J-List side blog

Lessons Learned on Trains in Japan

2009-07-04T12:55:00.001+09:00

When I first got to Japan, I was determined to get out and see the country, but it was difficult since it can be costly to travel here and I was a "bimbo" ESL teacher. (Through a linguistic accident, binbo happens to mean "poor" or "penniless" in Japanese, making it mildly fun to start conversations with Japanese girls by asking, "Are you bimbo?" and watching them nod yes.) Then I found out about the Youth 18 Ticket, a special ticket JR sells that basically lets you go anywhere on a JR line for a day for $24, as long as you don't mind taking only the local, slow trains (i.e. no Shinkansen). It's an interesting way to travel since it's cheap, completely removed from the "touristy" side of the country, and you'll be guaranteed to see a side of the country you couldn't easily see otherwise. Of course, this method of traveling around Japan is only recommended to people who have lots of time but very little money, since it took me 14 hours to get to Osaka from Tokyo. The better way to get around is a JR Rail Pass that lets you use all the fast trains, which is unfortunately unavailable to anyone living inside Japan.

Taking my slow train trip to Osaka way I learned about the concept of hito to me, the social engine at work that makes Japanese society seem so uniform to outsiders. It works like this: basically, people usually avoid doing something that will stand out as strange. For my long train journey I'd brought a small folding chair with me, so I'd have a seat in case one of the trains I'd be taking was crowded. However, I soon learned that it was too embarrassing to be the only one sitting on a little folding chair, and I was unable to bring myself to cross that line. I'm a Mazda Miata fan, and have a car in San Diego and one in Japan. While I love driving my "open car" in San Diego even in February, it takes too much courage to be the only gaijin in my city driving with the top down in the winter.

The Youth 18 Ticket lets you travel as far as you want for $24.

All About Natto

2009-07-04T12:54:00.000+09:00

We're done with the first day of Anime Expo, and have spent the day meeting and greetings thousands of J-List fans, as well as giving our packed dating-sim game panel. We're tired, but it's a good kind of tired. If you'll be at the convention, we hope you'll swing by booth 825 and check out the awesome anime toys, bento boxes, T-shirts, manga and other products we've got for you. Just look for the really tall J-List flags in the room.

The fermented soybeans known as natto (NAT-toh) are one of the most famous foods in Japan, enjoyed throughout the country, although people from Osaka and most gaijin dislike it, including this one. Eaten by a wide swath of Japanese from children to the elderly and everyone in between, the sticky beans are usually mixed with yellow mustard and eaten over white rice. There are many legends about how natto was first discovered, but the most famous seems to be that in the year 1083 the general Yoshiie Minamoto was on campaign with 100,000 troops near a town called Mito, and stopped at an inn to rest. Some soybeans had been steamed and wrapped in straw for the horses to eat, and these fermented naturally while sitting on the floor of the stable. Some of the soldiers tried the beans and liked the taste, so they offered some to their lord, who loved it, which is where the name (which means "offered beans") comes from. If you're "natto curious" and would like to see what all the fuss is about, we've got an awesome item for you: authentic "drop" natto-flavored candies. Like the popular ramen, soba and and other traditional foods you can eat in candy form on J-List, these traditional Sakuma Drop-like candies taste just like the real thing.

Natto, one of the most enigmatic foods from Japan.

Cool Products Friday, July 3, 2009

2009-07-04T12:53:00.000+09:00

Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link.

	ARis Official Guide Book The amazing Cyber Figure ARis let's you interact digitally with a computer character, and do all kinds of fun things with her. We've restocked the software system today, and also posted the upcoming Official Guide for preorder.
	Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Cosplay Then, see more anime cosplauy fun, with a new Satoko cosplay for fans of Higurashi -- awesome!
	Totoro Treehouse Clock w/Daily Calendar A superb and rare item from Studio Ghibli, this is a HUGE Wooden clock/3D calendar that features the one and only Totoro from the world-famous My Neighbor Totoro. Another awesome Ghibli item from J-List.
	Let's Make Eraser with Microwave ~ Ice Cream Got a new eraser mold that let you create your own amazing erasers using your microwave oven, this time in the shape of delicious ice cream.
	Lovely Bear Kira-Deco Pop Sticker w/Mini Pouch Puffy stick-on shapes are a popular way in Japan to kawaii-up almost anything, from glass tables, windows and even computer monitors to add some extra cuteness in your life.
	Natto Drops ~ Japanese Food Drops Also: Drop candy that captures the taste and essence of Japanese natto, the famous fermented soybeans. A great conversation starter!
	Lacquer Style AJIRO Men's Bento See some really excellent new bento boxes, which feature a wooden lacquer style and elegant design that's great for anyone who wants a less kawaii bento experience. Two bento boxes and chopsticks in stock.
	Restocked Bento Boxes, Bowls Got some restocked bento boxes for you next, including the Sakura Tight Sealed Triple Bento Box Set, one of our most popular. Plus, the Prime Nakamura Clear Soup Bowl Sets, in red and blue.
	Natural Stone Magatama Straps Also, see fresh stock of several authentic magatama curved beads, as seen in Ikki Tousen . The beads are made of all-natural stones and crystals and can be attached to your phone, keys, etc.
	Awesome Anime T-Shirts All our T-shirts are flying off the shelves at Anime Expo, and it's fun for us to guess which one will be the most popular. Today's hits have included our K-On! parody, Nyoro~n! and TAKE IT EASY!
	Subaru Nakagima Action Figure Preorder From the animation of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS comes this PVC figure from the actsa series of figures featuring Subaru Nakagima, posed for action. Preorder her now.
	Shimei Ryomou 1/8 Figure Preorder From the Ikki Tousen: Dragon Destiny / Battle Vixens anime, manga, and video game series, this is the well-developed Ryomou Shimei, one of our favorite characters.
	Myousai Kakouen 1/8 Figure Preorder Also: the leggy Kakouen Myousai, the incredibly sexy fighter skilled in pressure point attacks, whose figure you can also preorder now.
	Dengeki Hime July 2009 Dengeki Hime (Electronic Shock Princess) focuses to the genre of dating sims, in particular, the beautifully illustrated heroines that make the games come alive. One of our favorite magazines.
	Awesome Artbooks Restocked Several awesome artbooks have been restocked, including the Girls Girl Girls! E2 Illustration Collection, 2D Dream magazine Illustrations, and more.
	Bible Black Ona-Hole Toys for Stress Relief The Bible Black toys we've gotten in recently are a fabulous way to get to know your favorite anime characters in a new way. Today we're posting something special, the "back door" versions that you must try.
	A Great Time to be a H-Game Fan Between the updated JAST USA website to our new announcement that we'll be translating the amazing games of Nitro+, it's a great time to be a hentai game fan!

