If you've been on the internet in the past five years, you've seen a trio of Japanese ladies doing aerobics, while chanting, "I have a bad case of diarrhea." The clip, and the other Zuiikin' English footage, are infamous. Those three ladies have earned their place in internet meme history.

Two of them seem to have left show business. But, if you play fighting games, like The Power Rangers or surf nudie pictures, you might be familiar with one of them.

One of actress Rei Saito's first gigs was Zuiikin' English, which debuted on Japan's Fuji TV in 1992. The show aired early in the morning before the morning talk shows kicked into high gear, which is probably why it went largely unnoticed by the entire country. On Japanese television, there are numerous language learning programs (especially English ones) that come and go. What made Zuiikin' English different was that it centered on the concept of connecting language acquisition via voluntary muscle (随意筋 or "zuiikin" in Japanese) movement.

It was an interesting concept, but the whole thing came off as slightly goofy. For Japanese people who rediscover the show now, it reeks of the country's Bubble Economy excess, with its exercise crazes and tight fitting "body con" fashion. Because people doing aerobics to phrases like "I have a bad case of diarrhea" is so unusual, the show inevitably spawned countless internet chuckles.

One of those Zuiikin' Gals, Rei Saito, became far more famous in her native Japan a decade later after appearing in Power Rangers series Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger as the evil Duchess Org Tsuetsue, who was able to turn the evil Orgs into giants. With their color coordinated aerobics outfits, the Zuiikin' Gals were somewhat like early more, English teaching Power Rangers. Her appearance in the mid 1990s Sailor Moon stage shows also provided her with some super sentai cred.

But after Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger ended, Saito released a "full nude" photo book, which was very surprising at the time. These days, it's not uncommon for bikini pin-ups or even well known celebrities to do "hair nude" photo books. Full nude photos still somewhat of a rebellious taboo for mainstream models, and since Power Rangers is a kiddy show, there were raised eyebrows. The book was titled Biyaku (媚薬) or "Aphrodisiac".

Around that same time, Saito started doing voice work for video games, namely SNK games. In 1999, she brought the character of B. Jenet to life in 1999's Garou: Mark of the Wolves and later in The King of Fighters games. She still voices the character, who most recently appeared in The King of Fighters XI and KOF Maximum Impact Regulation "A".

Now in her mid-40s and with her Zuiikin' days long behind her, Saito continues to act, appearing in TV dramas, musicals, and stage plays. Everybody has to start somewhere, and Saito started with a bad case of diarrhea.

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These images "leaked" by All Games Beta supposedly give us our first proper look at the upcoming Dead Space 3, ahead of a more official outing over the coming days.

They depict a pair (I'd say one of them is Isaac Clarke but his face is so everyman I can't be sure) engaging in some cutely-staged co-op manoeuvres, looking for all the world like this was a Lost Planet dress-up party.

It also looks like there's enemies in this who know how to use a gun, and bad guys who look a lot like the ones we already know from the series, albeit dressed for cooler climates.

These shots follow on from a smaller reveal from earlier in the week.

Dead Space 3 [All Games Beta]

Just in case you weren't put off by the lack of any kind of mention of Valve Software, advance warning of the game's arrival or the complaints demanding their money back, if you see a game called Counter Strike on the App Store, don't spend $2 on it.

Unless you enjoy being ripped off by fraudulent scamsters. In which case, who am I to tell you how to spend your money?

Counter Strike [App Store, thanks unexpect3rd!]

Yesterday I had the most incredible day.

Yesterday I visited the studio of Good Game: Spawn Point, at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Good Game: Spawn Point is a TV show about video games, and its target audience are young gamers – under 10s - kids who spend their days playing Minecraft, Smash Bros., and Mario Kart.

The show's creator is a woman, her name is Janet Carr. She is a real hero of mine, and I'll never forget what she said.

"The kids are so innocent in the way they love games," she explained, as she showed me around the set, "but the thing that really amazes me is just how many girls there are gaming.

"When I speak to developers I always say, ‘you better start thinking about the games you want to make in a couple of years for teenage girls - because soon there's going to be a whole army of them, and they're going to be angry when they see what's out there.'"

And then I went home and I watched the new trailer for Hitman Absolution.

No doubt you've seen it already – sexuality by numbers – chaste nuns, casting aside robes to reveal themselves in the most tacky way possible. Dressed in leather and stilettos, having their faces smashed in and shot by Agent 47, a strapping bald male, grimacing as he chokes, punches and blasts his way through this sexualised horde of females.

