We’ve also posted almost every single day this year, which has doubled the number of posts here on Tofugu. Crazy!

Now that we’re close to the end of the year, we thought that we’d take a look back on the 300+ posts from 2012 and pick out the best. Here are our favorite 10 posts of 2012, in no particular order:

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Japanese Learning When I Was First Starting Out

When you start out learning Japanese (or even while you’re still an intermediate learner), you have a long, scary road in front of you. Fortunately, you’re not the first person, not by a long shot, to go down this road.

That’s why this list by a veteran, Koichi, is so indispensible. Why go through the struggle firsthand when you can learn from another person’s experience? For saving everybody a load of time, this post about Japanese learning tips handily makes the list.

Read this post →

Japan, Why So Kawaii?

For decades, Japan has been known as the land of excessive cuteness — from Hello Kitty to rosy-cheeked Pokémon, Japan has “cute” on lock.

But why is every morning a kawaii morning? Why does everything have to be so damn cute?! For tackling one of the most prevalent phenomena of Japanese culture, this post easily makes the list.

Read this post →

How To Eat Like A Japanese Buddhist Monk

One of the biggest aspects of Japanese culture that brings people together is the food. I don’t think there’s a single person at Tofugu that doesn’t love a big bowl of ramen, some yakitori, or another kind of Japanese food.

What made this series of posts about Japanese monk food so appealing was not only did it talk about delicious, delicious Japanese food, but also because it talked about a type of Japanese food most people don’t ever see, and you get to see as Koichi goes through the process of making all of it himself.

I can tell you that that month of Koichi’s vegetarian diet was a struggle against his urge to eat meat; mostly, delicious, delicious bacon. If nothing else, this series should make the list to honor that noble sacrifice.

Read this post →

Japanese Web Design: Why You So 2003?

As a recent Cracked article pointed out, even though Japan has a reputation for being one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, it can be surprisingly low-tech.

There’s no better example of Japan’s bipolar attitude towards technology than the japanese internet, which seems stuck in the past. This particular article on Japanese web design made the list because while we wrote a couple of articles about Japanese web technology, this one perfectly summed up how and why Japan’s internet seems to live in the past.

Read this post →

The 7 Immutable Laws Of Identifying A “Real” Japanese Restaurant

As I said about the Shojin Ryouri post, we love Japanese food; eatin’ it, talkin’ about it, and finding new and exciting places that serve it. That’s why Koichi’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek really struck a chord with us, and a lot of other people.

How can you tell which Japanese restaurants are authentic, and which one serve up orange chicken? Thanks to this article, you’ll know the signs.

Read this post →

Three Strikes And Still Not Out? Sadaharu Oh’s Home Run Record Controversy

Baseball is a huge sport in japan, but it seems like we only hear about it if a Japanese player like Ichiro or Yu Darvish comes over to the MLB. Because of that, I’d never heard of possibly the largest controversy in the history of Japanese sports.

It all surrounds Sadaharu Oh, Beastie Boy subject matter and the man who’s hit more career home runs than any other baseball player, alive or dead. His record has been chased for decades by a motley crew of gaijin ballplayers, but never broken.

I thought this was a great post because it broached a topic big in Japan, but not often talked about here on Tofugu, and did so thoroughly.

Read this post →

Kanji Hates The Ladies

This year was a big year for Tofugu and kanji. I don’t think we’ve even run as many posts about kanji as we did this year, including posts about kanji that look like their meanings, kanji born and raised in Japan and the kanji of the year.

We also debuted our latest creation, a kanji learning web app by the name of WaniKani.

This post about misogynistic kanji made the list not only because it relates back to the bigger theme of kanji, but also because it’s absolutely ridiculous. It really seems like kanji is just misogynistic from the get-go.

Read this post →

Fart Scrolls

The popularity of this post caught me really off-guard. I’d found the scrolls on another site, so I figured that fart scrolls were old news.

Not the case.

Over the course of a few days, traffic to Tofugu skyrocketed as people reveled in the joy of fart humor. I was pleased to see everybody from cartoonists I admire to celebrities sharing a Tofugu post. It even got its own Wikipedia page.

