You might remember the On The Roofs duo from last February when they ventured to trespass and scale the world’s second highest skyscraper, Shanghai Tower. They then uploaded videos for our entertainment – that is, if your idea of entertainment includes watching young guys in imminent danger of falling 632m (2,073-ft) to their death.

The Russian duo of Vadim Makhorov and Vitaliy Raskalov are back again with a new, slightly less nausea-inducing video, “What’s up Hong Kong?” The now renowned rooftop photographers headed a four-man party on their recent visit to Hong Kong, specifically, to the China Online Centre building in the Wan Chai area. But, this time they added a new challenge to their trespassing antics.

Their goal here wasn’t just taking photos from the skyscraper like usual, but instead they wanted access to what is on top of the building- a huge TV screen used for advertisements. The video captures every step of the way on GoPro cameras and a drone, including everything from walking around the city and buying disguises to the path they took to the top, and of course, their final accomplishment.

▼Gotta have that selfie on the roof of the China Online Centre.

After taking their obligatory selfies 200 meters in the sky, they took their criminal deeds to the next level. The group broke into the monitor control room for the giant screen and hacked into the system to upload their own video, featuring their Shanghai Tower climb, to play for the entire metropolis to see.

▼ Mission: Complete! The team hacked their way into the advertisement screen.

While breaking into skyscraper roofs isn’t really what I would call normal, how calmly and smoothly they manage it is even stranger, dare I say, impressive. Maybe they just live for the thrill.

▼ The four-man group just hanging out above Hong Kong.

So, what’s up next for On The Roofs? According to the description on YouTube, this video was recorded only hours before their flight to Tokyo. Maybe they have their sights set on Japan’s very own Tokyo Skytree! Next time you’re in Tokyo, keep your eyes peeled, you might just see the duo sitting at the top of the 634m (2,080-ft) broadcasting tower! After all, being the tallest tower in the world, how could they resist the temptation?!

Video: YouTube (on the roofs)
[ Read in Japanese ]

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Origin: Russian serial daredevils conquer a Hong Kong skyscraper, could Tokyo Skytree be next?【Video】
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Prostitution is often called the oldest job in history. While that seems like a less-than-realistic claim, it doesn’t change the fact that the sale and purchase of sex has been around for millennia and will likely continue despite the various efforts to ban it. However, that hasn’t stopped some from trying. Take, for example, a Russian politician who recently suggested that people caught with prostitutes ought to face a fine and prison term–unless they agree to marry the sex worker!

Prostitution is somewhat illegal in Russia at the moment. The Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation stipulates that engaging in prostitution carries a fine of between 1,500 and 2,000 rubles, or between about US$34 and $46. And if you’re profiting off the sex work of others–in other words, a pimp, but not in the hip-hop way–the fine is a single step up to between 2,000 and 2,500 rubles, or between $46 and $57, and a possible arrest of ten to fifteen days.

▼Legal code: More fun than a barrel of laughing monkeys!

World Intellectual Property Organization

Currently, the fines are only levied on those providing sexual services–not on the “clients,” as it were. However, one Russian politician named Olga Galkina recently proposed a new bill that would also punish the purchasers as well with fines between 50,000 and 100,000 rubles (between roughly $1,155 and $2,300) and imprisonment of between 10 and 15 days. Olga did include one “get out of jail free” option though–violators could elect to marry the prostitute instead.

As you might have imagined, Japanese Internet commenters had a lot to say:

“What an inspired idea!”
“Finally, you guys [other commenters] will have a chance at marital bliss!”
“Yes! Please do this in Japan too!”
“Wait–do the prostitutes have any rights for choosing whether or not they marry the guys??”
“Wouldn’t that be more a reward?”
“Wow! Seriously, can someone tell me how much it would cost to ship myself to Russia?”
“Why is this a punishment? It’s my dream!”
“Isn’t this more of a punishment against the prostitutes?”
“This is a human rights violation for sex workers!”
“Hey, this might solve the declining birth rate problem! Pay attention to this, you worthless Japanese politicians!”
“If this happened in Japan, all the guys would be clapping and cheering. Marrying a pretty sex worker would be like a dream.”
“This politician is a woman, right? What the hell is she thinking?”

Actually, she’s thinking this is a terrible idea: The bill proposed by Olga is almost certainly unlikely to pass–which was apparently her intention. As the politician explained in an interview, she’s actually for the legalization for prostitution and merely proposed the bill get people talking about the issue.

▼An old brothel in Moscow. Would anyone ever guess that?

Wikipedia (Plotnikov Lane)

In fact, Olga emphasized that this proposal was in response to efforts of another, anti-gay, fundamentalist Christian politician who was trying to enact stricter punishments for prostitution. (If he’s anything like US politicians, someone should probably check to see who this guy has been spending his nights with.) In reality, it seems that Olga wants the legislature to take a note from other countries like Norway where clients are also expected to bear responsibility.

While the proposed law is as absurd as it sounds, it does help underscore the very one-sided punishments imposed under Russian law–and we’re sure there are similar scenarios in other countries as well. Regardless of what you think about the actual practice itself, we think anyone would agree that if there are going to be any punishments, they should be applied equally! But at least there doesn’t seem to be anyone trying to stop Russians from dancing all night.

Sources: Itai New 2channel, AFP BB News, RT, World Intellectual Property Organization
Images: Wikipedia (Painting by Boris Grigoriev, photo by shakko)

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Origin: Absurd anti-prostitution proposal in Russia gets Japanese commenters’ tongues wagging
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Okay, so first off, I just want to start by saying I promise to avoid any “In Mother Russia, xxxx eat you!” jokes in this article, as tempting (and as easy) as it may be to do so.

