Is Ash no longer 10 years old?! Serena kisses Ash in latest Pokémon episode 【Video】
The kiss heard around the world! …or around Kalos, anyway.
There are two questions that have plagued Pokémon fans since the dawn of the anime: why is Ash eternally 10 years old, and why has he never shown the least bit of interest in any of his female traveling companions?
The first question about Ash’s eternal youth is fairly easy to explain away. Sure, there are crazy theories about time-loops and such, but the honest answer is that the Pokémon anime is targeted at the elementary/middle school audience, so having Ash grow up into a thirty-something with a mortgage and desk job is just not going to appeal to them.
But the second question about Ash’s romantic reluctance is a bit stranger. There are kids’ shows with hints of romance and crushes, but nothing in Pokémon’s history has even come close to that. Of course, theories abound: Ash never had a father-figure to teach him how to interact with woman, not being interested in the opposite sex is a side effect of being an eternal 10 year old…
▼ …or maybe there’s another reason.
Why Ash leaves the girls behind. https://t.co/bRSGWIhv3A
—
Pokemon Go (@RarePokemons) October 30, 2016
But it seems like a recent episode of Pokémon XY is putting an end to both of those questions with one scene that has had the internet fanning itself to stop from getting the vapors: Serena kissing Ash.
Yup, you heard right. Watch the short scene here with English subtitles:
For fans of the series, this is huge news. This isn’t just a blushing giggle or a squeak of “I like you,” this is an all-out kiss… which we have to say is something that most 10 years olds don’t usually do. Sure they don’t actually show the kiss itself, but for a series that has had as much romance as a doorknob for 20 years, the music and blushing alone is positively scandalous.
Is this a sign of a changing tone in the series, or was it just a one-off piece of fan service? Only time will tell, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on the upcoming episodes of Pokémon Sun and Moon.
In the meantime, the kiss scene has set off a frenzy of approval from Japanese netizens online. Here’s just a few reactions:
“OH MY GOD FINALLY!”
“I’ve been waiting 20 years for this….”
“Maybe it’s just me but Ash’s reaction is like ‘enh, whatever.'”
“Clemont and Bonnie’s reactions are priceless.”
“Man, Serena must’ve really wanted that kiss to run back up the escalator!”
Just for fun, Japanese Twitter user @tanakakouta731 reenacted the kiss scene to see just how hard it would be to run back up the escalator given the timings in the episode. You can see it here (reenactment starts at 0:30):
ポケモンXYZの最終回が話題になっていますが、その話題のキスシーンを現実でやるとどうなるのか再現してみた。 #ポケモン#最終話#セレナ#再現 https://t.co/3pRdJBjK7k
—
先生 (@tanakakouta731) October 29, 2016
Geez, he really had to hustle to get back up in time! That’s the power of love in action. Or, maybe, Serena is just has superhumanly-strong legs like Ash has horrifyingly-strong arms.
Source: Twitter/@tanakakouta731 via My Game News Flash
Featured image: Twitter/@tanakakouta731
Credit:
Foreigner accused of shoplifting tea in Japan, label to blame 【Why Does Engrish Happen in Japan?】
It’s often said that freedom isn’t free. In Japan, Free Tea isn’t either.
As we’ve seen before, you can’t always take Japan’s English signage and labeling at face-value. When Engrish rears its head, the results often end up as a mix of baffling and comical, but Twitter user @domoboku recently witnessed some odd use of the English language touch off a fierce argument inside a Japanese convenience store.
@domoboku, who’s Japanese himself, stepped into the store in the afternoon when a non-Japanese Asian had been openly drinking from a bottle of tea he’d grabbed from the shelf without paying for it. Engaged in a heated verbal disagreement with the store clerk, the Asian man shouted “What did I do that was wrong?”
Curious as to what room there could be for debate in what seemed like a clear-cut case of shoplifting, @domoboku took a look at the exact type of tea the man had been helping himself too, and suddenly understood what had caused the misunderstanding.
