New J-List Email Format, Demonbane Golden Master

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Fun Japanese Snacks: Taiyaki

One of the more unique snacks in Japan is taiyaki, essentially a fish-shaped cake made with pancake batter and containing sweet Japanese anko beans. (The word tai refers to a sea breem, but I had to google that since, in accordance with the Treaty of San Francisco, all foreigners living in Japan will forget the names of fish in their own language.) In recent years, taiyaki has become a popular meme in anime, and there are several characters whose "moe vector" is defined in part by their love of the fish-shaped sweets, including Aya from Kanon, Azusa from K-On! and Kyoko from the "dark" Magical Girl show, Madoka Magika. You can make your own taiyaki, as J-List has a great new electric taiyaki cooker on the site now. Put sausage inside and make awesome fish-shaped pancakes, too...

Uguu, Taiyaki is a fun treat from Japan, especially eaten on a cold winter day.

Eating Ethnic in Japan: Chinese and Indian Food

Over the weekend we went to our favorite Indian restaurant for curry, tandoori chicken and that heavenly naan bread that is the cause of so many bad jokes made by gaijin (since nan desu ka? can mean "What is this?" or "Is this Indian naan bread?"). Curry is a popular ethnic food in Japan, both in its proper Indian form as well as "curry rice," which was imported through England as a "western" food and is eaten 2-3 times a week at our house. The other major ethnic cuisine in Japan is Chinese, although there's so much intermixing of culinary traditions that it can be difficult to separate things. Certain foods the Japanese eat commonly are obvious imports from China, written using kanji not usually used in Japanese or katakana, like those dreamy gyoza dumplings. Other foods feel "Japanese," like soba (thin grey buckwheat noodles), udon (fatter noodles made with flour), and the local version of chow mein noodles, called yakisoba. The venerable noodle dish ramen is a Japanese creation based on Chinese noodles, but while Japanese will always insist ramen is "Chinese food," in China ramen is known as "Japan style pulled noodles." The idea of going out to a "Chinese restaurant" is rare in Japan, since the menus at most restaurants are already heavy with Chinese cuisine.

Japanese and Chinese foods are closely intertwined, and it's hard to tell them apart sometimes.

A Good Thing About Living in Japan: Service! Service!

One of the joys of living in Japan is the high level of service you generally experience in restaurants and shops, despite there being no tradition of tipping. Again and again, I find myself impressed with the professional manner of nearly everyone I receive service from here, from waitresses in restaurants to clerks in shops and so on. To some degree, good service is atari-mae (ah-tah-ree MAH-eh), something that's naturally expected or taken for granted, and a business that didn't provide good service to customers wouldn't be around long. You can also expect good service at "gasoline stands," which are nearly always full service rather than self-service, with three smartly dressed attendants who greet you as you pull in, washing your windows and offering you a clean towel to wipe down the inside of your car before taking away any trash you want to get rid of, like in America during the 1950s. Gasoline is expensive -- around $1.60 per liter, or $6 per gallon right now -- but at least I get something for my trouble.

I'm impressed with the level of service offered in Japan. Saabisu, saabisu!

Preorder Da Capo LE from J-List

2011 is shaping up to be a great year for fans of eroge and visual novels, with new titles announced by us (My Girlfriend is the President, ASELIA the ETERNAL) and other games which will be shipping soon (Demonbane), plus even more news coming soon. Our good news today is that we'll be carrying the upcoming Da Capo Limited Edition Boxed Set, published by MangaGamer and Hendane! The game will come with lots of great extras, and you can preorder this epic game now from us, and get free shipping!

Cool Products Monday, February 21, 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.

