Sony’s PlayStation 4 has been out in North America for over a week now, and is finally heading to Europe this coming Friday. Thanks to the efforts of our game-loving staff in the US, we managed to pick up a few units, and have been tinkering with them for about a week now, so felt it was time to share our thoughts on the new hardware.

Rather than getting all techy and giving you lists of stats or focusing on frames per second, however, we decided to take a slightly more human approach, and talk about how Sony’s newest console rates in the eyes of both a self-confessed Sony fan and a long-term Xbox lover.

Let the mud-slinging begin!

For the record, neither Michelle nor Phil are genuine “fanboys”. Both are happy to pick up a controller of any shape or size so long as it’s connected to a decent game. There are reasons, however, why each usually prefers either Microsoft or Sony’s hardware, so at this time when both existing PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 users weigh up whether Sony’s newest console is right for them, we felt it best to provide an honest opinion from either camp. Enjoy!

Each armed with a laptop, a shiny new PS4, controller and a handful of games, Michelle and Phil went their separate ways last week and got to grips with Sony’s new console, recording their thoughts as they went. In an effort to keep the debate on track, they were given a matching list of points to consider when approaching the new device. Here are their findings.

• Meet the “fans”

Michelle: I am by no means a hardcore gamer, but I do spend most weekends and many a weekday evening jamming on those joysticks after work. I’ve always been a little bit biased towards the Xbox and have played more games of Halo than I care to admit (there’s nothing more satisfying than sticking someone in the face with a plasma grenade). However, I at least know my way around all four of the most recent Microsoft and Sony consoles. So take my comments with a grain of Clicker crust, and keep in mind that I live and game by the Xbox.

Phil: Having owned pretty much every major console since the NES in the 1980s, and about half a dozen PCs along the way too, I consider myself a gamer rather than a “platformer”, and would never snub a game because it didn’t appear on my current machine of choice. That said, since my Xbox 360 red-ringed in 2008 and I picked up a PS3 to see what I’d been missing out on, I’ve felt most at home with Sony’s offerings and never felt the desire to go back to Xbox. I dabble in 3DS and enjoy a few indies on PC, but for the most-part I like what Sony has to offer, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the PS4 for some time now.

• The console design

Michelle: At first I wasn’t impressed with the PlayStation 4′s design, but as I sit here typing, my brand new Xbox One is positively towering over my PS4, convincing me that Sony might have gotten it right when it comes to visual design. The PS4 is by far the sleeker console, and I like the “black parallelogram” look it has taken on. I really like the tray-less DVD – excuse me, Blu-ray – drive and the hidden power button had me searching for a few extra seconds when I first unwrapped it–very minimalist and stylish. Overall, it’s a nice solid design that has grown on me over the past week.

“the PS4 is by far the sleeker console”

Phil: When the PS4 was first unveiled earlier this year, I have to admit I wasn’t exactly bowled over. It looked awkward, and I couldn’t understand why Sony had opted for this peculiar slanted design. Now that I see the unit sitting beneath my TV, however, I’m a changed man. This thing is gorgeous. The PlayStation 4′s low profile and mostly matte finish help it slip effortlessly into the background in my living room and – especially for a console that will likely appear in an even more slimmed-down form at some point during its lifetime – is surprisingly small. The power and disc eject buttons are almost dangerously low-profile, but this adds to the machine’s sleek, non-invasive design and it’s really nice to have capacitive buttons like those the original PS3 had back. If only that glossy section on the left didn’t attract fingerprints like ants to a picnic…

• The controller

Michelle: This opinion is coming from a puny little girl, but the PS4 controller is just too big. The elongated and wider body makes it hard for me to reach the analog sticks, and forces my thumbs into an awkward position. I’ve always been partial to the substantial feel of the Xbox 360 controller over the comparatively pint-sized DualShock 3, but my affinity for Microsoft’s controller is even stronger with the release of the next-gen hardware. I also really don’t care for the on-all-the-time light bar on the controller’s console-facing edge, making for a distracting blue glow while playing in the dark (maybe it’s meant to double as a flashlight?). However, I have to admit that the DualShock 4 feels good in my hands with respect to the new texture, especially when it comes to the analog sticks. No more awkward slipping and sliding over the formerly convex nubs, and the added ribbing (was it made for her pleasure?) is a nice touch, as is the “enhanced vibration.” Innuendos aside, the new design is actually quite nice. Other than the size being almost too big to handle and the glowing blue light, the DualShock 4 is a definite improvement on the DualShock 3.

“The PS4 controller is just too big”

Phil: When I moved from Xbox 360 to PS3 a few years ago, the only thing I missed (besides playing Halo 3 online…) was the controller. Don’t get me wrong – I like the PS3′s pad, but the DualShock 3′s thumbsticks were too loose and the trigger buttons felt too soft and squidgy for me. With the DualShock 4, I feel like Sony have made it their goal to silence Xbox fanboys by addressing these very issues – this controller gets everything right. The triggers are now concaved and sturdier, the thumbsticks tighter, smaller and have a raised edge to prevent slipping mid-play, and the controller now actually fits in the palms of my, admittedly clown-like, hands. The only thing that I found strange with the new controller is its tiny “options” and “share” buttons that exist in lieu of “start” and “select”, but this might just be the effect of nearly 30 years of using the latter set of buttons. Every now and then I notice the glowing light on the back of the controller. Without a PlayStation Eye camera to use it with, it seems a little bit over the top, but I did like the way it turned red to match my on-screen icon while playing FIFA 14. I’ve yet to use the touch pad on the controller’s surface, so can’t comment on its accuracy, but if developers make the most of what the DualShock 4 has to offer, this could well become my pad of choice this hardware generation.

• User interface

Michelle: After being welcomed by the Xbox 360 user interface for years, when I finally purchased a PS3 and fired it up for the first time, I was surprised to find myself staring at a large empty screen. Oh wait, that was the home screen. To me, it wasn’t very well organized and made the PS3 somehow seem cheaper. There are those of you who may think that Microsoft’s UI is too cluttered, but to me it makes it appear as if they have their act together and are constantly updating and changing things; Sony’s is just a bare bones, “click here to get to your game” kind of screen–it just didn’t appeal to me. With the new updated interface for the PS4, Sony has made some design improvements and although it is still simple compared to the Xbox One interface, Sony’s new UI is more pleasing to the eye, makes it easier to find games and the larger square icons neatly lined up in a row are easier to navigate. However, I do have one complaint about the PS4 UI: the updates at the bottom of the screen get a little annoying especially if you’ve been playing one game repeatedly. I really don’t need to see “Michelle played CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS” 11 times on my screen – I get it, I shot a bunch of people!

