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fromKotaku
4 hours ago

Studio Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby Reportedly Facing Insolvency

Studio Kai has accumulated a total net loss of 565 million yen, approximately $3.5 million, over seven years, indicating a state of insolvency.
Independent films
Music production
fromKotaku
3 days ago

Attack On Titan Studio Caught With Generative AI In Latest Anime

Wit Studio confirmed the use of generative AI in the production of Ascendance of a Bookworm's opening sequence.
fromTechCrunch
3 days ago

TechCrunch is heading to Tokyo - and bringing the Startup Battlefield with it | TechCrunch

The SusHi Tech Challenge Grand Prix recipient will be automatically entered into the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield Top 200 - making them eligible to pitch on one of the most coveted stages in the startup world.
London startup
Games
fromGameSpot
4 days ago

Tomodachi Life Fans Are Already Running Wild With Its Character Creator

Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream features a robust character-creation tool, but Nintendo's anti-image-sharing policy limits online sharing of creations.
Video games
fromFilmmaker Magazine
3 days ago

Let's Play: Genki Kawamura and Jiro Nagae on a New Kind of Video Game Cinema

Genki Kawamura adapts the indie video game into a film, merging artistry with box office potential in a unique horror narrative.
Silicon Valley
fromsfist.com
3 days ago

Elon-Headed Robot Dog Spotted In San Francisco

A robot dog with Elon Musk's head promotes an art show, showcasing the intersection of technology, art, and evolving digital identities.
#japan
fromnews.bitcoin.com
5 days ago
Cryptocurrency

Japan Has 12 Million Crypto Users and a Blueprint for Web3 Gaming

Japan's FSA plans a 2026 framework taxing crypto gains at a flat 20%, providing regulatory clarity for Web3 gaming projects.
fromFortune
6 days ago
Artificial intelligence

'No one's raising their hand': Japan's labor crisis is making the case for robots taking the jobs that you don't want | Fortune

Japan's labor shortage is driving automation and AI adoption, with robots expected to fill roles no one wants, especially in aging care and industrial sectors.
Cryptocurrency
fromnews.bitcoin.com
5 days ago

Japan Has 12 Million Crypto Users and a Blueprint for Web3 Gaming

Japan's FSA plans a 2026 framework taxing crypto gains at a flat 20%, providing regulatory clarity for Web3 gaming projects.
Artificial intelligence
fromFortune
6 days ago

'No one's raising their hand': Japan's labor crisis is making the case for robots taking the jobs that you don't want | Fortune

Japan's labor shortage is driving automation and AI adoption, with robots expected to fill roles no one wants, especially in aging care and industrial sectors.
European startups
fromTechCrunch
1 week ago

In Japan, the robot isn't coming for your job; it's filling the one nobody wants | TechCrunch

Japan is rapidly adopting physical AI to address labor shortages and sustain productivity in its industrial sector.
#anime
Television
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

5 Anime Series to Check Out This Spring

The anime industry experiences a crowded debut season with numerous shows launching simultaneously, making it challenging to discern standout series.
fromIndieWire
2 weeks ago
Fashion & style

Now Is the Perfect Time to Dive Into the Wacky World of 'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'

Television
fromIndieWire
1 week ago

5 Anime Series to Check Out This Spring

The anime industry experiences a crowded debut season with numerous shows launching simultaneously, making it challenging to discern standout series.
fromIndieWire
2 weeks ago
Fashion & style

Now Is the Perfect Time to Dive Into the Wacky World of 'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'

fromKotaku
4 days ago

Pokemon Champions Has Sauceless Drip

The vibes around Pokémon Champions have been mostly bad for a number of reasons since it launched today, but really I should have caught onto how much of a disappointment the Switch battle simulator would be right when I booted up the game and it handed me the absolute most sauceless Pokémon trainer this side of the Paldea region.
Games
Video games
fromGame Informer
in 1 month