One reaction I didn’t expect was anger — anger that I’d put black bars over the naughty bits. I kinda get why people were upset, but I stand by my decision to block out wrinkly, illustrated cocks.

My girlfriend tells me all the time that fart scrolls will be my legacy to the world after I’m gone, and I hope that she’s simultaneously both right and wrong.

Read this post →

Aokigahara: Japan’s Haunted Forest of Death

Our posts about creepy, scary, and spooky things always seem really popular, but none more so than our post about Aokigahara, the suicide forest at the base of Mt. Fuji. Something about this real-life horror story really strikes a chord with people. The eerie darkness, and odd silence, it makes you want to believe that such a place doesn’t even exist.

For creeping us all the hell out and for being the most-viewed Tofugu post of 2012, this article about Aokigahara more than deserves its place on this list.

Read this post →

Crazy Japanese Horse Racing Simulator. Minus Horses. Minus Simulation.

I laughed uncontrollably for a couple of days after Koichi showed me this bizarre Japanese video game, although I’m not sure if you can really even call it a video game. It’s more like a work of art.

There’s not much you can really control in Japan World Cup. You kinda just press go and hold your breath as to whether the yeti, Trojan Horse, ninja, or dekotora will cross the finish line. Who will win? Who cares!

For being, for my money at least, the best Saturday Timewaster of perhaps all time, this post more than earns its spot on the list.

Read this post →

That’s the best of 2012 from us! We hope that 2013′ll be even better.

Did you favorite posts make the list? What would you liked to have seen on here? Let us know in the comments.

So What’s This Film All About?

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozRYgw6Nlpk']

Being unleashed upon the general public in 2007, Big Man Japan tells the tale of an eccentric middle aged man living alone in a decrepit home in Tokyo. He periodically transforms into a giant, washed up superhero and defends Japan by battling giant monsters that threaten the safety of its general public.

However, and unfortunately for Big Man Japan, the general public is not too pleased with his work. Many people complain and protest that he causes too much collateral damage, wastes electricity (he needs it to grow into giant form), and is just a nuisance to Japan in general.

Even though he has his own late-night spot on TV, it’s only 15 minutes long and only receives 1% or 2% viewer ratings. (You’ll remember from my last post that about anything over 15% is good, and anything less than 10% usually has something wrong with it, but anything less than 5% must be absolutely dreadful.)

Aww, he just wants a hug.

What I didn’t understand about this part is how people could be so angry and frustrated with Big Man Japan. It sounds like the general populace would be happier if Big Man Japan just stopped saving them from certain doom and destruction at the hands of various giant monsters. They have no appreciation at all for his heroic deeds.

It is mentioned that there used to be other superheros like Big Man Japan back in the heyday of his grandfather (the fourth Big Man Japan) and that they enjoyed fame and fortune among undying respect, but I don’t really understand why the safety of Japan is any less popular now than it was back then. This is one thing that the movie hinged on that I didn’t really follow along with.

And Who Is This Matsumoto You Speak Of?

Like I mentioned before, Hitoshi Mastumoto is a funny man. Unfortunately, this movie doesn’t really showcase the traditional humor I’m used to. Undeniably it is a well made and decent film, but it was just not the humor I was hoping for. Matsumoto is one half of the famous comedy duo Downtown and is one of the hosts of the absolutely delightful variety show Gaki no Tsukai. Perhaps becoming so used to his persona on these shows affected my preconceived notions and expectations about this film.

If you haven’t heard of Gaki no Tsukai or seen any of their famous batsu (punishment) games, you should check them out on YouTube. They are hilarious and awesome and a good number of them come complete with subtitles for your viewing pleasure.

And the Verdict?

Falcon Kick!

As for my thoughts on the film, I have to say I was a bit disappointed. That’s not to say I did not enjoy Big Man Japan, it’s just that I was hoping for a bit more. I’d been wanting to see the movie ever since I first heard about it, so I guess I’d been playing the film up in my head for about three years and when I finally got around to seeing it, it just wasn’t what I’d been imagining. I thought it was a bit slow at times, and the giant monsters and the giant monster fighting are pretty much the only super wonky things going on in the film.

