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Krista Rogers

Starting with a love of J-Pop and J-dramas when she was 13, Krista Rogers has left her quiet New England hometown in the States both to study abroad in Tokyo and to work on the JET Program in beautiful Yamagata prefecture. She misses chatting in the local dialect and staging Kamehameha battles in the hallway with her students. Although she's currently working on her master's degree in Boston, she will without a doubt be back in Japan before long and buying way too much at Book-Off and Tower Records again. When she needs a break from schoolwork, Krista enjoys eating yakiniku, figure skating, finding cute cafes, watching Big Bang MVs, and continuing on her quest to catch 'em all.

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Posted by Krista Rogers (Page 57)

Japanese amateur vocalist Reol channeling Internet fame into solo album debut this summer

Krista Rogers
May 29, 2015
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Reol (れをる), a female Japanese vocalist who has gained immense popularity over the last few years through her releases on online video sharing sites, is set to make her major debut on July 29 under Victor Entertainment.

The singer’s first solo album will be titled Gokusaishiki (極彩色), which translates to “Richly Colored.” If the album’s title track is any indication, the rest of the album will be a fantastical feast for your ears as well!

Japan
(CD • Giga • Gokusaishiki • music • Reol • solo album)

Is AK48’s Chinese sister group even cuter than the original? Our reporter thinks so!

Krista Rogers
May 28, 2015

Ever heard of SNH48, AKB48’s second sister group outside of Japan? Based in Shanghai, China, the idol unit has been active since 2012, releasing a total of eight singles to date. These singles are all Chinese-language covers of previous AKB48 singles, including their latest release on May 15–the Chinese version of “Manatsu no Sounds Good!” (盛夏好声音).

Now, I’m not someone easily swayed by the cutesy “charms” of idol singers, but a female writer on our Japanese sister site recently wrote a piece expressing her opinion that SNH48 could possibly be–dare I write it–even cuter than the veritable goddesses of the original AKB48.

Take a moment to watch their latest music video and decide who you think is the cutest!

China, Japan
(AKB48 • c-pop • cute • Idols • J-Pop • music • Shanghai • SNH48)

Woman arrested for pocketing change worth US$370, claims she “didn’t notice”

Krista Rogers
May 26, 2015

On May 21, police in Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture arrested a woman on swindling charges after the cashier at a local store erroneously handed her an extra 45,000 yen (US$370) in change. The woman is denying the charges, claiming that she simply “didn’t notice” the large amount of cash she received in the transaction.

Japan
(convenience store • Ishinomaki • Miyagi • police • swindling)

Short animation “Snowstorm Traveller” whips up a figurative storm of applause

Krista Rogers
May 25, 2015

A short animation titled Snowstorm Traveller has, fittingly, taken the global internet by storm. Recent Canadian university graduate Gerri Jin created the video as part of her graduation requirements, and though it clocks in at a mere 3:46, video still delivers an engaging plot with an unexpected twist ending, so sit back and enjoy watching the result of all of her hard work!

Canada, Internet
(animation • Emily Carr University of Art and Design • Gerri Lin • Snowstorm Traveller • Vancouver)

Plastic model based on Hayao Miyazaki’s as-yet unreleased manga “Teppo Samurai” goes on sale

Krista Rogers
May 20, 2015

Since Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli fame announced his retirement in September 2013, many fans worldwide were left wondering what the prolific director – known to be a notoriously hard-worker – would be doing with all his free time. If you’re one of those people, listen up, because we’ve got some good news and bad news.

First, the bad news–one of Miyazaki’s first new projects post-retirement, a manga series titled Teppō Samurai (鉄砲侍/”Matchlock Samurai”), is currently stuck in indefinite limbo. But here’s the good news–a plastic figure modeled on the titular character has already been released, even without the manga being completed.

Japan
(figure • Hayao Miyazaki • manga • model • Shizuoka Hobby Show • Teppo Samurai)

Buy 2,000 identical CDs to visit hot springs with this idol group, save them from disbandment

Krista Rogers
May 19, 2015

Many Japanese idol groups, such as the mega-popular AKB48, package incentives in with their CDs to get fans to buy multiple copies of the same exact thing. In AKB48’s case, the group occasionally includes voting ballots within special “election singles” that allow fans to vote for the member that will be featured most prominently on a new song.