J-List Anime Expo Update (With Table Numbers)

2009-07-01T16:58:00.001+09:00

J-List will be attending Anime Expo, the awesome anime convention, in booths 825, 827 and 829. We'll have a huge selection of everything from toys to cool anime and kanji T-shirts and dating-sim games and more, so please come by! We're giving a great panel on our PC dating-sim games, too, giving out tons of prizes and making some major announcements. The panel is on July 2nd at 10:00 pm, in room LACC 411. Hope to see you there!

Studying Japanese and What To Avoid

2009-07-01T16:57:00.000+09:00

One of the first words anyone studying Japanese learns is honto, which means "really" or "truly," and whenever a gaijin uses this word I can get an idea of how they studied Japanese. The correct pronunciation is HONE-toh, which is not difficult to get down if you started studying Japanese using a course that forced you to read everything in hiragana from the beginning (like the Genki books or the excellent flashcards from White Rabbit that we sell); but if the person says it using the English rules of pronunciation, producing something like HAWN-toh, I can tell they either learned using a romaji (romanized Japanese) textbook or learned informally, picking up words and phrases here and there. The problem is that reading a Japanese word written in the English alphabet creates problems as the brain tries to apply rules like 'silent e' to what it's seeing, which ends up making your pronunciation less correct. Another word that foreigners often get slightly wrong is man, the unit for 10,000, which pronounced like mahn, and not like the opposite of woman. Bottom line, when learning Japanese, it's best to get started on the right foot.

When studying Japanese, make sure you start out right.

Bowing Culture in Japan Revisited

2009-07-01T16:56:00.001+09:00

Bowing is an important form of social communication in Japan. Whether it's a short sumimasen accompanied by a brief lowering of the head at someone for bringing you a cup of coffee (which essentially means "sorry for inconveniencing you" in this case, even though we'd just say "thank you" in English in the same situation), or a gomen nasai said with a deeper bow for communicating a more serious apology, Japan's culture of bowing is interesting to observe. The ultimate form of a bowing is the dogeza, when a person places their body on the lowest level possible, literally touching their face to the ground. This is done in many cases to ask for forgiveness for something, but also to make an important request of someone. In ToraDora, Ryuji is taken aback when Minori suddenly prostrates herself in front of him, asking that he take good care of her friend Taiga. She had gotten the mistaken idea that the two of them were dating, and she wanted to beg of Ryuji that he make Taiga happy.

The ultimate expression of humility is the dogeza. And I love Minori-chan.

Different Customs in Japan

2009-07-01T16:55:00.000+09:00

The Japanese do some strange things, at least from the viewpoint of this particular foreigner. In the U.S. you'd never open someone's front door and walk in without being invited, but it's quite common in Japan for someone to open the door and walk in to the genkan (the low area where you leave your shoes) and ask in a loud voice if anyone is home -- no one thinks anything of it, since that part of the house is officially considered part of the outside. In the U.S. there are certain subjects you avoid out of politeness, such as religion, why a married couple doesn't have kids, or how much an expensive car or home cost. In Japan, however, some of these topics seem quite neutral and might come up during small talk. Then there's that odd custom of bringing up a person's weight gain as a part of casual conversation, which you never do in the U.S. I can't count the number of times I've met a business associate in Tokyo and have the conversation start out with, Peter-san, sukoshi futotta? (Peter, have you put on some weight?).

It's okay for a stranger to walk into your house in Japan.

