Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
Even more popular than Minesweeper, Solitaire was a favorite of office workers everywhere. A free game that came bundled in old Microsoft computers, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who has never played Solitaire.exe.
Now you don’t even have to have a clunky old computer to play pixelated palm tree and sandy beach motif solitaire, you just have to pick up a deck of these cards.
No one can accuse Hello Kitty of being a slacker. She’s constantly involved in projects with popular franchises, and we’ve seen her tackle an unbelievably wide range of jobs from appearing on anime-themed boxer briefs to being featured nude on a T-shirt. She’s also not averse to tolerating a little pain, having been through some baking and steaming in her line of work.
This time, our fearless Miss Kitty endures some roasting, just in time for the Thanksgiving Holidays!
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Running for election in Japan isn’t easy. But when your face is shown alongside titles like “pervert” and “molester,” it’s probably a lot harder than it ought to be.
Japan’s political system is a mess right now and, despite having seen six prime ministers come and go in as many years, the country is headed for an election next month, with one-time PM Shinzo Abe putting himself forward to be re-elected.
The politician was made a laughing-stock earlier this week, however, when the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) early morning TV show Asazuba accidentally displayed Mr. Abe’s photo alongside a news report about a sex offender’s arrest.
Despite having no relation to the incident whatsoever, Mr. Abe’s face filled viewers’ screens along with the shocking titles, prompting the nation to spit out its corn flakes, or at the very least dribble a bit of natto onto the table.
Suffice to say, the politician was not pleased, and, suspecting this to be part of a “campaign of negativity”, took to his public Facebook page to tear TBS a new one…
Microsoft Japan is getting serious about their anthropomorphic operating systems.
Until recently, these characters, also known as OS-tans, were nothing more than unofficial fan-made creations. However, as we saw last month with the popularity of the Windows 8 DSP edition, Microsoft has begun to embrace their anime mascots, perhaps realizing their marketing potential among the otaku, or nerd, demographic. And now, for the first time ever, Microsoft will be delving into the belly of the beast and running a booth at Japan’s largest comic book convention, Comic Market.
Get ready to say goodbye to staples. Not the office supply chain, those little metal pins we’ve relied on for so long to fasten papers together. Japan is currently undergoing the no-staple revolution thanks to some innovative new products that have surprisingly been around for a long time – stapleless staplers!
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has had their hands full for a long time with their lackluster international national team. To add insult to injury, fans of Chinese soccer have grown even more disillusioned due to allegations of corruption in recent years.
Chinese media reports that the longstanding woes of the national team were due to some bad qi floating around the CFA headquarters. Apparently, having a building facing North by Northwest makes your executives degenerate gamblers.
However, by applying the principals of feng shui to their new offices perhaps the association can flow into a reversal of fortune.
We’ve all heard the stories of Chinese parents selling away their babies. Some do so because the government allows only one child per family, and they would rather have a son than a daughter. Some do so because they are too poor to support a child. Some do so in order to fund their online gaming habits.
But this 72-year-old Chinese man from Chongqing, he sold away his daughter in order to bring up someone else’s daughter.
Mercedes-Benz seems to be pulling out all the stops to advertise their 2013 model of A-Class car, the A 180. In fact they have created a six-minute animated feature starring the A 180, in a rollicking race for the ultimate prize titled Next A Class.
Luckily, I grew up in the era of advertisements thinly veiled as cartoons. All the Noids or Cavity Creeps in the world couldn’t sway my purchasing preferences. Years of Chester Cheetah and Fido Dido have hardened my mind to the subliminal messages animations can carry.
So although this anime short was well made and entertaining, it in no way swayed my opinion of this sleek new A 180 that perfectly combines the high performance of a sports car with the economic sensibility of a compact.
Our collective rears were tickled with the teaser trailer for a new Dragon Ball Z movie penned by its original creator, Akira Toriyama this past summer, and now a new glimpse of the new movie has arrived – the official title. Along with the announcement comes a once in a life time offer!
