A Very Special Day: Pocky Day 2011

Today is a very special day, one I've been waiting for for a long time: Pocky Day, 2011. The Japanese are fond of assigning special importance to days of the calendar, often for arbitrary reasons, like October 10 being "Moe Day" because of the way the date looks like the kanji for moe when written a certain way, or November 26th being designated ii furo ni hi or "good bath day," a day for companies that make interesting bath products to promote their wares. Since Heisei 11 (1999), the makers of Pocky have designated November 11 as Pocky and Pretz Day, since 11/11 looks like four little sticks lined up. Well this year is extra special since the date is 11/11/11, the only such day this century. So grab some Pocky and much on it now!

Pocky has gone from being a wonky snack worshipped by anime fans to become the flagship of Japanese snack culture all around the world. The chocolate-covered pretzel stick, which gets its name from the pokki! sound you hear when you snap one in half, was first introduced in 1965 by the Glico Confectionery Company under the not-so-cool name of Chocoteck, where it was an instant hit. The story behind how the company was founded is quite interesting, by the way. At the start of the 20th century, the son of Riichi Ezaki died due to poor health, and the saddened Ezaki went a seaside fishing village where he happened upon some children playing. They were exceptionally healthy, which caused Ezaki to look into the reason for their good health. He determined that a compound found in oysters called glycogen was a factor, and in 1919 he resolved to found a company that would manufacture sweets for Japan's children that would improve their health, to be named Glico, after the glycogen compound. The now-famous image of the Glico Running Man was adopted because one piece of Glico candy contains the energy you need to run a 100 meter dash. The company has brought out many hit products over the years, but none quite as iconic as the legendary Pocky. We hope everyone has a fun Pocky Day today!

Today is a day for celebrating Pocky.

Aselia the Eternal Update

Remember, we've just shipped the excellent Aselia the Eternal, a great new all-ages JRPG. Aselia is the story of Takamine Yuuto, a young man who finds himself and his little sister Kaori transported to the fantasy world of Phantasmagoria. Unable to understand the language of Phantasmagoria's people, Yuuto is forced against his will to take up a mystical, sentient sword and fight for a greedy king alongside the Spirits, beautiful female warriors who are treated as little more than slaves. The game has a great gameplay system with satisfying combat and a great story to explore.

Cool Products Friday, November 11, 2011

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.