Cool Products Wednesday, July 1, 2009

2009-07-01T16:53:00.001+09:00

	Megami Magazine Creators vol. 16 Megami Creators is the magazine for serious fans of anime characters and the people who bring them into being. This perfect bound magazine is loaded with beautiful pages of original anime art for you to feast on.
	Coro Coro Comic June 2009 Coro Coro is a pretty big deal for fans of such famous Japanese comics as Doraemon, Pokemon, Duel Masters, and more. In addition to being more than 700+ pages in length, you get cool free stuff inside.
	All About ToraDora Artbook I am a huge fan of ToraDora, the show that puts the kawaii Taiga (e.g. 'tiger') in league with Ryuji (whose name contains the kanji for 'dragon') to help each other find love. Preorder this upcoming artbook now.
	Restocked Artbooks See fresh stock of the gorgeous When They Cry Official Summary Artbook, as well as How To Draw Moe Characters, and more, all back in stock for you.
	Revoltech Queen's Blade Airi The new Revoltech super-poseable anime toys are great, and now Airi, the kawaii maid who wields a scythe as a weapon, is in stock. Make her do any pose you like -- you can even get quite ecchi thanks to the amazing design of the joints.
	Maryan 1/7 Figure Swimsuits ver. ~ ToHeart2 Maryan is one of the most enigmatic characters from the ToHeart2 universe, and there have been many amazing figures made of her. Here's a new one, featuring her in a white swimsuit w/ skirt around her ankle, which is quite an image. In stock now.
	Jiji Wooden Music Box -- Kiki's Delivery Service Fans of Studio Ghibli's "Kiki's Delivery Service" will definitely want to check out this amazing music box, which has a figure of Jiji the Cat that pops out as music plays when you open it. Also stores all your important stuff such as jewelry.
	Ghibli & Totoro Items Another large volley of restocked Totoro items, including the plush fuzzy Totoro Doll Collection toys (so cute!), plus Totoro music boxes for fans and collectors.
	Maneki Neko Kompeito This is a fun item: a Lucky Cat box that contains delicious kompeito candy, the star-shaped candy that's been enjoyed in Japan for more than 400 years.
	Strawberry Mix Pattered 2-tier Square Bento Box For bento fans, look for fresh stock of this very cute lunchbox offering from Prime Nakamura featuring a strawberry theme. Imagine the amazing bento creations you could make with this!
	Nikyoro x Donut Fluffy Cushion Also: the Nikyoro series of smiling bento products moves in a new direction, with this large cute smiling doughnut-shaped cushion. Looks good enough to eat!
	Candy Style ONIGIRI Wrapping Sheet Then: onigiri is one of the most awesome foods from Japan, essentially a rice ball with something good hidden inside. Here's a set of really interesting onigiri wrappers for making objects of art!
	Color Perfume Onigiri Cases - Pink, Blue Then, see fresh stock of the popular "Color Perfume" onigiri cases, which are large enough to hold really satisfying triangle-shaped rice balls.
	Stripe Panty and Half Top Sets J-List customers have really embraced the fun cosplay products we offer, and today we've gotten in authentic shimapan-style striped panties with matching bra tops. Great for Miku Hatsune or Strike Witches cosplay, or just because they're cute.
	Simple Black Knee High Socks Also: a popular item in Japan today, these are knee-high black socks that are showing up in all the fashion magazines. Available now through J-List!
	Magic Diet Sandals, Skin Cleaning Stick The amazing "magic slippers" which force you to use rarely called-upon muscles to walk are back in stock today. Also, the Magical Spot Stick, which removes dead skin from your face.
	Hiragana Times June 2009 No. 272 Hiragana Times is a highly recommended monthly publication that combines useful current events with learning the Japanese language. Great easy to read articles in this new issue for you.
	Textbook of Kanji for Foreigners 300 An excellent textbook that helps you learn kanji, just like as if you were living in Japan. Tackling the first 300 characters which are generally learned in the first through third grades of elementary school, this book is a great place to start learning kanji.
	Rilakkuma Study Flash Card A great way to study Japanese (or anything, really) is to write what you're working on onto flash cards and then quiz yourself again and again. Here's a set of really cute flash cards featuring Relax Bear!
	Hello Kitty x ONSEN Sexy Bath Towel Strap We have some awesome new Hello Kitty plush phone straps, which can be attached to your phone, keys, camera, Nintendo DS and so on. Hello Kitty is on her way to the onsen (volcanic hot springs)!
	Mari Illustrious Makinami 1/10 Figure Preorder Mari is the mysterious new character in the Evangelion 2.0 ~ You Can (Not) Advance film, just opening in Japan, and she's really seized the attention of fans. Enjoy her new figure, posted for preorder now.
	Shamal Figma Action Figure Preorder Enjoy the latest addition to the collection of figures based on the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha anime series. A very cute figure from Max Factory, we've posted her for preorder now.
	Bakunyu Tengoku ~ Explosive Oppai Heaven A dynamite color magazine + 3 hour DVD featuring superb erotic action with large oppai women of D cup or larger, including J, H and I cup (wow!).
	Laughingly! Miss Momoko An outstanding erotic manga about the lovely Momoko-sensei, a teacher who is very popular with her students and the other teachers, and has many satisfying adventures. Fantastic art.
	Hentai Games from Japan It's always fun to browse the top 50 H-games on CD-ROM or the top-selling download games on J-List, where you can see awesome games like Lightning Warrior Raidy, Cosplay Fetish Academy and more. See what games are popular this week.
	Echidona 1/7 Cast off Figure Preorder Another fantastic figure for Queen's Blade fans, this is Echidona, a female elfin warrior whose armor can be "cast off" for added fun and enjoyment.
	QUEEN'S BLADE 1 (Blu-ray Disc) Queen's Blade is one of the most awesome hentai anime series ever, with tons of well-animated action including all the characters from the series, and high quality voice actresses like Aya Hirano (the voice of Haruhi). Be sure and pick up this superb Blu-Ray release!

J-List @ Anime Expo

2009-06-29T17:52:00.001+09:00

By the way, J-List will be at Anime Expo, the most awesome place in the world if you're an anime fan -- and this from a guy who lives in Japan. We'll have a huge selection of everything from toys to cool anime and kanji T-shirts and dating-sim games and more. If you'll be at the show, be sure and come by our booth and say hi. Also: we'll be giving a super panel on our PC dating-sim games, giving out tons of prizes and making some major announcements. Hope to see you there!

The Vagueness of Words

2009-06-29T17:51:00.000+09:00

Hello from beautiful San Diego! I've made the hop from Japan to my hometown, a journey of about 24 hours door-to-door. As usual, it's great to be back home, where throwing back a Coors while eating Triscuit crackers feels downright exotic since it's new and fresh to me. Well, on with today's update...

I often write about how the Japanese language is "about," an English word the Japanese use as an adjective to mean vague or imprecise. For example, the subject is often left off of Japanese sentences when the meaning is clear from the context, which creates the potential for misunderstandings in a love comedy anime series when a character confesses his love for another character by saying suki (lit. [I] like [whatever]) but must then pretend he was really saying he liked something completely different, like the octopus-shaped sausages in his bento. In addition to this built-in linguistic vagueness, there's a whole class of complex Japanese words that seem to defy easy definition. Like the concept of wabi-sabi I wrote about recently, the "elegant refinement of simplicity" which is used to describe everything from the austere beauty of a tea garden to dilapidated buildings from the Showa Period. Or giri and ninjo, twin words that roughly describe the sense of duty a person has towards his group and the conflicting desire to treat others with kindness and humanity even if it goes against one's duty. These terms are bandied about quite a lot in Japan, yet most people probably couldn't define very well if asked to do so.

The vagueness of words can be a vehicle for romantic comedy.

On Food Culture and Slurping Sounds

2009-06-29T17:50:00.002+09:00

Sometimes there are some interesting differences between East and West that can surprise you. I wrote recently that you're actually expected to make loud slurping noises when eating any kind of Japanese soba or udon noodles, and if you don't make these noises you might get amused comments about how quietly you eat. While slurping of Japanese noodles is okay, it's the height of bad form to eat spaghetti in this manner, as I've found out to my great embarrassment. Although the food itself is very similar, there's an invisible line divind the food culture of East and West that's quite invisible to foreign visitors. Another example: it's perfectly okay to pick up your bowl of miso soup and drink it as if drinking from a cup, again with the slurping noises, but a Western-style soup like ministrone should be eaten with neat Western manners.

It's okay to slurp noodles. Spaghetti? Not so much.