	K-ON! Memorial Album ~ TV Animation Official Guide Book A gorgeous artbook featuring all the production art and promotional images from the K-On!! TV series, with over 200 pages packed with beautiful art collected for the first time here. Includes voice actress photos and interviews and much much more! View products »
	Cutie Feb 2011 The Japanese fashion for kawaii is stronger than ever, and Cutie magazine is at the forefront of all the latest trends!
	Black Shirt and Black One-Piece Set A black shirt and one-piece pullover sweater set that Japanese fashion-followers will love - check out the pictures!
	Sora no Otoshimono Forte ~ Dreamy Season Take your Soraoto Heaven's Lost Property fandom even further with this story extension and "touch communication" sim for the DS!
	Restocked PSP Anime Games Some great restocked PSP games, incl. "Ore no Imouto," the K-On! musical performance game and A Certain Magical Index (both versions).
	Sengoku Samurai Sword Chopsticks Eat your food with a historical flavor with these wacky and fun Sengoku chopsticks, each modeled after the (sheathed) blade of a historical figure.
	Cassette Tape Style Camera Case  Need a fun, wacky case for your handheld camera? Check out this canvas case with a fun retro cassette motif.
	Japan is the Home of Cute Japan is the home of cute, which you can see by browsing most any part of J-List. One of our favorite characters is the huggable Rilakkuma, aka Relax Bear, who wants you to relax and enjoy life a little more. See various restocked items, including Rilakkuma Ice Cubes, Microwave Instant Ramen Cooker, and more. View products »
	SAKANYAH Back Wash Sponge This fish-shaped, vaguely emoticon-cat inspired item roughly translated as "fishpurr" is adorable and a great item to accompany your bathtime!
	Restocked Totoro, Jiji the Cat Toys Enjoy the Soft Fluffy Totoro Plush, one of our most popular products, and a Jiji plush too. Also, restocked Totoro pen cases.
	Amazing Hello Kitty Products While many J-List customers have fallen in love with our Morinaga Pancake Essence drink, others will want to keep it traditional, and Hello Kitty shaped.
	Hello Kitty Vibrating Massager The most popular Hello Kitty product in J-List history is the Hello Kitty vibrator vibrating shoulder massager. Restocked today.
	Japanese Eye Patch, Socks Glue J-List supports all your wacky accessory needs, and today we've restocked the Japanese Eye Patch as well as Socks Glue for those awesome Japanese socks.
	Restocked 'Shimapan' Striped Pantsu We've got our striped pantsu back in stock as well today. in "Mio" and "Miku Hatsune" style.
	iTunes Japan Prepaid Music Cards In addition to awesome anime music like the new Angela album or a Certain New Album Release by Fripside. I've been having fun with apps like the free Calculator Girl (a cute anime girl who does math for you) or the new Notification Girl alarm app who wakes you up in high moe fashion. View products »
	Kawaii Bento Boxes Looking for an indispensable guide to preparing your own cute bento? Check out this all-English guide from authors with years of experience!
	Other Bento & Cookbooks Too Our most popular English language bento book is restocked, along with the epic Izakaya Cookbook, the Manga Cookbook and more!
	Today's New Japanese Snacks Enjoy the epic new March of Koala Cheesecake, delicate Lotte Sasa caramel chocolate that melts in your mouth, plus Look Ichigo French Dessert.
	Hina Matsuri Cotton Candy Enjoy a taste of the Hina matsuri festival with this authentic spun cotton candy, ready to eat right out of the bag - a delicious treat!
	Restocked 'Food Drops' Candies Epic flavors of "Food Drops" candies restocked, incl. Osaka Takoyaki, Kobe Cheesecake and Green Tea Ukiyoe Art Candy.
	Restocked Snacks are Restocked See Meltykiss Whips, Ramune Bottle Candy, Japanese Oreo cookies (yum), Morinaga Choco Ball, traditional Pure Mist candy, and Yamayoshi Beef Bowl Potato Chips.
	Large Stackable Bento Boxes Restocked Nothing says togetherness like having a family or group meal using this giant family-sized bento box, great for entertaining or picnicking, too!
	NATURAL LUNCH TIME Products Restocked The popular Natural Lunch line of bento boxes and matching accessories is restocked today. What kind of awesome bento set will you build?
	Sankaku Corner Net for your Sink Don't have a garbage disposal or want to live more green and "eco" in general? Trap your food waste and dispose of or compost it instead!
	Sakura Decorated Clothespins ~ 8pcs Yet another adorable innovation from the land of kawaii these cute clothespins will make hanging up laundry a joy.
	Japanese Pens, and More Japanese Pens Japanese pens are both well made and fun to use. See the Zebra Clip-on Slim, Uni 0.18 Signo, KURU-TOGA Spinning Pencil, Pentel Shake and Air Press.
	Buden Shoulder 'Scissors Bag' w/ Kanji A handy shoulder bag with a great kanji logo, perfect for holding electronics, note pads, etc. A unique look of Japan for your fashion style!
	Restocked Daruma, Traditional Items Take the initiative and add some Daruma good luck to your life. See several sizes restocked, plus a magatama with natural flint, and more.
	Today's Preorder Figures Check out Nymph from Sora no Otoshimono (Heaven's Lost Property) and the JEHUTY from Zone of Enders in today's figure preorders!
	AMISO!! ~ Sayaka Isoyama Sayaka Isoyama represents with a gorgeous gravure photobook that will tease you with her dripping sexiness on every page!
	Also, Awesome Shirow Masamune Artbooks Shirow Masamune is an amazing illustrator whose skills are second to none. See a major restocking of his most ecchi artbooks.
	Tamaki Kousaka 1/6 Swimsuits ver. ~ ToHeart2 Tama-nee, the 'older sister' character from To Heart 2, is a super popular character for figures and she's here again in a busty swimsuit version!
	Restocked TENGA Stress Products Our most popular stress relief toys are the sleek TENGA line, and we've got several models back in stock for you today! They will really take the edge off.
	Other Fun Stress Toys See the high quality Mellow Wave and "high design massager" e-Rotor, plus the wacky Pururun Angel Oppai.
	Da Capo Limited Edition Boxed Set Manga Gamer's Da Capo English release comes to a limited package edition! Preorder now for release in March; see more on the J-List side.

