This weird old guy was spotted at the AsiaWorld Expo, an electronics expo held in Hong Kong recently, creepily undressing people with his eyes, as he stared lasciviously at passersby like some kind of RocketNews24 writer on a weekend bender.

Just as people were about to call the police, we presume, it was revealed that the creepy old guy, whose first name is, inexplicably, Ham, is actually just a robot that happens to look like a filthy old lecher…which kind of is maybe almost creepier.

In reality, Ham is just a head attached to a transparent fiberglass-ish body, so it was probably pretty obvious that the creepy old guy was actually a robot all along, or maybe just a very convincing cosplayer.

Ham was designed by robotics designer David Hanson, who is also responsible for this hilarious robo-Einstein that we think we might have seen on Futurama sometime. Hanson has been in the robotics game since the early 2000s, and worked at Walt Disney Imagineering, which explains how he’s able to put together the kind of lifelike robot heads that will have you checking over your shoulder in dark alleys for months to come.

Supposedly, Ham’s skin is made from a revolutionary substance called Frubber and even sports realistic skin pores, making his myriad facial expressions all the more realistic. According to Hanson, Ham also has sensors that allow him to actually make eye contact with people and even engage in banter.

While we don’t have any video of Ham, the robot has a “brother” named Jules, who you can see here and who we assure you is not just some intern who’s really good at The Robot:

 Source: Coconuts Hong Kong
Photos captured via YouTube

Origin: Could this creepy old guy actually be…a robot?!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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The popularity of cosplay has exploded over the past decade, with more and more people showing off their costuming skills at fan events and on the Internet. But even with so many opportunities to dress up as your favorite fictional character, you still have to spend a lot of cash to put together a cosplay outfit, right?

Not at all, as shown by these clever and funny ideas cosplay outfits that’ll cost you hardly any money, but probably a lot of your pride should you actually try wearing them in public.

Although the word cosplay originated in Japan, you can find cosplayers all over the globe. Today’s ideas come from Thai cosplay group Lowcostcosplay, which states its motto as “Everything is cosplay.” And when they say everything, they’re not kidding. For example, got a couple of waffles in your kitchen? You’re already one-fourth of the way done with your costume for Anna from Disney’s Frozen.

One of the group’s favorite tactics is employing perspective tricks and the surrounding environment when taking photos. Ordinarily, you’d have to train for years to learn how to harness your ki in the form of a ball of energy like Dragon Ball’s Son Goku. If you don’t have the time, though, you can just stand outside on a sunny day.

But hey, what about when the fighting franchise’s martial artists go all Super Saiyan with their spiky blond hair?

Carrots, it turns out, are a surprisingly potent part of a cosplay arsenal.

▼ This costume is also handy for people who own two woks but zero tricorne hats.

Really, if you’re inventive enough in playing with your food, your kitchen may as well be your photo studio.

Going from one room of the home to another, that “rose” “Belle” is holding isn’t the only prop hiding in your bathroom.

▼ Sure, it’s probably not the most protective material to make armor out of, but anything that’s soft on your bottom is probably more comfortable on your shoulders than cold, hard metal.

You might also be able to find the finishing touches for your costume in the bedroom.

▼ Wait, Kenshiro got those seven scars when rival Shin stuck his fingers into the Fist of the North Star hero’s chest, right?

Sort of like the double-wok Davey Jones we saw earlier, here’s an idea if you’ve been a little overly exuberant in buying computer peripherals and happen to have a spare mouse lying around.

Tongue-in-cheek humor aside, a few of Lowcostcosplay’s ideas are genuinely clever, like this scene of Dragon Ball antagonist (and respected manager) Frieza getting cut in half.

▼ Remember, when you want to make your hand appear bigger than it really is, just use a cat.

Still, a couple of the group’s creations are surprisingly labor-intensive. Wouldn’t it have been simpler to just grab some magic markers and draw Cap’s insignia on a paper plate or something?

Even if it’s not a money pit, you don’t want your budget-priced cosplay project to become such a drain on your free time that it stops being fun. If you feel like it’s in danger of crossing that line, maybe it’s a good time to remember that all of those comic, anime, and video game characters exist in 2-D on the page or screen, so there’s no point in breaking your back trying to drag them into three dimensions.

Related: Lowcostcosplay Facebook
Source, images: Lowcostcosplay Facebook

Origin: Budget-friendly cosplay ideas won’t cost much more than your pride 【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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The Internet is full of gorgeous illustrations by talented artists, so when someone stands out, they tend to be really talented. And Kerby Rosanes, an artist from the Philippines, certainly fits the definition of talented.

At only 23, he’s already quit his full-time job to work on his own art. And when you see it, you’ll understand why! Even better, everyone around the world can get in on the action with his coloring books. Even if you think you’re too old to play with markers, this book is definitely something you should check out!

Though Doodle Invasion: Zifflin’s Coloring Book, which features the stellar art of Kerby Rosanes, was originally released in 2013, it’s still getting plenty of attention online. And the illustrator himself is doing pretty well, keeping busy with the kind of illustrations we find difficult to believe were drawn with human hands!

First, here are a few of our favorite illustrations by the incredibly talented Kerby.

▼ So adorable! So mighty!

Pikathor! http://t.co/qZMd9lprL0

—
Kerby Rosanes (@Kerby_Rosanes) August 02, 2014

▼ It’s somehow more terrifying on paper than in the trailer!

▼ Any Totoro fans out there?

▼ Oh, did we mention that Kerby also “doodles” on eggs?!

▼ Ghibli, if you’re looking for a new design artist, look no more!

▼ There’s just something about this that makes us want to cry.

▼ We’re not experts, but this has to be at least twice as hard as drawing on paper…

▼ Normally we wouldn’t condone drawing on comic books, but we’ll make an exception in this case (here’s the original).

▼ Kerby also creates astounding original illustrations!

▼ Flying cephalopods? Adorably horrifying!

