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Panasonic Unveils New Ultra Slim “Year-Round” Room Fan

Philip Kendall
Mar 12, 2013
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Hot on the heels of Dyson with its bladeless electric fan technology, Japan’s Panasonic has unveiled its new low power “Slim Fan” for year-round use. And for a device designed primarily to shift air around the room, it’s pretty sexy.

Japan
(cool • fan • Panasonic • tech)

New Rising Barrier System for Japan’s Stations

Philip Kendall
Mar 12, 2013

A new barrier that rises and falls with trains’ arrival and departure is due to be trialed at a busy commuter station this year, a report from Japan’s IT Media has said.

Japan
(cool • tech • trains)

Cave Story Developer Unveils Newest Game at Indie Event in Kyoto【Video】

Philip Kendall
Mar 11, 2013

Daisuke Amaya, the creator of critically acclaimed platform adventure game Dōkutsu Monogatari (Cave Story in the west) announced on Saturday at the Kyoto-held indie developer event BitSummit that his new game Gero Blaster would be arriving this May.

Japan
(Cave Story • cool • Gero Blaster • tech • video games)

Domino’s Pizza Japan Teams Up with Hatsune Miku, Releases Fantastic Cringeworthy Video

Philip Kendall
Mar 8, 2013

Domino’s Pizza stepped things up a gear yesterday when it announced that it is partnering with digital pop idol Hatsune Miku for its latest promotional campaign. As well as allowing them to order pizzas without actually having to speak to anyone, the new Domino’s Pizza feat. Hatsune Miku app for iPhone lets customers enjoy private performances from the singing humanoid by pointing the iPhone’s camera at special app-friendly pizza boxes.

Perhaps even better than the campaign itself, though, is the cheesy video that Domino’s launched yesterday to introduce the app, which features company president Scott Oellkers doing his best to look excited about having his photo taken with the teal-haired star. Corporate enthusiasm aplenty after the break.

Japan
(cool • dominos pizza • funny • Hatsune Miku • video)

Floor Space Oddity: David Bowie Café to Open in Ginza for Month of March

Master Blaster
Mar 7, 2013

Now that everyone has probably sobered up from last year’s Rolling Stones and Suntory collaboration, a new rock legend is bringing a slightly classier offering to Japan.

For just a few weeks of March, in Ginza, Tokyo you can enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Thin White Duke – David Bowie.

To promote The Next Day – his first album in 10 years – Sony will be converting part of their building into the David Bowie Café with a special selection of food and décor.

Japan
(cool • David Bowie • food • music)

Tokyo Store Launches Concierge Service to Help Clueless Men Shopping for their Girlfriends

Philip Kendall
Mar 7, 2013

With White Day little over a week away, thousands of men in Japan are currently feeling the heat. Having received gifts from their loved ones on Valentine’s Day, it’s now time to return the favour by buying their sweetheart something that simultaneously says “thank you” while acting as a token of their affections.

But when most men think of the words “great gift”, they often envisage things like video games or iPad-controlled helicopters, and the chances of such items going down well with their wives or girlfriends are slim to none.

Thankfully, help is at hand! Available at Tokyo’s Tokyu Hands department store, the White Day Concierge service is designed to help male shoppers on the hunt for a romantic gift find something that their other half may actually like, rather than just a female Tenga toy with a ribbon tied around it and the promise of a shoulder rub.

Japan
(cool • funny • shopping • white day)

Japanese Super Mario Fans’ Most Wished-For iPhone Accessory

Philip Kendall
Mar 5, 2013

With almost 40 percent of mobile phones in Japan now smart phones, people are constantly striving to find new ways to jazz up their iPhones and Android devices. As we’ve seen over the last few weeks here on RocketNews24, the popularity of character-based earphone jack plugs continues to rise, with even Disney hoping to cash in on the trend. The imaginative video game lovers over at Japan’s Gold Rush, however, have something better in mind.

