Pokémon Master Ball engagement ring case is sure to help you catch your beloved’s heart

22:04 cherishe 0 Comments

Poké-pop the question with this beautiful handcrafted case from Japan’s Pokémon wedding jeweler.

Okay, so let’s say you’ve found the love of your life, and the only thing that comes anywhere close to the passion you have for each other is the passion you have for Pokémon. Naturally, you’re not going to buy just any old set of wedding and engagement rings, right?

Once you’ve chosen between Japanese jeweler U Treasure’s Pikachu and Mew rings, though, you’ve still got one little problem. You can’t pop the question to your spouse-to-be with such a special ring sitting inside a boring square box, right? Of course not, which is why U Treasure can also set you up with an awesome Poké Ball engagement ring case!

But wait, this isn’t just any Poké Ball. Being in the business of romance, obviously U Treasure is hoping that your special someone says “Yes!”, and so this handcrafted wooden case is painted in the colors and insignia of a Master Ball, which seasoned Pokémon Trainers know guarantees a 100-percent success rate in catching Pokémon, making it an auspicious choice for capturing your beloved’s heart.

So how much is U Treasure charging for this awesome good luck charm? Nothing at all…at least for the case itself. The Master Ball case (which has a removable Shantung silk liner, so that it can also be used as a general accessory case or keepsake box) is being offered as a complimentary component of U Treasure’s three-piece Pikachu or Mew engagement and wedding ring sets during the company’s Bridal Jewelry Fair, which runs from June 1 to 30.

However, even if you’re not in the market for wedding rings, there’s still a way to land a Poké Ball accessory case, as U Treasure is re-releasing its standard Poké Ball case, in the traditional red-and-white color scheme, on June 1, for a price of 12,960 yen (US$119).

U Treasure’s Master Ball-inclusive Bridal Jewelry Fair sets can be ordered online here, while the Poké Ball accessory case is available here. And if you’re looking for even more Pocket Monster flair for your nuptials, don’t forget about Japan’s full-blown Pokémon wedding ceremony plan.

Source: U Treasure via Jin
Top image: U Treasure
Insert images: U Treasure (1, 2)
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终于找到了穷的原因《穷人思维正在毁掉你》

20:43 cherishe 0 Comments

这支发人深省短片来自畅销书《富爸爸,穷爸爸》作者罗伯特·T·清崎。清崎有两个爸爸:“穷爸爸”是他的亲生父亲,一个高学历的教育官员;“富爸爸”是他好朋友的父亲,一个高中没毕业却善于投资理财的企业家。清崎遵从“穷爸爸”为他设计的人生道路:上大学,服兵役,参加越战,走过了平凡的人生初期。直到1977年,清崎亲眼目睹一生辛劳的“穷爸爸”失了业,“富爸爸”则成了夏威夷最富有的人之一。

在书中,他一直有一个观点,那就是让你贫穷的不是你的原生家庭和现在的工作,而是深植于你脑海的“穷人思维”,什么意思?来做个简单的测试吧。

你会认为“贪财”是万恶之源,还是“贫穷”是万恶之本?

你努力学习是为了去好公司工作,还是发现一家好公司企图收购它?

你自认不富有的原因是因为你有孩子,还是想为了孩子而变得富有?

当涉及到钱的问题你会十分小心、不想冒险,还是主动去学习管理风险?

你把房子看做最大的投资与资产,还是把房子看做负债?

你是想沿着公司的梯子一步一步往上爬,还是想去当梯子的主人?