▼ To quote Neo, “Whoa.”

If you agree that Kerby is an amazing illustrator, you may want to get some of his work for yourself. Luckily you can do just that with the 2013 coloring book Doodle Invasion. That’s right, a coloring book! Even if you think you’re too old for it, have no worries, since this book was clearly designed with adults in mind. Now you’ll just have to set a doctor’s appointment so you’ll have a waiting room to do your coloring in.

Kerby is also currently working on a follow-up coloring book, which will be titled ANIMORPHIA. It looks like it will be released this year in October, but you should sign up for an email notification just so you don’t forget!

If the Amazon reviews for the old book are any indication, ANIMORPHIA will be something special.

▼ Five stars and “Amazing,” huh? That might be better than a three wolf moon shirt.

Amazon (Doodle Invasion)

If you’re interested in Doodle Invasion, but you’re still on the fence, here’s a video of Kerby flipping through the book so you can get an idea of the illustrations available for coloring. You can find merchandise featuring Kerby’s illustrations on his personal store.

Now, we are all ready to get coloring! Hopefully no one has sniffed all our markers until they were dry…

Sources: Instagram (Kerby Rosanes), Twitter (Kerby Rosanes), Behance (Kerby Rosanes), Amazon USA (h/t Bored Panda)
Images: Instagram (Kerby Rosanes)

Origin: Filipino artist captivates with beautiful ink drawings, invites us to do the coloring ourselves
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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While Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon remains the most famous and marketable member of the pantheon, she’s not the only anime magical girl with a devoted and passionate following. Four-member manga creative team Clamp has dipped its collective 40 toes in the genre from time to time, most successfully with Cardcaptor Sakura, which debuted in 1996.

In the run-up to the series’ 20th anniversary, we’ve been seeing more and more Sakura items being pitched to fans who grew up loving the franchise. Now it seems like someone has designed the most adult merchandise yet: Cardcaptor Sakura lingerie.

Even though Clamp is seldom deterred concepts of what society considers taboo, the idea of Cardcaptor undies is pretty surprising, seeing as how titular protagonist Sakura Kinomoto is a 10-year-old elementary school student when the series opens. This bra and panty set quite possibly isn’t a case of Clamp challenging mainstream attitudes, though, as it’s not clear whether or not it’s actually an officially licensed product.

We stumbled across the photos, which feature a bra with a color scheme and design reminiscent of Sakura’s Tomoeda Elementary School uniform, on the Vietnamese-language Facebook page of Con Méo. Right in the middle of them, though, is the watermark of Taobao, a Chinese Internet shopping site run by Alibaba Group.

While China does have a robust anime fandom, it seems a little unlikely that the Japanese rights owners to Cardcaptor Sakura would bypass their home market to sell themed-undies abroad.

The Con Méo Facebook page also includes concept sketches for a number of other Cardcaptor fashion items, including bags and shoes, derived from four of the heroine’s costumes.

Compared to the illustration, the actual version of the Tomoeda Elementary School-inspired lingerie looks a little different, especially the bottom. As a matter of fact, it almost seems like a swimsuit, and it’s even paired with a skirt in a couple of photos.

Still, given that the other three outfit illustrations are clearly lingerie, it seems like the school uniform-style getup is intended for the bedroom, rather than the beach. Clearer in purpose is this shoulder bag.

▼ Because it’s not like you’re just going to carry all those cards you capture in your hand now, is it?

Likewise, these Cardcaptor shoes are obviously intended to be worn when you’re out and about in public where people can see them.

Whether or not the original Cardcaptor Sakura creators (and their legal team) know about these items isn’t the only mystery surrounding them, either. While tracing the watermark back to Taobao leads to an anime-based fashion brand called Vivice, the trail goes cold soon after, with the illustrations, but not the photos of the items themselves, visible.

▼ Don’t worry, though, Vivice still seems well-stocked with Sailor Moon merch of questionable copyright status.

Source: Con Méo Facebook
Top image: Con Méo Facebook (1, 2) (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert image: Taobao

Origin: Anime lingerie set is clearly inspired by Cardcaptor Sakura, copyright status somewhat murkier
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Chicken legs, drumsticks, wings, breasts, feet, and now the comb? What will they think of next?

Letting no part go to waste, the latest food trend that people are crowing about is the chicken’s comb (cockscomb) or crest (the red mohawk-like fleshy part of a chicken’s forehead). But are you too chicken to try it?

Some adventurous eaters out there claim it’s surprisingly tasty. I’m quite skeptical as to whether it’s just plain awful or offally good, but the comb happens to be quite versatile and can be cooked and served a number of ways.

Check out these creative variations of chicken comb being served around Japan.

Seasoned with salt and grilled, yakitori-style:

Source: Nifty

Or perhaps you like your chicken comb a little fancy, say as a ragu:

Source: Yahoo! Japan Blogs/gourmetfighter

Or a chicken crest slider or burger?

Somehow I don’t think these will be taking off at a hamburger chain outside Japan anytime soon.

How about chicken comb served sashimi-style with a side of wasabi?

Source: Twitpic

You can grill it and barbecue it just like any other part of the chicken. Or spice up your family’s favourite stir-fry with a touch of crest for extra zest.

The possibilities really do seem endless. Someone needs to compile these recipes and make a chicken comb cookbook, but in the meantime, I’ve come up with a few suggestions of my own. How do chicken comb schnitzel, chicken crest nuggets, deep-fried crest or perhaps popcorn chicken crest tickle your taste buds?

So how does it taste?  It doesn’t have much of a taste by itself, but apparently salt and garlic really bring out the flavour of chicken comb. According to some netizens, it is surprisingly delicious and crispy. Another says chewing it is like eating tongue, but when you put it in your mouth it feels like eating a cloud ear mushroom due to its gelatinous texture.

