Even if you’re more of a dog person, there’s no denying that neko-mimi have a cuteness all of their own. Knowing this, the creative folks over at Axent Wear, an independent startup now just weeks away from launching a Kickstarter campaign, are hoping to bring cat ears into consumers’ lives in a way that is both cute and functional with a product that’s sure to put a smile on your face and spring in your step.

Introducing: Axent Wear cat-ear headphones.

Currently still a prototype, these unique headphones are designed to introduce a little extra style and individuality to typical headwear. Featuring chunky over-ear cans, headband-mounted ear-shaped speakers and brightly coloured LEDs, these headphones are sure to attract a lot of attention when worn in public, and when they do you’ll be able to share your tunes with a mere flick of a switch.

▼ The prototype really is the cat’s meow. Or should that be mimi?

Facebook – Axent Wear

Formed by Berkeley graduates Wenqing ‘Yuumei’ Yan and Victoria Hu, Axent Wear came into being when a sketch Wenqing drew back in 2009 received an enormous amount of positive feedback online. Inspired by the comments and excitement the picture generated, Wenqing and her friend set out to make the headphones a reality.

Though we’re still a little way from being able to slip on a pair of these musical mimi for ourselves, Axent Wear is set to launch a Kickstarter campaign and take preorders sometime in the next couple of months, and with their Facebook page having already received over 50,000 likes, chances are it’ll be a huge success.

Details about available styles are still thin on the ground at this stage, but judging from their stylish concept images, Axent Wear can be relied on to make a product that looks as good as it promises to sound.

AxentWear.com

AxentWear.com

AxentWear.com

For more information and to get a heads-up as soon as the crowd-funding campaign goes live, sign up at Axent Wear’s homepage . Alternatively, you can leave questions, comments and feedback on Tumblr or Facebook .

Source: AxentWear.com
Feature image: Helen H  – Axent Wear

Calling all anime enthusiasts and obsessive collectors! Today we have a very special announcement that will put a big smile on your face and have you doing flappy hands like a sugar-rushing toddler in a toy shop. Thanks to the good people at Stone Bridge Press, we have one hardback and three electronic copies of the incredible The Anime Encyclopedia 3rd Revised Edition to give away!

Join us after the jump to find out how to make this book your own.

It’s been called “impressive”, “exhaustive”, and even “labyrinthine”, but when our copy of The Anime Encyclopedia 3rd Revised Edition arrived in the office, the first words to come out of our mouths were: “That’s frickin’ huge.”

Think we’re exaggerating? Here’s the book alongside a previous edition:

▼ Ahem.

▼ Brain-addling levels of information – all cross-referenced and lovingly written.

Containing over a millions words spanning 1,160 pages and with a street value of US$120, The Anime Encyclopedia 3rd Revised Edition does not cut any corners. By far the most exhaustive collection of anime listings we’ve ever seen, all presented in a style that makes other reference books feel like a field trip to the box factory, this compendium is as informative as it is impressive to behold.

And, because we love you, we begged the folks at Stone Bridge Press to give us four copies (one hardback, three electronic) to give away for free. That’s right, gratis. A grand total of zero yennies to pay.

To be in with a chance of winning either the hardback book or an electronic copy, follow these four simple steps:

– Step 1. This is a big – nay, gargantuan – book, so show us how deserving of it you are by taking a photo of yourself surrounded by your equally epic anime and merch collection. Don’t be afraid to get creative – size matters to a point, but we also want to see some ingenuity here so show us what you’ve got! (Unless it’s your junk – no one wants to see that.) If you’re especially shy then it’s OK to disguise yourself somehow or hide your face with something anime-related like in the example pic below, but make sure you’re in the photo too.

– Step 2. Like and follow RocketNews24 on Facebook . (Why you wouldn’t have done this already, we don’t know. Maybe you hate us?)

– Step 3. Send us a message via our Facebook page and attach your entry photo. Clearly label your message “Anime Encyclopedia Giveaway” so we can spot it amidst all the spam and Mr Sato fan mail we get.

