Yesterday at 8 p.m. Japan Standard Time, Kyoto-based video game giant Nintendo broadcast a brand new episode of its unique Nintendo Direct online presentation series, which the company uses to showcase new games and bring fans news on upcoming releases. Last night’s broadcast was somewhat unusual, however, in that popular Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto joined industry legend and creator of Super Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, to play a little of the highly anticipated upcoming Wii U title Pikmin 3. Today, as well as with discussion of the beautiful new Pikmin outing, online bulletin boards are abuzz after the conversation between the two men both raised eyebrows and got a surprising amount of laughs from viewers at home.
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While China is lamenting its soccer program they can take heart knowing that their table tennis skills are second to none thanks to athletes such as current world and Olympic champion Zhang Jike and third-place Xu Xin who can be seen in this video rallying it out like the pros they are.
However, at one point in the video, Zhang pulls out a secret weapon that no one–especially Xu–could have seen coming: the bottom of his shoe.
A chance encounter on the roads of Thailand led Mike Swift to take a video of a biker so awesomely weird that he put it out on YouTube as soon as possible. At first you’ll notice the pet bird which obediently flies alongside the woman as she rides, which is wild enough, but you’ll soon find that this little half-minute clip is deceptively deep.
In the world of popular manga and anime series, Attack on Titan, making it into the Recon Corps is difficult. For some it means training from a very early age. So one mother, hoping to enlist her 5-month-old daughter, has started by fashioning an authentic-looking Recon Corps uniform from scratch.
She outlined the process in a video titled: [Attack on Titan] Mother tries sewing Recon Corps uniform for daughter which has drawn over 1,800 comments on NicoNico, 1,000 of which are “kaawaaiiiiii!”
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Aki-chan. She’s adorable and highly intelligent–a desirable combination in any girl, wouldn’t you say? All right, so maybe she’s a bit on the hairy side, but that’s not really her fault, because … well, she’s not human.
And as you can see from the video we have for you below, while Aki-chan may not be a member of the Homo sapien species, she certainly has a delightful trick up her sleeve (even if she isn’t wearing anything with sleeves)!
Do you have that one friend who always beats you at air hockey? Do you have a friend who simply smirks as you complain that they went over the line or that your paddle slipped?
Chiba University has come up with something that ought to wipe that smirk off even the best human air hockey player.
Shot by a couple during a visit to Cambodia and uploaded to YouTube just last week, the following video treats us to a ride on one of Cambodia’s “bamboo trains” — worryingly shaky, home-made bamboo pallets balanced on a pair of train wheels and fitted with a disconcertingly large engine.
After all, what trip abroad is complete without experiencing some potentially perilous activity that you’d never dream of doing in your own country?
It is believed that AKB48’s Tomomi Itano will be leaving the massive pop unit to pursue her solo career sometime around August this year. Itano has also released her fourth single as a solo artist, entitled “1%”, on 12 June.
To help promote the song, the Tomomi Itano 1% Dance Trial 2013 is underway in which anyone can upload a video of themselves dancing to 1% on YouTube for a chance to perform alongside the idol in her next video.
The event has already drawn the likes of professional dancers, internet personalities, and of course Mr. Sato.
For many fitness enthusiasts, exercising in front of a TV while perched a Nintendo Wii balance board might seem like a bit of a joke, and we’re sure that yoga is the last thing on many gamers’ minds when they power up their machine. So when we first caught sight of the following video from Nintendo we weren’t quite sure what to make of it. As it turns out, though, as well as introducing not one but two new Super Smash Bros games for Wii U and 3DS, with new characters to boot, the video itself is actually quite awesome.
The spider crab is the largest living crab on the planet and, as its name suggests, looks like the terrifying offspring of the unholy mating of a coconut crab and a Goliath tarantula. So it’s no wonder that watching one of these monstrosities shed its entire exoskeleton is nightmare-inducing, as this video shows.
