RocketNews24 / Bringing You Yesterday's News From Japan and Asia, Today (Page 81)

A Very PokeChristmas: Pokemon Center Announces 2012 Christmas and New Year’s Goods

Oct 27, 2012 by Michelle
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Pokemon Christmas and New Year’s goods will soon be on sale at all seven of Japan’s official Pokemon Center stores. Pokemon Christmas goods will be released on October 27 followed by Pokemon New Year’s goods on November 3.

Here’s a sneak peak!

Oct 27, 2012 by Michelle
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Back in September, Nintendo released a limited edition Pikachu 3DS XL that was only available in Japan. The rest of the world was left staring longingly at the pictures of lucky residents of Japan lining up for four hours to purchase the adorable 3DS.

This week, Nintendo announced a new limited edition Charizard 3DS XL. Unfortunately, just like the limited edition Pikachu 3DS XL, the Charizard version can only be purchased in one of Japan’s seven Pokemon Center retail stores.

However, this time, even those who live in Japan will have a hard time getting their hands on this ultra-exclusive limited-edition 3DS XL because it will only be available to the winners of a lottery drawing.

Oct 27, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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Have children who keep misbehaving? Want to terrify them? We’ve got just the thing!

What the motivation behind these haircuts was, we don’t know. Perhaps, in an act of compassion, the animals were being helped to cool off? Perhaps the animals were worried about blending into the pack and were simply seeking a sweet new style to call their own?

Whatever the reason, as we see in the following photo gallery, creatively trimming an animal’s fur can result in sometimes hilarious, sometimes terrifying, sights…

Oct 27, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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We couldn’t quite call this a “fashion”, but it certainly is a growing trend.

On the streets of urban Japan, girls with skirts so short that you could be fooled into thinking they’re not wearing one at all, or women strolling around with thigh-high stockings or boots are such a common sight that few people bat an eyelid anymore.

For perhaps decades, though, the sight of a Japanese woman with large breasts, let alone with cleavage on show, has been something of a rarity. So much so that, walking through the streets of Shinjuku recently, even my wife stopped to whisper a quick “oh my” when a young lady with a particularly prominent pair strode by us, the top two buttons of her shirt open and her goods jiggling up and down.

While most Japanese women are still shy of showing off their cleavage, however, their breasts are becoming more and more noticeable as the straps of their bags cutting across the middle of their chests and pulling their clothes tight. Whether it’s an intentional act or not, publications dedicated entirely to photos of girls with bag straps lodged between their breasts have suddenly arrived both online and in bookstores across the nation, prompting the creation of an entirely new word- paisura.

Are we witnessing the birth of a new fetish here, or simply the outing of a preexisting one? Read More

Double Drink Bottles a Hit in Korea, Especially with the Hopelessly Indecisive

Oct 27, 2012 by Master Blaster
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RocketNews’ ever faithful correspondent, Kuzo, stumbled upon a new type of drink while traveling abroad. The bottle is divided down the middle with one side containing 100% orange juice and the other holding grape juice.

The cap has two separate spouts and lids, so if you want a sweet treat of grape juice just do that side. If you feel a cold coming on then go the other way for a vitamin C boost.

Or if you want to really take a walk on the wild side, flip them both up for a very loosely mixed orange/grape blend.

Oct 27, 2012 by Yoshio
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Japanese and Korean men seem to be getting all the attention whenever Asian men are mentioned. Indeed, Chinese men have been neglected by both local and foreign women for the longest time.

But this summer, Chinese men were brought into the limelight once again with “All About Chinese Men 2012,” a survey conducted by the lady’s column of Chinese website 163.com. Over 25 million men and women gave their opinions on a wide range of issues –ranging from fashion, money, work and personal lives- concerning today’s Chinese men.

Oct 27, 2012 by Master Blaster
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Earlier this month, Liu Wangqiang and Lu Zhong, two men in their twenties, celebrated their marriage in the streets of Fuzhou with a few friends and over a thousand assorted well-wishers. That’s not to say that China is one big Pride Parade by any stretch.

There has been a considerable number of opposing views on China’s Twitter, Weibo and even the Fuzhou government strongly opposed this ceremony. Adding in the fact that this marriage isn’t legal, it all makes one wonder why anyone would be against these guys.

China and every other East Asian country lacks the Judeo-Christian foundation of Western countries, yet same-sex marriage is, strangely, officially frowned upon. It’s a mystery that’s always puzzled me since moving to Japan.

Oct 27, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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A 28-year-old single mother from the town of Fuchu, Hiroshima was arrested earlier this month after causing the death of her 10-year-old daughter, exposing a long history of abuse and neglect in the family.

Over at NicoNico News, a heart-rending story reveals the broken family’s background and details the sad details of the girl’s early years. Perhaps even more tragically, though, we learn that the girl– who spent much of her life in care– once sent her abusive mother a letter in which she states how much she loves her.

Oct 27, 2012 by Master Blaster
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Japan was recently dealt a blow in the irony sector by arch rivals China. Earlier this year, a story about Japanese police on the lookout for Japanese police drew mild chuckles whilst readers continued sipping their tea.

However, this photo of a Lanzhou fire department on fire is currently being touted as “the best joke in the country” on China’s microblogging site Sina Weibo where it was originally uploaded.

