Cool Products Wednesday, May 16, 2012

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.

	Huge Update of Dual-Sided Touhou Keychains You know those awesome Touhou keychains? Well, we've got the rest of the series here for your collection and enjoyment. Featuring Sakuya, Remilia, Marisa, and other cute Touhou characters. The best thing is, these keychains are dual-sided, showing the back of your favorite characters, and very awesome to hold in your hand. View products »
	COSMODE May 2012 ~ Super Cosplay Magazine 045 New issue of the #1 cosplay magazine in Japan, loaded with pictures, reference images, and even a costume pattern -- for all cosplay lovers.
	Saber, Kuroneko Figmas Restocked Who would win in a cat-fight between Saber and Kuroneko? We've got both figures in stock, allowing you to make them fight together on your desk.
	Teens Ever Micro Mini Spats size M~L Get your very own authentic Japanese pair of spats, used by girls as extra protection under their school uniforms from pervy eyes.
	Teens Ever Pink School Bag ~ Sports Type Match your clothes to your new school bag and become super kawaii, showing off in the pretty pink pastels.
	Retro Gothic Style Otome Youkai Kimono ~ size 5L Enjoy the upcoming season of summer festivals and anime conventions dressed in a beautiful and easy to wear kimono.
	Vocaloid Bikini Swimsuits, Shimapan for Cosplay Our Vocaloid-inspired striped bikinis sold faster than we could believe. Good thing we have more! Stock won't last long, so get 'em while you can.
	Patto Mi!! Code Geass The fan book of all things Code Geass from the animated series -- tons of CLAMP artwork, plus character profiles and behind-the-scenes info!
	Hatsune Miku Concert Blu-rays, Too Get caught up on the world's hottest digital idol, or continue collecting her kawaii goods. We have something for all levels of leekgirl fans.
	Ghibli Blu-ray w/full Subtitles Restocked See fresh stock of gorgeous new Ghibli film The Borrower Arrietty in region free Blu-ray disk with full subtitles & dubbed tracks. Laputa & Howl, too!
	Region Free Anime Games for PSP Restocked Enjoy the best anime games on PSP, including Queen's Blade and Ikki Tousen (yay ecchi fighting games), plus Magical Girl Nanoha, Railgun and more.
	EVA&LOGOS Eco-Friendly Tumblers (350ml)  Perfect for hiking and travel, these great items are the perfect way to show off that you have the best taste in classic 90s anime.
	Monster Hunter, Smile Slime Products Fans of the Dragon Quest series of games will love these fun products featuring your favorite characters and monsters as plushies, accessories and more.
	Totoro Watermelon ~ Mosquito Coil Holder Keep bugs away with this cool summer item that features Totoro as a summer watermelon.
	Paper StitchLock, Sushi Magnets, more Lots of neat office items that are from Japan, like a staple-less paper holder, privacy stamps, money origami and more.
	Mamegoma 3-Tier Aluminum Pen Case We love finding kawaii things to post to the site, and this is a great item: a 3-tier pen case for storing all your writing instruments.
	Nama Ramune Candy, 100% Juice Gummy Make your own nama (raw) ramune candy with this cool and easy to use DIY kit, just add water -- plus many more tasty treats too.
	Restocked 'Food Drops' Even more fun flavors of "Food Drops" from Japan, including Sapporo Beer Drops, Kobe Cheese Cake and Miso Ramen from Hokkaido, yum!
	Japanese Snacks & Ramune Restocked in San Diego Get a 1-up on life with some cool Japanese products delivered quickly to your door -- shipping from San Diego.
	Lots of Restocked Japanese Snacks See a nice restocking of popular snacks including Takoyaki Puff Balls, Grave of the Fireflies candy, Okinawa Puccho and awesome Kyoto Candy!
	Hello Kitty Tight Sealed Bento Box ~ Love Sweets And for all the Hello Kitty lovers out there, we've got this amazing bento box, with a very colorful character top that latches securely for safe travel.
	Traditional Bento Boxes Restocked We love carrying awesome traditional bento boxes from japan, and have restocked several today, incl. "Hiragana Face" and more.
	Cute Rilakkuma Products for Bento Cute bento accessories and more, all featuring the kawaii Rilakkuma bear and his friends, including a sandwich and rice shaper, soy sauce bottles and more.
	Hello Kitty Bento Products Restocked Hello Kitty goes with bento products like miso and soup, and we've restocked some kawaii bento items from Sanrio today.
	Awesome Chopsticks from Japan J-List goes out of our way to bring fascinating chopsticks from Japan to you. See our Alien chopstick line restocked + several other fun items!
	My Japanese Table Learn how to make all the delicious dishes that can be found in Japan, all detailed and beautifully photographed in this wonderful book.
	AnoNatsu Rinon Plush Toys For fans of AnoNatsu, here's a soft and squeezable plush of that adorable mascot Rinon. Comes in two convenient sizes!
	Yozora Mikazuki, Sena Kashiwazaki Figures *Preorder* Check out these amazing figures starring the girls from Haganai. Just the right combination of cute and sexy to make your mouth water.
	Kuro Yuki Hime Nendoroid Figure ~ Accel World *Preorder* And there is always room for the cutely proportioned figures from the Nendoroid style, this time with Kuro Yuki Hime.
	Monster Hunter, Yu-Gi-Oh! Figures & More! Yu-Gi-Oh's Seto Kaiba, Kuroyukihime from Accel World, and Konohanasakuya from Persona 4, and awesome Revoltech dragons from Monster Hunter!
	Maria Veil ~ Maria Yoshikawa Bordering on the edge of cute sexy and too sexy, Maria is back again with a great book filled with her gorgeous body's figure.
	2D Dream Magazine illustrations 3 This 80-page artbook is bursting with erotic art from some of the best artists in the industry. A must-have for the true eros connoisseur.
	Raidy: a Yuri Dungeon Crawling Game? We love the Lightning Warrior Raidy game because it includes so many nice things: sexy girls with swords, fun yuri action, and great gameplay.
	Futari wa My Angel ~ First Limited Edition X-Change meets Precure in this genderbent sex romp from Crowd. When two guys are turned into magical girls, it can only end in erotic fun.
	Pittanko K-On! Parody Onahole Series Enjoy restocked parody cup-o-manko items that feature cute anime characters from K-On!, including Yui, Azunyan and Mio, with kawaii animal ears.
	A10 Cyclone & Starter Set Stress Relief System The most famous stress relief toys ever is the A10 Cyclone series by Rends, which promises to bring more stress relief than you can possibly imagine.
	Hatsune Miku Can Be Your Waifu! Our latest parody stress relief toys are based on everyone's favorite virtual idol, Hatsune Miku. Pick your "Future Loid" and have at it!
	More Love Doll Products Bring your fantasies to life with these additional accessories that will make your dakimakura, dolls or toys feel even more realistic.

