Capcom has confirmed Monster Hunter 4 is coming to Japan and the USA in March 2013. The game will feature online multiplayer.

Nikkei has shared a series of photos that provide a closer look at the Circle Pad Pro for the 3DS XL, which can be found after the break. But while it may look bulky, Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku has said that it’s “not half bad”, and:

…this new, larger Circle Pad Pro is that it feels compact, yet still usable. And more importantly, while Nintendo says the 3DS XL isn’t big enough for a second analog stick, the new Circle Pad Pro’s smart design gives hope that one day it could be.
And that’s coming from someone who hates the Wii U Pro Controller, which I think adds value to the praise.

Librica, a company that is partly owned by various Japanese publishers (Square Enix, Marvelous AQL, etc) has announced the existence of “Bookstore Anywhere” for the 3DS. The application will provide manga, light novels, and other sorts of similar content. When it launches on October 20th via the eShop, “there will be over 100 manga series to begin with, that are currently being serialized in Japanese manga magazines”, and “3DS users will also be able to occasionally receive free magazines through the 3DS’ Wi-Fi capabilities”.

But I have a feeling this won’t be released outside of Japan.