Decision Point! Life is Like an Eroge Sometimes

Perhaps it comes from my long years translating and selling visual novels, Japan's interactive multi-story love-simulation games, but it's my personal belief that any problem or challenge in life can be overcome, depending on how you go about attacking the problem. Put another way, any desired ending can be reached by figuring out the best combination of choices to make doing them in the right order, just like in a good eroge. I remember back when I first started university, receiving my Japanese textbook which was filled with writhing snakes I later learned were hiragana characters, and I prepared to drop the course in the first week, certain that no one could possibly learn this incredibly difficult language. I didn't know it at the time, but this was a bunki-ten, a "choice point" for my life, just like you see in any visual novel, and happily I decided to remain in the course.

Life is full of "choice points" just like in eroge. Unfortunately there's no save game option.

March 5 is Hug a Shrine Maiden Day

The Japanese are fond of assigning titles to certain days, often based on phonetics, for example February 9 is Niku-no-hi (Meat Day) because 2/9 can be pronounced niku. March 5th happens to be Miko-no-Hi or Shrine Maiden Day, so I thought I'd write about these lovely females who are common fixtures in anime and games. Japan, of course, has two main religious traditions, the indigenous Shinto, which sees kami (gods or spirits) in natural objects like mountains, trees, rocks and rivers, and Buddhism, which was imported from the Korean Peninsula around the 6th century A.D. and has formed the basis for Japan's culture ever since. Japanese are very laissez-faire when it comes to religion, and generally mix Shinto and Buddhism freely, sometimes without even knowing which is which unless smart-aleck foreigners come along and ask them questions. In Japan today there's a tendency for people to turn to Shinto for life-affirming ceremonies like weddings, celebrating newborn babies and marking the start of a new year, and Buddhism only for funerals, and this makes Shinto inherently more "fun" and subsequently more likely to represented in popular culture...which is why you can probably identify the shrine maiden costumes below but have no idea what a Buddhist Nun might look like. While shrine maidens are ostensibly there to purify the home of the kami and give you advice about which Shinto good luck charm you should buy, they often aren't all that pure. I once found myself drinking with some university students I taught English to and a miko-san who'd been sitting nearby came over to say hello. I was amazed at her ribald sense of humor -- she definitely was no maiden. Incidentally, J-List has some interesting products for anyone interested in Shrine Maidens and Shinto culture.

March 5 is Miko Day, so hug a Shrine Maiden today.

The Japanese Love The Word "The"

One English word the Japanese get a lot of mileage out of is "the," pronounced za in Japanese due to phonetic limitations. The word is used frequently in marketing, like the popular brand of curry called "House The Curry," or the limited beer from Yebisu called "The Hop." Whenever I pass through Ueno Station in Tokyo I eat lunch at my favorite restaurant, "The Restaurant" and if I need to buy some new clothes I might wait for a local department store to have their seasonal sales event called "The Sale" (za see-ru). Although we don't think of English's humble definitive pronoun as being particularly challenging grammatically, getting the word "the" right can be difficult for ESL learners, especially from Asian countries like Japan. There's no word corresponding to "the" in Japanese, a language so vague that whether a noun is plural or singular, count or non-count isn't even considered unless it's needed for context, and the difference between, say, "the car" and "a car" would almost never need to be overtly expressed.

The Japanese are very big on the word "the."

Manga and Artbook Sale This Month

Remember, J-List is having a great sale this month on all manga and artbook titles on the site, with 2x J-List points awarded for all purchases. Also, we're continuing our popular EMS sale, which gives you $10 back for orders of $100 or more, or $25 back for orders of $200 or more, when you order from Japan via EMS. We've got great manga volumes that everyone can enjoy plus manga that's a bit steamier, with everything from futanari to "trap" and more. What great manga or artbooks will you pick up this month?

Cool Products Monday, March 5, 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.

