A new line of decorative mini figures made from gold pay homage to pioneering manga artist Osamu Tezuka’s massive influence on anime and manga.

U-Treasure, a Japanese jewelry brand that frequently partners with pop culture franchises for fun but classy keepsakes, is now taking preorders for the first three pieces in a new collaborative series paying homage to manga legend Osamu Tezuka.

The Osamu Tezuka World Gold Collection celebrates the 80th anniversary of the God of Manga‘s 1946 debut manga The Diary of Ma-chan (a four-panel newspaper comic strip). Tezuka continued to churn out classic works of manga for the rest of his life that revolutionized the genre and Japanese popular culture forevermore.

The standout piece of U-Treasure’s trio of offerings is undoubtedly the miniature figure of Tetsuwan Atom, better known as Astro Boy to English-speaking audiences. Tezuka’s original Astro Boy manga was serialized from 1952-1968, inspiring a groundbreaking 1963 TV series that is considered to be the first-ever serialized Japanese TV anime. Countless adaptations and collaborations have been produced since.

▼ Astro Boy, the robot boy whom we can thank for modern manga and anime

 

Costing 121,000 yen (US$760), the figure is crafted from 18-karat yellow gold and stands only 15 millimeters (0.59 inches) tall.

Nevertheless, it’s a faithful creation of the character, with Tezuka’s trademark large eyes and Astro Boy’s pointy, distinctive hairstyle.

The figure comes specially packaged in a black box inscribed with “Osamu Tezuka World” and “Testsuwan Atom” in gold, retro-style font.

Precisely because of its small size, it’s an elegant trinket that will upgrade any desk or shelf without taking up too much space.

While Astro Boy is undoubtedly the most recognizable of the new pieces, the two other characters in this release also hold a space place in Tezuka’s legacy. First, the 9-millimeter-tall Hyoutantsugi is a gourd-like character that was originally inspired by a doodle made by Tezuka’s younger sister. It became a visual gag that randomly appears in almost all of his works.

▼ Hyoutantsugi miniature gold figure (165,000 yen)

Second, the 12-millimeter-tall Buddha captures the likeness of Tezuka’s rendition of the life of Siddhartha Gautama in his 1972-1983 eponymously titled masterpiece.

▼ Buddha miniature gold figure (220,000 yen)

All three miniature figures are available for preorder between May 20 and June 22 on U-Treasure’s online shop and at U-Treasure Concept Stores Ikebukuro in Tokyo and Shinsaibashi in Osaka (location information here).

We’re looking forward to seeing what the next set of characters will be in U-Treasure’s The Osamu Teszuka World Gold Collection–and something tells us it definitely won’t be any of the erotic animal sketches that his daughter discovered locked in his desk drawer just over ten years ago.

Source, images: PR Times
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KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — For most actors, a role is simply a chapter in a career—a costume worn for a season and then tucked away. But for Japanese star Masahiro Inoue, one particular genre became more than a job; it became a lifelong creative compass.

Long before streaming services redefined global entertainment, Inoue was thrust into the heart of one of tokusatsu’s most ambitious undertakings. In 2009, he donned the mantle of Tsukasa Kadoya, the enigmatic protagonist of Kamen Rider Decade.

As the face of the Heisei series' 10th anniversary, Inoue didn't just play a hero; he portrayed an unconventional anti-hero—a traveller between parallel worlds whose motives remained as elusive as the dimensions he traversed.

“I was able to play the role of Decade, and it was a great honour,” Inoue told Malay Mail.

“Through that experience, I learned how wonderful the tokusatsu genre is and cultivated a deeper appreciation for the craft.”

While many stars use tokusatsu as a springboard to mainstream fame before distancing themselves from their "masked" beginnings, Inoue’s bond with the genre has only deepened.

He transitioned from the heroism of Decade to the darker complexities of Garo, portraying the character Jinga in Gold Storm Sho (2015) and later serving as the primary antagonist in Garo: Kami no Kiba (2018). The character's magnetic pull was so strong it spawned its own spin-off, Kami no Kiba: Jinga, further cementing Inoue's status as a titan of the genre.

