iOS
There are many practical uses for the Apple ARKit, and scaring the living daylights out of your children is most certainly one of them.
Japanese iPhone users happy to be shown around by “Uncle AR“, the grooviest wayfinder app guide ever.
Do you even lift? ‘Cos these macho guys certainly do! While the heroes of otome games, story-based romance games aimed at women, tend to err on the feminine side, the hunks in this mobile game cater specifically to women (or men!) who like their guys beefy. And when I see beefy, I mean ox-on-steroids beefy.
When Final Fantasy VII hit the PlayStation in 1997, it was one of the most graphically advanced games ever produced. For months leading up to the title’s release, gamers had been drooling over magazine previews plastered with work-in-progress screenshots of what developer Square was doing with its first foray into the bold new world of CD-based games and polygonal graphics.
Flash forward 18 years, and technology has progressed to the point that Final Fantasy VII looks pretty retro to most modern eyes. As a matter of fact, it’s so retro that not only is Square Enix is remaking it for the PlayStation 4, mobile phones now have enough power to run the original, which is why Final Fantasy VII has just been released in iOS form.
As someone may have once said, “Great artists steal.” Then again, someone else probably said, “I’ll catch that hack who ripped me off and teach them a lesson or two,” so maybe we should just say that sometimes people “borrow” inspiration to make great things. And sometimes pirates come up with better titles than the original!
Of course, in the world of mobile games, “similar” and “inspired-by” games are the norm–but one Japanese game developer isn’t exactly happy about someone making a game just a bit too similar to his own. Is he overreacting or does he have a good point?
Japanese telecommunications company SoftBank is seemingly never out of the news recently. In the past seven days, we’ve seen CEO Masayoshi Son put down a heckler on Twitter, offer his employees up to a month’s pay for mastering English, and now the company comes out with a genuinely wonderful free app for iOS in celebration of being Japan’s most popular telecommunications provider for five years running.
Officially titled 「ラップお父さん」 “Rappu Otousan” (lit. rap dad), the application is essentially a sound board filled with memorable lines uttered by members of SoftBank’s fictional White Family, as seen in commercials. As well as allowing users to annoy friends with one-liners like “Shut it!”, “What’s so funny!?” and even the company CEO’s famous “Let’s do it!” line, users can play and mix a variety of prerecorded rhythm tracks, making this app by far the most wonderful time-waster we’ve discovered so far this year.
On 7 March Apple made their latest press release announcing the upcoming iPad, and also happier news for Japanese users that the new update to iOS has taught Siri how to speak their language. Yet, beneath all this fanfare one whopping issue lurks that’s enough of a let-down to crush even the most ardent fanboy’s heart.
The battery display is all out of whack. Not only that it’s out of whack in the most disappointing way possible.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Adorable Totoro acorn key holders come with a special guest hidden inside[Photos]
Burning through cash just to throw things away tops list of headaches when moving house in Japan
Japanese potato chip Rubik’s Cubes coming soon
Japanese city paints well-known prostitution street bright yellow, adds fish art【Video】
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
It’s illegal for yakuza to go to professional baseball games in Japan, Tokyo arrests remind us
Instant-ramen coated fried chicken appears in Tokyo, instantly makes us hungry, happy【Taste test】
Japan’s Top 10 Scenic Train Trips–according to two “densha otaku” train guides
Weekly
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is Sapporio’s Snow Festival awesome enough to be worth visiting even if you hate the snow? [Pics]
Japan has trams that say “sorry” while they ride around town…but why?
Sakura Totoro is here to get spring started early with adorable pouches and plushies
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Poop is in full bloom at the Unko Museums for cherry blossom season
Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens
Playing Switch 2 games with just one hand is possible thanks to Japanese peripheral maker
Monthly
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]- Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed- Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism- The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth- Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
Yearly
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
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
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home- Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
- Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
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
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japanese city paints well-known prostitution street bright yellow, adds fish art【Video】
Man arrested in Japan after leaving car in coin parking lot for six years, racking up three-million-yen bill
It’s illegal for yakuza to go to professional baseball games in Japan, Tokyo arrests remind us
Instant-ramen coated fried chicken appears in Tokyo, instantly makes us hungry, happy【Taste test】
Japan’s Top 10 Scenic Train Trips–according to two “densha otaku” train guides
Tiny travel guides are our latest Japanese gacha capsule toy obsession
Hey, 2020s kids! The ’90s have a sticker picture message waiting for you in Tokyo
Japanese YouTuber whips up a sugary sweet Pokémon creation to fill viewers with Christmas cheer
Why French tourists are flocking to a tiny island of 230 people in Japan’s Inland Sea
Gyoza no Ohsho president’s murder trial mulling not letting average citizens become judges
Disturbing video shows man hitting woman for crossing her legs on Japanese train【Video】
Ruru Cafe Shibuya wows customers by serving coffee and sweets on unique water tables
To celebrate Hashtag Day, Twitter shares top ten most used hashtags in Japan
-
