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Joan Coello

Native to the sweltering lands of Singapore, Joan spent a substantial amount of her teenage years gnawing through translated versions of Japanese manga and dubbed anime. Picking up the language sparked off something in her to abandon years of education and experience in design to pursue a career in translation instead. After spending a couple of years localizing Japanese product packaging and mobile games for the English-speaking population, Joan gave in to her longing for the magical land of Japan and leapt into the arms of Tokyo (missing by a bit and landing in Kanagawa prefecture). In her free time, she continues to nibble on Japanese manga and anime, now savoring them in full authentic flavor.

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Posted by Joan Coello (Page 3)

Sexiest stickers ever? Boys’ love game maker produces official stickers of gentlemen’s nip-nips

Joan Coello
Oct 30, 2015
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Earlier this week, we took a look at Out Division, a boys love online game produced by BLobby, and its unique nipple matching memory game. Even among fans of the genre, people who generally enjoy the visual delight that is dishevelled men, some found the nipple-centric features of Out Division to be slightly disturbing and borderline ridiculous.

But it seems the game maker’s fixation with man nips doesn’t end there: BLobby has announced its participation in this year’s Animate Girl’s Festival, and it has prepared some rather eye-catching merch for the event…

Japan
(boys love • fujoshi • merchandise • online game • stickers)

Japanese boys love game wants players to unleash their libido, match some man-nipples

Joan Coello
Oct 28, 2015

Japanese game makers and gamers take their chosen medium of entertainment very seriously, and there are titles out there for just about every conceivable audience, even niche genres such as “BL” (boys love). Although it may seem like the audience for such titles may not be so big, there are numerous BL titles on the market to satisfy the desires of fujoshi gamers.

Even among the many titles, however, one particular game titled Out Division has managed to catch its players unaware with a unique take on the classic memory game. Fancy playing a game of nipple matching, anyone?

Japan
(boys love • fujoshi • online game • video games • weird)

Breakfast never looked cuter! Character toast, pancakes, doughnuts, burgers and more!【Pics】

Joan Coello
Oct 21, 2015

If you’re not much of a morning person breakfast can be tricky. Sure, it’s the most important meal of the day and heading out on an empty stomach is never a good idea, but at the same time the temptation of an extra 10, 15, 20 minutes in bed is often too much to resist.

If that’s the dilemma you face every morning, these plates of edible cuteness might just be motivation enough for you to haul your ass out of bed and sit down to a proper breakfast. Generous servings of cute after the break!

SE Asia
(breakfast • character food • cute food • Disney • food • toast • Totoro)

Taiwanese parody of Attack on Titan explores larger than life possibilities, hilarity ensues

Joan Coello
Oct 9, 2015

Fictional characters can get away with just about anything, especially if they dwell in a fantasy setting where superhuman abilities exist and extraordinary events occur. But even in such fictional worlds where anything is possible, many creators design their characters and settings with a certain amount of realism, perhaps to keep things relatively convincing and logical.

Take the characters of Attack on Titan for example. It is shown that the members of the Training Corps go through rigorous training in order to become official members of the military, so it’s understandable that they are physically fit and athletic. A Taiwanese variety program made a parody of the series, though, that proved exactly why the titan-slaying heroes and heroines have to keep their well-toned physique. Watch the clip after the break!

Taiwan
(anime • Attack on Titan • funny • manga • Parody)

Japanese man helps lost Taiwanese tourists, thanks them instead, warms the hearts of netizens

Joan Coello
Sep 17, 2015

Many of us may have experienced getting lost in a foreign land and needing assistance from a local person. In most cases, we thank the kind soul who lent us a helping hand, but have you ever received thanks from the person who helped you instead?

A Taiwanese tourist recently shared that during his visit to Osaka, he sought help from a Japanese man, who not only spent over 30 minutes making sure the foreign visitors made it safely to their destination, he even thanked the tourists for their help instead. Find out why after the break!

Japan, Taiwan
(international relations • kindness • moving • Tohoku Earthquake • touching)

Over 700 photos of men undressing! Because what manga artist doesn’t draw half-naked men, right?

Joan Coello
Sep 12, 2015

This may be a rather random question, but are you capable of drawing a man in various states of undress? Most of us can probably visualize how it should look, but turning those thoughts into illustrations doesn’t always come at a snap of the fingers.

Coming to the rescue of budding illustrators and manga artists is a new pose reference book dedicated solely to men undressing. From T-shirts to kimono to boxer briefs, this is probably the most educational book we’ve seen filled with men stripping off their clothes.

Japan
(art • boys love • illustration • manga • poses)

Fan fuses anime and reality in the same frame on tour of real-world Free! locations 【Photos】

Joan Coello
Sep 7, 2015

There are many instances of anime successes rejuvenating tourism in some lesser-known parts of Japan, and one of those towns that benefitted from an anime boom is Iwami of Tottori Prefecture, the setting location for the hit anime series Free!.