如果你大多数都选择了前一项,那么你很可能是经常说“我买不起”“我做不到”“我没有时间”的哪一类人。清崎认为,这是一种“穷人思维”下的逃避,说这些话很简单,相当轻松,但并不会让你的人生变得更好。

就像穷人总觉得钱是攒回来的,所以他们不买也不敢买超出他们购买力的物品,因为他们更关心收入与攥在手里的钱,这样的人靠时间换金钱,越来越穷。而富人觉得钱是赚回来的,面对一个超过他们购买力的物品,他们思考问题的方式是,如果我想获得它,我要付出什么,我该怎么做,我如何实现它?他们总在想解决的办法…

如果你渴望拥有财富,或许首先应该做的,就是改变自己的“穷人思维”。

记住,疑问句打开你的思路,陈述句关闭你的可能。


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UchiPika: New Pikachu robot talks, sings, controls lights and TVs, even when Pokémon isn’t on

20:08 cherishe 0 Comments

A talking Eevee robot is arriving in Japan this summer too! 

Back when Pokémon was first released in the ’90s, fans of pocket monsters like Pikachu had little hopes of sharing their homes with a moving, talking character from the series. But that was then, and this is now, when fans get to own a robot Pikachu that talks, sings…and controls electric equipment around the house!

Called the UchiPika (Uchi means “home” in Japanese), the new robot is a step up from the one we saw last year, which was called HelloPika. That model provided entertainment and companionship with head turns, light-up cheeks, and various cries of “Pika!” covering a surprising range of emotion in response to your voice.

The UchiPika has all that and more, because this one now has the power to switch your lights on and off, control your TV, and even respond to vocal cues like “100,000 volts”, which causes it to wiggle its head and light its cheeks. Thankfully, though, he stops short of delivering his thunderbolt move on the household.

Take a look at the UchiPika in action below:

Packed with voice recognition features, an infrared system, and a universal remote control, UchiPika can be programmed to control the power, volume and channels on your television. Once that’s all been set up, all you have to do is call out “Pikachu” and then a command like “terebi wo mitai na” (“I want to watch television”), which will prompt him to respond with “Pika!” and turn the TV on for you.

▼ No word on whether or not Pika can understand English yet, which is great motivation to learn Japanese.

Calling out “akaruku shitai na” (“I want to make it bright”) prompts UchiPika to turn the lights on for you, and if you call out “utatte” (“sing”), little Pikachu will break out in song. He also responds to daily phrases like “ohayo” (“good morning”), “itte kimasu” (“I’m going out”), and “tadaima” (“I’m home”) with a range of “pika” sounds appropriate to each situation.

“Pikachu! Sing!” “Pi-Pi-Pikachu”

Joining the UchiPika this year is the HelloVui, which is a companion to the HelloPika and modelled on the ever popular Eevee (whose name is written as “Iibui” in katakana, which is stylised as “Vui” for the new release).

▼ The HelloVui, not the HelloVee

Like the HelloPika, HelloVui also has cheeks that light up, and it turns to look at you when you call out its name, only this model responds with cute “Iibui” sounds.

▼ HelloPika and HelloVui are small and light enough to carry around in your bag or pocket.

Only problem is now we want the whole set!

The HelloPika and HelloVui retail for 2,990 yen (US$27.53), plus tax, with the HelloVui available from 11 July here. The UchiPika retails for 3,990 yen, with pre-orders available here ahead of its release on 3 August.

These prices mean we won’t be too deep out of pocket if we do try to catch ’em all, making them a much more affordable alternative to the new posable Life Size Doll Detective Pikachu.

Source, images: Takara Tomy
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求高人指点!打架的时候被抱住腿怎么办?

19:08 cherishe 0 Comments

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截肢还来得及。。。


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Thief steals brake handles, control panel, and more from train in Shizuoka

18:18 cherishe 0 Comments

Has your train ever been stopped because there was literally no brakes in it?

While Japan may boast one of the lowest crime rates in the world, its citizens are still capable of thievery, but the heists that make the news are some of the bigger and stranger ones. We may have found someone that one-upped the man who stole thousands of dollars of fish.

On the morning of May 26, staff at Shimada Station on the Tokaido Line in Shizuoka noticed one of the train doors was open. When they looked inside, they found that numerous items were missing from the driver’s cab from the previous night, including brake handles and the entire driver’s seat apparatus.

