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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 180)

Chiba University develops air hockey playing robot, pisses opponents off with amazing efficiency

Master Blaster
Jun 18, 2013
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Do you have that one friend who always beats you at air hockey? Do you have a friend who simply smirks as you complain that they went over the line or that your paddle slipped?

Chiba University has come up with something that ought to wipe that smirk off even the best human air hockey player.

Japan
(air hockey • robot • video)

Dance contest underway to co-star in AKB48 member’s video, Mr. Sato throws hat into ring

Master Blaster
Jun 17, 2013

It is believed that AKB48’s Tomomi Itano will be leaving the massive pop unit to pursue her solo career sometime around August this year. Itano has also released her fourth single as a solo artist, entitled “1%”, on 12 June.

To help promote the song, the Tomomi Itano 1% Dance Trial 2013 is underway in which anyone can upload a video of themselves dancing to 1% on YouTube for a chance to perform alongside the idol in her next video.

The event has already drawn the likes of professional dancers, internet personalities, and of course Mr. Sato.

Japan
(AKB48 • dance • Mr. Sato • video)

We sample curry, octopus, kimchi, chili pepper, salted watermelon, and corn flavored Ramune sodas

Master Blaster
Jun 15, 2013

Ramune was one of the first carbonated beverages in Japan and can still be found today in various supermarkets or at festivals and public baths around the country. Over a century after its first appearance, Japanese customers have tended to go for the big name colas, which has in turn caused Ramune producers, such as Osaka’s Hata, to come up with some novel flavors in an effort to stir up interest.

Most recently, a corn flavored Ramune was developed and has celebrated 100,000 bottles sold since its release in March. In honor of this, I picked up some of Hata’s more unique flavors for a whirlwind review of these often overlooked Japanese sodas.

Japan
(Ramune • soda • wtf)

Hooters comes to Osaka! Our in-depth cross cultural analysis

Master Blaster
Jun 14, 2013

This summer, Hooters is opening a pair of beer gardens in Osaka and Tokyo for a limited time. Although there have been a pair of Hooters restaurants in Tokyo, this is the first time the American franchise has made it down to Osaka.

Always eager to bring you the best news from Japan sprinkled with a variety of cultural insights, we headed down to the grand opening to give you two reviews: one from a guy who used to live up the street from a Hooters in his home country of Canada, and the other from a Osaka native who had never even heard of the place. Together we can see if Hooters Osaka maintains the lively atmosphere of the chain in America but also caters to Japanese sensibilities. You know… because we’re really into marketing science and stuff.

Japan
(beer garden • Hooters • Osaka)

Afghani Embassy picks up a copy of Saint Onīsan to learn about Japan’s religious views

Master Blaster
Jun 12, 2013

For those learning Japanese, manga can often be a good text. With the help of pictures and rather short sentences we can read along without much effort and perhaps enjoy the studying process a little more.

Well it turns out a member of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Tokyo thought the exact same thing. While out on a stroll last Sunday he picked up a particular manga that he thought would help him learn both the Japanese language and what Japanese people think about religion.

Japan, W Asia
(Afghanistan • manga • Saint Oniisan • twitter)

Line of Attack on Titan capsule toys soon to be released, give children nightmares

Master Blaster
Jun 11, 2013

The hit anime and manga title Attack on Titan (Shingeki No Kyojin) has grabbed readers and viewers with its combination of high-flying action and surprisingly disturbing giants.

More than just being violent, something about the titans in this series strikes the creepy chord perfectly in people. So when figure maker Kaiyodo released four capsule toys based on the series they wanted to make sure that feeling came through.

And come through it did. Be warned that some of these figures depict scenes of violence and gore.

Japan
(anime • Attack on Titan • capsule toy • manga)

Enjoy the delectable taste of chocolately Edible Anus

Master Blaster
Jun 10, 2013

Excuses are like anuses; everyone’s got one. That’s the reasoning behind the Edible Anus line of chocolates created in England. These handcrafted chocolates represent something that transcends cultural boundaries to offer creamy sphincter shaped goodness to the whole world, even reaching Japan where netizens have been left open-mouthed at the idea of munching on a chocolatey orifice.

Europe
(anus • chocolate • food • wtf)

Teruhiko stirs up controversy on the net and makes a mean yakisoba

Master Blaster
Jun 10, 2013

The yuru-kyara world watches with a cautious eye as recent unofficial mascot Teruhiko has been steadily building a fan base online. This slightly emo looking mascot character operating out of Hakodate has been winning over hearts with his cooking tips.

However, Teruhiko has a dark side that occasionally appears in impassioned tweets that threaten to undermine the otherwise diplomatic and squeaky clean world of people in puffy costumes.

Internet, Japan
(mascot • Teruhiko • twitter • yuru-kyara)

We visit “the best conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Japan”

Master Blaster
Jun 10, 2013

While our reporter was out visiting the Nation at War Tavern and other sights in the southern city of Kagoshima, he perused a guide map of the area and saw a listing for “Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant.”

Conveyor belt sushi restaurants, also known as sushi trains or kaiten-zushi in Japanese, are eateries where the dishes float past your seat allowing you to effortlessly serve yourself. They are fun and cheap places to get some decent quality sushi, but are hardly considered haute cuisine in Japan. So what could Mawaru Sushi Mekkemon be doing that elevates it past the largely uniform conveyor belt sushi preparation and presentation to earn it the coveted title of “Japan’s Top Conveyor Belt Sushi”? Our reporter went to find out and brings us this report.

