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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 (Page 15)
Japan Railways to test weak air conditioning in some Shinkansen cars this summer
- Master Blaster
Jul 1, 2025 - Tweet
Check out which ones so you can get the temperature that’s right for you.
- Japan
- (Air conditioning • bullet train • heatstroke • JR East • JR West • Sanyo • shinkansen • Tokaido • weak air conditioning)
Hotel in Osaka offering shaved ice based on historical Japanese warlords
- Master Blaster
Jun 30, 2025
Nobunaga’s edible ambition.
- Japan
- (desserts • DoubleTree by Hilton Osaka Castle • history • kakigori • Oda Nobunaga • Osaka • Osaka Castle • Sengoku period • shaved ice • Tokugawa Ieyasu • Toyotomi Hideyoshi • Warring States Period)
App that lets you hunt down discounted food about to expire available at the Expo too
- Master Blaster
Jun 30, 2025
Good way to get the best deals in town, just not the freshest deals.
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka World Expo • apps • Banpaku Tabesuke • COK • expired food • food • food waste • G-Place • shopping • Tabesuke)
See 400 years of Osaka’s history in 10 minutes at housing museum’s new VR exhibit
- Master Blaster
Jun 30, 2025
You can’t keep a good city down.
- Japan
- (COK • Hirano-dori • history • museums • Osaka • Osaka Castle • Osaka Museum of Housing and Living • Sakai-suji • tourism • travel • VR)
Police raid real casino in Tokyo where people gambled with online casinos
- Master Blaster
Jun 29, 2025
Yo dawg, I heard you like casinos.
- Japan
- (brick-and-mortar online casinos • casinos • COK • crime • gambling • Kabukicho • online casinos • Tokyo • weird)
Highly toxic plant found for first time in Japan on Hokkaido University campus
- Master Blaster
Jun 28, 2025
Just a little touch will pack a punch.
- Japan
- (dangerous plants • giant hogweed • Hokkaido • Hokkaido University • invasive species • phototoxins • plants)
Mr. Sato discovers a Cremahop ice cream shop in Tokyo right when he needs it most
- Master Blaster
Jun 27, 2025
Fighting the wrath of nature with a natural ice cream.
- Japan
- (Akasaka • COK • Cremahop • food • ice cream • Mr. Sato • restaurants • SNJO • sweets • Tokyo)
Investigating the mysterious “Shake Pippi” at Marugame Seimen udon restaurants
- Master Blaster
Jun 27, 2025
It’s only natural to want to shake your pippi.
- Japan
- (COK • food • fried foods • Marugame Seimen • Marugame Shake Pippi • Noodles • Pippi • restaurants • snacks • SNJO • udon)
Fuji TV president to lean heavily into anime production to revive beleaguered network
- Master Blaster
Jun 26, 2025
Is anime the answer or just the only answer he knows?
- Japan
- (anime • business • Dalton Investment • Fuji TV • Kenji Shimizu • Masahiro Nakai • scandals • television • variety shows)
Tokio announces breakup following repeated harassment by member
- Master Blaster
Jun 26, 2025
Latest scandal simply too much for the remaining members to handle.
- Japan
- (boy bands • music • NTV • Taichi Kokubun • television • The Tetsuwan Dash • Tokio)
Judo gold-medalist Aaron Wolf announces move to New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- Master Blaster
Jun 25, 2025
Oh my gawd, that’s Aaron Wolf’s music!
- Japan
- (Aaron Wolf • athletes • COK • entertainment • judo • New Japan Pro-Wrestling • Olympics • pro wrestling • sports)
Father and son arrested for impersonating Shohei Ohtani to commit fraud
- Master Blaster
Jun 24, 2025
With only $100 million in endorsements, it can be hard to make ends meet.
- Japan
- (baseball • crime • fraud • Nepal • Shohei Ohtani • special fraud • sports • Tokyo)
An elegant and hefty cheeseburger bento awaits at the “Japanese Costco” Lopia
- Master Blaster
Jun 24, 2025
It’s so classy, you’ll want to eat it with a knife and fork.
- Japan
- (bento • big food • burgers • cheeseburgers • COK • food • hamburgers • Lopia • Manpuku Burger Double Cheese • SNJO • supermarkets)
Soy sauce candy being handed out in Gunma to combat heat stroke
- Master Blaster
Jun 23, 2025
Oh… Hey, candy that tastes like soy sauce… Thanks?
- Japan
- (candy • Double Fermented Premium Soy Sauce • food • Gunma • Shoda Shoyu • soy sauce • Tatebayashi • Tatebayashi Tsumugi)
Test your might in forehead flicking with Decopin Buster
- Master Blaster
Jun 21, 2025
No need to use your head anymore for this simple game.
- Japan
- (dekopin • Dekopin Buster • Deocy • flicking • games • Hac • punching machines • Shohei Ohtani • sports • toys)
Man dressed suspiciously warm for Japanese summer chased by helicopter and arrested for fraud
- Master Blaster
Jun 21, 2025
He was drawing too much heat.
- Japan
- (clothing • crime • fashion • fraud • long sleeves • police • Saitama • special fraud • summer)
Yamanashi student jumps from building after eating “legal mood-enhancing” cookies sold online
- Master Blaster
Jun 20, 2025
Don’t take cookies from strangers.
- Japan
- (accidents • cookies • Drugs • falls • narcotics • online shopping • Yamanashi Prefecture)
All cars in Japan to have systems preventing accidents from gas/brake pedal mistakes by 2028
- Master Blaster
Jun 20, 2025
Systems will be in place to prevent dangerous mix-ups.
- Japan
- (acceleration pedal misapplication prevention system • car accidents • driver's license • driving • elderly drivers • Ministry of Land Infrastructure Transport and Tourism • traffic accidents)
Motorized kick scooter violations nearly double the number of motorized kick scooters in Japan
- Master Blaster
Jun 20, 2025
Everyone seems to be scooting themselves right into trouble.
- Japan
- (business • kick scooters • law • roads • scooters • traffic • traffic violations • transportation • vehicles)
Osaka man arrested for selling colorized version of the original Godzilla from 1954
- Master Blaster
Jun 19, 2025
Color me surprised!
- Japan
- (AI • bootleg DVD • cinema • colorization • copyright • expiry • film • Godzilla • Ishiro Honda • law • movies • Toho)
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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
Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
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]
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
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]
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
“Sweet sake” with yuzu is coming to Japan’s wonderful world of hot canned drinks this winter
Why people in Japan hardly ever say “sayonara,” and what they say instead
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]
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Amazing Japanese yogurt spoon scoops up every last drop of dairy effortlessly
Tokyo neighborhood adds new “smart trash cans” to deal with increasing amounts of tourist litter
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