And if you thought this food trend was limited to Asia in countries such as China where it is used in soup broth and stews, or stir-fried with oyster sauce, then you may be surprised to learn that the cooking and consumption of chicken cockscomb actually dates back to the 16th century and has its origins in France. In China and Europe it is considered to be quite the delicacy and fit for royalty. Queen Catherine de Medici (an Italian who married a French king) is credited with popularising cockscomb cuisine, and today, in countries such as France and Spain, it is often sautéed or braised.

If that’s still not enough reason to try it, it is also believed to have beneficial cosmetic effects. It contains hyaluronic acid supposedly good for virility and skin (anti-aging properties).

It’s not just people who’re being won over by chicken comb’s flavour and health benefits, either. Your dog will love it too, so how about him to a chicken comb jerky pet food snack?

Source: G Static

So, who feels like chicken comb tonight?

Source: Naver Matome
Top image: NLBC

Origin: Are you too chicken to eat a chicken comb?
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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One of the best scenes in any martial arts movie is when a skilled fighter shows off just how powerful he is by fighting blindfolded. After all, a true master of hand-to-hand combat should be able to utilize his other senses to defeat his opponent.

But if one blindfolded pugilist is cool, two blindfolded combatants going against each other must be even more awesome, right? Not always, but it does make for plenty of physical comedy, as this video of blindfolded boxing shows.

The video appears to have been shot on a cell phone, which would explain why it looks a bit more like an unreleased Sega CD game from 1993 than what it really is, an actual contest in Digos City in the Philippines which reportedly took place shortly after the end of the Floyd Mayweather/Manny Pacquiao prizefight which was held in Las Vegas on May 2.

Grainy visuals notwithstanding, we do at least have a clearer view of the action than the two fighters themselves, who we’ll call Crusher Gray and Kid Red. The video starts us off in the middle of the bout, so there’s no official tale of the tape, but judging from their appearances, we’d say Gray has a bit of a height, weight, and reach advantage.

▼ Another advantage Gray has over Red: shoes

But while there may be a footwear discrepancy between the two fighters, they’re both equally blindfolded, and the scrappy Kid Red isn’t backing down from this challenge, so let’s ring the bell and watch the highlights, originally shared by Facebook user Cee Jay.

It quickly becomes apparent that while neither of these guys is lacking in courage, they’re not exactly trained or experienced boxers. One revealing tell is the way Kid Red spends most of the match in a half crouch with his off-hand extended at an awkward angle like he’s trying to copy the mantis kung fu stance of Gen from Street Fighter Alpha 2.

▼ At one point, Gray seems to think he too has slipped into a fighting game and tries throwing a sonic boom, but makes the rookie mistake of forgetting to hold back for two seconds first and fails to produce any spinning energy disc.

It turns out a boxing ring can be surprisingly roomy when you and your opponent can’t see each other, as Gray and Red often end up back to back or lined up with one behind the other. As a matter of fact, Kid Red throws almost as many punches at the referee as he does at his intended adversary.

▼ Or is he just so scrappy that he’ll fight everyone who steps into the ring with him, all at the same time?

Gray is even more aggressive, as he, for some reason, throws several punches outside the ropes as he searches for Kid Red. One of them ends up being the most solid blow of the night, as he hits a spectator straight in the face at the 2:41 mark.

▼ We also can’t help but notice that this punch is aimed exactly at the height of Red’s groin…

Meanwhile, Red delivers the most damaging punch that stays inside the ring with this hook at 2:10.

There’s even a heartwarming moment of teamwork when the two boxers set aside their differences at the 2:26 point to simultaneously throw twin haymakers at the invisible monster that’s threatening the unaware crowd of spectators.

Unfortunately, the video ends without showing the final decision. Our RocketNews24 boxing judge, however, scored the round 10-9 in favor of Kid Red, due to the more compact fighter landing more blows than his opponent, regardless of who he was punching. We still think Kid Red has a bit of work to do before Pacquiao’s handlers will schedule a fight with him though, and given the obvious fact that Red is a danger to both himself and everyone in and around the ring (with the odd exception of his opponent), we think it’s safest if his next domestic opponent is someone a little less real.

Sources: Kicker Daily News, Facebook/Cee Jay
Images: YouTube (edited by RocketNew24)

Origin: Boxers in the Philippines fight blindfolded, show us why they shouldn’t 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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World No Tobacco Day is coming up again this 31 May. This is a day when smokers all around the world are encouraged to abstain from smoking, and it’s a day when smokers everywhere ignore said encouragement.

Personally, I plan to celebrate it by not taking up smoking on that day. It’ll be a challenge but I think I can pull it off. Others, however, are taking a more proactive approach to this event such as Sebes from Merlion TV in Singapore.

In honor of the holiday he has gone out and pulled “pranks” on unsuspecting smokers around the city-state. I would assume all of these pranks legally classify as assault, but then again I’m no Singaporean law expert… Let’s watch!

First we see young Sebes approach a man sitting and smoking on a bench. After a greeting of “Good afternoon, sir,” Sebes shouts “Stop the puff!” and totally splashes some water in the guy’s face.

BWAHAAHAHA! Get it? “Puff” is like what you do on a cigarette and Sebes went and stopped it…with water! HAHAHA! It works on so many levels! That random guy was all like “Grr” and Sebes was totally like “see you later” as he flashed some kind of weird hand gesture and ran away.

But we’re just getting started! Next Sebes-dog (that’s what I like to call him) goes up to a young woman about to smoke on a piece of spherical modern art. Then he puts his arm around her calls her a “bitch” and…

BLAAAP! GWAHAHA! Sebes-dog totally violated her personal space yo! Serves her right for not stopping the puff 27 days before World No Tobacco Day.

Next up, S-dog finds a guy walking by the pool while smoking a cigarette…which I’ve never actually seen anyone do…ever. Come to think of it, isn’t Singapore supposed to be especially strict about stuff like that?

