Aging Japanese

Japan is well known as one of the most aged societies on the planet, with an amazing 22% of the population aged 65 or older, compared with 13% in the U.S, Going about your daily life in Japan, you do encounter a lot of older Japanese, walking their dog or shopping or going on bus tours to various places in Japan. Of course, the older generation of Japanese lived in a very different time from the Japan of today, enduring poverty during and after the war years and working hard all their lives. (My mother-in-law grew up eating Hinomaru Bento, a boxed lunch consisting of nothing but white rice with a single red pickled ume plum in the center, like a Japanese flag.) The other day I saw an old woman whose back was bent over so far she could not stand up at all. I was told it likely came from poor nutrition when she was young coupled with a life of rice farming -- planting rice by hand does terrible things to a person's posture.

Older Japanese people love to take bus tours all around Japan. You have no idea.

Yakiniku, the Korean BBQ of Japan

Yesterday was Father's Day, and my family and I went out to have one of our favorite meals, yakiniku, or Korean BBQ. This is roughly similar to Americans going out for Chinese in that it's an ostensibly ethnic food that's so familiar and non-threatening anyone can enjoy it. At the yakiniku restaurant you order plates of different kinds of meat and vegetables, then everyone cooks it on a large grill in the center of the table, adding meat, turning it over and grabbing what they want to eat. Korean BBQ is interesting because it brings out different personality types. Some -- people with type B blood, I've heard, though take that with a grain of salt -- will attempt to cordon off a part of the grill as their personal space and horde pieces of meat inside, while others, my wife included, lose out on most of the food because they're so busy cooking for others. There's one difference between yakiniku in Japan and the Korean BBQ you're likely to find in Korea or in your home country: the Japanese dip the meat in a delicious tangy sauce before eating it, something Koreans don't do (they are really missing out). Because we sell so many unique Japanese flavorings on our site, we decided to start selling this delicious yakiniku sauce, which is great on steaks or any other kind of meat. We hope you'll give it a try!

Oh, and if you want to try some Yakiniku right now, here's a great website for you: Air Yakiniku, Warning, it will make you hungry.

Korean BBQ is one of my favorite meals.

Madoka Magika @ J-List

J-List loves Madoka Magika, the "dark" magical girl anime that took Japan by storm, and we have plenty of fun products from plush toys to figures and even authentic Morning Rescue. What cool Madoka products can we tempt you with today?

Denpa Onna Phone Home

One of the more enjoyable aspects of learning a foreign language like Japanese is what I call the "joy of enlightenment," when you're able to work out a puzzling linguistic problem, correctly write a difficult kanji or comprehend something for the first time. I've experienced this many times during my career as a learner of Japanese and an anime fan, starting with the first time I heard dare da! dare da! dare da! in the classic Science Ninja Team Gatchaman opening song and understood that they were saying, "Who is it? Who is it? Who is it?" Also, in the anime and manga Maison Ikkoku there's a numeric code built into the names of the characters, with Kyoko Otonashi as the "zero" character, and I'll never forget the rush I got as my brained cracked this code for the first time. Recently I was watching the currently airing anime Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, an odd-but-irrisistable moe show about a girl named Erio Touwa who thinks she's an alien life form. The show is rife with E.T. jokes, but I missed one of the biggest, hidden in the initials of Erio Touwa's name. Incidentally J-List carries many products to help you learn Japanese, whether you're trying to master basic hiragana and katakana or are preparing for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test this December.

Denpa Onna is moe + emotional problems + E.T. jokes..

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.

