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Kanji fail – Japanese World Cup fans notice Greek player’s strange tattoo

It must be tough playing in the World Cup. Not only are you representing your entire country, but every mistake you make is seen by millions of people all over the world. Poor Igor Akinfeev, the Russian goalkeeper who let a straightforward shot from Korea’s Lee Keun-ho roll up and over his head and into the goal. It was enough to make anyone want to curl up into a ball and die, and Igor’s mortified face was painful to watch, inspiring thousands of Tweets proclaiming, “Yikes!”

Japanese netizens have taken notice of another footballer faux paus, this time in the form of an unfortunate tattoo. We’ve seen it before – misinformed fans of body modification adding “Chicken Noodle Soup“ or “casket maker” in exotic scrawl, and Team Greece representative, Theofanis “Fanis” Gekas, has added to the list of tattoos that have piqued the interest of Japanese netizens.

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Men & women vote on which anime character they’d want as a little sister

Japanese website Charapedia asked its visitors which anime character they would most like to have as a little sister. More surprising than the results is the huge voter turnout of 10,000 people. Men and women voted in the poll from March 6-12. About 65% of voters were male, 35% were female and 82% were between 13-29. About 18% were 30 years old or older.

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Osaka airport’s new mascot is adorable, laid-back, possibly drunk

Osaka International Airport has a deceptively confusing name. First, although its mailing address is indeed in Osaka, a large portion of the facility actually spills over the border into neighboring Hyogo Prefecture, specifically the city of Itami.

Second, it only has domestic flights, as during the 1990s the overseas traffic was moved to Kansai International Airport, an international airport that’s entirely in Osaka (yet completely separate from Osaka International Airport).

But even if it’s hard to find a shred of logic to the naming of Osaka International Airport, the domestic hub can now fall back on the good looks of its new mascot, the undeniably cute, possibly worrying Sora-yan.

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Japanese soccer fans celebrate the World Cup with Samurai Blue curry

Now that the World Cup is well and truly underway, fans in Japan have found themselves in the full-blown throes of soccer fever. While some would remedy the malady with a set of earplugs and a good lie-down, others look to the food world, with World Cup menus popping up all over the country offering all sorts of surprises. One place in Osaka has put together a creative curry and cocktail set that represents the Japanese soccer team, Samurai Blue, and the host country of Brazil. Can you see the two countries in the image above?

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Denny’s Japan to launch microwaveable version of its 40th anniversary jambalaya dish

You know how you sometimes sit at home watching TV and find yourself thinking, “Man, I wish I could eat a Denny’s meal right now. But, like, from a cup…”? Neither have we, but apparently that product is a real thing and is coming to stores in Japan very soon.

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Heads up, Aussie anime fans: Terror in Resonance to premiere at Oz Comic-Con

Hardcore anime fans will no doubt already be itching to get a look at forthcoming TV anime thriller, Terror in Resonance, which is being directed by none other than Shinichirō Watanabe, the man behind smash hits such as Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop and Space Dandy.

You may have heard that the anime will be screened for the first time outside Japan at LA’s Anime Expo in early July, but our readers down-under will be excited to learn that just a few hours later, Terror in Resonance will premiere at Oz Comic-Con in Melbourne.

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Attack on Titan movie looking for two extras to play the titular giants

Last month, anime, movie and travel enthusiasts all got excited over the Japanese tour company offering a package that included being an extra in the upcoming Attack on Titan live-action movie. Sadly, only 50 lucky people were chosen, and everyone else who had dreamed of stepping into the world of the most popular anime in decades is out of luck.

Or are they? Just like how Attack on Titan keeps viewers on their toes with plot twist after plot twist, there’s been an exciting development regarding the live-action adaptation, which is now looking for a new pair of extras to play two of the Titans themselves.

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Back in the heyday of Nintendo’s NES, video game hardware wasn’t advanced enough to handle the kind of polygon-based visuals that are the industry standard today. Instead, artists had to bitmap their characters.