Brain Death Update in Japan

2009-06-29T17:50:00.001+09:00

Japan has two health insurance systems: shakai hoken (best translatable as "society-person insurance") which covers employees in larger companies, and kokumin hoken or "citizen's insurance," available to employees of smaller companies as well as the self-employed. Each system requires monthly premiums based on income and covers 70% of health care costs, as well as 100% for certain groups such as children under 5. The other day I got a a new insurance card with an interesting feature: a place to sign on the back if I agree that my organs can be harvested if I'm ever declared to be brain dead. This is part of a new movement to update Japan's outdated definition of death, finally allowing for people to specify themselves as organ donors and providing guidelines for declaring when a person can be removed from life support in accordance with their wishes. Lawmakers recently revised an asinine law that prohibited anyone under the age of 13 from participating in any organ transplant operations, which required that all patients with these needs travel outside of Japan to seek care, or die.

Japan has been trying to revise its laws governing brain death.

Cool Products Monday, June 29, 2009

2009-06-29T17:49:00.002+09:00

	Animedia June 2009 We have the new Animedia in for you too, loaded with information on your favorite shows, from K-On to Full Metal Alchemist to Kuroshitsuji and more. A great new issue for you!
	Queen's Blade Rebellion 4 Then, the gorgeous upcoming Queen's Blade Rebellion is up for preorder, telling the story of Tanyan and Sainyan, to twins who specialize in fighting demons, and who join the Queen's Blade game...with sexy results.
	When They Cry DS - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni The Higurashi no Naku Koro ni ("When The Ciccadas Cry") game series continues with the third chapter of the Kizuna story art. Filled with an incredible cast of characters and a story that will keep you up at night, there's murder in intrigue like no other game series.
	Higurashi no Naku koro ni Cosplay set size Then, you can dress up as your favorite Higurashi character with J-List's new Cosplay Completion Project. We have the new Rena cosplay for you to check out, along with fresh stock of the Rika outfit.
	BUN BUN Illustrations ~ BUNBUN Here's a gorgeous color book of illustrations from top-selling artist BUN+BUN (also written BUNBUN), known for his epic artwork that graces video games, novel covers, and movie and anime illustrations. Really dreamy stuff.
	Higurashi no Nakukoroni ~ 1-4 Set Then: enjoy Higurashi in a whole new medium, with the official manga series vol. 1-4 which we've stocked. Kanji has hiragana beside them for easier reading.
	UTB ~ Up To Boy Reserve Subscription A popular idol magazine that presents the most amazing bikini and "gravure" idols in Japan, this is Up To Boy. Other than its wacky Engrish name, the girls inside will make you feel special. Available as a revolving subscription item now!
	Restocked Photobooks AKB 48 is the red-hot idol group that's active in Akihabara, and we've gotten their popular photobook back in stock. Also, drink in the loveliness of Azusa Togashi.
	Cosplay Mamegoma -- Penguin, Dolphin How do you make the cute San-X character Mamegoma even cuter? Put him in a cosplay costume! See this cute plush toy wearing a penguin and dolphin costume.
	Restocked Hello Kitty Fluffy Hood Keep warm this winter with the ultimate Sanrio item, a warm and fuzzy Hello Kitty Fluffy Hood that ties around your chin and protects your ears and head from non-cute coldness. Back in stock!
	More Traditional Japanese Food Drops Next: more wacky "Drop" candies like the classic Sakuma Drops, but featuring the uncanny flavors of Japan's most famous foods. Today we've added Tokyo Soy Sauce Ramen and Soba Noodles from Okinawa. Trust us, they really taste authentic!
	Revoltech Super Valkyrie Toys ~ Macross Macross / Robotech fans, we've restocked the wonderful Revoltech toys, including the Valkyrie VF-1J and VF-1S. This is the most excellent toy line ever since you can do anything with them, pose them or change weapons and more.
	Light Saber Led Light In Stock An elegant flashlight for a more civilized age, this is a Lightsaber-style LED light that will guide you to the light side of the Force. It sold out in record time, but we worked hard to get more stock for you!
	Totoro Pencil Sharpener Totoro fans, we've gotten in a great item for you: a pencil sharpener that will watch over you while you study. To sharpen the pencil, insert it in ~~Totoro's butt~~ into a hole in the back of the figure and rotate.
	Restocked Totoro Items See some cute Totoro items restocked today, including the traditional-looking pencil case and train pass case (which can hold just about anything from money to credit cards too), plus Totoro plush toys -- kawaii.
	Red WAON Bento Box Set A cute new version of one of the most popular Waon ("Japanese Sound") bento series, which is both traditional and modern, designed with the bento fan in mind. Set includes everything you need!
	Mousse-chan Paper Soft Clay Mold ~ Cake Boy, our customers sure do love the Mousse-chan sets that let you mold amazing objects out of a lightweight clay called kami-nendo (paper clay), or any other type of clay. We've posted several mold and clay refill sets now.
	Wacky Injection Ball Point Pens A fun new series of pens that lets you write down the information you need to record, although it looks like a doctor's injection needle for giving shots. Never again write with boring pens that have no personality to them, when you've got these great Japanese pens to write with.
	Cool & Hot Foot Relax Pillow At J-List we never know what wacky items will be embraced by our customers, but this item certainly has been popular: water-filled "feet pillows" specially designed to make your feet feel great.
	Japanese that even Japanese People Don't Know Then, there's lots about the Japanese language that even Japanese people don't know. Here's a useful book that helps them understand their own language.
	Restocked Bilingual Books, Guide Books Then see some more convenient bilingual books, including the Guide to Japanese Systems, a popular bilingual recipe book, and a book I recommend to anyone interested in living in Japan someday, the Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan.
	Lucky Cat Tea Cups Our line of Lucky Cat products is extremely popular with customers all over the world. See fresh stock of the Lucky Cat Tea Cups which can be inverted and used as cups or displayed as traditional luck-bringing statues. Yellow (financial/money luck) and pink (luck in love) are restocked today.
	Wacky Masks In addition to the spooky Kitsune Mask from Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni and the hugely popular Naruto Anbu Mask we sell, check out limited stock of our awesome Buddha and Lucky Cat mask items. Wow!
	Rei Ayanami Figure Shopping at Lawson Preorder A limited edition figure of Rei from the new Evangelion 2.0 movie, doing her shopping at a Lawson convenience store. Special order figure for fans who want to own this gorgeous recreation of the character.
	Saber Lily Nendoroid Figure Preorder Also, the upcoming Saber lily Nendoroid has been posted, and you can preorder its Super Deformed goodness now.
	Lancer 1/7 Figure (Online Game) Preorder Next, a large 1/7 scale figure of Lancer, a character from a popular Korean MMORPG that the Japanese love. Awesome female warrior design.
	Mosatsu Gold ~ Magical Photo Collection Mosatsu literally means "delusion photography" and it involves photographs that show you what beautiful women are wearing underneath their clothes. We like, we like! This photobook has been restocked today.
	Cosplay Fetish Academy The new dating-sim game from G-Collections that explores cosplay in an alternate dimension where girls wear the skimpiest of outfits is in stock and shipping now -- yay! We're happy to announce that the Download Edition has been released now, too, so order your copy now for digital delivery!
	Restocked Queen's Blade Books Queen's Blade is the red-hot artbook-based combat game based on the old Lost World system from the 1980s, which has become the most popular property in anime. See the awesome Perfect Visual Book restocked, along with the fabulous Alice, created by the legendary company Nitro+.
	More New Bible Black in a Cup We've got even more incredible Bible Black stress-relief toys for men, which are highly detailed ona-hole toys to recreate your favorite anime character's most secret place. Kaori Saeki, Yukiko Minase, and Hiroko Takashiro are all in stock today. And those Japanese wonder why their birth rate is in freefall.