– Step 4. Think happy thoughts, send Stone Bridge Press some good vibes, and await the announcement of the winners at the end of next week.

Wait! Before you run off to shape your eyebrows and arrange your various anime goods in an aesthetically pleasing manner, take a minute to read the rules.

– The Rules –

1. Only one entry per person.
2. Feel free to write us a little message along with your photo, but please attach only one pic with your message. Multiple pics will go in the bin.
3. Contest closes at 09:00am (JST) on Thursday, June 11. Any entries arriving after that won’t be eligible, sorry.
4. By submitting a photo, you are also giving RocketNews24 permission to publish it, along with your name, on our website and social media platforms when announcing the winners.
5. To be in with a chance of winning a hardback copy of the book, you MUST live in the US, or at the very least have a US postal address to which the book can be mailed. Sorry, guys and girls, but this book is just so huge that it’d cost a small fortune to ship it overseas.
6. No cash alternatives, be kind to animals, yada yada yada.

The winners will be contacted directly via Facebook, at which point we’ll need to ask for a contact email address (for winners of the digital copies) and/or a postal address (for the winner of the hardback book).

OK, you’ve read the rules and know what to do, so get cracking! Good luck!

After months of speculation as to when the Xbox One will become available to gamers, Microsoft has just announced the release date of the much-anticipated console. Finally.

While Sony announced back in mid-August the exact day PlayStation fans could expect to get their hands on a PS4 ( November 15 in North America and November 29 in Europe ), Microsoft took their sweet time satiating the curiosity of Xbox fans hungry to touch that newly designed controller.

Well, the wait is finally over, folks! Microsoft’s next-gen console will be released on November 22 in North America, the UK, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, and Spain. That means the Xbox One will be out a week earlier than the PS4 for gamers in Europe, but a week later for those in North America. It’s like a Xbox One sandwich made with PS4 bread!

Still no word on a release date for the Xbox One in Japan…or for the PS4 for that matter. The land of Sony will have to wait at least until September 9 for any hope of a release date for either console.

On rainy days, especially in Asia, a dozen or so umbrellas can be seen sitting outside of stores and other buildings. For thieves or people with momentary rain-soaked lapses in conscience it the perfect chance to get a free bumbershoot.

To combat this we have the Lizard Umbrella – a 2012 Red Dot Design Award-winning concept by inventors Kim Seokhui, Kim Seongjin and Kim Dasol.

The Lizard Umbrella is totally simple and yet absolute genius: the handle of the umbrella detaches from the rest of it with the push of a button. This way when you leave your umbrella outside a shop it looks broken, causing sticky fingers to go for another’s brolly.

The handle also acts like a karabiner that clips onto your belt or purse while you do your business.

By now you might be thinking; “What if everyone uses Lizard Umbrellas?” For that the handles are also custom fitted to each umbrella like a key is to a lock. This prevents you from picking up someone else’s parasol.

While it’s not going to change the world, anyone who’s felt the depression of having their umbrella stolen on a rainy day can feel just that much more secure.

Source: red dot (English) via Gizmodo (Japanese)

Ahhh, cats! Also called “Internet fuel” by those in the know (i.e. no one), our furry feline friends are objects of affection both online and “In Real Life,” as the kids say.

Though you probably won’t be able to hit every one of the entries this year, we’ve found a list of 15 “cat spots” that may soon shoot to the top of your bucket list. Not only are these places a veritable cornucopia of adorableness, they’re all great tourist destinations too!

Get ready to say “awwww!”

Asia

Cat Flower Garden, Taiwan

This picture is from Taiwan’s “Cat Flower Garden” cafe—the world’s original cat cafe (opened in 1998)! While people usually think of Japan when they think of cat cafes, the first in Japan was actually established in 2004.

I Tien Palace, Taiwan

This is from another Taiwanese cat spot in New Taipei, the Taoist temple I Tien Palace. Check out a website featuring the palace here (Warning! Music plays automatically. Also, it’s in Chinese.) Numerous cats live in and around the temple, which is insanely beautiful itself .