An inspection of the rest of the train revealed that door switches and safety devices were nowhere to be found on some cars as well, and since police found evidence that wires had been cut and screws had been intentionally loosened, the case is currently being treated and investigated as a robbery.

Even if you’ve never been inside the driver’s cab of a JR train, you can usually see inside the windows at the front or the back of the train, so you can probably see how complicated the whole setup looks. You might also know that the doors from both inside and outside the train cars are locked, so one would definitely need a key to break in. In fact, there is suspicion the perpetrator may have used a master key to break in.

The reaction from netizens has been mostly of outrage that someone would resort to stealing something that would affect so many people. It also hints that there might be a darker side to train otaku.

“This is a huge ‘derailment’ incident. Whoever did this isn’t a train maniac or fan – they’re just a thief.”
“People steal because there is a demand for it. Don’t buy this, train otaku. If you buy this stuff, it starts a market for stolen things.”
“This is kind of incredible, in a way. I wonder if they’re looking to sell it to other train maniacs?”
“I can’t believe someone would actually think and follow through with this.”

We have to agree with some of what’s said here – whoever did this likely didn’t do it as a spur-of-the-moment thing. They likely had intimate knowledge of both the Tokaido line trains and Shimada Station in general. We’re definitely not condoning the actions of the thief in question, but we do wonder why they didn’t target one of these luxury sightseeing trains instead.

Sources: My Game News Flash, Livedoor News, Yahoo! News Japan
Featured image: Wikipedia/Chabata_k
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And You Thought Fyre Island Was Bad?

13:40 cherishe 0 Comments

Foxtrot takes the group to 1822 for a very convincing sales pitch from Gregor McGregor.

And You Thought Fyre Island Was Bad?


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Ramen chain Ippudo offers taste of Hollywood with limited edition “Men in Black” ramen!

10:38 cherishe 0 Comments

For a limited time, Ippudo is offering a “Men in Black” ramen, served in — you guessed it — black broth!  

Popular ramen chain Ippudo is known for their usually milky-white pork based (tonkotsu) broth, but for the month of June, they’ll be serving noodles with a notably different look. That’s right, as part of a collaborative campaign with the movie Men in Black: International,  Ippudo is offering a ramen that comes in a unique black broth.

The collaborative menu is actually a play on the word “men“, which means noodles (麺)in Japanese, so saying “Men in Black” actually sounds the same as “Noodles in Black“, hence the ramen in a black soup.

Of course, when they made the broth black, they made sure it was tasty too. They used a special flavored oil containing burnt garlic to turn the soup black and also added plenty of black pepper to enhance both the color and flavor. The ramen is topped with two types of sliced pork, sprouts, leeks, kikurage mushroom, and to add that extra bit of zest, a serving of spicy red miso paste.

▼ Ippudo’s smooth pork stock and the flavor of the black pepper and garlic should make for a delightful combination. And even the bowl they’re serving the ramen in will be black!

They’ll also be giving away Men in Black: International movie tickets and special merchandise in a social media campaign. If you follow Ippudo’s Twitter account and retweet their Men in Black ramen campaign tweet between June 1 and June 10, you have the chance to win one of 10 prepaid tickets to Men in Black: International.

You can also win one of five Men in Black: International card holders or USB memory sticks by following Ippudo’s Twitter or Instagram account and then ordering and posting a picture of the Men in Black ramen between June 1 and June 30.

▼ Here’s the card case:

▼ And the USB memory stick is in the shape of a neuralyser!