	COSMODE July 2011 ~ Super Cosplay Magazine 040 For anime fans, there is only one Cosmode - a magazine directed at people who are interested in cosplay costumes and style. Tons of tips and inspiration await within this tome of cosplay knowledge, plus you get a complete costume pattern as an omake freebee. View products »
	Animage July 2011 Animage is back again with some great omake (cool free stuff) this month, sp you won't want to miss out on it.
	Bomb June 2011 The curvaceous beauties of Japan's idol scene are laid out before you in the beautifully rebooted BOMB magazine. This month features AKB48.
	Girls Girls Girls! 7 ~ Anniversary Girl Collection We carry a lot of artbooks at J-List, which are glorious not only for the beautiful artwork inside but the for amazing quality of the printing. Enjoy the new Girls Girls Girls series, featuring the cutest moe females as drawn by Japan's top artists (including Tony Taka). View products »
	Puella Magi Madoka Magica Cushions These kawaii Madoka Magica cushions are great for fans of Japan's newest magical girl series. Click to see them all.
	Anime Figures In Stock Got some great anime figures posted, incl. the Rei Ayanami Plugsuits Figma, Ritsu in swimsuit and Bakemonogatari Petit Nendoroid.
	Cool Plush Toys In Stock, Too See the gorgeous Reimu Touhou plush toy that just came in, plus Yuno for fans of Magical girl Lyrical Nanoha. Kawaii!
	Touhou Project Games You haven't experienced video games until you've played the Touhou danmaku ("bullet curtain") shooting games, restocked today!
	iTunes Japan Prepaid Cards Spotted over in the iTunes Japan app store: a fun anime fishing game in which you must help Ika Musume catch her dinner. Moe moe shinaika?
	Kawaii TOPS Long Sleeve Triple Stripe Looking for something different this summer? This top might be just what you are looking for to add some Harajuku-style to your wardrobe.
	Pretty Angel - Black and Purple Striped Socks (Stockings) These knee-high socks are really popular this year, undoubtedly due to the smash hit "Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt."
	Gothic Lolita Items For fans of Gothic Lolita fashion culture in Japan, we have many fine items. Those stylish gothic hairbands are restocked today.
	Restocked Japanese Fashions for Women See other great fashion items restocked: the Kawaii One Piece with Bon Bon, Striped Stockings and Mizutama Dot Long Pants. Stylish and kawaii!
	Hello Kitty Ningyo Yaki Maker A fun item we're restocking today is the Hello Kitty ningyo yaki maker for making the fun cakes that are famous in Asakusa, Tokyo.
	Rilakkuma Silicon Ice Cube Maker Also: there's no better way to relax than in the company of Rilakkuma, San-X's kawaii character. These "Relax Bear" ice cubes go great in a glass of bourbon.
	Matatabi Stick for Cat (6 pieces) ~ Asian Catnip Matatabi is a type of catnip that is popular in Asia, and cats love it, going crazy when they smell it. Click to see the Youtube video.
	Magic Stain Removing Sponges We also have magic in the kitchen, with these maho cleaning sponges. Using only water, you can get nearly anything pika pika clean!
	Today's New Japanese Snacks Some cool snacks for the hot summer just arrived, like Shaved Ice Flavor hard candy, pineapple flavored gummies, and delicious cheese crackers.
	EBARA BBQ and Steak Sauce We love Japanese yakiniku (Korean BBQ) sauce so much, we decided to carry it on J-List. Makes any meat dish way better.
	Restocked Onigiri Flavoring & More You can't have great bentos without an equally great onigiri flavoring! Also, we've restocked O-Hot!, the spicy miso that makes ramen so tasty!
	Restocked Japanese Snacks Awesome "Nori & Salt" potato chips, Wata Pachi cotton candy + pop rocks, Toppo Baked Chocolate snacks, March of Koala and more. Yum!
	Beautiful Traditional Bento Boxes Restocked Today's restocked bento boxes are great, with beautiful traditional styling and color. Several types restocked today.
	Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea Bento Box For fans of the new Hayao Miyazaki film Ponyo, we've restocked the super-cute bento box, plus some awesome Totoro lunchboxes too.
	Electric Petit Taiyaki Maker ~ Taiyaki Zanmai Another taiyaki cooker in stock at J-List. These are the smaller miniature kind, and are really delicious to eat.
	Suzy's Zoo Happy Character Bento Book and Kit Suzy's Zoo characters are popular in Japan too, and so of course we have a book kit on how to create your own delightfully cute character bento.
	Flashcards for Studying Japanese Learning Japanese? We've restocked several popular flashcard sets that are great for memorization. You can even study in the bath! Whether you're interesting in learning a little Japanese for fun or want to study it seriously, J-List has a huge selection of products for you. View products »
	DAIFUKU-CHO / Traditional Business Memo Pad When taking notes for your future, do it with a notepad from the past. We recommend also using a fude pen to get the full effect.
	Fun Traditional Items Restocked Why drink sake out of a boring cup when you could use an awesome traditional sake cup from J-List? Several types restocked.
	Kyubey Plush ~ Madoka Magica *Preorder* This cute Kyubey will add a little magic to your room or cosplay costume. Avoid signing any contracts with him, of course.
	Chibusa Manyu 1/7 Cast off Figure ~ *Preorder* Get your hands on the sexy ninja Manyu Chibusa, complete with weapons, kimono, incredible oppai and a killer oshiri. Pre-order now.
	Gorgeous Photobooks Restocked Also, we have several stellar Japanese photobooks with absolutely beautiful models, many re-stocked and ready to send to you.
	Mukotori Juuban Shoubu! You've never seen a fencing club like this. Ecchi action and eroi situations. You don't want to know where they put those kendo sticks.
	AZU PLUS ~ K-On! parody doujin software If you love K-On! then you'll be amazed at the awesomeness of this new doujin software featuring our favorite girls.
	Fun H-Game: Let's Meow Meow! We have dozens of outstanding English-translated eroge for you to try. If you like cat girls (and who doesn't?) why not get this one?
	Over Drive Words can not describe The Over Drive, it is something that must be seen to be believed. With dual action motors and 8 speed waves, built with premium Japanese construction, this is a device that can really help you to lay your burdens down at the end of the day. View products »
	T-Back Kuri Kuri ~ Panty & Mini Rotor, Lotion A pair of panties specially made to hide a vibrating surprise inside, these popular items are restocked for you today.
	Restocked Stress Toys for Otaku Also: a huge restocking of our most popular anime-themed onahole toys, from OreImo to Lucky Star and Vocaloid.