Also, how did Sebes-dog 3000 know a guy would be walking by a swimming pool smoking a cigarette at that particular moment enough in advance to set up a hidden camera and his own Gopro?

Eh whatever, S-dog 3000 is probably just that good. This time he – hehe, get this – he kicks the dude right into the swimming pool! WORD! S-dog 3000 was all like “This is Sparta!” and knocked him right into the water with his cigarette which would then leak its filthy chemicals into the swimming water. Priceless.

Sure we can see a family with little kids swimming nearby, but pfft, they’re probably all dirty filthy smokers too. Serves them right: STOP THE PUFF!

S-dog 3k in his final prank sneaks up on a guy and dumps a bucket of ice water over his head! Hahaahaha…mm. Actually, this one wasn’t as good. Old S-dog is usually on point but he probably should have stopped after the pool one. That one was his Citizen Kane of random acts of violence.

Public reaction to the Merlion TV video was widely mixed.

“Anyone sent this video to the police yet?”
“You’re an asshole, basically.”
“What if the poor fellow you pushed into the pool had his wallet and phone in his pocket?”
“Acting like an asshole to spread a good message doesn’t make you a saint.”
“Powerrr la, this kind of daring people, i LIKE!”

One YouTube commenter also happened to find a photo of Sebes puffing on a cigarette in his Instagram account. Clearly what happened is the tobacco companies got nervous about the Merlion TV anti-smoking campaign and its influence on the world, so they kidnapped S-dog 3k and drugged him. While unconscious, they took a compromising shot of him smoking and then hacked into his Instagram account where they posted the photo along with a witty comment that we would all assume Sebes had typed himself.

Once Sebes was alerted to this by the kind YouTube user he immediately deleted it from his account. However, the YouTuber took a screenshot and saved it so we may all know the trickery that big tobacco is capable of.

Image: Photobucket

Anyway, at the end of the video he reminds us that there was a higher-purpose to all this destruction of property and occasional battery and that purpose is World No Tobacco Day…heavy yo. Sebes (I call him “Sebes” again when he gets serious) points out that cigarettes have killed over a hundred million people in Singapore.

That truly is a devastating statistic. Considering the population of Singapore is only around five and a half million, according to Sebes cigarettes have wiped out the entire nation at least 20 times over which would include everyone who has ever lived and is currently “living” in Singapore. I suppose he could have been talking about the world population, but then that number would seem kind of low.

So in case you feel bad about all of the victims in this video, worry not. They’re probably actually ghosts who are already dead: all from cigarettes. They just don’t know it yet. And if you are in Singapore right now, guess what? So are you.

Happy World No Tobacco Day!

Source: YouTube – Merlion TV via Stomp
You can also let Merlion TV know how much you loved their prank on their Facebook page!

Origin: Young Singaporean celebrates World No Tobacco Day by attacking random smokers in public
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Even after living in Japan for more than a decade, I still get excited when I see a restaurant with paper lanterns hanging out in front of it. The mix of vibrant colors and bold calligraphy is just so uniquely Japanese that it instantly fills me with a sense of excitement.

Of course, just a bit of the eroticism has faded over time, especially now that I can read the calligraphy and tell that it usually doesn’t say anything more dramatic than “draft beer” or “grilled chicken skewers.” But while those lanterns are usually giving the menu highlights in Japan, at this Japanese restaurant in Thailand, they’re instead plastered with non sequiturs, gags, and the occasional philosophical declaration and/or love letter to women’s breasts.

Shakariki 432 has seven branches in Bangkok and one in the city of Chonburi. Some focus on specific dishes like sushi or yakiniku, but the rest are general-purpose izakaya, Japanese restaurants that serve a variety of small dishes to munch on while knocking back a few cold beers.

Playing up the homeland of the cuisine it serves, this branch’s exterior, as photographed by Twitter user Sachiko Tojo, is decorated with a row of red paper lanterns, the telltale sign of an izakaya.

つうか、日本語読めないと思ってやりたい放題じゃないか？タイ http://t.co/1ENGgQcQDd

—
東條さち子 (@sachikoCRZ) May 08, 2015

Their messages, though, don’t have anything to do with the house specialties.

From left to right, these mean:

Be true to yourself.
If you answer, the customers will understand.
Don’t act like you know everything about things you’ve never done yourself.
I love boobies.
A straight line.

The first three seem like good advice, if perhaps not directly related to the restaurant business/dining out experience. The fourth one, though, is a bit of a surprise, but hey, some guys just like to let everyone know exactly where they stand on the divisive subject of breasts. Besides, we can’t really be all that shocked by the suddenness of “I love boobies” when we’re so busy scratching our heads over the randomness of “A straight line.”

The weirdness continues here, with the lantern on the far right reading, “In good physical condition” and also “casual love.” The next lantern to its left is adorned with a mix of kanji, hiragana, and katakana characters meaning “A knock to the pelvic bone.”

▼ Is that better or worse than a poke in the eye?

▼ Other lanterns, proclaiming “Currently looking for a purpose in life” and “A life with impact”

Sachiko was a little puzzled by all this, asking, “So do they figure because the customers can’t read Japanese, they can just write whatever they want?” Well, maybe, and maybe not.

A quick check of Shakariki 432’s website lists a phone number for each branch for those calling to speak directly with Japanese staff, which would imply that at least some of the employees, possibly managers, at each restaurant are Japanese expats living in Thailand. Second, the website proudly boasts that Shakariki 432 is a place to enjoy “The traditional food of Osaka in Thailand.”

Osaka isn’t just known for its good honest grub, but also the city’s borderline obsession with boisterous comedy, so again, it seems like the weirdness is intentional, and all in the interest of giving diners who can read Japanese a chuckle or two.

▼ Shakariki 432’s Chonburi branch, where the lantern on the far right says “spineless cowards.”

In any case, it’s probably best not to take things too seriously at a restaurant that’s slapped a nametag on one of its decorative statues.