The Men in Black ramen is available from June 1 to June 30 at the following 34 Ippudo locations:

Kyushsu area: Dazaifu Inter, Hakata Station
Kanto area: Ebisu, Kichijoji, Gotanda Higashiguchi, Uenohirokoji, Shinjuku Island Tower, Lumine Est Shinjuku, Komazawa Koen, Toyosu, Futakotamagawa Rise S.C, Minato Mirai Tokyu Square, Tama Plaza, LaLaport Tokyo-Bay, Chiba, Takasaki, Kawagoe Inter, Omiya, 1/2PPUDO Shibuya Hikarie, 1/2PPUDO Lumine Tachikawa
Kansai area:  Umeda, Nishikikoji, Kobe Motomachi, Kyoto Porta
Chugoku/Shikoku area: Hiroshima Fukuromachi, ekie Hiroshima, Matsuyama
Tokai area: Nagoya Sakae Blossa
Koshinetsu/Hokuriku area: Niigata, Matsumoto, Suwa Interchange
Tohoku area: Sendai Aobadori, Sendai Higashiguchi
Hokkaido area: Sapporo Tanukikoji

The ramen is priced at 890 yen (US$8.15) a bowl, except at the 1/2PPUDO Shibuya Hikarie and and the 1/2PPUDO Lumine Tachikawa locations, where they serve half-sized bowls for 500 yen.

Ippudo have already impressed us with Captain America and Iron Man ramen in the past, and we think combining tasty ramen with a bit of cinematic fun is great, so we hope they keep these collaborative menus coming. And we certainly look forward to seeing the cool guys in black bust evil aliens when the movie opens in Japan and other parts of the world on June 14!

Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: Ippudo website news release, PR Times
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Photo of “melted” anime figure is an important reminder about summertime otaku merch safety

08:13 cherishe 0 Comments

Beloved anime cat Doraemon appears as a pile of blue goo.

The last weekend in March decided to give Japan an early preview of summertime weather, with scorching sunshine baking the country with high temperatures. It was so hot that we ended up eating our ramen cold (an unusual experience that we highly recommend), but eating cooling foods isn’t an option for inanimate objects like anime figures, obviously.

And so Japanese Twitter users were shocked when they saw this photo @taco_handmade of anime’s most famous robot cat, Doraemon, lying in a liquidy puddle.

“It’s so hot…
He’s going to melt…
He melted!”

@taco_handmade’s photos were quickly retweeted over 100,000 times, no doubt thanks to the bizarre mix of comedy and tragedy at seeing a beloved childhood icon reduced to a thin layer of sludge. However, it turns out that while it was indeed hot last weekend, it wasn’t that hot, because @taco_handmade later sent a follow-up tweet revealing that…

…this Doraemon’s body had never been truly solid in the first place. @taco_handmade actually had purchased a tub of “Mysterious Goop” play gel from 100 yen shop Daiso, matching the color of Doraemon’s blue body, and combined it with the hard plastic facial features, stomach, hands, and feet from a Doraemon model kit, while leaving the model’s blue body pieces unused.

▼ If the Twitter handle wasn’t enough of a hint, these photos of some of her other creations show that @taco_handmade is pretty good at arts and crafts.

So really, it’s not that @taco_handmade’s Doraemon model melted, but rather that she simply hasn’t put it together yet. That said, it actually is possible for anime figures to melt from extreme heat (as we learned last year), so if you’ve got any 3-D decorations of your favorite 2-D characters, you might want to keep them away from the window during the summer months.

Source: Twitter/@taco_handmade via Golden Times
Featured image: Twitter/@taco_handmade
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发人深省神转折广告《你看到的不一定是真相》

07:38 cherishe 0 Comments

这支开头看似是公益宣传片人生鸡汤,其实是好欢螺×网易云音乐共同推出的合作限量款螺蛳粉广告。剧本根据真实故事改编,谈到了很多现象级的热点问题。共分为三个角度,讲述了5个催泪故事。

总有一些温暖包裹着冷若冰霜的外表,总有一些误解,不去了解,是不会解开的。


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“We just wanted to see them stop!” Four train otaku arrested for throwing smoke bombs at trains

07:13 cherishe 0 Comments

These otaku were a little too interested in trains. 