By 2023, Inoue decided to move from performer to pioneer. He launched Sentika F8ABA6 Jisariz, an independent tokusatsu series on YouTube where he stars as the titular hero. Mirroring the "world-hopper" essence of Decade and the aesthetic grit of Garo, Jisariz was a personal gamble.

“I wanted to create a tokusatsu production that people around the world could watch,” he explained, citing YouTube’s accessibility as the primary driver.

“After my experiences with Kamen Rider Decade and GARO, I wanted to try creating a project entirely on my own. It was very difficult, but it was also a lot of fun.”

For Inoue, the enduring relevance of tokusatsu lies in its tactile nature. While anime offers a stylized escape, tokusatsu provides a visceral connection.

“With anime, there can sometimes be a sense of unreality,” he notes. “But in tokusatsu, real people transform into heroes. Fans and cosplayers can imitate those characters in real life. That realism is one of its biggest attractions.”

Malaysian bond

This belief in the "tangible hero" is perhaps why Inoue has developed such a profound bond with his Malaysian fans. Over the last few years, Malaysia has become a recurring destination in his own journey between worlds, with visits to Penang in 2022 and the Klang Valley in 2023.

Most recently, he returned as a special guest at the ‘Let's Anime Cosplay Event × Tourism Selangor: Welcome to Parallel World’ at the Klang Commercial Convention Centre (KCCC) on June 6 and 7.

Despite previous logistical hurdles with past organisers that had made returning difficult, this latest visit felt like a homecoming. “I love Malaysia,” he shared. “Through social media, I often see comments from Malaysian fans. Their support makes me very happy.”

As he reflects on nearly two decades in the industry, Inoue remains a rare breed of artist, one who champions the genre that first gave him a voice. Whether as the dimension-hopping Decade, the formidable Jinga, or the independent Jisariz, he continues to bridge the gap between fantasy and reality.

Much like the characters he portrays, Masahiro Inoue continues to travel across borders, ensuring that the spirit of tokusatsu evolves for a new generation of dreamers.

EXCLUSIVE: “I have been in this business a long time, and I have never seen anything this bad,” a CBS News insider told Deadline on Wednesday amid the fallout of recent firings at 60 Minutes and accusations of political interference at the Bari Weiss-ruled division. After a verbal dust-up this week between 60 Minutes correspondent […]

Donald Trump has added another victory in Texas, underscoring MAGA’s firm grip on the Republican Party in this key state. His Senate pick, the controversial attorney general Ken Paxton, defeated veteran Republican senator John Cornyn by a wide margin. With the result, Paxton denies Cornyn the chance to seek a fifth term in Washington in the November midterm elections.

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© LM Otero (AP)

 

MADRID, June 10 — Real Madrid said yesterday that Atletico Madrid had rejected the club’s offer of 150 million euros (US$173 million) for Argentine forward Julian Alvarez.

“After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atletico de Madrid has expressed its gratitude for the proposal... and has rejected it,” Real Madrid said in a statement.

A World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022 and formerly of Manchester City, the 26-year-old Alvarez joined Atletico in 2024. He is under contract until June 2030, with a release clause estimated at 500 million euros.

Included in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, Alvarez scored eight goals last season in La Liga and 10 in the Champions League, where Atletico were eliminated in the semi-finals by Arsenal.

“After studying and evaluating it, Atletico de Madrid thanked the club for the offer made, in keeping with the good relations between our two clubs, but rejected it,” Real Madrid said in a statement.

Atletico Madrid scoffed at the Real statement.

“You may have confused politeness with gratitude, but to be clear: we don’t thank you for anything. We neither studied nor considered any offer for Julian. You make us laugh even more than Barcelona do,” Atletico said in reply to Real in a social media post.

Re-elected on Sunday as Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez had promised during his election campaign that he would make a big-name signing.

Spanish media had reported that the target was Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise.

But the German club said they would not be selling their French international.

“If Florentino Perez wants to send us an offer, which has not happened so far, he can save himself the trouble,” said Bayern president Herbert Hainer. — AFP

 

In just two days, several artists who had been announced for the Great American State Fair—a festival organized by Freedom 250, an initiative backed by the Trump administration—have withdrawn from the lineup after claiming they were unaware of the event’s political ties. The fair, scheduled for June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall in the nation’s capital, was billed as a massive celebration of American identity, featuring concerts, rodeos, amusement rides, livestock competitions, military exhibitions, and fireworks displays. It was also part of the extensive calendar of celebrations promoted by President Donald Trump leading up to the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.