But, that said: come on, Russia! You’re jockeying with China for worst food-art fails of all time here. While Japan has been busy cranking out new and innovative ways to create beautiful and sometimes seemingly impossible food-art masterpieces, other regions are definitely falling behind with, at best hilarious fails and, at worst, nightmare-inducing food abominations.

Let’s take a look at a few food-art fails from Russia:

▼ Perhaps the expression the kids would use these days is, “I can’t even…”

▼ “Happy third birthday, Timmy!” Actually, this is kind of awesome in a gross way.

▼ One of the few cases in which bacon does not, in fact, make everything better.

▼ Not even sure what this is…

▼ Design notwithstanding, do people really eat dried fruit and white rice in Russia?

▼ Please tell me the mustache is not made out of diced onions.

▼ That’s not terrifying. Not at all…

▼ “Please… Kill me…”

▼ Somewhere between Robocop, Duck Tales and Tales from the Crypt.

▼ Something tells us alcohol was involved in the creation of this.

▼ Alright, this one’s kind of sweet.

▼ This actually reminds me of a bizarrely specific pop culture reference.

If it helps you feel any better, we’re sure that every single person behind these creations originally had good intentions, and, to be sure, it’s not just Russians that screw up food art; there’s a reason that the “Nailed it!” meme focuses primarily on American foodie fails.

Maybe this is a sign that we should all just give up on making our food look like cute things in the first place and just embrace the natural ugliness of the things we choose to put in our mouths?

Source and photos: Oricon.tv

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• At least a few of these packaging “fails” from around the world had to be intentional

Origin: No offense, Russia, but some of your food-art can be pretty terrible
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Cosplay: when it’s done wrong, it’s hilarious. But when it’s done right, it can be genuinely impressive. Of course, it helps to be super-cute if you want to gain attention from your cosplaying exploits, and it’s certainly paid off for RocksyChan, a Russian cosplayer who has Korean netizens drooling over her photos and scrambling to find out more about her. This, in turn, has led to net users in Japan taking an interest in the willowy beauty. Let’s take a look at some of her best work!

RocksyChan uploads photographs of herself cosplaying characters from Japanese video games and anime on her Deviantart page, where she lists her age as 22 and her nationality as Russian. Here’s a series of photos of her cosplaying as Aisaka Taiga from the Toradora! series.

▼ Who wore it better, RocksyChan or Taiga?

She also does a pretty cute Link from The Legend of Zelda.

It’s plain to see that RocksyChan puts a lot of effort into her cosplaying, and the attention to detail results in a very polished final look. We’re looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

Source: Otonarisoku, Todayhumor
Images: Otonarisoku, Rocksychan@Deviantart.com

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Origin: Korean netizens go nuts for Russian cosplay cutie【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

I think most Japanese are completely fascinated by the nexus of beauty and horror. How else can you explain something like Kyari Pyamu Pyamu?

This week, that particular itch is being scratched by a YouTube video making the media rounds. In it, a pretty Russian spectator cheers her handball team by unleashing what can only be described as bestial hell yowling. Or the vocals for Gwar.

You might want to turn your speakers down for this one, kids.

Anybody else reminded of this scene from Invasion of the Bodysnatchers?

Media here are calling it the “scariest scream in the world,” and I might have to agree. On the other hand, if I were an opposing player, hearing that noise from the stands would definitely throw me off my game, so perhaps she’s on to something.

Source: Livedoor News
Image and video: YouTube

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Origin: Pretty Russian sports fan lets loose animal roar to support her team, terrify humanity 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

This Russian carbonated beverage commercial is definitely doing its job of making people want to buy their product, but it is also indirectly introducing an under-acknowledged Russian drink to other countries. It all works, however, due to its overly explicit publicity tactic.

▼ Remember, this is definitely not safe for work.

Via the comments section on LiveLeak, we’ve learned some interesting things about this commercial, most importantly is that it’s not actually a beer commercial, it’s a Kvass commercial.

According to one knowledgable viewer:

“Kvass is not beer, [it] is a fermented beverage commonly made from black or regular rye bread. The color of the bread used contributes to the color of the resulting drink. It is classified as a non-alcoholic drink by Russian and Ukrainian standards, as the alcohol content from fermentation is typically less than 1.2%. Generally, the alcohol content is low (0.05% – 1.0%). It is often flavored with fruits such as strawberries and raisins, or with herbs such as mint. Kvass is also used for preparing a cold summertime soup called okroshka.”

While this disappointed some viewers, others backed the strange Russian bread booze:

“My Russian colleagues tried to explain, but I didn’t understand so they bought me a bottle. When I was alone [on] a cold night in Russia, Kvass and I sat there together in my hotel room and I devoured her with significant delight. It is one of the best beverages I’ve ever tasted!”

▼ It can’t be so bad, they seem to enjoy it.

Okay, so it’s not beer, but it’s also apparently not a regular TV commercial, so guys, don’t pack up and move to Russia for the CMs, this is not what you’ll find. Another user commented that, “It looks like some shock marketing by a brewer, but not released as an official advert, just dumped on YouTube.”

Official commercial or not, it’s doing its job. It is definitely getting plenty attention (mostly from the male populous), but they have some interesting takes on the ad.

Many were easily sold on the product, immediately reaching for their favorite Futurama “Shut Up And Take My Money” meme, but others became strangely concerned with the male star of the ad, whom they mused may in fact be gay, resulting in some unusually deep discussions about ad psychology:

“It’s a psychological thing. They put a dude there because you can trust a dude’s opinion, but he has to be gay so you don’t feel like you have to fight him over the women.”

Interesting.

Well, beer or not, official commercial or not, Kvass seems to be a really popular drink, and even Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted to liking it during a recent press conference, so it might well be worth a try!

