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‘Tis the season for orange, candy, and amazing Nintendo pumpkin carvings

KK Miller
Oct 26, 2015
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October 31 is quickly approaching and for those of us who don’t have our costumes or decorations ready yet, you’d best hurry. Sure there are plenty of last-minute costumes and decorations you can scrounge up, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t compare to something meticulously planned out.

A carved pumpkin is one decoration you can complete in a few hours, but if you really want to lure the trick-or-treaters, you have to go the extra mile. Check out this amazing pumpkin that shows us the day in the life of lovable Luigi and his haunted mansion. It would look awesome on your front porch, and even more so with a special little addition.

Paris Hilton gets stuck in a crowded elevator in China, praises her savior【Video】

Audrey Akcasu
Oct 26, 2015

Paris Hilton took a trip to China last week, hosting outrageously expensive parties in both Shanghai and Beijing. Her whole trip wasn’t as glamorous as we would imagine, or she would have hoped, however, as she got stuck in a crowded elevator for nearly an hour. You can probably imagine her reactions amid the incident, but just in case, here’s a video too.

What surprised us most, though, was what happened when she finally got out…

Japanese cell phone provider gives same-sex couples with Partnership Certificates family discount

Casey Baseel
Oct 26, 2015

Cell phone service in Japan isn’t exactly cheap, and if you spend a lot of time on your smartphone talking with clients, chatting with friends, or otherwise keeping in touch with the rest of the world, it’s not hard to run up a monthly bill in the neighborhood of 10,000 yen (US$84). Thankfully, Japanese providers offer a variety of discounts to help soften the blow, with reduced rates for family members being a huge help.

Now, as part of the changing societal concept of what constitutes a family, Japan’s largest telecommunications provider has begun offering family discounts to same-sex couples who present documentation of their union.

“30 iconic dishes from around the world” infographic has us wanting to go on a gastronomic tour

Krista Rogers
Oct 26, 2015

Given a map, could you name an iconic dish from every country in the world? We’re guessing probably not.

Some foods are now so famous globally they practically stand as symbols for their country as a whole (think “sushi” and you think “Japan”), while others are instantly recognizable on smaller regional or local scales (unless you’re familiar with Icelandic culture or study Viking lore, you’ve probably never heard of “hákarl” before). If you’re fascinated by the intersection of food and culture, you’ll definitely want to check out this cool new infographic on the topic!

This cute kitty knows just how to work those selfie angles!

Cara Clegg
Oct 26, 2015

Selfies are a controversial topic these days with some groups arguing they’re evidence of this generation’s descent into self-absorbed vanity, and others saying they’re an expression of one’s self-identity. But whether you care about “selfie culture” or not, you’ll want to at least give this one a glance.

Get married in the name of the moon with official Sailor Moon marriage registration certificates!

Oona McGee
Oct 26, 2015

If you’ve finally met your real-life Princess Serenity or Prince Endymion and have decided to venture out together in holy matrimony, congratulations! Now it’s time to invest in a tiara, stock up on some sexy lingerie and start planning a wedding filled with special Sailor Moon details. And when it comes to filing the paperwork at City Hall, you’ll no longer be plunged back into reality with boring forms because now you can continue the fantasy with two very special Sailor Moon-themed marriage registration kits!

【Monday Kickstart】Guinea pigs heading home for the night are delightfully darling

Krista Rogers
Oct 26, 2015

The children’s petting zoo section of Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo is home to a variety of fluffy, domesticated critters that visitors can get up close and personal with. Among the perennial favorites is a group of guinea pigs which have an impressive routine for when it comes time to (literally) hit the hay.

We bet you never thought that a group of rodents could be as well-behaved as these furry little guys!

Look forward to 2016 with new anime Active Raid from the director of Code Geass!

KK Miller
Oct 26, 2015

More often than not, stories and franchises start as manga in Japan and, if they become popular enough, you will see them evolve into an anime, musical, or sometimes even a live-action versions. While it is great to see our favorite stories presented in different formats, viewers will usually know exactly where the plot will go and how the characters develop.

A show that can never fall victim to that trap is a completely original anime series that makes its debut on the TV screen. You won’t know if it’s going to be any good, but with the kind of pedigree behind Active Raid: Special Public Security Fifth Division Third Mobile Assault Eighth Unit, you can bet we are looking forward to its 2016 release. Though it’s going to take us a while to use its full name in conversation…

Kyoto’s Rurikoin Temple to offer stunning views of autumn leaves for a limited time next month

Krista Rogers
Oct 25, 2015

Tourists flock to Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto during the cherry blossom-viewing days of spring, but equally stunning are the sights of brilliantly colored autumn leaves amidst ancient structures that have remained undisturbed for hundreds of years.

One particular temple, Rurikoin, stands on the edge of the city and is a paradise for photographers during the autumn months, as well as visitors who didn’t even know they had an artistic side yet spend hours playing with different lighting effects there. While Rurikoin is not always open for general admission from year to year, we’re in luck because this year the building will indeed open its doors for the span of one short month.

Shirts featuring Studio Ghibli characters bring big attention to small apparel company

Audrey Akcasu
Oct 25, 2015

If you forgot to stop by your local Hot Topic store to check out their very cute Studio Ghibli collection, go soon, because it’s all on sale now! However, keep in mind that those pieces are so last season.

If you’re more of a fashion-forward Ghibli fan, you’ll be happy to hear that a Toronto-based apparel company, Wizards of the West, will soon be releasing a line of subtle, yet stylish, Studio Ghibli-themed shirts.

Cosplaying taxis with monster drivers to offer free rides to cosplayers in Shibuya this Halloween

Oona McGee
Oct 25, 2015

Halloween in Japan keeps getting bigger and better every year, with cosplayers coming out in droves to celebrate the world of costumes and make-believe. This time around, Japanese car manufacturer Nissan is joining the fun with a fleet of taxis dressed up in Halloween costumes, complete with “monster drivers” behind the wheel.

