Every Sunday we gather the week’s weird and interesting Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting news, but we hope that it still informs and entertains you. Enjoy!
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Man tried to smuggle meth to Japan as Snickers bars, feds say: Even though I’m sure that the lamestream media will try to say that this man was trying to smuggle meth to Japan for his own, selfish reason, I think we all know what’s going on here. As you well know, Japan invented meth in the early 20th century, so it’s clear to me that this man was merely trying to repatriate this meth to its native land. Set it back into the wild, and tear up as it runs off to join its own in the wilderness. We’re all on the same page here, right?[/threecol_two] [threecol_one_last]Suidobashi Heavy Industry’s Kuratas: your own 13-foot, diesel-powered mech robot for $1.35 million: For all of you otaku out there who have dreamed of owning your own robot, now you can! For the low, low price of $1.35 million dollars, you can purchase a diesel-powered robot that shoots water bottle rockets, fireworks, and sports a BB gattling gun. Hurry now, and you can be the first kid on your block with your own mecha!
The Near Perfection of Kohei Uchimura: As I’ve caught glimpses of the London Olympics, I’ve come to the realization that Olympic athletes are superhumans; and there’s perhaps no better example of this than Kohei Uchimura, Japan’s superstar three-time World Champion and winner of the All-Around gold at this Olympics. Watching this guy flip and twist through these Olympic trials just emphasizes to me that I could never, ever do what he does. Unbelievable.[/threecol_one_last]
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[threecol_one]Japan’s Cockroach Forecasts Will Make You Feel Better About the Heat: If anything would ever make you want to steer clear of Japan during the summertime, it might just be the cockroaches. The li’l buggers are surprisingly common during the hot, humid summers; but fortunately, there’s a bit of a silver lining. A website called Gokiten can provide you with your daily cockroach forecast, helping you at least be aware of how many of the critters will be crawling around on any given day. Glass half full, right?
Takarazuka Revue Will Present Third Show in the “Ace Attorney” Series: Once again, Japan’s incredible all-female theater troupe the Takarazuka Revue is paying tribute to the Ace Attorney franchise of video games by creating a musical based on the games. Nerds need be on their toes though, as the show is only running for a scant 11 days total; so drop your DS for long enough to rush out and see it before it’s too late![/threecol_one] [threecol_two_last]
Foreign ‘cosplayers’ visit Foreign Ministry ahead of world event : I wrote last year about why the mayor of Nagoya and the governor of Aichi prefecture dressed up as anime characters — to promote the World Cosplay Summit. Looks like it’s that time of year again, because people are putting the final touches on their costumes, brushing their wigs, and getting in character for the 9th annual World Cosplay Summit. Word’s still out what anime character Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda will be cosplaying as, but I’m crossing my fingers for Guldo from Dragonball Z.[/threecol_two_last]
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Header photo by nDroae