Source: LiveLeak, The Interpreter
Images: LiveLeak video stills

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Origin: NSFW: Russian “beer” commercial leaves foreign male viewers amused, confused 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

For many people, Moscow, covered in snow, is the first thing that springs to mind when they think of Russia. But while that’s certainly an iconic image, it’s but one view of the largest country by land mass in the world. Russia stretches far from both east to west and north to south, encompassing a variety of ecosystems and climates, and not all of them look like snowy Red Square.

Some places are actually a lot colder. Take, for instance, the town of Dudinka, where a busted water main turned a street into a solid block of ice, encasing cars parked along the road like flies trapped in an ice cube.

Winters are particularly harsh in Dudinka, even by Russian standards. Still, people have lived in the city since the 17th century, and today it’s home to some 22,000 residents, despite an average January temperature of -22.7 degrees Celsius (-8.9 degrees Fahrenheit).

Oh, that’s the daytime high, by the way. The average overnight low in January? A brisk -31 degrees Celsius (-16.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

So when a water pipe ruptures during the night, you don’t have to worry about the street getting flooded, but about it getting frozen.

Shared last week by Imgur user Michael Hails, the photos show vehicles with only a thin strip of their sheet metal still visible after being blanketed with snow from above and trapped in ice forming from below. Japan may be bracing for its coldest temperatures so far this winter, scheduled to hit the Kanto region later this week, but Japanese online commenters were still shocked by just how cold things are in Dudinka.

“Even if you can get the engine started, those cars aren’t going anywhere. Heck, you won’t even be able to get the doors open!”
“Eternal force blizzard!”
“You could freeze a banana and use it to hammer nails.”
“So when it melts, they’ll know spring has come.”

We’re not sure about the scientific validity of using a frozen banana to drive nails (or why you’d want to do that in the first place). Crazily enough, though, that might still be the more accurate statement than “when it melts, they’ll know spring has come.” Historical data shows that even in May, the daytime highs in Dudinka are just below freezing, so unless someone busts out an ice ax or a blow torch, that truck is stuck until June.

▼ For the driver’s sake, we hope he was hauling a load of frozen peas.

Source: Golden Times
Images: Imgur

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Origin: Russian street turned into solid block of ice as water pipe bursts in northern town【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Japan attracts foreigners of all kinds and people decide to come here for all sorts of different reasons. But, as with any culture different from one’s own, there can be some aspects of Japanese culture that are hard for foreigners to wrap their heads around or get used to, such as deciding if you should help a crying girl.

Ashiya, a beautiful Russian expat, recently shared some of her difficulties upon coming to Japan on her YouTube channel*. We have a feeling that these will strike a chord with many other expats and internationalists interested in Japan as well, Russian or not.

Growing up with an interest in Japan, Ashiya began her language studies at university, then eventually moved to Nihon. Although new to the land, she’d had some exposure to Japanese culture over the years, but there is only so much you can learn through textbooks.

Ashiya was pretty confident in her Japanese upon coming to Japan, which was supported by locals saying, “Japanese is difficult, you must have studied hard!” However, she has found the culture to be the more difficult hurdle to jump.

“The expression, ‘language barrier’ is often used, but I think the ‘culture barrier’ is more of a problem. For example, sometimes you might understand the words the Japanese person is saying, but if you don’t know the cultural intricacies behind the words, you won’t really understand.”

“In Russian culture, people say things directly. Japan is the opposite.”

Being direct is a common trait among many Western cultures, but it can sometimes come off as rude in other regions. In Japan, people are rarely frank with you. A good example of the difference can be seen when refusing something. Ashiya explains that Japanese people will often say things like, “Hmm.. that’s kind of difficult,” to mean, “No.” In Russia, that phrase would be taken more as a reluctant acceptance, rather than a refusal. When Russians mean “No,” they just come out and say it directly– a habit, which, Ashiya noted, caused some problems for her when she first arrived.

Her message to Japanese people:

“It’s understandable that you want to be polite, but when speaking with a foreigner, it may be better to say things directly if you want them to understand what you really mean.”

Some words can have both positive and negative meanings.

Depending on the context or feeling in which you use certain words, you could be expressing approval or disapproval. This can be really tricky for non-native Japanese speakers to decipher at first! A few main culprits of this are “daijoubu” (alright, okay), “ii” (good), and “kekkou” (splendid or sufficient).

Ashiya relates a good example:

“One time at a store, I wanted to buy something, so I told the store clerk, ‘Daijoubu desu.’ However, the clerk understood it as, ‘It’s okay, I don’t want this.’ So now, if I want something, I say, ‘Onegaishimasu.’ (This, please). “

Ii can also be used to refuse things. Ii means good, but it can be used to say, “I’m good,” as in, “No, thanks.” So in the example above, if Ashiya had alternatively said, “Ii desu,” to the clerk, she would again have been misunderstood as not wanting the item.

Then there is kekkou. As Ashiya points out, “kekkou ii desu,” is a term to express something as better than just good, it’s really good. However, if someone offers you a second helping of cake when you’re already bursting at the seams, you can respond with “kekkou desu,”  to politely refuse.

Despite these difficult aspects of Japanese linguistic culture, Ashiya parts with some motivational words for her fellow expats who may still be struggling:

“If you live in Japan for a while, you’ll most certainly start picking up on these kinds of sensitive or minute details of Japanese. You’ll learn through your experiences and be fine.”

Japanese can definitely be a frustrating language to learn sometimes. I’m sure all non-native speakers have a few gripes of their own, but as Ashiya says, the more you’re exposed to it and learn from your mistakes, the more you’ll understand. So keep it at, guys!

*Ashiya actually has two video blogs on YouTube, one in Japanese and one in Russian. She vlogs about Japanese fashion, makeup, food, her daily life in Japan and sometimes teaches Russian. 