	Newtype Dec 2011 Newtype, the Moving Pictures Magazine for lovers of Japanese anime, is an awesome place to get all your information on the hottest TV shows, DVD releases and movies from Japan. Get the new issue now, with all free stuff inside included, of course, like posters from Ika Musume and Tiger and Bunny. View products »
	Young Ace Dec 2011 Young Ace, another great magazine, is always full of fun manga for the hardcore and casual reader alike. Popular titles like Black Rock Shooter and Evangelion.
	Hobby Japan Dec 2011 Get all the information you need on the newest trends in the world of figures and hobbies. There is always something new coming out, and Hobby Japan has it.
	Kyubey Character Earphone Don't worry, just because it has a picture of Kyubey on the cover doesn't mean you'll have to give your soul away just to own a pair.
	Airu Earmuffs ~ Monster Hunter 3 Super kawaii, very fluffy and perfectly adjustable, these new earmuffs are perfect for cat lovers and Monster Hunter fans alike.
	New 2012 Anime Calendars J-List is brimming with excellent 2012 anime calendars that everyone should browse now. Sales are brisk this year so we'll likely start selling out early.
	Traditional Photo & Art Calendars In Stock! While anime calendars are the most popular, we go out of our way to offer dozens of other awesome calendar choices. I personally love the traditional art & photo calendars.
	Cup Noodle & Gundam Model Kits Cup Noodle + Gundam = Mecha Awesomeness! One cup to eat, and one cup to build a Gundam figure. Awesome, but stock will be limited.
	More Awesome Japanese 'Over Knee Socks' If you're aiming for the height of fashion, cosplay, or just want to look dashing in a set of fine hosiery, check out our Japanese tall socks!
	Men's Shimapan & Shimabra Dream 5L Like the many joso (traps) characters found in manga, you too can dress like a girl with a shimapan & shima bra set for men. This is...quite a product.
	Other Cosplay Products Restocked Then see a big restocking of other cosplay items, including shimapan in several sizes, the Hideyoshi school uniform, bloomer, swimsuits and more.
	Miku Hatsune Project DIVA ~ Extend Help Miku before the #1 star in this fun PSP game where she is your Vocaloid idol. With more the 35 songs to master, it's an epic item for Miku lovers.
	RO-KYU-BU! ~ Limited Edition PSP Game Coach the Ro-Kyu-Bu team to help them win their basketball competitions, but don't get distracted along the way. For your Sony PSP.
	Macross Frontier the Movie 2 + PS3 Game (Blu-ray Disc) The 2nd Macross Frontier movie has finally made it to Blu-ray, and it's extra special because it comes with the PS3 Macross Frontier game. Super Macross missiles, wow!
	Japan-only iOS Software Want an "air friend"? There's a "I Have Few Friends" virtual Yozora app, who talks with you, tells you the time, and gets mad easily! Free with iTunes Japan account.
	Restocked Anime Artbooks from Japan Fans of the Disgaea game series already know the talents of Takehito Harada. This collection shows-off his amazing artwork in grand fashion. Restocked today.
	Puella Magi Madoka Magica Production Note We keep getting in "just a few more" copies of that epic Madoka Magika limited artbook set from the most recent Comic Market. Enjoy.
	Kawaii Panda Plush Toys from Japan Panda everywhere! We've got a pile of new panda plush dolls just waiting for you to take home, along with many other kawaii panda related goods.
	Totoro Nap Pillow, Plush Toys Restocked Also, fresh stock of one of my favorite products, the amazing Totoro Nap Pillows, which would be so awesome to take a nap with on a lazy afternoon.
	Hello Kitty Hiragana Teaching Piano, More Some great items from the world of Hello Kitty, including our Hello Kitty Glasses Stand and this piano that teaches you hiragana and katakana? Wow!
	Japanese Faces Stamps, Secure Stamper Express any emotion with our fun Faces Stamp series, a great idea from Japan. Also, we've restocked our Secure Stamper for hiding personal information.
	Cutting-edge Business Notebook Made for your iPhone/Android phone, this ingenious combination of notebook & app means you and your contacts will always have access to your notes.
	JLPT Short Master Drill Books Posted From N5 to N3, we've got you covered thanks to these new short drill books, features just the core material you need to know in order to pass the JLPT test.
	Tyrant Habanero Some delicious Tyrant Habanero flavors await you, with these new products from Tohato, plus old favorites you already love.
	Awesome Traditional 'Food Drops' Candies "Food drops" in the classic tin inspired by Grave of the Fireflies are awesome. See First Kiss, Tokyo Noodle, Sake Drops and "Cherry Boy" (not what you think).
	Restocked Japanese Snacks + Pocky! See a huge restocking of Pocky products, as J-List celebrates the most popular Japanese snack ever. Get 2x J-List Points if you buy this weekend!
	Pocky Chopsticks ~ Why Not? Speaking of Pocky, we've got fresh stock of the most awesome chopsticks the world has ever seen. They're also extremely easy to eat with, which is always nice.
	Evangelion EVA01 2-Tier Slim Bento Box w/Chopsticks The style of these new Eva bento boxes is so awesome, we don't know how to put it into words. Slim but large enough to satisfy the deepest hunger -- choose from either EVA01 purple & green or NERV black & red. Both come with matching chopsticks too! View products »
	Traditional Bento Boxes Restocked But we've also got many other great traditional-style bento boxes too, like this bento with a built-in soup bowl, one of our favorites.
	Random Restocked Kitchen Items See our popular Microwave Ramen Bowl, restocked again, plus other random and kawaii kitchen items from Japan.
	We Love Miso Soup We have a wide variety of miso soups and bowls just waiting for you to try! Taste the authentic flavor of Japanese cuisine in beautiful kitchenware.
	BUB & Kyoto Fizzing Bath Tablets Some of our favorite bath items, incl. the awesome BUB fizzing tablets which I use every day, plus Kyoto style bath tablets too.
	HANTEN ~ Warm Winter Kimono A Hanten is like a winder add-on for your kimono, giving you an added layer of warmth during those cold snowy months to come.
	Madoka Magika Figures *Preorder* Fans of Madoka Magika are going to be very happy to see these upcoming figures that are going to be released very soon. I love both of them.
	Asuka no Yume ~ Asuka Hoshino With a face like the girl next-door, if you were living in Japan, we always enjoy seeing Asuka and her photobooks. This one is no exception.
	Great News for Ero Manga Fans Then, great news! We've been able to restock the popular English-translated ero mangas by Icarus Publishing, which had gone of our print but are available again. Superb H-mangas restocked today. Enjoy such titles as Read Me! (it's got futanari), Girl With a Thousand Curses (ditto), Spirit of Capitalism and Midara. If you know Icarus Publishing, you know how passionate they are about accurate translations and great printing quality. Click to browse now! View products »
	Prism Days ~ Mikeoh illustrations From the very talented illustrator Mikeoh comes another moe-tastic book, filled cover-to-cover with great color art and high glossy printing.
	Shakuhachi Musume Oral Pump What will the Japanese think of next? This new onahole will give you the experience of a thorough oral experience, without the necessity of a date.
	Twins Sister Sandwich, Other Stress Toys A nice restocking of stress toys from Japan, including the awesome Twins Sister Sandwich which come with pantsu, lotion and a dreamy voice CD.
	Japanese Eroge Restocked A nice restocking of popular import eroge too, including Kotowari, Scure ~ Sweet and Charming Time for You, Rance Quest and more.
	J-List Recommends: Raidy One of our top yuri eroge, has enough dungeon crawling and erotic monster fighting to make any monster hunter jealous. It's a great series.

