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Idols talk with customers as their noodles cook at new instant ramen cafe in...
Customers in Akihabara are happy to pay large markup on instant noodles for three minutes in paradise. Walk into any convenience store or supermarket in Japan and you’ll be presented with a huge...
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Anime-style novel contest in Japan bans alternate reality stories and teen...
Publisher nixes two of the most common storytelling tricks in the anime playbook in attempt to create something adults can enjoy. Hey, you know the anime series about the teenage boy? The one who gets...
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Japan’s anime-loving penguin turned to comfort of a 2-D girl after being...
Lost his real-life penguin wife, gained an anime waifu. A few weeks ago it came to light that Grape–kun, one of the Humboldt penguin residents of the Tobu Zoo in Saitama Prefecture (which borders Tokyo...
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Elaborately crafted doll sells for $54,000 at hard-core doll otaku event in...
Feverish auction comes to sudden end as buyer takes decisive action to claim the princess. Japan’s highly developed otaku culture means that for those with a penchant for niche hobbies, those niches...
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Ryokan produces goods of its cute mascot proprietress, goes deep into deficit
Never question an otaku’s dedication to his waifu. Moe characters are used in all sorts of promotions in Japan. However one ryokan (a traditional Japanese inn), has recently taken character worshiping...
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Eight reasons otaku men are unpopular with women, according to Japanese...
Looks only cited as one of many problems. In recent years, a lot of the stigma associated with being an otaku in Japan has been gradually eroding, as anime, manga, and video games continue to expand...
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Japanese zoo will let anime-loving penguin keep his 2-D wife for the...
Otaku love conquers all. If you’re an anime fan who’s ever had to divest yourself of a portion of your otaku-related possessions, you know how hard the process can be. Still, stay in the fandom long...
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Namco creates the perfect plushie bag for your little pal
Why let your plushies sit inside your room all day? Now you can take them out for a walk. Namco has struck gold. They’ve created a bag especially for plushies so that you can take them with you...
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Otaku shopping spree: How would you spend $5,000 in Akihabara?
PlayStation VR, anime figurines, a hair dryer; you can get a lot for $5,000 in Akihabara. Tokyo Otaku Mode‘s Otaku Prize Spin has some juicy prizes, including trips to Japan, free Japanese lessons,...
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Super-ultra-rare anime condoms to be handed out for free in Tokyo’s Akihabara...
First-come, first-served in promotion for upcoming anime TV series. The late-night TV anime boom has been sort of a double-edged sword for studios and producers. On the plus side, more content is...
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Crushing demand for free anime condoms leads to bizarre request from event...
Only those planning to actually use prophylactics asked to line up, but with one big loophole. As promised, on July 2 the organizers of a publicity event for new anime Love and Lies showed up in...
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Japanese cosplayer wows crowds in Akihibara with four-legged centaur costume...
The pretty beast turned heads everywhere as she trotted through the streets of the anime and manga loving neighbourhood. In Japan, it’s almost impossible to keep track of all the anime and manga that...
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Early otaku gets the worm! Idol anime fans pluck Tokyo ad freebies before...
The Idolmaster compels otaku and gamers to get to Shinjuku Station at the crack of dawn for some cool free merch. Anime otaku and hard-core video gamers aren’t generally thought of as morning people....
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Poisonous spider found at venue of Tokyo’s biggest anime convention one week...
Toxic alien shows up early, has the power to make victims puke. Every August, Tokyo’s Big Sight convention center hosts Comiket, the country’s largest event for dojinshi (self-published manga)...
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Creeps bugging saleswomen at anime convention? Here’s a clever plan to...
System is easy for allies to understand, but invisible to everyone else. It’s no secret that hardcore anime and manga fans are a visually oriented bunch. That’s especially true of the attendees of the...
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Ingenious anime T-shirt design lets cosplayers ship characters of their...
Or claim all the love for themselves, if they so desire. For some time now, pillowcases with pictures of anime characters have been one of the most coveted categories of merchandise among hard-core...
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Otaku religion? Line of Christianity-themed light novels launched in Japan,...
”Chunibyo (deluded middle schoolers) want to read the Bible,” assert contest organizers. The title of light novels, Japan’s equivalent to young adult fiction, tend to be breathless summaries of the...
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Sexy manga for women is a multi-course meal, but for men it’s time to chow...
Sexual appetites of anime and manga fans are served by very different “meals.” One of the biggest changes to the anime and manga industry over the past decade has been the huge increase in the number...
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World celebrates ninja manga Naruto’s 18th anniversary with “Naruto Runs”
It may sound like a joke, but it sure brings fans together. In 1999, the first issue of the popular manga Naruto was released in Japan. Since then, it has captured the affection of not only Japanese...
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Anime-style English textbook character who stole Japan’s heart now has her...
Ellen-sensei is back and ready to keep her fans company all year long. Last year, the publishers of the English-learning textbook series New Horizon decided to give the books an update, complete with...
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