My Japanese Students: "America is 'Free.'"

The idea that America is more "free" than Japan is one I've encountered quite often during my ESL teaching days. Japanese students, tired of Japan's stricter, more structured society, often pine for life in America, which is "free" and therefore good. In what way is America freer than Japan, I would ask, always eager to teach a lesson on a subject that interests my students rather than working from a boring ESL textbook. In America, there are fewer rules and more personal freedom, the answer would come back. No uniforms in junior high and high school. Most Americans start driving at age 16, not 18 as in Japan, and young people don't have to pony up $3000 or more for a month-long driving school to get their drivers' license. I enjoyed my days as an English teacher because of random, interesting discussions like this.

Seen from Japan, America is a very "free" place.

Fuji-san or Fuji-yama?

One impression of the Japanese language I got soon after arriving here was one of "duality," and it seemed that most of the new concepts I was encountering had "two faces" to them. Often ideas we cover with one word in English are split into two in Japanese, like oneesan and imouto for "older sister" and "younger sister," which takes some getting used to since we just say "sister" without considering relative ages. The Japanese have two words to express "cold," samui (sa-moo-ee) meaning coldness in the air and tsumetai (tsuoo-meh-tai) for something that's cold to the touch, and the idea of food being "good" (oishii) is completely separate from a product being of good quality (which is ii, pronounced like the letter "e"). The Japanese often import English words then split them into two versions for their own convenience: glass in a window is garasu, while a glass you drink from is gurasu, and you can be sure gaijin will get the wrong word every time. Another source of confusion comes from the fact that each kanji has two readings, a Chinese and a Japanese one. A good example of this is the kanji for "mountain," which is san using the Chinese pronunciation or yama using the Japanese one, and for most every mountain these can be used interchangeably, e.g. either Akagi-san or Akagi-yama is acceptible when referring nearby Mt. Akagi. One exception is Mt. Fuji, which should always be pronounced "Fuji-san" in Japanese, as the name Fuji-yama has become hopelessly cliched after decades overuse by American soldiers and foreign tourists.

Mt. Fuji should always be Fuji-san, never Fuji-yama. And please don't say "saki" either.

