Purupuru Maker, a free browser tool that wobbles only the parts of an image you paint, has gone viral in Japan and abroad. Meet the solo developer behind it and Japan's culture of gloriously pointless web toys.
Sony is ending Japan sales of its aibo robot dog (ERS-1000), then said it isn't quitting and teased a next-gen model. Here is the panic, the history of AIBO funerals, and Sony's physical-AI plan.
Takara Tomy's Licca-chan is back in the US after 40-plus years. We unpack why it lost to Barbie as LISA in 1980, why the rival is now Labubu's kidult collectible market, and whether the anime-led comeback can work.
From August 2026, The Pokemon Company will require Japan's My Number national ID card to verify identity for Pokemon Center Online lotteries and select official tournaments. It's a hard counter to scalpers and impersonators — and an unintended wall against overseas collectors who have long worked around the system. Here's what changes.
Researchers at Kyoto University used Japan's near-total medical insurance database to trace esotropia (inward-turning eyes) cases from 2014 to 2019, the years smartphones swept the country. Incidence rose from 32.26 to 36.61 per 100,000 person-years; surgeries climbed from 3,061 to 3,743. The link with smartphone penetration is strong, the absolute rise is small.
Bandai is reviving two iconic transformation items from 60 years of Ultraman history. The Beta Capsule from the original 1966 series and the Spark Lence from 1996's Ultraman Tiga return on September 19, 2026, in commemorative SUPER BEST packaging. The release comes as Ultraman's global profile soars, fueled by Netflix's 2024 hit Ultraman: Rising and TAMASHII NATIONS' expanding US presence.
Tsubame Industries' Archax — a 4.5-meter, 3.5-ton piloted transforming robot — has released new transformation footage. We break down the $2.5M price tag, the Gundam-inspired engineering team behind it, and where Japan-bound travelers can actually see one.
Hatsune Miku V6, the latest AI-powered vocal synthesis software, launches April 14, 2026. Supporting trilingual singing in Japanese, English, and Chinese, it marks a giant leap in natural vocal expression. Explore the 19-year evolution from the original 2007 Miku to today's AI-driven Vocaloid culture and what it means for the future of music creation.
The world's first wired earphones using "cartilage conduction" — a third hearing pathway discovered in Japan — are now on sale. Learn how Sound Ball differs from bone conduction, its adoption at five Osaka Expo pavilions, and what this means for the future of audio technology.
TCL launches pre-orders for the Note A1 NXTPAPER on Makuake, a digital notebook blending paper-like display technology with built-in AI tools — all for around $650. With voice transcription, real-time translation, and AI summarization included at no extra cost, this device challenges E-Ink rivals. We explore the evolving digital stationery market and Japan's reaction.
A compact snow-removal drone developed in Hokkaido went viral during Tokyo's February 2026 snowstorm, racking up 240,000 views on social media. Startup everblue technologies adapted 6 years of water drone expertise to create a $6,500 unmanned snow plow designed to clear snow before it accumulates. Could this "tiny giant" revolutionize winter life in Japan's aging snow country?