We’ve all been teenagers, so we all know that when you’re in the throes of puberty, you do a lot of dumb things. From climbing revered monuments to playing chicken with cars, middle school and high school students are not known for controlling their impulses, however ridiculous they may seem. Still, that doesn’t make them immune to consequences, which is why four mischievous high school students were arrested this week for throwing smoke bombs at trains.

As far as dumb things to do, that’s pretty extreme, but it seems like the four boys had innocent intentions: as train otaku, they wanted to see a train make an emergency stop.

Apparently, on the evening of February 8, the four boys–who all attended the same private high school in Tokyo at the time, though one no longer attends–threw smoke bombs that they’d ordered online onto tracks of the Chiyoda Line, causing smoke to billow around a railway bridge over the Arakawa River in Adachi Ward, in northeastern Tokyo. As a result, trains were forced to make emergency stops, and service along the line was disrupted. The train otaku took a video of the smoke with their phones, which they later shared online, though it appears to no longer be available.

▼ A railway bridge similar to the one where the crime occurred

The next day, the boys did the same thing in Hachioji City, western Tokyo, where they threw smoke bombs at trains on the Chuo Line, one of the most crowded train lines in Tokyo. They were then arrested on February 15 and charged with forcible obstruction of business.

After their arrest, their phones were analyzed, and the phone of the young man who wasn’t attending school was found to have a video from January, in which he and two of his friends pulled a switch that cut off the wiring of a train at Mitaka Station, causing a six-minute delay. As a result, they were arrested again on May 7 and charged with a second count of forcible obstruction of business.

▼ Officials inspecting the scene of the crime in February

As of May 29, all four boys have admitted to the crimes, saying things like, “We wanted to see the trains make emergency stops.” Unfortunately, their overzealous admiration of trains, innocent though it may have been, caused trouble for approximately 30,000 people trying to utilize the Chiyoda line, as well as the Tokyo Metro, who has said they’re considering filing a damages suit against the boys. And that’s not even including the trouble caused to the Chuo Line by the other two crimes.

As it doesn’t appear that there was any malicious intent on the boys’ part, this is probably just a case of otaku zeal gone too far, even if their activities could almost be counted as terrorism. At least in this case of teenage stupidity no one was hurt, unlike when a bunch of teens decided to stretch a nylon rope across a road to see what happens.

Source: TV Asahi News via My Game News Flash, FNN Prime, Sanspo.com, TBS News
Top Image: YouTube/FNN.jp
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Chikan molester runs away from Japanese schoolgirls at train station in Japan【Video】

06:03 cherishe 0 Comments

Schoolgirls fight back after man gropes student’s breasts inside train.

Groping is a big problem on Japanese trains, and despite signs, pins, and women-only carriages sending a big message to the public that touching another person without their consent is never okay, cases of sexual harassment still persist.

The victims are often schoolgirls, who are sadly targeted to such an extent that one victim even wrote an entire book about her traumatic near-daily experiences. Thankfully, though, these schoolgirls are becoming more and more vocal at protecting themselves against “chikan”, the Japanese word for a man who gropes women on trains.

Case in point is this new video, showing a couple of schoolgirls running after a suspected chikan on the platform of Akabane Station in Tokyo’s Kita Ward. Helped out by an impressive assist by an older gentleman on the platform, the chikan goes flying, falling face-down on the concrete while the girls continue their pursuit.

The video, which was filmed on 28 May, begins as passengers can be seen disembarking from a train on Platform 5 at the station. A girl can be heard shouting “nigeru na!” (“Don’t run away!“) just before a man in a suit runs by, which prompts an older man to stick his foot out, tripping the offender and giving the girls some extra time to catch up to him.

▼ A perfectly timed raise of the foot sends the perpetrator flying.

While it’s disappointing to see that nobody else stepped in to try and help the schoolgirls, their persistence in pursuing the man led to him being arrested by station staff. 