Source/Images: YouTube (ロシア人が日本で困ったことは？Жизнь в Японии: трудности с разницей культур) via Toychan Net
Image: Pixabay 1, 2 (edited by Rocket News 24)

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Origin: Russian beauty talks about troubles foreigners face when first moving to Japan 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

A couple weeks ago, Russia Today (RT) reported the unveiling of a new military robot, and boy did it look…hmm. Luckily, Russian president Vladimir Putin was on hand to witness the event and his reaction in the following video really said it better than words ever could. Let’s watch!

The video is called Military cyborg biker presented to Putin: a title that’s offensive to both cyborgs and bikers. If you happen to have the terminator soundtrack handy, please press play now.

The robot was given a very retro look with a Cylon head and Members Only jacket. The jacket may have been a misstep though as it only seems to accentuate the robot’s gaunt frame. A naked Terminator-style exoskeleton seems like it would have been a better choice for the job.

We then see it navigate a wide bend on flat terrain with an ATV at mind bendingly responsible speeds. The flaming vehicle far in the background was a very nice touch to heighten the tension.

We are then presented with Putin himself who reacts like someone who just heard his son had dropped out of medical school to become a RocketNews24 writer – a look I know all too well.

From that alone it looks as if this military robot has all the functionality of a Roomba, but maybe we’re off-base in that assessment. Let’s see what Japanese viewers, who tend to have a good eye for robots, had to say.

“It’s pretty good at driving.”
“It looks like it might be able to walk on two legs like a human when off the vehicle. But I can’t see it.”
“Putin could probably take that thing with his bare hands.”
“I don’t really get what its purpose is supposed to be.”
“That thing flaming in the back was demonstration number one, destroyed by an angry Putin.”
“Off to Siberia they go.”

There’s also the possibility that this video was just showing some innocuous scene so as not to tip the hand of Operation: Killbot to rival nations. Perhaps during the rest of the demonstration we might have also seen it holding an automatic pistol in each hand doing crazy Matrix flips all over the place and causing that truck or whatever in the background to have gone up in flames.

Then again, the normally cool-faced leader’s brief look of wistfulness seemed to say it all: “I wish I had a Homo, like the Americans.”

Source: Fesoku (Japanese)
Video and Images: YouTube – RT

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Origin: Russia’s new military robot unveiled, President Putin reacts wistfully
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Since 1981, Japan has observed February 7 as “Northern Territories Day,” which commemorates the signing of an 1855 treaty granting the nation possession of a chain of islands off the coast of Hokkaido.

In a recent commercial titled “Drawing the Northern Territories,” a male voice begins: “Even though it’s Japanese territory, Japanese people can’t live here.” Pastel drawings of picturesque mountains and fishermen at work segue into a shot of a woman looking out across a stretch of sea to a rocky outcrop. “Look, it’s so close,” continues the narrator, as “16 km” appears across the bottom of the shot. The ad ends with the message: “The Northern Territories: inherently Japanese.”

Harmless patriotism, or government propaganda? Public reactions seem to be leaning toward the latter.

The term “Northern Territories” refers to Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan, and the Habomai islets, which extend from the northwestern tip of Hokkaido to the southern end of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Though these four are currently under Russian control, with some 30,000 residents present on the islands, the dispute concerning their ownership goes back over a century to the signing of the Treaty of Shimoda in 1855.

▼ The disputed territories

This treaty granted Japan possession of the four islands and Russia all territory to the north, which is why they are known in Russia as the Southern Kurils and in Japan as the Northern Territories.

Though Japanese settlers from the mainland eventually took up residence on the islands, adding their numbers to those of the Ainu peoples who migrated there earlier in the 18th and 19th centuries, both groups were deported following Japan’s defeat in World War II.

Japan claims that these deportations constituted an illegal act, and that Japan never truly relinquished the Northern Territories (though Japan renounced “all right, title and claim to the Kuril Islands” as part of the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, Russia was not a signatory). Meanwhile, Russia points to this treaty and a number of other international agreements as proof of its rightful ownership.

Which brings us to this commercial message. With its pastel drawings and uplifting music, it might seem no more than an innocuous celebration of the Northern Territories in keeping with the spirit of the holiday.

▼ “The Northern Territories: inherently Japanese.”

But not everyone in Japan is convinced. Considering that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe released a statement on February 7 declaring his intention to resolve the issue in favor of Japan, this coming on the heels of the government’s decision to place sanctions on Russia for its maneuvers in Ukraine, some think the televised message is part of a campaign to rally the nation around Abe’s foreign policy.

Weighing in on the debate, one Twitter user said:

“I can’t help but think this is meant to stir up nationalism… sounds like saber-rattling to me.”

Others seemed to share this individual’s sentiments.

“This is my first time seeing an ad about how the Northern Territories are Japanese. *Shiver.* I get the feeling something has just begun.”

“I recently saw this commercial: “Even though it’s Japanese territory, Japanese people can’t live here.” Was I the only one whose first thought was, “Fukushima?” This government propaganda about the Northern Territories is too much. There are people saying they want to live in the Northern Territories? First let’s see about allowing people [in the mainland] to live where they want.”

The timing of the media campaign certainly seems telling given Abe’s recent comments. However, whether a favorable resolution will indeed come to pass remains to be seen.

Source: [Nikkan Spa] via dqnplus, Channel NewsAsia, BBC News
Screenshots via: Japanese Government Internet TV Map image: Wikipedia/ChrisDHDR

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Origin: “Northern Territories Day” commercial accused of promoting excessive nationalism
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Dmitri Shostakovich wrote his Symphony No. 5 in D minor at a time of great tension in Soviet Russia. The looming threat of World War II was nothing compared to the Great Purge being conducted by Joseph Stalin in which 1,000 people were executed each day. Shostakovich too felt he was in the crosshairs for his previous “subversive” works.

