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Watching the making of tiny sushi will alleviate stress, make you ache at the cuteness【Video】

Oona McGee
Sep 16, 2015
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The miniature toy market is huge in Japan. From tiny Hello Kitty baked goods to pint-sized supermarket items and even scaled-down Japanese-style rooms filled with traditional furnishings, you don’t have to be a child with a doll-house to delve into the world of miniature here in Japan.

Adults have become so transfixed with all the adorable items on the market that there are a number of YouTube channels purely dedicated to the art of petite cooking, using everything from tiny utensils to working miniature ovens.

One of the latest videos to appear takes us through the sushi-making process, transporting us to a tiny world that viewers say is so calming it can cure all types of stress and anxiety. Watching this short clip will be the best few minutes of your day!

Japan
(cute • miniature • models • Re-Ment • sushi • toys • video)

“Man’s best friend” indeed! Dog’s reaction to owner collapsing during walkies is hilarious【Video】

Evie Nyan
Sep 15, 2015

As a lifelong cat person, I’m often told by die-hard dog people that cats are the inferior species due to their apparent lack of devotion to their owners. Unlike cats, I’m told, dogs are loyal, devoted, and really care for their human companions. So this Twitter video showing how a so-called “loyal” member of the canine species reacts to their “collapsed” owner during a walk had me laughing my socks off!

Internet, Japan
(dachshund • dogs • funny • video • wtf)

If I fits, I sits! Adorable kitten playing with tissue box finds even cuter surprise inside

Scott Wilson
Sep 15, 2015

Here at RocketNews24, we love cute animals! From Shiba Inu to fuzzy ferrets to sleepy hamsters, we’ve got your daily dose of d’aww covered. So here is your latest fix: a kitten playing in a tissue box!

But wait! There’s more! This is not your ordinary tissue box. There’s a surprise waiting inside, so read on to see what it is!

Japan
(animals • cats • cute • kittens • pets • video)

“I can’t believe I ate this!” American kids try nigiri sushi for the first time 【Video】

Audrey Akcasu
Sep 15, 2015

Believe it or not, sushi has been available in the US since the 1960s. In fact, the first American sushi restaurant opened in 1966 in Los Angeles. But while sushi is booming now, it took some time to really take off in the States and still isn’t necessarily a family-friendly dining option, with many kids (and adults) not so keen on eating the raw fish delicacy.

REACT, a light-hearted YouTube channel featuring kids, teens, and older adults reacting to a variety of things, recently released Kids vs. Food – SUSHI, a video showing a few American kids trying some popular nigiri sushi and some of these Japanese favorites didn’t all sit well with the kiddos.

Japan, USA
(food • funny • kids • nigiri • sushi • video)

We check out the new Samurai Star Wars figurines from Bandai and Tamashii Nations【Pics】

Oona McGee
Sep 14, 2015

Ever since we heard about the upcoming release of the new Samurai Darth Vader figurine, we’ve been eager to check out the Movie Realisation Series in person. The series includes Boba Fett, Stormtroopers and the Imperial Royal Guard, all dressed as Japanese feudal warriors and brandishing a mix of Japanese, western, and Star Wars-styled weapons.

We’d seen the photos and read the rave reviews but nothing could prepare us for meeting the unique cast of collectibles in person. Come with us as we take you through all the details and close-up photos from our visit!

Japan
(Bandai • Boba Fett • Darth Vader • figurines • photos • samurai • Star Wars • stormtrooper • Tamashii Nations • video)

Need a real Kingdom Hearts Keyblade? Ask these guys to make it for you!【Video】

KK Miller
Sep 12, 2015

If there’s one thing we know, it’s that Kingdom Hearts 3 is definitely, probably, hopefully coming out sometime in the future. It might be released in 2016 or 2017 or forever, but it is for sure coming…so they tell us. Like most fans of the series, we’ve replayed Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2 over and over again just to get ready for the big release. We’ve made Sora swing the Keyblade around enough times in the game that if given a real Keyblade, we’d probably be pretty amazing at using it.

Luckily for us, there are master weaponsmiths who showcase their talent on YouTube and just this week they uploaded their team making the “Oathkeeper” and it couldn’t be more perfect.

Internet
(amazing • keyblade • Kingdom Hearts • Oathkeeper • video • weapon)

Short documentary explores the significance of Japanese children being independent from a young age 【Video】

Krista Rogers
Sep 11, 2015

Many foreigners in Japan are shocked to see young Japanese schoolchildren walking to and from school by themselves, or even taking the trains or buses alone. While these sights would probably lead to more than a few concerned stares in many countries overseas, they’re perfectly typical scenes in Japan.

Australian TV channel SBS 2 recently shared a mini-documentary titled “Japan’s independent kids” on YouTube, which gives a brief look at the differences between one young Japanese girl’s commute to school versus that of a young Australian girl, while examining some of the societal factors that lead to differing expectations regarding independence for children in each country.