▼ “Hi, I’m Takumi, and I’ll be your moai this evening. Can I get everyone started with some drinks?”

Related: Shakariki 432 website
Source: Twitter (1, 2)
Top image: Twitter
Insert images: Twitter, Shakariki 432 (1, 2) (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Japanese restaurant in Thailand hangs lanterns announcing “I love boobies” and other philosophes
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Not so long ago, being a Japanese idol singer was purely a domestic gig, with even the biggest stars of the genre remaining more or less unknown outside their home country. But thanks to the spread of Japanese pop culture around the world over the last decade and a half, that’s not really the case anymore. These days, it’s not uncommon for J-pop idols, especially those with an anime connection to boost their foreign exposure, to make appearances overseas.

Now, in a case of animated art imitating life, the high school idols of Love Love!, Japan’s biggest current idol anime hit, will be heading abroad as the upcoming Love Live! theatrical feature has been announced for international release.

It’s been almost a year since Love Live! wrapped up its second 13-episode TV season. The franchise hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, though, as fans still continue to buy merchandise and turn out in droves for related events, including this month’s Love Live!-endorsed Kanda Matsuri festival.

Still, it’s been a long time since fans have had any new anime to watch in the saga of the animated would-be teen idols. Their patience is about to be rewarded on June 13 with the opening of the franchise’s first theatrical feature, Love Live! The School Idol Movie, across Japan.

When licensed for overseas release, many anime movies go straight to Blu-ray or DVD, and even when a theatrical run is in the cards, it often comes far after the one in Japan. For example, Studio Ghibli’s latest film, When Marnie Was There, came out in Japan last summer but is only now arriving at theaters in the U.S.

So the international community of Love Livers, as Love Live! fans have taken to calling themselves, will be happy to know that their wait will be far shorter, as Love Live! The School Idol Movie’s, website has been updated with release dates for 13 territories outside Japan starting as early as August.

▼ Promotional image for the Love Live! movie

Currently, the official list of overseas premiers and dates is:

Australia (September)
Bruenei (Early October)
Hong Kong (August 6)
Indonesia (October 21)
Korea (early August)
Malaysia (October 1)
New Zealand (September)
Philippines (October 1)
Singapore (October 8)
Taiwan (early August)
Thailand (late August)
U.S.A. (September 12)
Vietnam (Early October)

To celebrate, Emi Nitta, voice actress of Love Live! character Honoka Kosaka, recorded this special message for foreign fans.

According to the website, Australian screenings are currently planned for Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney, and venues in Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand. The U.S. release will be handled NIS America, which previously licensed the Love Live! TV series, with showings expected in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. And while American Love Livers are no doubt disappointed that they’ll have to wait a few weeks more than their counterparts in Asia to see the movie, you have to admit that it’s appropriate timing to premiere Love Live! The School Idol Movie just about the time summer vacation ends.

Related: Love Live! The School Idol Movie Countdown Website
Sources: Inside Games via Jin, Love Live! official website
Top image: Love Live! official website
Insert image: Love Live! official website

Origin: Anime idols going abroad as Love Live! movie announced for release in U.S., 12 other territories
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Need a little laugh to help ease yourself into the week?

In the past, we’ve featured some photo fun from Asia, 35 signs you might be in Asia, as well as 39 looks at the lighter side of Asia. This time, we’re bringing you 36 more bizarre, comical, and downright nonsensical scenes from around Asia!

A small FYI–if anyone reading this is a bit squeamish about reptiles, you may want to scroll past #32 really quickly. Cheers!

1. 

2.

▼ That’s certainly one way to get the ladies’ attention–if he doesn’t burn it all off, that is.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

▼ Wait, you mean that’s not what bras are designed for?

8.

9.

▼ Could this be a relative of that man who collapsed after a 14-day online gaming streak?

10.

11.

12.

▼ It’s almost like they’re trying to get revenge for something…?

13.

14.

15.

16.

▼ #shortpeopleproblems (I know)

17.

▼ Reminds me of kid Goku in Dragon Ball, always lugging a big fish around.

18.

19.

20.

21.

▼ Very resourceful. We expect he’d do well on one of those reality survival TV series.

22.

23.

24.

25.

▼ Because why not??

26.

27.

28.

29.

▼ Not the most traditionally romantic bike ride, but they look like they’re enjoying it enough.

30.

31.

▼ Apparently graduating wherever this is allows you to attain monkey-like powers.

32.

▼ You were warned!!

33.

34.

35.

▼ A man and his dog, driving off into the sunset.

36.

We’re a bit surprised Mr. Sato didn’t make it into any of these pictures, but maybe his unique brand of weirdness hasn’t made it far enough outside of Japan yet. Next time, for sure!

Source/Images: Kotaro Blog

Origin: 36 more humorous glimpses of Asia 【Pics】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Here at RocketNews24 we advocate responsible pet ownership. So don’t rush out and buy a Shiba Inu just because they’re totally, incredibly, frickin’ adorable. Stay at home instead! And look at these amazing photos of a family in Hong Kong that has six Shiba.

This too-cute-to-be true photo set comes courtesy of Facebook user SHIBA INU ZERO, who posts pics and videos of their six pets just hangin’ out, doing doggy things, and generally reinforcing our theory that Shiba Inu are actually humans in disguise.

▼Like this time they built a human pyramid – er, sorry, Shiba pyramid.

All photos: SHIBA INU ZERO

▼ Or hung out with their best friend.

▼ Or that time they had a pizza party.

* N.B. We asked Google Sensei, and apparently you’re not supposed to give dogs pizza. Maybe the pizza was for the humans in the family, and the dogs are just standing guard? Loyally, adorably standing guard.

▼ That time their mum made them wear the same clothes.

▼ Sometimes, you just need to be alone with your thoughts.

▼ Or to relax and smell the flowers.

▼ They always help each other out. Like this time they, er, cleaned each other’s teeth…?