“everything works as it should”

Phil: The PlayStation 4′s UI is pretty basic. The old PS3 XMB still exists (though in a slightly simplified form), but users must tap up on their controller to access it as it runs parallel to the more visually rich main menu bar. This menu bar is nothing to write home about: everything exists in a long horizontal line, with downward presses on the d-pad or thumbsticks taking users to additional options for each tile selected, be it for a game or some other application. It’s fairly basic, but it gets the job done. It’s nice not to be bombarded with ads and recommendations as soon as you power the system up, though. What did impress me is how smoothly it all runs, from the menu bar itself to navigating the online store and downloading content. Those of you who have used the PlayStation Store via a PS3 will no doubt have found it very clunky and slow. I myself wondered why Sony saw fit to “update” its online store a few months ago, making it about as easy to move through as jogging through a vat of treacle. It turns out this was all simply preparation for the PS4: everything now works as it should, and it’s fast.

• Overall impressions of the PlayStation 4

Michelle: Despite the PS4′s clear improvements over its predecessor, I will be sticking with Xbox this gen. Being able to walk into the room and command the Xbox One to turn on makes me feel like some kind of sorcerer and lives up to the “next-generation” tag these two new consoles have been slapped with. Yeah, yeah, I hear you “hardcore gamers” belly-aching about how Microsoft “forgot about the gamers” but the Xbox One with its fully integrated camera and voice command is undeniably futuristic. And when the graphics are almost identical, why not go for the Xbox One, which packs more into the same, albeit larger, package? PS4 is nice, but it’s not what I’m looking for.

“this is a tough deal to beat”

Phil: PlayStation 4 is a superb system. It looks gorgeous, is well designed, easy to use, and probably the most well-rounded, capable piece of gaming hardware Sony has even made. Xbox One will no doubt appeal to a select group of people, and that’s fine, but for straight-up console gaming – for $100 less than its competitor, despite a number of hardware advantages, I might add – this is a tough deal to beat. What I suppose this comes down to is what people want from the box that sits beneath their TV. I personally couldn’t care less about watching live TV, or using picture-in-picture features, and since my wife really doesn’t “get” gaming, the last thing I want to do is bark orders at my console or wave my hands around to make it do what I want. As a box that plays games - that look better than its rival, no less – and fixes pretty much every complaint I had with its predecessor, PS4 is king in my eyes, and will make any gamer happy for years to come.

Do you have a PS4, an Xbox One or maybe even both? How are you finding your new hardware after the long wait between console generations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Photos: RocketNews24
User interface image: Gimmegimmegames

• Sony Unveils its Vision for the Future of Video Games with PlayStation 4
• Rumour: PlayStation 4 camera to be sold separately
• Lonely this Christmas: Japanese gamers feeling left out in the cold as new consoles launch elsewhere
• Sony explains decision to delay PlayStation 4 in its homeland, Japanese gamers not happy
• Tokyo Game Show 2013: The games, the girls, and the awesome plushies 【Photos】

Origin: PlayStation 4 impressions: An Xbox fan and a Sony lover go head to head
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: McDonald’s Japan has the best Happy Meal toys. In case you haven’t heard, the fast food chain created Mario toys for their “Happy Set” kids meals and they’re awesome. Lucky for those abroad, Japanese fans of the franchise have already uploaded videos of their McDonald’s Happy Meal Marios (say that five times fast). Take a look at just a few!

First off, here’s the commercial airing in Japan right now:

Man, I want to punch a giant question box…Anyway, on to the videos:

Now that we see this one in action, Mario looks more like a pole dancer than the Goomba-stomping plumber that we’ve come to adore.

Classic.

Speed up the video and you get this.

This one’s our favorite!!! Penguin Mario is so cute; he makes us want to get some ice cubes from the freezer to throw at people.

Here’s another longer video featuring all four toys (If you’re only interested in Mario, skip forward to 2:35). Koji Seto talks about the Mario toys and mentions that only four have been released so far. He also lets us know that buying four “Happy Sets” was not a waste because he didn’t eat anything all day yesterday. He proceeds to eat all four. After he’s finished the entire feast of burgers, nuggets and fries, it’s time to play with the toys.

So maybe the Mario toys aren’t exactly as cool as we had originally thought, but we still want them! I hope the office wants McDonald’s for lunch…

Source: YouTube via Destructoid

• This year’s Mario Christmas Happy Meal in Japan is the best!
• Full Screen Mario allows you to play Super Mario Bros. on your computer, create new levels!
• Chinese Super Mario: Wonderful Things Can Happen When Martial Arts Meet Mushrooms
• Turn cleaning into a Nintendo video game with Roomba covers!
• Japan’s 10 best-selling video games this century so far

Origin: Videos of the first four Happy Meal Marios from McDonald’s Japan!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Lady Gaga is the queen of unique when it comes to music and fashion. Now she has a Yahoo! Japan page that’s every bit as bizarre as she is (in a good way, of course!). The Gaga-ed version has a background filled with praise for and facts about Mother Monster in Japanese. It also features a picture of Lady Gaga herself in a white pantsuit filled with clickable links to articles and other pages usually found on Yahoo! Japan. How’s that for a homepage?

First off, have a look at the entire Yahoo! Japan Gagadoll page:

Pretty cool, isn’t it? Each item and bit of text found on Gaga’s white suit are links that will lead you to a new page about Lady Gaga. For example, clicking on the Facebook icon on her sky-high white stiletto brings you to the Lady Gaga Japan fan page.

▼  How she manages to stand in those, we’ll never understand.

Japan has always loved Lady Gaga and the special site, which was unveiled on November 26, has already garnered a lot of attention from Japanese net users. You can check it out yourself here, just know that it’s entirely in Japanese, and let us know what you think about this totally cool twist on the Yahoo! Japan homepage.