And so it was something of a musical miracle that his Symphony No. 5 was unanimously well received by both the government and survivors of their brutality alike. Still today conductors and their orchestras struggle to properly capture all of the emotions such as irony, sympathy, and pride that Shostakovich may or may not have intentionally layered in this rich piece.

Taking a crack at it here are the kids of Isesaki Asuka Primary School’s kindergarten class.  To see whether they succeed is up to you, but I think we can all agree that they’re not just good for a kindergarten class – they’re just good.

In the video the kids perform the fourth and final movement of the symphony. If you’re not familiar with it you may want to listen to it being performed by a professional orchestra first. However, bear in mind that each performance runs about 10 minutes long, so you may want to skip ahead if you don’t have the time to invest.

And now here are the children. This video was originally posted on YouTube back in 2013 by a city councilman of Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture where the children live.

There is a noticeable difference in sound largely due to the substitution of instruments. In the kids performance the pianica, a plastic piano that you blow into, plays a rather large role. However, the discipline that these little kids show is pretty amazing.

Here’s what some of the viewers had to say.

“I could feel their sense of balance get better as they played.”
“After listening to Shostakovich, this is perfect. I stand up and say ‘Bravo!'”
“In one word: Amazing! I would love to meet the teacher of this class!”
“In a group of children so young, you might find a couple with talent, but it’s amazing that everyone here is spot-on.”
“The final part was especially magnificent.”

As the final commenter said, the ending is really worth sticking around for. Given the length of the song you might think you’ve got the idea and want to bail after a minute or so, but in doing so you’d be missing the best parts.

In the beginning they sound rather rough. It seems as though their volume levels are a little off, but their timing is still unbelievably tight for an entire class of pre-schoolers. Also, as another commenter pointed out, you can easily sense them improving as they play to the point that by the end you might think you were listening to a legitimate orchestra.

▼ The kid on the bass drum was even able to wipe his nose on his sleeve without missing a beat!

In that way it brings a whole new dimension to the movement that a highly trained group of musicians would never be able to recreate. Just one more miracle in an otherwise miraculous piece of music.

Source: YouTube – Minoru Tada, tokyo1250
Original article by Anji Tabata
[ Read in Japanese ]

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Origin: Kindergarten class plays Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 better than most adults ever could
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

Blasius Lavrentiev, a sheep farmer in the village of Chirka, Dagestan received a surprise when his ewe gave birth to a one-of-a-kind bundle of surliness. As you can plainly see this young lamb appears to have been given the face of an angry, cartoonish old man.

This anomaly was actually something of a letdown for the 45-year-old who was really looking forward to selling it for some much-needed money. However, it remains to be seen whether anyone would be interested in purchasing the unnamed lamb whom we shall call Lil’ Getoffmylawnikins.

The cheekbones and jawline are remarkably human-like for a genetic fluke, and you can probably already expect what most people’s immediate reactions to a human-faced sheep would be.

“Looks like the farmer has some explaining to do.”
“Some cold nights [in Russia] I hear.”
“Someone did it with a sheep!”
“Call it Yokai Prince.”

I’m no geneticist but it does seem more likely that this is a case of a birth deformity rather than human-sheep copulation producing anything more that a pile of mismatched chromosomes. Sure stranger things have happened (not many mind you) but it seems highly unlikely and such rumors don’t do much to help the social lives of the little lamb or its owner anyway.

Poor little guy…we can always hope it actually has that Benjamin Button condition and will grow up to look like Brad Pitt and become a war hero while having a strained love affair with some dancer.

Source: Yurukuyaru (Japanese)
Video & Images: YouTube – Republic of Dagestan

Origin: Lamb with the face of a grumpy old man born in Russia
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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If you love kitties and you looking at great art, then FatCatArt could be just the collaboration for you! FatCatArt features plump yet fabulous kitty Zarathustra in a range of seductive and downright inventive poses for your viewing pleasure! Get some culture by viewing famous works of art whilst simultaneously satisfying your endless thirst for internet kitties in one fell swoop with this gallery of masterpieces!

According to the FatCatArt website, Zarathustra’s mantra and raison d’être is simply:

“Our name is Zarathustra. We are a cat. According to our assistant (named by ignoramuses as our ‘owner’) We are the best cat in the world. By the will of the gods, We have been relieved of our animal desires, therefore Our postprandial time is given to the reflections on lofty matters. We are so gracious in Our enjoyment of repasts.
And We are also very very fond of Arrt [sic].
Our main passion is to sit for the great artists. Only great artists can appreciate Our generous body and sublime soul.”

Check out this gallery of Zarathustra’s lithe and supple form rendered in a variety of styles:

The site also lists Zarathustra’s weight:

“Our weight is 10 kilograms of pure undisturbed joy”

And their thoughts on the importance of spreading art appreciation far and wide through the use of internet kitties:

“We, Zarathustra the Cat, decided to enlighten the mankind and kindly explain to humans that the most contemporary art is to be found in the Internet. Curators are not interested in Internet memes yet, but We know that happens to all new trends in art, art institutions are usually very slow to react. But street art and graffiti recently found their way to galleries and museums. Now it’s turn of the LOLcats.”

We’re seriously tempted to buy up a bunch of prints of these great masterpieces from their online shop, so that we can appear cultured and refined in front of our friends. And because yes, we really, really love cats.

Source: Fat Cat Art via Hamusoku
Images: Fat Cat Art

Origin: Chubby kitty is a literal work of art in these photomanips of famous paintings【Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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The characters and scenery of Studio Ghibli movies inspire all kinds of artwork by fans, from impressively detailed posters to super-minimalist art. Russian artist mr von ungarn has been delighting and perplexing Japanese netizens with his adorable, naive-style depictions of our favourite Ghibli characters. Check them out after the jump/

As one commenter pointed out, the images encapsulate the Japanese concept of heta-uma (unskillfully-skillful, or ‘so bad it’s good’). It’s this kind of faux-naivety, I think, that makes them so endearing and bewitching.

