Spirited Away’s No Face also gets into the Japanese New Year’s spirit with a special kadomatsu.
anime & manga
Totoro, Haku, and other Studio Ghibli anime movie stars make the leap from the screen to the table.
Perhaps the weirdest, and definitely the cutest, wish anyone has ever made on the Dragon Balls.
Sangatsu no Lion (March Comes in like a Lion) has a limited-time cafe serving food right out of the manga!
Preliminary results of the Pokémon General Election have been revealed, and it wasn’t long before fans picked up on this error.
Because fujoshi aren’t the only ones who enjoy watching boys getting it on. Finally, some love for fudanshi!
Next time you feel like taking a coffee break, why not head over to the NagaLatte Cafe in Harajuku, where you can try Snow Brand Milk’s newest beverage and experience what it’s like to work as a manga illustrator, animator, or other creative professional?
We’ve seen loads of Sailor Moon fan artwork over the years, but these pieces by Chinese artist Sunmomo are some of the most ethereal-looking by far.
Moe-style anime NEW GAME! gets new official website with TV broadcast and cast reveal info.
Japan is pretty famous for its packed trains that invite occasional chikan (groping incidents). Luckily, in light of improving rights for women in Japan, the law of late tends to come down pretty hard on train gropers. Assuming a victim or a witness to such a crime speaks up about it, a perpetrator typically faces immediate arrest at the next train station and can probably expect to do some jail time.
While this system works pretty well for the most part, it’s not unheard of for some unlucky guys to face career and life-destroying consequences after being falsely accused of groping. One Japanese Twitter user, in fact, posted a series of Tweets detailing a close call he had himself, relating that he was almost certainly destined for the slammer if he hadn’t been saved by the alleged victim herself.
Artist and T-shirt designer Saqman, who, despite his pen-name inadvertently reminding this writer of genitals, actually seems like a pretty wholesome guy, recently put together this spiffy and kind of spookily appropriate-looking mashup of Spirited Away and Alice in Wonderland, and it really works on a level we never really thought about!
“On that day, the writers of RocketNews24 received a grim reminder. We lived in the shadows of the Titans and had to become the Titans themselves to live in these cages we called the Internet.”
Free Attack on Titan face packs?! Of course we had to try it! We even made some customizations in an attempt to give Satosshi a run for his money, but alas, it seems that none of us have attained his level of Rocket-ness as of yet. Check out our titanic beauty experience after the break!
Although the protester that managed to infiltrate the European Central Bank’s monthly press conference recently got plenty of media attention with her clever deployment of a so-called “Glitter Bomb” – that is, she scattered the notoriously-difficult-to-remove, fabulous substance everywhere – her protest method of choice came a few months too late.
Everyone knows, of course, that the disruptive substance du jour now is the dial-a-bag of dongs. Glitter is just so yesterday. But, our intrepid protester is still getting her due time in the spotlight in Japan because of her resemblance to a certain anime character.




















Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
We followed Tokyo’s mystery walking map and ended up creating our own bar-hopping adventure
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Hokkaido has an Ice Festival that’s less famous than the Snow one, but beautiful in its own way
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】
Fewer ramen restaurants declare bankruptcy in Japan for first time in several years
Village Vanguard tries to tickle us pink with a Pink Lucky Bag
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
New adults go wild at Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony in Kitakyushu, Japan 【Photos】
Pokémon Lego kits are finally on their way!【Photos】
Fewer ramen restaurants declare bankruptcy in Japan for first time in several years
Village Vanguard tries to tickle us pink with a Pink Lucky Bag
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas Frappuccino and holiday drinks for 2025
The official cosplay booth models of Tokyo Game Show 2024【Photos】
Kodansha to release popular manga in Japan and USA simultaneously in K Manga this May
One of Japan’s rarest, craziest pay phones is hanging out in a tree-shaped phone booth【Photos】
Man arrested for violating Japan’s anti-dueling law in downtown Tokyo
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
You can now visit a recreation of Evangelion’s Tokyo-3 and live there in miniature form in【Pics】
Bamboo trees vandalized near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine, foreign graffiti prevalent