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© Zhu Ziyu (VCG via Getty Images)

PETALING JAYA, June 14 — Remember when farm-to-table first burst onto the scene in restaurants throughout the Klang Valley? It’s okay, me neither. 

But then it got a rebrand: now, these restaurants have “seasonal” menus; the produce is “locally sourced” and “sustainable”; and each chef somehow has a personal connection with the farm even though they’re all using the same few suppliers.

Alright, that last remark was a little unfair. You’ll encounter this mostly in fine dining restaurants, occasionally in non-fine dining, but still modern, upscale concepts, and for the most part, I think it’s a good thing. 

Malaysia is blessed with the land and weather to produce great ingredients, and it should be highlighted more. 

Up until recently, it had mostly been a niche thing, restricted to that type of restaurant and that kind of price point.

Enter Reban, a newcomer to Aman Suria, which opened in early May. The name is the Malay word for “coop”, and the restaurant has partnered with Sinisana, a chicken farm based in Ijok, Kuala Selangor, to sell — you guessed it — locally sourced chicken. 

Reban’s signature offering is its Nasi Ayam Kulit Naga (RM13.90), which features a whole chicken leg, air-dried for up to a day, then roasted to order and served with rice and chilli sauce. 

You can see the legs being hung out to dry at the front of the shop, with every bit of moisture pulled off from the tight, stretched skin.

I’ll level with you: it doesn’t really taste like the conventional chicken rice we’re used to. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

For one, this is a proper roast chicken, not a chicken showered in scalding oil. 

It sports a shatteringly crisp skin, bronzed, scaly and living up to the “dragon skin” moniker. 

The air-drying yields taut, firm flesh that remains moist while having a satisfying meaty pull. 

And perhaps the best thing that can be said about this chicken is that it truly and readily tastes like chicken, although the rice leaves much to be desired. 

Most chicken today is a texture delivery vehicle for whatever sauce or seasoning you put on it. 

The flavour has been bred and farmed out of it, optimised for fast growth and high yield. 

This has a deeper, almost gamey intensity without too much fat. If you like high-quality birds and you like your roast chicken with crispy skin and firm flesh, this ticks all the boxes.

Reban’s other offerings include Claypot Chicken Rice (RM15.90), which comes topped with chicken lap cheong, mushrooms and salted fish. 

It is a decent approximation of the dish, with a good enough balance of saltiness and sweetness to flavour the entire claypot, and although it never really develops a full layer of crispy rice, some bits did end up becoming crispy.

My main contention is that this preparation doesn’t fully show off the quality of the chicken. 

Nice chunky bits of thigh are used, but I can’t tell them apart from any other type of chicken. 

The best thing about Reban is, without a doubt, the chicken, and if you want proof, the Nasi Ayam Kulit Naga is where you’ll find it. 

Sometimes, the best argument for local sourcing doesn’t have to be a tasting menu. It can just be a chicken leg that actually tastes like one.

Reban by Sinisana Chicken Farm

C-G, 1, Jalan PJU 1/45, 

Aman Suria, Petaling Jaya.

Open daily, 11am-9pm

Tel: 014-879 1775

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.

* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and occasionally self-deprecating humour.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — Proton recorded sales of 16,995 units in May, outperforming the wider automotive market despite an estimated 15.4 per cent month-on-month decline in total industry volume.

In a statement today, the national carmaker said its year-to-date sales for the first five months of 2026 stood at 84,294 units, up 38 per cent from the same period last year, with an estimated market share of 26.7 per cent.

It said the Saga returned as Malaysia’s best-selling vehicle in May, with 7,398 units delivered during the month and 37,375 units sold year-to-date.

The company said its e.MAS range also topped electrified vehicle charts, with the e.MAS 7 PHEV becoming Malaysia’s best-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicle after 1,181 units were delivered in May and 2,936 units sold cumulatively since its February 4 launch.