▼ ‘Mei and Corn’

mr von ungarn

They’ve also been attracting attention for the slightly eccentric Japanese text in some of the images.

▼ “Want me to rip his throat out?” asks the wolf in this Princess Mononoke pic.

mr von ungarn

▼ Yubaba 

mr von ungarn

▼ ‘Porco Rosso’

mr von ungarn

▼ “Leave me to die!” yells Howl.

mr von ungarn

▼ ‘Pompoko’

mr von ungarn

▼ A delightfully grumpy Kurokawa from The Wind Rises.

mr von ungarn

▼ I just love the look on Kiki‘s face here.

mr von ungarn

▼ Howl and Turnip

mr von ungarn

▼ Kamaji 

mr von ungarn

▼ Howl Cooking

mr von ungarn

▼ I’ve saved my favourite till last – this characterful portrait of Sad Hayao Miyazaki.

mr von ungarn

For more of this talented artist’s work, check out his DeviantArt page, where we see he’s taking commissions! Perhaps we’ll order a portrait of Mr. Sato to brighten up our office walls this spring…

Source: mr von ungarn via Ghibli no Sekai
Featured image: mr von ungarn

Origin: Russian illustrator wows with bold, simple art in tribute to Studio Ghibli【Pictures】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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We’ve certainly grown accustomed to seeing people in cosplay at various anime and game-themed events in Japan. Cosplayers have been known to go to great lengths to get their costumes and make-up just right, not to mention the care and planning that goes into taking truly awesome looking cosplay pictures.

But of course, cosplay isn’t just limited to Japan. A series of photos taken by Russian photographer Mariya Kozhanova has recently been introduced on the Japanese Internet, giving us a stunning glimpse into the world of cosplayers in Russia.

Mariya Kozhanova, a young photographer in her late 20s, is from Kaliningrad, Russia, a sea port city located on the Baltic Sea between Poland and Lithuania. One of her current photo series, titled “Declared Detachment”, is a project she has been working on since 2012 and features young Russian cosplayers as subjects. What makes the series particularly interesting is that these pictures mainly show the cosplayers in their everyday lives, instead of simply being photos for cosplay’s sake.

▼ This stunning picture of girls outfitted and posing as Sailor Moon soldiers looks more like a typical cosplay photo …

▼ … but many of her other pictures show Russian cosplayers in more everyday settings.

▼ While the costumes may be elaborate in many of these photos, they still show the subjects at ease in comfortable, familiar surroundings.

▼ We couldn’t get over how gorgeous this wing contraption looked!

▼ Isn’t it great that you don’t even have to be human when you’re in cosplay?

▼ Yes, if only we could all grow such beautiful wings!

Kozhanova explains on her website that for a generation of Russians who grew up in a time of great upheaval and change in the country, beliefs and concepts of identity that previously existed were taken away or deconstructed. That left a social void out of which the younger generation had to create their own identity, and in doing so, some of them apparently turned to the culture of cosplay.

Yes, the world of cosplay is bright and eye-catching on the surface and allows you to turn yourself into anything you want to be. But at the same time, Kozhanova also seems to ask through her pictures whether cosplay really is something solid on which these cosplayers can build their lives, or whether it is, in the end, all an illusion. What do you think?

You can see more of Kozhanova’s work here on her website.

Source: Mariya Kozhanova website via ARTIST DATABASE (Japanese) and Feature Shoot
Photos: Mariya Kozhanova website

Origin: Stunning in cosplay — photographer gives us beautiful look at cosplayers in Russia
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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If you’re into sports cars, there’s a lot to like about Nissan’s R35 GT-R, such as its tremendous grip and ridiculous power. But if I’m being totally honest and picky, it’s a little large and heavy for my tastes, seeing as how it tips the scales at 1,740 kilograms (3,828 pounds). No matter how much torque the engine is making, there’s just something that feels good about a lightweight car, you know?

But this video shows there’s an easy way to solve that issues: Just crash your GT-R headfirst into a streetlamp at 170 kilometers (106 miles) an hour, and watch the excess weight and space disintegrate!

Andrey Yeshchenko may not be the biggest star in the soccer world, but things are going well enough for the Russian-born defender that he was picked up by Russian club FC Kuban with a contract that lets him afford to drive around in a shiny black GT-R. Or, more accurately, a contract that let him drive around in a black GT-R that used to be shiny.

Like most professional athletes, odds are Yeshchenko didn’t get where he is today by living life timidly, and in the video below even his driving style seems to exude a bold confidence as he barrels down a two-lane street…

…and right into a lamppost, at 120 kilometers an hour over the posted limit of 50.

Between its hefty curb weight and precision Japanese engineering and assembling, the GT-R is often described as having a substantial, solid feel on the road. It looks a little less solid after Yeshchenko strikes the concrete pillar though, which instantly turns the car’s front fascia, hood, and corner panel into a lumpy automotive powder.

▼ I’d make a joke about how that’ll buff right out, but there’s not much left to buff.

▼ You have to be going pretty fast to hit something from the front and have it completely shatter your rear window.

Thankfully, the impact happened on the opposite side of the car from Yeshchenko’s position in the driver’s seat. The soccer player is said to have amazingly escaped with only minor injuries.

The same can’t be said for the GT-R though, which is clearly totaled. Yeshchenko’s ride wasn’t the only non-organic casualty, either, as the impact also took out the pole.

Drive safely, everyone. And remember, if you absolutely can’t stand heavy cars, there are easier ways to enjoy the lightweight sports experience than giving your ride the Yeshchenko tune-up.