Luang Prabang, Laos

These sleepy fellows are from Luang Prabang, Laos, where cats tend to congregate at open-air restaurants and cafeterias. The photographer notes that while cats in Bangkok have “strange” faces, these were basically the same as those seen in Japan. There are so many of the creatures in the area that many call it a kind of “cat heaven.”

Wat Arun, Thailand

Our next feline is from the Buddhist temple Wat Arun in Bangkok, Thailand. It seems that Thailand has a lot of cats, especially at temples, since they prohibit the taking of life. The cats living at the temple eat their meals next to the statues of Buddha.

Royal Cat Park in Thailand

This large-eared kitty is from the Royal Cat Park in Thailand. Yes, “royal!” The cat pictured is a Khao Manee, which means “white jewel,” and its fur is, indeed, all white. The Khao Manee also all have the distinct differently-colored eyes and have been in the care of the Royal Thai family for over a century and a half.

Europe/Africa

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey seems to really like kitties. Stores—not just food places like cafes, but anything from general stores to music shops—place food bowls outside for the felines. If you ask your friends to bring you back some cat pictures, you’ll practically drown in the deluge.

Marrakesh, Morocco

Marrakesh, Morocco, it turns out, is as much a cat country as Turkey is. Cats have traditionally been seen as mouse-catching companions and are often seen lazing next to working people throughout the day.

Meteora, Greece

While Greece is known for having many cats, Meteora, a World Heritage site, has a particularly large number of them. Scattered around the monasteries, the cats sit blithely in peace, giving hardly any notice to passing humans. Maybe they’re taking their cue from Diogenes of Sinope , the ancient Greek philosopher.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia has been the model for many movie settings, including Kiki’s Delivery Service , so you might have already wanted to check it out. If so, having an abundance of kitties is just icing on the cake!

State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia

While a museum might not seem like the best (or even an okay) place for cats to live, the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia happily accommodates the furry cuties . Apparently, the cats were originally introduced, under orders from Elizabeth of Russia, to keep mice and rats under control. The cats were brought to St. Petersburg from Kazan—a journey of around 1,500 kilometers (or about 932 miles)!

Ypres, Belgium

And here’s something not quite entirely different: the cat festival “Kattenstoet” in Ypres, Belgium! Held on the second Sunday of May only every three years, this festival is basically a parade where people dress as cats or old-fashioned townspeople. We’re not sure how many real cats are around, and, as one commenter noted, there’s just something…creepy about it.

Central America

Roatan, Honduras

Roatan, Honduras, situated in the Caribbean Sea, is probably best known as a gorgeous tourist destination for all things beach related. Happily enough, they also have tons of cats! One traveler went so far as to say that the cats practically ran the 60-kilometer-long island.

Valparaiso, Chile

Heading west, we find ourselves in Valparaiso, Chile, another World Heritage site. Known for hills and fishing, the city provides travelers with numerous cafes and restaurants covered in lazy, relaxing cats. Beautiful scenery is just that much better with a whisker-faced friend, right?

Havana, Cuba

The felines of Havana, Cuba were featured in Iwago Mitsuaki’s World Cat Travelogue, an NHK documentary show filmed by the animal-loving photographer Iwago Mitsuaki (naturally). The country has a relatively good medical system and a wonderful atmosphere, making it the perfect place for cats and cat lovers.

Perquin, El Salvador

Finally, there’s a hotel in Perquin, El Salvador by the name of Mama Toya. They have so many kitties they just randomly appear in your hands when you’re walking to your room! [citation needed]

And that’s it for your daily dose of cute kitties! Now go take your vitamins.

Source: Matome Naver

At an event marking the 15^th anniversary of the original Digimon Adventure series in Odaiba, Tokyo on 1 August, an announcement was made declaring a brand new chapter in the human-monster buddy saga will bring back the original characters.

Along with the announcement came a special anniversary website with some Digi-Eggs containing details of the new series. However, no matter how much you rubbed those suckers nothing came out – until now.

The hatchling information included a brief rundown of the staff and a first look at all eight of the DigiDestined more evolved…I mean grown up.

