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Onion Note: The crazy notebook that makes you cry when you write in it 【Video】

Casey Baseel
Jul 14, 2014
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In putting together an article for RocketNews24, I use just a laptop for the vast majority of the process. On rare occasions, though, it’s quicker or more convenient to grab a notebook and pen to jot down ideas or outline a story.

As much as I love writing, the physical act of putting pen to paper doesn’t really hold all that much mysticism to me. I’m not sure exactly why, but it might be because I’ve got terrible penmanship. In order to form letters that I’ll actually be able to go back and read later, I have to concentrate so intensely that I just don’t have the leftover mental capacity to get emotional about the subject at hand.

Soon, though, there’ll be a way for anybody to get misty-eyed, no matter how bad their chicken scratch, with a notebook that’s scientifically designed to make you cry when you write in it.

Namakopuri: The inexplicable “art idol” group you will hate yourself for loving【J-Tunes】

Preston Phro
Jul 12, 2014

Japan is known, fairly or unfairly, for weird music. We’ve introduced plenty of bands that simply produce great music and other groups that are a bit out there. And make no mistake–we love them all! Sometimes “weird” is just part of the music–after all, David Bowie wouldn’t be David Bowie if he didn’t leave us wondering what planet he was really born on.

Namakopuri, an “art idol” group that consists of two young artists dressed in nurse costumes, is certainly on the weird end of the spectrum. In fact, we might even go so far as to say that their new video, “Namakopuri’s Trap,” is the weirdest thing we’ve seen all week. It’s also insanely catchy; we promise you’ll be hearing it in your dreams–or maybe nightmares–tonight!

Japanese snack giant Calbee makes its chips the star ingredient with unusual fast food venture

Casey Baseel
Jul 11, 2014

Here at RocketNews24, we’re no strangers to the culinary charms of extremely meaty hamburgers. Time and again, we’ve seen chefs in Japan push the burger envelope by offering increasingly massive sandwiches.

Today, though, we’re looking at the polar opposite: a bun-based sandwich with no meat at all. While a lack of beef may run counter to our baseline burger beliefs, there’s one important detail that turns this from sacrilegious to scrumptious.

The patty has been replaced by potato chips.

Tottori City’s starving mascot makes waves and suddenly disappears

Master Blaster
Jul 10, 2014

From December of last year until this February, Tottori City held an open call for mascot ideas for a character to represent the Tottori Castle ruins. The ruins were named one of Japan’s 100 notable castles and have enjoyed an influx of tourists.

The mascot idea which came in second place was Katsue-san, the starving farm girl. When the announcement of Kazue hit, the internet lit up with excitement. However, she mysteriously disappeared from the Tottori City website soon after.

Does the way you cross your arms say anything about your personality? Japan thinks so

Mike
Jul 10, 2014

Everybody, go ahead and cross your arms right now. Done? Alright. Now, try to cross them the other way. If you’re currently crossed with right forearm on top, try to switch position so that your left forearm is on top. Feels incredibly awkward and unnatural, doesn’t it?

It turns out most people have a natural bias for arm-crossing direction, with slightly more than half of most global populations preferring the left-forearm-on-top approach, although the two preferences are basically 50-50. Some people apparently cross their arms either way without even thinking about it, although this population is exceedingly small.

So why do we humans find one way so natural and the other way so incredibly weird-feeling? It may have something to do with your psychological composition, according to the (admittedly somewhat unreliable) Japanese Internet.

All-black chicken is the second most metal bird you’ll ever see

Mike
Jul 8, 2014

There’s something about the color black that gets people all kinds of excited. In many countries, it’s associated with bad omens, mystery, the supernatural, and even magic. But in the West, it’s most commonly associated with one thing only: METAL.

And so it is that in the eyes of Indonesians, the Ayam Cemani is a prized breed of pitch-black chicken that probably portends good luck or something, but to the Western eye, it’s the second most metal bird we’ve ever seen.

Japan’s sobbing politician set to make everyone get wild in the club with dubstep remix 【Video】

Casey Baseel
Jul 7, 2014

Until about a week ago, Ryutaro Nonomura was a relatively unknown prefectural assemblyman from Hyogo in Japan’s Kansai region. Name recognition is extremely important for politicians in Japan, where ballots often require voters to write in the name of the candidate they’re voting for, so under normal circumstances the fact that the whole country now knows who Nonomura is would be a major boon for his political career.

Unfortunately, “manically crying while responding to allegations of misuse of government funds” is anything but normal, but that’s exactly what has caused Nonomura’s sudden rise to fame. Aside from making citizens shake their heads at the conduct of public officials, Nonomura’s meltdown has caused people to both laugh and cringe.

And now, it’s ready to make them dance.

This guy puts pants on like a champ…without using his hands

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jul 6, 2014

We’ve seen a lot of things here at RocketNews24, from unholy Thomas the Tank Engine doodles to Ladybeard and Sailor Suit Old Man, but we’ve never seen anything quite like this before.

The following video needs no introduction, so sit back, relax, and enjoy footage of a young man from China putting on his own pants without using his hands to the tune of “The Final Countdown.”

Tokyo restaurant’s awesome pickled avocados contain 30 years of flavor

Casey Baseel
Jul 5, 2014

Recently, we dined on a gigantic, gooey, and glorious cheeseburger. We were glad we did, but honestly, in one sitting we consumed enough beef to last us a week.