Old Man Japan just doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

Because of this, Big Man Japan would not have made it onto my list for the Top 10 Strange Japanese Films You Need to Watch. It’s just not weird enough and it’s just not entertaining enough. While still a decent film, it just failed to impress me. I still have to watch Matumoto’s Symbol (trailer below) so maybe you’ll see a post about that film sometime in the future as well. It certainly looks like it has promise.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFmKduV9hJU']

So, have any of you seen Big Man Japan and/or Symbol? Did they live up to your expectations? Which one did you like better? Tell me in the comments below and let me know if you think I should watch Symbol!

P.S. Big naked Japanese men not your cup of tea? Follow us on Twitter for other cool things to check out.
P.S.S. Overflowing with strange things provided by Tofugu but still crave more? Check us out over on Facebook and Google+.

Top 10 Strange Japanese Films You Need to Watch

This was one of my first big posts here at Tofugu and I had a lot of fun writing it. I was even exposed to a few new favorite movies in the process. I really dig strange Japanese things and this list is just packed with strange and entertaining Japanese movies. If you missed this post the first time around, you should definitely give it a look now. If nothing else you might get a few ideas for what to watch to help you stay up way past your bedtime this New Years. What better way to ring in the New Year than with these crazy films? Read This Post →

If Apple Made Capsule Hotels, They Would Look Like This

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWKxBCMwwkY']

I always enjoy Koichi’s posts that include videos, but I thought this one was especially interesting. I’ve always wanted to check out a capsule hotel, but despite having been to Japan once before, I have not yet had the opportunity to do so. This post and video were really cool because up until then I had not seen a capsule hotel quite like it. I still want to stay in one. It just seems like such a neat experience. At least for one night maybe – after that it’d probably start to get annoying. Definitely wouldn’t want to make a home out of the place. Read This Post →

True Blood: Personality and Blood Types in Japan

I always thought it was interesting how much weight was placed on blood types in Japan and in this post by Hashi, he goes into a lot of detail regarding it. I think it’s really cool to compare how this is similar to astrological signs and horoscopes and all those crazy things that people can get super into. Do you know what your blood type says about you? Read This Post →

Japanese Etiquette: How to Save Yourself from Embarrassment in Japan

This was another one of my favorite posts to write this year. For a lot of people, going to Japan (or just out of the country in general) can be a daunting experience. But with handy guides like this one, the anxiety fades away at least a little bit. My best friend actually left to visit Japan yesterday and she was super nervous about going (she’d never even been out of the States before). But after reading this post (and receiving lots of pep talks and sedatives) she finally calmed down and wasn’t so nervous about the trip ahead of her. So if you’re even planning on taking a trip to Japan, the information contained in this post is certainly worth a read. Read This Post →

The Ridiculously Racist Robots Of Mobile Fighter G-Gundam

Another choice post by Hashi. I was never really that into Gundam myself, so I wasn’t totally surprised that I’d missed these characters, but I was just surprised they even existed. Some of them are just outrageous. I definitely lol’d while reading this post and checking out all the pictures of these racist Gundams and I’m sure you will too. Good ol’ Hashi – never lets us down. Read This Post →

P.S. Happy New Year!

We all hope you’ve enjoyed this year of 2011 and we look forward to entertaining and informing you through all of 2012 as well (don’t listen to Koichidamus’ ramblings, the world’s not totally ending in 2012.)

And we’ll be on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ if you need anything, but in the mean time look forward to Hashi’s top five Tofugu posts tomorrow!

Guess whoooo~?

This post is one in a series leading up to Halloween. Check out the scary tag to see all of them!

Nothing says Halloween quite like creepy little Japanese girls. Japanese horror films have slowly been gaining popularity over the years and there have even been (for better or worse) a healthy amount of American remakes. Are you wondering what Japanese horror movies you’re going to scare and impress your friends with this Halloween? Well worry not, for I’ve the top 10 right here.

10. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)

Don’t tase me, broooooooooo!!!

I wanted to include at least one anime on this list of movies and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust was the first that came to mind. While definitely not as frightening as the others on this list, it’s a solid film regardless. And it has vampires! Can’t have Halloween without vampires!