Sources: Livedoor via Vehicle Navi Magazine via Jalopnik
Top image: YouTube
Insert images: YouTube, Vehicle Navi Magazine (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: Nissan GT-R driver crashes into pole, disintegrates car’s front quarter, somehow survives 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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If you didn’t see our previous collection of photos of Angelica Kenova, now would be a perfect time to become acquainted with Russia’s take on a “real-life Barbie girl.”

The 26-year-old model and self-described ballerina from Moscow, Russia could certainly give Ukraine’s real-life Barbie a run for her money in a battle of doll-like features. Angelica’s case is particularly interesting because she claims that her parents purposefully raised her as “a living doll.” As a result, she has never experienced things that most women her age have done, such as having a boyfriend, or even picking out her own clothes.  

Since she was six years old, Angelica has faithfully adhered to her parents’ desire for her to become a living doll. That’s right, this whole Barbie business is actually encouraged by the ‘rents, who probably elevate the term “overbearing” to new levels.

At 26, Angelica has never had a boyfriend, and her mother chaperones any dates she goes on. In fact, she still lives with her parents, and they don’t seem very keen on her leaving the nest any time soon. According to a report by Metro, Angelina was quoted as saying:

“My mother and father don’t want me to move out of the family home. I’m not even allowed to buy clothes without my mum there – she likes to choose attire that clings to my figure and emphasize my good features.”

While her 51-centimeter (20-inch) waist and 32E bra size are public knowledge, don’t mention the dreaded “p-word” around her. The first time we featured Angelica on our site, there was no word about whether she had undergone plastic surgery or not–but since then she has answered that question with a resounding “no”:

“I have never had plastic surgery. Cosmetic work is only necessary when an individual has serious faults with their face or body.”

Instead, she chalks up her almost unreal figure to a combination of diet and three-hour workouts five times per week.

Enjoy looking at the following photos of Angelica showcasing her Barbie-like features. If anyone’s willing to be her “Ken,” maybe you should drop her a line!

▼ A short video clip about Angelica

Original article by Meg Sawai
Sources/Images: Metro, Facebook (Angelica Kenova), Facebook (Angelika Kenova)

Origin: Russia’s “real-life Barbie” gains more fame in Japan, new photos surface
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Gay rights have made huge steps these last few years with the latest win coming in the form of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage throughout the country. However, the fight for equal rights is still long from over in the rest of the world as many countries don’t recognize gay marriage or even open displays of homosexuality.

While parts of Japan are supporting equal rights, Russia, one of its neighbors to the northwest, has traditionally been against homosexuality since its days as the Soviet Union. And what about today? How do Russians feel about two men just walking down the street, holding hands? A Russian YouTube video seeks to answer these questions with a social experiment.

In many parts of the world, public displays of affection are acceptable to a certain point. In Japan, while kissing might seem too far for some people, no one will pay any attention if they see two people walking down the street holding hands. Even if the two people happen to be of the same sex, no one will blatantly express outrage at them for the public act. In Russia, however, two males or two females holding hands in public can make for some frightening situations.

ChebuRussiaTV set up a hidden camera to secretly film two men walking hand in hand down the street for a social experiment. They wanted to document the reaction that a same-sex couple would receive from the general public. The video begins fairly innocuously, as there are a few furtive glances at the couple, but no one seems too bothered by them. Unfortunately, some people can’t hold back their opinions and things start to get ugly. People throw abusive language at the couple, calling them names and telling them to leave Russia while others resort to outright physical abuse, bumping into them as they walk by. One person went so far as to walk right in between the two and then proceed to corner and physically intimidate them.

▼ Sure some people are giving them second glances, but that’s not so bad

▼ Unfortunately, they have to watch out for guys like this man on the right

▼ That’s not even their worst interaction as another guy forces the two of them apart

The rhetoric from the Russian government is very clear. They will not tolerate demonstrations promoting gay rights anywhere in the country. Even outspoken celebrities like Lady Gaga, who have been friends to the gay rights movement, are banned from entering the country. And judging from this video, it seems some citizens take offense to two people of the same sex holding hands on the street. It’s an incredibly strict and controlling environment and one that is particularly stressful for gay Russians.

ChebuRussiaTV hopes to shine a light on the issues surrounding gay rights in their country and the reactions from the Internet have been supportive. Many people are astounded that this sort of thing happens in Russia, and have also expressed their wish to never visit the country due to the current treatment of the LGBT community. The only way things will change is for people to see that all humans deserve happiness and help shift the public opinion to the other side. Videos like this are certainly helping, but there is still a lot of work to be done. It might have been a “social experiment” in the video, but there are definitely some Russians who live their lives like this every day. For their sake and homosexuals around the world, we hope public opinion changes fast.

Source: YouTube/ChebuRussiaTV via My Game News Flash
Images: Youtube/ChebuRussiaTV

Origin: What happens when two men walk around Russia holding hands【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Russia is a fascinating country for many reasons, but food tends not to be one of them. For example, how many of us have a Russian restaurant in our neighborhoods? It’s not surprising as dishes with names like “borscht” don’t exactly electrify the taste buds.

But not so fast! One Russian dish has been trending online recently not only for its delicious taste but its adorable appearance as well: Squid Piglets! As you might imagine they are little pigs made out of squid and other delicious stuff.

Or, if you’re struggling to imagine such a thing, join our reporter Meg as she shows us how to make these squiggly wiggly little squid-piglets.

As with any international recipe, you’re likely to have to make some alterations for what’s available in your part of the world. Meg was no different and assembled a Japanese list of ingredients derived from various YouTube videos from Russia.

