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Time to fight! Japan-only Hyrule Warriors special editions come with awesome Triforce clock

Philip Kendall
Jun 23, 2014
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I’ve never really been one for special editions of video games. At first they seem like a great idea, with terms like “rare” and “collector’s edition” making us feel like we’d be missing out if we didn’t pick one up, but when you later realise that there are thousands of other people out there with the same cheaply made “limited” trinkets – most of which are likely to end up in landfills a few years down the line anyway – that Master Chief helmet or deluxe orc statue suddenly doesn’t seem quite so essential.

The Triforce clock that comes with special editions of upcoming Wii U hack and slash title Hyrule Warriors, however, is by far the coolest gaming goodie we’ve seen in years, and for once I’m actually considering paying extra money for the additional chunk of plastic.

Pancake on a stick: Roky makes all your pancake popsicle dreams come true

Preston Phro
Jun 23, 2014

Is there anything better than breakfast for dinner? Well, okay, that’s a silly question. Obviously nothing is better than night-time breakfast–pretty much everyone would agree that sitting down to a plate full of pancakes drenched in syrup at 7 pm is simply awesome. And the best thing about breakfast-as-dinner is that it’s easy to make! Pancakes, eggs, bacon–all easy to throw together without much culinary skill needed.

But sometimes even flipping a pancake is just too much work. Thankfully, Roky – a machine that produces pancakes in the shape of popsicles – ensure that you needn’t lift a finger when ignoring basic dietary advice.

Idol Aimi Sekiguchi recreates One Piece’s the Going Merry with a 3Doodler, blows our minds

Preston Phro
Jun 23, 2014

As the technology grows, 3-D printing is starting to really come into its own. You can make nearly anything with it–from spaceship engines to incredibly ugly pistols. And while it’s still going through growing pains, the appearance of the 3Doodler, a handheld 3-D printing “pen,” signals that we might not be far from Star Trek-like replicators and holodecks. Okay, maybe that you won’t be able to go swashbuckling with Riker any time soon, but you might be able to join Luffy and the rest of the One Piece gang!

While many people were understandably skeptical of the 3Doodler, this video by Aimi Sekiguchi shows just what the device is capable of…and it’s quite a lot actually. Watch as she builds the entire Going Merry ship in miniature!

Keep your skin purr-fect with a feline face pack featuring characters from Cats the musical

Oona McGee
Jun 23, 2014

Once upon a time, face packs were plain. They were white, wet and definitely something you wouldn’t want to be seen wearing. Now, beauty masks are finally becoming beautiful, with newly released endangered animal designs and even prints featuring dramatic kabuki makeup.

From the end of this month, the cats will come out to play. And not just any cats. These are the famous felines from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. With four cat face packs to choose from, now you can look after your skin and play out your feline fantasies at the same time!

10 types of baseball spectators in Korea

Joan Coello
Jun 23, 2014

As you probably already know, the world is currently in the grip of World Cup fever, with almost every channel on TV and website riding the wave. For soccer (or football) fans, this might be the best time in four years, but for the non-fans who are instead getting annoyed by soccer highlights popping up on TV and flooding their Facebook timelines, here’s an article about baseball for a change!

Korean internet content giant Naver’s trend reporters show us the stereotypes of baseball spectators in Korea! What type of baseball fan are you?

Leadership does nothing despite public harassment of Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member

Preston Phro
Jun 23, 2014

Sexual harassment in the workplace is always a problem–there’s nothing to debate in that statement. But it becomes a doubly serious problem when you’re a politician and your workplace is the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly.

While we’d like to think that politicians would, at the very least, know how to behave themselves in public, it turns that some Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly members could use a lesson.

Study kanji while taking a whirlwind tour of Kyoto with this beautiful video and GIFs!

Megumi Matsuki
Jun 22, 2014

We recently brought to you a collection of GIFs inspired by the thrilling city of Tokyo, designed by artists from around the globe. Now it’s Kyōto’s turn! A company called COG has created a highly stylized, four-minute animated film by dynamically fusing the original imperial city with kanji characters, and some scenes are now available as GIFs.

So get ready to hop aboard the city’s famous electric trolley and zoom though quintessential Kyōto sights like the Sagano Bamboo Forest and Daimonji bonfire. Along with two other GIFs making waves online, you’ll find yourself immersed in Japanese motifs that are anything but quotidian, and if you’re learning the language, see if you can name all 18 of the kanji characters used!

Soft and sweet — adorable Hello Kitty bread now available in western Japan for limited time!

Kay
Jun 22, 2014

What’s cute, sweet, soft and golden brown? Why, Hello Kitty bread, of course! Yes, we’ve seen the internationally famous cat transform into numerous forms, including many delectably edible ones, and once again, we get to be treated to another example of Ms. Kitty doing a bit of business while filling our stomachs with sweet goodness.

Now, we know Hello Kitty’s been busy with her 40th anniversary celebrations, coming up with collaborative products like the special edition Super Alloy Kitty and even helping out with charity, but we always love to see her transformed into tasty treats, whatever the occasion. Let’s take a look at what she has in store for us this time!

Be careful how you talk about “spaghetti” in Japanese — you may sound unhip

Master Blaster
Jun 22, 2014

Although Italian in origin, the words pasta and spaghetti are now everyday words in English. Thanks to the foods’ proliferation around the world these words can also be found in Japanese, pronounced pasuta and supagettī respectively.