Mexico and Japan

It's funny how people often come to associate place names with products. The first time I visited the city of Kawasaki, the city that sits between sprawling Tokyo and Yokohama, I kept expecting to see Kawasaki motorcycles everywhere...but of course Kawasaki Heavy Industries is named after its founder and has no relation to the city. In Japan strawberries from Oregon are marketed heavily, and Japanese imagine that Oregon as a wonderful land where strawberries grow wild on every mountainside as a result. The other day I was talking with Mrs. J-List about Mexico -- we were discussing how comparatively few Mexicans there are in Japan, perhaps due to the fact that there was never a major diaspora from Japan to Mexico as there was to Peru and Brazil. I happened to mention that two of the most famous exports from Mexico, chihuahua dogs and the peppers that go into Tabasco sauce, got their names from Mexican states, which amazed her.

I've yet to meet a person from Mexico in Japan, in my slightly rural home of Gunma.

Truth in Advertising in Japan

One thing I like about Japan is the importance placed on truth in advertising. In TV commercials for products like toothpaste or mouthwash or laundry detergent, you're likely to see visual images of the product cleaning away plaque or dirt vigorously...but if you look closely, the CG animation will always leave just a little in place, to reflect that no product cleans 100%. Once you notice that little patch of dirt left on clothes in TV commercials you see it everywhere, and it certainly seems to be a common industry practice to avoid making claims that are untrue. This dedication to accurate advertising isn't universal, however: at Japan's popular onsen hot springs it's common to see signs boasting of the various body ailments that will be cured by the hot water you're about to bathe in. These signs get quite creative, offering to cure everything from rheumatism to chills to anemia and various nerve-related disorders. I just smile and enjoy the bath.

Truth in advertising is important in Japan.

Japan's Birth Rate Crisis

One the less memorable anime series of 2010 was Sora no Woto ("Sound of the Sky"), which can be described as "K-On! + Strike Witches with Bugles." Set in a post-apocalyptic future, it follows a group of five cute girls who have joined the army and are manning a fortress to guard against encroachment by a rival nation. While the show didn't win too many fans, one of the more amusing parts of its premise was that there was an ancient and mysterious race of technologically advanced people who had gone extinct centuries before...and they were Japanese. Last week Japanese researchers launched a "Population Clock" showing the population of Japan and, based on current projections, how many years the country has left before they die out entirely due to its low birth rate. It was widely reported in the news media, including Fox News, and has led to a lot of discussion about what the Japanese might do to turn things around.

