Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
One Piece (Page 10)
Luffy’s Gomu-gomu powers have gotten him into quite a few awkwardly shaped situations. Being made of rubber means that you can become pretty malleable when you’re in tight space, but does that make it any more comfortable? Well, Bandai’s latest line of gashapon toys delve into that idea, not just for Luffy, but for several other members of the Straw Hat crew. Presenting, the One Piece Hasamare Straps!
As the technology grows, 3-D printing is starting to really come into its own. You can make nearly anything with it–from spaceship engines to incredibly ugly pistols. And while it’s still going through growing pains, the appearance of the 3Doodler, a handheld 3-D printing “pen,” signals that we might not be far from Star Trek-like replicators and holodecks. Okay, maybe that you won’t be able to go swashbuckling with Riker any time soon, but you might be able to join Luffy and the rest of the One Piece gang!
While many people were understandably skeptical of the 3Doodler, this video by Aimi Sekiguchi shows just what the device is capable of…and it’s quite a lot actually. Watch as she builds the entire Going Merry ship in miniature!
Japan’s national soccer team floundered through the first several decades of its existence before finally earning its first World Cup berth in 1998. Since then the squad has shown steady improvement, with an impressive performance in South Africa in 2010 that saw it reach the Round of 16.
But while expectations and confidence are both running high, that doesn’t mean Japanese soccer fans don’t wish there countrymen could receive a little help from the world of comics and animation, as shown in a poll asking which manga characters they wish were a part of Japan’s team competing in Brazil.
J-Stars Victory Vs., the crossover fighting game that pits characters from 32 Shonen Jump manga against each other, debuts on Wednesday, and to celebrate the launch, Bandai Namco Games erected life-size statues of Dragon Ball Z‘s Son Goku duking it out with One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy on the streets of Tokyo.
Some hardcore fans of manga comics take their devotion to an almost religious fervor. So strong is their enthusiasm that Osamu Tezuka, the medium’s more prolific and prominent pioneer, is commonly referred to as “The God of Manga.”
Manga, however, is far from a monotheistic religion, and in the 25 years since his passing, other artists have seen their creations go on to achieve the same fame and popularity as Tezuka’s. A recent survey of 24,420 Japanese comic fans recently chose four other artists for the pantheon.
Some diligent animators took Banpresto‘s “One Piece Cry heart ~Fuyujima ni Furu Sakura~) (One Piece Cry heart ~The Cherry Blossoms That Fall on Winter Island~) line of crane game prize figures and created a five-minute stop-motion short last month. The “One Piece: Cry heart~” short recreates the famous “Hiluluk’s Cherry Blossoms” scene from Eiichiro Oda‘s manga and anime:
Bessatu Margaret, a spin-off of Margaret, a manga magazine for girls, is coming up on its 50th year of publication and the astounding cover of superstar characters for their special tribute has just seen the light of day. Featuring work by artists from Shonen Jump, Young Jump, and more, it’s a must-see for any manga fan!
Always keen to cash in and come up with some new character-themed promotions, Japan’s 7-Eleven recently began selling blueberry and whipped cream-filled bread made to look like none other than Gomu Gomu no Mi Devil Fruit from the One Piece manga and anime.
We couldn’t resist finding out what the fruit that made Monkey D. Luffy the man he is tastes like, so when we spotted the new sweet bread at our local combini we grabbed one right away. Join us after the jump for our full taste test.
Hey One Piece fans! Have you ever dreamed of being able to eat some Devil Fruit and getting superhuman powers like Monkey D. Luffy?
Well, 7-Eleven still can’t do that, but they’re giving you the next best thing by releasing limited edition snack bread which replicates the Gum-Gum Fruit of the hit manga and anime series.
So you’re a One Piece fan. You have the ice cream maker from KFC, you’ve stayed in the hotel room, and you never leave your house without your One Piece water cooler. But you still want more One Piece in your life! What’s a fan to do?
Well, why not slap your favorite character across your face and walk around like that all day??
Fans of anime and manga are most certainly acquainted with the ever-popular adventure series, One Piece. Now, the brand that brings us all of our favorite pirate-themed products is teaming up with the water label, FRECIOUS, to deliver some totally cool One Piece water dispensers.
Don’t worry, though the story of One Piece takes place on the ocean, these water coolers deliver only the freshest grade-A water from the forests of Mount Fuji. Read More
Laozi is often credited with saying, “Rather than give a man a fish, teach him to fish.” These wise words would appear to have spurred on KFC Japan’s newest promotion in conjunction with the One Piece series. Rather than give you an ice cream, KFC and the Straw Hat Pirates are going to teach you how to make ice cream and give you a maker to do it.
