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Fan creates video line-up of 174 real-life, anime and video game robots… in height order

Philip Kendall
Jul 31, 2013
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Remember those science videos they used to show at school which began with the smallest known organism and zoomed out and out until the entire solar system filled the screen? Well imagine that but with almost every robot and mecha you could ever imagine thrown in for good measure.

Uploaded to Niconico Video by user Monako, the video “I Compared the Size of 174 Robots: Microman to Gurren Lagann” is making an appropriately huge splash online today as netizens play Name that Robot while marvelling at just how enormous some of these sci-fi creations are actually supposed to be. From Doraemon and Mega Man to Optimus Prime and Macross Quarter, this is one heck of a nerdy science lesson!

Japan
(ASIMO • cool • Doraemon • robots • video)

Internet meme sensation Nyan Cat surpasses 100 million views!

Philip Kendall
Jul 30, 2013

It’s the tale of the little Pop Tart space cat that could: YouTube video Nyan Cat has now been watched more than 100 million times online! In recognition of this momentous feat, we take a quick look back at where the perpetually smiling pastry pussy came from and how he stole our hearts, minds and computer screens.

Global
(meme • Nyan Cat • Pop Tart • video • Vocaloid)

Elderly lady gives chase as purse-snatcher sprints up escalator

Preston Phro
Jul 27, 2013

If you pay attention while walking around Japan, you’ll eventually see signs warning pedestrians to be careful of purse snatchers. While the average person may never be involved in such an incident, many take care to walk with their bags held away from the street to avoid scooter-riding thieves.

Unfortunately, one 80-year-old woman wasn’t prepared for a purse snatcher while riding an escalator, but she also wasn’t about to just throw her hands up and cry either.

Japan
(hittakuri • purse-snathing • thief • video)

Konami confirms autumn release for Winning Eleven 2014, releases new trailer

Philip Kendall
Jul 25, 2013

Earlier today, video game heavyweight Konami Corporation unveiled a new page on its official website dedicated to the newest instalment in its popular football series World Soccer Winning Eleven 2014 (or Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 in the West), along with a new trailer showing the game off in all its ultra-realistic glory.

Internet, Japan
(news • Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 • video • video games)

Adorable terrorists take over campaign office, hide in shoes

Jessica
Jul 22, 2013

We recently reported on Japan’s recent trouble with traffic backups in otter pipes, but it seems the country is facing another animal menace: feathered anarchists interfering in the political process!

Japan
(animals • cute • ducks • election • video)

Vietnamese Arsenal fan quite literally chases his dreams, is welcomed onto team bus

Philip Kendall
Jul 22, 2013

To achieve your dreams, you have to really want it. You need drive, determination and, if this video is anything to go by, a good pair of legs.

Taken in Hanoi by a member of English Premier League football club Arsenal, the following video sees one young Vietnamese fan chasing after the team’s tour bus for some five miles, waving and pounding the badge emblazoned on his chest with such vigour that the team eventually decides to welcome him on board for a once-in-a-lifetime private autograph and photo session.

SE Asia
(Arsenal • cool • cute • fan • football • soccer • video)

Hulu Japan announces upcoming video app for Nintendo 3DS systems

Rachel Tackett
Jul 14, 2013

Japan’s version of the widely popular online video streaming site, Hulu, has just announced that starting this summer they will be making themselves available on the Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL. Not long ago, Nintendo announced its intention to branch out and turn their 3DS systems into an eBook reader. Now, they are expanding into the streaming video market as well, by pursuing a kid-friendly collaboration with Hulu Japan. The app’s release is scheduled for mid-August. Read More

Japan
(entertainment • Hulu • Nintendo 3DS • video)

Korean Gymnast Shin Soo-ji’s pitch has one heck of a wind-up

Master Blaster
Jul 10, 2013

The ceremonial first pitch is a century-old tradition of baseball, where we get to watch notable politicians and celebrities try their hand at the great American pastime. There’s a lot of entertainment to be had to see if these outsiders can get the ball across the plate cleanly or at least avoid bouncing it.