There’s no denying that 100 yen shops in Japan are great. They sell everything from soft drinks and chocolate to reading glasses and ashtrays, all for ridiculously low prices, and the quality of their merchandise is surprisingly good.
Of course, not everything is 100 yen (US$1.20), but it’s rare to find anything costing more than 400-500, and the variety of products available is astounding. But with so much on offer at such a low prices, it’s easy to throw things into our baskets without really thinking about how much we’re spending, and on more than one occasion I’ve found myself buying things that I didn’t even know I wanted.
A six-pack of AA batteries for 200 yen? You never know when they’ll come in handy! A pair of mugs featuring the Japanese and UK flags? How could I not? An in-car charger for my iPhone? At that price I’d be mad not to buy one, right!?
But are these things really worth buying? As cheap as they are, in the long run are we actually wasting our money?
Well, luckily for us, Japanese website Zasshi News has, with the help of an extensive consumer survey, compiled a list of items to avoid and things that we should snap up from 100 yen shops whenever we can…
We’ve all seen those popular internet videos like the sneezing baby panda and dramatic look gopher, but in Hokkaido today a new internet phenomenon may have been born.
While filming at Murayama Zoo in Sapporo, visitors watched as a baby red panda, known as Gin, received a shock when his caretaker entered their pen to check if they had enough food left in their dish.
What might have caused most animals to simply jump a little, however, caused little Gin to fall over backwards, mouth open and limbs flailing like Sarah Connor when Arnold Schwarzeneggar comes out of the elevator in James Cameron’s Terminator 2…
Back in high school, the best my friends and I could come up with to cause a ruckus was a little underage drinking, but kids these days can manage to bring countries to the brink of war with their shenanigans. Lawless whippersnappers!
Kuwait celebrated it’s 50th anniversary of its constitution this month with a grand fireworks display, never seen to this extent before.
77,282 fireworks exploded into the air on November, setting the Guiness World Record for most fireworks launched during an event. This oil-rich country knows how to put on a great show of fireworks, but it wasn’t cheap! Read More
Wish you could add even more Evangelion in your life?
Now your phone can tell the world you love Evangelion even when it’s turned off with these cubic zirconia home button stickers featuring Evangelion characters.
Japan is well known for both its love and skill of robots. Free of the terminator-induced prejudices of western cultures, they have blazed the way for robotic tour guides, waitresses, fish, singers, hairdressers, waste baskets, cyclists, rock-paper-scissors players, cockroaches, butts…
With so many robots, it’s hard to come up with an original one. But they are still out there. Tokyo University’s Center for the Study of Robotics came up with Denta-kun, the calculator using robot. Just to make it clear, the robot does not calculate. It just uses a calculator.
Last week, on 11 November, Ezaki Glico celebrated Pocky & Pretz Day (11/11) with the Try World Record campaign in which the snack maker hoped to gather the most tweets containing the name “Pocky” in one day thus entering the Guinness World Records.
The goal was set at 1.11 million tweets, for obvious visual reasons, and to defeat the previous “The Brand Name Most Tweeted in 24 Hours” record holder, iPhone5, which got 1.08 million tweets on its release day. And the winner is…
You, Me, And a Tanuki is a weekly featured blog run by Michelle, a Californian who is currently one of only two foreigners living in Chibu, a tiny fishing village on one of the Oki islands in Japan. Check back every Saturday for a new post or read more on her website here!
From my experience, there is very little privacy in Japan compared to the US. You want to take some time off during the summer break to go on a vacation? You better write down where you’re going and for how long so that information can be distributed to not only your boss, but everyone in the office. Make a big mistake at work? You’re purposely going to get scolded about it in front of your coworkers. A close family member passed away? You’re going to have to make a public announcement about it whether you want to or not (at least that’s what I was forced to do at work when my grandmother passed away and I had to suddenly go back to America).
The oddest invasion of privacy that I have ever encountered here in Japan is always during the yearly health examinations. Since I’m a public worker, once a year I am required to have a full physical. This sounds awesome, I get a free health check-up and I don’t even need to make an appointment.
Wrong, it is awful.