The man brought us the jaw-dropping stop motion videos of battles between iconic Dragon Ball and Street Fighter characters has done it again! This time, he’s brought The Legend of Zelda‘s sword-wielding hero Link to play, and he’s got a sexy gun-toting pal with him…
Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, thrilled gamers today when he declared that the company will not impose any restrictions whatsoever on used games. Suffice it to say, the crowd at E3 went wild.
Seconds after the announcement had been made, a video appeared on Sony’s YouTube channel that simultaneously shows how easy it is to trade games with friends while poking fun at competitor Microsoft. Check it out after the break.
If you’re getting a bit sick of seemingly endless cat videos and GIFs (although we can’t imagine why!), then maybe it’s time for something different. Perhaps this could be the Year of the… Rabbit?! (Yes, we know that was technically two years back, but it’s catchy).
The answer to that question: not a lot.
If you’re coming to the end of your relaxing weekend and aren’t looking forward to the week ahead, we have just the video to lift your spirits! (Yes, of course it involves cats).
If you grew up with Pokémon, you probably spent years wishing deep down that they were real and you could have one. Let’s be honest, you still want one, no matter if PETA thinks you’re a monster for doing so. Well, a couple of guys from California went on the hunt to find a real Pikachu, not in the Viridian Forest, but around their neighborhood, and you might be surprised at what they found.
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For one reason or another, PSY’s big bandwagon never really made it to Japan. In fact, the country is so fed up with the Korean pop star that they’ve convinced themselves his overseas popularity is a well maintained lie and his YouTube views come from hired hands hitting refresh. So, it’s unsurprising that they were equally unsurprised, and perhaps a bit vindicated, to hear that PSY’s appearance on American Idol corresponded with record low ratings for the show.
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There’s something quite wonderful about the humble french fry. That combination of starch and grease, the crunchy outside and fluffy inside; it stimulates something deep in our reptile brains to create a tuber-induced euphoria. We could easily plow into and finish a new Mega Potato in one sitting; that’s child’s play. But there must be some upper limit to the amount of golden, crisp french fries one single human being can eat at one time, right? Right?!
Throughout my time in Japan I’m often reminded of how “awesome” I am at using chopsticks at every possible moment by the locals (a phenomenon compounded by my being left-handed).
Yet despite this excessive praise for eating like a human, I still feel I have a lot to learn about manipulating said utensils with more poise and grace. That’s why I’m excited to have found this instructional video that has answered all my questions and more.
Please, join us in learning how to use chopsticks like an expert through this video. And for all our Asian friends who think they have chopsticks mastered, I’m sure there is something for you to learn too!
The Abashiri Brewery in Hokkaido which, judging by its website, really is some kind of beer-themed Willy Wonka side project, boasts what may be the world’s first naturally blue beer.
Always ready to get drunk for the sake of our readers, RocketNews24 took it upon ourselves to investigate this mystifying beer anomaly, appropriately named the Ryuhyou Draft (“Ice Floe Draft”), at a beachside pub. Read More














Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality
Anime fans can now wear a Seiko watch inspired by Japan’s One Piece Shinkansen
Hiker needs to be rescued from Mt. Fuji two times in two days, but system is working as intended
German woman rescued from Mt. Fuji after suffering altitude sickness symptoms, hiking to peak anyway
KFC Japan unveils new Tsukimi collection that takes moon-viewing to extreme levels
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Ninja theme park suddenly closes in Japan, shadow warriors undone by shady real estate deals
The Japanese government is ending its Cool Japan Fund program
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
German woman rescued from Mt. Fuji after suffering altitude sickness symptoms, hiking to peak anyway
KFC Japan unveils new Tsukimi collection that takes moon-viewing to extreme levels
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Ninja theme park suddenly closes in Japan, shadow warriors undone by shady real estate deals
The Japanese government is ending its Cool Japan Fund program
Masturbatory aid maker Tenga releases officially licensed anime versions in Japan and U.S.
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
Why do foreign tourists queue up to eat at Tokyo Little House?
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
Kyoto’s Meiji-era mansion opens a private tearoom with stained glass for just one day
Japanese man arrested after pretending to be foreigner while trying to rob convenience store