This, I think to myself, is what those girls, who love video games in the purest way possible, have to look forward to.

They get to watch the ‘sexy' unboxing of video games. They get to wear underwear armour that isn't armour at all! They get to lick lollipops suggestively. They get to play beach volleyball; they get to choose which bikini to wear while doing so.

I can't abide it. If this is what works, if this is what genuinely sells video games I just don't want any part of it. Is this what we want as a culture? Is this what really works. I genuinely hope not.

Yesterday I had the most incredible day, and I left with a real hope for video games as a medium –because it has this beautiful, pure, diverse audience to look forward to, to cater to - an audience that doesn't engage with video games in the same dull, gendered way.

They're going to be so angry.

And I hope they get angry. All of them. There's already an army of girls playing, engaging, writing and talking about video games – and they're about to get some new recruits.

Janet told me that in a single week, Good Game: Spawn Point receives over 17,000 letters and emails from its viewers. At least 50% of them are from girls. I sincerely hope that, by the time they've grown up, we'll have something significantly more substantial for them than Nuns in stilettos and beach volleyball in bikinis.

Because if we don't, there'll be hell to pay. And you best believe they won't be donning leather and bikini armour when they burn this silly little boys club to the ground.

Japanese collectible company Kotobukiya will soon be releasing this small, 6" version of Ikaruga's Hitekki Genkei fighter.

It's a model kit in the truest sense of the word: while it comes pre-painted, it also comes entirely disassembled, meaning you not only have to put its 200 pieces together by hand, but glue most of them on as well. Just like the olden days.

Pre-order this Kotobukiya Ikaruga model, Hitekki Ginkei [Tomopop]

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Given the fact most big games are made by Westerners for Westerners, we don't often get the chance to assume the role of a serious, proper Islamic (or even Middle Eastern!) character. And no, Ubisoft, a fairy-tale, clichéd ideal of a Persian Prince doesn't count.

So it's awesome seeing Paradox give Crusader Kings II players the chance to do just that with an upcoming expansion for the game called Sword of Islam.

The Islamic factions, once walled off as unplayable in the game (and more often than not the enemy, given the time period involved), are now there to be played, with Paradox going the full authenticity route by changing how the game's titles, marriages and laws work to better accomodate the differences between Christian and Muslim realms.

The map has also been expanded to include more of the Middle East and Eurasia as well.

It's out next month, and will cost $10.

Those who'd prefer Westeros to the Middle East, well, there's something out now for you as well.

Tonight, we're checking out the portfolio of Chinese artist Ming zhu Yang, who works for mobile gaming company Gameloft.

Specialising mostly in character art, you can see more of her stuff at her personal site.

To see the larger pics in all their glory (or so you can save them as wallpaper), right-click on them below and select "open in new tab".

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One of the things that makes zombie survival sim DayZ so difficult is that players start the game without a map. Even later on, getting hold of one can be tough. Without a map, you can't see where you are, and if you don't know where you are, you have trouble finding other survivors.

Sure, you can get around this by just downloading a map, but that's hardly as authentic an experience as buying a large, $15, real-world map to have sitting next to you, is it?

These were first printed up last year, but given DayZ's popularity - and its lack of map - ArmA II developers Bohemia Interactive have decided to start selling the things.

Other recommendations for a more authentic experience: drink a can of pepsi every hour, shoot the first person who knocks on your front door and don't go climbing ladders with your pistol drawn. Even in the real world.

Chernarus Map Collection + 8 Bonus Postcards [BI, via PC Gamer]

Well, it was made by a 3D printer, but I refuse to call them "machines". If you can put materials into something, press a button and out the other end comes entire things, that to me is magic. Dark magic.

This Halo figure is being shown off on the webpage of the Objet Connex500, a 3D printer, with the nonchelant caption that it's proof the device can "print up to 14 materials in one model".

I'm no advertising man, but "holy shit look at this would you?" seems more appropriate.

If you haven't ever had the pleasure of seeing this magic in action, know that a model doesn't just pop out looking like this. The printer has to churn out the pieces individually. So, basically every piece that's a different shade in this pic is a new piece.

Still. If magic has to say "some assembly required", then I still call it wonderful.

Objet Connex500™ [Objet, via The Awesomer]

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