Big in Japan: Can’t get a girlfriend? Buy a robot!

by Matthew Firestone on

Love is hard – in any language – but you shouldn’t let your search for Mr. / Mrs. Right get you down. After all, if you’re having problems finding someone of the same species who understands you completely and intimately, perhaps it’s time to start looking elsewhere…

Last week, Sega announced that they will soon start selling EMA, a 15 inch tall robotic girlfriend that kisses on command. Aimed at a target market of lonely adult men, the robotic lover will hit stores this September, and will retail for around US$175.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – EMA isn’t exactly a cheap date, and with that kind of dough, you could easily hit the bar and club scene in search of a potential mate. But, as Sega is quick to point out to potential buyers, EMA is very sweet, petite, stacked where it counts and runs on batteries.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering what exactly EMA stands for, it’s actually an acronym for ‘Eternal Maiden Actualization.’ Right.

So, assuming you’re still with me, I guess you’re wondering what exactly EMA does. Well, perhaps it’s best to let Minako Sakanoue, the Sega spokewoman, answer for me.

“Strong, tough and battle-ready are some of the words often associated with robots, but we wanted to break that stereotype and provide a robot that’s sweet and interactive. She’s very lovable and though she’s not a human, she can act like a real girlfriend.”

Well while EMA can’t exactly engage you in deep and philosophical conversation or stand by your side for a night out on the town, she can love you nevertheless. Using state of the art infrared sensors, EMA can pucker up her lips and give kisses to her human masters. Just for the record, this is what EMA’s designers call her “love mode.”

Believe it or not, the fun doesn’t stop there! EMA can also serve as your busty personal assistant. If you’re entertaining clients, she can hand out business cards, sing, dance and flirt with the best of them.

Seem ridiculous? Perhaps. But, Sega expects to sell more than ten thousand EMA robots in the first year alone, and we can only imagine what Version 2.0 is going to be able to do!

On a serious note, robotics in Japan isn’t to be taken lightly, especially since the country produces nearly half of the world’s industrial robots. The country is also one of the leaders in artificial intelligence, a multi-billion dollar industry that is likely to transform the world in the years to come.

So, while sex bots like EMA might not exactly free our species from the trials and tribulations of love and lust, it’s still an impressive achievement. And don’t worry ladies – Sega has already announced plans for Hubby bots to keep lonely women comfortable at night (^_^)

** Special thanks to my cousin Stew for digging up this little gem of an article **

I Survived a Japanese Game Show starts tonight

by Jamie Rhein on

There’s a new reality TV show that starts on ABC tonight. It could either be really funny or absolutely awful. I Survived a Japanese Game Show took 10 contestants–six women and four men– to Japan where they competed in some sort of wacky game show called Majide in front of a Japanese audience.

Not only do the contestants compete in the game show, they are immersed in aspects of Japanese culture they didn’t quite expect. The reason they didn’t expect it is because when they showed up a the studio to participate in a reality television show, they didn’t know what the show involved. Nothing. Nada. Next thing, Japan.

I saw a preview last night and admittedly, I was laughing out loud. Okay, here’s the thing. I thought The Three Amigos was funny and loved Joe VS. The Volcano. I amuse fairly easily, although Abha, I promise, I wouldn’t think The Love Guru is at all amusing.

I do love the idea of putting people in cultural situations they are not quite sure about as long as the culture isn’t demeaned and the people in the situation aren’t elevated in stature. In this case, I’d say the Americans have plenty of opportunity to look fairly ridiculous.

Here’s one contest, for example. In the “Chicken Butt Scramble,” contestants dress up like chickens and try to break large “eggs” filled with goo by sitting on them and bouncing hard. It’s not easy.

As the weeks progress, contestants will be eliminated until the last person wins $250,000.

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The game-show host, Rome Kanda is a Japanese-born actor/comedian who lives in the United States and is paired with Tony Sano, an American actor who speaks fluent Japanese.

Yes, yes, the show does sound pretty mindless and why not read a good book instead? I don’t know about you, but June has been a fairly busy, stressful month. I could use a few guffaws. I hope I’m not disappointed and disgusted.

Here’s a trailer.

“I Survived a Japanese Game Show” airs Tuesdays on ABC at 9 p.m. EST. Let’s see if Hollywood gets it right with this one. I’ll give you my impressions tomorrow.

Gadling Take Five: Week of June 14-June 20

by Jamie Rhein on

Food was once again on our minds here at Gadling. Actually, a lot was on our minds, but almost everyone had something to say about food.

  • Grant wanted to know if you could eat what Andrew Zimmern eats on Bizarre Foods. Grant couldn’t. I’m not particularly fond of intestines either.
  • Matthew told us what foods to avoid in Japan.
  • Erik told us how to not lose food because of motion-sickness.
  • Iva told us how the Chinese are renaming their food so we don’t get sick from the names.
  • And, Kelsey reminded us to ask for the bill in a restaurant in Mexico so after you’ve eaten, you can pay.

Oh, and one more. If you’re around Heather in the galley of an airplane, keep your hands out of those lemons!

Big in Japan: 5 Japanese foods you might want to avoid

by Matthew Firestone on

Today’s edition of Big in Japan is brought to you by Shane Sakata, who writes The Tokyo Traveler, a great blog about things to do and see in the city of Tokyo.

Japanese cuisine is known the world over for its exquisite preparation and beautiful presentation of seasonal ingredients. Most visitors to Japan cannot wait to get a taste of ‘real’ Japanese food, such as fresh sashimi and sushi or delicate shrimp and vegetable tempura. And, truth be told, these dishes just seem to taste better in Japan!