▼ “Remember that night? That was the best dog-gone night ever!”

▼ And then there was that time they went exploring at the seaside.

▼ Six Shiba Inu, lined up and ready to roll.

▼ “Wait, where’s the other one?!” Maybe he’s taking the picture.

▼ Mostly, they just like to chill out, whether that’s at home…

▼ …or in the park.

▼But we’ve saved the best till last, Rocketeers. Let’s not forget the time they had a full-blown doggy dinner party.

Also, check out that doggy-themed decor! These owners are serious Shiba fans. And we are seriously impressed.

Source: SHIBA INU ZERO via karapaia
All photos: SHIBA INU ZERO

Origin: Just six Shiba Inu chillin’ out at a pizza party【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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In an alternate universe envisioned by Singaporean artist Tan Kwang Yang, it looks like the Avengers have ditched the whole “saving-the-world-act” and decided to pursue other lines of business.

Check out Tan’s neatly drawn little glimpse at such a world after the jump!

Tan Kwang Yang’s public Facebook profile doesn’t reveal much information about himself other than that he attended Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. His artistic talent is quite clear, however, from a quick look at some of the artwork he’s posted.

One of his pictures starring some of Marvel’s most famous superheroes has been making the rounds on the Japanese internet, despite the fact that Avengers: Age of Ultron won’t be released in Japanese theaters until July 4th. Take a look at this depiction titled Captain America: Civil Wok, an obvious pun on the title of the upcoming Captain America: Civil War movie:

In this amusing scene, we can see Cap himself whipping up something yummy in his shield-wok powered by Iron Man’s armor. Laughing next to him is Bucky/Winter Soldier, followed by the Hulk giving Loki and Thor a giant bear “hug,” Black Widow snapping a picture, Hawkeye, and Nick Fury looking furious at–presumably–being forced to wait in line. Iron Man, or perhaps it’s more appropriate to say Tony Stark in this instance, is also seen packing a few extra pounds and passed out on the table. It’s always fun to see relaxed gatherings of beloved characters like this as imagined by creative minds like Tan’s!

Lastly, here are some other oldies by Tan:

Be sure to like Tan’s Facebook page if you’d like to see occasional updates of his artwork.

Source/Images: Facebook (Tan Kwang Yang)

Origin: Artist reimagines alternate universe of Captain America: Civil Wok
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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With the increased popularity of house and dance music, the DJs behind the booths have been becoming celebrities with massive followings and fan bases.

While not necessarily a big name before, this Filipino DJ has found his niche not by standing behind the electronic mixing turntables you might expect, but by “DJing” one of the most useful appliances in his kitchen: the gas stove.

We’re not sure what inspired DJ Kalan to turn the tables and set up in the kitchen, but it’s clear that people are liking his online antics as his video has been watched over 400,000 times since it was posted last September.

▼ Don’t try this at home!

With the Tiësto vs. Diplo (featuring Busta Rhymes) song “C’mon (Catch ’em By Surprise)” playing in the background, DJ Kalan adopts his alternate identity, DJ Stove (Aoki)— a parody of the name of one of the genre’s real-life top players, DJ Steve Aoki.

▼ World-famous DJ Steve Aoki vs. …

Facebook (Steve Aoki)

▼ … (Almost) World famous DJ Stove.

 YouTube (WanJunbo)

Looking quite comfortable behind his twin burners, DJ Stove busts out his headphones and sickest dance moves. Feeling the music and trying to convince us that he really is mixing the song on the stove, he slides his fingers around pretending to press buttons and turn knobs. Finally, just as the music reaches a climax, he turns the burners up to high, releasing two beams of flames.

▼ No seriously, don’t try this at home, kids.

Screenshot from YouTube (Allen Ereña)

Rolling with his new-found popularity, DJ Stove set out to make more videos, including one in front of a “crowd” on a “real stage”.

▼ Now, that’s an open kitchen dance floor.

After a few months on hiatus, DJ Stove reappeared in March better than ever with amped-up party lights and leveling up to four burners! Whoa!

▼ He looks like he’s having so much fun.

▼ DJ Stove, master of the gas burner.

This is so silly, we love it. We also applaud him for not taking himself too seriously and seeming to really enjoy stove DJing (and probably real DJing). We’re not sure if it’s a result of his Internet fame or his true DJ skills, but it looks like DJ Stove is taking off and becoming quite a sensation real dance clubs too!

Source: IT Media
Top Image: YouTube (Allen Ereña)

Origin: Crazy Filipino DJ literally turns up the heat with his stove “turntable”【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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As an amateur athlete there is nothing more worthwhile and thrilling than representing your country at a major competition. However, there is also nothing more heart-wrenching than failing on such a big stage. For this pair of Filipino divers, they might have scored 0.0 on their dives, but they scored a perfect 10 in Internet comedy. Their performance has unfortunately brought up the question of whether or not these horrendous attempts were intentional.

At the 2015 Southeast Asian Games being held in Singapore, a couple of dives from the men’s 3-meter springboard event have caught the attention of comedy fans and the ire of sporting fans.

In the video, you can see John Elmerson Fabriga prepare for a reverse 2 1/2 somersaults in the pike position. You can immediately tell something is going wrong when his pike position collapses into a tuck position as he tries to complete his rotations, and in the end he doesn’t make it and crashes into the water right on his back.

Such a spectacular mistake is given a fitting score of zero points. You can see him try to laugh it off with his friends as the focus shifts from him to his teammate who is up next on the diving board.

John David Pahoyo is slated to do the exact same dive as Fabriga, but it’s clear that this one is going to end terribly as well. His take off is well below the height required to complete the rotations and he lands in almost the same position as his teammate.

Pahoyo scores an identical zero points from the judges, but sometimes things just don’t go the way you planned. Or do they? The Chair of the Philippines Sports Commission is suspicious of the two dives and is waiting for an explanation from the aquatics chief. He wants to know if the two divers intentionally missed their dives as getting zeros in an international competition is extremely rare.