アジア系の外国人が白昼堂々ドリンクを万引きにしててコンビニ騒然。店員と喧嘩。「何がいけないんだ」と叫ぶ外国人。 様子が変だから間に入って事情を聞いた。 そしたら彼もコンビニも悪くなかった。悪いのはデザインだ。 https://t.co/KAC2PGKlDQ
—
どーも僕です。(どもぼく) (@domoboku) October 28, 2016
Splashed across the bottle’s label in large, English text were the words Free Tea, identifying this as a brand produced and distributed by Japanese beverage company Pokka Sapporo.
So how did the drink end up with this unorthodox name? Well, its big selling point is that it contains GABA extract. Pokka Sapporo claims that this gives the tea relaxing properties, and bills Free Tea as “The beverage encouraging that people be free from a stress-filled society,” using the Japanese word kaihou (meaning “free/liberate” and written 解放 in kanji characters) in its advertising.
Unfortunately, in English simply tossing the word “free” in front of an inanimate object generally implies not that it’s liberated, but that it’s complimentary. “It’s written right there on the label, so let me have it!” the man insisted. After an explanation that “Free Tea” was simply the brand name, he changed his stance to “Then the store should change the label!”
外国人もしばらく「書いてあるんだからよこせ」的な論調で、アホな表記を丁寧に説明したら「よこせないなら、せめて表記を変えろ」と。 店員も仕入れた商品に書いてあるだけだから訂正しようもないし万引き未遂されるし、双方被害者という構図。 二人とも振り上げた拳のやり場が無くて気まずかった。
—
どーも僕です。(どもぼく) (@domoboku) October 28, 2016
Of course, as @domoboku points out, the store really isn’t in a position, or even legally allowed, to go changing product labels on items its bought from a distributor. “This tea ended up causing a stressful problem for both a traveler who came all the way to Japan and an honest shopkeeper,” he mused. “How ironic that it’s supposed to be ‘The beverage encouraging that people be free from a stress-filled society.’”
わざわざ日本に来てくれた観光客と善良な店員を、ストレスまみれの抗争状態に追い込んだ商品。 そのキャッチコピーが「ストレス社会解放応援飲料」である皮肉。 https://t.co/nvVk6CQhQU
—
どーも僕です。(どもぼく) (@domoboku) October 28, 2016
Language barriers and Engrish aside, though, the slot the bottles of Free Tea occupy on the shelf is pretty clearly marked with a price of 130 yen (US$1.26), so the customer might want to pay a little more attention to his surroundings in the future. After all, convenience stores aren’t generally too keen on customers just helping themselves to a refreshing drink without paying, unless maybe said customer is the Dalai Lama.
Source: Jin
Featured image: Twitter/@domoboku
Insert images: Pokka Sapporo
Credit:
Japanese town’s mascot character may be a man dressed in women’s clothing, possibly on purpose
Everyone notices the girlish clothes, but those with a trained eye have also spotted the boyish wings.
Last week, the organizers of the upcoming Tokyo Comic-Con found themselves at the center of a sudden firestorm when it came to light that the event’s official cosplay regulations prohibited men from dressing as female characters. Tokyo Comic-Con has since reversed its stance, which is happy news for the crossplaying contingent of the cosplay community and also, possibly, for Simone-chan, a local mascot character for the town of Shimotsuma in Ibaraki Prefecture.
While Simone-chan has a warm smile and expressive eyes, the character’s most distinguishing visual characteristic is, of course, the pair of butterfly wings. And those aren’t modeled on the wings of just any butterfly, but of the sasakia charonda, Japan’s officially designated national butterfly, for which Shimotsuma is a natural habitat. The sasakia charonda is also known as the Japanese emperor or great purple emperor, and true to its name, the species is known for the violet colorings on its wings, which also appear in Simone-chan’s design.
But also true to the great purple emperor name, it’s male specimens that have these purple markings. Like many animals that need to maximize their chances for survival, males have bright patterns to help attract mates, while females have a far more camouflaged appearance.