Internet, Japan
(cool • gadgets • iPhone • Mario)

Get Your Fruit for Nothing and Your Veg For Free

Jessica
Mar 5, 2013

It’s famously said that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and while that may be true, you can at least get some of the ingredients without laying down a penny. We check out a new website that claims to offer free produce, straight from the farmer to you. Swag!
Read More

Japan
(cool • culture • food • free)

Kutani-ware Porcelian Skulls Remind Us of Our Mortality, Art’s Longevity

Jessica
Feb 26, 2013

Kutaniyaki, or Kutani ware, is a style of porcelain making that dates back to the 17th Century. It’s known for its bold colors and designs, but one company is taking the traditional form in a decidedly modern direction with its new series of Kutaniyaki Skulls. Read More

Japan
(art • cool)

Second Unbelievable Piece of Architecture Found Right Next to Namba Parks

Master Blaster
Feb 15, 2013

Previously we reported on the global reaction regarding a beautiful piece of architecture in Osaka, the shopping center Namba Parks (pictured above), which looks especially stunning when viewed from a high place.

However, another amazing photo surfaced on 9GAG a while back. Taken from a high angle it revealed an even more shockingly designed building that’s arguably even more impressive than Namba Parks.

Internet, Japan
(cool • Namba Parks • Osaka • Parks Tower • playstation)

Tohoku Emotion: Japan’s Newest Tourism Incentive Where the Journey is the Star

Philip Kendall
Feb 9, 2013

Unveiled earlier this week, the “Tohoku Emotion” is a train unlike anything ever seen before in Japan.

Combining “food, art and scenery”, on board this train the journey itself takes the main role and passengers are able to cruise through Northeastern Japan’s beautiful countryside while sampling food freshly prepared before their very eyes.

Japan
(cool • food • tourism • train)

It’s the Little Things: One More Reason Why We Love Japan

Philip Kendall
Feb 9, 2013

After a long week at the office, our Japanese writer Yoshio was in dire need of a pick-me-up. After stretching and clicking his back, he stood up at his desk, tucked his wallet into his back pocket and announced in unusually glum tones that he was popping out to the convenience store to grab a few things.

A few minutes later, Yoshio walked back into office and placed his little white plastic bag down on his desk with a tired sigh. But then he stopped. Looking down at his purchases inside the bag, he suddenly began beaming with a level of happiness that we hadn’t seen in quite some time.

“Oo! Sugoi!” (“Oh! That’s awesome!”) he softly exclaimed.

Japan
(combini • cool • culture)

New Video Game Evoland Turns Technological Advancement into a Game in its Own Right

Philip Kendall
Jan 31, 2013

While it’s true that a number of the world’s best-selling action RPGs – including those that this new video game emulates – hail from Japan, we have to admit that we’re taking the unusual step of reporting on non-Asia specific news with this article; the reason being that it’s simply it’s too awesome not to share.

What you’re about to witness is a short promotional video for Evoland, a new game from Boreaux-based Shiro Games that’s just a few weeks away from release. But this is no ordinary video game. Imagine playing a game that quite literally evolves as you progress; its graphics, sound and gameplay mechanics gradually changing from those of the early 80s to the multi-million dollar standards set by this generation’s sprawling action RPGs.

Taking its cues from industry greats like The Legend of Zelda, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, Evoland allows players to experience first-hand both the growth of the genre and the technological advancements that the video game industry has made over the past three decades, meaning that the game you finish will be almost unrecognizably different to that which you originally began.

Global, Internet
(cool • RPG • video • video game)

Fact: CDs and Candles Produce Stunning Effects When Microwaved (Don’t Try This at Home)

Master Blaster
Jan 27, 2013

Man, I wish someone told me this in the days of free AOL trial CDs.

It seems that putting an ordinary Compact Disc into your average microwave creates freaky lightning and a dramatic fiery demise.

Although you might expect them simply to burn up like an iPhone does, these data storage discs actually provide a kick-ass light show first.

This little known scientific gem was beautifully photographed and uploaded to Twitter, which then led to the discovery of a YouTube video documenting microwaved CDs. So please don’t kill your microwave or yourself trying this – just check out these videos and pictures instead.

Internet
(candle • CD • cool • microwave)

Sony Unveils New Walkman for Swimmers– Light, Sturdy and on Sale for Under $170 this February

Philip Kendall
Jan 16, 2013

If you’re of the sporty persuasion and wish that you could take your tunes to the pool without having a funny-looking contraption strapped to your goggles or having your earphones fall out every other stroke, Sony’s newest addition to the Walkman series will definitely be of interest.

