Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
The official YouTube channel for girl idol group Momoiro Clover Z (Sailor Moon Crystal, Bodacious Space Pirates) began streaming a full animated and live-action music video for “Yume no Ukiyo ni Saitemina,” the group’s collaboration song with American rock band KISS. Masatsugu Nagazoe (Momoiro Clover Z‘s “GOUNN” video) directed the video and Sushio (Kill la Kill) handled the animation
GAINAX, the animation powerhouse which has spawned massive hits such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nadia:The Secret of Blue Water, Kare Kano, FLCL, and Gurren Lagann among others, has confirmed plans to open a studio and in-house museum in the town of Miharu, Fukushima. Specifically, the company will move into a refurbished school building that was closed two years ago.
Keep reading after the jump to find out what motivated this latest development!
In the never-ending battle to be the next big thing, a new idol group made their debut on January 15–with “big” being the operative word. Featuring the same singing and dancing you’ve seen from the hundreds of idol groups before them, these five girls are trying to prove that even those who aren’t paper-thin can make it in the idol world.
What separates this group from the “marshmallow girls” before them? For one, they actually are plus-sized, and they are OK with that! Please welcome to the stage: Pottya.
With all of the advanced technology intelligence agencies can employ, plus the fact that so much information is now stored digitally, it’s easy to make the assumption that modern espionage is all hacking and drone surveillance. In fact, though, there’s still plenty of room in the spy game for carbon-based operatives working in the field.
As such, it’s the responsibility of militaries and police forces the world over to be on guard against organic espionage threats. So while you can admire the diligence and zeal shown by a group of citizens and police in Vietnam who captured and detained what they thought was a ring of 16 Chinese spies, the suspects turned out to be innocent.
They also happen to be pigeons.
Let’s begin with a bit of linguistic trivia: How many of you know that Japanese has an expression for the area of exposed skin between the top of knee-high socks and the hemline of a skirt? No, this is not a joke, people–the actual term is 絶対領域 (zettai ryouiki), which literally means “absolute territory,” but I’m sure some of you already knew that.
If you didn’t, now is as good a time as ever to add that phrase to your mental lexicon, with LED light-emitting skirts about to enter the world of fashion and all!
It was revealed in December 2013 that the Captain EO ride at Tokyo Disneyland will be replaced by the interactive attraction Stitch Encounter. The wait is now over as the Oriental Land Company which owns Tokyo Disneyland announced that the much-awaited new attraction will open in July 2015, right in time for the summer vacation this year!
If you’ve been following behind-the-scenes entertainment news for a while, you’ve probably heard the reputation that animators have as low-paid peons that, despite providing a valuable and necessary service for both the obvious animated films as well as any movie that relies heavily on computer animation, often get paid meager wages and work hellishly long hours.
Some, then, might reverse that logic to assume this is all because animators are basically the burger-flippers of the entertainment world; cranking out a desirable product through simple, mindless repetition. Hence the low pay, right?
Well, if this Touei Animation employment exam “question” – among myriad other evidence – shows us anything, it’s that animation is hard work that requires creativity, sure, but also a fair bit of mental agility in addition to all those long hours.
Digital drawing tablets, despite their best efforts, have always felt different from the real thing. For many artists, note-takers, or expert doodlers, nothing beats the feeling of putting actual pen to actual paper.
But now, thanks to iSketchnote, you can write on a real piece of paper using a real pen, while still digitizing it in real-time on a tablet or PC as you draw.
Between the futuristic Blade Runner-esque toilets and the slightly terrifying (but healthier for you) traditional squatters, Japanese restrooms can be a bit intimidating for a first-time user. And even for those who have lived in Japan for a while, using a public toilet can still be a daunting task. So to better understand restroom woes for those coming from overseas, Japanese toilet manufacturer Toto recently surveyed 600 foreigners living in Japan about toilets in the country and what confuses them most.