According to a statement by station operators Japan East Rail, the suspect attempted to escape by heading towards another platform, but he was caught and detained by a rail attendant. Police were called, and one of the girls who was chasing him reported the man had groped her breasts while they were inside the train.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police say the man who was arrested was a salaryman in his 30s, who has now been charged with indecent assault against a minor. The suspect has admitted to the charges.

News outlets were quick to pick up on the incident, saying that the person who filmed the video was a male student, who immediately felt that this might likely be a case of chikan after he heard the girls shouting “Don’t run away!”. The male student filmed the incident in case video evidence might be needed to help catch the culprit, and said there were three girls involved at the time, with two giving chase while the other went to look for a station attendant.

Some news media were interested to find out whether the man who tripped the culprit could be charged with assault. However, Japanese lawyers have been quoted as saying that while this could be considered assault under ordinary circumstances–and possibly in cases where the accused may be found innocent–in this case, because it’s a member of the public stepping in to help apprehend a criminal, they would not be held liable for the crime.

Given that the suspect confessed to the crime, he was indeed a criminal, and no assault charges are currently being pursued. And kudos to the girls for standing up to the criminal and helping to reprimand him, which means there’s one less chikan on the rails for people to passive-aggressively post stickers on.

Source: Hachima Kikou
Images: Twitter/@influencer_com_

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一个秘密实验的揭秘:一个想要教海豚说话的女孩… 结果海豚爱上了她

23:23 cherishe 0 Comments

她叫Margaret,在1960年代一个秘密实验里,她跟一只海豚生活了10周的时间。

跟她在一起的,是一只叫Peter的宽吻海豚。 他们当时在一个特殊改造全是水的房间里,一起吃饭,娱乐,洗澡,睡觉,24小时不分离。

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在这个实验里,他们要教海豚说话。海豚可以用他们的气孔发声,科学家想做的,就是他们学会用这种发声的能力。

每天早上8点,他们的英语课开始。 逐渐逐渐的,Peter学会了‘one’, ‘we’, ‘triangle’, ‘hello’到了后来,Margaret说 ‘work, work, work’的时候,Peter就会马上回答 ‘play, play, play’.

可是,当实验继续进行下去的时候,一些意想不到的事情发生了。。。

Peter开始变得越来越想跟她亲近,不好好上课,任何时候都想跟她玩耍。Peter每天用各种方法来吸引Margaret的注意力。他开始每天不停的在镜子里注视他自己的样子。 在Margaret打电话的时候Peter会在旁边对着电话听筒大声叫喊. 显然,他吃醋了。

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在实验第四周的时候,Margaret在她自己的日记里写到: “这一周,Peter对着我硬了好几次。。”

“我觉得他的欲望阻碍了我们的这段关系,他开始把他自己挤进我的两腿之间,绕着我游泳,轻咬我身体的各个部分。。。”

“Peter大概在对我求爱,他把他的肚子和丁丁对着我抽动,这是在教我跟他一起玩这个么?”

后来,Margaret承认她当时开始对他有感觉,她享受他们在一起玩耍的时光。 当他不在身边时就会想念他。。甚至到了现在她都无法称他为“海豚”。。他是Peter,在她眼里他永远是Peter。

正当她想跟Peter正要进一步发展关系时。 实验被突然中止了。科学家发现,实验开始向他们不可控的方向发展。

Peter被带离了实验室,被送到了另外一个机构的海豚池里。

几个星期以后,Margaret听到了一个伤心欲碎的消息。。。 Peter死了。

自杀。

他潜在池子底下,拒绝上来呼吸,生生把自己憋死了。

动物学家在后来的报告里说,”Margaret的智力能足以让她理性的思考着一切。可是对于海豚来说,如何能承受这种失去一生至爱的痛呢?“

50年后,这段实验被解密。 在保持了50年的沉默之后,Margaret终于对BBC说出了这一切。 拍成了一部BBC纪录片: The Girl Who Talked To Dolphins

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这就是Peter和Margret的故事,一只被训练要学说英语的海豚,也许人类没教好他英语,却深切地教会了他心碎的滋味。。。


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We check out Shinjuku’s video game theme bar and get a neat EXP bonus, enjoy whacky plate-ups

22:09 cherishe 0 Comments

Grab your Virtual Boy and ready your quarters, it’s time to knock back a shot of gaming nostalgia!