Squid-Piglets

Ingredients

Rice – 1/2 cup
Mushrooms – 100g (3.5oz)
Onion – 1/2
Carrot – 1/2
Egg – 1
Cheese – 50g (1.8oz)
Salt & Pepper – desired amount
Mayonnaise – desired amount
Seaweed – enough to make little eyes (original recipe uses peppercorns)

And of course the main ingredient: squid! Of course like snowflakes, squid come in various shapes and sizes. Meg’s recipe was designed to fill three small-sized koyariika and two larger sarumeika. This means you should only use the amounts listed above as a rough guide and then adjust depending on the size of your own cephalopod.

Right, let’s get started!

Preparation

1 – Cook your rice.

2 – Cut off the mantle of the squid, then remove the internal organs and cartilage. This recipe only uses the mantle, so you might want to make plans for the tentacle in something else later.

▼ If you’ve never handled squid yourself, this video can help. Just don’t take it as far as this guy does.

3 – Clean off the squid and move it to a pot. Pour boiling hot water over it and let sit for about 20 seconds, then peel off the skin.

4 – Prepare the remaining ingredients. Thinly cut the carrot, onion, and mushrooms into lengths of about 2 centimeters (1 inch). A shredder works well for this.

Cooking

5 – Pour some oil into a frying pan and begin frying the vegetables. After some light frying clear some space in the center and drop in an egg. Fry everything together well.

6 – Add enough salt and pepper for the desired taste and then mix in the cheese.

7 – Add the mixture to the cooked rice, then preheat the oven to 150℃.

8 – Take the squid mantles and cut off the pointed fins to make the piglet ears. Stuff the mantle with the rice and vegetable mixture.

9 – Cut two triangles out of the squid fins to make the piglet ears. Cut two slits into the stuffed mantle to insert the ears. Then, cut off the tip of the mantle and… Your pig has taken shape!

10 – Coat the backs of your piglets with some mayonnaise and then bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

11 – Cut little circles out of some seaweed to give your piglets some peepers, and presto! Squid-piglets are ready for your business luncheon and/or funeral service!

Upon completion, Meg was in awe at whichever Russian genius came up with this idea. Once baked the plump squid bodies took on the color of a pig and even the ears began to curl a little for that extra touch of awww. However, while it certainly passed the appearance test, how do squid-piglets taste?

Meg enjoyed the creamy texture provided by the egg and cheese inside. It kind of reminded her of a carbonara with the added pepper and texture of the squid. It was delicious, but a mild taste. You may want to bump up the seasonings for more of a kick. Meg thought if she had used the Russian standard of peppercorn eyes rather than seaweed, her squid-piglets would have had a little more zing.

Again, this was all done with ingredients readily found in Japan, and may taste considerably different from the more authentic Russian squid-piglets. Nevertheless, the visual impact of these things is the real selling point and there’s lots of room for improvisation in this recipe to fine tune it to your liking.

Best of all, it only took about 30 minutes to prepare (not including the baking time). Even Meg, who hadn’t handled a squid in a good 10 years, was able to make squid-piglets effortlessly. So, don’t be afraid to adorn your dinner table with these cute little guys straight from Russia with love.

Source: YouTube, Povarenok (Russian)
Original article by Meg Sawaii
Photos © RocketNews24

▼ Turn your drab old squid…

▼…into happy little piglets!

▼ Those squeals aren’t from the piglets, they’re all your delighted dinner guests

▼ A pig’s rear end never looked so good

▼ But is it too cute to eat?

▼ Naw, of course not!

▼ This video also gives a good sense of how to make squid-piglets the Russian way

Origin: Did someone say squid pigs? We make Russia’s cutest recipe ever
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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We all know that scarecrows can be terrifying. but are they really scary enough to keep humans at bay? Well apparently in Russia, scarecrows scare you!

On the border between China and Russia, stuffed scarecrows man the border patrol guard towers. Is this a case of budget failure, laziness, or just a joke gone hay-wire? Read on to find out!

To begin to find out the answer we first have to talk about the Amur Bridge Project. It’s a bridge-construction project funded and carried out by both China and Russia, and has been going on since 2007.

The plan was to have a bridge connecting China’s northeastern Tongjiang City in Heilongjiang Province with the village of Nizhneleninskoye in Russia, but due to delays its completion date has been pushed back until 2016 or later.

Most of the delays have come from the Russian side. As of last year most of the bridge’s construction on the Chinese side was complete, but hardly anything has been done in Russia, leaving the completion date even further in doubt.

Just to make matters worse, it doesn’t seem like Russia is taking the border between itself and China seriously at all at this point. On August 24, the Chinese newspaper Global Times reported that there were sightings of a “scarecrow” on the Russian side of border security by the bridge construction site.

Take a look at the pictures for yourself:

▼ Wow, look at that dutiful guard up day and night protecting his country.

▼ He hasn’t moved in an awfully long time. And he looks super pale; I wonder if he’s okay.

▼ Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!

Is having a scarecrow guard proof of bridge budget money being siphoned to the wrong people? Or is it just a way for the guards to sneak off for a bit of fun and hopefully not get caught?

The answer is still unclear, but when the news about the scarecrow got out to Chinese netizens, they had a lot to say about it:

“It’s probably because China poses no threat to them at all.”
“I guess in a way it’s a beautiful symbol of the peaceful times we live in.”
“They are way too trusting of China. What if something actually happened?”
“Nah, even a scarecrow guard would still stop our army in its tracks.”
“Are they making fun of us?”
“Don’t jump to conclusions guys. Maybe it’s some sort of ‘high tech’ scarecrow?”

So what do you think? Are scarecrows the border patrol security of the future? Or the money-laundering border patrol security of the now?

Source: Phoenix New Media Limited via Toychan, Wikipedia
Images: Phoenix New Media Limited

Origin: Border patrol between China and Russia staffed by… scarecrows?
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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