Pocky Day 2011!!

J-List has always carried hundreds of Japanese snacks, from Popin' Cookin' DIY Sushi Candy and Nerunerunerune to traditional Japanese sweets and more. We love them all, but none quite as much as Pocky. J-List has all the currently-shipping flavors of Pocky in stock on the site, available in convenient sets as well as sealed boxes posted with a discount...and for this weekend only, we're having a 2x J-List Points sale on all Pocky and Pretz! How can you resist making an order now!

His Holiness The Dalai Lama Visits Japan

Japan got a famous visitor last week, as the Dalai Lama travelled through the heavily damaged Tohoku region, bringing words of encouragement to those rebuilding their lives and consoling the many who had lost loved ones to the tsunami waves. The town of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture was one of the worst hit during the disaster, with 3800 people killed, and the Dalai Lama held a service at a Buddhist temple there. He also angered those Japanese who support abolishing all nuclear power plants, saying that he was in favor of "using nuclear energy for peaceful means as a way to bridge the socioeconomic gap in developing countries in the absence of more efficient alternative energy sources" -- but this was not something the anti-nuclear protestors in Japan wanted to hear. Although 70-80% of Japanese will insist they have no religion, when all is said and done Japan is a very Buddhist nation, though it's very different from other varieties of Buddhism, focusing on remembering one's ancestors after they've died and being okay with Buddhist priests driving around town in $100,000 Mercedes-Benz sedans.

The Dalai Lama consoles a boy who lost his parents.

Fun Japanese Lesson: the word Desu

If you've listened to spoken Japanese at all you've probably heard the word desu, often pronounced with the last syllable reduced so that it sounds like "dess." Linguistically speaking, this word is known as the copula, because it makes the noun and the verb in a sentence, er, want to have a romantic evening together or something; in more useful terms, it fulfills the role of "to be." It's really simple to use: if you want to say "I am John" just say John desu, and if you want to state your nationality, just say America-jin desu or Canada-jin desu or whatever. The subjects of sentences are usually left off if the meaning is clear from the context, but if you wanted to clarify that you're talking about yourself and not, say, Michelangelo, you could say watashi wa John desu (lit. as for me, I'm John). If someone pointed to an apple on a table and asked you what it was, you could say ringo desu, which would also be an appropriate answer if someone asked you who your favorite Beatle was and the answer was Ringo Starr. The desu sentence ending is a formal word, useful for making a good impression on Japanese you might try talking to; every Japanese verb comes in formal and informal versions, and the informal of desu is da, allowing you to say eigo no sensei da "I'm an English teacher" if you were talking to a person below your station, like a teacher addressing his students or when talking to a child. Now you know some more Japanese!

This is Maru the cat, by the way. In Japanese, Maru desu.