It added that the e.MAS 7 EV reclaimed the top spot among electric vehicles in Malaysia in May with 958 units delivered, while the e.MAS 5 remained Malaysia’s best-selling EV year-to-date with 9,357 units sold.

Proton also said the S70 recorded 2,350 units in May, while the X50 remained the best-selling model in its SUV class and segment with 2,793 units delivered.

Deputy chief executive officer Dato. Ir. Abdul Rashid Musa said Proton’s 2026 performance showed Malaysians continued to respond to products offering “strong value, advanced technology, and a rewarding ownership experience”.

The company said its e.MAS models delivered 3,022 units in May across domestic and export markets, bringing year-to-date sales to 14,687 units, led by the e.MAS 7 PHEV with 1,181 units and the e.MAS 7 EV with 958 units.

PRO-NET chief executive officer Zhang Qiang said the response to the e.MAS range reflected growing consumer confidence in electrified vehicles, adding that Proton was strengthening supply as local assembly ramps up for the e.MAS 7 and begins for the e.MAS 5.

KOTA BHARU, June 14 — Driven by the allure of an ‘overseas holiday,’ thousands of Malaysians have been ignoring safety warnings and queuing for hours to enter southern Thailand, especially during festive seasons and school holidays.

Revealing this concerning trend, Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said that daily observations at the state’s three official entry points (ICQS Complexes) — Rantau Panjang in Pasir Mas, Pengkalan Kubor in Tumpat, and Bukit Bunga in Tanah Merah — have recorded extremely high cross-border traffic.

He said that on normal days, an estimated 3,000 people cross the border, while the figure rises to more than 4,000 during weekends.

According to him, when school holidays arrive, the number increases significantly, reaching between 6,000 and 7,000 people per day.

“Overall, the total number of entries and exits involving border passes or passports can reach as high as 10,000 people in a single day. We continuously advise the public that the situation there (in southern Thailand) is difficult to predict.

“No one knows when or where a bombing or shooting incident might occur. The travel advisory issued by the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) last year remains in effect, yet many people appear unconcerned and are still willing to queue for hours,” he told Bernama recently.

Commenting on the factors drawing visitors to the troubled region, he said that, in his personal view, Kelantan still lacks sufficiently attractive tourist destinations or family recreation spots to encourage locals to spend their holidays within the state.

He added that the public’s fascination with the notion of an overseas holiday also plays a significant role.

“Many people seem to regard any trip that earns them a passport stamp as an overseas holiday, even though the destination is just across the border and separated only by a river.

“Financial considerations are another factor behind the growing trend. The favourable exchange rate of the neighbouring country’s currency makes people feel they can spend more freely there,” he said.

He added that many locals are willing to cross the border for relatively simple reasons, such as seeking out authentic Thai cuisine, strolling through night markets, or even buying viral snacks from Thailand’s 7-Eleven stores before returning home the same day.

Meanwhile, Mohd Yusoff suggested that the state government and relevant stakeholders consider transforming border towns such as Rantau Panjang by adopting the development model used in Padang Besar, Perlis, as part of a two-pronged strategy to reduce the outflow of Malaysian currency.

He said developing a well-organised commercial complex incorporating a rest and service (R&R) concept could attract domestic tourists without requiring them to cross the border.

Citing Perlis as an example, Mohd Yusoff said the R&R shopping complex there, with its attractive retail outlets, has successfully drawn Thai traders to market utility goods, clothing and authentic food products legally on the Malaysian side of the border.

“If Kelantan can replicate this model, we can not only attract foreign tourists to visit the state, but also discourage our people from crossing the border simply to visit night markets or go shopping. After all, our culinary culture is not that different from theirs,” he said.

Mohd Yusoff also dismissed claims by certain parties that the police’s stricter border controls were to blame for the decline in business activity at the Rantau Panjang and Pengkalan Kubor Duty-Free Zones.

He stressed that the economic downturn in both border towns had begun well before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The post-pandemic period has seen a drastic shift in consumer behaviour, with many people now preferring to purchase Thai products online,” he said.

Given that the rise of e-commerce has undermined traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, he said border towns could no longer rely on conventional retail models and instead needed to reinvent themselves. This could include developing hubs for viral products, food and popular snacks, including those commonly associated with Thailand’s 7-Eleven stores.