The monsters and their vehicles will be helping fellow ogres and ghouls by offering free rides to people in costume in the Shibuya area on October 29 and 31. What’s more, the unusual vans promise to be so spacious, they’ll accommodate any type of outfit you’re wearing!

Taiwanese man gets his hair washed while driving a scooter, breaks the law【Video】

Jamie Koide
Oct 25, 2015

When we’ve got a lot on our plate and not a lot of time to do it in, many of us turn to multitasking. The amount of time you save by multitasking—if you save any at all—depends on the person and the tasks at hand, but some things like driving deserve 100 percent of our attention.

Over the years more and more countries are enacting laws against things like talking on the phone or texting while driving, but I’m sure many of us still catch the occasional person running an electric razor over their chin or doing their make-up in the car.

That’s nothing, though, compared to this young man in Taiwan, who made headlines last week for getting his hair shampooed while driving a scooter.

Getting married in Japan? You might need to give your fiancé three rings, jeweler says

Casey Baseel
Oct 24, 2015

Japan is pretty fond of Western-style wedding traditions. Far more people choose to have their ceremony in a chapel than a Shinto shrine, with the bride and groom dressed in a wedding dress and tuxedo instead. Other popular foreign introductions are taking a honeymoon and wearing wedding rings.

Of course, it’s also customary for a guy to present his sweetheart with an engagement ring when he proposes. But one Japanese company says there’s room for even more jewelry in the transition from boyfriend and girlfriend, and has introduced the concept of a marriage ring, which is not to be confused with a wedding ring.

Sweet high-school anime shows how learning kanji can be the key to getting a girlfriend【Videos】

Cara Clegg
Oct 24, 2015

Kanji characters are one of the most fascinating, but also the most troublesome, aspects of the Japanese language—and that goes not just for foreign learners but also for Japanese natives. The Kanji Kentei is a standardized test that you can take to prove your kanji knowledge, but after being drilled on the kanji throughout their school lives Japanese people might not be taken by the idea of sitting for even more exams on the subject.

That’s why the Kanji Kentei administrators, in an effort to encourage people to give up their free time to study kanji and take their exams, has fallen back on the failsafe go-to of Japanese advertising: cute, nostalgic anime.

Gudetama the lazy egg is adorable … even as he poops and vomits! 【Video】

Kay
Oct 24, 2015

Sanrio’s Gudetama, the anthropomorphic egg character that hates to do anything other than sleep, has somehow managed to win a place in our hearts—at least among fans of kawaii in Japan. He’s now one of Sanrio’s most popular characters and has been turned into products of various shapes and sizes, including some in edible form, so we already knew that he looks adorable being served as food.

But what we didn’t know, as these videos from a dim sum cafe in Hong Kong show, is how cute Gudetama looks even when he’s, well … pooping and vomiting!

We visit Tomonoura, the scenic harbor town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s “Ponyo”【Photos】

Scott Wilson
Oct 24, 2015

If you’ve seen Ponyo, Studio Ghibli’s adorable movie about a fish girl who wants to be human, then the above location may seem pretty familiar. That’s because it was taken in the port town of Tomonoura, where Hayao Miyazaki and his team spent months getting the inspiration and imagery to create their next animated film.

As massive Ghibli fans, we had to take a look at the town for ourselves and see what real-life Ponyo looks like. Read on to check out the beautiful scenery for yourself, and see the effect that Ponyo has had on the town, as well as the effect the town had on Miyazaki.

Talk with your hands — Mr Sato tests your knowledge of common Japanese hand gestures【Video】

ロケットニュース24
Oct 24, 2015

For English speakers, the Japanese language can be difficult to master. The writing system is completely alien, sentences sound like something Yoda would say thanks to the order the words come in, and while it makes perfect sense once you get the hang of it, the Japanese’s habit of omitting pronouns can make conversations almost impossible to follow.

The good news is that for short visits to Japan you can usually get by with very little Japanese since people are usually extremely patient and accommodating. A bit of miming here and a “please” and a “thank you” there will get you a long way.

But if you’re not familiar with Japanese hand gestures, you may end up in a sticky—or at least rather embarrassing—situation…

Japanese lawyer: Making cosplay for others is copyright infringement

Anime News Network
Oct 24, 2015

In about a week, Halloween, cosplayers‘ favorite holiday, will be upon us. Millions of people — increasingly including Japanese — will take to the streets in costume, and much of it will be cosplay. But some of this activity may actually be against Japanese law.

Crazy-looking car is basically one giant airbag, will appear at Tokyo Motor Show next week

Mike
Oct 24, 2015

If you saw this car on the street, you’d half expect a comically large number of clowns to come piling out of it. But it turns out despite its Looney Tunes-esque look, there’s a noble—if somewhat bizarre—concept behind this new car from Toyoda Gosei.

This is the “Flesby,” a new concept car that Toyoda Gosei will display at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show next week, with the “concept” being essentially that the entire outer body of the car is one gigantic airbag. Let’s take a look.

Tochigi hot spring pyramid first in the world to let you bathe in cosmic energy as well as water

Master Blaster
Oct 24, 2015

The Egyptian pyramids stand strong in the scorching heat of the desert, as they have for over 4,500 years. It is said that the techniques that went into building them were well beyond those of human civilization at the time. They are mysteries wrapped inside of enigmas that continue to fascinate us from afar.

And apparently there is also a pyramid in Tochigi Prefecture, which really cuts down on the travel expenses for those of us in Japan wanting to bask in their wonder. One such spendthrift adventurer was RocketNews24’s own Masanuki Sunakoma, who went to investigate.