From Rekuru: This article is going to make you feel bad. No matter how I write it, this will inspire guilt (or thankfulness) over all the great new gadgets we got at Christmas and the huge houses we all live in.

Over the New Year’s holiday, the Japanese government opened emergency shelters in order to help the homeless after many out of work citizens pitched tents in front of public buildings to protest their plight. The small amount of government help has done little to help the nations record 5.2% unemployment rate.

Numerous workers, who have been jobless since Christmas or earlier, have been forced to choose alternate housing due to the recent global economic downturn and inability to maintain rent payments. Many of these people have found refuge in Japan’s popular capsule-style hotels, which offer small berths no bigger than a standard twin bed. More »

From Rekuru: As the international popularity of Japanese rock rapidly increases, 2009 can count itself amongst the most noteworthy years for the scene. Below is my list of the most significant events in the J-Rock world for the past 365 days. More »

From Rekuru:

It’s two words you never thought would go together, and yet, they do.

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I was so excited today to see that Leah Dizon had posted a blog wishing her fans a happy new year. It had been a month since she last notified us of her goings-on on her official blog. More »

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From Rekuru:

Some people make New Years Resolutions - lose weight, start exercising more, eat more vegetables, all that jazz. But really, all you end up with is a dusty stair-master in the corner of the guestroom. Me? I’ve decided to put together a wishlist of what I’d love to happen in 2010.

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From Girlybubble: Technology hasn’t always been chic. I remember the dark days when it was more function over form. Aesthetically, fashionable consumers had limited choices. However, those days are over, and this year has brought us technology that is not only functional, but cute and colorful as well. Here’s my list of Top 10 Girl Gadgets of 2009. More »

From Wirebot:

Ask a Western gamer what they think of Visual Novels and chances are you’re just going to get a confused glance. “Visual novels? What the hell are they?” some will say. “You mean Japanese porn games, right?” others will reply. The sad fact of the matter is that Visual Novels, as a gaming genre, simply doesn’t exist as something viable outside Japan.

Well, that’s not entirely true. More »

I know many of you are excited about Final Fantasy XIII. What better way to wait for your copy than squandering away cash on delightful official FFXIII merchandise?

Here are 10 items I’ve selected for your appraise (in no particular order). Click thumbnails to see them better. More »

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From Wirebot:

Popcorn and the movies. Television without commercials. Yoo-Hoo and a glazed donut. Some things in life are just perfect for each other. Video games and music are one of those things. While gamers are unable to control the requirement to earn that last gold trophy/achievement, they are able to control what pumps through their speakers while doing so with custom in-game soundtracks. To help change up that stale rotation of old-time favorites, the Wirebot bloggers will be providing a suggested playlist every Friday. Our recommendations this week include songs from: Dance Gavin Dance, All That Remains, Team Teamwork and a few others. More »

From Wirebot:

Chocobo’s are so freaking awesome, and instead of spending Microsoft points on something like a monkey, a cat, a dog, or a snake, all you have to do is register your Gamertag and you’ll receive your download token for your very own Chocobo via E-mail during the holiday season! More »

From Wirebot: Final Fantasy XIII is shaping up to be one of the most exciting games ever. And these Japanese ads are a great testament to the Square Enix epic. There’s not-yet-seen content that shows off the stunning graphical quality of the FMVs and actual gameplay. Even if you don’t understand Japanese, they’re still worth watching. More »

From Wirebot:

Pets are expensive and they tend to poop everywhere. Why deal with real pets, when soon you will be able to care for a realistic virtual pet? Forget about Fluffy - just get an EyePet! This adorable monkey/bush baby critter (coming for PS3 in 2010) is just like a real pet, minus the hassle. He reacts to your every move (as long as you’re within reach of the PS3 Eye) and you’ll only need to pay a one-time fee. More »

From Wirebot: Who would have thought, but Nintendo characters have been giving us great “exit lines” for years! In the game context they might not seem to fit the situation, but if you just want to get out of there and don’t necessarily mind hurting the person’s feelings, try out one of these classic lines: More »

From Rekuru: Are you worried that your earphones are lackluster and dreary? Do you wish your headset would get off the couch and express itself more? Now your worries can slip away as easily as a cartoon character on a banana peel! Indeed, bananas, Mickey Mouse, and sushi seem to be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to eccentric earphones. Popping up all over the market are unique and sometimes downright silly novelty gear for your music-listening arsenal. More »

From Wirebot:

With the release of CrazySingleLife, we find ourselves contemplating new beginnings and the possibilities of finding our special someone. On top of that, the arrival of the Christmas season has turned all of our cold, video game loving, hearts into big, pure, fuzzy, warm, gift giving, pleasure centers of kindness and love. But the holidays aren’t so great for everyone and like the famous Grinch, there are a handful of video game characters that have hearts three sizes too small this year. Hop aboard the love train as we take a tour to five different destinations that house five different video game characters, each one of them doomed to a blue holiday, alone. More »

From Blitznation:

Welcome to day number one of our football/dating combination, as we prepare you for the launch of Mixr Media’s new and innovative dating site, CrazySingleLife. Today’s mission on BlitzNation: to take a look at some of the things that we’ve learned from the dating habits of NFL players.

So needless to say, we’ve got some intriguing lesson that we’ve learned. Let’s get right to it, and give you five things that we’ve learned about dating from NFLers: More »

From Wirebot:

With the holidays right around the corner and the recession in full swing there is no doubt everyone is feeling the pressure to pinch-pennies this holiday season. If you’re unable to shell out $60 for a new game for that special gamer on your list, here’s a thrifty list of ideas that won’t set you back anything more than a Jackson. More »

From Wirebot:

I don’t care what video game haters and protesters say - video games are educational. They can teach you better hand-eye coordination, decision making, leadership skills, and, perhaps most importantly of all - dating secrets.

Why else would Harvest Moon be around for so long? Do you really think that it’s the exciting premise of waking up every morning to do chores, raise and water crops, and pull weeds from your farm? Of course not! It’s the dating and courting aspect that makes the game so appealing. Every Harvest Moon game is about two things: farming, and getting married. But you don’t just pick a girl you like and marry her. You have to win her heart, increase her affection towards you, and only then can you try to push your relationship beyond “just friends” to “just married.”

I think some men need to play Harvest Moon, to learn a thing or two. Here are 7 lessons that Harvest Moon teaches you about dating and winning a woman over (and please note that while these are addressed at men, and are about women, most of them can be applied to either sex). More »

From Rekuru:

As Kamikaze Girls (Tetsuya Nakashima, 2004) [orig. "Shimotsuma Story," based on the excellent book by Novala Takemoto] opens, its heroine Momoko, wearing a frilly dress while speeding along on a motor scooter, is struck by an oncoming produce truck. The End. But to understand how things came to this pass, it’s necessary to back up a little–to Rococo-era France. More »

From Rekuru:

Inspired by the recollection that Ninja Scroll made us doubt the mental health of a whole nation, it’s time to take a hard look at anime that’s just danged creepy. I’m sure there are those of you who actually like hentai (I won’t judge you), but I suspect that most of us, if we don’t actively avoid the creepy stuff, are embarrassed enough that we don’t lend Schoolgirl Confinement Vol. III to friends we’re trying to evangelize, but rather hide it under our Collected Works of Plato when they come over. More »