Forza Horizon 6 Preview - Hands-On In The Land Of The Rising Sun - Game Informer

Forza Horizon 6 offers thrilling racing experiences in Japan, building on the success of its predecessor with refined gameplay and a new festival approach.
Artificial intelligence
fromSilicon Canals
1 week ago

Japan bets $6.3 billion on physical AI - not to replace workers, but because there are none left to replace - Silicon Canals

Japan is deploying AI-powered robots to address severe labor shortages, not merely for cost-cutting.
Games
fromEngadget
6 days ago

Sony is starting a weird service that scans people to put them in PlayStation games

Sony's The Playerbase initiative allows fans to have their likenesses scanned for use in PlayStation games.
Artificial intelligence
fromSilicon Canals
1 week ago

Japan is deploying robots not to replace workers but because there are no workers left to replace - Silicon Canals

Japan's deployment of AI-powered robots is driven by demographic challenges rather than efficiency, aiming to sustain essential services amid labor shortages.
#ghost-in-the-shell
Video games
fromKotaku
2 weeks ago

SlashZero Looks Like An Anime-Style Dead Cells (In A Good Way)

SlashZero is a stylish roguelike with anime-inspired visuals and unique gameplay mechanics, focusing on fun combat and procedural generation.
SOMA, SF
fromdesignboom | architecture & design magazine
3 weeks ago

reflective lights and moire pattern adorn hajime sorayama and matt copson's AFEELA art cars

Sony Honda Mobility collaborates with artists Hajime Sorayama and Matt Copson to transform the AFEELA 1 electric car into unique art vehicles, with installations in Los Angeles and Tokyo.
UX design
fromSmashing Magazine
3 weeks ago

Anime vs. Marvel/DC: Designing Digital Products With Emotion In Flow - Smashing Magazine

Design quality depends on emotional pacing and flow management, not just visual elements. Successful products guide users through emotional states coherently, while poor design creates emotional conflicts through misplaced elements.
#humanoid-robotics
Women in technology
fromFuturism
4 weeks ago

This Video of a Humanoid Robot Playing Perfect Tennis Is Extremely Impressive

Chinese company Galbot developed software enabling a Unitree G1 humanoid robot to play tennis with sustained rallies, millisecond reactions, and precise ball striking against human opponents.
Women in technology
fromFuturism
4 weeks ago

This Video of a Humanoid Robot Playing Perfect Tennis Is Extremely Impressive

Chinese company Galbot developed software enabling a Unitree G1 humanoid robot to play tennis with sustained rallies, millisecond reactions, and precise ball striking against human opponents.
DC food
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

Giant robots battle it out in Detroit's Robowar

A Detroit church hosts Robowar, a live entertainment spectacle featuring human-piloted mech suits battling as giant robots, combining community engagement with robotics industry exposure.
#autonomous-vehicles
Alternative transportation
fromEngadget
1 month ago

Uber is piloting a robotaxi service in Tokyo

Uber, Wayve, and Nissan are launching a robotaxi pilot program in Tokyo in late 2026 using Nissan Leaf EVs with AI-powered autonomous driving technology.
Toronto startup
fromTechRepublic
1 month ago

Nuro Tests Zero-Shot Autonomous Vehicles in Tokyo - TechRepublic

Nuro tests autonomous vehicle technology in Tokyo to demonstrate how its system adapts to new driving environments without extensive location-specific reprogramming.
Toronto startup
fromTechCrunch
1 month ago

Nuro is testing its autonomous vehicle tech on Tokyo's streets | TechCrunch

Nuro expands autonomous vehicle testing to Japan, marking its first overseas deployment with Toyota Prius vehicles on Tokyo public roads.
Alternative transportation
fromEngadget
1 month ago

Uber is piloting a robotaxi service in Tokyo

Uber, Wayve, and Nissan are launching a robotaxi pilot program in Tokyo in late 2026 using Nissan Leaf EVs with AI-powered autonomous driving technology.
Toronto startup
fromTechRepublic
1 month ago