All About Japanese Females

Being male, I am naturally perplexed by the opposite sex, but living in Japan increases my confusion even more since I have to try to figure out Japanese females. I've known many Japanese women over the years, teaching them and dating them and being married to one of them (not at the same time), and while each is unique and different, there are some patterns I've noticed. First, Japanese women always have feet of 23.5 cm in length, though why this would be a universal standard I have no idea. As a rule, Japanese females are quite aware of the social phenomenon known as hito no me (hito no meh), literally meaning "the eyes of others," the awareness that they're being seen and evaluated by everyone around them, which causes them to conform to certain external norms more than Westerners might. Cleanliness is very important in Japan, and woe to any American husband who fails to realize that freshly laundered socks are still too "dirty" to be placed on a dining table for any reason, or that stepping on clean laundry with clean feet transforms it into dirty laundry. Sadly, Japanese women all seem to have a chronic problem with constipation, no doubt from eating a large serving of white rice three times a day, and the marketplace is filled with special teas and Chinese herbs to help keep things flowing. Finally: for some reason I've known several Japanese women who had an odd hobby: they loved to pluck hairs from my body, pulling out facial hairs or arm hairs by the roots for fun. Is that odd?

If you've known any Japanese females, got any stories of confusion to share?

The always-enigmatic Japanese female. So soft and warm to cuddle with.

Aselia Official Site Updated with New Info

J-List is heavily involved in bringing the best Japanese games, both of the eroge variety as well as great all-ages games like the otome game (girl-centric visual novel) Yo-Jin-Bo. Our newest release is Aselia the Eternal, and it's really a great title, an RPG with a complex gameplay system, maps, real combat, and 40-50 hours of gameplay to enjoy. For more information on this outstanding title, visit the Aselia the Eternal Officail Site (which was updated with new game info today). Order it now on shrinkwrapped DVD-ROM! (Download sales will begin in a week, to allow preorder customers time to get their copies.)

Cool Products Wednesday, November 9, 2011

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.

