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June, 2014 (Page 13)

A hilarious compilation of 12 problems people encounter while watching the World Cup

Krista Rogers
Jun 11, 2014
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While avid football (or soccer, if you prefer) fans around the world are ticking down the days until Thursday (the start of the FIFA World Cup) a popular YouTuber in Singapore is doing his part to ease their anticipation with a few laughs. He and his group of friends put together a brilliant video in which they recreate some common situations people find themselves in while watching game after game of the tournament. You can definitely relate to their list whether you’re a staunch supporter yourself or if you’re surrounded by people who are.

Which of the parodied scenarios can you sympathize with most?

Global, Internet
(FIFA • funny • problems • World Cup • YouTube)

These new Gamecube-style Wii U controllers are gorgeous, (almost) exactly what we wanted【E3】

Philip Kendall
Jun 11, 2014

As pretty much every gamer in the world no doubt already knows, Super Smash Bros. is coming to Nintendo Wii U and 3DS this year. Along with everyone else, we’re itching to play it, but every time we pictured ourselves taking a mallet to Kirby‘s pudgy pink face, the same thoughts kept coming back to bug us: Do we really have to play the game with Wii remotes or the Wii U gamepad? Are we going to have to buy those “pro” pads that we’re frankly not all that fond of?

Thankfully, a series of officially licensed controllers modelled on the Nintendo Gamecube controller that we once loved so dearly is due to arrive sometime around the Wii U game’s launch, and they’re preeetty! Details and photos direct from the E3 show floor after the jump!

USA
(controller • E3 • E3 2014 • Gamecube • nintendo • Super Smash Bros.)

Wolverine plays Just Dance 2015 at E3 – Why? We have no idea either【E3】

Philip Kendall
Jun 11, 2014

Do you like dancing? How about hairy men with adamantium claws? Then we have the perfect video for you!

USA
(E3 • E3 2014 • Just Dance 2015 • video games • Wolverine)

Overhauling your Gundam model for maximum cuteness

Casey Baseel
Jun 11, 2014

There’s a unique challenge for anime professionals working on a franchise with as long a history as Gundam, which aired its first episode 35 years ago. Since each new series does away with the war mechs of its predecessors, designers are always under pressure to come up with giant robots that look more powerful, technologically advanced, and, in the case of the villains’ machines, sinister than what fans have seen before.

With Gundam Unicorn’s NZ-999 Neo Zeong, piloted by baffling-named antagonist (and Toyota owner) Full Frontal, we think the animators did a pretty good job. From its sharp, angular lines, blood-red paint job, and the crevices in the sheet metal produce murky shadows, the mobile armor appears immediately menacing and dangerous.

Unless that is, you remove the head unit and replace it with a cute anime girl or kitty cat.

Japan
(anime • cute • Gundam • Hatsune Miku • Madoka Magica • toys)

Genius Korean method for unclogging toilets is probably more trouble than it’s worth

Mike
Jun 11, 2014

So, you’re at a party and having a great time. The girl/guy you’ve had a crush on since you walked in seems to be really into you, the drinks are flowing, and the host is cool. But then you realise you have to poop. Like, really bad.

You excuse yourself, get to the bathroom and do your business only to find that the party’s all-you-can-eat Indian curry and Taco Bell buffet was a little more than your body could handle. Now you’ve got 11 inches of stagnant water staring you down and the romantic interest you were hitting on is knocking on the door saying she’s next in line to pee.

Do you: A) reach for the nearby plunger, B) exit the bathroom complaining loudly about the mess that “someone” left, C) escape through the nearest window, or D) use one of these patented South Korean toilet seals to clean up the whole mess?

Internet, Korea
(funny • invention • life hack • technology • toilet • wtf)

This crazy Love Live anime tattoo just keeps going (and going) from here

Casey Baseel
Jun 11, 2014

By far the most popular series today among Japan’s ultra-hardcore anime fans is Love Live. With a bevy of cute girls, pleated skirts, pop idol competitions, and nary a prominent male character, it’s checked off enough of the necessary boxes to give it a solid pedestal on which its charismatic cast has been placed.