Nuro Tests Zero-Shot Autonomous Vehicles in Tokyo - TechRepublic

Nuro tests autonomous vehicle technology in Tokyo to demonstrate how its system adapts to new driving environments without extensive location-specific reprogramming.
Toronto startup
fromTechCrunch
1 month ago

Nuro is testing its autonomous vehicle tech on Tokyo's streets | TechCrunch

Nuro expands autonomous vehicle testing to Japan, marking its first overseas deployment with Toyota Prius vehicles on Tokyo public roads.
fromKotaku
3 weeks ago

Dragon Quest 10 Is Getting A Google-Powered Chatbot Slime NPC

Square Enix is partnering with Google to integrate its AI large language model Gemini into Dragon Quest X, creating a Slime character that players can chat with. This character will respond with AI-generated text, offering tips, tricks, and advice as players navigate the game.
Games
Django
fromThe Verge
1 month ago

A live-action Samurai Champloo is in the works

Creator involvement is essential for successful live-action adaptations of anime, as demonstrated by lessons learned from the canceled Cowboy Bebop Netflix series.
#humanoid-robots
Artificial intelligence
fromComputerworld
2 weeks ago

How digital brains for humanoid robots are being built

Humanoid robots have significantly improved in functionality and behavior over the past year, exemplified by Olaf's performance at Nvidia's GTC event.
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago
Tech industry

Drunken boxing and backflips: China put on a robot kung fu display that shows how fast its robotics industry is growing

Artificial intelligence
fromComputerworld
2 weeks ago

How digital brains for humanoid robots are being built

Humanoid robots have significantly improved in functionality and behavior over the past year, exemplified by Olaf's performance at Nvidia's GTC event.
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago
Tech industry

Drunken boxing and backflips: China put on a robot kung fu display that shows how fast its robotics industry is growing

Independent films
fromInverse
1 month ago

'Street Fighter ' Just Leveled Up With A Crucial Collaboration

Street Fighter's film and television adaptations have consistently failed despite the franchise's dominance in gaming, but a new theatrical reboot directed by Kitao Sakurai shows promise by prioritizing source material fidelity and kinetic maximalism, with support from Street Fighter 6 director Takayuki Nakayama.
Video games
fromThe Verge
3 weeks ago

Weird Nintendo never went away

Nintendo releases the Talking Flower, a whimsical toy that announces time and offers random positive affirmations without practical function, representing the company's playful side despite recent conservative decisions.
Travel
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 month ago

Jimbocho: Books, cafes and guitars in the coolest neighborhood in Tokyo (and the world)

Jimbocho, Tokyo's historic bookstore district with over 180 shops, combines literary heritage with contemporary appeal, attracting both trend-seekers and independent explorers through its diverse book culture and related businesses.
OMG science
fromGameSpot
1 month ago

The Search For The One Piece Has Turned Into A Real-World Quest

Manga creator Eiichiro Oda sealed the secret to One Piece in a capsule at the ocean floor 651 meters deep to celebrate 600 million sales worldwide, sparking global treasure-hunting efforts.
UX design
fromMedium
1 month ago

The deceptive side of robot cuteness

Cute design in robots enhances social presence, accelerates attachment formation, and increases user forgiveness through three main approaches: baby schema, pet-like, and kawaii aesthetics.
Toronto startup
fromTESLARATI
1 month ago

Tesla showcases Optimus humanoid robot at AWE 2026 in Shanghai

Tesla and xAI jointly developed Digital Optimus, an AI system capable of emulating entire company functions by processing real-time computer actions and automating desk work tasks.
fromKotaku
3 weeks ago

Pragmata Hands-On: A Game With Old-School Cool, Lots Of Heart

Some part of me feels that could just as easily be one of those mementos of Earth. That's because playing feels like stepping through time, which is neither a comment on the quality of its gameplay or its fidelity, both places in which it is no slouch. Rather, it's a comment on its essence.
Video games
Television
fromInverse
1 month ago

