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☆ Ukrainian-born model sparks debate by winning Miss Japan pageant
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Christy Choi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The face of Japanese beauty is now a Ukrainian-born model — at least according to pageant judges who sparked a debate on cultural identity by naming 26-year-old Karolina Shiino as Miss Japan on Monday. Ukrainian-born model Karolina Shiino was crowned Miss Nippon on Monday. Miss Japan Association/Handout via ReutersShiino’s win comes almost 10 years after Ariana Miyamoto became the first biracial contestant to be crowned Miss Universe Japan, one of several other national-level pageant titles. Miss Nippon is not part of the international beauty pageant circuit and is unaffiliated with global competitions like Miss World and Miss Universe. The first Miss Nippon contest, held in 1950, was sponsored by one of Japan’s largest newspapers, the Yomiuri Shimbun.

Persons: Karolina Shiino, “, ”, Shiino, Kazuki Oishi, I’m, Karolina, ” Karolina Shiino, Hiroe Yamashita, Karolina Shiino’s, Ariana Miyamoto, Miyamoto, Fujiko Yamamoto, Shizuo Wada, Ai Wada Organizations: CNN, Japan, Miss Nippon, Miss, Pew, Miss Japan Association, Handout, Reuters Shiino’s, Miss Universe Japan, Yomiuri Shimbun, Miss Nippon contest’s Locations: Ukrainian, Nagoya, Tokyo, Miss Japan, Japan, United States

TOKYO (AP) — Crowned Miss Japan this week, Ukrainian-born Karolina Shiino cried with joy, thankful for the recognition of her identity as Japanese. But her Caucasian look rekindled an old question in a country where many people value homogeneity and conformity: What does it mean to be Japanese? Shiino has lived in Japan since moving here at age 5 and became a naturalized citizen in 2022. But her crowning triggered a debate over whether she should represent Japan. Others said there was no problem with Shiino's crowning because her Japanese citizenship makes her Japanese.

Persons: Karolina Shiino, Shiino, ” Shiino, I’ve, ”, Chiaki Horan, “ I've, “, Ariana Miyamoto, Naomi Osaka, Ayaka McGill Organizations: TOKYO, Miss, Miss Universe, Tokyo Games, AP Locations: Japan, Ukrainian, Miss Japan, Nagasaki, African American

☆ The secret history of Japan’s best sweets
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Many of Japan’s present-day favorite wagashi – sweets – have their origins on Kyushu. Castella (kasutera in Japanese) also makes an appearance in another popular Japanese sweet, dorayaki. Here, the castella cake is thinner and made into a pancake with a layer of sweet red bean paste inside. Europe meets Japan, Japan meets EuropeAnother European sweet that got the Japanese treatment is macarons. For him, it’s a way of honoring Japan’s small producers, in addition to introducing these flavors to the hotel’s guests.

Persons: Joyi Chang, It’s, ”, Michele Abbatemarco, there’s, Margaret, Emperor, –, Miyamoto Shoko, it’s Organizations: CNN, Japan CNN Locations: Kyushu, Japan, Macao, Nagasaki, Portuguese, Japan’s, Portugal, Fukusaya, Fukuoka, Fukusaya’s, Hakata Station, Europe, Otemachi, Saga City, Tokyo, Spain, Netherlands, England

☆ 'Mario Wonder' latest mushroom power-up for Nintendo Switch
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Signage for the Nintendo Switch is seen at a GameStop in Manhattan, New York, U.S., December 7, 2021. The Japanese firm said it sold 4.3 million copies of "Super Mario Bros. Wonder" - the first entirely new instalment in the almost 40-year-old side-scrolling series in a decade - within two weeks of its Oct. 20 launch. That is the best performance of any "Super Mario" title, Nintendo said, as it takes advantage of the Switch install base of more than 130 million units and interest generated by a barnstorming animated movie featuring the moustachioed plumber. The comments come a day after Nintendo reported it sold 6.84 million Switch units in the first six months of the financial year that started in April, a slight increase on the same period a year earlier. Nintendo also announced on Wednesday "Super Mario" creator Shigeru Miyamoto is developing a live action adaptation of the "Zelda" franchise.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Mario, Shuntaro Furukawa, Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, Kong, Jefferies, Atul Goyal, Sam Nussey, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Nintendo, GameStop, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York, U.S, Kyoto