HD Video Reviews from J-List!

2009-06-26T20:03:00.001+09:00

J-List now publishes video reviews of our products on YouTube, via the new J-List video channel. Since we want you to be able to see our awesome products in the highest video quality possible, all our reviews are published in HD, which you can view by clicking our link to the video from the J-List product page, or clicking the HD button if viewing the video on the YouTube site. Curious about our Totoro bento boxes, or the iPhone case that lets you use Japanese phone straps, or the new Green Tea Coke? We've got reviews for you to watch. Be sure and subscribe to our channel through YouTube, and give us feedback about what you'd like to see reviewed in the future. You can also go all Social Networking and "friend" us, we won't mind!

See a video review of this product, or click here to see it in HD!

Do Native English Speakers Make Mistakes?

2009-06-26T20:02:00.001+09:00

Last night my son needed a hand with an English essay he was writing about the different kinds of engineering careers that exist. As I was helping him, typing out some of his ideas since I'm a fast typist, I accidentally misspelled some words, which caused the word processor to underline the errors with squiggly lines. "Wow, Dad, you make spelling errors, too," my son said, wide-eyed. "I didn't know native speakers could make mistakes with English." This is a common believe among Japanese people: that every bit of English a native speaker produces in spoken or written form will be totally correct. When I was working as an ESL teacher, I made darned sure to prepare for my lessons, since not being able to answer a question about a certain type of grammar from a student is really hard on a teacher's ego. The Japanese also assume that I know every English word ever coined, and whenever I go see a doctor he'll usually explain in the most esoteric of medical terms what's wrong with me, then look a little sad when he sees my uncomprehending face.

Even monkeys fall from tree. Even gaijin ~~mis-spell~~ misspell words.

Positive and Negative Foreigners in Japan

2009-06-26T20:01:00.001+09:00

There are, of course, many kinds of foreigners living in Japan, from English teachers to engineers to web designers and Brazilians working a dekasegi job to earn money for a few years before they return home. While everyone must decide for themselves how they feel about Japan --a country both extremely advanced yet hopelessly backward, where people embrace the latest technology yet still use 1970s-era passbooks to record bank transactions --I do try to avoid foreigners from English-speaking countries who for some reason decide to be as negative as they can be about the country, even while they live and work here through the hospitality of their Japanese hosts. Some foreigners would choose to pick up on any slight they imagine has been done to them, despite the fact that the vast majority of the "discrimination" they are likely to encounter in Japan is actually positive in nature, like Japanese people giving them gifts or $50-an-hour teaching jobs, or girls writing their phone numbers on chopstick wrappers. No matter what these pessimistic gaijin do, they can't get away from a cycle of negativity, especially if they encapsulate themselves inside a bubble with other negative foreigners, which sometimes happens with JET teachers if they're not careful. One suggestion for these individuals would be that they embrace the word mae-muki, one of my favorite Japanese phrases. On the surface it just means "forward-facing," yet it's filled with positive images of walking forward with your face raised up to see the brighter future you're moving towards. The anime character that embodies the concept of mae-muki more than anyone else is Kafuka Fuura from the anime Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Goodbye, Mr. Despair), the always-cheerful and optimistic girl who acts as a foil to the most depressed teacher in Japan.

Fuura Kafuka is an exceedingly optimistic girl. Plus she has those cute hair pins.

The Most Famous Train Line in Japan

2009-06-26T20:00:00.000+09:00

One of the more enjoyable aspects of getting used to life in Japan, at least coming from California, is the train culture. Trains run everywhere here, and they're very convenient to ride. While most people would need a car in the more rural areas like where J-List is located, anyone living in a major Japanese city would have no problem using them for all their travel needs. Trains can be crowded, of course, although there are strategies you can adopt to help avoid the worst of it. For example, whenever I take the hour-long train from Tokyo back to Gunma, I know to check the schedules ahead of time so I can be waiting on the platform when the train arrives, which allows me to grab a seat before they're all taken. The most famous train line in Japan is probably the Yamanote (yama-no-teh, lit. "mountain's hand"), the loop line that goes around the Tokyo area, which takes you to convenient places like Shinjuku, Shibuya and Akihabara and is just about the only train you need to go most places in the city. Since the train travels in an endless circle, you never reach the end of the line, and there are drinking games college students and gaijin play as they pass through each of the 27 stations. Right now Japan is having a "Yamanote Boom," with many products featuring the famous lime green coloring, like the official Yamanote towel, light-up Yamanote train signs, and a cool new watch we've just posted to the site today that has the names of all the stations written along the band.

The most famous train line in Japan is the Yamanote Line that goes around Tokyo.

