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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 81)
Giant undersea bug in Toba Aquarium poops for first time in two years
- Master Blaster
May 29, 2020 - Tweet
Apparently, eating a shark’s face alive will bind you right up.
- Japan
- (animals • biology • giant isopod • Mie • poop • science • Toba • Toba Aquarium)
Japanese rugby legend questions reopening of pro-baseball, confuses everyone
- Master Blaster
May 28, 2020
Is the Internet schooling Ayumu Goromaru about students, or is he schooling them?
- Japan
- (Ayumu Goromaru • baseball • children • coronavirus • COVID-19 • rugby • sports)
Jilted Chinese woman sends 1,000 kilograms of onions to ex-boyfriend’s doorstep
- Master Blaster
May 26, 2020
Revenge is a dish best served with a side of onions.
Fusedon: the mysterious Japanese subculture of flipping your bowl to say “thanks”
- Master Blaster
May 25, 2020
It’s gross and annoying, and yet some people won’t stop doing it for some reason.
- Japan
- (culture • eating • etiquette • food • fusedon • manners • ramen • restaurants • rice bowls • twitter • yamabushi • Yamagata)
Fukuoka Museum offers Japanese art treasures right in your own home via AR
- Master Blaster
May 21, 2020
Why not virtually spruce up your living room with some 16th century samurai armor?
- Internet, Japan
- (AR • art • cool • culture • Fukuoka • Fukuoka City Museum • history • samurai • Steampunk Digital • technology • Tokugawa Ieyasu • Yoichi Kojima)
Japanese new recruit fired after one month for being partially out of frame during video meetings
- Master Blaster
May 21, 2020
Company decided that an inability to fit into the chat window is an inability to fit into the workforce.
- Internet, Japan
- (business • coronavirus • COVID-19 • crowdfunding • employment • firing • IT • university graduation)
17-year-old to sue Kagawa Prefecture over video game restricting ordinance
- Master Blaster
May 18, 2020
And what did you do over your school vacation?
- Japan
- (Kagawa • law • lawsuits • ordinances • video game addiction • video games)
Official Captain Tsubasa Twitter account wishes everyone a confusing Mother’s Day
- Master Blaster
May 18, 2020
This year let’s give thanks to our mothers for remembering the times we almost died.
- Japan
- (anime • Captain Tsubasa • football • manga • Mother's Day • soccer • sports • twitter)
Modern legend Tiger Mask returns, donates 55 handmade face masks to rural government workers
- Master Blaster
May 15, 2020
Japan’s muscular embodiment of human kindness pays a visit to a small town in Chiba.
- Japan
- (anime • charity • Chiba • coronavirus • COVID-19 • face masks • manga • Tako • Tiger Mask • Tiger Masko • wrestling)
28-year-old sumo wrestler dies after contracting coronavirus
- Master Blaster
May 13, 2020
“Like the fighter he was, he tenaciously fought against the illness until the very end.”
- Japan
- (coronavirus • COVID-19 • death • Kiyotaka Ohmori • pneumonia • Shobushi Kanji • shokkiri • Sumo)
ANA unveils robot avatar shopper at boutique in Oita
- Master Blaster
May 13, 2020
Robots let us peruse the aisles of clothing stores from anywhere in the world.
- Japan
- (ANA • avatars • contessa ricca • fashion • newme • Oita • robots • shopping • technology)
Japanese government proposes cyborgs and robotic avatars for all by 2050
- Master Blaster
May 12, 2020
Above diagram suggests Vegeta suits may be involved as well.
- Japan
- (avatars • Cabinet Office • future • government • Moonshot R&D Program • robots • science • Society 5.0 • technology)
Japanese coder finds perfect way to incorporate ads into games
- Master Blaster
May 11, 2020
Tired of games with annoying ads? How about one where the ads are the game?
SoraNews24 founder straps 20-pound device to back to keep crotch dry
- Master Blaster
May 9, 2020
A story about pleasing your boss.
- Japan
- (7-Eleven • Ahiruneko • COK • crazy • delivery • funny • SNJO • take-out food • weird • Yoshio)
Japanese snack maker puts wrong genus of flower on package, rewards customer who noticed
- Master Blaster
May 8, 2020
Luckily, Lunch Pack takes their botany very seriously and corrected the mistake.
- Japan
- (acacia • beekeeping • customer service • flowers • food • honey • Lunch Pack • Yamazaki Baking Company • Yamazaki Pan)
How well do you know your Japanese vending machines?【Quiz】
- Master Blaster
May 7, 2020
They’re everywhere and we use them every day, but how well do we really know them?
Almost certainly the best fermented Japanese soybean pencil case ever made is here
- Master Blaster
May 5, 2020
If you can find a better natto pencil case, we’d love to see it.
- Japan
- (art • Felissimo • Kumiko Abe • natto • pencil case • stationery • YOU+MORE!)
Limited edition Evangelion Asuka Telecasters on sale this June
- Master Blaster
May 3, 2020
Get in the damn groove, Shinji!
- Japan
- (anime • Asuka • Evangelion • Fender • guitars • music • Telecaster)
Garden eels in Japanese aquarium are forgetting humans and need your help!
- Master Blaster
May 1, 2020
Help the eels remember us by gawking at them from your own home.
- Japan
- (chinanago • coronavirus • COVID-19 • garden eels • Sumida Aquarium • Tokyo)
Help Japan’s dairy industry in style, using 100-yen milk carton covers
- Master Blaster
Apr 30, 2020
Make your milk cartons ready for whatever formal event may arise.
- Japan
- (100-yen stores • Can Do • dairy • Go Hatori • milk • milk carton cover)
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Recent Posts
- Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
- 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
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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
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
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
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
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
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
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
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