Source: IT Media
Images: Yahoo! Japan

• Lady Gaga Scares Up New Fan Base in Japanese Countryside
• Malaysian mother wows Japan with meals that are too cute to eat!
• Japanese duo support Lady Gaga with a unique cover of Telephone
• South Korea Declares Lady Gaga Concert “Unsuitable for Minors”
• Life Imitates Art: Preteen Lolita Elopes With Stepfather

Origin: Lady Gaga gets her own Yahoo! Japan page complete with clickable pantsuit
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Japan is full of beautifully crafted desserts of natural green, subtle pink and pure white. You’d be hard pressed to find the lime greens and neon blues of many Western snacks, especially those found in the United States. That’s why when Ikea Japan announced their lineup of food to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their Shinmisato branch, many Japanese net users were surprised by their choice of colors. Some are even saying that the unnatural colors are enough to make you lose your appetite.

The blue and yellow colors were chosen to represent the colors of the flag of Ikea’s home country, Sweden. The soft serve ice cream is even unabashedly called “Sweden Soft Cream.”

▼  If you put it that way, they got the colors spot-on.

But some people in Japan cannot get past the abnormal hue. “It’s definitely a beautiful color, but it’ll take a lot of courage to eat,” remarks one commenter. With colors like that, you would think the dessert would be blueberry and banana, but it’s actually “refreshing yogurt and apple mango flavor.” According to those who have tried this bizarre (by Japan’s standards) ice cream, blue is yogurt flavored and yellow is apple mango.

Japanese netizens have been sharing images of their new strange food from the furniture superstore chain. Take a look at some of their snapshots uploaded to Japanese blog sites:

Are you as brave as these Japanese bloggers? You have until the end of the month to try Ikea’s Sweden Soft Cream, incorporating what Japanese food site, Entabe, deems “an unimaginable food color scheme for Japan.”

Source: Entabe
Images: Wikipedia, LaughAndPeace, Ratoru-kun, NyaNyaDiary

• Let them eat cake! 32 sweet treats from around the world
• Scallop flavored ice cream: it’s magically delicious!
• Chocolate-covered squid, wasabi Kit Kat, and other anomalies of the Japanese snack food scene
• Here’s to your beautiful Pokemon Eyes! These anime-inspired eye make-up designs are dazzling!
• Make snails more palatable with a new Hong Kong brand of escargot ice cream!

Origin: Japanese netizens disgusted by Ikea Japan’s bright blue and yellow ice cream
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Japan has invented some pretty cool things; Mario, the Nissan Skyline, and PlayStation to name a few. Sure, sexy cars and even sexier game systems are great, but what would you choose as the truly exceptional Japanese inventions that influenced the world? Chinese media site, Xinhua Net News, weighed in on this question, giving us their top 10 list of most influential inventions from Japan.

10) DVDs

Image: Wikipedia

Growing up, my family actually had a laser disc player and a decent collection of nearly 12-inch wide discs. When the whole family gathered to watch a movie, it was a sure thing that it would be interrupted halfway through and my sisters and I would have to fight over who had to flip the disc to continue on with the film. DVDs changed everything, providing enough capacity to fit an entire movie and then some. Blu-Rays have now nudged their way into the market, but it was the invention of the DVD back in 1995 that changed the way we store information and view movies at home.

9) Video Camera

Image: Wikipedia

Where would America’s Funniest Home Videos be without the invention of the video camera? Thanks for the hours of entertainment, Japan, and for making some of life’s most embarrassing moments live on forever.

8) Digital Camera

Image: Wikipedia

Sony came out with the first digital camera in 1981, and from that moment on, any and all seemingly precious memories were required to be documented for future embarrassment of one’s child.

7) Walkman

Image: Wikipedia

That’s right, 1979 was the year of the Walkman, Sony’s game changing mobile music listening device. It was the iPod of the 80s and turned music into a private listening experience.

6) CD

Image: Wikipedia

Mixtapes are so 1987, it was all about the mixCD once they became widely available in the 1990s. It was Sony that first invented the CD, forever changing the way we listened to music. And although the use of CDs is on a steady decline in the digital age, that mixCD from 2002 I found in my closet will always have a place in my heart.

5) Karaoke

Image: Wikipedia

You have Japan to thank for obnoxious drunks screaming “Living on a Prayer” at the top of their lungs. Yep, Karaoke is a Japanese invention, incorporating the word kara, or “empty,” and oke, a shortened version of “orchestra.”

4) Video Tape Recorder (VTR)

Image: Wikipedia

Ah, the days when you’d record your favorite shows on a VHS tape and store them with sticky white labels declaring the titles of your pirated merch. The introduction of Sony’s Betamax in 1975 made it all possible. Now we’re on to DVDs and even Blu-Rays, but VTRs were all the rage in the 80s and in use up until the early 2000s.

3) Electronic Calculators

Image: Wikipedia

Invented by Casio in 1957, the electronic calculator made quick addition possible and made math class infinitely easier (and in some cases less necessary). Once out of school, you never had to do long division on a piece of paper if you didn’t want to and you certainly didn’t have to memorize your times tables (curse you, sevens!).

2) Instant Ramen

Image: Wikipedia

Who hasn’t had instant ramen at least once in their life? The college staple is actually a Japanese native, invented in cup form by Nissin Foods in 1971. Instant ramen comes in at number two on the list, second only to…

1) Electric Rice Cooker

Image: Panasonic

What’s easier than cooking rice? In modern times, probably nothing thanks to the invention of the electric rice cooker in 1940 by Mitsubishi Electric. But before this awesome Japanese invention was born, skilled cooks would have to steam the precious staple on a stove (or in many cases a fire), hoping the grains didn’t burn or stick to the pot. So thanks for the perfectly cooked rice, Japan. Our sushi, donburi and curry applaud you.

Source: Xinhua
Image: Idea Champions

• “Whirlpool Pot” Uses Good ‘ol Fashioned Science to Keep Pasta From Sticking to the Bottom
• Sony and Panasonic announce joint development of 300GB capacity disc
• Sweeten up your instant meal with a frozen treat, à la Korean style!
• Still have any mix tapes lying about? Go digital with this cheap converter from Sanwa Direct
• 10 things Japan gets awesomely right

Origin: 10 Japanese inventions that changed the world (according to Chinese media)
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

The first version of Square Enix’s Lady Lora-saving slime-battling RPG, Dragon Quest, is now available on your smartphone…for free! But hurry up and download it fast, it’s only available to the first one million downloaders.