When you think Shinjuku, you think bars. The two are an easy word association to make, much like sushi and rice, cats and dogs, Pokémon and Pikachu.

But while many of Shinjuku’s numerous bars are branded or part of a nationwide chain, others are…more unique. You can find niche bars themed around specific alcohol offers and targeting specific audiences. And sometimes you hear about something truly wild, like our very own reporter Tasuku Egawa did recently.

The wild bar he heard about is 16 Shots in Shinjuku’s 3-chome district, a stone’s throw from the SoraNews24 editorial headquarters. As Tasuku had business there anyway, he decided to drop in to sample the off-beat atmosphere…and also in hope of ordering the bar’s “bizarre specialty”, which his source had failed to elaborate on.

▼ Just five minutes from the SoraNews24 office!

▼ He also ordered a generous sample of rum, just to amplify the experience.

As Tasuku perused the menu, his eyes glanced past the conventional bar staples like fries and pizza and landed on the 3DO. According to the description it was a mixed dish of chicken, fish and fries, but why 3DO? At 1,500 yen (US$13.70) it was the priciest thing on the menu. So of course, he ordered a 3DO. Wouldn’t you?

He sipped his rum, taking in the luxurious surroundings.

▼ A reassuring stock of alcohol.

▼ The bar itself is littered with ’80s and ’90s gaming apparel and figurines.

▼ A treasure trove of arcade units and old posters

And then, he was served…

A…Panasonic R・E・A・L!

No, wait, the official title of this contraption is in fact a 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (or just 3DO for short.) It was a home entertainment system launched in 1993 to compete with the Sega Saturn and Super Nintendo. As you might have guessed, it wasn’t successful, and sank like a stone. But what was one doing here? And where was the chicken, the fish, the fries?

▼ “I thought you were extinct,” Tasuku gasped.

The 3DO order, in actuality a 3DO console, was too big to fit on the bar counter properly and jutted just a little over the edge. But don’t worry…once it was coaxed open, there was a treasure trove inside. Tasuku couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing.

▼ Why?!

According to the waitress the bar only has the one 3DO, so they would be in a bind if two people ordered it at once.

Now Tasuku had his food, he could soak up more of the atmosphere. While 16 Shots is a game-themed bar, that shouldn’t be confused with a “gaming bar” – the games here aren’t to be played, merely to lend a kind of nostalgic terroir as you drink. The posters, game units and memorabilia make this place seem like a time capsule, with everything from neon signs blaring advertisements for the Virtual Boy:

To beautiful game-themed liqueur bottles:

And 16 Shots had one more surprise: its owner. The bar is run by one Riichiro Abe, a former writer for the old computer magazine MyCom Basic Magazine which ran from 1982 to 2003. He was also a consultant on a TV drama set in an ’80s videogame arcade, No Continue Kid, which explains why posters from the drama are plastered all over any walls not stuffed with game placards.

▼ You can see one of the posters behind this sign for Game Arcade Watanabe, the setting of the drama.

Naturally the clientele who visit 16 Shots are also big gaming buffs, so if you want to drop by a place and pick up some neat gaming buddies this is a great bar to start at! And if your tastes lean into modern gaming as well, you can ride the subway over to Yurakucho to visit the all new Pokémon GO-friendly bar, too.

Bar information
16 SHOTS
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 2-3-8
東京都新宿区新宿2-3-8
Open 7:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. (5:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays)
Closed Sundays
Website

Images © SoraNews24
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