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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 18)
Abandoned school being used for foreign tourists to experience Japanese high school in Chiba
- Master Blaster
May 23, 2025 - Tweet
Relive high school for the first time.
- Japan
- (anime • CAMPiece • Chiba • culture • declining population • high school • Japan experiences • Kimitsu City • travel)
Add a little magic to your meal at Mahou Dining Bar Osmand in Tokyo, now with escape rooms
- Master Blaster
May 23, 2025
Waiter, there’s an eight of spades with my initials on it in my soup.
- Japan
- (escape rooms • magic • Mahou Dining Bar • Osmand • restaurants • Roppongi • Tokyo • Warlocks and Mystic Dungeon)
Osaka governor calls president of Earth to deal with swarms of Expo bugs
- Master Blaster
May 23, 2025
Earth to Osaka…
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka World Expo • chironomids • Earth Chemical • events • flies • Hirofumi Yoshimura • insects • Osaka • pest control)
New agriculture minister named, thousands make the same joke online at once
- Master Blaster
May 21, 2025
We’re bringing sexy back to farming.
- Japan
- (economy • food • Forestry and Fisheries • gaffe • LDP • Minister of Agriculture • politics • rice prices • shinjiro koizumi • Taku Eto)
Orange rice and orange curry from Ehime is even orangier than expected
- Master Blaster
May 19, 2025
“Oh My God!!”
- Japan
- (curry • Dogo Onsen • Ehime • food • mikan • Mikan Gohan • Mikan Rice • oranges • Salted Mikan Sea Bream Curry • souvenirs • travel)
Japan offers to import Japanese cars from the US
- Master Blaster
May 19, 2025
But will consumers here buy American-made Japanese cars?
- Japan
- (automobiles • cars • Donald Trump • exports • Honda • imports • reverse import • tariffs • TOYOTA)
Four yakuza members arrested for having office too close to library
- Master Blaster
May 18, 2025
This time, the yakuza have gone too far… in the direction of a library.
- Japan
- (Boryokudan Countermeasures Law • Botaiho • crime • designated violence groups • law • Organized crime • Organized Crime Exclusion Ordinances • shitei boryokudan • weird • yakuza)
Japan government mulling more restrictions on foreign driver’s license conversions
- Master Blaster
May 17, 2025
It may get a little harder to get a Japanese license from abroad.
- Japan
- (driver's license • driving exam • government • international driver's license • National Police Agency • National Public Safety Commission • Taro Kono)
More yakuza members caught stealing huge haul of sea cucumbers from the ocean
- Master Blaster
May 16, 2025
Latest bust in the long-running sea cucumber racket of organized crime.
Trying out Amazon Japan’s lowest-rated wall decoration
- Master Blaster
May 14, 2025
Amazon makes our writer an offer he can’t refuse.
- Japan
- (Amazon Japan • Amazon lowest-rated • animals • art • giraffes • interior decoration • Masanuki Sunakoma • shopping • wall hanging)
Possibly the most elegant chicken and waffles restaurant ever opens in Kyoto
- Master Blaster
May 12, 2025
Get a mouthful of Moofle.
- Japan
- (Arashiyama • chicken and waffles • COK • fried chicken • karaage • Kyoto • restaurants • tempura • waffles)
The Japan National Championship of Magic 2025 coming to Tokyo this May
- Master Blaster
May 9, 2025
Now you’ll see it or soon you won’t.
- Japan
- (competitions • entertainment • events • Japan National Championship of Magic • magic • Magic Academy of Tokyo • Shibuya • Tokyo)
A look at the cosplay of the 2025 Osaka Comic Con
- Master Blaster
May 8, 2025
Capes, canes, cowls, and crazy crotches converged at this Comic Con.
- Japan
- (anime • cartoons • Comics • cosplay • events • manga • movies • Osaka • Osaka Comic Con 2025 • video games)
The Osaka-Kansai World Expo has lots of food and souvenirs, if you dare enter where they’re sold
- Master Blaster
May 7, 2025
They are not for the faint of heart or wallet.
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka World Expo • Daimaru • events • food • JR West • Kintetsu • Kukuru • Maruzen • Myaku-Myaku • Osaka • shopping • souvenirs • takoyaki • travel)
Nicolas Cage meets Gachapin and a world record is broken at Osaka Comic Con 2025
- Master Blaster
May 6, 2025
That is a photo I never thought I would take.
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka Comic Con • C.B. Cebulski • Christina Ricci • Daniel Logan • Edward Furlong • Emily Rudd • Gachapin • Guinness world records • Hugh Dancy • Jacob Gibson • Mackenyu • Mads Mikkelsen • Mukku • Nicolas Cage • NMB48 • One Piece • Osaka • Star Wars)
The pavilions and public restrooms of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo
- Master Blaster
May 5, 2025
Lots to see and do and flush!
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka World Expo • events • Gundam • Osaka • pavilions • restrooms • travel • Yoshimoto)
Fatal flop or fun? What is the 2025 World Expo in Osaka really like?
- Master Blaster
May 4, 2025
Let’s compare what’s being said on the Internet to what’s really going on.
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka World Expo • attendance • events • Grand Ring • Kansai • Osaka • prices • shopping)
Pocky maker Glico talk about their cellular regeneration breakthrough and new candy at Expo 2025
- Master Blaster
May 3, 2025
Keep your cells healthy and young so you can eat more candy.
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka World Expo • candy • cell health • Earth Mart • events • Ezaki Glico • health • Osaka • Osaka Healthcare Pavilion • Persian silk tree • rice • science • senescent cells)
Manga predicting a major disaster this July affecting summer tourism numbers
- Master Blaster
Apr 30, 2025
Flights to/from Hong Kong affected by predictions on both ends of the routes.
- Japan
- (books • COK • earthquakes • Great East Japan Earthquake • Hong Kong • manga • predictions • Ryo Tatsuki • The Future I Saw • travel • Watashi ga Mita Mirai • weird)
Mr. Sato helps his colleague with a serious work performance issue
- Master Blaster
Apr 27, 2025
When it comes to humor, Mr. Sato is deadly serious.
- Japan
- (business • comedy • employee evaluation • funny faces • Masanuki Sunakoma • Mr. Sato • senbero)
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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
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
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
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
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
Yakuza boss sues expressway owners for discrimination against criminals
“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
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
KFC Japan starts selling soft-serve ice cream at select locations, and they’ve even put it in a biscuit
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
Amazing Japanese yogurt spoon scoops up every last drop of dairy effortlessly
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