The smartphone version of the internationally best-selling console RPG was originally price at 500 yen (US$4.91), but it’s now completely free from the Dragon Quest official site (Japanese only). The first through eighth generation of Dragon Quest is scheduled to be turned into a mobile gaming app, and Docomo, one of Japan’s largest cell phone providers, will release a special “Dragon Quest Smartphone,” which has the games preinstalled, on December 12.

If you care for a bit of nostalgia, then be quick to download this awesome game at a price that can’t be beat. It would be awful to be the 1,000,001st downloader…

Source: IT Media
Images: NTT Docomo

• Pay-to-win mobile game sensation Puzzle & Dragons coming to Nintendo 3DS in kid-friendly form
• March over to Yahoo! Games for the beta release of Dragon Quest Monster Parade!
• Japanese mom shows daughter how it’s done with awesome old-school gaming notebook
• Hey, Slimebags!! No, Not You – Limited Edition Bags to be Handed Out at Lawson Convenience Stores
• Japan’s 10 best-selling video games this century so far

Origin: Smartphone version of Dragon Quest free to the first million people
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Stained glass is typically seen in cathedrals or castles, sending cascades of colors into the elaborate interior. Images are usually biblical or inspired by the Renaissance and were made centuries ago. But what about modern stained glass art inspired by current trends and events? That’s where Martian Glasswork steps in, creating beautiful glass artwork with a video game twist.

Rick Daniels is the master craftsman behind Martian Glasswork. He’s a self-taught artist who started working with glass in June of 2011.

▼  Rick Daniels in his workshop.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of his stained glass panels:

▼  Zelda Hylian Shield design (measuring nearly 6 square feet!)

▼  Portal Companion Cube

▼  Metroid‘s Samus Aran

▼  Mega Man

▼  Master Chief from Halo

▼  Warhammer Space Marine

▼  Half Life Logo

▼  Poké Ball

▼  Fire Flower

▼  Boba Fett 

After witnessing the beauty of his finished pieces, it’s surprising to remember that Rick’s only been at it for a little over two years. You can view his complete gallery here and purchase your own stained glass marvel at his etsy shop.

Source and Images: Martian Glasswork, Etsy

• The Breathtaking Allure of the Stained Glass of Nasir al- Mulk Mosque in Iran
• Inside a hero – creative modeller takes a scalpel to Super Mario
• This Coffee Ring Portrait will Blow Your Mind 【Video】
• 61 more images of cosmetic surgery from South Korea
• A place you simply must visit: Phraya Nakhon Cave

Origin: Mario, Zelda, Halo…You’ve never seen stained glass like this before
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

There’s something so romantic about rows of wisteria swaying in the breeze. Although you can find the purple plant in various places around the world, there are three particular spots in Japan that are home to dozens, and in some cases hundreds, of wisteria plants. They just might be even more beautiful than Japan’s famous cherry blossoms.

First off, please enjoy several different views of wisteria tunnels that can be found in Japan:

The cascades of lavender purple are absolutely gorgeous. There are three main places in Japan where you can view these beautiful oceans of purple. The first is the Kawachi Fuji Garden in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture.

You can also find rows of wisteria at the Ashikaga Flower Park, 80 kilometers north of Tokyo in Tochigi Prefecture.

Or view the wisteria at the Kasuga Shrine and Manyo Botanical Garden.

So now that you’ve had a closer look at the wisteria in Japan, which do you prefer?

▼  Delicate cherry blossoms or lovely wisteria? You decide.

Source: Thailog
Featured Image: Gazone

• The Ten Most Beautiful Tunnels in the World and Where You Can Find Them
• Spring comes to Miyagi Prefecture…in October!
• Cherry Blossom + a Sprinkling of Snow = Incredible Beauty 【Photos】
• Cherry Blossom Season: Japan’s Top Three Hot Spots for Hanami
• The 10 best places in Japan for autumn leaves

Origin: Move over cherry blossoms, wisteria may be the most beautiful flowers in Japan
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

“America’s Favorite Cookie,” Oreo, is celebrating its 100th birthday this year and while the cookie may not be as popular in Japan as it is in its homeland, we here at RocketNews24 wanted to contribute to the festivities in a way that could represent the Japanese people’s love for Oreo.

As long-time readers may know, we enjoy experimenting with original recipes, and it wasn’t long before it struck us: what better way for us to honor “America’s Favorite Cookie” than by wedding it with Japan’s favorite food: rice.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to bring you Oreo Rice!

Thursday Throwback is your peek into the archives of RocketNews24, featuring articles from back when we were just getting started. We’d hate for you to miss any of the quality quirky news from Asia and Japan just because you recently stumbled upon our site. And if you’re a devout RN24 reader, thanks for sticking around! Enjoy this blast from the past! 

(Originally posted on March 12, 2012)

Oreo Rice is a dessert dish that combines the century-old flavor of Oreo cookies with rice, the very staple of Japanese cuisine. It’s a Far East spin on an American classic with a unique texture and fantastic taste that we guarantee your whole family will enjoy, even if it does look a bit like asphalt.

As usual, we’ve included a step-by-step guide for those who want to try the recipe at home.

Oreo Rice

【Ingredients】

Rice・・・2 cups (approx. 300g uncooked)
Oreos・・・54 cookies
Milk・・・Enough to fill the 2 cup line of your rice cooker, plus an additional 50ml

【Preparation】

1. Measure 2 cups of rice in your rice cooker and rinse thoroughly

* Be sure to wash the rice until water sits clear in the pot. We don’t want to dirty up perfectly good rice.

2. Pour in milk

*Oreos taste best when dipped in milk, which is why we decided to use it instead of water. Add milk up to the 2 cup line for your rice cooker. Do not pour in the extra 50ml yet! You can use whole milk for a sweeter batch of Oreo Rice, or try low-fat for a more diet-friendly variation.

3. Add Oreos

*Be sure to use exactly 54 standard Oreos and arrange them neatly over the rice. Adding too many will make your batch too dry and not adding enough will leave you with soggy Oreo Rice, and no one likes soggy Oreos.

4. Add an additional 50ml of milk

*It probably doesn’t actually matter when you add the extra milk in…

5. Start the rice cooker

*Waiting is always the hardest part.

6. Mix well and have faith

*Your rice cooker should finish in about 40 minutes. Open the lid and mix well. We understand that the finished product isn’t very pleasant on the eyes, but just trust us on this one and take a bite of faith, you won’t be disappointed.

