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Tokyo bookmakers’ favourite to host 2020 Olympics

Tokyo bookmakers’ favourite to host 2020 Olympics

With just two days to go until the host city for the 2020 Olympic Games is announced, sports fans and economists all over the world are busy listing each of the three candidates’ strengths and weaknesses in an attempt to guess the overall winner. According to the bookies, however, Japan’s capital city is already the odds-on favourite to clinch the title.

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Nintendo announces new Pokémon cloud-based storage service, X&Y-themed 3DSXL

Nintendo announces new Pokémon cloud-based storage service, X&Y-themed 3DSXL

Wednesday, September 4 will always be remembered as a big day for Pokémon fans. Not only did Nintendo just lift the lid on two swanky Pokémon X & Y-themed 3DSXL portables, but it has become clear that for the first time since the series launched way back in 1996, players will be able to trade their pocket monsters without having to link their consoles together. That’s right, Nintendo will soon be rolling out Pokémon Bank, a cloud-based storage service that allows players to drop and pick up their pokémon whenever they like, wherever they like.

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Microsoft announces Xbox One release date!

After months of speculation as to when the Xbox One will become available to gamers, Microsoft has just announced the release date of the much-anticipated console. Finally.

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Rumour: Sony to unveil ‘virtual reality headset’ at Tokyo Game Show 2013

Long-running gaming site CVG revealed earlier today that Japan’s Sony Computer Entertainment is poised to unveil a new “virtual reality headset” at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show, stating that the unit will be the final piece in the company’s PlayStation 4 hardware strategy.

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Language of the otaku has infiltrated our Internet forums

I’m sure that many of our readers are acquainted with the Japanese word otaku and its assimilation into English. For those that aren’t, it is a special label given to people who are especially obsessed with what might be considered nerdy hobbies, particularly those related to Japanese anime and manga. In Japanese, it can refer to any person with an obsession, whether it be half-naked figurines or interior design, but it almost always carries the negative connotation of being obsessed to the point of anti-social behavior. In the Western world, however, being an otaku is a badge of honor for many. People who like Japanese manga, anime, and games will often self-identify as otaku and join together with others of like interests over the Internet and other social outlets.

For better or worse, this circle of online anime fanatics has adapted a small vocabulary of Japanese words, creating a sub-set of Internet slang that bridges the language gap between these two similar cultures. Japanese pop culture enthusiasts worldwide cling to words like baka, moe, hentai, and more. But is this particular aspect of otaku culture a healthy thing to have spread? For example, there’s also the potentially disillusioned concept of “mai waifu.”

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Why it’s so important for Japanese celebrities to star in commercials

Even if you can’t understand what’s being said on Japanese TV, it’s difficult to miss the fact that nearly every TV spot and, for that matter, a good chunk of print ads, feature Japanese celebrities shucking various products.

To the Western eye, this can be a little baffling. Sure, sometimes commercials in English-speaking countries will fall back on (mostly) has-been stars to lend credibility to this or that used car dealership or diet product, but most of the time Western commercials star everyday folks. Most surmise this is so the consumer – his/herself most likely an everyman/woman – feels an emotional connection with the ad.

On the other hand, Japanese ad agencies hire TV and movie stars much, if not most, of the time. So prevalent is the practice that Western stars aren’t above traveling to Japan Lost in Translation-style for a week or so of juggling live human beings and shouting broken-English catchphrases for a round of Japanese ads ending in a big payday.

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Nintendo announces new “2DS” portable, Wii U deluxe gets a price cut

Early this morning, Nintendo of America announced that it will be bringing a new model of its Nintendo DS portable games console to the market. Meet the 2DS! 

The console will play all 3DS games and comes complete with the exact same features, except of course the top 3-D screen. Nintendo also revealed that its premium Wii U console will be getting a price cut.

Full details after the jump.

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Japanese vs. Western-style toilets: Squatty Potty stool gives us the best of both!

There are many highly touted health benefits associated with Japanese-style toilets. But who would want to get down to business with a glorified hole in the ground when they have the option of a wonderful Washlet, complete with heated seats and a butt-cleaning water spray?!

Thanks to a new American company that cares a lot about colons, there’s no need to choose the health benefits of one over the comfort and familiarity of the other. This very special team has created a stool to ease the release of your stool and give you perfect poo from atop your porcelain throne. They call their product the Squatty Potty.

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Nintendo accidentally reveals Zelda-themed Wii U hardware bundle

With the high-definition remake of the beautiful cel-shaded action RPG The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker set to go on sale next month (early October in Europe/North America), gamers the world over were excited to see a new video from Nintendo last weekend introducing the game’s new “hero mode” which powers up enemies’ attacks while removing life hearts from the game world. Nintendo pulled the video soon after, however, as it also contained a shot of a Zelda-themed Wii U console that the company has yet to officially announce.

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Wii U’s Mario Kart 8 shaping up nicely, makes us grin like idiots

We have to admit that we may have lost a little faith in Nintendo over the past couple of years. The Wii U is a curious piece of hybrid hardware that has yet to see any truly groundbreaking titles, and the company’s uncharacteristically zealous foray into the world of 3-D technology with its most recent portable took us off guard. But 2014 is shaping up to be a good year not just for Nintendo but for Wii U owners.

Unveiled a few months ago, Mario Kart 8 looked to be more of the same and left many wishing Nintendo would stop adding wacky accessories to its cartoon go-karts and just give us classic Mario racing like we had on the SNES, but videos taken at the recent Gamescom event in Cologne show just how nicely the game is shaping up to be, with beautiful tracks and karts as well as brand new game dynamics. Suffice it to say, our interest has most definitely been piqued.

