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Master Blaster
Writer / Translator
Master Blaster is the two-man translating team of Canada’s Steven Le Blanc and Japan’s Masami M, a pair who in addition to writing work are in English education and created the StudyNow app for Japanese students of English.
Together they have written somewhere around 1,500 articles for RocketNews24 covering such diverse topics as Chinese men selling sanitary napkins to each other and a Japanese guy dragging an ear of corn around the Tokyo train system. A few of these were actually good, but don’t take our word for it! Here’s what our beloved readers had to say:
“One isn't always in the mood for bold tastes. But when I'm in the mood for bold flavor I turn to you.”
“Stupid article. Who cares what the Japanese think it's cool. You don't call a monkey, "gorilla".”
“You know, this is about the most cogent explanation of how a turbocharger works that I have ever seen in the non-motorsports world.”
“Thanks for the article peter!”
“It's people like you who make exploitation possible.”
“It looks yummy and the story was great. Thank you for the smile.”
Posted by Master Blaster
Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
- Master Blaster
yesterday - Tweet
Your unfriendly rainy-day Spider-Man.
- Japan
- (Ame-zing Spider-Man • burglary • crime • nicknames • Spider-Man • Taito • Tokyo)
Yakuza boss sues expressway owners for discrimination against criminals
- Master Blaster
3 days ago
You gotta fight for your right to be a party to a contract.
- Japan
- (discrimination • Driving in Japan • ETC • expressways • law • Organized crime • Organized Crime Exclusion Ordinances • rights • yakuza)
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
- Master Blaster
3 days ago
The greatest lights in history and the greatest history in lights.
- Japan
- (events • history • illuminations • Osaka • Osaka Castle • sightseeing • Toyotomi Hideyoshi)
Japanese drivers reminded to look out for drunk people passed out on the road this holiday season
- Master Blaster
4 days ago
As if driving in Japan isn’t hard enough.
- Japan
- (alcohol • commendations • drinking culture in Japan • Driving in Japan • law • rojo nekomi • taxis • Tokyo • traffic accidents • year end parties)
Japanese viewers of Godzilla Minus Zero angered by unusual number of restroom goers
- Master Blaster
4 days ago
Godzilla films are famous for their subtlety and require complete concentration.
- Japan
- (end credits • etiquette • Godzilla • Godzilla-0.0 • movie theaters • movies • politeness • restrooms)
Kenshi Yonezu’s Lemon hits 1 billion views on YouTube and he’s still not quite sure why
- Master Blaster
6 days ago
He handed life a ‘Lemon.’
- Japan
- (Kenshi Yonezu • lemon • music • songs • songwriting • views • YouTube)
Japanese government hires leading comedy agency to explain national defense spending
- Master Blaster
Nov 7, 2026
The number one rule of comedy is unwavering loyalty to the government.
- Japan
- (AI • comedy • defense policy • politics • society • video • weird • Yoshimoto Kogyo)
Tokyo to build new crematoriums to meet surging demand
- Master Blaster
Nov 6, 2026
Death is a growth industry that no one’s happy about.
- Japan
- (aging population • business • corpse hotel • cremation • crematorium • death • funeral • itai hotel • society • Tokyo)
Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
- Master Blaster
Nov 6, 2026
If you’re going to do wrong, do wrong right.
- Japan
- (COK • crime • gambling • law • pachinko • police • senten hoshiki • society • three-store system)
Mr. Sato searches for the mysterious new wall of fortune in Tokyo
- Master Blaster
Nov 4, 2026
Our new favorite hole in the wall.
- Japan
- (art • COK • cool • crazy • fortune-telling • Kabe Uranai • Mr. Sato • Shibuya • SNJO • Tokyo • travel • weird)
Shoplifting prevention guard arrested for shoplifting boot from store he was guarding
- Master Blaster
Nov 2, 2026
Those boots weren’t made for walking away with.
- Japan
- (COK • crazy • crime • Manbiki G-Men • security guard • shoplifting • theft • weird)
Can Japan’s Self-Defense Forces legally open fire on a zombie horde?