The taste and texture of Oreo Rice can be likened to a sweet, chocolaty dessert risotto. There were some grains of rice that were still a bit crunchy, but we think this actually adds more depth to the dish. It was such a hit that we finished the whole batch in no time. Even one of our most skeptical staff members admitted that the dish was surprisingly good and tasted like “tiramisu in risotto form.”

Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it, give it a try and let us know what you think!

Photos & Video: RocketNews24

• We Make Oreo Rice to Celebrate Oreo’s 100th Birthday, “Tastes Like Tiramisu in Risotto Form”
• 13 awesome things you can make with Oreos
• How to Eat Oreos: Japanese Netizens Weigh in on the Age-Old Debate
• “Shiba Inu Plump Booty Curry” is the Curry of Choice for Dog-Lovers and Booty-Lovers Alike
• Cook rice inside your car with the new Takeru-kun

Origin: 【Thursday Throwback】We Make Oreo Rice to Celebrate Oreo’s 100th Birthday, “Tastes Like Tiramisu in Risotto Form”
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

I remember the days of Tamagotchi (and the far less cool NanoPet) and how our teachers always struggled to keep us from feeding or picking up after our little digital creatures during class. The Japanese gadget was a hit with us 90s kids and will forever be one of the coolest toys of our childhood. And now, Bandai is back with a new version of Tamagotchi. But this new installment of the portable digital pet, called Tamagotchi Friends, has a new social media twist.

The name “Tamagotchi” comes from a combination of tamago, the Japanese word for “egg” and uocchi, or “watch.” The familiar egg shape still remains in the newest Tamagotchi, but with a few design changes.

Characters are no longer amorphous blogs and have taken on specific features and personalities:

▼ Yep, these guys are from Japan.

The toy has also gone social, allowing users to “bump” with their friends to send characters on play dates and even send text messages or virtual gifts. Tamagotchi Friends also comes with five games, giving children (or nostalgic adults) the ability to do more than bathe and feed their pet.

Release dates vary by country, with the UK getting their updated Tamagotchi on December 26, 2013 for £24.99 (US$40.87). The US will have to wait to buy theirs until Fall 2014 for a cheaper price of $19.99. The 17-year-old toy was a huge hit in the 1990s, but it’s unclear how well the smartphone toting kids of the 21st century will take to the classic toy.

Source: Wired Japan
Images: Tamagotchi Friends

• McDonald’s Japan Announces Limited Edition Maccha Oreo McFlurry and Milkshake
• Japan-exclusive Oreo Sticks – Can they compete with the real thing?
• How to Eat Oreos: Japanese Netizens Weigh in on the Age-Old Debate
• 13 awesome things you can make with Oreos
• SmartHan Rice Tubes Offer Japanese New Way to Snack! Is This the End of Onigiri?

Origin: Tamagotchi is back!!! My 8-year-old self rejoices!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Have you ever seen a subway train driving on the street? One of our Tokyo-based reporters did and it was the first time he’d ever seen anything like it. It all started on the night of November 26…

Our reporter was out for the night in Shinjuku and missed the last train. For many of you Tokyoites, you know that there are only a few options once the last train has departed from the station: Spend the night in a 24-hour McDonald’s, walk, or take a taxi. Not keen on doing the former and too far away to walk home, our reporter decided to take a taxi.

As he sat in the backseat, head still abuzz from the night’s festivities, our reporter saw something strange coming down the road. It resembled the Ginza Line he had come to know quite well from years of taking the Tokyo Metro, but it couldn’t be…was he just hallucinating, wishing he had caught the train instead of having to take a cab? But no, the taxi driver saw it too. Hurriedly, our reporter rolled down the window and began filming with his iPhone.

In all of his thirty years of living in Tokyo, our reporter had never seen anything that came close to resembling what he had just witnessed and neither had his taxi driver. After going home, he hopped on his computer to see if anyone else had seen a train driving down the road, but there wasn’t really any information regarding the peculiar sight. It made him think that he had a very valuable movie on his hands.

The next day, our reporter decided to email the Tokyo Metro and they graciously responded with the following message:

What you witnessed on the night of November 26 on Yamanote Street was the Ginza Line 01 series. As confirmed by the person in charge that night, it was on its way to be disassembled. Currently, the Ginza Line uses the newest model of subway cars (1000 series) and we are in the process of decommissioning and replacing the 01 series cars.

So it seems our reporter may be one of the last people to witness the old 01 series train car. After reading the Tokyo Metro’s response, he was overcome with a sudden sadness. “They still look good enough to use,” he thought to himself as he rewatched his video.

• Photos of FC Barcelona Touring Tokyo & Yokohama Fan Japanese Soccer Fever
• Sayonara Taxis? Tokyo to Consider Operating Trains, Buses Around the Clock
• Tokyo Snow Cones! Mr. Sato Makes the Most of the City Snow Before it Melts
• The 2013 Sapporo Snow Festival Photo Gallery 【You, Me, And A Tanuki】
• iPhone 5 Cosplayer Waits in Line All Night at the Apple Store, Doesn’t Buy iPhone 5

Origin: Subway train driving on the streets of Tokyo 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

The name you give to your child will stay with them for the rest of their life, so parents are always careful to choose one that will stand the test of time and carry them through to adulthood. In the United States, Sophia and Jacob took the top spots for baby names in 2013, while Ava and Noah took first place in the UK (depending on which site you consult). Let’s take a look at this year’s top 10 baby names in Japan as reported by Japanese pregnancy and parenting site, Tamahiyo.

I’m always hearing “ladies first” so let’s start off with the little girls:
“Airi” was especially popular this year, appearing in the top 10 twice with two different spelling variations. In Japan, naming your child takes on an additional hurdle because you not only have to choose a name, you also have to choose the kanji (Chinese characters) that make up that name. Those of you who can read kanji may have noticed that 愛, the Chinese character for “love,” is used in three of the top 10 names. Now on to the baby boys:

As you can see, “Haruto” appears on the list twice, but with different Chinese characters and the kanji “翔” appears three times in this year’s rankings.

So now that you’ve seen the results, what do you think of the top ten baby names in Japan? Will there be a little Hiroto or baby Yuina in your future?

