💻 Tech & Business
Japanese tech, startups, AI developments
Ozeki Turns a Ramen-Shop Battle Cry Into Sake With 'Mashi Mashi Karame' One Cup
Sake giant Ozeki is bottling the ramen-counter call 'mashi mashi karame' — 300ml, 18% ABV and bracingly dry — for ¥402, on sale from November 9, 2026.
Fuel for Fried Brains: Machi★Asobi vol.31's Limited Collab Crepes, Tasted
A van-based crepe shop on Tokushima's Shinmachi River Boardwalk served two Machi★Asobi vol.31-exclusive collab crepes at ¥700 each — each one bundled with collectible merch.
Starbucks Japan's New Chilled Cup Blends Jasmine, Apricot and Black Tea
Starbucks Japan's limited-edition Joyful Harmony Tea Latte chilled cup layers jasmine florals and apricot sweetness over black tea and milk. We tried it to see if the trio works.
Sony's ¥55,000 Black PS5 Is Japan-Only — and Locked to Japanese Accounts
Sony's new Midnight Black PS5 Digital Edition lands in Japan on November 19, 2026 at ¥55,000 — but it only works inside Japan, with a Japanese-language account.
Naruto Meets Ninkū: Four All-New Crossover Anime Episodes Confirmed
Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto is crossing over with Ninkū, the 1990s Jump manga that inspired it, in four brand-new anime episodes. A teaser trailer is already out.
Shonen Jump's 'Nue's Exorcist' Gets 2027 Anime From Studio Lerche, NieR Composer Attached
Weekly Shonen Jump's school dark fantasy Nue's Exorcist — voted the manga fans most wanted animated in 2025 — hits TV in summer 2027, with a teaser PV and full main staff revealed.
Komeda's Coffee and Osaka's Chibo Stuff a Whole Okonomiyaki Into a Burger Bun
Nagoya kissaten chain Komeda's Coffee is teaming up with Osaka okonomiyaki specialist Chibo for a limited-run Okonomiyaki Burger, out October 14 at ¥950–¥1,020 while supplies last.
Snowboard Kids Fully Decompiled in Just 84 Days, Engineer Reveals
Engineer Chris Lewis says he reached a 100% decompilation of the Nintendo 64 cult classic Snowboard Kids in only 84 days — every function now rebuilt in C, compiling back to byte-identical machine cod
Nintendo Wins $4.5 Million Against Reddit Moderator Who Ran Switch Piracy Shops
A US federal judge ordered r/SwitchPirates moderator James Williams to pay Nintendo $4.5 million (about ¥710 million) after he never responded to the 2024 lawsuit.
'Sekiro: No Defeat' Anime Film Extends Run and Lands a 2027 TV Series
FromSoftware's Sekiro anime film has proven so popular that theaters extended its limited run — and now an eight-episode TV series is set to arrive in January 2027.
'Oishinbo' Returns: Japan's Greatest Food Manga Gets New TV Anime as 'Shin Oishinbo'
The 111-volume culinary manga that defined Japanese food storytelling is getting a new TV anime from Shin-Ei Animation, more than three decades after its original 1988 series ended.
HUMAN MADE and Cup Noodle Team Up for a Polar Bear–Branded Instant Ramen
Streetwear label HUMAN MADE and Nissin's Cup Noodle drop a co-branded cup on September 1, 2026 — polar bear lid and all — for ¥267 at FamilyMart in Japan.
Konami Unleashes Metal Gear Solid Cat Gear at CatCon, Starring a One-Eared Influencer Cat
Konami is bringing tactical espionage to the litter box, teaming with one-eared influencer cat Uno to launch limited-edition Metal Gear cat products at CatCon in Pasadena, California.
'Big Eater Mochizuki-san' Collab Café Hits Osaka Aug. 26, With a Tokyo 'Seconds' Serving in Ikebukuro
The binge-eating manga hit 'Doka Kui Daisuki! Mochizuki-san,' now heading to TV anime, gets an Osaka collab café from Aug. 26, with a Sept. 25 encore run in Tokyo's Ikebukuro.
Google Sets NYC Date for 'Googlebook' Preview — the Gemini-Powered Chromebook Successor
Google will host a media-only preview of Googlebook, its Gemini Intelligence–designed laptop and Chromebook successor, in New York on September 15, 2026.
Calbee and Maruchan Team Up: Yakisoba-Flavored Potato Chips Hit Japan's Convenience Stores
To mark 50 years of both brands, Toyo Suisan and Calbee launch two limited-edition chips—Yakisoba and Wonton Soy Sauce flavors—at convenience stores from August 24, 2026.
How to Record Nintendo Switch 2 Gameplay in Full 5.1 Surround Sound
Switch and Switch 2 output LPCM 5.1 surround, but capturing it is tricky. Blackmagic's UltraStudio Express Recorder 3G can grab that lossless multichannel audio—here's how it works.
