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March, 2013 (Page 3)

The Genesis of the Nintendo Famicom-Shaped Guitar: The Family Comguitar

Master Blaster
Mar 23, 2013
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Behold: a guitar shaped like an 8-bit Nintendo Famicom (NES) console with a pair of controllers! Aside from a few alterations, the body is nearly to scale with the game machine.

Let’s take a look to see how the designer going by the name Mitsumatsu made this monster musical machine.

Japan
(famicom • guitar • nintendo)

Wow Guests at Your Next Party with 50 Egg Yolks Straight from the Rice Cooker

Master Blaster
Mar 23, 2013

Here at RocketNews24 we are no strangers to excessive consumption of ordinary foodstuffs. We even once constructed a bowl of gyudon with 10 raw eggs on top.

Still, we have to doff our caps to this gent who dreamed a dream and successfully cooked 50 egg yolks in a rice cooker. We say “successfully” because the end result actually looks pretty good – if not lethal.

Internet
(cooking • egg • rice cooker • video)

SRF’s Earthquake Protection Strips Give New Meaning to “Band-Aid Solution”

Master Blaster
Mar 22, 2013

Dr. Shunichi Igarashi has surprised even himself with his line of Super Reinforcement with Flexibility (SRF) technology. SRF basically involves wrapping the columns and walls of building in adhesive strips.

The idea of gluing fabric on a building to protect it from the sheer force of an earthquake doesn’t sound very comforting. However, when Dr. Igarashi’s SRF was put to the test in the Great Tohoku Earthquake on 11 March, 2011, it passed with flying colors.

Japan
(earthquake • safety • technology)

We Use One of Japan’s Cheapest Corn Snacks to Create Delicious Fried Pork Cutlets

Philip Kendall
Mar 22, 2013

Following the enormous success of our cup noodle gourmet experiment, we decided that it was time to give a couple of other cheap and cheerful snacks an image overhaul by turning them into something a little more glamorous. This time around, we opted for Japanese kids’ favourite Umaibō (lit. “delicious stick”), a 10-yen (10 cents) puffed corn snack that’s available in all manner of flavours. With its dry, powdery exterior and rich taste, we couldn’t help thinking that it might go well with chicken or pork, so we decided to use a few in place of the breadcrumb coating for tonkatsu fried pork fillet.

As it turns out, the result was even more umai than we could have possibly imagined.

Japan
(food • tonkatsu • umaibou • weird)

Only 100 Limited Edition Matcha Green Tea Moon Pies On Sale, Cost More Than You Can Imagine

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Mar 22, 2013

Japan’s version of the Moon Pie, the Choco Pie, is almost identical to the American classic – sweet filling nestled between two pieces of white cake covered in chocolate. They are made by Lotte and have been delighting Japanese sweet lovers for 30 years.

Much like the Japanese versions of Pepsi, Kit Kats and Pringles, Choco Pies are getting a new limited edition makeover. Marketed under the name “Wa Choco Pie” (Wa meaning both “peace” and, in this case, “Japanese-style”), these special Choco Pies have been supersized to 12 cm (4.7in) and filled with matcha creme. However, unlike most limited edition foods in Japan, these special Choco Pies can only be purchased by entering into a lottery draw. They will also be sold for a ridiculous price.

Japan
(cake • choco pie • food • matcha)

Sega Fans Rejoice! Limited Edition Mega Drive, Saturn, Dreamcast-Themed Laptops on Sale Now!

Philip Kendall
Mar 22, 2013

If you’re a video game fan and in the line for a new laptop computer, it might be your lucky day! Japan’s Sega Store is currently accepting orders for specially designed notebooks designed to look like Sega’s late, great home consoles.

Short of dropping our current machines down the stairs or accidentally pouring coffee over them, we don’t necessarily need one per-se, but the more we gaze upon these photos, the more that little tech-loving devil inside us shouts the same word over and over and pumps gaming nostalgia into our bloodstream. Waaaant!

Japan
(cool • laptop • Sega • tech • video games)

Liar, Liar: Country Ranking of Fibbers Irritates Japanese TV Viewers

Jessica
Mar 22, 2013

On the Japanese TV show Nep & Imoto’s World Rankings, they conduct surveys to rate countries by random attributes. For example, recent shows have ranked everything from how common it is to cry at graduation ceremonies to the number of shotgun weddings and frequency of cellphone checking.

Another ranking that has generated some chatter in Japan was one people’s tendency to lie, which ranked … countries in accordance to how likely they were to bend the truth.

So where do you think Japan came in? Read More

Japan, Korea
(culture • wtf)

Yokohama Bikini Bar Promises Summer, Bleached Blonde Hair All Year Round

Philip Kendall
Mar 22, 2013

Catering for men who require a little more titillation than maid cafes can provide but not wanting to step into full-blown fuuzoku establishments, “girls bars” in Japan provide customers with a place to eat and drink while giving them something to look at and plenty of stilted conversation. A cheaper alternative to “hostess clubs”, girls bars are usually staffed by regular college-aged girls who don’t mind showing a little flesh and interacting with customers in an energetic, cutesy manner.

In a slightly different take on the genre, Yokohama’s Sexy Izakaya Natsuko focuses on the theme of summer all year round, dressing its staff in bikinis and sarongs while arming them with tambarines to bash while another member of staff juices grapefruits and serves food and drinks at your table.

Japan
(culture • food)

We Prove We Are Culinary Wizards by Turning Cup Ramen Ingredients into Delicious Gourmet Meals

Mike
Mar 21, 2013

Cup Ramen, known to Westerners as “Grade A college student feed,” is perfectly formulated with enough sodium and other preservatives to both fuel late-night study sessions and cure massive hangovers, but nobody’s ever accused it of being a gourmet food.