Bitmapping involves laying down squares of color, called pixels, to form an image. It’s essentially a digital mosaic, and with enough time and dedication, you could perfectly recreate the cast of your favorite 8-bit classic using a sheet of graph paper.

Or, as one retro fan in Japan recently did, a screen door.

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Awesome Japanese sandals give you the footprints of a cat or T-rex

One trick for dealing with the sweltering heat of summer is to free your feet with some comfy sandals. If you need a double dose of soothing coolness, you can strap on a pair and go for a stroll on the beach as you enjoy the sea breeze blowing across your exposed feet.

But while any variety of open-toed footwear will do the trick, if you’re looking to add a dash of quirky cuteness to your wardrobe, plus share the fun with everyone who comes by later, your best options are these animal-soled sandals that turn your footsteps into those of a cat or dinosaur.

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“Ugly” South Korean woman goes from “Old Lady Face” to “Dream Girl” with help of cosmetic surgery

Le sigh… Sorry guys, it’s time for yet another South Korean tale of cosmetic surgery woes. I know I write way too much about South Korea’s penchant for cosmetic surgery and how things can turn towards the uncanny valley a little too quickly. I know you guys wish I’d just get off the topic because it’s depressing.

Wait… What? WAIT WHAT?! There’s a person who got serious cosmetic surgery and it actually worked out really well?!

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Save space in a spaceship: KAKUREYA “cosy room” pod on sale now!

When life gives you lemons and you just need to escape for a bit, it can be hard to find somewhere to be alone if you’re constantly surrounded by people. But you’ll never find yourself in that situation again, thanks to a cool furniture-on-steroids invention on the market now.

Introducing the KAKUREYA, your very own private space that resembles the fusion between an internet cafe and a futuristic space pod. In fact, based on these pictures we’d have to say that the sensation of being inside it must be similar to what it feels like inside of a Gundam cockpit.

Lots of exciting photos after the jump!

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Some words about the evils of alcohol and the superhuman powers of drunk Japanese businessmen

After living here for the best part of eight years (five in the country, the rest in the capital) I’ve come to realise that for all the talk of Japan being kind of an oddball nation, it’s no weirder than anywhere else, and perhaps the only reason people here sometimes come across as so quirky is because the rest of the time they mind their own business and just get on with things quietly.

One thing that never fails to astound me when I go out at night in Tokyo, though, is the almost superhuman way in which some businessmen – despite looking like they’ve consumed more alcohol than I ever could without ending up in hospital or featured in the local news – still manage to remain upright and even have the wherewithal to navigate the city’s labyrinthine stations, board a train and get themselves home.

Here are some words about this. Read them if you want to.

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“The beer is my friend”: Watch the World Cup in style at this Captain Tsubasa Cafe

The World Cup is underway and Japan’s city streets are full of excitable-looking young people wearing blue soccer jerseys (sorry Dad, I mean “football shirts”). If you’re looking for somewhere in Tokyo to watch the game that’s a bit different – somewhere, for example, that’s got soccer-manga merchandise, weird themed food, and blue drinks that aren’t just beer with blue food-colouring in them – we’ve got just the place for you! When the staff at our Japanese sister site heard that a pop-up Captain Tsubasa Cafe was opening in Tokyo’s Ueno district, they couldn’t resist heading down there to take a look!

Captain Tsubasa, for the uninitiated, is a soccer manga (sometimes called Flash Kicker in English) created by Yōichi Takahashi in 1981. As is typical with popular Japanese manga series, Tsubasa and his team have since spread their wings into anime, video games, spin-off merch… and now this sports bar!

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Disney’s Japanese breakfast in Hawaii probably tastes great, still looks weird

For generations, Disneyland and Hawaii have been two of the most popular destinations for Japanese travelers, so it only makes sense that Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii sees visitors from Japan as a key demographic. But while the main appeal of travel is the opportunity to experience something new, Disney realizes that not everyone rolls out of bed at their most adventurous, and so offers a Japanese breakfast for those wanting to start their day with a taste of home.

