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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.”

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Posted by Master Blaster (Page 132)

New book reworks classic paintings in modern Japanese popular styles

Master Blaster
May 22, 2016
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Ever wondered what Munch’s The Scream or Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring might look like if done in modern day Japan? If so, then this book is for you!

Anime & Manga, Art, Culture, Entertainment, Japan
(books • illustration • illustrator • Monet • paintings • Picasso • Van Gogh • Vermeer)

Aichi Police send unorthodox message to molesters via poster with homoerotic undertones

Master Blaster
May 21, 2016

At a first glance, you’d probably be hard pressed to figure out what this poster is promoting, but that may be the genius of it.

Japan
(Aichi • BL • crime • fujoshi • police • poster • train)

Elderly pickpocket “Calling Tamako” finally apprehended after string of Tokyo thefts

Master Blaster
May 20, 2016

Since February 2015, the Tokyo area has been hit by a spate of thefts by an elderly woman who has managed to evade arrest until just this week.

Japan, News
(crime • Musashino • pickpocket • senior citizens • Tokyo)

Our Japanese writers audition for upcoming Yakuza 6 game, get sexy pictures taken

Master Blaster
May 20, 2016

We sent six of our most dashing writers to a photo studio for some glamour shots at an appearance in the new Yakuza 6 video game.

Entertainment, Japan
(host club • Kabukicho • Sega • video games • yakuza 6)

Taste the beginning of the end for Japanese Ritz: Wasabi & Cheddar / Tarako & Cream Cheese

Master Blaster
May 18, 2016

Only a few months remain until the Ritz franchise in Japan changes hands and production is shifted overseas. Perhaps this is why we’re being treated to some distinctly Japanese flavors.

Food & Drink, Japan
(junk food • Oreo • Ritz crackers • tarako • taste test • wasabi • Yamazaki)

Japanese self-defense store CEO shows his dedication as he demos products on himself【Video】

Master Blaster
May 17, 2016

The head of a security and crime prevention dealer has been getting renewed attention on YouTube with videos of him trying out the merchandise on himself.

Entertainment, Japan
(Koichi Shiraishi • KSP • pepper spray • stun gun • video • wtf)

The “Rakulet” adds a corrugated layer of luxury to cardboard toilets

Master Blaster
May 16, 2016

Hot on the heels of a bed made of cardboard for use in disasters, one company has upped the ante with a whole line of cardboard emergency goods including a range of toilets to suit your needs.

Entertainment, Japan, News
(cardboard • cardboard toilet • disaster preparedness • Takaoka • toilet)

Junior high student shut down 444 school websites to “remind teachers they are incompetent”

Master Blaster
May 15, 2016

This month Osaka Prefectural Police pressed charges against a 16-year-old boy for a first-of-its-kind cyber attack in Japan.

Internet, Japan
(anonymous • crime • DoS attack • education • hacking • Osaka)

Kyoto counter-terrorism unit called in after senior citizen “reserves” parking space

Master Blaster
May 13, 2016

Some in the media are calling this incident yet another indication that Japan’s entering an unprecedented era of geriatric delinquency.

Culture, Japan, News
(aging society • crime • elderly • Japan • Kyoto • parking • senior citizens • terrorism)

More adventures in localization: Icelandic film’s poster gets unusual makeover in Japan

Master Blaster
May 12, 2016

It’s time for more misadventures in the land of cinematic localization as the movie Virgin Mountain gets promoted in Japan.

Entertainment, Japan
(Iceland • Japan • localization • movie poster • movies • Virgin Mountain)

Rice bowl with a mountain of roast beef served in Tokyo bistro

Master Blaster
May 11, 2016

Good roast beef is a little hard to come by in Japan, and now we know why: This place is using it all themselves.

Food & Drink, Japan
(big food • donburi • raost beef • roast beef don • Saka's Bistro • Tokyo)

Phantom Pikachu photo gives thousands the chills

Master Blaster
May 10, 2016

Optical illusion? Smoke and mirrors? Or is this creepy photo of Pikachu the work of the supernatural?

Culture, Internet, Japan
(Daruma doll • ghost • mirror • Pikachu • superstition)

Wine & Cheese Puccho add a hint of class to your chewy candy【Taste test】

Master Blaster
May 9, 2016

Can this new wine and toasted cheese flavored gummy candy give connoisseurs a pocket-sized taste of the high life?

Food & Drink, Japan
(candy • cheese • matcha • Puccho • UHA • wine)

25 ways Japanese politeness can get on the nerves of Japanese people

Master Blaster
May 8, 2016

There is such a thing as being too courteous, and an online survey ranked the 25 most common examples of just that in Japan.

Culture, Japan
(customer service • politeness • ranking)

Meet Pikarin, the 20,000-year-old blood-stained idol from hell【Video】

Master Blaster
May 5, 2016

Up-and-coming idol Shina Pikarin is making a bloody splash among teens in Japan with her occasional death-metal vocals and up-tempo pop beats.

Entertainment, Japan
(death metal • idol • J-Pop • music • Pikarin)

Shockingly huge, exquisite egg sandwiches found in Tokyo

Master Blaster
May 3, 2016

“Shocking” and “exquisite” aren’t normally words used to describe an egg sandwich but we think we found one that fits the bill.

Food & Drink, Japan
(sandwich • Shoro • tamagoyaki • Tokyo • Tsukiji)

Crane game adds next-level sense of urgency with a disturbing Curious George display

Master Blaster
May 2, 2016

You monsters! What have you done to George!?

Japan
(crane game • Curious George • games • hanging • toys • UFO catcher • wtf)

Lotteria’s Burger with Everything on It takes us on an emotional roller coaster　【Taste test】

Master Blaster
Apr 30, 2016

After ordering Lotteria’s heavily stacked Burger with Everything on It, Mr. Sato was brought to the depths of despair and back to greasy bliss in an unexpected turn of great customer service.

Food & Drink, Japan
(Burger with Everything on It • burgers • customer service • fast food • Lotteria • Mr. Sato)

Alarming tweet about hidden camera coat hooks in Japanese restrooms sparks anger online

Master Blaster
Apr 30, 2016

Pay close attention to hooks in public restrooms—they may not be what they seem.

Japan, News
(bathroom • crime • public restroom • spy camera • technology • wtf)

Same-sex prostitution business technically legal in Japan, goes untouched by police

Master Blaster
Apr 28, 2016

A gaping loophole in Japan’s already grossly outdated law means any same-sex oriented part of the sex-industry can technically operate with total impunity.