Although we just told you about why Japan is an unpopular tourist destination, if you are planning on visiting in 2015—and we really recommend you do!—there are some landmark events going on that you might want to consider as you make your plans. Here’s our list of five places you’ll want to visit in Japan in 2015.
Over the last two decades, email has evolved to be one of the primary ways business people communicate. That makes having a good email address all the more necessary. That Hotmail email address you chose when you were in junior high school–something like “Offspring4EVER,” probably–isn’t really what you want on your business card, even if Smash was one of the best albums of 90s. Fortunately, it doesn’t take most of us long to realize that a proper email address is part of growing up, just like deleting all those embarrassing Facebook photos from spring break.
Unfortunately, it looks like not everyone got that memo (maybe it’s in the spam folder), which prompted iResearch to take a poll of 100 Japanese men to find out more about Japan’s embarrassing mail addresses.
We live in a world of innovation and inspiration. Every day, we see new products riffing on older ones, and apps that are purporting to be the next Instagram for Snapchat inspired by Vine.
But when does something cease to innovate and become a simple knock-off? Would you consider “Word・Press” a different web service from “WordPress”? How about if someone opened up a hamburger joint called “McDonalds” instead of “McDonald’s”? Well one izakaya in Hiroshima, Japan tested out this first example for us, and found that simply slipping a dot into its name didn’t allow it to get around copyright and trademark laws.
A bizarre death occurred in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku, Tokyo recently as a 22-year-old woman died after falling nine stories during a visit to the restroom. Although suicide hasn’t been entirely ruled out, this appears to be a case of highly unusual building practices as a door opening onto a sheer drop was also present in the room.
Uzura (quail eggs) are a popular food in Japan, as their relatively tiny size makes them perfect for snacking or adding to bento. As a result, you can find them in pretty much any supermarket over here. But it turns out that some shoppers out there aren’t interested in eating the little speckled eggs – they’ve been trying to hatch them instead! When reports first started popping up from netizens claiming to have hatched their own quails, we thought this was just an urban legend, but now a YouTube clip and blog post has appeared, showing different people seemingly hatching actual, live baby quails from supermarket eggs. Join us for some adorable pics and videos!
Do you know what the creator of Naruto, Masahi Kishimoto, looks like? How about Hello Kitty‘s artist, Yuko Shimizu? Despite their drawings being prevalent all over the world, most people have probably never seen the true faces of these famous artists. With this in mind, amateur artists around Japan have been tweeting #イラストと描いた人 (an illustration and the artist who drew it), including their own picture beside a work of their art.
Unfortunately, a lot of people choose to hide their faces behind cosplay masks, editing techniques or just facing away from the camera. Some don’t even post a real photo! However, the artist behind the really cute drawings above decided to post a real, unhindered picture, but it might not be what you’re expecting…
If you’ve ever visited Singapore, you’ll know that the country has an incredible range of culinary delights to offer. And if you enjoy seafood in particular, one of the county’s numerous signature dishes you’ll definitely want to try when you’re there is the savory Chilli Crab. So when we heard that Nissin was going to come out with a new cup noodle in Chilli Crab flavor, well, we just knew that it was time for another RocketNews24 taste test! So, how did the famous seafood dish taste as a cup of instant noodles?
Okay, I have a confession to make here – that whole wedding fever that some women get, where they obsess over the minute details of “their” special day? I’ve never really gotten that. I mean, do you know how much weddings cost? It’s a lot of money, and it’s gone in a day. Call me a pragmatist, but I’d rather spend that money on a down payment for a house or on an awesome trip. I also can’t help thinking that it sometimes veers more towards celebrating the bride rather than the union of two people. (It’s no wonder women in Japan have started having solo weddings!) Still, a wedding is a centuries-old tradition, and lots of people love the spectacle and ceremony of it. And what better theme could there be for a glitzy wedding than “Indian Disney Princess”? Canadian formal attire company Wellgroomed Designs have come up with nine concept gowns focusing on specific Disney princesses, and they look amazing!