Source: Tamahiyo via Himasoku
Images: Wikipedia

• Why old Japanese women have names in katakana
• New wave of “creative” Japanese names read more like riddles
• Buckle up, Japan! Survey shows only 68.2 percent of backseat passengers wear their seat belt
• What’s in a name? The 10 most common surnames in Japan (and their meanings)
• Japanese Politician Takes a Stand Against Parents Naming their Children Pikachu

Origin: The top 10 baby names in Japan 2013
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

We’ve introduced the work of Oki Sato of Nendo before with Coca-Cola bottleware and a Starbucks pop-up store, but you have yet to see just how creative and unusual his art can be. From floating chairs to puppet tote bags, Mr. Sato strives to “give people a small ‘ ! ‘ moment” with his unique works of functional art.

Thin Black Lines

These chairs were part of an exhibit titled think black lines and were shown as part of a private exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London. The simple line designs of each piece are meant to show “condensed expressions of meaning, similar to Japanese calligraphy.”

bird-apartment

It may look a little excessive, but this bird apartment has 73 small entrances for birds and one large entrance for humans. It was designed under the concept of “promoting and increasing access to nature activities” and allows humans to peep on nesting feathered friends. You can find this tree house for birds and humans in the forest of Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture.

cabbage chair

Made of pleated paper, a byproduct of pleated fabric production that is usually thrown away, the cabbage chair is unfinished and doesn’t have any nails or screws. The goal was to create a no-frills piece of furniture that “responds gently to fabrication and distribution costs and environmental concerns, the kinds of issues that face our 21st century selves.”

The folks at Nendo hope to ship the furniture as a single roll, allowing the buyer to “peel” their chair at home.

fadeout-chair

The fade-out chair was designed to make it seem like the legs were immersed in fog. The seat and back of the chair is made of wood and the legs are made of acrylic that has been expertly painted to match the wood grain. Mr. Sato explains, “we can change the look and feel of a space simply by placing the chair in it.”

shivering-bowls

These bowls may look ceramic but they are actually made of extremely thin silicon. When touched the bowls bend and flex, when tousled by the wind, they begin to quiver. The nendo design team ”wanted to express eros through a design that invokes desire – a design that viewers simply can’t bear not to touch.”

fold

Designed by nendo and crafted by Conde House, a wood furniture manufacturer in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture, these beautiful shelves appear seamless, as if they were carved from a single piece of wood.

chocolate-pencils

Made in collaboration with patissier Tsujiguchi Hironobu, these chocolate pencils add a bit of whimsy to the kitchen. Usually, pencil shavings are the unwanted remnants of a sharper pencil, but in this case, they are the main attraction, adding a sweet touch to any dessert.

socket-deer

The antlers of these clever wall socket covers are perfect for holding your phone while it charges or for keeping your keys in one place.

roopuppet

Created for ROOTOTE, a popular tote bag designer, this bag doubles as a puppet. We’re not quite sure why you would want a puppet and a totebag, but it’s definitely a unique idea. Maybe Mr. Sato can shed a little more light on his design concept: “Most of the time, we put things into tote bags, but the roopuppet pops out of the ROOTOTE ‘s pocket, making this a very unusual tote bag indeed.”

Source: Naver Matome, Nendo
Images: Nendo

• Starbucks Espresso Journey in Harajuku Provides a Unique Coffee Experience at the World’s First Starbucks Pop-up Store
• Sanrio Sofa Featuring Hello Kitty and My Melody On Sale Now
• Japanese apparel maker brings back “Derelicte” style with Danbo cardboard box bags
• Cool, Cute and Eco-friendly! Supermarket Shopping in Summer Made Easy with New Hello Kitty Cooler Tote Bag
• Human chair offers comfort and relaxation, if it doesn’t run away from you first

Origin: Nine unusual products from Japanese designer, Oki Sato
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

It’s Monday again and you know what that means! Your Monday Kickstart video is here to get you going through another week. 

Couldn’t quite relax over the weekend? Maybe you should train your dog to give you a back rub just like this little Shiba Inu.

Happy Monday from RocketNews24!

• 【Monday Kickstart】Corgi gets his groove on
• 【Monday Kickstart】Kitty meets cat in a box
• 【Monday Kickstart】Hamsters just wanna have fun
• Monday Pick-Me-Up: Cute, Headphone-Wearing Girls Dancing Around Japan!
• Woman gets trapped between train and platform, fellow commuters push to rescue her

Origin: 【Monday Kickstart】Doggy massage
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

At the beginning of this year, we found out just how hot Mona Lisa was as a college student. With her long curled auburn hair and fancy side bangs, she looked more chic than enigmatic. A new image of Mona Lisa has surfaced on the internet in Japan, making many of us wonder exactly what stage in her life she could have been in. With flirty pigtails sprouting from either side of her head and a smaller pointed chin, she looks more at home amongst the girls of Japanese idol group AKB48 than in the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

In case you need a refresher, here’s college Mona Lisa:

Not too bad. One of our writers even went as far as calling her a “smoking hottie.” Now take a look at the original da Vinci masterpiece:

Truly exquisite! And finally, try on AKB48 Mona Lisa for size:

Japanese net users were quite impressed by the makover:

It suits her so well I laughed!

She’s sooo cute!

I feel like I’ve seen that face somewhere…

She’s seriously an angel.

Amongst all of the comments declaring how cute the new pigtailed version of Mona Lisa is, one netizen offered up a different version:

So now that there’s multiple version of Mona Lisa floating around the internet, which do you prefer? Let us know in the comments section!

▼ Choose your Mona Lisa

Source: Golden Times
Images: Wikipaintings, Golden Times

• It’s a perfect match! Amazing trick of the eye lets you substitute a part of Mona Lisa’s face with manga drawing – and still see her face!
• Happy birthday Hatsune Miku! Fan celebrates with amazingly detailed Vocaloid cake
• The Mona Lisa: Kind of a Babe During College
• 【Photo Gallery】 3D Paintings Interact with Viewers at an Art Gallery in China
• “And the Winner is…”: A Selection of Some of the World’s Fascinating No. 1s!

Origin: Mona Lisa gets a new look, shows off her girly side
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Mister Donut, arguably the most popular doughnut chain in Japan, is full of creative and interesting fried dough creations. Just a few months ago, Misdo (as it’s called in Japan) unveiled Hello Kitty jack o’ lantern doughnuts for Halloween and are currently selling Snoopy and Woodstock Christmas treats. But their newest offering sounds more bizarre than delicious. Officially called “Pon de Umaimon,” these rings of flavor come in eight sweet or savory regional varieties that are sure to make you wonder why such a doughnut exists.