The film began production in 1997 and was completed with the intention of being shown in American theaters in 2000. It was shown in six theaters across the States and received fairly positive reception from critics.

In the film, vampire hunters race to save a girl stolen from her home by a vampire noble. D is a dunpeal (being born of a human mother and sired by a vampire father) bearing many vampire strengths and few of their weaknesses. In the film he races against a band of human hunters to save the girl. The movie is mostly action, a little bit romance, and a little bit horror.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a fun movie to watch and you don’t need to see the original to enjoy it. If you’re a fan of anime, vampires, or saw the original Vampire Hunter D, I strongly recommend you check out Bloodlust as well.

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9. Rampo Noir (2005)

Ah, Mr. Bond. I’ve been expecting you.

Rampo Noir is a collection of four short stories brought to life on film. Like I mentioned in Top 10 Strange Japanese Films You Need To Watch, this movie is weird. Like super weird. I’ve listed a description of each short story for your convenience below.

Mars Canal - Surrounded by silence, a naked man wanders through a dark and dreary landscape recalling the excruciating details of his last encounter with the woman he once loved.

Mirror Hell - When a series of women are discovered with their faces burned to a crisp, a young detective takes on the case and discovers that a mysterious hand mirror is always found at the scene.

Caterpillar - A quadriplegic war hero returns home to his wife who soon tires of taking care of him and begins to torture her crippled hubby for entertainment.

Crawling Bugs - A sexy actress is returning home from a successful night on stage when her limo driver decides that she should be coming home with him instead.

I’m not really sure how I feel about this movie. I think one viewing would be enough for anybody, but if you get the chance to see it, do so. The experience is worth it, especially if you can drag a few friends along for the ride. Out of the four stories, Caterpillar definitely creeped me out the most.

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8. Dark Water (2002)

This isn’t what it looks like, I swear.

Dark Water is a supernatural-psychological-drama-horror about a middle aged woman barely holding onto her sanity. Yoshimi Matsubara is in the midst of a nasty divorce with her abusive husband over the custody of their five year old daughter Ikuko.

Unfortunately Yoshimi has a lot of emotional issues from her experiences in life and her transition from housewife to independent working woman has taken its toll. Shortly after moving into a creepy new apartment, her and Ikuko start seeing a creepy little girl mysteriously appearing all around the building. And as we all know, the best treatment for frequent mental breakdowns is ghoulish Japanese toddlers in yellow rain coats. How can’t this end well?

Dark Water is pretty creepy and is one of many Japanese films that were taken and remade by us Americans. I never got around to seeing the American version of this one, but I’d imagine it’s just not the same. It’s another one of those vengeful-spirit/creepy-little-Japanese-girl horror films, so if those sort of movies are your thing then Dark Water will not disappoint.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM_5hGBKqbE']

7. House (1977)

Excuse me, but I seem to have misplaced my body.

House (Hausu) is a cult classic and with good reason. It starts out like a whimsical fairy tale adventure of seven friends going to the countryside for a lovely summer holiday. Up to this point the film seems entirely ordinary, but things start to turn sour shortly after they arrive at the house in question. From there on in, things just get weirder and weirder.

Especially considering the year it was made, House is pretty impressive. It’s interesting, weird, creepy, and goofy. While I wouldn’t exactly be jumping at the chance to watch it again, I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone who appreciates horror films. This movie was definitely ahead of its time.

It’s a cult classic you won’t want to miss. You can’t say you’re a connoisseur of J-Horror films until you’ve seen this movie. So get on it.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0HVJ5tkIM']

6. Marebito (2004)

Beef Humans: It’s what’s for dinner.

Many moons ago when I rented this movie I really wasn’t expecting that much. I just thought it would be another run-of-the-mill Japanese horror film. Well, I was wrong. Marebito is very well done and quite interesting to boot.

The main character is a freelance cameraman obsessed with fear. In the movie he takes it upon himself to investigate an urban legend involving mysterious spirits that haunt the subways of Tokyo, but what he discovers is beyond anything he could have ever imagined.

