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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 135)

Weaponized wig offered to Donald Trump by Japanese inventor

Master Blaster
Feb 29, 2016
Tweet

Celebrity inventor and “Greatest Scientist in History” Dr. NakaMats throws his support behind the Republican front-runner in the form of the mightiest weapon known to man: Guard Wig.

Japan, USA
(crazy • Donald Trump • Dr. NakaMats • politics • science • technology • video • weapon • wig)

Lawson convenience stores in Kyoto to begin offering cancer screenings

Master Blaster
Feb 29, 2016

Get snacks, socks, coffee, and a cancer screening at your local Lawson!

Japan
(cancer • convenience stores • health • Kyoto • Lawson)

Powerman5000 angry at Final Fantasy 14 for “stealing” its music 【Video】

Master Blaster
Feb 26, 2016

Luckily, it’s just the rock band rather than an actual Powerman5000, but this could still mean big trouble for the game’s makers.

Games & Tech, Internet
(Final Fantasy • Final Fantasy XIV • music • Powerman5000 • video • video games • When Worlds Collide)

Luna’s ancient Korean instrument beautifully interprets Adele’s voice, rock classics【Video】

Master Blaster
Feb 25, 2016

Kick back and listen to Luna Lee gorgeously plays hits like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Voodoo Child,” “Back in Black,” and Adele’s “Hello” on a 1,500-year-old Korean instrument.

Internet, Korea
(AC/DC • Adele • culture • gayageum • Jimi Hendrix • Luna Lee • music • video)

IBM Japan recruiting alpha-testers for actual VR Sword Art Online game 【Video】

Master Blaster
Feb 24, 2016

IBM Japan wants 208 people to be scanned into 3-D avatars and put into a virtual world designed after the one depicted in anime Sword Art Online (and hopefully return).

Games & Tech, Japan
(anime • IBM • light novels • manga • Sword Art Online • video • video games)

“Gentlemen” thieves punch man in face, run away with $27 after refusing his female friend’s money

Master Blaster
Feb 24, 2016

It just goes to show that even lowlife muggers want to look cool when there’s a pretty girl nearby…

Japan
(crime • Hyogo • Kawani • mugging)

“This is a movie” among 10 of Japan’s lamest movie taglines

Master Blaster
Feb 23, 2016

Condensing the entire plot of a feature film into a handful of words without accidentally implying that it sucks is surprisingly difficult—as these 10 eye-wateringly terrible film taglines clearly show.

Japan
(Avengers • Detective Conan • Doraemon • funny • Japanese • movie taglines • movies • slogan)

Company president beats and kills employee, gets five years’ probation

Master Blaster
Feb 22, 2016

Miyuki Muto, the president of a fish wholesaler, received a five-year suspended sentence for killing an employee after physically assaulting him.

Japan
(Aichi • assault • crime • employment • manslaughter • violence)

“Silence Straw” — Kyoto University raising money to fight noises caused by drinking straws

Master Blaster
Feb 18, 2016

The only thing necessary for the triumph of noisy drinking straws is for good men to do nothing. Thankfully, Kotaro Takahashi is taking action, and Kyoto University has his back.

Japan
(drinking straw • Kyoto University • science • Silence Straw • SPEC • technology)

The Assassin’s Teapot will either kill your enemies or mellow out a sharp batch of Earl Grey

Master Blaster
Feb 17, 2016

This ornate teapot holds a dark secret—using it, you can either amaze your guests with excellent service, or murder them. Whichever floats your boat.

China, Internet
(assassin's teapot • Grand Illusions • magic • tea • teapot • video)

Deadpool opening a huge success…but we wouldn’t know because we’re in Japan

Master Blaster
Feb 14, 2016

Marvel’s Deadpool has surpassed box-office expectations, leaving fans wanting more — except in Japan where we’re still waiting for the movie to open!

Japan
(Deadpool • Marvel • movies • release date)

Busboy found cleaning tables at blinding speeds in yakiniku restaurant

Master Blaster
Feb 14, 2016

It’s good to see that the youth of today still know how to take their jobs seriously, but this guy definitely goes above and beyond!

Internet, Japan
(busboy • customer service • fast • Mie • Restaurant • yakiniku)

Illegal mosaic-free porn business busted after earning over US$1M in revenues

Master Blaster
Feb 12, 2016

Osaka police recently uncovered a booming mail-order business servicing the entire nation with pornographic DVDs which lacked the legally required pixellation over actors’ genitalia.

Japan
(censorship • crime • DVD • mosaic • Osaka)

Restaurant manager arrested for armed robbery…of his own restaurant

Master Blaster
Feb 11, 2016

“Aren’t you our manager?” asked a shocked member of staff when a man wearing a mask and sunglasses and brandishing a kitchen knife entered the restaurant and demanded money.

Japan
(crime • embezzlement • robbery • saga • yakitori)

Madonna gaffe reminds us how tricky it can be to hold a concert in Asia

Master Blaster
Feb 11, 2016

With mixed messages in Japanese and moves stirring up hard feelings in mainland China, Madonna’s Taiwan leg of her Rebel Heart Tour left people with lots to talk about.

Taiwan
(Madonna • music • politics • Rebel Heart Tour)

This Valentine’s Day tell your man how you truly feel — tell him with chocolate-covered KFC

Master Blaster
Feb 9, 2016

Looking for a way to revolutionize the stale traditions of Japanese Valentine’s Day, Mr. Sato believes he has found the ultimate gift.

Japan
(chicken • chocolate • Kentucky Fried Chicken • KFC • Mr. Sato • Valentine's Day)

How far can one yen get you when it comes to fashion? 【NSFW】

Master Blaster
Feb 8, 2016

Times are tight here at RocketNews24, so our 10,000 yen (US$85) fashion challenge has been downsized to one yen ($0.0085).

Japan
(fashion • one yen • post office • stamp)

“Graffiti Temple” in Kyoto, where visitors are encouraged to deface the walls

Master Blaster
Feb 6, 2016

It’s quite normal to hear news of someone graffiting pieces of world heritage and feel a sense of outrage, but Kyoto’s Tandenan Temple actually encourages such scrawl. Our writer Masami grabbed a sharpie and went to check it out.

Japan
(graffiti • Kyoto • Tandenan • temple • wish • Yawata)

Superhuman forces collide when three of our writers take on a pro in an 11-pound curry eat-off!

Master Blaster
Feb 5, 2016

RocketNews24’s mightiest eaters assemble to take on competitive eater and devourer of all things delicious (and possibly the occasional soul too) Sachiyo Masubuchi.

Japan
(competitive eating • crazy • curry • Fantastic Four • food • Mr. Sato • P.K. Sanjun • Sachiyo Masubuchi • Seiji Nakazawa • video)

Work, welfare or prison? Man orders curry, refuses to pay, then calls the police to take him away

Master Blaster
Feb 4, 2016

After a man turned himself into police for refusing to pay for his meal, some wondered if he might be mentally ill. On the other hand, some suspect he might be saner than many in Japan.