☆ Nintendo to make Zelda movie after Mario success; shares pop 6%
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Zelda, and Avi Arad, chairman of Arad Productions Inc., who has been a producer on a number of hit Marvel movies, will produce the Zelda film. Nintendo said Wednesday it plans to develop a live-action film of The Legend of Zelda, one of its most popular characters, as the gaming giant looks to replicate the success it had with the Mario movie. Investors had feared that sales of the more than six-year old Nintendo Switch console had peaked. Nintendo will be hoping for similar success with the Zelda movie. Nintendo will co-finance the Zelda film with Sony Pictures.

Persons: Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, Zelda, Avi Arad, Wes Ball Organizations: Nintendo, Mario Bros, Universal Studios, Arad Productions Inc, Investors, Sony Pictures, Comcast, CNBC Locations: Japan, NBCUniversal

TOKYO (AP) — Nintendo is developing a live-action film based on its hit video game “The Legend of Zelda,” the Japanese company behind the Super Mario franchise said Wednesday. It’s being co-produced by Nintendo and Arad Productions Inc., which is behind the live-action Spider-Man films and headed by Avi Arad. Its animation film “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” released earlier this year, has raked in more than $1.3 billion and drew nearly 170 million people worldwide. Political Cartoons View All 1237 ImagesThe planned release date of the Zelda movie was not announced. Nintendo officials said the success of the Super Mario film has translated into bigger sales for its Switch machines, as well as for game software with Super Mario themes.

Persons: Zelda, ”, Wes Ball, It’s, Avi Arad, Mario, Shuntaro Furukawa, Shigeru Miyamoto, “, Miyamoto, Donkey Kong, ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Nintendo, Super Mario, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Arad Productions Inc, Mario Bros, Universal Studios Locations: American, Kyoto, U.S, Hollywood, Orlando, Japan

☆ Nintendo to develop 'Zelda' movie in latest entertainment push
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of the Nintendo is displayed at Nintendo Tokyo, the first-ever Nintendo official store in Japan, at at SHIBUYA PARCO department store and shopping mall complex, during a press preview in Tokyo, Japan November 19, 2019. REUTERS/Issei Kato Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Nintendo (7974.T) said on Wednesday it will develop a live-action film of long running franchise "The Legend of Zelda" in the Kyoto-based firm's latest push beyond its core gaming business. The two men have been working on an adaptation of the "Zelda" franchise for many years but the movie will take time, according to posts on social media by Nintendo. Nintendo said on Tuesday it had sold 19.5 million units of the latest "Zelda" game at September-end as the series continues to deliver hits almost 40 years after its first installment. The "Zelda" movie development comes at a time of renewed appetite for adaptations of Japanese franchises globally, with examples including Netflix's recently launched adaptation of long running pirate manga series "One Piece".

Persons: Issei Kato, Zelda, Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, Avi Arad, Wes Ball, Sam Nussey, Sandra Maler Organizations: Nintendo, Nintendo Tokyo, REUTERS, Rights, Sony, Thomson Locations: Japan, SHIBUYA PARCO, Tokyo, Kyoto

CNN —The leader of Ukraine’s national fencing team, Olga Kharlan, said she “acted with my heart” following her disqualification from the world championships for refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent. The four-time individual world champion and four-time Olympic medalist also called for a rule change regarding the disqualification of athletes who refuse to shake hands with opponents. CNN has contacted the International Fencing Federation for comment on Kharlan’s disqualification. Tadashi Miyamoto/AFLO/Shutterstock“I did not want to shake hands with that athlete and I acted with my heart,” said Kharlan. Ukrainian tennis stars – namely Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, and Lesia Tsurenko – have all refused to shake hands with Russian opponents.