▼ Female great purple emperor
So, as pointed out by Japanese Twitter user @Re__Mio, despite Simone-chan’s decidedly girlish attire, based on those wings, the character is actually an otoko no ko, or crossdressing male.
茨城県下妻市のキャラクター「シモンちゃん」 オオムラサキをモチーフにしたご当地萌えキャラクターだが、実際に羽が鮮やかな紫になるのはオスのオオムラサキだけなので、結果として日本で一番業の深いご当地キャラになってしまったのだ… https://t.co/ufCYbJ5iEV
—
松本鋼太郎 (@Re__Mio) October 29, 2016
For its part, the city of Shimotsuma has declined to officially comment on Simone-chan’s gender, nor has it released any sort of character profile confirming or denying that the character is a man dressed in women’s clothing. While it’s possible that the character’s designers added the purple coloring for purely aesthetic reasons, the fact that Simone itself is a unisex name suggests that they might have intended to make the mascot’s sex ambiguous from the very start.
The newfound notoriety is causing a spike in interest in the character, and Shimotsuma’s Michi no Eki roadside rest stop is standing by with a selection of related merchandise for all of Simone-chan’s new fans.
Shop information
Michi no Eki Shimotsuma / 道の駅しもつま
Address: Ibaraki-ken, Shimotsuma-shi, Kazusu 140
茨城県下妻市数須140
Website
Source: Jin
Top image: Shimotsuma official website
Insert images: Wikipedia/Obsidian Soul
Credit:
Popular Posts
-
Time may have changed him, but we still have these nostalgic photos of how music legend David Bowie used to be. As the saying goes, “All ...
-
From traditional culture to the latest in “Cool Japan,” Japan has a lot to boast about. Yet there’s another side to the island nation which...
-
When you’re heavily-armed and armoured , there’s no need to fear heights , falls or even cardboard bears ! With a Zaku spotted only week...
-
What makes this bowl of noodles cost around twice as much as a regular ramen, and is it worth it? Ever since the pandemic eased, inbound...
-
Mr. Sato thinks it might be, and when was the last time he had an idea that didn’t pan out? “All right everybody, patch me up!” As loyal...
-
Chosen by the readers, these awards represent the cream of the current crop. Two years ago, the Yomiuri Shimbun decided to celebrate 14...
-
Sakura returns to monthly serialization as a junior high student. What a slew of new toys , a themed cafe , and now even a hair dryer ba...
-
David Hedges / SWNS David Hedges / SWNS Oli Scarff / Getty Images Adam Gray / SWNS David Hedges / SWNS Danny Martindale / SWNS ...
-
两个妹子弹奏《Wipeout》~ ▶ 关注我们 网址:http://wuliaoo.com 微信号:wuliaoo-com 查看原文 - 发表评论(抢沙发) Credit 无聊哦
-
The new instrument is also perfect for confusing your bandmates when you tell them that your biggest musical influence is a skeleton. Fan...
Nuffnang
Blog Archive
-
▼
2026
(1012)
-
▼
September
(87)
- Converse Japan and one of Japan’s greatest painter...
- Bear found on Japanese fishing boat, escapes into ...
- New Cardcaptor Sakura fashion line delivers magica...
- Famous Kyoto shrine has a message for foreign tour...
- Final Fantasy VII’s Buster Sword gets real-world p...
- Denny’s Mapputatsu? Parfait is hiding a big secret...
- Three amazing Japanese convenience store sweet pot...
- Studio Ghibli unveils new anime stationery collect...
- Car-floating sheets selling well to cope with incr...
- Tokyo cafe challenges customers to play with their...
- Three Daiso ideas for a super-cheap but still cool...
- Only two Yoshinoya branches in all of Japan are on...
- Japanese sweet potato ice cream season! Häagen-Daz...
- Japanese convenience store is very focused with it...
- Studio Ghibli releases new anime socks that pay tr...
- Gang of angry monkeys surrounds and attacks Japane...
- JAL first class cakes can be bought for a bargain,...
- Naked illuminates Kyoto’s cultural traditions in N...