Scheduled for a February 16 release in Japan, the new NWD-W270 series features a compact, lightweight design and boasts 4GB of onboard storage space. Plenty of delicious images and details after the break.

Japan
(cool • MP3 • music • new • Sony • sports • swimming • technology • underwater • Walkman)

Lotteria x Evangelion Fukubukuro! What Anime Surprises Await Inside!?

Philip Kendall
Jan 8, 2013

Fukubukuro, lit. “lucky bag”, are a wonderful way for stores to shift merchandise at the start of the year, not unlike western stores’ New Year’s sales but with far more mystery and intrigue involved. Shoppers take a gamble when they purchase these gift bags as they are completely sealed and their contents unlisted, and they don’t always contain products that we desperately need, but fukubukuro usually contain items whose cash value far exceeds the bag’s asking price.

So when our reporter Kuzo heard that the fast food chain and home of 30-patty cheeseburgers Lotteria was offering up special collaborative Evangelion bags for just 2,000 yen each, he powered down his Wii U, stepped out into the sunlight and sprinted – well, sort of jogged while wheezing quietly – to his nearest store to grab one for himself.

Was it worth the US$22 purchase, or was Kuzo lumbered with a cooking-oil-scented bag of tat? Find out after the jump.

Japan
(anime • cool • Evangelion • fukubukuro • gift bag • new year • shopping • toys)

10 +1 Japanese-Style Fonts For Typing English That Will Confuse Your Friends

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Dec 31, 2012

Can you read the sentence written above? You should be able to; it’s written in English.

When I first started learning Japanese, the Chinese characters and syllabic scripts that were scrawled across my textbooks looked like some kind of crazy code that only aliens could understand. After years of studying, many of the previously cryptic symbols have become familiar, readable letters. However, now even English can be turned into a jumble of alien ciphers thanks to these 10 +1 fonts inspired by Japanese characters.

Japan
(cool • font • Japanese-style font • script • writing)

Wooden Playstation 3 Bentō Lunchbox Looks Just Like the Real Thing

Philip Kendall
Dec 20, 2012

You could be fooled into thinking that this is some enormous new add-on for the current Playstation 3 console, but what you’re actually looking at here is a multi-layered wooden bentō lunchbox sculpted and assembled by a master craftsman for Sony Japan.

Presented to staff at Square Enix and Konami in celebration of 25 years of Final Fantasy and Metal Gear games, these stunning lunchboxes are designed to look identical to Sony’s home console, featuring everything from the ridged top to the tiny silver Playstation logo on the front, all the while leaving plenty of room inside for a delicious lunch.

These things are so beautiful that it almost makes us want to trade in our plastic Playstation 3 for a wooden one…

Japan
(25th anniversary • bento • cool • lunchbox • playstation 3 • Sony • videogames)

[3D Photo Studio] Mr. Sato’s Very Own Lifelike 3-D model has Arrived!

Philip Kendall
Dec 15, 2012

Now that was fast!

It was just 10 days ago that we were detailing our adventurous reporter’s trip to the newly opened Omote 3D Shashin Kan photography studio to be scanned and turned into an ultra-detailed model, and we were told that it’d be a month before the finished product arrived. But would you believe it’s already here! In our sweaty little hands!

And the result is spectacular.

Japan
(cool • figure • model • Mr. Sato • Omote 3D • photography • scan • win)

Life in Mini: Our Reporter Mr. Sato Turns Himself into a Tiny Plastic Figure

Philip Kendall
Dec 3, 2012

Just a few weeks ago, this writer excitedly introduced you to Omote 3D Shashin Kan, the new 3D photography and modelling studio in Tokyo that immortalizes customers as tiny, intricately detailed figurines for just a couple of hundred dollars apiece.

Despite wanting to head down to the fancy new studio myself and decorate my apartment with a collection of mini mes, after much discussion in the office and comments being made like “too handsome” and “they might not have enough plastic to model your nose,” the RocketNews24 crew decided it best to send reporting legend Mr. Sato to do the honours instead.

This is no ordinary photoshoot.