Japanese Fashion and "Gal Mama"

Japan can be a very stylish place, especially in the cities, and whenever I take a trip down to Tokyo I'm amazed at the exotic styles I see there. Not only do all manner of females exhibit an incredible sense of fashion in clothing as well as "hair & make" (as they say here), but it's common for men to also be quite up on the latest trends, checking men's fashion magazines to learn how to sculpt their hair just so with that awesome Gatsby hair wax. (My personal idea of men's fashion is owning a comb.) The other day I was in Tokyo riding the train, and a stylish girl got on the train, pushing a "baby car" (a baby stroller) which contained an extremely cute baby girl, dolled up just like her mother. This was a gyaru mama (gal mama), a member of the fashionable generation that used to be called kogals, and Amullers before that (the whole trend was started by Okinawan singer Amuro Namie) who had gotten pregnant at some point yet doesn't want to let go of her love of fashion just because she's a mother now. I've always though that the phenomenon of gal/kogal/gal mama was not unlike the boso zoku biker gang culture, in that both groups seem desperately looking for a way to rebel against society at large and be part of something original and unique. Of course, J-List has an extensive selection of Japanese fashion magazines and other fun products including magazines by monthly subscription (some of which give you cool free stuff).

Gal Mamas are an interesting side of Japanese fashion.

Traditional Products from Japan

March 3 is a special day for families with girl children: Hina Matsuri, a day for displaying beautiful traditional dolls, eating traditional hina-arare rice crackers (note: this is where Arale-chan from Dr. Slump gets her name), and celebrating their daughters in general. J-List has lots of fun items for you to experience Japanese culture, starting with our well-stocked Traditional Items from Japan product category. Browse now!

Cool Products Friday, February 18, 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.

