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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 50)
We slide down Osaka’s most famous tower and get free curry for it
- Master Blaster
May 12, 2022 - Tweet
It could be higher, but we’ll let that slide.
- Japan
- (Billiken • curry • Osaka • Shin Sekai • Shinsekai • slides • Tower Slide • Tsutenkaku)
Fire chief in Akita starts forest fire trying to scare away wasp
- Master Blaster
May 11, 2022
You had one job!
- Japan
- (Akita • brushfire • firefighters • forest fire • Kazuno • road flare • wasps)
Retired Member of Parliament arrested pretending to be active MP for first-class train tickets
- Master Blaster
May 11, 2022
And he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for that meddling JR and its clerical errors.
- Japan
- (crime • forgery • fraud • Green Car • JR • Member of Parliament • politics • shinkansen)
Japan’s most punk rock candy store can be found in Tokyo
- Master Blaster
May 10, 2022
Owner is easily the coolest clown around.
- Japan
- (Acchan • Atsushi • candy • candy stores • Fujiya • music • New Rote’Ka • punk • umaibo)
Aichi police on lookout for scoundrel who stole public toilet’s flushing handle
- Master Blaster
May 9, 2022
Be sure to check your toilets first while this fiend is still at large!
- Japan
- (Aichi • COK • crazy • crime • public toilets • shikizakura • theft • Toilets • Toyota City • vandalism • weird)
Speedruns to open packs of gummies trends on Japanese social media【Video】
- Master Blaster
May 8, 2022
The Olympics really slept on this hit sport.
- Japan
- (anime • Anpanman • COK • food • funny • gummies • Internet challenges • Nagoya RTA Off • RTA • SNO • speed run • speedrun • video • video games • weird)
National dekotora association mints NFTs for charity and to support the art of decorating trucks
- Master Blaster
May 7, 2022
Help dekotora help everyone.
Japan Rail West offering chance to sleep in a platypus’ mouth
- Master Blaster
May 5, 2022
Great for fans of strange mammals and/or contactless payment services.
- Japan
- (crazy • cute • IC cards • Ico-chan • ICOCA • interior • JR West • pillows • platypus • trains • travel • weird)
Matcha Fair comes to Ikea with all things green tea
- Master Blaster
May 4, 2022
Home furnishings have never been so bittersweet.
Hotel guest who boiled crabs in room’s kettle angry to have to pay for damages
- Master Blaster
May 3, 2022
Legal dispute has everyone feeling crabby.
Life-sized Kinnikuman tag-team trophy selling for 1.1M yen, no more than 5 will be made
- Master Blaster
May 2, 2022
Belts are for losers.
- Japan
- (anime • Castem • cups • Kinnikuman • life-sized figure • manga • muscle • tag team trophy • wrestling)
We try a can of Space Mackerel, designed for eating on the ISS by high school students
- Master Blaster
May 2, 2022
In space, no one can hear you slurp.
- Japan
- (canned fish • food • fukui prefecture • JAXA • mackerel • space food • Wakasa Space Mackerel)
Ukraine’s message of thanks and friendship gets really awkward with Japan
- Master Blaster
Apr 29, 2022
All’s embarrassing in love and war.
AI-powered Super Great Robo Goalkeeper employed at sports center in Saitama
- Master Blaster
Apr 29, 2022
I wouldn’t put it past Teppeki-kun.
- Japan
- (AI • Air Digital • football • goalkeeper • robots • Saitama • soccer • sports • Sports 60 & Smart • technology)
Tokyo rapper arrested for tagging Yamanote Line while drunk
- Master Blaster
Apr 28, 2022
Public not all that shocked by the news.
- Japan
- (crime • graffiti • J Columbus • Masahi Sawada • music • Payback Boys • rap • Tokyo • Yamanote line)
Spicy fish egg theme park opens newest location in Gunma Prefecture
- Master Blaster
Apr 28, 2022
There’s something fishy about this place…
- Japan
- (food • Gunma • Kanefuku • Mentai Park • mentaiko • pollock roe • seafood • theme parks)
Town in Yamaguchi accidentally sends everyone’s COVID-19 relief money to one person
- Master Blaster
Apr 27, 2022
Bank error in their favor. Collect 46.3 million yen.
Sega begins Puyo Puyo Boot Camp to help bring eSports into more Japanese high schools
- Master Blaster
Apr 26, 2022
A place where kids can learn their power chains from their stairs.
- Japan
- (esports • high school • Puyo Puyo • Puyo Puyo Boot Camp • school activities • school sports • Sega • sports • video games)
Luxury hotel chain opens hotel on edge of Osaka’s infamous Nishinari for its “deep culture”
- Master Blaster
Apr 24, 2022
Brings new meaning to the phrase “slumming it.”
- Japan
- (Airin District • gentrification • Hoshino Resorts • hotels • Nishinari • Osaka • society)
Ultraman title logo generator set up online by McDonald’s Japan
- Master Blaster
Apr 23, 2022
What’s old is Shin again!
- Internet, Japan
- (Chicken Tatsuta • cool • fast food • kaiju • McDonald's • movies • Shin Ultraman • tokusatsu • Ultraman)
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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
Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
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]
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
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]
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
Why people in Japan hardly ever say “sayonara,” and what they say instead
Yakuza boss sues expressway owners for discrimination against criminals
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
“Sweet sake” with yuzu is coming to Japan’s wonderful world of hot canned drinks 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
Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings
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