First, the title of the new series was announced as Digimon Adventure tri. The story will continue from where Digimon Adventure 02 left off but a few years later. Tai Kamiya (Taichi Yagami) is now a 17-year-old high school student and the rest of the DigiDestined Matt Ishida (Yamato Ishida), Sora Takenouchi, Izzy Izumi (Koshiro Izumi), Mimi Tachikawa, Joe Kido (Jo Kido), T.K. Takaishi (Takeru Takaishi), and Kari Kamiya (Hikari Yagami) have all aged appropriately.

Also revealed were three of the names behind Digimon Adventure tri. Character design will be done by Atsuya Uki (Cencoroll, Oreimo). The series will be directed by Keitaro Motonaga (Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down, Date a Live), and developed by Yuko Kakihara (Stitch!, Persona 4: The Animation).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pga10PD_u6k&w=580&h=357]

More info is likely to trickle out of those Digi-Eggs in the months leading up to April 2015 when Digimon Adventure tri hits the airwaves, so make sure to stop by the 15^th Anniverary Project website every once in a while to give them some nade-nade rubs.

Source: Digimon Adventure 15^th Anniversary Project (Japanese/English) via NetLab , Twitter (Japanese)
Video: YouTube – TOEI Animation

If you were just looking at the clock and smiling because you’ve reached the end of your workweek, but have since switched to frowning and looking at the Tokyo weather report (clouds or rain all week long), cheer up, because it just so happens there’s a great indoor event going on.

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2015 kicked off earlier this week, and until June 14 will be showcasing the works of talented short film makers from around the globe at venues in Tokyo and Yokohama. Best of all, admission is free, and today we’re taking a peek at some of the festival’s amazing computer animated shorts that are screening this weekend.

Serving as judges for the event’s CG film category are Tomoyuki Sugiyama (president of Digital Hollywood University (which also served as host the recent special lecture we attended by anime sound director Kazuhiro Wakabayashi ), Seiji Mizushima (director of CG anime film Expelled from Paradise), and Takashi Yamazaki (director of Stand By Me Doraemon).

The CG Animation screenings are divided into two blocks. Included among the 11 works in CG Animation Program A are Light Motif from France’s Frederic Bonpapa…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWyRt_GYViI&w=580&h=357]

…and the ominous Somewhere Down the Line, from Irish filmmaker Julien Regnard.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sageb0hPpBU&w=580&h=357]

CG Animation Program B, meanwhile, is a lineup of 12 shorts, among which are Taiwanese animator WeiXiu Wang’s uplifting First Launch…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtBwvnjk1fs&w=580&h=357]

…and Japanese director Yuta Sukegawa’s soothing Drifting Cloud.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1xL4snElkg&w=580&h=357]

On Saturday, June 6, the CG B Program will be shown at Omotesando Hills Space O in Tokyo’s Harajuku, and the CG A Program will be shown Monday, June 8 at the Brillia Short Shorts Theater in Yokohama’s Minato Mirai district. If you can’t make either of those, the A Program will also screen Saturday, June 13 at the iTSCOM Studio & Hall in Tokyo’s Futakotamagawa, and the same venue will host the B Program the following day, June 14.

While admission is free, you will need to reserve tickets here through the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2015 website (you’ll also find the complete program schedule here and venue information here ). You can reserve up to two tickets at a time, so grab a movie-loving friend or date and take shelter from the rain while enjoying the latest offerings from this up-and-coming group of computer animators.

Related: Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2015 official website , CG Animation Program A full listing , CG Animation Program B full listing
Top image: Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2015

If you spend a lot of time on the internet, like all of the RocketNews24 team does, then you can’t help but notice when a new “do this stupid thing” challenge starts going aroud. Whether it involves chugging cinnamon, blowing up your lips, or scarfing hot peppers, it’s all pretty silly stuff that normally we’re way too sophisticated to have a go at.

But something about the “hold a coke with your boobs” challenge captivated the attention of our Japanese writer P.K. So much, in fact, that he decided to have a go for himself! Warning, this post is potentially NSFW for everyone who doesn’t work in the RN24 office!