Cool Products Friday, June 26, 2009

2009-06-26T19:57:00.002+09:00

	Newtype June 2009 Newtype, the Moving Pictures Magazine, is the awesome information source from Japan that gives you all the information on the hottest anime currently running in Japan. The June issue is up and ready for your perusal!
	Afternoon July 2009 Then, I'm a huge fan of Afternoon, the elegant and super thick monthly magazine that is so cool, Oguie from Genshiken wants to draw manga for it. Great manga stories for you here!
	ef - a tale of memories TV Animation Complete File One of the most popular moe-kei anime series to come along in recent years has been capital letter-challenged "ef - a tale of memories," and now you can enjoy the official artbook from the animated series, in stock.
	Memories Off 6 for Sony PSP Also, play this great romantic dating-sim game on your Sony PSP -- the just-released Memories Off 6. It's also an effective way to learn Japanese, by finding a game with a story and characters you'll fall in love with.
	More Totoro Fine China The fine Totoro bone china plates by Noritake are a hit, and we're following up with more items. See three additional plates on the site now, along with some fabulous Totoro teacup and saucer sets. I plan to get a set for my house and use it for guests.
	Bomb Apr 2009 Then drink in the new Bomb, featuring Japan's top bikini idols. Awesome item for fans of Shoko Hamada, Yukie Kawamura, Mikie Hara, Yuuri Morishita, and of course Aya Ueto.
	Reighborhood! -- Rei Hiroe Illustrations Beautiful girls in military uniforms...girls with guns...professional-looking female characters in uniforms... All are present in this fabulous artbook that we've just gotten in stock.
	Arcade Mania! - Japan's Game Centers Here's a great book published by Kodansha that gives you the skinny on Japan's amazing gaming culture, from loud and exciting arcades to the history of all gaming in Japan.
	Yamanote Line Green Wrist Watch Perhaps the coolest watch in the world if you're a fan of trains, this watch replicates the look and feel of Japan's most famous train line, and lists all the stations in English along the strap.
	FritoLay Teriyaki Doritos J-List lives to bring you fun and interesting Japanese snacks, and today we've got a new offering: Teriyaki Doritos from FritoLay, made exclusively for the Japanese domestic market. Oishii! (Delicious!)
	Shiso Pepsi - In Stock Now That shiso (a Japanese herb similar to basil) Pepsi you've heard so much about is finally in stock, and we've got it ready for you to purchase right now. Goes great with the equally cool Green Tea Coca Cola also in stock.
	Traditional Japanese "Drop" Candy Then: the biggest boom in Japan right now are Sakuma Drop-style hard candies in flavors like ramen noodles from exotic parts of Japan, "Taco Rice" from Okinawa, and more. Enjoy these great items on J-List now!
	Rilakkuma Salt & Pepper Shakers Bring a touch of kawaii to your table with these salt and pepper shakers featuring Rilakkuma, aka Relax Bear, the #1 character from San-X these days. Restocked today!
	Pink Hello Kitty Toothbrush with Cap Then: keep your teeth looking kawaii with this Hello Kitty toothbrush w/ cap set. A normal adult sized toothbrush.
	Hello Kitty in Kimono Snow Dome I've often thought that what the world needs more of is Hello Kitty kimono-themed snow globes, and now I can test my theory. These popular items are now back in stock!
	Doraemon 1-Tier Bento Box -- Pink Another wonderful bento box from Japan for all who love Doraemon, the cat robot who came from the future. I love the elegant styling of this lunchbox.
	Restocked Bento Then see fresh stock of two of our most popular bento boxes ever: the Retro Trading Mark Bento Box and the Lucky Cat 2-Tier Bento. Nice for people looking for a stylish yet non-kawaii lunchbox.
	Other Bento Accessories Other fun items to help your "happy bento life" include the Hello Kitty Push-style Onigiri Shaper, Japanese Mini "Temaki" Sushi Maker Set, Green Mini Nesting Box Set and the incredibly popular SAND de PANDA Japanese sandwich maker.
	Japanese T-shirt - "Lone Wolf" J-List's original T-shirts capture cool messages in kanji. This shirt says ippiki okami, the word for a "lone wolf" or someone who ignores society's rules, preferring to make his way in the world. By customer request, we've added a 2XL size for this shirt.
	The 2008 JLPT Test Every December across the world Japanese language students take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), the primary test for the language. Test yourself ahead of time by taking the 2008 test. All levels in stock!
	Ninja Phone Straps Everyone loves Ninjas, and we've restocked our popular Go-Ninja Action Straps, little posable ninja figures in various colors that you can attach to your phone, camera, Nintendo DS and so on.
	Kokon Togihime ~ Shirow Preorder Fans of Shirow Masamune, the fantastic artist who created Ghost in the Shell, will surely love the upcoming illustration book that we've just posted for preorder. Features tons of his amazing illustrations.
	Mikuru Asashina 1/7 Figure Gothic Punk Preorder One of my favorite Haruhi Suzumiya figures is going to be re-released, so you have a second chance to order it again. I am so in love with this 1/7 scale figure of Mikuru dressed as gothic punk figure.
	Shokatsu Ryou Koumei 1/7 Figure Preorder This is the super kawaii character from Ikki Tousen / Dragon Destiny, striking quite a pose for you. Preorder this delightful figure now and we'll send it to you when it drops in August.
	Heartwork - The Game The classic game from Bible Black artist Sei Shojo called Heartwork - The Game, is in stock and shipping now. It's the story of Yuu Asakura, a college student who finds himself thrust into a world of guns, assassination and beautiful women.
	Queen's Blade Oppai 3D Mouse Pads Preorder The most awesome mousepads in the world are here, and the only difficult part is going to be deciding whether you want Airi and Mellona together, Leina in all her oppai-ness, or Menace in the most excellent pose ever. Trust me -- the thumbnail at left is the boring one of these three mousepads.

Your Environment, Japan

2009-06-24T19:50:00.001+09:00

Your environment is something you never think about until it changes: the people, things, foods, sounds and smells that surround you every day of your life. In the 18 years since I started my Great Adventure in Japan -- I remember promising to be gone just a year -- my mother has visited me several times. Although I've been here long enough that I don't pay a second thought to signs warning you not to urinate in public or to beware of chikan (perverts), whenever my mother comes for a visit I become more attuned to some of the stranger aspects of the country. Like big trucks that play the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade song to let you know they're backing up. Kids going to school on Saturday. Extremely professional taxi drivers with immaculate vehicles. Peeing in a public toilet while the cleaning lady works nearby. Green traffic lights that are universally referred to as ao, which means "blue." Or the way you'll get amused comments if you don't slurp your noodles as loudly as possible -- people will actually point out how quietly you eat. It's always fun to surf the various differences and see how they compare with things back home.

