Really Fake Pikachu For Really Big Bucks

Manga Dragonball has been adapted into anime and countless video games no problem. Turning it into a Hollywood movie seems to pose more of a problem, though. It's not easy! Early images of the movie, which stars Justin Chatwin from War of the Worlds and Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun-Fat, didn't exactly set the world afire. While the filmed-in-Mexico Hollywood flick has been repeatedly delayed, there have already been talks about doing a sequel. Anyway, what's reported to be images from the movie trailer below. No surprises here, really. Well, save for that albino vampire Piccolo thing. Maybe the actual trailer is better. But probably not.

Dragon Ball | ¡Nuevas imágenes del apocalipsis! [Nerd Drama via Dragonball Movie Blog via ANN]

Hell's Highway Barbershop

The Brother's in Arms: Hell's Highway booth at Penny Arcade Expo this year was turned into a bootcamp barbershop. If you got your head shaved and had "Hell" spraypainted on the back of your skull, Ubisoft would send you a free copy of the game.

A free haircut and video game apparently seemed like a sweet deal to a lot of people, even if it did turn them into walking billboards. There was a line. A long, long line. For this.

The latest issue of Famitsu Xbox 360 has an interview with voice actress Yuna Inamura, known for her work in anime like SoltyRei and Darker than Black. The interview isn't pretty much what you'd expect! Though, she does talk about living in Osaka as a kid and going to Takarazuka Revue.

The unintentionally hilarious part isn't anything she says in the interview. Oh, no. It's the picture she drew for Famitsu.com. The name of the "new" character is "Xbo-Kun".

Brett Ratner's Guitar Hero Movie Idea Sounds Crappy

Hollywood director Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, other tripe) has a dream. He wants to make a Guitar Hero movie. Listen to what Ratner has to say:

I love Guitar Hero and I think it’s a part of pop culture. I would love to do a Guitar Hero movie, if Activision would ever let me. I’m trying to convince them, but why would you have a movie screw up such a huge franchise? Not that I would make a bad movie. So that would be cool, to do a Guitar Hero movie.

We're pretty sure that Brett Ratner never sets out to make a bad movie. Shit just happens, you know? For those still interested in what he has to say (masochist much?), hit the jump for Ratner's plot idea:

Wii Clone Coming To Taiwanese Arcades!

Taiwanese electronics company ENG Electronic has released a new video game platform called "Winner". The console uses motion controllers and a dual nunchuk-style controller as well. Wait a sec... This isn't new! We've seen rip-off Wiis before. But get this:

According to arcade industry newsletter The Stinger Report, there are actually arcade versions of the Winner Wii clone planned. At Taiwanese game show Game Time International 2008, the coin-op incarnation, called Action Fun, was unveiled by company Song Yung, which is owned by ENG Electronic. The cabinet was packed with the Winner console running Wii Sports-like mini-games and using Wii-like controllers. No word whether this is intended for release outside Taiwan.

Hit the jump for a pic of Action Fun II as well as videos of the mini-games!

American McGee Is So Ready To Be Brain Chipped

I think we'll continue to see updated interface devices at the forefront of the mini-revolutions in the years to come. Ultimately, I think this is all heading to one uber-revolution in the shape of seamless computer-human interfaces, ala The Matrix. It'll be great to get away from the dated keyboard/mouse, monitor, speakers way of interfacing with our content. As soon as someone starts offering trial "implant" testing — I'll be first in line. I just hope I don't crash my brain, it would take a lifetime to reinstall everything.

Brazil Keeping Mega Drive Dream Alive!

Brazilian SEGA licensee Tectoy has released another 8-bit console. Dubbed the Master System 3, the new system looks like the old Mega Drive (Genesis) with Sonic painted on it and is packed with 131 built-in G-rated games. That's right, no cartridge slot. The system is bundled with two six-button Genesis-style controllers. Its priced at the equivalent of US$133.

Master System 3 (131 jogos) [Tectoy via Insert Credit]

Guy With Gun: "Only PS3 Can Save My Family"

Just outside St. Louis, a man robbed an EB Games store a gun point (pictured). The man walked into the shop, picked out a game, and pulled a small handgun on the clerk. Here's the kooky part: He told the clerk that his family was being held hostage and needed a PS3 to set them free. Then, the man told the clerk to call the police after he left the store because his family needed help. Well, that's original. And crazy.

Police: Man Steals Playstation 3, Says It's to Save His Family [KSDK via PS3 Fanboy]

The Xbox 360 Akihabara Store Sell Out

Remember when Japanese people lined up for Xbox 360 RPG Tales of Vesperia? That was pretty kooky! Kookier even still is that the console is sold out at gianormous retailers like Yodobashi Camera in Tokyo's Akihabara. Above is a picture of the retailer from spring. According to CheapAssGamer's CheapyD, who spotted this sell out:

Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara is not just a big electronics store in Tokyo, it is one of the (if not the largest) electronics stores in the world. I was there earlier this week and was pretty suprised to see that they had sold out of all versions of the Xbox 360 consoles. Looks like the Japanese have got Tales of Vesperia fever, which was recently released over here.