First, let’s go over the finer points of the challenge. First, you hold a bottle of coke with your boobs, then…well, that’s pretty much it. No one said this was a particularly challenging challenge.

Despite not possessing a full set of female boobies, our guy P.K. was nonetheless optimistic about his chances of pulling the trick off. “What I lack in boobage I make up for with courage!” he claimed as he grabbed a bottle of coke and set about flexing his pectorals as a warm-up.

▼ Hunnnnnnnnng!

Next, he tried to squeeze his chesty region around the coke bottle. “Oww, it hurts!” he yelled as his fellow writers looked on.

Finally, he managed to get the bottle wedged between each nipple with the help of a lot of hand work.

▼ Success!

▼ The ultimate test – can he drink the coke like that?

Guys, why let the ladies have all the fun? Do like P.K. and put your chest to the test!

All images © RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]

Not so long ago, being a Japanese idol singer was purely a domestic gig, with even the biggest stars of the genre remaining more or less unknown outside their home country. But thanks to the spread of Japanese pop culture around the world over the last decade and a half, that’s not really the case anymore. These days, it’s not uncommon for J-pop idols, especially those with an anime connection to boost their foreign exposure, to make appearances overseas.

Now, in a case of animated art imitating life, the high school idols of Love Love!, Japan’s biggest current idol anime hit, will be heading abroad as the upcoming Love Live! theatrical feature has been announced for international release.

It’s been almost a year since Love Live! wrapped up its second 13-episode TV season. The franchise hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, though, as fans still continue to buy merchandise and turn out in droves for related events, including this month’s Love Live!-endorsed Kanda Matsuri festival .

Still, it’s been a long time since fans have had any new anime to watch in the saga of the animated would-be teen idols. Their patience is about to be rewarded on June 13 with the opening of the franchise’s first theatrical feature, Love Live! The School Idol Movie, across Japan.

When licensed for overseas release, many anime movies go straight to Blu-ray or DVD, and even when a theatrical run is in the cards, it often comes far after the one in Japan. For example, Studio Ghibli’s latest film, When Marnie Was There, came out in Japan last summer but is only now arriving at theaters in the U.S.

So the international community of Love Livers, as Love Live! fans have taken to calling themselves, will be happy to know that their wait will be far shorter, as Love Live! The School Idol Movie’s, website has been updated with release dates for 13 territories outside Japan starting as early as August.

▼ Promotional image for the Love Live! movie

Currently, the official list of overseas premiers and dates is:

Australia (September)
Bruenei (Early October)
Hong Kong (August 6)
Indonesia (October 21)
Korea (early August)
Malaysia (October 1)
New Zealand (September)
Philippines (October 1)
Singapore (October 8)
Taiwan (early August)
Thailand (late August)
U.S.A. (September 12)
Vietnam (Early October)

To celebrate, Emi Nitta, voice actress of Love Live! character Honoka Kosaka, recorded this special message for foreign fans.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fqQbbxRzy4&w=580&h=357]

According to the website, Australian screenings are currently planned for Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney, and venues in Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand. The U.S. release will be handled NIS America, which previously licensed the Love Live! TV series, with showings expected in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. And while American Love Livers are no doubt disappointed that they’ll have to wait a few weeks more than their counterparts in Asia to see the movie, you have to admit that it’s appropriate timing to premiere Love Live! The School Idol Movie just about the time summer vacation ends.

Related: Love Live! The School Idol Movie Countdown Website
Sources: Inside Games via Jin , Love Live! official website
Top image: Love Live! official website
Insert image: Love Live! official website

When looking at a map, many people may often use their own country as a standard by comparing it with the geographic features and locations of other countries. The Japanese, however, have gone an extra step and created a map that uses their own country as a standard for the world itself.

The Japan archipelago is composed of the four main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, as well as thousands of smaller islands, including Okinawa. The map you see above was made by rearranging the location of the various islands and adjusting their sizes to look like a map of the world.