Lotte Goes All-In on Butter and Caramel With New 'The BUTTER' and 'The CARAMEL' Sweets
Lotte's first new biscuit brand in 13 years, the 'The' series, has gone nationwide. We tasted the financier-style 'The BUTTER' and madeleine-style 'The CARAMEL.'
Nintendo Drops Developer Interview and Trailer for 'Splatoon Raiders' Ahead of Switch 2 Launch
One day before its July 23 debut, Nintendo unveiled an introduction video and an 'Ask the Developer' interview for the Switch 2 title Splatoon Raiders, alongside two previously released commercials.
Square Enix Marks 25 Years of Final Fantasy X With a Special Anniversary Movie
Square Enix released a special commemorative movie on July 19, 2026, celebrating 25 years since Final Fantasy X launched on PlayStation 2 and redefined the series with voice acting.
NVIDIA and SEGA Team Up: Virtua Fighter Crossroads and More Coming to RTX Spark
NVIDIA and SEGA have expanded their partnership to bring future titles, including 2027's Virtua Fighter Crossroads, to NVIDIA's new RTX Spark platform with ray tracing, DLSS, and AI upscaling.
Nintendo to End Original Switch Sales in Europe by 2027, Bring Swappable Batteries to Switch 2
Nintendo will halt original Switch sales in Europe in February 2027 to comply with new EU battery rules, while rolling out Switch 2 hardware with user-replaceable batteries from summer 2026.
OpenAI Unveils GPT-5.6 'Sol,' Beating Claude Mythos 5 — But Only a Few Get to Use It
OpenAI announced its GPT-5.6 series on June 26, 2026. The flagship GPT-5.6 Sol reportedly edges out Anthropic's Claude Mythos 5, yet it remains a limited preview restricted to select organizations.
Nintendo Switch 2 Becomes Second Fastest-Selling Console in U.S. History
Market research firm Circana reports the Nintendo Switch 2 sold 5.9 million units in the U.S. in its first 12 months, the second-best launch year ever for a home console.
What GIGAZINE Readers Actually Subscribe To: Japan's Top 5 Paid Services by Age Group
A reader survey from Japanese tech site GIGAZINE reveals which paid subscriptions—streaming, music, gaming, e-books—readers really use, broken down by age group.
Chainsaw Man: The Assassins Arc Drops a Second Teaser as the World's Killers Close In on Denji
MAPPA's second teaser PV for 'Chainsaw Man: The Assassins Arc' is live, revealing a global lineup of assassins setting their sights on Denji — unveiled at the studio's 15th-anniversary showcase.
Capcom Pulls Dragon's Dogma 2's Hated Microtransactions Ahead of Dark Arisen Expansion
Capcom is removing Dragon's Dogma 2's notorious paid items, including the fast-travel Ferrystone, as it announces the Dark Arisen expansion at the June 9 Nintendo Direct.
Anthropic Expands 'Project Glasswing' — Early Access to Claude Mythos Preview Reaches 15+ Countries
Anthropic is scaling its restricted early-access program for Claude Mythos Preview—an AI with an unusual talent for finding software vulnerabilities—from roughly 50 partners to around 150 across more
Nissin Drops Cold Ramen with Hokkaido Scallop Dashi for Japan's Sweltering Summer
Nissin's Raoh bagged noodle line debuts a cold scallop-dashi shio ramen on June 1, 2026 — broth made with cold water, no stove required.
Nintendo Asks Suppliers to Build 20 Million Switch 2 Units by March 2027
Nintendo has reportedly asked partners and suppliers to assemble roughly 20 million Switch 2 consoles by March 2027, about 20% above its public 16.5 million forecast.
Anthropic Rejects Chinese Think Tank's Request for Access to Powerful 'Claude Mythos Preview' AI
Anthropic declined a Chinese government-linked think tank's request for access to Claude Mythos Preview, a restricted AI model with high cyber-offensive capabilities revealed in April 2026.
Diagnose Your Controller's Drift in Seconds With ControllerTest.io
A free web app lets PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox owners visualize analog stick drift directly in the browser—no software install required.
Anime Film 'The Irregular at Magic High School' Takes Over 18 Highway Rest Stops Across Japan
The upcoming 'Yotsuba Succession Arc' movie launches a unique collaboration with highway service areas nationwide, featuring character displays and narration.
Anthropic's Restricted AI Model 'Claude Mythos Preview' Reportedly Accessed by Unauthorized Users
Bloomberg reports that unauthorized users have gained access to Claude Mythos Preview, an AI model Anthropic kept limited-release due to its potent cyberattack capabilities.
Re:Zero Season 4 Signs 'Sand Dune Alliance' With Tottori Prefecture
The anime's cast and Tottori's governor held a formal signing ceremony at the Tottori Sand Dunes to launch a collaboration stamp rally.
Meiji Turns Takenoko no Sato's Iconic Package Art Into a Digital Tower Residence
Snack giant Meiji is selling 300 limited 'digital properties' based on the tiny house hidden inside every Takenoko no Sato box.