Then, every once in a while, someone comes a long and revolutionizes the first pitch. This recently happened in South Korea when rhythmic gymnast Shin Soo-ji stunned the audience and redefined the phrase “throw like a girl”.

Internet, Korea
(baseball • first pitch • Shin Soo-ji • video)

Japanese police kendo: Not for the faint of heart

Preston Phro
Jul 7, 2013

While kendo is an inherently violent sport–after all it’s basically the Japanese version of fencing–the general perception is that it’s more about calm, carefully-coordinated attacks than all-out aggression. In fact, kendo very strictly adheres to etiquette and respect, with competitors generally expected to act with the utmost sportsmanship.

Unless you happen to be a cop.

Internet, Japan
(Japanese Police • Kendo • martial arts • shocking • video)

Honda’s cool new “Hands” video just made our day

Philip Kendall
Jul 6, 2013

It may be just a bit of clever PR, but this video released by Japan’s Honda Motor Company earlier this week, simply titled “Hands”, is one of the coolest shorts we’ve seen in a long time.

Beginning with the line “Let’s see what curiosity can do,” the video treats us to a look at some of the company’s creations past, present and future, all in the form of sleight of hand tricks, topped off with a generous helping of computer-generated magic. Check out the full video after the jump.

Global
(ad • cars • cool • Honda • tech • video)

Watch how to make one of Japan’s elite restaurant’s desserts

Master Blaster
Jul 5, 2013

Located in the posh Roppongi area of Tokyo is RyuGin which was given a three star rating by Michelin earlier this year, and was ranked the 22nd best restaurant in the world by S.Pelligrino and Acqua Panna. Part of the reason for these accolades is the artistic vision of head chef Seiji Yamamoto who enjoys pushing the boundaries of Japanese cuisine.

One example is the dessert seen above, the Ichigo Ame 2011 -196℃ to 99℃. It consists of a strawberry sherbert forged at ultra-low temperatures encased in a strawberry candy coating and served with a hot strawberry sauce. Sounds fantastic doesn’t it?

Of course, going to one of the top restaurants in the world doesn’t come cheap, making the Ichigo Ame out of most of our price range. Luckily, RyuGin had uploaded a reference video to YouTube, so that we can all learn how to make it. Join us as we take you through the process to make this unbelievably sophisticated dessert.

Japan
(food • how to • strawberry • video)

Naked man spotted roaming the streets of Taiwan, looks a lot like a titan

Master Blaster
Jul 5, 2013

There have been reports in the Taiwan media this week of a naked man walking and occasionally jogging along the street on a busy afternoon. Passersby caught the event on their phone cameras at various points along his journey.

In a strange twist, however, thanks to the blurry resolution of these cameras the man looks exactly like a real-life titan from the manga/anime series Attack on Titan. The following video illustrates just how eerily close a comparison the man makes with a titan.

China
(Attack on Titan • naked • video)

Sri Lankan breatharian Kirby de Lanerolle preaches a life without food

Master Blaster
Jul 4, 2013

Having emerged from a turbulent childhood into a successful entrepreneur and government advisor, Kirby de Lanerolle has done a lot to be proud of. Currently he and his wife Fiona are the founders of the Warehouse Project, a Non-Profit charity which handles food distribution and microloans along with a cooking and recreation space for the impoverished families of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Oh, and he also claims to go several months at a time without eating a single thing except wind, light and the power of god.

S Asia
(breatharianism • Kirby de Lanerolle • no food • Sri Lanka • video)

Japanese Titanic: a tale of garbled, hilarious, English

Philip Kendall
Jul 3, 2013

As anyone who has ever taught or studied a second language will tell you, online translation software simply don’t work. Sure, you can throw in short phrases or key words and it’ll help you out from time to time, and languages that are grammatically similar escape more-or-less unscathed, but the rest of the time the sentences these programs spit out is absolute garbage.