Even now, two years since Free! first aired, fans are still flocking to Iwami to drink in the atmosphere of the town where their favorite characters “live.” A Japanese fan recently went the extra mile to combine some of the anime scenes and actual locations into a single frame, creating awesome 2.5-dimensional images that went viral and triggered the feels in fellow fans. Check them out after the break!

Japan
(anime • cool • free • Tottori • travel)

Chinese mom thinks airline’s toilet is too small, makes her son poop in the rear cabin

Joan Coello
Sep 2, 2015

Anyone who has ever been on board a commercial flight would have probably noticed that aircraft lavatories tend to be smaller than regular public restrooms. Compact as they may be, though, the toilets on most commercial airlines provide enough room for an adult to get their business done. In fact, we’ve even heard of all those “mile high club” stories, so it’s probably all right to assume that those minimalistic restrooms are spacious enough for even two adults to slip in.

However, one Chinese mom on board a Shenzhen Airlines domestic flight felt that the toilet was too small, and made her son defecate on the floor of the rear cabin.

China
(airplane • crazy • gross • inconsiderate behavior • toilet • travel • weird • wtf)

Are you a sadist or a masochist? Two simple tests reveal everything — all you need are hands!

Joan Coello
Aug 17, 2015

Actually trying to communicate is probably the best way to get to know someone, but there are various other methods that people can use to try to learn about the personality of someone they’ve just met. Some claim that simply by observing the shape of someone’s nails, the way someone crosses their arms, or the way they style their bangs, you can make out bits and pieces of their personality.

Adding on to the never-ending list of unorthodox personality analyzing methods, we have today two simple tests that claim to be able to tell if a person is a sadist or masochist, just by observing the way they show you their hands. Which are you?

Internet
(fun • hand • Personality test)

Gotta catch em’ all, especially if they’re “Free!”

Joan Coello
Aug 5, 2015

Birds of a feather flock together, so the saying goes. And that concept applies to non-humans as well; it’s not uncommon for pets and their owners to act, and sometimes even look, somehow similar after spending years together. Even in the super popular anime and game series Pokémon, where the aim of the game is to collect as many pokémon as possible, many of the pokémon trainers in the series use pocket monsters that somehow resemble them.

But what the characters of the anime series Free! were pokémon trainers? Which creatures would they have under their well-toned wings? Find out as this Japanese fan puts her imagination to work in a series of awesome Pokémon x Free! crossover illustrations!

Japan
(anime • fan art • free • Pokemon • twitter • video game)

Kyoto’s newest anime mascot has a stinky name, is worried about garbage, and is a fairy

Joan Coello
Jun 10, 2015

The Japanese are rather enthusiastic when it comes to recycling. In most Japanese cities, domestic waste has to be separated into a minimum of three categories: combustable “raw” garbage, recyclable plastic and recyclable paper. Some areas have their residents splitting their trash into as many as 10 categories.

Even with that said, there’s probably no place in Japan more outreach than Kyoto when it comes to recycling plastic, as they’ve had a little magical help from a handsome new mascot: Gomi no Yousei (Fairy of the Garbage). Check out the bizarre recycling enthusiast after the break!

Japan
(anime • Kyoto • personification • plastic garbage • recycling • wtf)

From 0 to Lv 9999 badass in an instant! Online shop specializes in Japanese gangster fashion

Joan Coello
May 29, 2015

One of the many interesting sights in Japan is the myriad fashion styles that exist. Although trends come and go, there are certain characteristics in each fashion faction that distinguish them from the others. For example, gyaru are often associated with heavy fake eyelashes, colored contacts and dramatic hairstyles, lolitas are usually decked out in doll-like dresses with poofy skirts accentuated with lace and frills, and obasan (middle-aged women) from Osaka are known for their fondness of leopard prints.

As one would expect, since there are people who dress in a specific style, there have to be retailers who sell clothes and accessories that cater to their unique fashion needs. In the case of Japanese gangster fashion, we came across this incredible online retailer that claims to transform common people into gangsters in a matter of seconds with their fashion pieces. Check out this fashion badass after the break!

Japan
(fashion • gangster • online shopping • yakuza)

Taipei introduces taxi tours and 24-hour toll-free interpretation services for foreign tourists

Joan Coello
May 28, 2015

Hello, Rocketeers! Have our recent posts on cute Taiwanese girls, guys and pets gotten you wanderlusting for the fascinating lands of Taiwan? Well, if the language barrier is a concern, we have some exciting information!

Taipei’s city government has been working with the leading local taxi companies to roll out some city tour packages and 24-hour interpretation services to make travelling around Taipei easier for foreign tourists. All the details after the break!

