From earlier this summer, some photos of cool Shibuya street fashions

Pretty Kaho Kano かの夏帆 was given a special judges’ prize for the 2008 Miss Flash competition.  This 21 year old gravure idol from Chiba prefecture has released 4 DVDs, appeared in TV commercials for NTT, Acecook and Green House computer peripherals.

Kaho will also feature in a movie Re:Play-Girl due to be released in 2010.

Kaho Kano Videos

Kaho Kano fun in bed

Kaho Kano fun at the beach

Kaho Kano short summer dress Miss Flash 2008

Kaho Kano big smile introduction
 Read more...

Depapepe デﾊﾟﾍﾟﾍﾟ are an acoustic guitar duo from Kobe, Japan consisting of Takuya Miura and Yoshinari Takuoka. The duo formed in 2002 and performed as street musicians.  They released three indies before their major debut Lets Go (2005) which was ranked within the top 10 of Oricon’s Instrumental Artist Debut Chart.

The band’s name combines the Japanese words for ‘overbite’, ‘deppa’, because of Miura’s overbite, and the name of Tokuoka’s previous band ‘DERUPEPE’. This Jpop band has a relaxing and refreshing sound which has made the popular among young Japanese women.  The band has released 6 singles and 9 albums to date.  Read more...

Earlier this  summer, there was one anime movie that was released we highly recommend to all otaku.   Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai (宮本武蔵-双剣に馳せる夢-) was released 13th May 2009.  Scripted by Mamoru Oshii the man who made  anime like Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor and Sky Crawlers, it gained much attention in both Japan and also overseas and the anime was shown at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival in Korea and the Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland.

 Read more...

One of favorite all girl Jrock Jpop bands is back with a new single called BEAUteen.  Scandal are dressed in their trademark schoolgirl outfits and this song is one of the songs on their new single release Yume Miru Tsubasa which is due out on October 14th.

The Osaka based gals  have also been featured in Japanese TV commercials promoting Cecil McBee cosmetics, Nike,  and the song BEAUteen was part of energy drink Pocari Sweat’s summer 2009 campaign.

Scandal BEAUteen Music video

Tekken 6 鉄拳6 fans in Japan will have the choice of playing on PayStation 3 or Xbox 360.  Here is the Microsfot xbox 360 TV commercial  which features the  “rage” system which kicks in when the energy on characters is low.

Tekken 6 Xbox 360 TV commercial

Xbox 360  summer promotion TV commercial

When traveling to Japan this summer, make sure you stay in a Japanese Ryokan, a traditional Japanese style inn popular with locals and foreign travelers alike. First time visitors to Japan will encounter traditional Japanese customs and courtesy where the staff consider it a duty to ensure the pleasure and comfort of their guest by paying attention to the smallest details.  Read more...

Mari-tan (tan being the alternative cute way of saying “chan” – like in the OS-tan post) is a pint-sized pink-haired girl who is part moé 萌え , lolicon ロリコン and tsundere ツンデ who hurls English expletives like a US marine!

The web comic follows the life of Maritan who is a Princess from the Magical Kingdom of Paris Island , which has signed a treaty of co-operation and friendship with the USA.

Maritan’s day job is as a Drill Instructor (modelled like the U.S. Marines) who trains new recruit Army-tan, under the supervision of Lieutanent Commander Navy-tan. There’s also GA-tan a meganekko メガネ attached from the Japanese Self Defence Forces.  Read more...