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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 37)
Heroic fisherman who caught PM Kishida’s attacker now a fashion icon
- Master Blaster
Apr 18, 2023 - Tweet
Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear flashy vests.
Fukuoka pro-baseball team sells beer cups made from bats used by players
- Master Blaster
Apr 15, 2023
Buy me some peanuts and cracked-bat-cups…♪
- Japan
- (Asahi Breweries • baseball • bats • beer • cups • Fukuoka • Fukuoka Softbank Hawks • Softbank • souvenirs • sports • wood)
“World’s Smallest Othello” games on sale in Japanese capsule machines and it’s game on!
- Master Blaster
Apr 10, 2023
Here your greatest opponent is the board game itself.
- Japan
- (Bandai Namco • Board games • capsule toys • Megahouse • Miniature Othello Collection • Othello • P.K. Sanjun • Seiji Nakazawa)
The strongest peeing boy statue in Japan is a hidden gem of sightseeing in Saitama
- Master Blaster
Apr 10, 2023
Nature is calling…
- Japan
- (Akasakazawa Check Dam • hiking • Manneken Pis • Masanuki Sunakoma • Ogose • Saitama • sightseeing • travel)
Instant natto soba a suspiciously hot item so we check it out
- Master Blaster
Apr 9, 2023
Is Natto Soba natto what it seems?
- Japan
- (COK • crazy • food • instant noodles • Masanuki Sunakoma • natto • SNJO • soba • taste test • weird)
Egg-teriyaki-cheeseburger-from-Mos-Burger-flavored potato snacks coming this month
- Master Blaster
Apr 8, 2023
Flavors don’t get more specific than that.
- Japan
- (Ajigen • cheeseburgers • COK • fast food • food • haburgers • Mos Burger • Mos Burger Potato • snacks • teriyaki burger • Torottama Cheese Teriyaki Burger Flavor • weird)
Our Japanese reporter tries a top-rated face mask on Amazon in the U.S.
- Master Blaster
Apr 4, 2023
Face/Off against pollen and aerosols.
- Internet, Japan, USA
- (Amazon • COK • crazy • face masks • funny • Masanuki Sunakoma • Nicolas Cage • shopping • SNJO • weird)
Sushiro in Hong Kong may be the best in the world and a bittersweet visit for our reporter
- Master Blaster
Apr 3, 2023
A taste of how things used to be.
- China, Japan
- (Conveyor belt sushi • food • Hong Kong • restaurants • revolving sushi • sushi • Sushiro • travel)
Animal-cracker-themed Tabekko Dobutsu Land saves the day for our reporter
- Master Blaster
Mar 31, 2023
It’s not just for kids apparently!
- Japan
- (animal crackers • events • snacks • Tabekko Dobutsu • Tabekko Dobutsu Land • Tokyo • Tokyo Dome City)
Japan PM’s cheap corn puff box for Ukrainian president has kind of logical explanation
- Master Blaster
Mar 25, 2023
An unexpected gift becomes slightly less unexpected.
- Japan
- (food • Fumio Kishida • funny • politicians • politics • rice scoops • Russian invasion of Ukraine • shamoji • Ukraine • umaibo • Volodymyr Zelensky • war • weird)
Kodansha to release popular manga in Japan and USA simultaneously in K Manga this May
- Master Blaster
Mar 23, 2023
The wait is over.
- Japan, USA
- (Attack on Titan • Blue Lock • Chihayafuru • Edens Zero • Ghost in the Shell • K Manga • Kodansha • manga • online manga • rent a girlfriend • Seven Deadly Sins)
In search of Japan’s largest melon bread with Mr. Sato
- Master Blaster
Mar 22, 2023
Join us as we hunt the monsters of the Japanese bakery scene.
- Japan
- (baked goods • big food • bread • COK • crazy • Deka Melon • food • Lopia • melon bread • Melon Pan • Monster Melon Pan • Mr. Sato • SNJO)
A haunted house for the information age opens in Tokyo for a limited time
- Master Blaster
Mar 20, 2023
Possibly the most well-lit spook house in the world.
- Japan
- (art exhibits • COK • crazy • Darkness • haunted houses • kaibunsho • MyLab Shibuya • scary • Shibuya • Tokyo)
Kagawa Prefecture becoming Slowpoke Paradise this spring
- Master Blaster
Mar 18, 2023
So…much…Slowpoke.
- Japan
- (Ayagawa • buses • food • hotels • Kagawa • Pokemon • shopping • Slowpoke • Slowpoke Park • travel • udon • Yadon • Yadon Koen)
Koto is a local favorite in Iruma, Saitama, for its large food portions, so we check it out
- Master Blaster
Mar 17, 2023
You’ll have to work your way up to take on the final form of their service.
- Japan
- (baumkuchen • food • ginger pork • Iruma • koto • large portions • Masanuki Sunakoma • restaurants • rice • Saitama)
Panasonic develops a “weak robot” that farts
- Master Blaster
Mar 14, 2023
Nicobo’s prime directive is to do nothing and be cute.
We find, and try, the next step in pillow technology on Amazon Japan
- Master Blaster
Mar 13, 2023
Steps can go in either direction, you know.
- Internet, Japan
- (Amazon • Amazon Japan • COK • crazy • funny • pillows • product testing • shopping • sleep • SNJO • weird)
Stunning stop-motion samurai video “Hidari” is like nothing you’ve seen before【Video】
- Master Blaster
Mar 9, 2023
Left is right.
- Japan
- (animation • art • awesome • cinema • cool • crowdfunding • Hidari Jingoro • stop motion • video • woodworking)
Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route Newport sandals released by Keen
- Master Blaster
Mar 7, 2023
Part of the proceeds goes to preserving the World Heritage Site.
- Japan, USA
- (COK • fashion • hiking • Keen • kumano kodo • nature • outdoor • sandals • shoes • Wakayama)
Poison Poison Poison Poison Poison Poison Poison Poison Poison Exhibit now on in Tokyo
- Master Blaster
Mar 6, 2023
I wonder if it’s really about poison though…
- Japan
- (animals • aquariums • COK • crazy • exhibits • funny • Modokuten • poison • sightseeing • Sunshine Aquarium • Tokyo • travel • weird)
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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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