Might be that or just an Akihabara thing — or it could be that stores are making space for the 60GB SKU. Read more of our previous and thrilling Xbox 360 Japan shortage coverage here. Hit the jump for Cheapy's photographic evidence!

From killing sprees to the decay of society, Grand Theft Auto has been blamed for a lot of things. Add destroying plants. Swedish park supervisor Gert Axelsson is tired of the plants being destroyed in the park he oversees in Lulea, northern Sweden. "I am very much considering getting surveillance," says Axelsson. And what does he blame for the plant destruction and increased vandalism? GTA "where you wreak havoc in the city." He's totally right, you know. Because the potted plant mission is my favorite. Heck, I've been kicking over plants all week. Whenever I see a flower bed, I immediately think uproot uproot. Just like I was taught in GTA. We're surprised that people are just catching onto this now. People are so slow sometimes.

Meningslösa skadegörelser i blomsterlådorna [NSD Thanks, John!]

Is This The First Transvestite Game Protagonist?

DS visual novel Ikamono no Jiken: IKATAN ("The Squid Events") features a main character who cross-dresses in order to collection information and new evidence as well as gain new personalities. As game site Insert Credit explains: The hero becomes a member of scenario group "Prawn Productions". As a number of mysterious event unfold, the protagonist must dress as a woman to unravel the story in a series of timed investigations. Breaking new ground — that's what the DS does, you know.

『いかもの探偵-IKATAN-』凶悪犯罪が一切起こらない推理アドベンチャーゲーム [Famitsu via Insert Credit]

Chances of Having Sex Gaming Graph...

The above graph was made by some dude (NOT ME) to show a correlation between the hours he spent playing video games and the chances of him having sex with his wife. As you can see, playing video games over an hour causes this fellow's odds of getting some to nosedive south. And more than two hours causes those same odds to hit near impossible.

But, as game blog Hawty McBloggy points out, maybe this guy's chances look more like this:

Bwah? There's An Xbox 360 Shortage In Japan?!

Tales of Vesperia is launching in Japan soon. August 7th, actually. And some people seem pretty excited. It's the tenth entry in the Tales series. The Namco Bandai title is an Xbox 360 exclusive, so that just might mean that Microsoft will move more than it's standard 3,000 Xbox 360s a week in Japan. Or not.

As of posting, Amazon Japan is sold out of new HDMI Xbox 360s (but does have Elites). HAPPINET, one of the major Xbox 360 distributors in Japan, are sold out of everything but the Elite. According to game store clerk threads on 2ch, the Xbox 360 will be restocked after Tales of Vesperia is released. What's more, the Tales of Vesperia bundle is apparently limited to something like 7,000.

The reason for the shortages?

The Alphabet... In Halo Corpses

Wow, just wow! Bungie points readers to this amazing collection of Halo screenshots over at I <3 Halo 3 Screenshots. What makes this particular collection so amazing is that it uses the contorted and rigored bodies of fallen Spartans and Elites to sell out the alphabet. Now, thanks to their hard work, people can use dead digital bodies to do silly things like spell out Kotaku, or simultaneously teach their children to both understand and fear the alphabet.

Halo Corpse Alphabet

Kotaku Readers Like Women With Fake Staches

You picked 'em, here they are, the Stache Contest winners. Apparently readers like pictures of women with phony mustaches or pictures of me tapped on some dude's face. Go figure. The Flower Mustache came in first, Sorshha second and Bashstache third. Remember, we're giving away a Metal Gear Solid 2 Raiden figure, The Metal Gear Solid Collection (given to us by Kojima Productions' producer Ryan Payton) and something from my local convenience store. Hit the jump for the other two.

Here's your chance to own a piece of internet "celebrity"! eBay seller ii22ac is auctioning off a Wii Fit signed by The Wii Fit Girl. You remember her? That marketing lady who did Wii Fit in her underoos for her marketing guy boyfriend, but then claimed it wasn't a viral ad for Nintendo — the company has denied any connection at all. The eBay seller writes:

Here is a rare, limited, unopened Nintendo Wii Fit signed by the viral video celebrity 'Wii Fit Girl'.At a recent visit to EB Games here in Miami, I unexpectedly recognized and approached her and asked if she would kindly sign my Wii Fit. She was extremely friendly and had no problem signing it.

Wow. That's great. This online retailer just happened to recognize The Wii Fit Girl who just happened to be a his local Miami EB Games. That's amazing, because we're pretty sure the last thing The Wii Fit Girl is recognized for is her pearly smile.

Hit the jump to re-see (but not unsee) what made this marketing lady famous.

Homebrew Japanese DS Development Brings Tentacles

We've gotten dangerous close to actual naughty games on the DS. But those always end up being big teases! Now, we're going to get an actual dirty game at this year's Comic Market this summer. The person who's making it says there are plans even to sell it in Akihabara after that. The self-made game's entirely homebrew and certainly does not have the Nintendo Seal of Quality — and never will! And the best part? The name of this 18 years old and up game is Half Elf Tentacle Assault. The developer says game play clips are forthcoming. For better or worse.

Hit the jump for a THANKFULLY pixelated promo-scan. Still might be NSFW, depending on where you work. You've been warned!