Fans of the iconic manga periodical Weekly Shonen Jump should be clearing their schedules and marking down July 11 on their calendars. For on this day, the clouds will part and a shaft of light will appear as the doors to a new manga paradise will open, offering five Naruto, One Piece and Dragon Ball attractions, along with stacks of merchandise and themed food to save us all.
Bandai Namco has announced that work is underway on a 3D Team Battle game using the characters of the Weekly Shonen Jump collection of manga series. The game is set to be released in 2013 to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Weekly Shonen Jump. Color us massively excited!
One Piece fans the world over will have no doubt lost count of the number of times they’ve seen Monkey D. Luffy chomping on a big hunk of meat.
Keen food fans that the RocketNews24 writers are, we can’t help but feel a little peckish every time we see the wide-grinning captain tucking into his meals, and we always find the food he eats, dished up by chain-smoking pirate chef Sanji, absolutely tantalising.
But now, thanks to the equally food-loving team at sister site Pouch, we have just the thing to placate our growling stomachs while we watch our One Piece DVDs or flick through our ever-growing stack of comic books: from Chef Sanji’s very own cookbook, egg-stuffed chicken!
It’s simple, nutritious and boy is it tasty. Full ingredients and recipe all after the jump >
One fun way to see what anime or game series are currently popular with kids and otaku in Japan is to visit an arcade and take a look at the prizes up for grabs in the crane machines, or UFO catchers, as they’re often called in Japanese.
Unlike North America, arcade culture is still going strong in Japan and UFO catchers are one of the main attractions. Always found on the first floor of arcades, these machines are stocked with the latest limited-edition figurines and plushies of popular characters, many of which can only be acquired as UFO catcher prizes (or on Amazon at obscene prices).
Japanese toy company Banpresto has announced their newest lineup of CRANEKING arcade-exclusive prizes, available this October. Check what toys are hot on the Japanese arcade scene below!
Station of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line
Japanese train station vending machine has the best souvenirs for rail otaku
Japanese government will check and judge new baby name pronunciations, presents guidelines
Kura Sushi has a new parade-delivered whole cake dessert, but what’s it like to eat?【Video】
One of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frost
Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
This downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the past
Japan’s top 10 food travel destination prefectures【Survey】
Sailor Moon and J-pop mega-star Ayumi Hamasaki team up for collaboration, pre-defeat scalpers
Police called out to investigate suspicious Santa in WakayamaJapanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glassesThis downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the pastOne of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frost
Studio Ghibli showcases traditional craftsmanship with new wallet rangeStation of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line
Mysterious light-up rainy night-sound Totoro figure doesn’t actually show a scene from the anime
Major Japanese city is abolishing extracurricular activities at all of its middle schools
Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke plushies show a softer side of formidable Ghibli characters
Shakey’s is back! All-you-can-eat pizza chain returns to downtown Tokyo’s ShinjukuJapanese government will check and judge new baby name pronunciations, presents guidelines
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Uniqlo announces first-ever collaboration with horror manga master Junji Ito【Photos】
J-pop mega star Ado reveals she’s been living in the U.S., may not understand language acquisition
Starbucks Japan is calling it quits with paper straws
Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fans
Japan’s most popular castle raising ticket prices by up to 200 percent for non-local tourists
Furikake rice seasoning sales are soaring, which is bad news for Japan as a wholeJapanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
Studio Ghibli heroine cardigans give you warmth and strength to face everyday challenges
Eight unforgettable hot springs, as recommended by Japan’s “Professor Bath”
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengersPossessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
[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
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
This downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the past
Japan’s top 10 food travel destination prefectures【Survey】
Sailor Moon and J-pop mega-star Ayumi Hamasaki team up for collaboration, pre-defeat scalpers
Police called out to investigate suspicious Santa in Wakayama
Celebrating legal marriage days in Japan with budget-friendly photoshoots
Tokyo’s “commuter boat” is an awesome hidden way to see the city from the water for dirt-cheap
Makers of Dassai to brew sake in space and sell 100 milliliters for 100 million yen
Totoro towels gently glow in the dark to set the Ghibli nighttime mood in your home【Photos】
Looking for a Japanese convenience store souvenir? Seicomart has a legendary hit product for fans
Melon topped with ice cream: two great Hokkaido tastes in one crazily delicious package
Japanese-style accommodation at the new Premium Dormy Inn hotel in Asakusa will blow your mind
Studio Ghibli adds more magic to its Kiki’s Delivery Service collection
Senkoji: The Japanese temple that’s more like a theme park to heaven and hell