Less Famous Japanese Foods

Everyone knows famous Japanese foods like sushi, sashimi, ramen and so on. But there's a lot more to eating in Japan, and sometimes it's fun to explore the less famous dishes that are part of the food zeitgeist here. The other night my mother-in-law cooked nikujaga for dinner, which is a simple yet delicious dish consisting of meat and potatoes stewed in a slightly sweet teriyaki-like sauce. (It's famous for another reason, because it sounds like singer Mick Jagger's name.) One of my all-time favorite meals is katsu, a cutlet of pork or chicken that's fried and eaten with rice and that heavenly Bull-Dog sauce, and it's one of the dishes the J-List home prefecture of Gunma is famous for. Another dish that's quite popular is omrice, an omelette eaten over rice, preferably with a heart drawn on top in ketchup -- yum. Finally there's soboro, perhaps my favoritest food ever. It's basically teriyaki chicken, flavored ground beef and scrambled egg eaten over steaming white rice, and I always have to fight with my kids for seconds when we have it at my house. (By the way, J-List has a large stock of cookbooks, bento books and more that are fun to browse and explore.)

One of the lesser-known Japanese dishes is nikujaga (lit. meat-potatoe).

Reflecting on Anime Fathers

It's fun to deconstruct random elements of anime, for example...dads! Fathers in anime come in many shapes and sizes, and the elements they bring to a given story can vary greatly. Sometimes anime fathers are two-dimensional (pardon the pun) foils for other characters, providing comic relief by transforming into a panda when you least expect it (Ranma 1/2), or trying to take away poor Kirino's eroge (Oreimo). Other times fathers are awesome, stoically supporting the family during times of sadness, like Nagisa's father from Clannad. But just as each new anime series updates the character design elements to be fresh and new, the presentation of anime dads changes over time. I remember how fascinated I was by Aiko's dad from Ojamajo Doremi, a single father from Osaka raising his daughter alone, the first time I'd seen the subject of divorce presented in an anime for kids. And of course Konata's super-otaku father from Lucky Star is a fun character for modern viewers to identify with -- though hopefully not too closely. My first "anime dad" was one of the coolest, Pops Racer from the classic Speed Racer. Ah, good times, good times.