Japanese men really love to pee in public places.

Silly Japanese Money Folding Trick

2009-06-24T19:49:00.002+09:00

There's a wacky trick that Japanese sometimes do with money: fold a 1000 yen bill so that Hideyo Noguchi, the medical researcher who helped fight yellow fever in South America and Africa, makes a sad or happy face depending on which way you look at the bill. I'll teach you how it's done so you can amaze your friends with this great trick. First, take a bill and make an outward fold where the eyes are. Make an inward fold through the middle of the face, so that the eyes are higher than the nose (like little mountains). If you look at the bill from above, the face will look sad; from below, and it'll look happy. Virtually all Japanese known this silly trick, and would be surprised if any gaijin knew it. It works with any money, too, so you can have some fun with George Washington or whoever you've got in your wallet right now.

This has no official name by the way, so I recommend we all call it Baka Kane Ori, or Stupid Money Folding.

Amuse your friends with this bizarre money folding gag.

Understanding Anime Lyrics

2009-06-24T19:45:00.001+09:00

Being an anime fan, I'm interested in the musical component of my hobby, the OP and ED (er, opening and ending themes) and character image songs that add so much enjoyment to a given anime or game. When I was studying Japanese at SDSU, I made a point of using Japanese songs to improve my language skills, transcribing and translating lyrics to help me memorize new vocabulary, since you can always sing the song to yourself if you forget a certain word. It's interesting to analyze the lyrics that make up many anime songs -- they're often completely bereft of meaning, instead capturing an emotion like walking up a sloping hill (sakamichi) with the sun setting all around you (tasogare, tah-soh-GAH-reh) while the cherry blossoms (sakura) blow in the breeze. In the Clannad After Story opening song, there's an interesting stanza:

The cold mornings continue, even though spring is already here I wake up before the alarm clocks rings Looking at you as you make breakfast for the three of us...

It's fairly meaningless on the surface, but if you know the show it evokes a powerful emotion that can possibly make some fans' eyes get damp (poor Nagisa...). If you want to explore fun Japanese songs in many forms, we humbly recommend the iTunes Japan prepaid cards that we sell, which let you browse and buy cool only-available-from-Japan anime, J-POP/J-ROCK, traditional and other songs on any standard Mac or PC with iTunes, as well as an iPhone or iPod touch from anywhere in the world.

Japanese songs often focus on evoking certain emotional images in listeners.

Cool Products Wednesday, June 24, 2009

2009-06-24T19:43:00.001+09:00

	CLANNAD Costumes J-List's new initiative to help everyone enjoy the fun of cosplay continues, with the new Clannad uniforms we've posted to the site. They come with everything you need, and are available in a large size (up to 5L), so that even fans of the male persuasion can get in on the fun.
	Witch Tale ~ Nintendo DS A fun new game for the Nintendo DS that's billed as a slightly dark horror game, in which you control seven witches-in-training to guide them through many worlds and collect all the dolls. Spooky and fun.
	Strange Kiwi ~ Naohiro Washio Artworks Positively fabulous artbook from master mecha and character designer Naohiro Washio, this incredible book presents some of his best creations for you to drool over.
	ToraDora! Costumes Then, J-List now sells awesome anime cosplay sets, allowing you to transform into a character from your favorite series. We've posted a great ToraDora! uniform to the site today, in several sizes.
	Ultra Jump June 2009 Then: a new issue of Ultra Jump, the extremely professional and elegant monthly magazine that gives you 540 pages of high quality Japanese comics, including Tenjou Tenge by OH! Great.
	Haruhi Suzumiya, Higurashi Cosplay Sets Also for cosplay enthusiasts: J-List is now carrying full costume sets with everything you need to transform into your favorite anime character! We've got limited stock of Haruhi Suzumiya and Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni costumes in several sizes on the site.
	Macross F Characters Figure Set of 4 Macross Frontier is a great show because it's a direct sequel to the classic Macross 1984 movie, Do You Remember Love? Enjoy this set of capsule toy figures, which are even cast-offable!
	Ryomou Shimei 1/8 Figure Apron Ryomou is the famous female fighter from the Ikki Tousen / Dragon Destiny series, known among fans as that other anime character with blue hair and an eye patch. This figure is in stock now, although get yours quickly as most of our stock sold to preorder customers.
	The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi chan Then: we've now got parody manga that caused a Haruhi sensation in stock, Haruhi-chan! It's a combination of 4-koma jokes and a bizarre take on the original, and loads of fun.
	B's Log July 2009 For fans of yaoi / BL games and the always run "otome" games, with stories centered on girls, we present a great new issue of B's Log, the best resource to gaming for girls there is.
	Dagashi Special Set, Other Snacks By customer request, we've made a fun special set of dagashi, the traditional candy of the Showa Era that's fun for us gaijin to explore, along with Okinawa Black Sugar Country Ma'am cookies and elegant Celeb Sweets.
	Hello Kitty Muffin Mold Also: we've restocked one of our favorite items: the Hello Kitty Muffin Mold, which lets you make delicious Kitty-shaped muffins of all types. Bring happiness to your home with cool Hello Kitty products from Japan!
	Totoro Season Plate by Noritake Totoro fans will want to take note of this: we now carry the incredibly high quality bone china plates from Noritake that features Totoro illustrations on them. Fantastic new item for collectors! Made in Japan.
	Totoro Pillows, Blanket Also, fresh stock of one of my favorite products, the amazing Totoro Nap Pillows and sofa cushions, which are so soft and well-made, you'll treasure them for years.
	Hello Kitty Ring Memo, Block Memo Pad Fun Hello Kitty writing pads that let you takes notes while giving you a place to keep your pen. Two different types in stock today.
	DX Rilakkuma Plush (Lying on Stomach) Rilakkuma ("Relax Bar") is the popular character from San-X that reminds you to slow down and relax a little. This large plush toy, so soft and huggable, has been restocked today.
	Mousse-chan Basic Paper Clay Mold Our Mousse-chan paper clay craft sets enable you to make colorful art objects that are loads of fun. Today we're stocking a new set of clay molds that you can also use as cookie cutters or onigiri shapers.
	Animal Crossing Bento, More See fresh stock of some other popular bento items today, including our popular Animal Crossing DX bento set, the really awesome "GothLoli" style elegant bento boxes, and more.
	1 Minute Microwave Egg Cooker J-List customers really dig our microwave products, like our rice steamer or the awesome microwave potato chip maker. Today we're posting a neat item that lets you cook an egg in just one minute.
	Awesome Onigiri Products J-List customers also love our selection of products for making authentic onigiri, Japanese rice balls that are always a great snack. See several restocked items today.
	Furikake, Miso Soup, More Another awesome category of item sold by J-List is furikake, powdered food that you sprinkle on white rice. A similar product is powdered mix you put inside rice balls to give them great flavoring. Browse now!
	Various Bento Accessories Then see some fun bento accessories on the site, including a favorite of mine, a set of cutters that make letters or numbers out of sliced ham, cheese, or even rice, so you can spell messages in bento.
	New Style Hand-made Cloth Covered WARAJI The classic waraji woven sandals that the samurai actually used to wear are a popular J-List product. Now we've added a new colorful version covered with cloth that are great to walk around in.
	Lucky Cat Tea Cups One of our most popular traditional items are the Lucky Cat Tea Cups, which can be used to hold any hot beverage when inverted, or display it as a great talisman of good luck when not in use.
	Lucky Star Traditional Figures We've dropped our price on the traditional Lucky Star dolls that are so cute. Arrange them like hina dolls or decorate your home or workplace with cute kimono-wearing Lucky Star figures. Full sets and individual random figures available.
	Fate.T.Harlaown 1/4 Figure Preorder Enjoy the latest addition to the collection of figures based on the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha anime series. This version by the Good Smile Company features the character Fate. T Harlaown in a more relaxed bikini version. This is a 1/4 scale figure so she's huge!
	Ichigo Morino Hug Pillow Case Preorder I am a big fan of Please Teacher and Please Twins, and think this wacky new dakimakura hug pillow case for Ichigo fans is neat. Preorder it now.
	Evangelion Wrist Watch EVA-02 It's an awesome time to be an Evangelion fan, as cool products are announced left and right. This is an EVA-02 version of the popular Eva watch, which we're posting for preorders now.
	Japanese Fude Pens, Study Aids See fresh stock of some of our most popular fude brush writing pens which are so much fun to write calligraphy with. Also, the blank flashcards you can use to memorize any information.