Taiwan
(foreign language • Taipei • taxi • tourism • travel)

We are officially colossal with these free Attack on Titan face packs! 【Photos】

Joan Coello
Apr 29, 2015

“On that day, the writers of RocketNews24 received a grim reminder. We lived in the shadows of the Titans and had to become the Titans themselves to live in these cages we called the Internet.”

Free Attack on Titan face packs?! Of course we had to try it! We even made some customizations in an attempt to give Satosshi a run for his money, but alas, it seems that none of us have attained his level of Rocket-ness as of yet. Check out our titanic beauty experience after the break!

Japan
(anime & manga • Attack on Titan • beauty • face pack • freebie)

e.l.f. Cosmetics delights Frozen fans with an Elsa makeover in a book

Joan Coello
Apr 18, 2015

I subscribe to a handful of beauty gurus on YouTube, and the moment Frozen turned out to be such a mega hit, I knew I had to brace myself for a rush of Elsa-inspired makeovers taking over my subscription list. True enough, the Elsa-themed tutorial videos came in like a wrecking ball and suddenly my YouTube feed was flooded with women sporting blonde braids and smokey purple eyelids.

The thing about these makeup tutorials is that many of these YouTube beauty gurus have a rather extensive collection of makeup palettes and tools, so they can easily create different looks, but the average person might not own products in all the colors required to replicate Elsa’s look. That, was until e.l.f. launched their Disney Elsa makeup series that provided the full package at affordable prices. Check out the lineup after the break!

USA
(cosmetics • Disney • frozen • makeup)

Japanese netizens rewrite fairy tales in modern corporate situations so real they make us weep

Joan Coello
Apr 7, 2015

In this modern age and day, most of us spend our days running the rat race and getting worn down by work and school, which is probably why some of us fantasize about the happy endings of fairy tales to get away from real life for a while. But then reality slaps us in the face and reminds us that the birds and mice aren’t going to help you with your chores even if you can sing like Celine Dion, Prince Charming is not coming to whisk you away from your office desk, and your bills aren’t going to vanish even if you fall into a deep, deep sleep.

If the heroes and heroines in fairy tales existed in modern-day and had to work like the rest of us, would their stories still be filled with all that magical glitz and romance? Perhaps not. Japanese Twitter users have been re-interpreting some fairy tales from a corporate perspective, which was supposed to be a creative and entertaining activity, but the new tales were so close to home they couldn’t even laugh over them.

Internet, Japan
(business • corporate slave • fairy tales • fiction • funny • society)

Two wildly different characters, same voice actor. Twitter users share their shocking anime finds

Joan Coello
Apr 3, 2015

Are you an anime fan? Do you watch Japanese anime in their original Japanese dialogue? If your answer is “yes” for both questions, then you’ve probably had the experience of picking up on a familiar-sounding voice in a certain anime, Googling to uncover the seiyuu (voice actor in Japanese) behind the character, and then realizing that you’ve actually seen quite a few titles he or she has starred in.

Twitter users in Japan have been digging through the Internet for some drastically different performances from the same voice actor/actress, and sharing their surprising finds on Twitter. Check them out after the break!

Internet, Japan
(anime • games • seiyuu • twitter • voice actors • wtf)

Forget cat cafes, there’s a cafe in South Korea where you can hang out with sheep!

Joan Coello
Feb 25, 2015

Japan is home to hundreds of animal cafes where guests are able to hang out with cats, rabbits, and even owls as they sip lattes and cups of herbal tea. These establishments give their patrons, often people who live in rented accommodation in urban areas, a chance to interact with animals that they would not be able to keep at home due to a lack of space or strict “no pets” clauses in tenancy agreements.

In Korea, however, one particular cafe has upscaled the experience with something much bigger and fluffier than the common bunny, cat or pup. Check out this unique cafe which houses a pair of beautiful, friendly sheep!

Korea
(animals • cafe • cute • Seoul • sheep)

When K-pop clashes with Sci-fi, singing about PMS suddenly becomes a trendy thing【Video】

Joan Coello
Feb 23, 2015

PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) is something many women and men are familiar with. Women bear the brunt of it on a monthly basis, while some men are indirect victims due to the mood swings of the “PMS-ing” females around them.

I doubt anyone would disagree that PMS is in no way enjoyable, but for once, the monstrosity that messes up our lives on a regular basis is starting to look interesting as Korean pop idol Lizzy teams up with comedian Park Myeong-Su to sing about it. Check out the music video after the break!

Korea
(cute • K-pop • music video • PMS • women)

French literature classic ‘The Little Prince’ coming soon to cinemas as an animated film!

Joan Coello
Jan 28, 2015

Calling all movie-goers, animation fans and literature enthusiasts! It’s not often that we get the chance to pique the interest of individuals from these three groups all at the same time, but the animated version of The Little Prince, one of the most famed pieces of French literature of our time, is set to hit the big screens in the later half of this year! If you haven’t already seen the trailer, read on and get ready to be mesmerized!