It’s a considerate service, and for the most part, the resort’s done a great job. True connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine, however, will probably spot three odd quirks to Disney’s (almost) traditional Japanese breakfast.

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Fundoshi Panties bring back traditional Japanese underwear style, promise a good night’s sleep

RocketNews24 has long stood behind the traditional Japanese loincloth known as a fundoshi. Every year when Fundoshi Day (14 February) rolls around we’re always sure to endorse fundoshi for all of their physical and spiritual benefits.

And now we have reason #165 on why fundoshi are awesome. They can help to prevent sleeping problems for women. At least, that’s the claim made by the makers of Fundoshi Panties now on sale in a mook by Makino Shuppan.

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Samsung’s new Smart Bike features lane-marking laser pointers, a rear camera and more

Cycling in the city can be a genuinely unpleasant experience at times. As well as having to breathe in exhaust fumes for the duration of your journey, our car-centric cities often leave scant room to dedicated bike lanes, meaning cyclists have to share the road with vehicles big and small, often resulting in accidents and near misses.

Thankfully, Samsung thinks it may have a solution to city cyclists’ woes: its new Smart Bike, which incorporates a bevy of technological wizardry and is being built in conjunction with one of the best bicycle designers in the world.

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“Attack on car”? When real life angry birds attack

Not unlike the “911 attack cat” that’s been making waves across the States, it looks like a peacock at the Singapore Zoo has also gone into an unstoppable rage! Only this time, the battlefield happens to be a road, and the peacock in question has challenged a car to a duel. Maybe its wrath was triggered after seeing its own reflection in the car’s shiny exterior, or by the driver’s attempt to get it out of the way by beeping the horn…but regardless of what provoked it, this is one angry bird. Who do you think emerged victorious after the fight? 

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Crazy ad shows why we need to do sit-ups: To survive alien and pro wrestler attacks 【Video】

All else equal, most people would prefer to have a set of firm, sculpted abdominal muscles. Of course, most people miss out on their chance for six-pack abs when they give in to the temptation of a six-pack of beer, unlimited fried chicken, or one of the numerous other ways our modern, delicious society can derail one’s quest for personal fitness.

Making things even harder is the perception that you can get through your daily life just fine without a particularly strong or muscular core. After all, what kind of catastrophe is going to befall you where only your abdominals can save you?

We’re glad you asked, because this crazy, breakneck-paced Japanese commercial has several answers.

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New Bourbon water features Frozen girls and Disney princesses

In Japan there’s a company called Bourbon. Rather than specialising in alcoholic spirits though, Bourbon in Japan is famous for sweets, chocolate and natural mineral water. This summer, they’ll be adding something really sweet to the water: bottles adorned with Disney Princesses in ethereal watercolour designs. In addition to the series, they’ll be releasing Anna and the Snow Queen from Frozen too. You know these girls will want to live in your freezer this summer because, well the cold never bothered them anyway.

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Five words that sound completely different across Japanese regional dialects

If you’re American, do you usually drink at the “water fountain,” the “drinking fountain,” or (my personal favorite, all you Rhode Islanders) the “bubbler”? And how about that fizzy fountain beverage–what do you call it in your neck of the woods?

In the same way that the above-mentioned drink is known variously to American speakers of English as soda, pop, or coke, Japanese speakers also use different terms for the same thing depending on where they live. In fact, Japanese regional dialects, known as hōgen (方言), can differ so much from the standard Japanese (hyōjungo [標準語]) spoken in the Tokyo area and national media, that subtitles are often necessary when someone speaks with a thick local accent on TV. It’s not just the pronunciation that differs; often the form of words and syntactical structures are completely distinct.

To show you what we’re talking about, we’d like to introduce five examples of words that look and sound completely different from standard Japanese when said in regional dialects. If you’re a speaker of Japanese and you use one of these words when speaking to someone from a different part of the country, you may be met with a blank stare if your terms for the same thing are mutually unintelligible.

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