- Master Blaster
Oct 31, 2026
This legal discussion contains scenes of explicit violence and gore.
- Japan
- (COK • constitution • Horror • Japan Self-Defense Forces • Japanese Self-Defence Force • law • military • three signs of death • use of force • weird • zombies)
Hello Kitty cuts ties with hit Japanese spy drama Vivant over torture scenes
- Master Blaster
Oct 30, 2026
Goodbye Kitty.
- China, Japan
- (COK • controversy • Hello Kitty • Sanrio • society • torture • TV • TV shows • Vivant)
Visiting the “world’s most precarious temple” in China, where getting there is half the battle
- Master Blaster
Oct 27, 2026
Xuankong Si is surprisingly both extremely out of the way and extremely crowded.
- China
- (Jinxia Gorge • Mt. Heng • sightseeing • temples • The Hanging Temple • travel • Xuankong Si)
Fishing information website for Susaki, Japan, hit by data leak, all 3 users affected
- Master Blaster
Oct 26, 2026
Personal information for everyone posting to the site over the past year compromised.
- Internet, Japan
- (crazy • crime • cyber security • data leak • fishing • hacking • kochi • Susaki • websites)
10 of the nicest celebrities we’ve met in Japan over the years
- Master Blaster
Oct 26, 2026
Who wowed our reporters the most with sheer friendliness?
- Global, Japan
- (celebrities • Chris Pratt • COK • Cunning Takeyama • First Summer Uika • friendliness • interviews • Kuroda • Matt Damon • Maximum the Hormone • Miki Narahashi • movies • moving • music • Non • Shinichiro Azumi • SNJO • touching • TV • Yumi Adachi)
Mochido donuts make a squishy return to Lawson stores across Japan
- Master Blaster
Oct 26, 2026
Mochido or Mochidon’t. There is no Mochitri.
- Japan
- (COK • convenience stores • donuts • Japanese convenience stores • kinako • Lawson • Mochibee • Mochido • SNJO • sweets • taste test)
Japan’s mission to Martian moon and back underway
- Master Blaster
Oct 24, 2026
This mission is expected to be the first-ever Martian moon landing.
- Japan
- (Mars • Martian Moons eXploration • MMX • Phobos • sample missions • science • space travel • technology)
Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto to receive Order of Culture from Japanese emperor
- Master Blaster
Oct 24, 2026
If anyone deserves an Order of Culture, it’s-a-him.
- Japan
- (awards • COK • culture • Culture Day • Emperor Naruhito • Mario • nintendo • Order of Culture • Shigeru Miyamoto • Super Mario • video games • Zelda)
Tokusatsu hero “Moonlight Mask’s” pocket change donations help traffic accidents victims in Japan
- Master Blaster
Oct 23, 2026
Small change and a big heart.
- Japan
- (COK • donation • Gekko Kamen • Moonbeam Man • Moonlight Mask • moving • Superheroes • Tiger Mask • tokusatsu • touching • TV)
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Recent Posts
- Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
- Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
- Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
- Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
- Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Weekly
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more- Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
America’s first-ever permanent One Piece store is now open [Photos]
Tokyo neighborhood adds new “smart trash cans” to deal with increasing amounts of tourist litter
Two Tokyo neighborhoods to gather on bridge and shift their recognized border through tug-of-war
Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
New Era celebrates three decades of Pokémon with new 30th anniversary cap line [Photos]
Pokémon card game’s expansion features art from Fist of the North Star creator- Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
Japanese hoodie for cat-loving gamers will keep you and your feline friend warm and fuzzy [Pics]
Monthly
Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign- Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
Why people in Japan hardly ever say “sayonara,” and what they say instead
“Sweet sake” with yuzu is coming to Japan’s wonderful world of hot canned drinks this winter
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
Yakuza boss sues expressway owners for discrimination against criminals
Is hamburger patty ramen a case of too many good things in one bowl? Let’s find out! [Taste test]
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Tokyo neighborhood adds new “smart trash cans” to deal with increasing amounts of tourist litter
Japanese viewers of Godzilla Minus Zero angered by unusual number of restroom goers
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