Nico Nico Douga Hits 28 Million Users, Generates US$46 Million In Sales Last Quarter

Nico Nico Douga, Japan’s answer to YouTube, is still growing nicely, five years after launch. Dwango, the Tokyo-based company behind the popular service, released its financial report [PDF] for the last nine months (ending in June 2012). And according to the report, Nico Nico (the company’s most important asset) reached 28.08 million users in June.… Continue reading Nico Nico Douga Hits 28 Million Users, Generates US$46 Million In Sales Last Quarter

Your Fly Can’t Be Opened – Open Zipper Alert System

Niconico user A0 invented an alarm system for guys who tend to forget to zip up their fly, named “Chakku Shimewasure Boushi Debaisu”(device to prevent from forgetting to close your fly). http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/nm16976797 (The first one minutes explains how to make it, the demo starts around 1:00.) By this, you will notice that your fly is… Continue reading Your Fly Can’t Be Opened – Open Zipper Alert System

The First Top-Pro-vs-Computer Shogi(Japanese Chess) Match Was Won By Computer

The first top professional player vs computer Shogi(Wikipedia) match Dennousen (Battle of Cyber-King) was held at Shogi Kaikan (Japan Shogi Association building), Tokyo January 14, 2012. Kunio Yonenaga, an ex grand-master (in 1993) and a chairman of Japan Shogi Association, who retired in 2003, played against a computer program “Bonkura-s”. Although he is a retired… Continue reading The First Top-Pro-vs-Computer Shogi(Japanese Chess) Match Was Won By Computer

5 Trends In Japan’s Web And Mobile Worlds In 2011

2011 is over – reason enough to take a look at some of the key trends that shaped Japan’s web, mobile, and gaming industries last year. I could think, in no particular order, of five major developments that made a significant impact last year: March 11 Triple Disaster The triple disaster that hit Japan on… Continue reading 5 Trends In Japan’s Web And Mobile Worlds In 2011

Nico Nico Douga Hits 1.5 Million Paid Subscribers

Japanese online video sharing service Nico Nico Douga has got 1.5 million paid subscribers on January 3, 2012. Nico Nico Douga, with its unique overlay user-generated comments, is known by users’ videos, but recently it airs programs from TV and movie as well both in free and paid channels. Nico Nico Premium Membership costs 525… Continue reading Nico Nico Douga Hits 1.5 Million Paid Subscribers

Japan Gets Its Own YouTube Movie Rental Service

So far, only YouTube users from Canada, the US and (since October) the UK were able to rent movies, but yesterday, Japan has finally been added to the list, too (the country is the second biggest market for movies in the world). Youtube users in Japan can initially stream content from a total of five… Continue reading Japan Gets Its Own YouTube Movie Rental Service

Lawson Makes Its Character Girl Be Vocaloid

Japan’s 2nd biggest convenience chain-store Lawson makes its image character girl ‘Akiko-chan’ transformed to Vocaloid, Yamaha’s artificial voice synthesizer brand well-known by used for a popular virtual singer Hatsune Miku. The official Lawson-channel [J] is made on Nico Nico Douga. via ITMedia See Also: Asiajin » Japanese Virtual Diva Hatsune Miku First US Tour In… Continue reading Lawson Makes Its Character Girl Be Vocaloid

Moymoypalaboy Everybody Copied By MMD. So WTF Is MMD?

Moymoypalaboy’s Everybody (Backstreet Boys) is a popular user generated movie played about 3 million times on YouTube. Then what is this movie rapidly adding its played count? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-287ehU1U4 From the Japanese title “【MMD】 「顔芸担当」 × 「エアボ兄弟」 でEVERYBODY 【オリジナル】” “[MMD][Kaogei Tantou]x[Eabo Kyodai] de EVERYBODY [Original]”, which shows the left side movie is made by MMD =… Continue reading Moymoypalaboy Everybody Copied By MMD. So WTF Is MMD?

Hulu Japan Starts – First International Extension

Hulu established its Tokyo subsidiary on August 10. On the announcement, the service launch in Japan was told “later this year”, but it seems they are speeding up. It took only 3 weeks for Japanese version launch. Hulu’s English official blog tells the launch both in English and Japanese today, August 31st in US time,… Continue reading Hulu Japan Starts – First International Extension