“Rantau Panjang should be viewed as a destination in its own right and given a new lease of life. Establish attractive retail outlets and bring in the products that people seek from Thailand. That is the best solution for revitalising the local economy,” he said. — Bernama

- Ozymandias - posted a photo:

Cambridge, MA '26
Fogg Museum

Attica (Greece), c. 340 BC

Renovations wrapping up in Tokyo, new menu items on their way to Osaka too.

If you’re a Pokémon fan, heading to Japan’s Pokémon Cafe as soon as possible probably seems like a no-brainer. However, if you can hold out for a few more weeks, you’ll be rewarded for your patience, as there’s a slew of brand-new, incredibly adorable new items being added to the menu.

The arrival of the new entree, dessert, and drink options coincides with this month’s grand reopening of the Pokémon Cafe Tokyo. At the time of its opening in 2018, Japan’s first permanent Pokémon restaurant was already an awesome place to visit, and the newly redone interior will feature even more species of Pokémon in its art and decorations.

Among the menu items making their debut is the Chocolate and Berry Pikachu Parfait, a mixture of sweet, fruity, and creamy flavors topped with strawberries and a Pikachu made of mousse with chocolate facial features.

Continuing with the sweet treats, there’s also the Eevee Colorful Fruit Pancake, which gives a nod to Eeevee’s many possible evolutions with a rainbow of dried fruit pieces and recreates the Pokémon’s tuft of fluffy fur with Mascarpone cream.

We’d be the last ones to criticize fans for ordering double dessert, (our independent research has found that it’s the most important meal of the day), but we’d highly recommend saving room for some savory stuff too, like the Pikachu and Pichu Friends Curry Plate, with a Pikachu-shaped serving of saffron rice and a Poké Ball-style hamburger steak.

The sleepiest Pokémon couldn’t be bothered to wake up for the Napping Snorlax Teriyaki Burger, but he does at least let you use his tummy for the top bun of this teriyaki chicken and scrambled egg sandwich, and he contributes some carrot Zs to the accompanying veggie mix.

Rounding out the new entree choices is the Mimikyu Disguise Omelet, recreating the mysterious Ghost/Fairy-type’s covering in egg form, with a salad and cup of corn chowder, with Pokémon-shaped pasta, on the side.

And last, to wash everything down there’s the new Go! Greninja! White Peach Smokescreen Drink. Floating in the glass is a gelatin Water Shuriken, and the Pokémon Cafe promises that the drink also shows off Greninja’s Smokescreen ability, which could mean that it has some sort of foamy or cotton candy-cloud creating effect.

The visual appeal of dining at the Pokémon Cafe isn’t limited to the food on your plate or the art of the walls, either. Seatings are done in set time blocks, and each of them includes a visit by some species of Pokémon. To celebrate the debut of the new Pikachu parfait, there’s also a new show, Let’s Make a Pika Pika Parfait, a 10-minute performance featuring a trio of culinary Pikachus.

▼ From left to right these are Waitress Pikachu, Chef Pikachu, and Patissier Pikachu, but they also look like they could be the panel of a Pokémon-themed Iron Chef reboot (which someone should make immediately).

▼ The same three also appear on special Pokémon 30th anniversary stickers given out randomly with drink orders.

Prices for the above items range from 1,375 yen (US$9) for the Greninja drink to 2,090 yen for the desserts and 2,530 yen for everything else. The new menu items will be available at both the Tokyo and Osaka Pokémon Cafes starting June 17, which is also the grand reopening date for the renovated Tokyo branch, which has been closed since late March.

Related: Pokémon Cafe
Source: Pokémon Cafe (1, 2, 3)
Top image: Pokémon Cafe
Insert images: Pokémon Cafe (1, 2)
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EXCLUSIVE: Guillermo Arriaga’s original screenplay on which seminal Mexican film Amores Perros was based is being turned into a scripted TV series. AF Films has acquired rights to Perro Blanco, Perro Negro and is working with Sofia Vergara’s Hispanic talent management and entertainment company LatinWe to develop and produce a high-end international drama series. A […]