbit might actually lead you to Wonderland! Tons of shoppers have been doing just that and have been arriving at a store called Alice on Wednesday. The store has been so popular that on the weekends, long lines form in front of the shop, letting you know exactly where the rabbit hole is.

What will you find in Alice’s Wonderland? What makes the store so popular that they are opening a new location in Osaka? You won’t have to take the red pill to find out, just click on through!