	Muv-Luv Alternative TSF Cross Operation vol. 4 The Muv-Luv universe just becomes more and more interesting with every new release, and with this 4th volume of guides you'll get amazing illustrations from Muv-Luv Total Eclipse, plus extras on Tactical Surface Fighters in Action. For fans of beautiful girls and mecha. View products »
	Queen's Blade Premium Visual Book Each page is overflowing with great visuals, gorgeous fighters and a bunch of other extras, all about your favorite sexy RPG / anime series. Nosebleed warnings apply.
	Evangelion SEELE Music Boxes Perhaps the most ominous music box we've ever seen, enjoy the music from Evangelion while fearing about the coming of Angels. Get several and get a discount!
	Figure Set of 2 ~ Toaru Majutsu no Index II Another great two figure set, this time with the characters Index and Kaori from A Certain Magical Index II. Great detail and large size!
	Madoka Magica SR Figure Collection Full Set of 5 And for collectors of gashapon (toy vending machines) comes an unforgettable assortment from Madoka Magica. No contract required.
	Nyanko-Sensei Wagashi Netsuke Full Set And for those who like traditional Japanese foods, we've found this set of 9 delectable straps, each creatively molded to the likeness of Nyanko-Sensei.
	Fantastic 2012 Anime Calendars In Stock There is no better way to decorate your room for the new year than with a great anime calendar, and we've had a big volley of excellent 2012 anime calendars come in stock. Enjoy titles like Tiger & Bunny, IdolM@ster, Baku to Test to Shokanju, A Certain Magical Index II, Naruto and many more, all waiting for you to browse now! View products »
	Totoro & Ghibli Calendars In Stock Also: great Ghibli calendars are restocked, including the official Totoro and Ghibli calendars which will make 2012 so wonderful.
	Traditional Photo & Art Calendars from Japan Enjoy the seasonal beauty of Japan, along with the traditional and modern arts with these great 2012 calendars. Japanese rooms, dragons, sakura and more.
	Totoro & Laputa Embroidered Handkerchiefs Definitely something we'd like to get as a gift, these Ghibli themed Handkerchiefs have cute Totoro and awesome Laputa designs.
	Restocked Totoro Blankets, Plush Toys And don't forget about these amazing Totoro blankets, plush toys and more, plus many other Studio Ghibli related toys. Huge restocking today.
	Mini Oct 2011 Stocked full of great fashion advice for the stylish university student, this is Mini, and this month it comes with a chic tote bag. We love magazines with free stuff!
	I Still Don't Know the Swimsuit I Saw That Day  A great cosplay item from Tamatoys, allowing you to dress up in an authentic school swimsuit, a common style found in many anime and manga.
	More Shimapan from Japan We've got our striped pantsu back in stock as well today, great for fans of Mio from K-On! And Miku Hatsune. Which will you choose?
	Japanese School Bags Restocked If you watch a little anime, you'll probably see these "sports style" school bags being carried by the K-On! girls and all your favorite anime characters.
	To Heart Portable (PSP the Best) ~ ToHeart Get hooked on the popular game ToHeart, originally on the PC, now you can enjoy it everywhere you go.
	Other PC & PSP/PS3 Anime Games Restocked Enjoy the awesome Steins;Gate original game plus the PSP Limited and "8-Bit" sequel, ToHeart2. The epic Idolmaster Limited Box and more.
	Gorgeous Anime Figures In Stock Gorgeous anime figures in stock: Dizzy from Guity Gear, Triela from Gunslinger Girl, Azusa, Miku Hatsune and more. Stock is limited!
	Restocked Moe Moe Encyclopedia Learn about such important subjects as lingerie, dragons, fairies and the world of Cthulhu with the fabulous Moe Encyclopedia, restocked today.
	Restocked Japanese Study Products Fresh stock of great tools for learning Japanese, including several popular flashcard sets for memorizing Japanese plus the amazing Zebra Check Set.
	Popular Japanese Textbook Restocked There are only 1 month til the JLPT examination. Get some extra help with these textbooks for levels N5 ~ N1. Minnasan, Ganbatte!
	Neru Neru Nerune ~ Mystery Flavor Set of 3 With enough ingredients to make 6 servings, this make-your-own candy is perfect for parties, plus Morinaga chocolates and something for Eva fans.
	Pocari Sweat, Restocked Snacks Got other restocked snacks, too, incl. Pocari Sweat mix, Morinaga Ramune Bottle Candy, Bubblicious Ramune gum, Doraemon gummy, plus Lotte Sasha Chocolate.
	Traditional-Modern Bento Boxes Big restocking of several bento boxes today, including the WAON Traditional + Modern and Kerria Ellipsoidal Genuine Lacquered bentos boxes.
	Cute Bento Bags for Carrying your Bento Change any bento into a cat bento with this cute bag that is easy to use and clean. We like the kawaii ears. Other items restocked, too.
	ABC Bento Cutter Teach new words, make a poem, send a love letter, make contracts... the options are infinite when you have these food and bento alphabet cutouts.
	Kawaii Bento Sauce Bottles A large restocking of soy sauce bottles for bento fans, shaped like fish, flying pigs, anything. Sometimes it's the little things that make you love Japan.
	Kawaii Bento Accessories Restocked Enjoy these colorful dessert-themed picks you can use to decorate your bento in fun ways, and hold your food just where you want it.
	Microwave Taiyaki Maker, Sandwich Cutters The things you can do with a microwave these days is just amazing. These kits will let you make authentic taiyaki at home. Also: fun Japanese sandwich cutters restocked.
	Great Hoodies from J-List Now that cooler weather is here, why not grab a great warm hooded sweatshirt from J-List? They're the best quality available, and nerdy too!
	Dr. Ion Stylish iPhone Case  Keep your iPhone (or smartphone) safe and secure in this carrying case designed in Japan, the home of gadget lovers.
	Traditional Items Restocked See fun traditional items from Japan, including classic Yokobue (yoko-boo-eh) flutes, a lacquered wooden box to stylishly store business cards in, samurai sandals and more.
	Toy's Works 2.5 Durara!! Set of 11 *Preorder* They may be small, but these figures from Durarara!! are so cute, we're happy they come in a set of 11! All of the major characters are included, in multiple poses.
	Gorgeous Figures for Preorder Today Every day there are new and amazing figures being released in Japan. Today is no exception, with these gorgeous figures Hinagiku Katsura, from Hayate no Gotoku, and Astarotte Ygvar. from Astarotte no Omocha. They are begging to be displayed in your special figure display space. View products »
	Epic Cast Off Figures The lusty Yuka Yoshino appears in this curvaceous 1/7th scale figure. Complete with beanie, scarf, and even micro bikini that's "cast-offable."
	Love Body Aki & Related Products Love Body Aki is a blow-up doll you can dress and accessorize to meet your own personal preferences and wants. Many awesome items restocked.
	K-On!, Evangelion, AnoHana Onaholes Wow, popular stress toys featuring Azunyan, Anaru from Anohana and Mari from Evangelion. These are all awesome products.
	Oppai Gakuen ~ Marching Band Club In this import eroge title, with each flash of your "mysterious" camera, the girls at this school will suddenly can't control their inner urges.