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Spend a day at the zoo on Google Maps

Google Street View is amazing. Not only does it allow us common folk a few glimpses of abandoned islands, strange pigeon people, and the inside of the Ryōgoku Kokugikan sumo hall, anyone anywhere can now enjoy looking at the cuddly animals at zoos around the world. From the famous San Diego Zoo to the Chengdu Research Base in China, Google Maps will transport you to a world of cute (and you don’t even have to pay an admission fee).

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PS4 release date in Japan to be announced on September 9 (hopefully)

Just yesterday Sony announced the release date of their much-anticipated next generation console (it’s November 15 in the US and November 29 in Europe, just in case you haven’t heard). They also announced that PlayStation4 will be available in 32 countries, but surprisingly, Sony is snubbing its country of origin, having yet to reveal when Japan can expect to see the PS4.

However, on August 21, SCEJA (that’s “Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia) announced that they will be holding the SCEJA Press Conference 2013 where it is anticipated that the release date and price for the Japanese market will be revealed.

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Sony announces PlayStation 4 release date at Gamescom 2013 *UPDATED*

Xbox One or PS4? That’s the question that’s been on a lot of people’s minds, inspiring long-winded debates between diehard console fans. Microsoft took the lead, announcing (arguably) too much information, causing the minds of long-time Xbox fans to simultaneously explode and forcing the tech giant to rethink its strategy for the next generation console. Sony, realizing Microsoft’s blunder, has been keeping their cards close to their chest, letting Microsoft reveal aspects of their console first…that is until now. In a press conference held at Gamescom 2013 in Cologne, Germany, Sony officially announced the release date of the PlayStation 4 console for the US and international markets.

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It’s an epidemic! Worldwide freezer diving!

Avid readers of RocketNews24 might have noticed our series of articles earlier this month about Japan’s latest fad, freezer diving. This year’s summer heat wave has inspired a whole string of idiotic people to climb into convenience store freezers as a way to beat the blazing weather.

Now, whether it’s a result of Japanese media hype or individual inspiration, pictures of people inside fridges and freezers are popping up all over the world. The latest country to join in the craze was China.

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Arsenal’s Lukas Poldoski earns scores of Japanese fans after revealing new shin pads

In Japan, the manga series Captain Tsubasa was a veritable bible for young aspiring soccer players now active today. Practically every J. League player on the pitch today was reading the series or watching the anime during the ’80s.

This wasn’t just limited to Japan though; the popularity of the soccer-themed comic had spread around the world touching the hearts of young athletes everywhere. Professional soccer player Lionel Messi professed his love for the story, as did Andres Iniesta, Francesco Totti… The list goes on and on.

Among these many pros, German forward Lukas Podolski recently found himself in the loving cyber-embrace of Japan after posting a picture of his new shin guards complete with image of Captain Tsubasa‘s Kojiro Hyuga.

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Nintendogs coming to a PlayStation Vita near you?

…Wait, that’s not Nintendogs!

No, ladies and gentlemen, the house that made Mario hasn’t finally buckled under the pressure and decided to publish its first-party games on rival platforms. The above screenshot is actually from a completely new title designed specifically for Sony’s portable: PlayStation Vita Pets. Soulless rip-off or an evolution of the pet sim genre? Find out after the break.

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Summer brings bad breath – Here’s how to beat it!

The summertime heat can often cause a loss of appetite for a lot of people. I know I have days where I’d rather drink fluids all day long and rely on energy drinks to keep me going. On those days, even the things I do eat are likely found swimming in a bowl of cold broth.

Of course, this is unhealthy in a whole slew of ways, some more social than physical. Did you know, for example, that eating less can cause you to have bad breath? You’re not only doing your body a disservice when you skip a meal, you’re driving away your friends and colleagues by them breathing in their presence. Thankfully, we’ve got the full breakdown on what generally causes beastly breath and what measures you can take to prevent it.

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Gift-giving guide: The double meaning behind everyday items

The act of gift giving is a special sort of science. Between all of the holidays, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and special moments in between, we get a lot of practice with presents, and yet sometimes it’s still so hard to pick out the perfect gift for any certain someone. Still, we’ve all heard horror stories about well-intentioned presents having the complete opposite effect. Now, not to increase your anxiety over gift giving, but did you know that many everyday items carry rude connotations when given as gifts, at least in certain cultures?

You’d like to think that anyone would be happy to receive something useful as a present, but then remember how it feels when your friend offers you a piece of gum. Perhaps it’s their favorite flavor and they just really want to share, but nonetheless you’re left with a nagging worry about how badly your breath must stink. These misunderstandings can happen on a much larger scale when cultural differences come into play. So, to help you all out, here’s a little guide to gift-giving manners.

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Championship day at the 11th World Cosplay Summit 【Photos】

About one week ago, we at RocketNews24 gave you an inside look at how things happen behind the scenes at the annual World Cosplay Summit (WCS). Now, it’s time for a follow-up!

On Saturday, July 3, in Nagoya, Japan, the WCS held its highly anticipated championship finals, wherein 20 teams of cosplayers from countries around the world competed for prizes and the prestige of being named World Cosplay Champions. This year, for the first time, the championships were streamed live on Niconico Douga, Japan’s YouTube, for the whole globe to see. But, just in  case you missed it, here’s a photo album introducing all of the teams and announcing to you the winners of this years WCS.

Warning: The cosplay featured in these photos will take your breath away.

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Great Scott! Back to the Future DeLorean Lego set finally here

Believe it or not, a Lego Jar Jar Binks has existed for years, but the iconic DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future has only just now been immortalized in block form.

Starting out in 1949 as a seemingly simple toy set consisting of multicolored blocks that fastened together, Lego has grown into a vast toy and ever more complicated empire spanning hundreds, even thousands, of play sets depicting iconic characters and scenes from geek culture.

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