Fans of Love Live even have their own nickname, as it has become common to refer to them as Love Livers. Yes, grammatically that makes no sense, but you can’t expect the franchise’s fan base to stop and correct the odd nomenclature. They’re too busy celebrating the birthdays of Love Live’s dozen-plus idol singers by buying merchandise, sending online salutations, and, in the case of one fan, getting a giant tattoo of his favorite character that covers his entire – and we mean entire – back…

China
(anime • art • crazy • love live)

South Korean World Cup team pulls the ol’ switcharoo, changes player numbers to confuse rivals

Master Blaster
Jun 11, 2014

With the 2014 FIFA World Cup all set to start, the 32 qualifying teams are hard at work preparing for the final tournament and getting as many edges over the competition as possible in order to survive to the end.

However, with such drive and passion it’s only natural for some teams to go a little over the line in their preparation from time to time. That’s what seemed to have happened with the Korea Republic national team who came up with the idea of swapping most of their players’ uniform numbers in their games leading up to the tournament in order to protect their strategy from prying eyes of the competition.

Global, Korea
(FIFA • jersey • World Cup)

Kanji fail — Japanese parents shocked to learn their baby girl’s name has inappropriate meaning

KK Miller
Jun 10, 2014

What’s in a name? New parents often look for a name that they hope will embody the spirit of their child or be something that their son or daughter can wear with pride throughout their life, but even the most heartfelt monicker can prove awkward when taken out of context, and can be more funny than beautiful when heard by speakers of other languages.

For Japanese parents, the meaning of kanji characters used for a child’s name are just as important as how it sounds. Recently, however**, one young couple had the name they chose for their new baby daughter rejected** when they attempted to register it at their local town hall. It was probably a good thing, though, since the characters they had chosen had an altogether different, rather unpleasant, meaning that the couple were completely unaware of.

Japan
(awkward • baby names • funny • kanji • Parenting)

Soccer: Made in China?

Casey Baseel
Jun 10, 2014

It’s easy to trace the roots of American football and basketball, as they’re both comparatively recently developed sports. Things get a little more difficult with soccer, though.

While the world’s most popular sport got its first set of standardized competition rules in 1863, courtesy of England’s Football Association, the game had existed in various forms for some time before that. Several countries have since claimed to be the birthplace of soccer, but one now has the official recognition of the president of soccer’s international governing body.

According to FIFA President Sepp Blatter, soccer originated in China.

China
(culture • history • soccer • sports)

Chinese boy pees on public bus, passenger punches child’s mom【TomoNews Video】

TomoNews
Jun 10, 2014

Chinese citizens are often caught urinating and defecating in public places around Hong Kong and mainland China, but that didn’t stop this disapproving male passenger from taking matters into his own hands.

Internet
(public urination • punch • TomoNews • video • wtf)

Attack on beards! Schick and Attack an Titan team up for series of animated shorts 【Video】

Casey Baseel
Jun 10, 2014

When you stop and think about it, personal grooming should be everything to the man-eating giants of Attack on Titan. After all, it’s not like they can rely on their fashion sense to look their best, since they’re constantly naked.

By nature, though, giants have giant beards. So how do you fight back against so much facial hair? With a whole new branch of Attack on Titan’s military, as documented in three new animated shorts.

Japan
(anime • Attack on Titan • fashion)

Seven unbelievable jobs that actually exist in Japan

Oona McGee
Jun 10, 2014

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did you achieve your dream? If that’s got you thinking about a career change, you may want to look to the Land of the Rising Sun because in Japan there are some unusual employment opportunities available. From human dog food testers to bad smell specialists, we’ve found seven surprising jobs for you to consider. And they’re all ready and waiting for you in Japan.