Persons: Olga Kharlan, “, ” Kharlan, Kharlan, Russian Anna Smirnova, Smirnova, Tadashi Miyamoto, ”, ” Mikhailo Ilyashev, Ilyashev, Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk Organizations: CNN, Fencing Federation, International Fencing Federation, Ukrainian Fencing Federation, Olympics, Wimbledon Locations: Russian, Milan, Ukrainian

☆ Olga Kharlan: Ukraine's top fencer granted place at Olympics after disqualification for not shaking hands with Russian opponent
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Svitlana Vlasova Victoria Butenko Tim Lister | Svitlana Vlasova | Victoria Butenko | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Olga Kharlan, leader of Ukraine’s national fencing team, was earlier disqualified at the tournament after she refused to shake hands with the Russian rival Anna Smirnova she defeated. An athlete’s refusal to shake hands after a contest results in a black card and expulsion, according to International Fencing Federation rules. The federation said it has met with Kharlan and spoken with the International Olympic Committee and finds the reinstatement “in keeping with the Olympic Spirit”. IOC chief’s interventionThat turnaround came came after a pointed intervention from the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, himself a former fencer. Meanwhile, Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina took to Twitter to support Kharlan, writing: “We are not shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Persons: Olga Kharlan, Anna Smirnova, Smirnova, Kharlan, Thomas Bach, Bach, ”, Olga Kharlan of, Tadashi Miyamoto, “, Dmytro Kuleba, ” Kharlan, Vladimir Putin, Marta Kostyuk, Kostyuk, Aryna Sabalenka, Sabalenka, won’t, Elina Svitolina Organizations: CNN, International Fencing Federation, Paris, Fencing, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Paris Olympics, Fencing Federation, Ukraine’s, Belarus, Aryna, Twitter Locations: Ukrainian, Italy, Russian, Ukraine, Milan, Olga Kharlan of Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Belarusian

☆ How The Legend of Zelda Changed the Game
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Zachary Small | Rumsey Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

More than six million people watched the preview for hints about the next video game in Nintendo’s beloved Legend of Zelda franchise. Tears of the Kingdom, the next entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise, will encourage players to manipulate and combine objects to fight enemies and explore Hyrule. The immersive gameplay of the Zelda franchise is bolstered by its deep mythology , convincing players they are unearthing ancient secrets. Retrieving the Master Sword often marks the point in a Zelda game when the difficulty spikes and the stakes are raised. Clockwise, from top left: The Legend of Zelda (1986), A Link to the Past (1991), Ocarina of Time (1998) and The Wind Waker (2002).

[1/5] A general view of the grand opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 15, 2023. The theme park world is meant to ignite interest from both new and seasoned fans of the Mario games through an immersive experience. It follows in the footsteps of its predecessor in Universal Studios Japan, also owned by the Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O) unit. Super Nintendo World will also be added to Universal Studios Florida in 2025. The opening of the park will be followed by the “Super Mario Bros” movie, which arrives in theaters on April 7 and stars “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor Chris Pratt, who voices Mario.

☆ The Asian nation where 35% of people say they’ll 'never travel' again
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Yet, no country came close to the travel reluctance shown in Japan, where some 35% of respondents said they don't intend to travel again. The survey asked about "any leisure travel" and did not differentiate between domestic or international travel plans, said Lindsey Roeschke, a travel and hospitality analyst at Morning Consult. The number of people who say they'll "never travel" again is nearly six times greater in Japan (35%) than in Germany (6%), according to Morning Consult's "The State of Travel & Hospitality" report. We expect to see a return to the pre-2020 demand for international travel sooner rather than later. The British artist known as Miles Takes told CNBC Travel that "international travel still seems a while away" for him.

☆ I got my big break as a Lionsgate screenwriter after I moved 2,000 miles from Hollywood. Here's how I made connections and worked my way up from security guard to my dream career.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Ken Miyamoto | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Ken Miyamoto was a security guard at Sony, and worked his way up to story analyst for the studio. In 1996, I took one University of Wisconsin screenwriting class, and that was the extent of my screenwriting education. I moved to California from Wisconsin with my wife in late 1999 to pursue a career in screenwriting. The apartment was way overpriced and much smaller than others we looked at, but we signed the lease that day. Lastly, don't write for free.

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