Australia, Japan
(Australia • children • education • Parenting • society • video)

Would you like paper or plastic for that adorable puppy?【Video】

KK Miller
Sep 11, 2015

Cute and amazing events happen when you least expect them, but the convenience of smart phones makes it possible to capture those special moments no matter where you are. You might see something at a crowded festival or a totally random happenstance as you’re cruising down the street. Just whip out your phone and share away.

It’s no surprise thatoften times, animals are featured in our smart phone camera moments as they are constantly doing the cutest things, like carrying their puppy in a plastic shopping bag.

Internet
(animals • cute • dogs • puppies • video)

Breathtaking video captures the beauty of traditional Japanese washi paper making【Video】

Oona McGee
Sep 11, 2015

The traditional art of Japanese paper making has a history that dates back well over 1,000 years. Kurotani in Kyoto is one of the oldest paper-making villages where the tradition continues in earnest, with artisans continuing the ancient practice of paper skimming, classed as an intangible cultural asset by Kyoto Prefecture.

Like all Japanese arts, the process of creating washi has a precise and meditative quality about it. From collecting and preparing the raw materials to filtering and pressing the paper, the movements of these craftspeople and the life they lead is truly a sight to behold.

Japanese filmmaker Takashi Kuroyanagi has captured these moments in a beautiful five-minute film that takes us through the process from beginning to end and the result is breathtaking in its meditative beauty. If you’re looking for a way to take five minutes to relax in a busy day, this video is the calming tonic you need.

Japan
(artisan • Kurotani • Kyoto • paper • tradition • traditional crafts • video • washi)

We can’t stop watching this cute cat put together a packing box【Video】

Meg Murphy
Sep 11, 2015

Yamato Un’yu (Yamato Transport), is Japan’s largest delivery company. Their beige-and-teal trucks, as well as their kuroneko (black cat) logo, are as familiar to the Japanese as the Golden Arches or the Starbucks mermaid. Their logo has also resulted in them being referred to colloquially as Kuroneko (black cat) Yamato.

Now, to advertise their compact delivery boxes, they’ve enlisted the help of a real black cat to show just how easy it is to put together. And we all know that cats plus boxes make a mesmerizingly adorable combination!

Japan
(animals • cats • cats and boxes • cute • Kuroneko Yamato • video • Yamato Un'yu)

Shooting star shakes up the Monday blues in Thailand【Video】

Jamie Koide
Sep 11, 2015

Many people that work a weekday 9-5 job consider Mondays to be the bane of their existence. Unsurprisingly, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of love for that first day back to the office after a fun weekend.

But for those caught in rush hour traffic this past Monday in Thailand, it was anything but dull and monotonous thanks to a shooting star sighting caught on camera by a number of drivers on their way to work.

SE Asia
(astronomy • nature • science • shooting star • Thailand • video)

Nagasaki’s hundreds of beautiful islands get newspapers from boats, planes, 2,285 delivery people

Casey Baseel
Sep 10, 2015

Although Nagasaki is one of the most populous cities on the island of Kyushu, many neighborhoods are built on steep coastal hillsides that are inaccessible by car. Then there’s the rest of Nagasaki Prefecture, which is dotted with isolated communities on its hundreds of islands.

But with the prefecture’s unique beauty and culture, it’s not hard to see why many residents of Nagasaki are happy living where they do. And while there may be some inconveniences that come with living in such remote homes, they can at least be assured of receiving their newspapers every day, as this surprisingly moving video of the incredibly complex delivery process shows.

Japan
(beautiful • Nagasaki • newspapers • rural life • video)

Thai anti-drinking PSA is surprisingly compelling 【Video】

Master Blaster
Sep 9, 2015

As a child I distinctly remember anti-drug campaigns telling me to “Just say no!” and how narcotics would turn my brain into a fried egg rather than a raw one, which I guess meant that cold, transparent and runny is the optimum condition for one’s gray matter.

And after I was released from rehab for the third time, I realized that those messages were largely ineffective. This was because rather than educate about the way drugs work both chemically and socially, they simply resorted to speaking down to the viewer and giving us simple commands that we were expected to blindly obey for some reason.

Looking at the above image to an alcohol abuse PSA from Thailand, you might expect more of the same dogmatic obscurity of days past. However, this ad—as bizarre as it is—is a very persuasive and inspiring message regarding knocking off the booze and getting your life together.

SE Asia
(alcohol • commercial • drinking • funny • PSA • Thailand • video)

Couple weds in a dreamy, Final Fantasy-themed wedding ceremony【Video】

Krista Rogers
Sep 9, 2015

Ever wondered what a wedding planned around your favorite video game franchise would look like? Newly married couple Grace and Chris have an answer to that question in the form of the following video taken at their stunning Final Fantasy-themed wedding ceremony filmed in Hawaii!