Japan
(dogs • insects • jobs • shoes • vinegar • weddings • wtf)

Smell like your favourite sailor with the Sailor Moon Miracle Romance Eau de Toilette

Oona McGee
Jun 10, 2014

Sailor Moon’s ever-growing Miracle Romance cosmetics range is continuing the 20th anniversary celebrations with news of their most coveted release to date: the Eau de Toilette. Designed for adults, the fragrance features a delightful blend of fruity florals and earthy tones while the packaging includes adorable details fans will love.

Japan
(anime • manga • perfume • Sailor Moon)

Newsflash: PlayStation TV coming to the West this autumn

Philip Kendall
Jun 10, 2014

PlayStation TV, originally launched as PlayStation Vita TV in Japan, is coming to the US, Canada, and Europe this autumn, Sony has announced at E3.

USA
(E3 • E3 2014 • PlayStation TV • video games)

We make chocolate-covered potato chips

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jun 10, 2014

Potato chips and chocolate aren’t as obvious of a choice as chips and salsa, but the Royce Confectionary Company in Japan has had a impressive amount of success with their Potato Chip Chocolate snacks. With their sweet and salty flavor combination, these little treats are uncommonly satisfying. And even if you don’t live in Japan, you’re in luck, we have a super simple recipe just for you!
Read More

Global, Japan
(chocolate-covered • food • potato chips • recipe • sweets)

Park’s new water attraction is a dream come true for capybara lovers

Krista Rogers
Jun 10, 2014

Haven’t you ever secretly wanted to play with a pack of the world’s largest rodent? Even if you’re one of those people who don’t quite understand the allure of the water-loving capybara, a native of South America, the folks at Shizuoka Prefecture’s Izu Shaboten Park are on a mission to change your mind. The park is already famous for its capybara hot spring during the winter months, and it will soon add another capybara-themed attraction to its roster–the “Cabybara Rainbow Plaza,” in which you can actually engage in water play with the animals! How can you pass up this chance to play with Mickey Mouse’s bigger, perpetually spacey-looking cousins??

But don’t book your tickets quite yet, because the “Capybara Rainbow Plaza” opens on July 19. More details after the jump.

Japan
(capybaras • fountain • Izu Shaboten Park • Shizuoka • water)

Photos from the Xbox E3 2014 Media Briefing【RN24 at E3】

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jun 10, 2014

We’re out here in Los Angeles for E3, the largest annual video game and entertainment expo in the world, and we got things off to an awesome start at the Xbox Media Briefing on Monday. Check out our RocketNews24 exclusive photos and video from the event.

USA
(E3 • E3 2014 • Microsoft • video games • Xbox • Xbox E3 2014 Media Briefing)

Authentic Thai food in Thailand found in the least expected place

KK Miller
Jun 10, 2014

Thai food is fantastic; the flavors of sweet and spicy excite the taste buds like little else. But in a country as diverse as Thailand, how do you know which restaurant to visit? There are so many local eateries, how can you decide which one will be the best? Well, RocketNews24 has a recommendation for you, and it doesn’t matter what part of Thailand you are in, you will probably be able to find it.

The restaurant we recommend for you to try some authentic Thai food is…McDonald’s!

SE Asia
(breakfast • congee • McDonald's • rice porridge • Thailand)

Toyota shares its creative thinking to help charities become significantly more efficient

Angelina Lucienne
Jun 10, 2014

Over a year and a half after Hurricane Sandy ravaged New England, some people are still without permanent housing. The poorest populations in New York have been impacted the most, dependent on aid long after the rest of the city moved on. Several major companies got together to assist in the effort for aid, but Toyota had a novel contribution: efficiency.

Toyota sent experts to New York for eight weeks to help Food Bank of New York’s partner organization, Metro World Child, improve their methods, thereby helping to get food donations to as many people as possible using as few labor hours as possible. The improvements meant that the same resources were used to provide food to more families faster.