There has been no official comments made yet, but Pahoyo himself wrote on a thread where the video was posted saying, “I even laughed at myself after I did this dive. I am still proud because not all of us has the privilege to represent our own country to such a big sporting event like this. And by the way can I ask all of you if you can still smile after getting embarrassed in front of thousands of people?”

Seems like the perfect attitude for someone who’s sporting dreams took a big hit just the other day. Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. Let’s hope these zero point dives make the two into better divers.

Source, images: YouTube/Bampire TheDog
Additional Information: TIME

Origin: Hilarious diving fail or solidarity between teammates?【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Recently our Southeast Asia correspondent Kowloon Kurosawa took a trip from his current residence in Cambodia to the neighboring country of Vietnam. Following standard RocketNews24 foreign travel protocol he soon made his way to a Burger King in Ho Chi Minh City.

However, what he found surprised even our cholestorol-hardened reporter. This Burger King has a special combo menu called Rice King. Not only that but it contained a teriyaki tonkatsu combo!

The Rice King menu has five different main dishes severed alongside a wad of rice, sliced tomato and cucumber, and dipping sauce. They are Chicken Tenders, Fried Chicken, “Beef Steak” (actually hamburger patties), Mexican Drumlets, and Tonkatsu (Fried Pork Cutlet). Each combo also comes with a medium drink and soup.

Kurosawa unfortunately couldn’t order the Tonkatsu Combo because he was on a diet. RocketNews24 generally discourages such health-conscious outbursts of free-thinking in our employees but with labor laws they way they are what can we do? Thank you very much Yasuhisa Shiozaki.

Instead Kurosawa ordered the “Beek Steak” with teriyaki sauce set for 50,000 dong (US$2.30) because it was the only one that wasn’t deep fried…which is kind of like choosing Cherry Coca-Cola because it has fruit in it.

After a three-minute wait, the Rice King had arrived. Unfortunately it wasn’t served on a spartan yet exotic looking wooden board like in the menu. Kurosawa didn’t really expect that anyway, but it definitely would have been a nice touch. Instead it came in a cheap plastic bowl.

As far as taste, there wasn’t really much to report. The flavor of everything was good enough with nice sauces and seasonings. The hamburger patties, however, were quite dry. This wasn’t really surprising either though as they were just sitting there exposed without any accoutrements aside from a drizzling of teriyaki sauce. Still, for the price he got a fair bit to eat along with air conditioning which is always nice in Vietnam around this time of year.

After returning to Cambodia, Kurosawa felt a pang of remorse that he didn’t try the tonkatsu and sought out a Burger King in Phnom Penh. Sadly they didn’t have a Rice King menu, but if one thing is certain in life, things always change.

Original article by Kowloon Kurosawa
Photos: RocketNews24

Origin: Culturally confusing Vietnamese Burger King found selling Japanese food
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Proving once again that Studio Ghibli is one of the most treasured and influential movie makers in the world, a group of Thai animators has released a fun and endearing tribute to every Ghibli movie. Captured in their video are all 20 movies that span the storied studio’s filmography. Can you catch all the references within?

In a video that brings together 20 different Thai animators, this special video pays homage to all the many great theatrical features made by Studio Ghibli. You can feel their appreciation for the films and the impact that they have had on their own animating styles. The video is accompanied by the song from the end credits of Spirited Away, “Always With Me,” covered by Kate Covington.

▼ Castle in the Sky

▼ My Neighbor Totoro

▼ Kiki’s Delivery Service

▼ Whisper of the Heart

▼ My Neighbor the Yamadas

▼ Ponyo

▼ When Marnie Was There

As the credits roll on this short two-minute video, the fond memories you had when you originally watched the movies really well up inside of you. As these films inspire all of us to dream, they continue to inspire animators to achieve their best work. We hope Studio Ghibli hits “unpause” on their temporary restructuring break and brings us a new theatrical feature in the near future.

Source: YouTube/Muiki On Frame via Kotaku JP
Images: YouTube/Muiki On Frame

Origin: Thai animators produces a touching tribute to Studio Ghibli【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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In many countries around the world. LGBT rights are an obvious facet of equality, but in many other countries the struggle for progress is very slow going. Take India for example, which still forbids homosexuality by law, and anyone convicted can face up to 10 year of imprisonment with hard labor.

That’s why this short-movie advertisement by apparel company Anouk is grabbing so much attention for its bold decision to include a lesbian couple.

The advertisement is a short film entitled The Visit, featuring a simple story of a lesbian couple ready to affirm their relationship and come out to their parents. The video ends, allowing us to envision whatever outcome we choose, with their slogan “Bold is beautiful”.

The advertisement’s producer, Avishek Ghos, says of the video, “I wanted people to get rid of the prejudices and stereotypical images they have of the LGBT community. Everyone can understand the nervousness of introducing their partner to their parents, straight or not.”

With this film, Avishek proves just how beautiful bold can be, not just in regards to clothing, but also when standing up for change.

Source and featured image: YouTube (Myntra) via GENXY

Origin: Indian apparel company’s ad is making waves for being the first ever to feature a lesbian couple
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Last weekend the inaugural CharaExpo, a celebration of Japanese animation, comics, and video games, was held in Singapore. The event hosted artists, musicians, and voice actors, plus independent dojinshi producers and cosplayers, and also had an array of exhibit booths from a variety of game and anime companies.

At one booth, fans could take photos with some of the characters from Touken Ranbu, the computer game that’s been winning the heart of female otaku for the way it turns historical Japanese swords into handsome young samurai hotties. But while taking a picture with a flesh-and-blood celebrity crush means he might affectionately put an arm around you as you smile for the camera, you can’t ask a cardboard cutout to do the same. However, one attendee has shown that with a little creativity you can take a photo that makes it look like you’re in the passionate embrace of your inanimate anime crush.

