video games The Japanese version of MARIO KART 64 included Mario-brand cigarettes and Yoshi-brand motor oil Thom Dunn

super mario Breaking down the political alignments every character in Mario Kart Thom Dunn

Entertainment First look: Super Nintendo World brings video game magic to Universal Orlando Ruben Bolling

Innovation How rivalry between two Japanese companies in the 1950s led to the world's best pencils Ellsworth Toohey

Games Nintendo confirms Switch 2 will be backwards compatible Rob Beschizza

COVID-19 Japan study shows positive mental health effects from owning video games Thom Dunn

Science Scientists win award for discovering mammals can breath through our anuses Allan Rose Hill

Japan Toyota lied about safety certifications Natalie Dressed

politics Japan disagrees with Lindsay Graham's enthusiasm for nuclear wars Jason Weisberger

optical illusions There is no red in this photo of a Coke can Mark Frauenfelder

optical illusions Mind-bending visual trick by Japanese psychologist: is it yellow or white? Mark Frauenfelder

Business WeWork was once "valued" at $47 billion. Now it's bankrupt Rob Beschizza

Santa Fe View the Japanese monster show in Santa Fe Bob Knetzger

music Dig this swingin' Japanese version of the Batman TV theme song Ruben Bolling

safety hazards Horrific Anime Expo crowd looks like disaster waiting to happen: "If there is a fire … we are all dying" (video) Carla Sinclair

optical illusion Moving train illusion: Why zooming in feels like slowing down Rusty Blazenhoff

music BLP Kosher: the fun Floridian Jewish Rapper with deep references Elías Villoro

retro Sidewalk surfing in the 2020s as imagined in the 1980s Elías Villoro

communal condiments Two pranksters ain't laughing after dipping their chopsticks where they didn't belong Carla Sinclair

art The distortion of time and a moving crowd come together in Hiroshi Kondo's Multiverse Popkin