- New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S...
- Tokyo’s Square Burger claims it’s a viral hit with...
- Bear spotted near most popular hiking trail on Tok...
- Starbucks Japan unveils Mitsuimo Milk, a new drink...
- Free Mt. Fuji helicopter rescues for offseason hik...
- “Lineup” begins for iPhone18 in Tokyo
- Get more room in your luggage with new clothing co...
- Everything old is new, and cool, again at this hot...
- OC Japan Fair returns to California packed with al...
- Does Tokyo need self-driving taxis? Waymo thinks s...
- New Ranma 1/2 anime tableware and lifestyle goods ...
- Tokyo to repaint streets over rule that makes it i...
- Japan’s new Pokémon Poké Ball hotel releases new d...
- Are Japanese temples on Mt Koya cashing in on the ...
- Ghibli/Kyoto crossover artwork decorates goshuin p...
- Japan’s new delicious dark horse sweet potato dess...
- Making the latest social media snack sensation in ...
- 7-Eleven Japan releases a Kebab Sandwich… but does...
- Hot pot in cans coming to Japanese vending machine...
- Does washing rice in this Japanese pouch really ma...
- Can hanging a handy fan on your crotch keep you co...
- 7-Eleven Japan’s Ramen Machine is a viral hit, but...
- Japanese pudding gets a massive big-eats upgrade a...
- Visiting Fukui can teach travelers how to make, an...
- Japan’s middle-aged fairy man character stole our ...
- Mt. Fuji may soon require off-season climbers to r...
- Starbucks Japan unveils first-ever vending machine...
- Ghibli store Donguri Kyowakoku now has special fra...
- New Gundam megastore announced for one of Tokyo’s ...
- TeamLab is building a new Tokyo museum, and it’s t...
- Tokyo’s Shibuya puts up new posters asking visitor...
- Real-world Zelda Master Sword on the way from Amer...
- Two American women attempt to smuggle US$1 million...
- Roaming rubbish bin robot at Shinjuku Station solv...
- Eel sauce is our new favorite cooking hack for mak...
- New Shinkansen platform vending machine sells loca...
- Japanese restaurant chain offering free food for a...
- How to watch Studio Ghibli’s new anime in Japan, w...
- Japan’s 20-year Ig Nobel winning streak continues ...
- Megadeth guitarist becomes voice of reason regardi...
- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks an...
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s remake can ...
- Starbucks Japan proves Pumpkin Spice is NOT dead, ...
- Anime magical girls grow to gigantic size with new...
- Tokyo’s red-light district cafe lets you dine insi...
- Okinawa man convinced he won 700 million yen by sc...
- Mister Donut releases new sweet potato doughnuts i...
- New Japanese ice cream is Ballin, in more ways tha...
- Shinto shrine gate parfaits that tell your fortune...
- Go to hell! …at a limited time historical art exhi...
- New Transforming Business Card case brings anime m...
- Studio Ghibli adds new finger puppets to its anime...
- Kobe middle schools begin abolishing extracurricul...
- 7-Eleven Japan releases new Tsukimi Moon-Viewing r...
- Join Naked in the Niwa garden: Kyoto Station’s new...
- Japan’s Tsukimi One-hand Bento’s name is all wrong...
- Starbucks Japan releases new coffee table book fea...
- Lego PlayStation recreates Sony’s original console...
- Movie about Shinzo Abe assassination reportedly in...
- Japanese Starbucks that’s also an art gallery host...
- Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono
- American tourist in Japan arrested on charges of a...
- Mini CRT-lookalike Final Fantasy figurines are awe...
- Japan’s first fall color forecast for 2026 is here!
- Starbucks Japan reveals new Tsukimi Moon-Viewing d...
- The mystery of Port Store, the Japanese convenienc...
- Lawson convenience store opens its first mobile, t...
- Japan Railways announces unlimited-ride train pass...
- Onsen Egg Bukkake Udon Ice Cream makes us rethink ...
-
▼
September
(87)