Mister Donut’s signature, the Pon de Ring, is used as the base of each doughnut. Here are the four flavors that are only available in eastern Japan: Zunda mochi (sweet edamame and mochi dessert from Sendai), monjayaki (savory pan-fried batter dish), Koshihikari malted rice, and Hokkaido buttered potato flavored doughnuts.

Don’t worry, western Japan wasn’t left out, getting their own regional flavored doughnuts: Kokura toast (toast with sweet red beans and butter), okonomiyaki (savory “Japanese pizza”), muscat, and mango flavor.

Each ring sells for 147 yen (US$1.43) and they will be around until the end of December. So stop on by your nearest Mister Donut and enjoy the local flavors in doughnut form.

Source: IT Media
Images: Mister Donut

• Hello Kitty gets a jack-o’-lantern grin at Mister Donut Japan
• Mister Donut Limited Edition Lamb French Cruller Doughnut
• Adorable miniature doughnuts from Mister Donut Japan!
• Snoopy & Woodstock join the party at Mister Donut Japan this Christmas
• Bring on the heat with summer curry special from Mister Donut

Origin: Enjoy buttered potato, muscat, or Japanese pizza…doughnuts
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

I am crazy about Calbee Lightly Salted Potato Chips. I find its balance of saltiness and crispy texture to be really addictive. Some of my friends are fans of other chip brands, but I have stuck to Calbee’s for quite a long time.

The other day, I was enjoying a bag of chips when I happened to feel something like a hair in my mouth. I spat it out and saw something that looked like a thread attached to a chip. There was little doubt that what I saw was an accidental artifact of the production process.

Thursday Throwback is your peek into the archives of RocketNews24, featuring articles from back when we were just getting started. We’d hate for you to miss any of the quality quirky news from Asia and Japan just because you recently stumbled upon our site. And if you’re a devout RN24 reader, thanks for sticking around! Enjoy this blast from the past! 

(Originally posted on February 10,2011)

It wasn’t a big deal to me at the time, but after a little while I began to wonder what would have happened if I had called Calbee’s Customer Service number. I was overtaken by simple curiosity and called the number printed on the back of a nearby bag.

A female operator picked up the phone. I told her that I had found a thread-like foreign object in amongst my chips. She apologized to me and asked me a couple of questions such as, what did it look like, the product number, my address and phone number, etc. She asked me to send the chip with the foreign object back to them so they could investigate what exactly it was. She also told me that they would send their own delivery company to pick it up. No need to pack it up, she explained, just wrap it with some tissue paper or something. The next day the delivery company guy showed up on my front step as she said and the mystery object (with chip) was shipped off to their office for an investigation.

Two days later I received a phone call from a spokesman at Calbee. He told me, “We just received the chip today here at the factory. We will need another week to write you a report on our findings. Terribly sorry for the wait.”

I didn’t expect a phone call. I began to kind of feel bad for putting them out just to assuage my curiosity. After another two days, I received a box from Calbee. Inside was an apology letter and five Calbee products including a bag of my favorite chips, another bag of chips (Consommé flavored), and a box of Jagalico. I had only expected them to send me another bag of chips, so I was pretty surprised to receive the box.

Now I only needed to wait for their report. They called me six days later, apologized again, and told me that they finished the investigation and report. Two more days after this last call, they sent me another box of five Calbee products along with their report.

According to the report, the thread was a fiber from a factory worker’s uniform. The report was extremely detailed and included pictures. They also detailed preventative measures taken as a result. They closed the report with the line, “devote our entire attention to the production of better and safer products.”

I could definitely feel their sincerity. They must have very thorough customer service manuals. At any rate, I was very happy with how they treated my complaint. It is needless to say that now I am an even bigger fan of Calbee.

Image: RocketNews24

• Customer Service (and Customers) in Japan vs. the West: A Japanese Perspective
• Tokyo Disneyland’s cast creates magic in the kingdom
• Read the Short Story that Captured the Hearts of Japan
• “How did you like that burger with my spit in it?” Korean McDonalds delivery guy taunts customer
• Let’s Fly First Class! (Tokyo To Bangkok)

Origin: 【Thursday Throwback】Best Japanese customer service
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Dog is man’s best friend, or so the saying goes. Nowadays, it’s sometimes hard to believe those words when your loyal canine is dragging your dirty pants, underwear included, out into the living room for all your guests to see (true story). But one dog in Japan proved his undying loyalty, waiting for his master’s return in the same location every single day for 10 years after his master’s death. The picture above, the last one ever taken of this loveable animal, is one of the saddest things we’ve ever seen.

Hachiko, was an Akita dog that belonged to a professor at the University of Tokyo. Every day he would meet his master at Shibuya Station until one day in 1925 when the professor never returned. Unbeknownst to Hachiko, his master had suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage and would never come home again. But there Hachiko sat, day after day, waiting in vain for the return of his beloved master. The story of the dog that never gave up gained a lot of attention from local and national news, inspiring many people to visit Hachiko at Shibuya Station to offer treats. The story eventually spread throughout the world and a Hollywood film starring Richard Gere was even made based on Hachiko’s story.

The photo above was taken on March 8, 1935 and is the last known image taken of Hachiko, who was found dead on a street in Shibuya. His owner’s wife and station staff sit around his body, mourning the loss of the faithful companion.

Years later, a statue was erected in Hachiko’s honor and a replica of the original still stands near Shibuya Station. Although today it is used as a popular meeting spot for young adults going out with friends, Hachiko’s statue remains a symbol of this dog’s extreme loyalty and a reminder of the lengths one can go to stay devoted to a friend. Hachiko managed to inspire people around the world and just as his final image portrays, he was loved dearly.

If you want to visit Hachiko’s statue, Google Maps marks the exact location or you can take a photo tour here.

Images: Wikipedia (1, 2)

• Modern-Day Hachikō: Dog Waits Over a Week for Its Owner in the Snow and Rain
• Is That a Banana in Your Parfait or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
• The 51 Busiest Train Stations in the World– All but 6 Located in Japan
• Celebrities with Shrunken Faces the Latest Meme to Sweep Japan 【Photo Gallery】
• Towel Jenga: Super Patient Pooch Lets Owners Stack Towels on His Head

Origin: The last photo of faithful dog Hachiko breaks our hearts
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

It’s Monday again and you know what that means! Your Monday Kickstart video is here to get you going through another week. 