With a keen eye for humour, online hub and original content creators Smosh put together the following hilarious video, ‘Japanese Titanic‘. The script is made up entirely of lines generated by an online translator after turning the original English into Japanese and back again, making this easily one of the funniest videos we’ve seen in weeks.

Global, Internet, Japan
(funny • Titanic • translation • video • wtf)

Nintendo Direct broadcast focuses on Pikmin 3, includes a moment of minor awkwardness

Philip Kendall
Jun 27, 2013

Yesterday at 8 p.m. Japan Standard Time, Kyoto-based video game giant Nintendo broadcast a brand new episode of its unique Nintendo Direct online presentation series, which the company uses to showcase new games and bring fans news on upcoming releases. Last night’s broadcast was somewhat unusual, however, in that popular Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto joined industry legend and creator of Super Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, to play a little of the highly anticipated upcoming Wii U title Pikmin 3. Today, as well as with discussion of the beautiful new Pikmin outing, online bulletin boards are abuzz after the conversation between the two men both raised eyebrows and got a surprising amount of laughs from viewers at home.

Internet, Japan
(funny • nintendo • Pikmin 3 • video • video games)

Table tennis champ Zhang Jike wins tense rally… with his foot

Master Blaster
Jun 26, 2013

While China is lamenting its soccer program they can take heart knowing that their table tennis skills are second to none thanks to athletes such as current world and Olympic champion Zhang Jike and third-place Xu Xin who can be seen in this video rallying it out like the pros they are.

However, at one point in the video, Zhang pulls out a secret weapon that no one–especially Xu–could have seen coming: the bottom of his shoe.

China, Internet
(foot • table tennis • video • Zhang Jike)

A look at how Thai bikers roll: with guns, skulls, and pretty birds

Master Blaster
Jun 25, 2013

A chance encounter on the roads of Thailand led Mike Swift to take a video of a biker so awesomely weird that he put it out on YouTube as soon as possible. At first you’ll notice the pet bird which obediently flies alongside the woman as she rides, which is wild enough, but you’ll soon find that this little half-minute clip is deceptively deep.

SE Asia
(bird • scooter • Thailand • video)

So two cool cats walk into a bar… 【Video】

Philip Kendall
Jun 24, 2013

Chubby cats? Check. Photographer cats? Check. Cat nuts? Sure, if you’re into that kind of thing. But cool cats propping themselves up on a makeshift bar? Okay, I think that’s a first even for us!

Recently posted to YouTube by Japanese user Chikatama, the following video sees white Scottish Fold Tama and his ginger pal Fufu hanging out on a typical weekday evening, too cool to start a conversation but for some reason never wanting to go home. Suffice it to say it cheered us right up!

Internet, Japan
(bar • cats • funny • pets • video • wtf)

Mom makes authentic-looking Recon Corps uniform for baby daughter, Colossal Titan mask for herself

Master Blaster
Jun 20, 2013

In the world of popular manga and anime series, Attack on Titan, making it into the Recon Corps is difficult. For some it means training from a very early age. So one mother, hoping to enlist her 5-month-old daughter, has started by fashioning an authentic-looking Recon Corps uniform from scratch.

She outlined the process in a video titled: [Attack on Titan] Mother tries sewing Recon Corps uniform for daughter which has drawn over 1,800 comments on NicoNico, 1,000 of which are “kaawaaiiiiii!”

Internet, Japan
(Attack on Titan • baby • clothes • video)

Cute and smart — what more could you ask for in a gal? Except this girl’s not human

Kay
Jun 19, 2013

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Aki-chan. She’s adorable and highly intelligent–a desirable combination in any girl, wouldn’t you say? All right, so maybe she’s a bit on the hairy side, but that’s not really her fault, because … well, she’s not human.

And as you can see from the video we have for you below, while Aki-chan may not be a member of the Homo sapien species, she certainly has a delightful trick up her sleeve (even if she isn’t wearing anything with sleeves)!