This transforms Honshu into the Americas, Kyushu into Eurasia, Hokkaido into Africa and Shikoku into Australia. Okinawa assumes the role of New Zealand, and Sado Island fills the position of the British Isles.

The pieces fit together well enough that one could make a rather convincing WWII propaganda poster. Indeed, even more startling than the degree of ingenuity undoubtedly used to piece together this map is the fact that the world’s authorities on geography have gone oblivious to this revelation for so long.

Incidentally, according to this map, the RocketNews 24 editorial staff ends up somewhere in Northern Quebec, while this translator finds himself somewhere in the Southeast of the United States, near the land-bridge that seems to have formed in the unseemly fusion of Florida and Brazil.

So, where did you fall in the formation of this Japangaea?

Translator: Steven

Rather than being the next Pokémon Master, fans can now become the next Pokémon Monopoly millionaire.

In February, USAopoly, a company that sells special versions of popular board games, announced their newest projects, Pokémon Monopoly and The Legend of Zelda Monopoly at the 2014 American International Toy Fair.

Both board games are set to be release in September with a retail price of around $45. As of now, the only other information given about the board games is that Pokémon Monopoly will be set in the Kanto Region.

This isn’t the first time Nintendo and Monopoly collaborated. In 2006, USAopoly created Nintendo Collector’s Edition Monopoly ($40).

Also, Monopoly isn’t the only board game coming out with new editions this year. The board game, Connect 4: Super Mario is coming out this spring for $24.95.

[Via nintendolife and technologytell ]

More from Anime News Network

• Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises Earns US$871,000 in 3rd U.S. Weekend
• Japan’s Animation TV Ranking: February 24-March 2
• Rock Band Flumpool Performs Captain Earth’s Opening Song

Cats are continuing to charm the world with their cute kitty ways! This set of moving images is a perfect window into the feline world: from the gorgeous cat massage above to playtimes in boxes and first-time encounters, our furry friends know how to fill their days with mischief and fun.

This cute GIF collection has been mesmerising netizens in Japan this week, so we felt it only fair to share. Their comments, too, are again benefiting the western world by giving us the best kind of Japanese lesson available: language learning with cats. Study time never looked so good!

ずるい zurui sly, sneaky, cunning

Kitten’s first zurui attempt. Better luck next time kitty!

猫ガンダム neko gandamu Neko Gundam

Is it a cat? Is it a box? No! It’s Neko Gundam!

肉球nikukyuu paw pads

Look! Kitty’s saying hello with nikukyuu!

ぴょんぴょん pyon pyon hop, skip (onomatopoeia)

Wooden floors make me pyon pyon!

不自然 fushizen unnatural

You can’t fit in there! That’s fushizen!

撫でる naderu to pat

Don’t freak out; I just gotta naderu your glossy black fur…

戦かう tatakau wage a war; to fight or battle

Cat vs Cage: tatakau!

飛び上がる tobiagaru to jump up, fly up

Look at the tobiagaru! That cat’s toast!

持ち帰り mochikaeri takeout

Watch out! It’s a mochikaeri cat!

抱きしめる dakishimeru hold someone tight

Shhh … mama will dakishemeru you and make it all better.

取りつかれている toritsukarete iru possessed by spirits

He’s not toritsukarete iru. He’s just clever!

化け猫のじゅつ bakeneko no jutsu the technique of a cat with magical powers

When you’re backed into a corner it’s time to pull out the advanced bakeneko no jutsu

必殺技コンボ hissatsuwaza konbo special move combo

Wall and cushion retreat hissatsuwaza konbo!

愛くるしい aikurushii charming

Kitty’s first ear scratch! Aikurushii!

可愛らしい kawairashii lovely

What could be more kawairashii than a cat-in-a-box?

猫背 nekoze hunchback (lit. cat’s back)

This nekoze is like a Michael Jackson dance move!

好奇心は猫をも殺す koukishin wa neko wo mokorosu curiosity killed the cat

Thank goodness they’ve got nine lives!

Source: Hamusuta Sokuhou