However, it’s worth pointing out that the Japanese are adventurous eaters, and their love of food extends far beyond sushi and tempura. In fact, some dishes that are considered delicacies in Japan aren’t exactly popular menu items in the West. Internal organs like the heart and intestines are commonly served, and eating the flesh from a fish head with an eye staring straight at you is somewhat disconcerting, but not at all uncommon.

So just how ‘real’ do you want to get in your exploration of Japanese food? Here are 5 of the more bizarre foods that you might want to avoid while traveling in Japan.

Natto (納豆) is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans that has a distinctive aroma (it smells like rotten cheese), a strong flavor (it tastes liked aged gym socks) and a sticky consistency. However, it is also a low calorie, protein rich food that researchers attribute many health benefits ranging from cancer prevention to improving heart health and promoting the reversal of hair loss.

Tako-no-shokushu (たこの触手) Animal lovers beware – this dish starts when a tentacle is severed from a live octopus and the arm is cauterized. After a quick dip in soy sauce, you pop the squirming live tentacle into your mouth and start chewing. If you don’t chew it quickly enough, the sucker will latch onto the roof of your mouth, and it will take a swig of beer and a well-applied chopstick to pry it off.

Fugu (ふぐ) Perhaps the most famous dish in Japan, the potentially lethal blowfish is dissected by a specially trained chef to remove all traces of tetrodotoxin before the raw meat is served. Of course, an incredible amount of time and preparation is needed as one errant flick of the chef’s knife can leave behind enough of the poison to slowly paralyze your entire body while you remain completely conscious of your impending doom.

Tori-sashimi (鳥刺身) This gag-inducing dish is quite simply sliced raw chicken served with green onion and a special dipping sauce. Although relatively tasteless, this dish is prepared by specially licensed chefs, and is considered a delicacy in Japan. If you can get over your fears of hospitalization due to a rough case of salmonella poisoning, then go ahead and give this one a try.

Basashi (馬刺) Thinly sliced raw horse meat is served with a dipping sauce made of soy, garlic, ginger and green onions. While it’s difficult for most people from North America to wrap their head around eating a barnyard favorite, this chewy dish is not that uncommon in Japan, and is actually quite nice if you convince yourself that you’re eating beef (which you’re not).

If you are ready to get ‘real’ in your exploration of Japanese food, then try out these 5 dishes – you’ll have some great stories to tell!

Be sure to check out more of Shane’s writing at The Tokyo Traveler, which today features an interview with Matt ‘Big in Japan’ Firestone.

Big in Japan: A night out at Tokyo’s jazz clubs

by Matthew Firestone on

While first timers on the Tokyo night scene can’t seem to get enough of Roppongi and Shibuya, at some point the binge drinking and skirt-chasing has to stop. So, if you’re looking for a slightly more sophisticated night out on the town, here’s a quick introduction to Tokyo’s blossoming jazz scene…

Jazz is an American musical art form that originated in the early 20th century in the southern United States. A confluence of African and European music traditions, jazz erupted on the scene, launching successive generations of iconic performers from Louis Armstrong to Wynton Marsalis.

Although you may be surprised to hear this, jazz in Japan actually has a long history dating back to the 1920s. While American soldiers where occupying the nearby Philippines, jazz performers started touring the dance halls of Japan, particularly in Osaka, Yokohama, and Kobe. However, jazz was subsequently banned in Japan during World War II due to its overwhelming “Americanness,” though it had strong resurgence during the post-war years.

Given this lengthy history, it’s no wonder that jazz continues to thrive in Tokyo’s night spots. While there is no shortage of underground clubs and small bars where you can hear live music, today’s column is about the big hitters on the Tokyo jazz scene, namely the Cotton Club and the Blue Note.

Perhaps the most famous jazz club in the history of the movement, the Cotton Club in New York City’s Harlem operated during Prohibition, and featured some of the greatest American entertainers of the era including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and many more.

Since 2005, Tokyo’s installment of this American classic has been attracting some of the finest domestic and international jazz sensations. The ballroom at the Cotton Club is also a nostalgic throwback to the original Harlem theatre, though the expansive dining menu featuring such items as ‘Braised Abalone and Cabbage in Yuzu Flavor’ is decidedly Japanese. With that said, you can always get a highball of fine Kentucky bourbon if you suddenly feel nostalgic for a bit of Americana.

While not as historically significant as the Cotton Club, the Blue Note in NYC’s Greenwich Village first opened in 1981, and is today regarded as one of top jazz venues in the world. The Blue Note has also been site of several live recordings, including The Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio Live at the Blue Note, Arturo Sandoval’s Live at the Blue Note and Jose Feliciano – Live at the Blue Note.

Tokyo’s highly-acclaimed installment of the Blue Note opened to rave revues in 1988, and continues to attract some of the world’s most famous jazz performers. The auditorium itself is an Art Deco-influenced minimalist space of richly hued woods and pale blue hues, while the menu features an eclectic assortment of Japanese and European classics from foie-gras terrine to bamboo shoot salad. Of course, jazz is music is best appreciated over a martini glass filled to the brim with a potent brew.

Both the Cotton Club and the Blue Note certainly aren’t cheap nights out, though they offer a nice change of scene from the Tokyo club circuit. Besides, we all need to grow up sooner or later!

The Cotton Club is located near the South Marunouchi exit of Tokyo station. For more information, check out their website at www.cottonclubjapan.co.jp or contact them at +81-3-3215-1555.

The Blue Note is located near the B3 exit of Omotesandou Station. For more information, check out their website at www.bluenote.co.jp or contact them at +81-3-5485-0088.