One of the most famous fathers in anime is also one of the worst: good old Gendo from Evangelion, who forces his son to pilot the Eva Unit-01 with no preparation and do battle with the Angel Sachiel. Good storytelling needs friction between the characters, and the loveless Gendo provides lots of angst for Shinji to push back against. Fathers also play a large part in the Mobile Suit Gundam series, and part of the journey of any Gundam hero (Amuro from the One Year War, Kamille from Zeta, etc.) involves finding his own path in relation to his own father.

Anyway, a very special Happy Father's day too all dads out there, whether you are 2D or 3D!

Father's Day weekend is a good time to reflect on fathers in anime.

J-List: Going Beyond Anime

Although we love anime and manga, J-List wants to go beyond mere popular culture, discovering additional layers within Japan that are fun to explore. Like the wacky and awesome Japanese umbrellas that we sell, or those irresistibly cute coffee cups for your kitchen and the most kawaii sponge the world has ever known. What amazing products can J-List surprise you with today?

Cool Products Friday, June 17, 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.

	Dengeki G's Festival Out Now! Volume 21 features the new Key epic game Rewrite (written by the writers of Higurashi and Family) along with all the in-depth visuals and articles you know and love to read. Comes with a cool Nakatsu Shizuru dakimakura pillowcase, and an Ootori Chihaya Ni ten Go (2.5) collector's figure. View products »
	Comic Gene July 2011 A new manga offering from Japan, featuring 600+ pages of great content including Maria Holic. Revolving subscription available too!
	Comptiq July 2011 Check out the latest issue of the "MediaMix Game Magazine" packed with all the anime and game news, manga and extras you love!
	Cool Ika Musume Products One of the cutest cephalopods around, Ika Musume is an alien here to invade the Earth with kawaii-ness. See the Blu-ray in stock, plus all manga volumes.
	Taiga Aisaka 1/8 Figure Tiger Costume ver. You know I am no small Toradora fan, and I'm overjoyed to see this delicious new figure in stock. Get one before our stock sells out.
	Onesan ni Natta Ageha Focusing on the fashion of the new Ageha onesans, girls who have grown up into women but want to maintain their sexiness and glam.
	Popular Japanese Fashions Restocked Speaking of fashion, we've got the great "bear ears" boa parkas back in stock along with other awesome Japanese fashions.
	New Poddities iPhone Carabiner Straps With these unique additions, you can keep your iPhone 4 looking unique and stylish, and even clipped onto your bag or belt, so you know it is safe and won't fall or get stolen. The Poddities line has been refreshed wit new colors and styles -- check them out now. All tools for attaching the clips are included. View products »
	Touhou Sky Arena Battle in sky high 3D combat with intense BGM music from top remixers/creators in this Touhou inspired game for you PC.
	Miku Hatsune Concert, OreImo Blu-ray restocked From Hatsune Miku's Project Diva live concert to "I Can't Believe my Younger Sister Could Be This Cute," we've got some nice items for you.
	Restocked PSP Anime Games Some great restocked PSP games, incl. "Ore no Imouto," the K-On! game, Hetalia and both Miku Hatsune pantsu simulators, I mean games.
	Evangelion On Your Chest We just got in some incredible T-shirts with artwork inspired from the anime everyone knows and loves.
	One Piece Playing Cards Another item to tickle your One Piece fancy is this epic set of playing cards featuring illustrations of 53 one piece characters.
	Today's New Totoro & Ghibli Products We're got many adorable and cool official Ghibli products, including Totoro keychains and a Nausicaa gunship model. We [heart] Ghibli.
	Hello Kitty Sequined Ribbon Pencil & Makeup Pouch  In your purse, bag, suitcase or car, Hello Kitty can travel with you everywhere and carry your most important things.
	Staple-less Paper Stitchers Restocked We love the StitchLock paper stitchers, which "knit" sheets of paper together so you don't need staples. They are so satisfying to use.