One of the most common stereotypes of nerds, or otaku as they’re known in Japan, is that they cannot cook and subsist on a diet of instant noodles and soft drinks.
Kitchen a la Mode is a new cooking school in Akihabara that hopes to get otaku off their chairs and into the kitchen by providing simple, hands-on cooking lessons with cute girls.
You may remember reading about Kitchen a la Mode on our site last month. Curious as to how the school has been doing since opening, RocketNews24 sent its handsomest American correspondent (me) to Kitchen a la Mode to experience moé cooking firsthand. Check out his (my) report below!
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
We try to buy a retro Japanese coin-operated arcade machine at this secondhand shop near Tokyo
Kyoto becomes City of Yokai, with Night Parade of One Hundred Demons festival this autumn
After 21 years, Harajuku’s famous Lolita fashion and cosplay shop is permanently closing
Japanese ski resort hosts awesome cosplayer-only photo shoot days in the off-season【Photos】
Japanese government wants to acquire original anime and manga art for creation of national archive
Starbucks Japan releases a Chocolate Mousse Latte and seasonal desserts to celebrate autumn
Street Fighter sushi bento boxes are here so you won’t have to fight on an empty stomach
Locust crepes crunch on your teeth, melt in your mouth in east Japan【Taste test】
Shizuoka’s local Cherry Beans Potato French fries are just plain devilishly goodJapanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Pizza Hut adds a “Guilty Secret” sandwich to its menu for a limited timeJapanese government wants to acquire original anime and manga art for creation of national archive
Studio Ghibli releases new Totoro and Jiji blankets to keep you cosy this winter
Right now is the peak time to go to Tokyo’s most-beautiful-view beer garden【Photos】
This Tokyo rice ball takes 20 years to make and 2,000 yen (US$14.30) to buy, but is it worth it?After 21 years, Harajuku’s famous Lolita fashion and cosplay shop is permanently closing
Ultimate lazy sukiyaki – Can you make the king of Japanese hot pots in a rice cooker?【Taste test】
Game over for Classic Mini Famicom and Super Famicom as Nintendo announces end of repairs
Give yourself a Totoro belly with Studio Ghibli’s Marshmallow Haramaki belly wrapsJapanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Studio Ghibli lets you cosplay as Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle with cosy anime fashion range
New Hello Kitty McDonald’s Japan Happy Meal toys are here, and Kitty’s sister is part of the set
Starbucks teams up with the oldest of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns to create a Bizen ware coffee mug
One of Tokyo’s most beautiful gardens gets its own moon for moon-viewing seasonPizza Hut adds a “Guilty Secret” sandwich to its menu for a limited timeRight now is the peak time to go to Tokyo’s most-beautiful-view beer garden【Photos】
Super budget-friendly retro Tokyo hotel feels like having your own 1960s Asakusa apartment
New Jimmy Choo x Sailor Moon collaboration brings anime magic to bags, shoes and accessories
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Japanese government wants to acquire original anime and manga art for creation of national archive
Starbucks Japan releases a Chocolate Mousse Latte and seasonal desserts to celebrate autumn
Street Fighter sushi bento boxes are here so you won’t have to fight on an empty stomach
Locust crepes crunch on your teeth, melt in your mouth in east Japan【Taste test】
Shizuoka’s local Cherry Beans Potato French fries are just plain devilishly good
Starbucks Japan releases first flower drink in exclusive, hard-to-find chilled cup series
Japan’s snack of almonds and whole fish might not be for everyone【Taste test】
This Tokyo rice ball takes 20 years to make and 2,000 yen (US$14.30) to buy, but is it worth it?
What are McDonald’s macarons really like in Japan?
You Can Have Your Very Own Whale Party on iPhone Messages In Just a Few Simple Steps
Japan’s ninja museum has been robbed by thieves in the middle of the night
Japan’s life-size moving Gundam is closing soon, and the last tickets are about to go on sale
Japanese chanko ramen restaurant contains a moving relic from the World Trade Center
Japanese woman subdues convenience store thief with headlock, credits anime for technique