So for our next meal out we decided to head for the opposite end of the dining spectrum in both ambiance and ingredients, and headed to a different part of Tokyo to try their pickled avocados with a flavor that’s been over 30 years in the making.

Want bigger breasts? Just paint them on, says Japanese fashion magazine

Casey Baseel
Jul 4, 2014

While some have argued that a woman can increase her bust size by eating a bunch of hamburgers or copious amounts of frog fallopian tube, not every woman who’d like to project a more voluptuous image wants to reach that goal by changing her diet.

Some instead turn to visual subterfuge, such as buttoning their shirt out of order to create the illusion of having a larger chest. That technique won’t help you much once swimsuit season rolls around, though, which is why one Japanese fashion magazine is suggesting a non-wardrobe related way to give yourself larger-looking breasts: paint them on.

Sunburned Super Famicom catches collector’s eye

Casey Baseel
Jun 30, 2014

As the rainy season in Japan begins to wind down and we head into the sweet spot of midsummer, more and more people are hitting the beach and working on their tans. For followers of a certain fashion aesthetic, there’s nothing more appealing than a beautifully bronzed body, which holds true whether we’re talking about men, women, or even video game consoles, it seems.

Real life 127 hours? Chinese woman gets stuck between giant rocks【TomoNews Video】

TomoNews
Jun 28, 2014

A recurrence of 127 Hours in real life in China?! Luckily, it was really only an hour. And no penknife was needed.

Photos of Gollum-like creature spotted in China turn out to be a sci-fi actor taking a pee

Philip Kendall
Jun 27, 2014

The good thing about being out in the woods when nature calls is that, short of letting rip on a nest of angry fire ants, nature usually doesn’t mind where you go.

It’s probably a good idea not to take a bathroom break while dressed like a creature from The Lord of the Rings, though, or chances are you’ll scare the life out of passing tourists and end up with photos of your peeing self all over the internet.

Freak hailstorms hit Tokyo in June as winter rises from its icy grave

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

The weather in Tokyo can be a little unpredictable in June. Spring still wasn’t that long ago, and sometimes we’ll get a day with a cool breeze or nighttime temperatures low enough that you’ll want a windbreaker, or at least a long-sleeved shirt.

On the other hand, midsummer is just around the corner, and steamy, sweltering days with high humidity and temperatures aren’t at all unusual. On just about any day the cloud layer has the potential to turn into a squall, too.

One thing Tokyo usually doesn’t see at this time of the year, though, is hailstorms.

Guess what’s back, back again. Isopod case is back, tell your friends! Comes in gold…!

KK Miller
Jun 25, 2014

What’s popular in Japan? You probably wouldn’t be able to guess. Take Nameko for example. They are mushroom characters that are actually quite cute, but you end up not being able to look at real mushrooms the same again. There are also Mameshiba which are a series of bean characters meant to look like dogs. One of the biggest crazes sweeping the nation right now is Funassyi: a mascot character based on a pear that jumps, wiggles and screams. The Japanese love it!

So it’s really no surprise that a giant isopod cell phone case was made, completely sold out, gained a cult following and people demanded more of them. The prayers of those die-hard fans have been answered and the giant isopod iPhone case has returned and better yet, it now comes in a stunning gold color!

Is there any explanation for this creepy doll someone found in Singapore?

Mike
Jun 23, 2014

Is there anything creepier than finding an inexplicable, crazy-looking doll on the street? No, probably not.

Porcelain dolls especially have that sort of old-timey, “back when science couldn’t explain things” vibe that makes them even creepier than, say, a Cabbage Patch Kid you found in your now-adult sister’s closet. So it’s not surprising that when somebody found this one sitting at the base of a tree in Singapore, the Internet took notice.

World Cup players swap shorts after match

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jun 21, 2014

The World Cup, an event that brings thousands of people from all over the world together, has some beautiful moments – Neymar, of Team Brazil (who many are calling “the face of the World Cup”) busting into tears of pride at the climax of his nation’s anthem, Japanese fans cleaning their area after a losing game, and the always heartwarming tradition of exchanging jerseys after the match – to name a few.

But we’re not quite sure what to make of Ivan Rakitic of Croatia and Stephane M’Bia of Cameroon exchanging shorts after Wednesday night’s match. But we suppose we can count this as another one of those “beautiful moments.” After all, nothing says “good game, mate” like having your opponent’s ball sweat up in your nether regions. (Soccer ball sweat, you pervs!)

Always wanted to share a soda with your anime crush? Now you can

Casey Baseel
Jun 20, 2014

Poke around the murkier corners of anime stores, and you can find no shortage of lascivious merchandise such as huggable pillow cases, bed sheets, and waterproof “bath posters” plastered with images of the medium’s more popular characters. But what about the otaku who’s looking for a more chaste way to connect with his or her 2-D crush?

If your PG-rated date idea consists of playing miniature golf or going to the homecoming dance, you’re still out of luck. However, thanks to one creative fan you and your favorite anime character can now share a soda with two straws like a pair of 1950s lovebirds.

Denny’s Japan to launch microwaveable version of its 40th anniversary jambalaya dish

Philip Kendall
Jun 19, 2014

You know how you sometimes sit at home watching TV and find yourself thinking, “Man, I wish I could eat a Denny’s meal right now. But, like, from a cup…”? Neither have we, but apparently that product is a real thing and is coming to stores in Japan very soon.