	More Amazing Artbooks For You Beautiful and stunning artbooks from many of Japan's top illustrators, just for all our art connoisseurs. Standard nosebleed warnings apply.
	Celebrate Otaku Culture with OTACOOL There are many segments of the otaku culture, and the new OTACOOL magazine focuses on the awesome world of world-class cosplayers.
	Awesome Kanji T-Shirts at J-List J-List is famous for our brand of Japanese T-shirts which feature cool kanji design on them. One of most popular designs has been the "Now Accepting Applications for a Japanese Girlfriend" shirt, which has even been known to work in a few cases. View products »
	TATAMI SETTA Sandal w/ Black Strap ~ Size XL Your feet will feel like they are walking though Kyoto this summer with these relaxing and comfortable tatami sandals. Giant size for gaijin feet!
	NANBU Fuurin / Wind Chime The sound of the fuurin is one of the best sounds in all of Japan. Discover it for yourself with this traditional wind chime.
	New Japanese Snacks We've got some new wacky and tasty Japanese treats today. How about some ramune gummies, mint chocolate gum or anchovy & garlic otsumami?
	Restocked Caffeine Gum and More Enjoy Ramune Bottle Candy, Morinaga Chocolate Caramel, Hi-Chew, Seedless Ume, One Piece Bubble Gum, awesome Lotte "No Time" Gum and Black Black Caffeine Gum!
	Rabbit Red Square Jubako Container A bento box that looks like it came from a time-slip, but is actually dishwasher safe and a great way to carry your lunch. Also, cute rabbits on the top.
	Restocked Traditional Bento Boxes Also, see fresh stock of several traditional bento boxes with great styling that make them a joy to eat out of. Upgrade your bento life today.
	Fun Bento Accessories Making bento can become even more fun with these cool accessories and tools, like animal wrapping foil, secure bento bands, and fun character picks.
	Taiyaki Makers Restocked Uguu! Some people would describe taiyaki as Japanese waffles, and they are so delicious that we have these taiyaki makers in back in stock!
	Pocky Chopsticks ~ Why Not? Back in stock: the cool Pocky chopsticks, which come in chocolate and strawberry versions. J-List lives to sell products like these.
	Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks, Too Also, feel the Force with these amazing Star Wars Lightsaber themed chopsticks, in various colors to go with your favorite characters.
	Little Red Riding Hood Mug Cup This cute cup features a very cute red riding hood with an umbrella cap and tea strainer. Fans of Japanese cuteness will love it.
	Lucky Cat Tea Cups, More Make your living space into a wafu (Japanese) space with these traditional items, such as cat tea cups, festival fans and tatami pillows.
	Today's Preorder Products We've posted today's preorder items, including a great Fullmetal Panic Revoltech, this Sora figure, plus Monster Hunter meets Hello Kitty?
	More Preorder Products Love the currently airing anime series like Denpa Onna and Seishun Otoko, A Channel or AnoHana? We've got some products with all your favorite characters.
	Hana Hiraku ~ Tsubomi photobook (3000 Limited) See several restocked ecchi photobooks, which are the best kind. Tsubomi's limited photobook and Alice Miyuki are both back!
	Koi no Oto ~ Sora no Otoshimono Parody Toys These three new parody toys with characters resembling those from Sora no Otoshimono are so -- wacky. Each toy is totally unique and different from the other versions, since having more options is always good. A great new option for your otaku fantasy fulfilment! View products »
	Fun K-On!, Haruhi Parody Stress Toys Also: "level up" your love of K-On! and Haruhi with these parody toys that we've restocked today. K- Kawaii desu!
	Restocked Japanese Stress Toys, Lotion Japan has invented some of the best ways to relax and work off stress. See the legendary R-1 stress toy series restocked today.
	School Mate 2  We have the new School Mate in, and it looks like it will be at the top of many people's wish list this year. Super ecchi 3D graphics, ho!
	Gibo - Stepmother's Sin We're often asked, which game is the most ecchi, and it's not an easy question to answer, believe me. One good game to try is Gibo, one of our favorite titles.