Are Japanese destined to die out, as in Sora no Woto?

Eroge and Visual Novels at J-LIst

J-List has always believed strongly in the Japanese game genre known as visual novels, AKA eroge or H-games by fans, and has worked hard to carry any game in English that's available. We've got an outstanding lineup of games for every taste, like the outstanding Go! Go! Nippon! visual novel that teaches you what it's like to visit Japan for the first time, or fun titles like My Girlfriend is the President and the upcoming Koihime Musou DX version, with full restored voice track. Best of all we've got a great sale on all currently-shipping English visual novels, giving you a great excuse to pick up a game or six. Click to see the top English game titles as ranked by our attractive, intelligent customers.

Cool Products Monday, May 14, 2012

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.

	Otomedia June 2012 Catch up with the hottest characters in anime today in a new issue of Otomedia! Featuring shows like Tiger & Bunny, Fate/Zero, and Persona 4, Otomedia promises tons of cool art and exclusive info for otaku girls everywhere. Comes with posters and more! View products »
	4Koma nano A (Ace) vol. 13 June 2012 A new issue of Nano Ace is here, with new issues of 35 cute and hilarious manga for you to enjoy. Free stuff for Nichijo fans!
	Touhou Keychains & More Restocked Touhou fans, we have some great products for you. Click to see cute keychains of your favorite characters, plus phone straps, manga, and more!
	TEKKEN Figure, Smile Slime Mug Cups New preorder items in stock. Check out a beautiful figure of Tekken's sexy android Alisa, then browse our cute slime cups for Dragon Quest fans.
	Restocked Japanese Study Tools Becoming fluent in Japanese (and maybe one day working in Japan) all starts by learning the basics. Start your journey with these essential materials.
	Colorful Short Sleeve One-Piece A super cute dress that will help you have even more fun this summer, with a carefree feeling and style like the girls from Harajuku, Japan.
	Cat Girl maid Outfit Restocked Take a look at our fantastic selection of cosplay goods, including outfits for maids, cat girls, gothic lolita, and more, available in multiple sizes.
	Restocked Shimapan, Other Fun Cosplay Items And for all you lovers of Japanese cosplaying and fashion, we've got Shimapan in stock in a variety of colors and sizes, even for men.
	Spats Dream ~ Anime-Style Spats from Japan A lot of anime characters wear "spats," a Japanese word that means spandex pants or bicycle shorts, and we've restocked this popular item today.
	My Ice SP ~ Cooling Pillow Stay cool during summer when you have this cool pack with you in bed. You'll feel as cool as a cucumber, since it uses the same technology as thermal bentos.
	Panasonic Doltz Sonic Tooth Brush High powered electric toothbrush technology, on the go! So awesome, it could only be called "Doltz"!
	Takoyaki Set in the BOX Restocked A box that has just about everything you need to make your own delicious takoyaki from scratch, we were able to get it back in stock!
	Evangelion 'Eva & Logos' Products Restocked Also: Evangelion is the most epic thing since The Force, and our customers know we have many products in stock. Click to see the best ones now.
	Kawaii Nyanpire Products Restocked Super kawaii bats and vampire cats from the Nyanpire series, in cute plushies and accessories.
	Cute Panda Products Try Pandadarake, the game where you stack tiny panda figures and try to keep them from falling over, plus many other wonderful panda products.
	Restocked Hello Kitty Kitchen & Bento Items We've also got many other kawaii Hello Kitty products, like this Die-Cut Mug Cup, plus lots of bags, notebooks and bento accessories!
	Restocked 'Let's Make Eraser with Microwave' Japan loves its erasers, that's for sure. See a big restocking of the fun erasers you make yourself using the microwave and included molds.
	Japanese T-Shirt 'Moe Warning' See fun T-shirts from J-List, including our great "Moe Warning" shirt, since going overboard on the moe can lead to awkward social relationships.
	Great New Anime Songs on iTunes Japan You can find lots of excellent anime themes on iTunes Japan, like this playlist of currently running OP and ED songs, or browse all the top anime songs.
	Fun New Snacks from Japan A very nice lineup of new Japanese snacks today, including Pepper Bacon flavored Cratz, those awesome pretzels + almonds that go so well with beer. We also have Premium Tomato Caramels (yes, really) and Ramune Puccho Gummy, plus a dozen restocked snack items or more! View products »
	Kagawa Sanuki Udon Drop ~ Japanese Food Drops Enjoy the very Japanese taste of Sanuki Udon, in portable flavor drop form. It will be like traveling to the countryside of Japan, without all of the hassle.
