You’ve got to love a good yokai story. From folk tales passed down by word of mouth to picture scrolls that are both stunning and gruesome, these tales of ghosts, supernatural creatures, and other strange phenomena have captivated people for millennia. Pop culture is no exception—the influence of (and fascination …
Te Papa Tongarewa museum in Wellington is undertaking a new curatorial project with the aim of highlighting Ainu artifacts in the museum’s collection, telling stories of Japanese migration to New Zealand, and exploring the shared histories of colonisation between indigenous people of Aotearoa and Japan. The Cipiyak project—named after the …
“Change is coming, and we’re the ones driving it.” This is the note that brings The Great Ace Attorney’s first case to a close, and “change” is exactly what this newly localized legal-dramedy is all about. I was given early hands-on access to The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles on PC, …
It feels like Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has been a long, long time coming, but we finally have a release date for Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin. Edelweiss’ Japanese mythology-inspired action platformer / farming sim hybrid comes out November 10 in North America and Japan, and November 20 in …
Yesterday, Dark Souls creators From Software announced their newest game: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Set in the late 1500s during Japan’s Warring States era, Sekiro looks to be a twist on the usual Souls formula with more mobility and a greater scope to use the environment to your advantage in combat, thanks to the ninja hero’s trusty …
Ōkami has been one of Capcom’s most beloved games since it first released more than a decade ago, and it’s easy to see why: a beautiful art style, rich story, and Zelda-inspired gameplay all combine to create one of the most captivating games of the PlayStation 2 era. Strangely enough, …
Despite its prominent place in Japanese art history, there haven’t been too many games that channel ukiyo-e; Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines, it’s Japan-only predecessor Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke, and Tokyo Tattoo Girls are the only ones that come to mind. Asakusa Studios, based in Tokyo’s historic Asakusa district, is …
When I reviewed Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds last month, I wrote at length about the lengths and detail that game goes to in keeping it as historically accurate as possible. Even though it’s a work of fiction, it’s one of the best accounts of the Shinsengumi that you’ll find in English, and its …