Japan, USA
(Final Fantasy • Final Fantasy IX • hawaii • video • video games • Wedding)

Super Mario Bros. creator explains how and why he designed World 1-1 of the 8-bit classic 【Video】

Philip Kendall
Sep 9, 2015

Ahead of the launch of Mario-themed level-building game Super Mario Maker, video game industry legend Shigeru Miyamoto sat down with veteran game designer Takashi Tezuka to take questions from journalists and show off its features.

Before leaping into the level creation proper, however, Miyamoto took a few minutes to talk about the creative process that is involved in building a Super Mario level, talking his audience through the steps he and his team took when creating the original Super Mario Bros., and explaining why World 1-1 of the game—for many their first ever brush with Mario on Nintendo’s 8-bit system—was built the way it is.

You’ve no doubt cleared this level countless times by now, but you may not have realised the hidden genius and careful planning that went into the positioning of every block, pipe, and pit of doom.

Global
(level design • nintendo • Shigeru Miyamoto • Super Mario Bros. • Super Mario Maker • video • video games)

Tokyo schoolgirls invent eco and cost-friendly portable toilet for disaster relief【Video】

Jamie Koide
Sep 8, 2015

Although we explored public restrooms the world over in a previous article, we left out the fact that many refugees, natural disaster survivors, and other displaced people have no access to the modern plumbing many of us take for granted. For those living in areas where public toilets are unavailable, a trip to the bathroom is at best a chore, and at worst a major sanitary concern.

Luckily technological advances are being made in order to help remedy these problems, and so far 2015 has been a promising year in that regard. UK researchers and volunteers were able to successfully create an urine-powered outhouse, while over in Japan a high school girls’ volunteer club recently came up with a new economic and hygienic portable toilet option.

Japan
(2011 Tohoku Earthquake • invention • Miyagi Prefecture • Natural disasters • Toilets • video • volunteer)

Life Is Strange is coming to Japan, gets new voice cast & dubbed trailer 【Video】

Evie Nyan
Sep 8, 2015

The last few years especially have seen a notable increase in the number of western-developed narrative-driven video games. Notable entries include Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, and of course Game of Thrones, which deliver their respective stories in downloadable chunks once every few months, leaving players itching to play the next episode and find out what happens.

Telltale pretty much cornered the market on this genre until French development studio DONTNOD Entertainment released the absolutely captivating five-part supernatural high school story game Life Is Strange. The game has been a surprise hit, selling over a million copies to date, with players falling in love with the endearingly complex characters, time-travelling mechanics, mellow game atmosphere, and killer soundtrack. In fact, the game has done so well for itself that publishers Square Enix have decided it’s time Japan got a piece of the photo-snapping, heavy decision-making, time-rewinding fun for themselves. Yep, Life is Strange is being released in Japan, and it’s getting an entirely new Japanese voice cast, too!

Check out the reveal trailer to hear Max, Chloe and the rest of the characters speaking Nihongo!

Europe, Global, Internet, Japan, USA
(life is strange • localization • Square Enix • video • video games • voice actor)

How do 43 coins tossed through the air create one short but lovely song? Concentration!【Video】

Preston Phro
Sep 7, 2015

Music is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful artistic mediums humankind has. It can move us in ways that are hard to understand or even describe, eliciting everything from tears to vicious mosh pits. Of course, one of its most renowned powers is helping people concentrate.

Take, for example, classical music, which seems to help students focus while cramming for finals or aid tired workers in getting through a long day. So, to promote their new drink Shuchu Regain (集中リゲイン), Suntory has released a series of YouTube videos demonstrating the power of concentration. Today, we’ll be looking at “the world’s fastest orchestra,” The Extreme Minuet, played by having 43 men toss coins into beakers from several feet away.

Internet, Japan
(commercial • Extreme Minuet • Mozart • music • Suntory • ultra-fast video • video)

Screaming crowds stampede through Tokyo as new Godzilla movie starts filming 【Video】

Casey Baseel
Sep 7, 2015

Last Sunday morning, dozens of Tokyoites ran screaming through the streets of the Kamata neighborhood. Ordinarily, this would be cause for concern, but for cinema fans the world over, this is actually something to celebrate, as the crowds, caught on video, are proof that filming has begun for the newest made-in-Japan Godzilla movie.

Japan
(Godzilla • kaiju • movies • Shin Godzilla • Tokyo • video)

【Monday Kickstart】Adorable dog’s frustrated attempts to get a shower are too cute to ignore!

Preston Phro
Sep 7, 2015

Summer in Japan can be brutal if you’re not used to the humidity. At least one of the writers here at the RocketNew24 office has melted into a puddle of and had to be reconstituted in a meat locker last month. Fortunately, the heat is starting to abate and autumn is in sight!

But while we’re happy we won’t have to worry about being liquefied anymore, there is one thing we’ll miss: Playing in the pool. We can’t do that once winter has set in and we’re missing the summer sun, but at least we’ll have this insanely adorable video of a dog whose owner steals its every attempt to get a shower.