Like AKB48, up-and-coming rock idol unit DEEP GIRL is using a system of incentives to encourage fans to buy their debut single, which will be released this summer. However, the group is taking an even more drastic approach by using a tiered system of prizes–along with the very real threat that the group will be instantly disbanded if their song doesn’t make it into the Oricon Weekly Top Ten.

Japan
(campaign • Deep Girl • Idols • Oricon • rock)

7-Eleven teams up with Attack on Titan to bring you new video short, prizes galore!

Krista Rogers
May 19, 2015

Beginning on Friday, May 22, 7-Eleven stores across Japan will finally team up with the wildly popular Attack on Titan franchise to bring you a special lottery with all sorts of winnable prizes! Be sure to check out the details as well as an amusing new promotional video after the jump.

Japan
(7-Eleven • Attack on Titan • campaign • fair • prizes)

Pre-order the sleek new Batman figure envisioned by a prolific video game designer

Krista Rogers
May 16, 2015

Tetsuya Nomura is the mastermind behind this upcoming Batman figure, the likes of which you’ve never seen before. The 44-year-old video game artist/designer/director of Square Enix fame (he’s a veteran of both the Final Fantasy series and Kingdom Hearts) personally designed this version of the Dark Knight, and if you’re a fan of both his work and DC Comics, you’d better ready your wallet now!

Japan
(Batman • cool • figure • Final Fantasy • Tetsuya Nomura)

“Iron Women”: Airline safety officers in training endure rigorous drills for their future careers

Krista Rogers
May 12, 2015

At a vocational school in Chengdu (the provincial capital of southwestern Sichuan Province), China, potential candidates must undergo a rigorous training period in order to pass the test required to be a flight safety officer.

For those of you reading this from the comfort of home, sit back and be thankful that you’re not among these recruits, for whom daily training involves large quantities of mud and broken dishware!

China
(airline • China • flight attendant • safety officer • training)

Young Japanese artist crafts exquisite animal-shaped candy at his shop in Asakusa

Krista Rogers
May 12, 2015

Remember those traditional Japanese sweets from last summer that were simply divine? Oh, and let’s not forget those cupcakes that were almost too beautiful to eat!

Japan sure knows how to elevate its food to an unparalleled level of art, and today we’d like to introduce you to the works of another master Japanese craftsman of sweets. His life’s passion is creating exquisitely detailed animal-shaped candy, which are so astoundingly intricate that it probably won’t be long before a museum asks to put them on display!

Japan
(art • Asakusa Amezaiku Ameshin • beautiful • candy • craft • Shinri Tezuka • sweets)

Japanese net users react to online survey results about how men store their naughty files

Krista Rogers
May 11, 2015

Wait, what’s that? Men have naughty files saved on their computers?!

The MyNavi Woman web surveys have touched upon pretty much every topic imaginable, and this time around is no exception. During two weeks in April, the site surveyed male readers aged 22 to 39 about how they hide their scandalous pictures and videos from prying eyes, receiving 104 responses within the specified time frame. So just what kinds of schemes do they use to conceal adult content? Believe it or not, some of the men surveyed actually dished their actual techniques!

Japan
(computer • flash drives • folders • privacy • videos)

Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa is offering special ninja training and recognition for your children!

Krista Rogers
May 6, 2015

Hilton’s Odawara Resort & Spa, tucked away in Kanagawa Prefecture’s southwestern Odawara City, is offering something that you and your children simply can’t refuse: the opportunity for them to participate in special ninja training during your brief stay at the hotel!

Japan
(children • Hilton • Kanagawa • Ninja • Odawara • resort • spa)

Our reporter tries an English take on a Japanese classic: Miso soup…with beef and kale

Krista Rogers
May 6, 2015

Miso soup: the quintessential Japanese food. The soup takes on a different form from region to region and in different households throughout Japan, but it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that miso soup is the soul of Japanese cooking.

However, one of England’s top chefs recently published his own take on the soup. What kind of “neo-Japanese soup” could this possibly be!? Of course, our reporter just had to find out by making it herself–keep reading to see the results of her cooking after the jump.