A New Anime Adaptation Could Make Up For Netflix's Biggest Mistake

Live-action anime adaptations are improving through streaming platforms, though Shinichirō Watanabe's previous Cowboy Bebop adaptation failed to capture the original's essence despite his involvement.
Cooking
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

7 Best Japanese Kitchen Gadgets & Tools So Clever They Make Every Meal Feel Like a Ceremony - Yanko Design

Japanese kitchenware prioritizes single-purpose precision and minimalist design over multifunctionality, with tools refined through centuries of regional manufacturing expertise that create superior cooking performance.
Video games
fromThe Verge
3 weeks ago

Capcom's next big game explores the horrors of AI

Pragmata is a sci-fi third-person action game where players control two characters—a suited man and an android child—to explore a lunar research station and combat robots through hacking mechanics.
Toronto Raptors
fromDefector
1 month ago

New Japan Makes, The World Takes | Defector

Tomohiro Ishii, a 50-year-old New Japan Pro Wrestling mid-card wrestler, maintains authenticity through his unwavering commitment to a consistent wrestling formula despite being past his prime.
fromKotaku
1 month ago

Check Out The Very Best Cosplay From Katsucon 2026

Katsucon, which describes itself as 'for multicultural enthusiasts,' takes place each year in the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of DC, and has been running in some form since 1995. It's one of the smaller, more intimate events on the cosplay calendar, but still pulls in guests like My Hero Academia's Justin Briner and Date a Live's Michelle Rojas.
DC food
Video games
fromApp Developer Magazine
1 year ago

Gaming goes permanent as Pokemon tops global tattoo trends

Pokémon dominates video game tattoo culture with 557,000 Instagram hashtags, far exceeding other franchises due to recognizable characters and emotional attachment among millennials.
fromFuturism
1 month ago

Japan Opens School Staffed Entirely by Virtual Waifus

Virtual Cram School Wish High is a new online school by Tokyo-based company Luminaris. According to the publication, all teachers are "active VTubers," meaning streamers who use digital avatars to represent themselves instead of showing their real faces. Tuition at the online academy is the equivalent of around $63 per course per month, on subjects including mathematics, English, physics, chemistry, world history, Japanese history, and geography.
Online learning
#visual-art
Games
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Pokemon at 30: Fans explain what the series means to them

Pokemon celebrates 30 years as the highest-grossing media franchise, maintaining global cultural phenomenon status through games, trading cards, and mobile apps that continue attracting new generations.
Gadgets
fromGameSpot
2 months ago

Razer Goes Full Neon Genesis Evangelion With EVA Unit-02 Collection

Razer revealed Neon Genesis Evangelion–themed PC peripherals and an EVA Unit 02–inspired gaming chair, with pricing and release date not yet announced.
Science
fromwww.bbc.com
2 months ago

Can robots ever be graceful?

Efficient, precise, and intelligent actuators are essential for robots to move gracefully and enable the transition from primitive to sophisticated robots.
fromGameSpot
2 months ago

Battle Angel Alita Manga Box Set On Sale For Lowest Price In Seven-Year History

One of the best cyberpunk manga of all time is on sale for an incredible price at Amazon. Battle Angel Alita's Deluxe Edition Series Box Set collects the complete original run in premium hardcover format. The Deluxe Edition Series Box Set is on sale for $100 off, dropping the price from $180 all the way down to $80. This is the best deal ever for the six-volume, 2,392-page collection, and this says a lot considering it was published in December 2018 by Kodansha Comics.
Books
Mobile UX
fromGSMArena.com
1 month ago

Honor will introduce its first humanoid robot at the MWC

Honor will showcase the Magic V6, MagicPad4, MagicBook Pro 14, the Honor Robot Phone, a new humanoid robot, and AI-focused ultra-slim devices at MWC.
Design
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
1 month ago

Transformers-inspired Shapeshifting Machine Splits Into An Entire Road-Construction Robot Fleet - Yanko Design

Modular autonomous electric train deploys AI-guided construction robot modules, drone, and intelligent command hub to streamline road-building in remote, disaster, or difficult terrains.
Television
fromKotaku
1 month ago