	Family Project ~ Kazoku Keikaku Preorder Hailed is "the Best 18+ Visual Novel Ever" by the popular H-game review site Erogamescape, Family Project is one of the finest dating-sim games ever made, and it's coming out in English soon, written by the creator of Kana Little Sister and Yume Miru Kusuri. Preorder it now!

The Changing Shape of Language

2009-06-22T19:50:00.002+09:00

Words are fleeting things, and their meanings are never set in stone when you're in a country like Japan. For example, the English word "attack" is used in Japanese to mean "to actively pursue a goal," and if you had your eye on a certain girl, a Japanese person might advise you to attack her, which would sound quite odd. Similarly, the English word "mansion" has come to mean a high-rise apartment that's usually owned rather than rented, which can take a little getting used to at first. There are many examples of this subtle re-mapping of English words in Japan, including "bike" (always a motorcycle, never a bicycle), "rouge" (what lipstick is called here), "manicure" (nail polish), "hip" (buttocks), and so on. Once I was teaching English, and a (very attractive) female student introduced me to her her boyfriend who was sitting in on the class. The trouble is, instead of using the term boyfriend, she introduced him as her "lover" (in Japanese, koibito or "love person"), which caused the temperature in the room to rise considerably for the rest of the lesson.

Language is always shifting and changing.

Things That Suck About Living in Japan: North Korea

2009-06-22T19:50:00.001+09:00

There are many good things about living in Japan, like friendly people, a language that you can study by reading comic books, and being able to run into the convenience store with your car running without fear that it will be stolen. There are bad things, too, like being effectively illiterate until you learn to read basic kanji and having a single monolithic culture around you that isn't always flexible about outside ideas, which would present a challenge to, say, someone wanting to live a completely vegetarian lifestyle. The worst thing about living in Japan, though, is having to be next to North Korea. Between shooting missiles over the Japanese islands and doing nuclear tests to kidnapping Japanese citizens and flooding Japan with North Korean-made drugs and counterfeit money, there's just nothing good about being this close to those guys. The country is reported on in the news quite often, and everyone is quite familiar with the scary North Korean newscasters who report their government's version of the news while Japanese commentators parse it for us. One of the biggest links between Japan and North Korea is a surprising one: pachinko. Up to 40% of pachinko establishments are owned by North Koreans, who naturally send their profits back home.

Living next to "Rocket Monster" Kim-Jong Il is not a lot of fun. Anyone want to switch places?

The "Wabi-Sabi" of Simple Things in Japan

2009-06-22T19:49:00.000+09:00

For some reason, it's easy to find yourself fascinated with the most mundane things in Japan. I have an odd obsession with train crossings here, and whenever I'm near one as a train approaches, I'm happy to roll down the car window and drink in the soothing kan-kan-kan sound the train train crossing barrier makes as the train passes. Another example of this phenomenon might be the photobook we're posting to the site today, which celebrates the austere beauty of various old and cool-looking stairs in Tokyo, including some that have been in use since the Edo Period. A Japanese person would probably tell you that these bland, normal things are interesting because of the concept of wabi-sabi, the aesthetic ideal that can be translated as "sober refinement and elegant simplicity." Derived from Zen Buddhism, it essentially embraces simplicity and modesty while forgiving imperfections such as being old, worn or common. Another example of a simple, everyday object being viewed as exceptionally cool are those clear plastic umbrellas that are carried by the millions here in Japan, which no one ever thinks twice about although everyone depends on then. (We've gotten these esoteric umbrellas back in stock today, just in time for the Japanese rainy season!)

The most famous image of wabi-sabi is a room for tea ceremony.