Oct 26, 2012 by Steven
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The woman you see in the image above is Mana Izumi, a 23-year-old Japanese adult video (AV) actress. Izumi made her AV debut in 2009 and has since made a name for herself as one of the most sought-after actresses sporting the gyaru style, a Japanese street fashion characterized by, among other things, bleached hair, a dark tan, and of course, lots of makeup.

You could say that Izumi has secured a stable position in the industry— a feat not easily accomplished, mind you—because of everything she wears. So it’s understandable that the only thing fans would want her to take off are her clothes, and that her reputation may have taken a hit when photos of Mana Izumi without any makeup was leaked on the internet earlier this week.

Take one more good look at the photo above, for what is once seen cannot be unseen.

Oct 26, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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A woman from the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina has sold her virginity online, with a Japanese national winning the auction.

The sale has caused outrage online, with many arguing that the the deal amounts to little more than prostitution, but the woman, who has grand plans for the money, thinks otherwise…

Oct 26, 2012 by Michelle
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Someone is watching the drivers in Tianjin, China. A giant, creepy someone.

Known as Sadako in the original Japanese version of the horror film, The Ring, the undead woman is seen peering over the top of highway billboards.

Oct 26, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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In perhaps one of the best practical jokes ever, Omocoro‘s Editor-in-Chief Tetsuya Shimoda and his co-workers decided to give their friend Mr. Yamaguchi a rather unique gift upon hearing the news of his marriage.

Always taking pride in their presents and already with a reputation for planning great practical jokes, Shimoda and friends hatched a diabolical scheme to send their newly-wedded pal something very special: a life-size model of a zebra, big enough to take up most of the space in any room of their unwitting friend’s house.

And, luckily for us, they documented the entire plan from its conception to glorious finale…

Oct 26, 2012 by Master Blaster
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In recent years, Japan has been inundated with phone scams like one known as Ore Ore Sagi (“Hey it’s me!” Con). This involves a young man calling an elderly woman pretending to be her son. He then claims he was in some kind of trouble and asks her to send money via bank transfer.

In a completely new take on this well-known scam, Shigeyuki Goto was arrested on suspicion of extortion and attempted extortion by phone. However, instead of the typical monetary gain he was hoping his victims could sing him a song.

Oct 26, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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The clever minds at prestigious Keio University in Tokyo have created a new device that makes the rear seat “disappear” when reversing, and have released a new video demonstrating how, with its help, the sometimes arduous task of reversing into a space could soon become a breeze.

Tinkering around with a modified Toyota Prius, the university’s graduate research team have been putting their latest technology through its paces by having a driver with a particular fear of reverse parking give the maneuver a shot both with and without the device installed…

Oct 26, 2012 by Steven
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In their seemingly endless quest to experience the softness of a woman’s breast, our Japanese reporters in Tokyo caught word of a store in Beppu, Oita, that sells manju (steamed pork buns) that look and, presumably, feel like boobs.

We think you know what happened next.

Oct 26, 2012 by Philip Kendall
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While browsing online store Amazon, you’ve no doubt stumbled upon a few interesting or downright strange reviews of products written by fellow shoppers. Some of the reviews are both well written and informative, helping us make the best purchasing decisions possible; others, meanwhile, might cause us to wonder how the human race has survived this long, or make us consider contacting the authorities.

One review on Amazon Japan, however, has caught the attention of hundreds of shoppers and has become something of a talking point online.

The review, written by a self-professed middle-aged man, is of a videogame that sees gamers select clothes for, dress and style young women as fashionably as possible, and is intended mainly for the younger female audience.

This male reviewer, however, was incredibly taken with the title, going so far as to say that it has changed the way he sees the world…

Oct 26, 2012 by Steven
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In the early 1950s, American mathematician and engineer Claude Shannon built a device that looked like a simple wooden casket with a single switch on the side. When the switch was thrown, the lid would rise slowly and a mechanical hand would emerge from beneath. The hand would slowly reach over to the side of the box, flip the switch off and retreat back　into the box, whereupon the lid would snap shut.

Shannon called the device the “Ultimate Machine,” and since its invention, it has been reconstructed and revised under a number of different names, such as the “Useless Box”　or “Leave Me Alone Box.” While all of these iterations are entertaining in their own right, a recent video by a Japanese university student has the internet buzzing that, more than 50 years later, Shannon’s Ultimate Machine may have finally been perfected.

Oct 26, 2012 by Master Blaster
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This bridge located in Xi’an, China connects the villages of Huang and Xuejia. Completed in 1983, it proved to be an essential tool for the economic well-being of each village by facilitating local trade.

However, water erosion caused two major collapses in 2008 and 2010 left it in the state you see now. So far, attempts by local officials to repair the bridge have been unsuccessful, leaving residents with little choice but to roll the dice and tread carefully across the thin strip of concrete still spanning the river.

Oct 25, 2012 by Michelle
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Earlier this year, we reported on the world’s first boardable, commercially available mecha (aka giant robot). At the time, KURATAS, standing at 3.8 meters tall and weighing in at 4,500 kilograms (about 5 tons), was not yet available for purchase and we were only given a vague release date of “sometime later this year.” Fans of Gundam/things that are awesome were left in the dark, wondering when their dream of owning a diesel-powered robot would finally be realized.

Ladies and Gentlemen, “sometime later this year” is NOW!

Suidobashi Heavy Industry is currently accepting orders for KURATAS at the cool price of 100 million yen (US $1.25 million).