A New Evangelion Series Is Coming Written By Nier's Director

A new Neon Genesis Evangelion series was announced for the 30th anniversary, with Yoko Taro writing and Kazuya Tsurumaki and Toru Yatabe directing.
Games
fromJezebel
1 month ago

The latest Umamusume: Pretty Derby is for the horsegirls (and guys)

Umamusume: Pretty Derby expanded from Japan-exclusive niche to worldwide phenomenon, combining anime horse girls with real Japanese racing history through games, shows, and films that treat absurd premises with genuine earnestness.
Books
fromGameSpot
2 months ago

The Battle Royale Manga Returns With A New Deluxe Edition

Battle Royale receives a Deluxe Edition manga first volume releasing January 27, available for preorder at $44 (20% off the $55 MSRP).
#3d-printing
Travel
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
2 months ago

Japan's Pokemon Hotel Rooms Put 100+ Characters on Your Ceiling (And Gyarados in Your Bathroom) - Yanko Design

MIMARU converted apartment-style hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka into immersive, family-friendly Pokémon-themed accommodations featuring over 100 characters and themed tableware.
Gadgets
fromThe Verge
1 month ago

I hate my AI pet with every fiber of my being

Casio's $429 Moflin is a palm-sized AI pet marketed as a calming smart companion, but its behaviors can be irritating and provoke strong negative reactions.
Artificial intelligence
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

Japan's robotics industry sees record orders as global labor shortages intensify - Silicon Canals

Japan's robotics industry achieved record quarterly orders of ¥324.5 billion in Q1 2025, driven by global labor shortages and aging workforces across Asia, North America, and Europe.
fromKotaku
1 month ago

Ikoku Nikki Is The Must-Watch Anime Of The Season

You've got your obvious bangers, such as Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and Jujutsu Kaisen, but there are at least twenty weekly releases currently airing that are worth watching. Hell's Paradise, Fate/Strange Fake, Sentenced to Be a Hero, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Trigun Stargaze, Golden Kamuy - I could go on, and that's without including the stuff that just finished airing, such as Spy x Family and To Your Eternity.
Television
fromYanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
2 months ago

MG Raiser Doubles Up Your Manga Shelf Without Hiding the Back Row - Yanko Design

MG Raiser from MangaGuardian is a tiny shelf adapter that takes that double-row habit and makes it less painful. It is a compact L-shaped stand that lets you display two rows of manga in the same footprint, with the back row raised just enough to stay visible. Simple plastic geometry aimed squarely at overcrowded shelves, it solves a niche problem that anyone with more than 20 volumes has quietly dealt with at some point.
Gadgets
fromVulture
1 month ago

Girls Who Love Boys Who Love Boys

We can now look back on November 28, 2025, as the start of a mass-psychosis event. In an era of neo-puritanical television slop, a fresh, horny breeze swept in from Canada: Heated Rivalry, a six-episode series about two professional hockey rivals turned lovers, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, stirred something deep in the American psyche. Ordinary taxpaying adult women, many of them my friends, suddenly lost control of their faculties over "the gay hockey show."
Television
Games
fromKotaku
2 months ago

Persona Artist Kazuma Kaneko Reveals New AI Art Card Game

Kazuma Kaneko's new Switch card game, Kazuma Kaneko's Tsukuyomi, launches April 23 with AI-generated art and includes 3,600 curated AI-produced cards.
Video games
fromVG247
2 months ago

Zenelss Zone Zero Version 2.6 has you playing as an event planner and social media manager for an idol group

Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.6 'Encore for an Old Dream' launches Feb 6 with new Agents Sunna and Aria, Angels of Delusion event, rhythm minigame.
Video games
fromKotaku
2 months ago

Pokemon Fan Spends Five Years On An Insane Shiny Hunt

A player spent five years collecting Shiny costume sets in Pokémon Battle Revolution, completing full six-piece Shiny sets in both the Japanese and international versions.
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