But in recent years, it seems as if the word “spaghetti” has been falling out of favor in Japan, being replaced by the word “pasta.” Although in English the distinction between “spaghetti” and “pasta” is pretty clear (pasta being the foodstuff, spaghetti one of its many varieties), it seems there is a whole other world of nuances when the words cross over into Japanese.

Watch as lucky scooter rider sent flying by car is saved by an inflatable pool【TomoNews Video】

TomoNews
Jun 22, 2014

This man making an illegal turn on his scooter has a small kiddie pool (and a whole lot of luck) to thank for saving his life after a collision sends him flying through the air without a helmet.

Forget snack packs, South Korean school girls sporting full-on snack backpacks

Master Blaster
Jun 22, 2014

Do you often find your purse, backpack, attaché case is crammed with sugary snacks to help you through your day? If so you may want to follow these girls’ example and have your snacks become the bag.

Japan national football star to voice character in upcoming Pokémon film

Krista Rogers
Jun 22, 2014

Atsuto Uchida, a defender on Japan’s national football team currently playing in Brazil, is making his voice acting debut in the latest Pokémon theatrical film set to premiere next month.

The producers of the Pokémon movies are well-known for inviting celebrities to voice supporting characters in the annual films, but this year marks the first time that an athlete will lend his voice to the production. Uchida himself has been a fan of Pokémon since he was a child, and his involvement in the movie will hopefully add even more excitement to the World Cup fervor already taking over Japan.

Read on to learn more about Uchida’s role in the upcoming film!

Emergency services get prank phone call–but was it the wind…or ghosts?

Preston Phro
Jun 22, 2014

Summer’s here, and that means it’s time to gather your friends and head to a haunted house to scare the heat out of yourself. But maybe you’re a really tough guy or girl, and nothing like a few kids dressed up as zombies is going to give you a fright. You need a real ghost to help cool you down.

Too bad ghosts aren’t real, right? Well, after reading this story, you might not be so sure…

We try Taiwan’s newest taste sensation: Pudding Ramen!

Master Blaster
Jun 22, 2014

Taiwanese websites have been swirling with a new food fad that has taken the nation by storm. We’re not sure exactly where it started, but it probably had something to do with two people shouting, “Hey! You got your pudding in my ramen!” and “Hey! You got your ramen in my pudding!” And thus pudding ramen was born.

As the news hit the shores of Japan, we felt this was a combination that needed to be tested. It turns out that pudding ramen is not only tasty, it’s really cheap and easy too. Well played, Taiwan!

Got a cell phone? Soon, you might get a tax bill from the Japanese government too

Casey Baseel
Jun 22, 2014

It’s only been a few months since Japan’s consumption tax jumped from five to eight percent, making everything consumers buy instantly at least three percent more expensive. Some sneaky retailers even took advantage of the opportunity by tacking an extra three percent onto their displayed, pre-tax prices.

Now comes a rumor of an entirely new revenue stream the Japanese government might be moving to secure: a tax on cell phones.

Awesome anime marriage proposal simulator lets you create romantic scenes, dark comedy

Casey Baseel
Jun 21, 2014

The company Recruit is mainly known for its online job-hunting service, but that’s not the organization’s only business arm. Recruit also runs Zexy, one of Japan’s most popular wedding planning websites.

In order to help singles get into the marrying mood, Recruit has created an animated proposal simulator, where you can type in words for one of five dreamy anime-style guys to say. Ostensibly, you’re supposed to unleash your inner poet and dash off a smooth, romantic line. On the other hand, you can also use the system that allows you to make them say anything for a little bit of snarky fun.

Giant Marilyn Monroe is now face-down in a dump in China

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jun 21, 2014

An 8-ton statue of Marilyn Monroe has been unceremoniously deposited in a dump in southern China, putting the American beauty in a hilariously bizarre position.

New York City’s Barcade is all about the classic Japanese games

Japan Culture NYC
Jun 21, 2014

Nostalgic for Japanese video games from the late 1970s and ‘80s? Barcade, a combination bar and arcade, recently opened in Chelsea, Manhattan with about a dozen classics from Japanese game developers such as Taito, Nintendo, Namco, and Konami.

The games are still only a quarter (there are change machines on site), and the machines are in great condition. Marvel at the old-school graphics of Space Invaders, Galaga, Mappy, Crazy Climber, and Frogger.

The emoji you send actually say a lot about you

BUSINESS INSIDER
Jun 21, 2014

Sometimes words just aren’t enough to convey what you have to say.

People tend to use emoji in both normal and unorthodox ways, and the emoji you use actually says a lot about you.

Enter Emojinalysis, a Tumblr blog that tells you what’s wrong with your life based on your recently used emoji.

You (only) live twice! Repair work begins on priceless Toyota 2000GT crushed by falling tree

Fran W
Jun 21, 2014

The world’s car fans wept in unison earlier this month when a freak accident caused a 30-metre beech tree to fall on an eye-wateringly expensive Toyota 2000GT. Widely recognised as the first Japanese supercar, the 2000GT has been known to sell for over 1 million dollars, and although we were relieved to hear that the driver escaped with only minor cuts and bruises, the photos of his trashed car brought tears to car-lovers’ eyes.

The 2000GT’s regular production run in the late 1960s was so limited that only 351 were ever built, and when these photos emerged of the flattened vehicle, many assumed that the number left in existence had just got that little bit smaller – and the car, therefore, a little rarer. However, Japanese website Nostalgic Car TV reported June 14th that the car in question is to be repaired and restored, promising regular updates as it is brought back to its former glory.