If there’s a wall, you’re going to want to lean on it. If there’s a sofa, you’re going to want to sit on it. And if there’s a gigantic double bed in your hotel room, by George, you’re going to want to belly flop into it. And sometimes, your friends capitalize on this very notion, with some hilarious results.

Happy Monday from RocketNews24!

• 【Monday Kickstart】Corgi gets his groove on
• 【Monday Kickstart】Doggy massage
• 【Monday Kickstart】Kitty meets cat in a box
• 【Monday Kickstart】Hamsters just wanna have fun
• Akihabara-based magazine blasts past Kickstarter goal, aims to bring otaku culture to the world

Origin: 【Monday Kickstart】”Wow, what a huge double bed!”
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Hollywood films are popular around the world and Japan gets its fair share of dubbed and subtitled blockbusters. But sometimes things get a little mixed up when changing words from English to Japanese. This gives rise to translated titles that come in a wide range of strange from unintended sexual innuendos to spoilertastic summaries.

Let’s take a look at 13 weird Japanese movie titles that make you wonder what the translators were thinking.

1. Napoleon Dynamite → Bus Man (バス男)

Image: Wikipedia, Amazon

Not only does Napoleon Dynamite have nothing to do with a bus (except for maybe the school bus he rides every day), the eccentric high school student is barely old enough to be called a man. The title translation was apparently so bad that 20th Century Fox issued an official apology.

2. You Only Live Twice → 007 Dies Twice (007は二度死ぬ)

Images: Film Crit Hulk, Gigant

“You only live twice” is similar to saying that someone died twice, but not quite.

3. Despicable me → Mysterious Thief Gru’s Moon Theft 3D (怪盗グルーの月泥棒 3D)

Images: Wikipedia, Anime Info

We understand that translating “Despicable Me” into Japanese would prove difficult, but couldn’t they have thought of a catchier title?

4. Bring It On → Cheers! (チアーズ!)

Images: Wikipedia, Hulu Handan

Cheer leaders are called “cheer girls” in Japan, but “cheers” is an entirely different word. The title translation might have made sense if these high schoolers celebrated a successful routine by knocking back a few drinks.

5. Fast and Furious → Wild Speed Max (ワイルド・スピード MAX)

Images: IMDB, iowana

This is our favorite, yet strange movie title translation. And it kind of makes sense…the cars are zipping around at “wild speeds.” Each movie in the Fast and Furious franchise comes with an equally awesome Japanese title. Here they are in order:

The Fast and the Furious → Wild Speed
2 Fast 2 Furious → Wild Speed X2
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift → Wild Speed X3 TOKYO DRIFT
Fast & Furious → Wild Speed MAX
Fast Five → Wild Speed MEGA MAX
Fast & Furious 6 → Wild Speed EURO MISSION

We like Wild Speed MEGA MAX the best. Which one’s your favorite?

6. Being John Malkovich → Malkovich’s Hole (マルコヴィッチの穴)

Images: Wikipedia, Amazon Japan

Malkovich’s hole? We’re not so sure about this one…

7. Freaky Friday → Fortune Cookie (フォーチュン・クッキー)

Images: Wikipedia, Allcinema

There is a fortune cookie in the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday, so it does make sense. But we’re wondering why they chose to change the title when the original 1976 version was called “フリーキー・フライデー”, “Freak Friday” in Japanese.

8. Karate Kid → Best Kid (ベスト・キッド)

Images: Wikipedia, discas

There are those who argue that actual karate is not being performed in the movies, so the Japanese version is probably more accurate.

9. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off → Ferris, Suddenly One Morning (フェリスはある朝突然に)

Images: Wikipedia, Amazon Japan

At first, we weren’t so sure of the name change, but the new Japanese version does give the movie a sense of urgency.

10. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) → The Sniper Without a Shadow (影なき狙撃者)

Images: Amazon, Ginban Closeup

Not so bad of a title and we think the Japanese version actually sounds cooler than the original. But we were wondering why they decided to change the translated title of the 2004 remake:

11. The Manchurian Candidate (2004) → Crisis of America (クライシス・オブ・アメリカ)

Images: Amazon, Rakuten

The new title is completely written in katakana, the Japanese syllabary for foreign words, and gives a sense of impending doom that the 1962 title lacks.

12. Ratatouille → Remy’s Delicious Restaurant (レミーのおいしいレストラン)

Images: Amazon, Amazon Japan

Maybe “ratatouille” is too difficult to say in Japanese, especially for little kids, forcing translators to go with an easier to digest title.

13. Up → Grandpa Carl’s Flying House (カールじいさんの空飛ぶ家)

Images: Wikipedia, Amazon Japan

The original, slightly cryptic title of “Up” was canned in favor of a more descriptive title, letting curious kids know exactly what’s in store in this Disney Pixar masterpiece.

British Bonus: Moon → The Man Who Was Imprisoned on the Moon (月に囚われた男)

Images: Wikipedia, Yahoo! Blogs

Finally, as an added bonus we couldn’t help bringing you a recent British movie whose title Japan seemingly decided was simply not descriptive enough. Sure, there’s plenty more to be seen and revealed in the movie proper, but when we stumbled upon the Japanese release of Moon, the 2009 sci-fi flick starring Sam Rockwell and featuring the voice of Kevin Spacey, and saw it titled as “The Man Who Was Imprisoned on the Moon” we couldn’t help thinking, “Um, doesn’t that kind of ruin a hefty chunk of the plot?” Three cheers for spoilerific titles!

Let us know if there are any other gems you’d like added to the movie title translation hall of shame!

• 20th Century Fox to officially apologize for Napoleon Dynamite’s crappy Japanese title
• Live Out Your Fast and Furious Fantasy: Night Drive in Tokyo Video
• Popular Japanese website begins cataloging full frontal male nudity in international cinema
• Lanterns Fill the Night Skies of Thailand During the Breathtaking Yi Peng Festival
• Extreme Drifting in Modified Kei Car, Even Better English Subtitles 【Video】

Origin: 13 surprising Japanese translations of American movie titles
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.