	Animage Mar 2011 Animage is the twin and compliment to Newtype magazine, presenting a polished, perfect-bound alternative and equally authoritative glimpse on the cutting edge of anime and 2D culture in Japan. Filled with exclusive coverage and extras from all the latest shows, including posters, cards and more, this is an issue you won't want to miss! View products »
	Little Devil Ageha ~ Koakuma Ageha Feb 2011 Fans of the sparkling fashions of Tokyo will adore the latest issue of "little devil" Ageha, packed with all the latest glamorous trends!
	Rilakkuma Suction Hook San-X's "relax bear" aims to help you take it easy anywhere around the house with this suction cup hook. Great for any glass or flat smooth surface!
	White Knight Chronicles Episode Portable ~ Dogma Wars An amazing new Japanese PSP RPG that combines the fun and heroics of 'transforming hero' films with an unforgettable high fantasy story.
	Sengoku Basara 3 Book with iPhone Case Limited Fans of the epic Sengoku Basara series will love this special collector's pack, with a fan guide plus iPhone 4 and 3GS cases.
	PLAYBRICK ~ LEGO Style Earphones A wacky fun design reminiscent of the creative children's toy will regale your ears with epic tunes while looking great!
	Elecom Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard for iPad/iPhone Make the most of your mobile device with this ergonomic and compact wireless keyboard - efficient computing on the go, from Elecom.
	Micro BUB Sparkling Bath Salt Feel the soothing sensation of natural effervescent herbs while you bathe with this micro-bubble bath salt solution, beautifully fragrant!
	Sakura Petal Floating Aroma Candle ~ Cherry Pink Whether for aromatherapy or sweet mood lighting these sakura cherry blossom candles are just perfect.
	MOAR Awesome Japanese Socks! Looking for the perfect stockings to compliment your gothic lolita outfit? Or want to go for that cool "Absolute Zone" look?
	Japanese School Swimsuits ~ Skirt type The same cute Japanese school swimsuits you've seen in anime, manga and games are right here, the authentic item for you to enjoy!
	Kitty Japanese Traditional Dolls Restocked Just in time for Hina Matsuri (also known as Girl's Day or the Festival of Dolls), we have some of the most adorable Hello Kitty items ever back in stock for you! Combining traditional Japanese kimono with the cute Kitty look, these Sanrio-authentic dolls make great gifts or display pieces for any traditional occasion. View products »
	Re-ment Hello Kitty Hina Matsuri Also: for anyone wanting to do a Hina-matsuri type display, we've got those amazing miniature Hello Kitty figures. By Re-Ment, so you know they're awesome.
	Hello Kitty Wagara Tea Cup & Pot Sets, Too Those gorgeous traditional-yet-modern Hello Kitty tea pots w/ cups are back in stock, too. A great series from Japan returns.
	Electric Mini Taiyaki Maker ~ Uguu! We have a brand new edition of our popular taiyaki maker, freshly in stock for you today! Create your own classic fish-shaped treats by hand with this electric griddle that can press two taiyaki at a time. Prepare with pudding, custard, sweet bean paste, breakfast sausage and more -- the possibilities are endless! View products »
	Hina Arare Traditional Rice Crackers Another special item for Hina matsuri, these are the special rice cakes eaten this time of year. Also great for Dr. Slum fans.
	Japanese Traditional Display ~ Sakura Rabbit Glass Dome The paired dolls of Hinamatsuri make an appearance as rabbits for this Year of the Rabbit, in an adorable glass dome decoration.
	Today's Other New Japanese Snacks Enjoy epic ebisen shrimp flavored potato snacks for Spring, amazing Strawberry Milk Mousse Toppo baked stick snacks, and Strawberry Pucca.
	Restocked Japanese Snacks, Too Also: Meltykiss and Meiji Rich Chocolate, Strawberry Shortcake Japan Kit Kat, Glamatic "Gothic Lolita" and My Cube Gum, Ninja Food Candy and more. Om nom nom.
	Restocked 'Food Drops' Today's restocked traditional Japanese "Food Drops" candies include Beer from Sapporo, Shirokuma Ice Cream Drops from Kagoshima and "Hot Milk Moe" from Akiba.
	Takoyaki FURIKAKE (Osaka) Furikake is a dry food you sprinkle over steamed white rice (also good in bento). The most popular flavor is takoyaki, and it's restocked today.
	Hello Kitty Wagara 3-Tier Bento, Face Bento More Hello Kitty bento goodness with the modern and traditional meeting on these cute and stylish bentos featuring a floral kimono pattern.
	Restocked Bento Boxes We have many other bentos back in stock for you today, including Blue Rabbit & Moon, One Piece, and traditional gorgeous pattern boxes.
	Other Restocked Bento Items See also our large stock of bento related items, from bento picks to furikake containers and more.
	Awesome Onigiri Shapers Also, make perfectly shaped onigiri every time with the rice ball shapers we're restocking. Onigiri is the "soul food" of Japan.
	Microwave Potato Chip Maker Then: Why buy store-bought potato chips when you can make your own at home, using this wacky microwave potato chip maker from Japan? Restocked today.
	Embroidered Polo Shirts For professionals who like to "keep it real" even while working, we've got our line of polo shirts, like our "Japanese girlfriend" design.
	Great Books for Learning Japanese Approach Japanese the way I did by internalizing sentence patterns with the restocked books we have today, plus Japanese verbs and more.
	Japanese Study Notebooks & More Also: writing kanji and hiragana repeatedly is the best way to memorize it. See fresh stock of our kanji notebooks.
	Fun Traditional Products from Japan See traditional Shinto omamori lucky charms, the Happy Lovers Owl Display, Mt. Fuji Crystal for Souvenirs plus he Hina Doll.
	Ningen Gakki ~ Making Music Through Human Touch A kinetic touch-based musical instrument and interactive toy that generates sounds from touching the pressure points on the edges in unison. Fun with music!
	Today's Preorder Figures A beautiful Kaguya figure from Tony Taka's Shining Hearts, and Ninja Ilfa from To Heart 2 Manaka de Ikuno! Preorders are open today.
	Awesome Photobooks from Japan See some gorgeous photobooks from Japan, which capture the beauty and enigma of the country and its beautiful girls.
	Air Doll Girls Collection ~ Mika A brand new entry in the 'love doll' department are Mika and Aki, inflatable love dolls that feature a cute moe design ready made for equipping with the novelty hole of your choice (she comes with one, too). A great stress relief aid or gag gift for your friends! View products »
	Restocked Haruhi, Bible Black Stress Toys Taking inspiration from both the hardcore ecchi sources and mainstream anime, popular love holes are back in stock today!
	Pretty Soldier Wars A.D. 2048 Want a great game that combines tactical combat with futuristic weapons with naughty tentacle monsters? We recommend this game a lot!
	Awesome Games from Japan Today's restocked items include Manaka de Ikuno! limited edition, Fate/stay night, Fate/hollow ataraxia plus the epic Little Busters!