Europe, Japan
(England • miso soup • Nigel Slater • recipe • RocketKitchen • steak • UK)

University students in Gifu Prefecture can now earn credits while working at Aeon shopping mall

Krista Rogers
Apr 27, 2015

On April 15, representatives from Gifu Prefecture’s Chubu Gakuin University and its affixed junior college reached an agreement with Japan’s major retailer Aeon that will allow university students to earn credits while working part-time in paid internships. The deal was born out of a desire to provide students with more practical work experience while at the same time strengthening ties to the surrounding community.

Japan
(Aeon • Chubu Gakuin University • education • Gifu Prefecture • internships)

Are they all duds!? Another defective Attack on Titan Eren official figurine leaves us wondering

Krista Rogers
Apr 27, 2015

Despite the Attack on Titan franchise being massively popular on an international scale, why is it that the toy companies just can’t seem to get the darn character figurines right?

We’ve already seen the shoddy Levi figure that surfaced last year, and now there appears to be another disappointing officially licensed Eren model on the market, too. And we have to say, we really can’t blame one fan for lamenting the poor quality of her new toy at all…

Japan
(anime • Attack on Titan • figures • manga • toys)

Feasting with Fluffy! Learn how to cook for both you and your feline friend

Krista Rogers
Apr 23, 2015

“Cooking school for my cat and me”? Sounds like a dream come true for ailurophiles (cat lovers) the world over!

ABC Cooking Studio, a popular chain of cooking schools across Japan, has recently teamed up with MonPetit, a brand of gourmet cat food under the Purina label, to offer cooking lessons on how to craft the perfect meal which can be eaten by both you and your cat! With four special recipes to learn, this is the ultimate chance to pamper your adorable kitty and to partake of a top-quality meal together.

Japan
(ABC Cooking Studio • cat food • cats • cooking • food • pets)

“Akakara Cochin meatball pizza” is the latest collaboration pizza in Japan, actually looks pretty good!

Krista Rogers
Apr 22, 2015

Aoki’s Pizza, the Japanese pizza chain which brought you last year’s chocolate and pineapple-topped Black Thunder pizza, is teaming up with fellow Nagoya-based Akakara (a popular nabe chain) for another wacky yet oddly appetizing-looking menu item: introducing this year’s “Akakara Cochin [a breed of chicken] meatball pizza.”

Japan
(Akakara • Aoki's Pizza • chicken • collaboration • Nagoya • pizza)

Introducing the new PikaChu! Amusing character mash-ups bring the Japanese internet to giggles

Krista Rogers
Apr 20, 2015

Ever wondered what Pikachu would look like fused with other familiar characters from manga, anime, and video games?

Neither have we, to be honest, but now we can see what the love-children of those amalgamations would look like thanks to Japanese company Mountain Graphics, a maker of t-shirts and other apparel. “Cardcaptor Zakura,” “Wapire-chan”…their series of character mash-ups are sure to tickle your funny bone!

Internet, Japan
(anime • art • characters • mash up • twitter)

“Insta in my Hand” is the latest smartphone trend among high school students in Japan

Krista Rogers
Apr 17, 2015

The latest social media craze to hit Japan is called “Insta in my Hand,” for which net users share photos which look like they’re holding a transparent version of their Instagram or Twitter homepages in the palm of their hands. The boom was apparently imported from South Korea earlier this month, after Key, a member of K-Pop group SHINee, uploaded his own “Insta in my Hand” picture to his Instagram account. Japanese high school students have since tweaked the trend to include “Twitter in my Hand” shots as well.

Now you too can create your own “Insta in my Hand” images with our handy English guide, right after the jump!

Japan
(art • cool • Instagram • smartphone • social media • twitter)

Disgruntled Japanese men share a list of common male woes before and after marriage

Krista Rogers
Apr 17, 2015

Ladies, do you think that life is all fun and games for your male counterparts? As a multitude of men would have you know, that’s certainly not always the case.

The following list chronicling all the expectations and financial burdens placed on Japanese men both before and after marriage has been circulating the web. Of course, not to rule out the many challenges that women also face, myself being a woman, perhaps it would be better to just say that life can be a real drag for everyone.