	Restocked J-Snacks Too We have excellent Hi-Chew from Morinaga, Meiji Wata Patchi cotton candy gum, Bontan Ame traditional candy with the edible wrapper made of rice + Felix the Cat gum!
	Big Restocking of Totoro Bento Friends and family are very important, and no one knows that better than the lovable Totoro. Browse our selection of Totoro bento, great for family outings.
	Nyanpire Bento Box And for those who love Japanese lunches, here are some very cool bento boxes, like these from the Nyanpire kitchen accessories.
	Blue LEGO Block Style Chopsticks & Case Set And for those who just can't grow up, check out these cool LEGO-style chopsticks, which go great with our popular LEGO bento boxes.
	Bento Books, Japanese Cookbooks Restocked Life is a little better with bento, and we've restocked several bento books to give you ideas for making healthy and delicious Japanese boxed lunches.
	Lucky Cat Chopsticks Rests, More Restocked These cats may look lazy, but they are actually very helpful with keeping your chopsticks off the dinner table, plus they're so kawaii.
	Other Traditional Japanese Products Prepare for the summer festivities with some traditional Japanese products like cool masks, stylish pipes, and more.
	Kureha & Sheena Action Figures ~ Shining Wind What better way to enjoy your favorite characters than with an action figure that you can pose however you like? See these beauties from Shining Wind.
	Moekana Booster Pack ~ Learn Hiragana with Mirai-chan The Moekana flash card series gets a moe boost with this pack of 9 new cards. Great for fans of Culture Japan's Mirai-chan.
	K-On! Doki Doki Big Towels Here's a treat! Three large cotton towels printed with art of Azusa, Mio, and Mugi from K-On! The perfect thing to take with you to the beach.
	Awesome PapaKiki Pins Posted *Preorder* Deck yourself out with these cute pins of the girls from PapaKiki. Now you can be a father too!
	Life Ito Artworks ~ Ito Life no Eroi Hon You'll be hard pressed to find a 2D artbook as gorgeous as this one. Here's a super moe-kei artbook with kawaii girls on every page.
	Restocking of 'H' & Moe Artbooks See other ecchi and moe books, including Motto Otona no Moeoh and other books that will singe your eyebrows off.
	Hitomi - My Stepsister We've got dozens of outstanding English-translated dating-sim games for you, like the popular Hitomi My Stepsister, such a fun naughty story.
	VENUS BLOOD ~ FRONTIER Strategy enthusiasts are sure to love the challenging gameplay in this RPG eroge. Your reward for victory - sexy goddesses to bend to your will!
	Nice Restocking of Import Eroge We love carrying import eroge for fans and collectors, and have restocked some fun titles today, including Artificial Academy, with a full 3D CG interface.
	Cutie Hip with Shimapan + Toy (Super Sonico Parody) Here's a great new ecchi toy for fans of Super Sonico, the popular character with headphones: an inflatable lower torso that cn wear real shimapan, included. Slap the special onahole into place and be ready to get rid of all your stress in no time. View products »
	Popular Parody Onahole Toys J-List customers love the new Madoka Magica parody onaholes. Empty your grief seed into these convenient receptacles from Tamatoys, now restocked.
	Twins Sister Sandwich Restocked This popular onahole series is back. It even comes with shimapan in the box for extra realism, plus lotion and an ero sound CD.

Problem No. 1 in Japan: the Lack of Leadership

Japan faces many challenges as the 21st century progresses, including the ongoing aging of its society, which will see 25% of the country aged 65 or older within this decade. But to my mind, the biggest challenge Japan faces is a total lack of leadership. Japan recently switched off its last nuclear power plant and is currently without nuclear generated sources of power for the first time since 1970, but this didn't come about due to bold initiatives by Japan's leaders sensitive to the needs of their people in the aftermath of 3/11 and Fukushima...it just sort of happened as various national and regional politicians avoided making decisions that would get them kicked out office during the next election. While opinions on nuclear power vary -- it may be the best choice for a technically advanced country with no natural resources like Japan, though the real cost when centuries of storage of dangerous material are considered sould be taken into account too -- Japanse politicians should lead the country in a decisive way one way or the other, yet they invariably lead…nowhere. Japanese leaders are failing in other key areas, too. Japan's consumption tax is currently 5%, but the skyrocketing costs of its changing society as well as rebuilding the Tohoku region of Japan have made it pretty clear that this rate needs to rise. Yet the ruling Democratic Part of Japan, fearful of losing power, does nothing...not raising taxes, but also not deciding what other steps it might take instead.

The future of electric power in Japan looks worrysome again.