Japan
(Conveyor belt sushi • food • sushi)

Koi-Yamagata Station is for lovers

Master Blaster
Jun 10, 2013

Koi-Yamagata Station, nestled deep in Tottori Prefecture where few people reside, now has a bold new makeover. The once drab station, mostly devoid of staff or passengers, has been given a hot pink paint job and a heart-shaped monument for love.

Japan
(cute • Koi-Yamagata Station • Love Station Project)

Japanese man dies in car accident, Cause of death: not the car accident

Master Blaster
Jun 9, 2013

On the morning of 5 June, along a highway in Makubetsu, Hokkaido, a car swerved off the road and crashed through a tree before stopping on the sidewalk. The 87-year-old driver of the car was taken to hospital but sadly died soon after.

However, the actual accident wasn’t what killed him and the official cause of death had nothing to do with his age at all. In fact, the reason he died was something you may have done yourself while driving.

Japan
(accident • futomaki • sushi)

China turns to tech to curtail cheating on tests, employs fingerprint scanners and metal detectors nationwide

Master Blaster
Jun 9, 2013

In China this year, 7 June was the day prospective tertiary education hopefuls sat down to take the national university entrance examination. It’s a high stakes affair that has a great impact on each young person’s future.

Given the pressure these students and their family face there’s no question some will resort to cheating to get through. This year alone 9,120,000 people will take the exam. Considering those numbers, even if the cheating rate is only 0.1 percent, there is still a serious problem.

China
(education • exams • technology)

We enlist at “Nation at War Tavern”, where luxury is the enemy and you can step back in time

Master Blaster
Jun 8, 2013

On 15 August, 1945 Japan had announced their surrender and set the end of World War II in motion. However, in one small space tucked away in Kagoshima City the atmosphere of that time over 60 years ago has been preserved.

Upon hearing of this unique location one of our reporters headed down to see if Nation at War Tavern (Gunkoku Sakaba) could really take us back to a very different Japan. The following is their report.

Japan
(culture • food • Gunkoku Sakaba • history • World War II)

Fisherman pulls a bone at Kobe sea fishing park

Master Blaster
Jun 7, 2013

At approximately 10am on Wednesday, 5 June, Suma Municipal Sea Fishing Park in Kobe became a crime scene after a 68-year-old fisherman made a once in a lifetime catch.

Japan
(bone • crime • fishing)

Young photographer and his gear steal the show at cosplay event, kind of looks like Doc Ock

Master Blaster
Jun 7, 2013

Any photographer will tell you that you always have to be aware of your light sources. Especially with people, the wrong kind of lighting can someone look completely different, usually in a bad way.

This young photo bug took that advice to heart when he attended a cosplay event in China. Realizing that work outside of a studio pits a photographer in a battle with sometimes unpredictable lighting, this man fitted several brackets to his back, each supporting an external flash.

China
(cosplay • flash • photography • wtf)

NTT showcases technology which can “correct” Japanese people’s English pronunciation

Master Blaster
Jun 7, 2013

Depending on the second language you’re trying to master, pronunciation is arguably the hardest aspect to conquer. The Japanese and English languages are no exception. Japanese, with its highly syllabic alphabet, often has a hard time accommodating the often chaotic nature of natural English pronunciation.

While a native English speaker’s tongue might stumble when trying to spit out makudonarudo (McDonald) smoothly the first few times our language allows us to pick it up with a little practice. Japanese English speakers have far more adversity trying to understand all the diminished sounds of a native English speaker casually uttering the name of the famous hamburger chain.

With that, NTT has revealed technology it’s working on that may one day automatically correct a Japanese person’s English pronunciation by editing the speed and rhythm while keeping the original speaker’s voice intact.

Japan
(language • NTT • pronunciation • technology)

Japanese island to become real-life Game of Life for the summer

Master Blaster
Jun 5, 2013

The Game of Life, one of the oldest board games still around today enjoys continued success around the world. Japan in particular has embraced the line of wheel spinning games, where it’s known by the direct translation Jinsei Gemu.

As 2013 marks the 45th anniversary of the Game of Life in Japan, one island has decided to celebrate by turning the entire place into one big Game of Life board complete with spinners and play money.

Japan
(Game of Life • games • travel • Yoron Island)

We send a team to take part in the qualifying round of the Air Guitar World Championships 2013

Master Blaster
Jun 5, 2013

The annual Air Guitar World Championships held in Oulu, Northern Finland celebrates the beloved guitar without actually using them. Instead, participants channel all the energy, attitude, and athleticism of playing rock guitar into their invisible air guitar while performing on stage.

With the 18th championships being held in August this year, RocketNews24 has assembled our finest imaginary guitarists, Stardust Sato and Fantastic Hatori, to represent us. However, the two must first face the qualifying round. Find out if they made the cut after the break.

Global, Japan
(air guitar • Mr. Sato • music)

There’s something about Bubi: Japan can’t get enough of water bottles that collapse to a third of their size

Master Blaster
Jun 3, 2013

Since being released in April 2013 in Japan, the American-produced Bubi brand of foldable water bottles had become a hit with the public. Despite it not being the first collapsible bottle on the market, as well as it being considerably more expensive, and while it isn’t even the dog days of summer in Japan, online shoppers here have been scooping up Bubis faster than they can be made.

Internet, Japan, USA
(Bubi • summer • water bottle)

Time Tunnel built in China, simply driving through moves time back one hour

Master Blaster
Jun 2, 2013

A particular tunnel in Guizhou, China has been drawing attention for its unique ability to literally turn back the clock. According to reports, when one drives through the 400 meter tunnel there is a substantial chance that their clocks will go back exactly one hour.