Sports anime remains popular in Japan, despite its checkered history in the West. Stories of characters overcoming emotional and physical obstacles to bring their team to victory or rooting for the underdog against the better funded team resonates with genre fans. Charapedia asked 10,000 fans which sports anime “moved” them the most. Here are the results!
You’ve heard about India’s sacred cow, the Mother of Civilization, a gift from God that has become a part of Indian iconography, religion and culture. The cow protection movement began in 1882, and ended the slaughter of the animals in what was then British India. The cow is revered because it is unique in that it offers five products to humans — milk, curds, ghee butter, urine and dung — all of which are useful to everyday life in India. In addition, the beast of burden has traditionally been used to help plow the fields and pull carts for transportation. If you’re one of those people who likes to dress up your dog, or cat, or buy them their own kotatsu, then we can only imagine what you’d do for a pet cow if you had one! You’ll have no problem understanding the high regard Indians place on the gentle bovines.
Because we at RocketNews24 love all animals, cows included (although some of us delight in their taste while others of us would rather give cow cuddles), we can totally understand the pampering, dressing up, and general all-round generosity the Indians heap upon their beloved cows. We just hope cats don’t catch on to any of this.
Just how far will Indians go to pamper their bovine friends? Glad you asked! Our bovine journalist is about to reveal some fascinating facts about cows in India.
Since the release of Wagakki Band‘s first original song “Hanabi” last year, we’ve been holding our breath waiting for more. Okay, that’s not completely true–we’ ve been sneaking little gasps since then–but we were definitely excited to hear the the group was recording both the opening and closing song for the new anime Sengoku Musou, based on the game of the same name. But unless you actually tuned in to watch the show you’d be hard pressed to find the songs–until now!
Today, the band released a music video for “Ikusa,” the show’s opening theme song. Check it out below but be careful that you’ve cleared your room of pointy objects first so you don’t hurt yourself headbanging.
Family Mart Japan installs red-eyed “Monster Wolf” to keep bears away from convenience store
Starbucks Japan reopens Shinkansen platform store after redesigning it for speed
Japanese man’s gross conveyor belt sushi social media prank video gets him a 500,000-yen fine
Pikachu brings electric style to brand-new Pokémon G-Shock watch featuring every stater trio
The adorable, delicious joy of the Totoro cream puff gift box[Taste test]
Krispy Kreme Japan releases new fruit doughnuts…that taste better cold
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Tokyo cops arrest foreigner for suspected visa violation, don’t know what new residence cards look like
Testing Japan’s latest food hack trend: Adding instant corn soup powder to popcorn[Taste test]
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroadJapan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summerJapanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]Family Mart Japan installs red-eyed “Monster Wolf” to keep bears away from convenience store
“Phantom Egg Shop” opens in Japan, with a dozen rare Japanese varieties
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino, tea and soda drinks for summer
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noonJapan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the countryJapanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroadStudio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel styleJapan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in JapanJapanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in JapanJapan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Krispy Kreme Japan releases new fruit doughnuts…that taste better cold
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Tokyo cops arrest foreigner for suspected visa violation, don’t know what new residence cards look like
Testing Japan’s latest food hack trend: Adding instant corn soup powder to popcorn[Taste test]
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Nintendo’s Animal Crossing crosses over to Baskin-Robbins Japan with special ice cream and merch
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]
Japanese theme park adding Immersive Death Game with a “bomb collar” you have to wear
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Starbucks Japan releases three new peach drinks, but the real star isn’t the Frappuccino
Private Shinkansen Supreme Class Cabin pricing, start date, and details announced by Japan Railways
Over a billion yen in smuggled gold found inside sex dolls by Japanese investigators
Totoro Soot Sprites are here to help keep your organized as adorable paper clips[Photos]
Japan opens shrine for plush toys in Kyoto, offering memorial rites and a resting place for remains