Marebito is very different from most other Japanese horror films. The story is really cool and you actually care about what’s happening. It’s not one of those movies you’d watch just for the thrills and chills. The story is very well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you’re tired of the same old J-Horror films, give Marebito a watch – you won’t regret it.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV7J8WYETXo']

5. Chakushin Ari 2 (One Missed Call 2) (2005)

I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!

Set a year after the original film, Chakushin Ari 2 introduces Kyoko and her friend Madoka. Obviously the theme of this one is very similar to the first Chakushin Ari, but there are some slight differences. No candies are found in the mouths of the victims here and their investigation takes them to an abandoned coal mine out in the country for added creepiness. Oh my!

Chakushin Ari 2 is definitely not as good as the first one, but it is still a very solid horror film. It’s certainly much better than the abomination that was One Missed Call: Final. Seriously, don’t even bother with that one – it’s rubbish.

It definitely helps to have seen the first Chakushin Ari to get the most out of this one. So if you see the first one and enjoy it, then I would certainly recommend Chakushin Ari 2 as well.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVifnITGovU']

4. Infection (2004)

Huuuuuugggss… *cough* I, I mean, braaaaaiiinnnsss…

Infection takes place at an under-staffed hospital that is quickly losing money. As night begins to fall, an ambulance comes to the hospital bringing a patient with a strange black rash. From there, things start to get out of control and soon everyone in the hospital becomes infected. But is the infection related to the patient that arrived at the beginning of the night or is it related to something else entirely?

Infection is one of those movies that deserves at least two viewings. Watching it a second time after already knowing how it ends is really interesting and you’ll notice a lot of things you may have missed the first time through. If you enjoy zombies or horror movies that take place in hospitals, you definitely won’t want to miss out on this one.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9TbECLC1fE']

3. Audition (1999)

Okay. Now you’re going to feel a slight pinch…

Audition is based on a Ryu Murakami novel of the same title and over the years the film has developed a cult following in America. In Audition, a widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies and decides to get to know better is not who she appears to be. At all.

It’s been some time since I’ve seen this movie, but the feeling it leaves you with is one you don’t soon forget. It’s creepy. It’s unsettling. It’s also one of the few movies on this list not revolving around some sort of ghost or vengeful spirit. I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone who doesn’t know much about this film, but it’s a classic J-Horror film that shouldn’t be missed.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR1DnkweK5U&feature=related']

2. Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)

Good morning, sunshine!

This film is the third entry in the Ju-On series and was the first film in the series to be released in theaters. The American remake (The Grudge), was released in 2004. It is said in Japan that when someone dies in extreme sorrow or rage, the emotion remains and can leave a stain upon that place. In Ju-On, death becomes a part of that place, killing everything it touches.

I saw the American remake of this one before I got around to the Japanese original. While I believe that the American one is probably more frightening (mostly due to improved visuals and special effects), the story is much more engaging and interesting in the Japanese version. In the Japanese version, you actually care about the characters and where the story is going.

This movie is not just an excuse to scare the pants off the audience, in the Japanese version, the story is actually worth something. So even if you’ve seen the American version, this movie is still very much worth your time.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8R1dODSbzU']

1. Chakushin Ari (One Missed Call) (2003)

Remember kids: don’t take candy from strangers.

In Chakusin Ari, people mysteriously start receiving voice-mail messages from their future selves creepily foreshadowing their own violent deaths. Like many other J-Horror films, it’s a vengeful spirit movie, but this time it’s really well done. Chakushin Ari has always been one of my favorite horror movies, Japanese or otherwise.

Chakushin Ari was one of the first Japanese horror movies that I actually thoroughly enjoyed. To this day, if I’m trying to introduce someone to the J-Horror genre, I’ll show them this movie first. I’ve seen it many times now, and it’s still good. I haven’t seen the American remake (and I don’t have any plans to), but I imagine it’s just awful.

Fun Fact: The trademark “ringtone of death” from this film has become rather popular, and was actually used as a ringtone and background music for unofficial haunted houses in Japan.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpsZQrJazq0&feature=related']

So tell me, what’s your favorite J-Horror movie of all time?

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