akb48
In Real Life

Idol’s Mother Arrested For ‘Obscene Acts’ With Student

The 44-year-old mother of singer Minami Takahashi was arrested for obscene acts with a 15-year-old boy. Takahashi, 20, is a member of AKB48, the country’s most popular female pop group and, CNET reported, a US$200 business.

November 26, 2011
Nintendo

This Japanese Wii Commercial Is Just Mean To Grandma

New Year’s, the time with extended families come together, is just around the corner in Japan. When grandma and grandpa come over, perhaps the kids want to play videos games, instead of talking to their elderly relatives. Heck, I know I did!

November 22, 2011
Nintendo

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D Finally Sneaks Out A Release Date

Originally Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D was supposed to be out this December. Then, at September’s Tokyo Game Show, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima said the game would be out in early 2012.

November 17, 2011
In Real Life

If Only Xbox Japan Was As Popular As This Girl

Rena Matsui isn’t the one per cent. She’s the less than one per cent. As far as idols go, she’s quickly shot to the top of the group she belongs to, SKE48. No wonder Microsoft roped her into promote Kinect in Japan.

October 17, 2011
In Real Life

Is This Lady The Most Famous Final Fantasy Tester Ever?

Meet Yuko Oshima. She’s 23. She’s famous. And she’s testing Final Fantasy XIII-2.

October 3, 2011
In Real Life

Ripping Off Your Biggest Fans

Japan is expensive. Tokyo and Osaka consistently rank among the most expensive cities in the world. With the strong yen, Japan is even pricier for foreign visitors. It’s no steal for nerds, either. It’s highway robbery.

August 17, 2011
In Real Life

Time To Rock Your Balls Off

Japanese pop, rather Jpop, is pigeonholed as cute, ear saccharine. That might not exactly be fair. But there’s no arguing, sometimes Jpop needs more guitars. More awesome hair. Sometimes it needs more metal.

July 19, 2011
In Real Life

Legendary Japanese Club Reborn With Trolling

If you were in Tokyo in the late 1990s and you liked to party, you went there. Towering over six floors and holding over 1,500 people, Velfarre was a legendary Roppongi club that claimed to be the biggest of its kind in Asia.

June 29, 2011
In Real Life

Let’s Be Sensitive About Height, M’kay?

When Sega held an event for Yakuza 4, it assembled the game’s producer Toshihiro Nagoshi and the title’s assorted cast. One of the game’s biggest stars, former Morning Musume singer Mari Yaguchi, was one of the smallest.

June 28, 2011
In Real Life

Girl After Girl Throwing Themselves At You

Wonder what the new AKB48 game will be like? From the looks of it, it’ll be idols saying they like you, and then getting pissed when you turn down their advances.

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