While checking out all there was to see at CharacExpo, Twitter user gk_reiko was drawn in by the dashing sight of the clean-cut Mikatzuki Munechika and wild Kogitsunemaru, two particularly popular members of Touken Ranbu’s extensive cast.

As a fan, gk_reiko know she had to stop for a picture. Instead of standing sheepishly in front of the samurai and flashing a peace sign, though, she decided to get a little more creative and a lot closer to the pair.

キャラエキスポで起きている小さなブームに乗った笑 http://t.co/YYdW4jijiy

—
reiko@チェインバーとレドは俺の嫁 (@gk_reiko) June 21, 2015

In their official portraits, both characters have one arm hanging limp at their side. By positioning her body in front of the limb to block it, then twisting her own inside arm around to the opposite side of her head, gk_reiko creates the illusion that the two samurai, filled with protective affection, have pulled her to their breast.

The results are actually pretty convincing, producing an impressive 3-D effect. Still, the Touken Ranbu fan isn’t 100-percent satisfied with how the shots came out. Delicate as Munechika’s and Kogitsunemaru’s features may be, gk_reiko’s watch and bracelet, and especially her nail polish, give away the secret that the hand actually belongs to a woman. “If I’d have used a glove, the pictures would look even more realistic,” she laments, but really, there’s no need for her to be so hard on herself. She can always try again at next year’s CharaExpo, and as the summer anime convention season shifts into high gear, we’re sure we’ll see plenty of other fans building on her early success with similar shots of their own.

Source: Twitter/@gk_reiko
Top image: Wikia, Twitter/@gk_reiko (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Wikia (1, 2), Twitter/@gk_reiko (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Fan shows how to snap a picture of you and your 2-D crush sharing a passionate embrace
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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“Otoko no ko”, beautiful boys who can easily pass for girls when they try to, are a favourite of Japan’s netizens (and us!). Who doesn’t love marvelling at stunningly beautiful people, whatever the gender? Here at RocketNews24, we’ve brought you more than a handful of cute beauties, and here’s another one for you… Thai university student Jade Woe!

Jade came to the Japanese public’s attention when photos of him (his gender is listed as male on his Facebook page) were posted on a Japanese news site. “Beautiful!” gushed commenters as they clamoured to find his Facebook page and Instagram and post his public photos for perusal. “What is gender, anyway?” mused one commenter. “When someone’s this cute, I wanna date them, I wanna be with them always, and, er, all the rest of it!”

Jade is also apparently gaining quite a bit of fame in his native country. He’s even appeared on television in Thailand. Here’s Jade on the television show “Thailand Only”

Here’s some photos of Jade, in reverse chronological order. You can see how his look has been evolving from slightly more androgynous to full-on feminine. We think he looks incredible in all of them!

▼ Jade studies Economics at Srinakharinwirot University.

▼ Looking good in pink!

▼ With a girl friend. Great brows!

▼ Looking like a celebrity in the classroom!

▼ We love this pink headband!

▼ He’s gonna have some awesome pearly whites to show off!

▼ Looking youthful with some school buddies

▼ Short hair? Still pretty!

▼ Check out that dimple!

Here’s hoping we’ll be seeing more of him soon – we reckon a career in the entertainment industry awaits!

Source: Kinisoku – Livedoor
Images: Facebook – Jade Woe

Origin: Thai university student and “otoko no ko” Jade Woe has all the brains AND beauty, too!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Anyone who is a frequent traveler has probably had their share of ups and downs when flying. But just how far would you go to make an airline pay for a minor inconvenience?

One Mr. GRK Reddy, an Indian businessmen, felt that he was so damaged by Singapore Airlines’ sudden decision to downgrade him from business to economy class back in 2011 that he decided to take legal action against the airline, demanding compensation of approximately US$83,000.

Four years later, Mr Reddy has finally been awarded his compensation, but it’s slightly less than the amount he originally requested…

According to Indian press, Mr. Reddy originally booked a business class ticket for a flight from Chennai to Singapore via Singapore Airlines departing on April 19, 2011.

Upon arriving late to check in on the specified date, Mr. Reddy was told by the assistant who served him at the counter that business class had been overbooked and that only seats in economy were available at that time.

Although the terms and conditions of Singapore Airline bookings state that in situations where overbooking occurs, passengers may not be able to travel in their booked class as desired, the airline tried to make amends by offering to discount the difference in ticket prices with a cash voucher, plus an extra S$150 (around US$120) voucher to use in-flight.

Mr. Reddy, however, refused attempts by Singapore Airlines to rectify the situation, and instead sought legal action, demanding compensation for damages, loss of image, and mental anguish endured from being downgraded to economy class for the duration of the 2.5-hour flight – to the tune of S$104,000 (approximately US$83,000).

As could have probably been expected, Singapore Airlines did not respond favorably to the request, which prompted Mr. Reddy to seek help from the Consumer Protection Council and send the airlines another request, this time for S$41,000 (close to US$33,000) in compensation.

On Monday this week, more than four years since the incident occurred, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum of South Chennai finally ruled that Singapore Airlines would be required to pay Mr. Reddy a sum of 35,000 rupees (less than US$600) within six weeks for not giving him adequate notice of the class change in advance. It appears that the airline has already paid the amount ordered, and the matter is now settled.

I guess you have to admire Mr. Reddy for his persistence, but it’s hard for us here at RocketNews24 to imagine that four years of legal battles could be any less mentally taxing for the businessman than spending a couple of hours in economy class with the rest of us.

Source: TODAY
Top image: Singapore Airlines
Insert images: Singapore Airlines

Origin: Businessman ‘wins’ 4-year battle with Singapore Airlines after being downgraded to economy class
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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• Cuddly koalas pose in business class as part of trip to celebrate Singapore’s 50th birthday
• Indian airline to hire only female flight attendants, but not for the reason you might think