Global, Japan
(fast food • food • gourmet • Noodles)

Lawson Convenience Store Goes Dragon Quest X Crazy, Puts In-Game Goodies Up for Grabs

Philip Kendall
Mar 21, 2013

Never shy of running a cool promotional offer or two, Japanese convenience store Lawson has announced that it will be transforming one of its Tokyo outlets into a video game castle to mark the launch of the Nintendo Wii U version of hugely popular game Dragon Quest X. Even better, visitors to the store will be able to bag themselves a whole host of themed goodies and even unlock in-game items during the promotional period.

Japan
(convenience store • cool • Dragon Quest • Lawson • video game)

Sakura Mikuman Too Cute to Eat, We Do So Anyway

Master Blaster
Mar 21, 2013

The long standing collaboration between Japan’s premier virtual pop star and ubiquitous convenience store continues this spring with the Hatsune Miku de Sakura no Uta campaign.

Unfortunately, the campaign has been having a bit of a rocky start with the sexually suggestive Sakura Style Strawberry Cream Bread. So now it’s time to bring out the heavy artillery: Family Mart’s second version of a Hatsune Miku-themed nikuman (steamed meat bun), Sakura Mikuman.

Japan
(Family mart • food • Hatsune Miku • nikuman)

One Tool, A Million Uses: Chinese Army’s Fantastic “All-Purpose Shovel” 【Video】

Philip Kendall
Mar 20, 2013

Ordinarily, we wouldn’t even bother burning the calories required to click the link when presented with a video titled “Chinese Military Shovel” (especially when it means risking seeing that god-awful Gundam pachinko ad again). But after being recommended it by our Japanese sister site RocketNews24 Japan, we sat down to watch a demonstration of how China’s bravest men make the most of a tool that few of us would think of using for anything more than digging a hole in the ground or patting the tops of sandcastles flat with.

As it turns out, this is one handy little tool to have, with the Chinese military demonstrating some 24 different uses for it in this peculiar video. And we thought Swiss Army knives were versatile…

China, Internet
(army • cool • tech • video)

Forget Filthy Fingers, Soon Your Smartphone Can Check Your Pulse Just by Looking at You

Master Blaster
Mar 20, 2013

Fujitsu Labs recently announced it is finalizing technology which lets you check and monitor your pulse just by pointing a camera at your face. The company claims results can be achieved in as little as five seconds and doesn’t require complicated procedures or extra equipment.

The technology is compatible with ordinary smartphones as well as tablets, laptops, or desktops as long as they’re equipped with a camera.

Japan
(health • pulse • smartphone • technology)

Nintendo’s Top Dog Takes Luigi to America Prior to Release of New 3DS Title

Philip Kendall
Mar 20, 2013

No doubt there to promote the release of new Nintendo 3DS game Luigi’s Mansion 2 (known as Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon in the West), Shigeru Miyamoto – the creator of Super Mario, Zelda and Donkey Kong among others – was spotted hanging out with staff from Nintendo America in New York yesterday, not to mention looking exceptionally green. If only he’d arrived a few days earlier, this get-up would have worked pretty well for Saint Patrick’s Day, too.

Japan, USA
(Luigi • Miyamoto • nintendo • video games)

You Asked for It and Now It’s Here: See-Through Paper! You Did Ask for It, Right?

Master Blaster
Mar 20, 2013

On 18 March an announcement was made that shook the world of manufacturing. For centuries man has had to endure white paper for writing down notes, works of art, or fake telephone numbers from girls met in the bar.

Sure, there was the development of colored paper, but that’s just putting lipstick on a pig. The real innovation will come in the not too distant future when we will be able to enjoy paper the way it was truly meant to be – nearly invisible!

Think of the applications! Seriously, think about it, because we had to for a really long time.

Japan
(paper • science • technology • transparent)

Mixing Business with Pleasure: Take Your Nerdiness to Work with the Itasuit!

Philip Kendall
Mar 20, 2013

Who says the office is no place for scantily-clad girls with blue hair? Now you can look smart and professional while staying true to your animé roots with the latest in clothing for discerning otaku- the itasuit!

Japan
(clothes • cool • fashion • nerdy • otaku)

Japanese Resort Announces New Studio Ghibli Diorama Exhibition

Philip Kendall
Mar 20, 2013

Fans of Studio Ghibli’s work who are unable to make it as far north as the Ghbili Museum in Tokyo will no doubt be excited to hear that the Laguna Gamagori Resort in Aichi Prefecture has announced that it will host a special Ghibli diorama exhibition within its amusement park from now until the beginning of March next year.

Japan
(animation • cool • exhibit • model • Studio Ghibli)

Overhead Tablet Stand Makes it Easy to Use Your iPad While Lounging in Bed

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Mar 20, 2013

Last month we introduced a clever invention that held a heavy laptop over the user’s head, allowing anyone to use their computer while lounging in bed. This month we found a different version of the same concept: an overhead tablet stand. As long as they are sturdy enough to support the weight of their intended device, the laptop and tablet stands seem like useful products. But if the stands did fail and if you had to choose, we’re guessing you’d rather get a tablet to the face than a laptop. Read More

Japan
(funny • ipad • stand • tablet • tech • weird)

Pool Season is Just Around the… Dear God! Someone Help Them!

Master Blaster
Mar 19, 2013

It looks like winter is behind us in Japan now and we can soon look forward to taking a dip outdoors. However, it looks as if these people jumped the gun by a month or so and took the plunge early… with all their clothes on… carrying bags and sinking to the bottom like a stone…

What on earth is going on here?