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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 30)
Mysterious “The Color of That Sky” bath bombs selling at Don Quijote
- Master Blaster
Dec 4, 2023 - Tweet
You know, “that” sky…
Japanese matchmaking party insider fill us in on the actual chances of finding a spouse
- Master Blaster
Dec 4, 2023
You might have more luck finding love at a tonkotsu party than a konkatsu party.
- Japan
- (COK • dating • interview • konkatsu • konkatsu party • marriage • relationships • romance • Seiji Nakazawa • SNJO)
Can our gourmet writers tell luxurious wagyu beef jerky from the cheap imported beef stuff?
- Master Blaster
Dec 1, 2023
Time to separate the jerky from the jerks.
- Japan
- (beef jerky • COK • Gourmet Writers' Rating Check • Japanese beef • Japanese Black • kuroge wagyu • SNJO • Top Valu • Wagyu • Yamagata Prefecture)
Mysterious cosmic ray named after Japanese goddess Amaterasu confirmed second most powerful
- Master Blaster
Nov 28, 2023
Discovery leads to more questions than answers.
- Japan
- (Amaterasu • Amaterasu Particle • cosmic rays • Oh-My-God Particle • Osaka Municipal University • science)
We have Norway to thank for salmon sushi and they’re planning even more for Good Meat Day
- Master Blaster
Nov 27, 2023
Free samples of salmon beef, salmon pork, and salmon chicken coming to Tokyo.
- Europe, Japan
- (Good Meat Day • Norway • salmon • salmon sushi • Samo Meat Shop • Samoniku • Shibuya • sushi • Tokyo)
One-of-a-kind Osaka-themed Uniqlo Shinsaibashi opens
- Master Blaster
Nov 24, 2023
You’ve never seen a Uniqlo quite like this.
- Japan
- (culture • Kyuji Fujikawa • Osaka • Shinsaibashi • shopping • Taro Kido • travel • Uniqlo)
Traditional wooden cups for tasty sake repurposed as tasteful accessories
- Master Blaster
Nov 24, 2023
It’s like Minecraft-chic!
- Japan
- (accessories • earrings • fashion • Fomus • Fomus Parure • jewelry • kanzari • masu • necklaces • sake)
One Piece and the LA Rams team up for a special collab game on 3 December
- Master Blaster
Nov 21, 2023
Watch Luffy go long.
- Japan, USA
- (anime • football • LA Rams • Los Angeles • manga • One Piece • SoFi Stadium • sports)
Can three inexperienced guys working together beat a NES game from 1987 at Japanese chess?
- Master Blaster
Nov 20, 2023
The classic battle of old man vs old machine
- Japan
- (famicom • games • Go Hatori • holidays • Morita Shogi • Mr. Sato • Seiji Nakazawa • shogi • Shogi Day • video games)
Pokémon GO to take over Tokyo’s Asakusa with ukiyo-e style routes
- Master Blaster
Nov 19, 2023
Hey, honey, take a walk on the wild Pikachu side.
- Japan
- (Asakusa • cool • Pikachu • Pokemon • Pokémon GO • sightseeing • Tokyo • travel • ukiyo-e • video games)
139 sauce squeezers mark Tartar Sauce Day in Japan with Guinness World Record
- Master Blaster
Nov 17, 2023
A triumph of the human spirit!
- Japan
- (crazy • food • Fried Oyster Day • fried oysters • funny • Guinness World Record • kewpie • tartar sauce • Tartar Sauce Day • werid)
Osaka restaurateur sends ramen ingredients into space for six months to test effects of cosmic rays
- Master Blaster
Nov 14, 2023
Founder hopes to expand to Mars when feasible.
- Japan
- (2025 Osaka World Expo • COK • cosmic radiation • Human Beings Everybody Noodles • ramen • space • SpaceX • Takahiro Matsumura • Unchi)
Dragon Quest slime bread appearing at Lawson Store 100 all over Japan
- Master Blaster
Nov 13, 2023
Command?
- Japan
- (cornets • Dragon Quest • Dragon Quest Monsters 3 • Lawson Store 100 • metal slime • mushipan • she-slime • slime • The Dark Prince)
Gum with no flavor on sale at Lawson convenience stores across Japan【Tasteless test】
- Master Blaster
Nov 8, 2023
You can’t say it tastes bad…
- Japan
- (candy • chewing gum • convenience stores • food • gum • Lawson • Lotte • No Taste? Candy • No Taste? Gum)
Testing a cockroach trap from a clothing website on our 100-year-old house【SoraHouse】
- Master Blaster
Nov 8, 2023
Claims to work well in your “home office kitchen.”
- Japan
- (cockroaches • Go Hatori • pest control • roaches • Shien • shopping • SoraHouse • traps)
This decommissioned bus on the side of the road in Tochigi serves up some tasty ramen
- Master Blaster
Nov 6, 2023
Get on the ramen bus!
Inventor of the punch perm awarded Medal of Honor
- Master Blaster
Nov 4, 2023
Osakan inventor attributes idea to those damn long-haired Beatles.
- Japan
- (COK • fashion • hairstyles • Medal of Honor • Osaka • punch perm • Ryoichi Hijiya • society • yellow ribbon)
Kung-fu shoe flipping tournament coming back to Yokohama Chinatown
- Master Blaster
Nov 1, 2023
Kick off your shoes and have a good time.
- Japan
- (COK • crazy • funny • Kitamon Festival • kung fu • Kung-fu Shoe Flying World Championships • kung-fu shoes • martial arts • sports • tournaments • weird • Yokohama • Yokohama Chinatown)
Grand Sumo Tournament pop-up cafe pushes its way into Fukuoka
- Master Blaster
Oct 31, 2023
I hope they throw salt over everything.
- Japan
- (cafes • chanko • COK • food • Fukuoka • hot pot • Kawara Cafe & Dining Kitte • nabe • pop-up cafes • restaurants • spots • Sumo • themed cafes • themed restaurants)
Pizza Hut campaigns to become an Osakan konamon food
- Master Blaster
Oct 27, 2023
Just because it is, doesn’t mean it is.
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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
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
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]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
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
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
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]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
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
Is hamburger patty ramen a case of too many good things in one bowl? Let’s find out! [Taste test]
KFC Japan starts selling soft-serve ice cream at select locations, and they’ve even put it in a biscuit
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Tokyo neighborhood adds new “smart trash cans” to deal with increasing amounts of tourist litter
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