	Dengeki Daioh April 2012 Dengeki Daioh is here, with over 900 pages of great manga like Muv-Luv Alternative, Gunslinger Girl, AnoNatsu, Gurren Lagann, Toradora, and Yotsubato! You also get some great omake, plus news and previews of upcoming titles, and more than 800 pages of great content. Don't miss this issue! View products »
	Figure King No. 169 Check out the hottest new figures and toys with the latest issue of Figure King, the ultimate resource for hobbyists and collectors.
	Cutie Mar 2012 For the cutest fashions in Tokyo today, there's no better resource than Cutie. Each issue is packed with photos of only the trendiest Tokyo girls.
	Kawaii Japan Fashion Items Restocked And speaking of trendy, take a look at our extensive selection of kawaii fashion items from Japan, like panda-style ponchos, parkas, and more.
	SALA Hair Styling Wax, Japanese Sunscreen Treat your hair and skin right with the best sunscreen and styling wax from Japan. Plus, see other great products for a beautiful body.
	MINI JOY STICK for iPhone or Android Take your portable gaming to the next level with this miniature gamepad. Works great with your iPhone or Android.
	PS Vita, PSP Anime Games Restocked Enjoy several popular new games including Dream Club Zero, Tales of Innocence and BlazBlue for the Vita, plus Oreimo and Haganai PSP games.
	Mobile Suit Gunda, Car Cup Holders Turn your boring normal car into a cool Gundam car with the Gelgoog and Hyakushiki cup holders we restocked. Unlock your Newtype potential while driving to work!
	Restocked Totoro Products Enjoy restocked Totoro and Cat Bus plush toys, plus the awesome Totoro stamps with fun messages in Japanese, or our favorite Totoro wooden alarm clocks.
	Hello Kitty Clip ~ 2pcs Easy to use and fun to see, these Hello Kitty clips keep your food fresh with the style of a pretty red bow. Great for school lunches.
	Traditional Hello Kitty Bento Restocked And we've got some wonderful Hello Kitty items back in stock, like the traditional stacking bento from Japan, such a nice Sanrio product.
	Japanese Study Books Restocked Today we're restocking Catchy Japanese Phrases, which present a "situational" way to learn the language that's something, which I recommend a lot.
	Amazing Japanese Pens, Erasers Restocked The Japanese have the best erasers in the world,and we've restocked several. Also several Japanese pens, since writing with lame pens sucks.
	Meiji Pokemon Big Gum Set of 3 Always a fail-safe way to make a Pokemon fan happy -- giving them something that is rare and delicious, like these packs of Pokemon gum.
	Sushi and other Food Drops Restocked Also see fantastic traditional "Food Drops" candies restocked, with flavors like Sushi, Strawberry Milk. Green Tea and Tochigi Strawberry.
	Japanese Shine Donation Box w/ Chocolate Interested in Shinto shrines? We love these products, a replica of a donation box you can save coins in, plus a omikuji box that dispenses chocolate fortunes.
	Other Fun Restocked Snacks See several flavors of Kracie's Neru neru Nerune, plus Okinawa Limited snacks, Sushi Candy, Gift wrapped Green Tea Chocolate & Cookies, plus Hello Kitty Caramels.
	LEGO-Style Stackable Bento Boxes Cool. There stackable blocks can be used for bento, snacks or whatever. Built for being toted around, but great for display too.
	Cute Bento Boxes Restocked And don't forget that we have a large selection of kawaii bento boxes that make everything feel great, plus accessories restocked too.
	PANDA Slim 2-Tier Bento Box, Kawaii Chopsticks Pandas are incredibly cute and panda bento boxes are even cuter. See our popular Slim 2-Tier Bento w/ Chopsticks restocked today.
	Kawaii Panda Products, Too Another item that panda fans will like is our line of Red Cheek Panda Chopstick Rests, which hold your chopsticks while you eat. So cute!
	Amazing Chopsticks from Japan See fresh stock of some great chopsticks from Japan including training chopsticks for anyone who needs a little practice, plus portable chopsticks you can take anywhere.
	Random Kitchen Products Restocked J-List is dedicated to making your meals fun the Japanese way. Try our tools for cutting sandwiches and nori seaweed into cute shapes, now restocked.
	Restocked Miso Soup Bowls Enjoy a bowl of steaming hot miso soup in the mornings before you head out for work. Several awesome miso soup bowls restocked!
	Microwave Taiyaki & Takoyaki Makers Enjoy delicious Japanese snacks like cute taiyaki and takoyaki octopus balls with these great cooking tools. It's easy!
	Japanese School Bags Restocked If I were in high school or university I would totally carry my books in this official Japanese book bag, which is seen in just about every anime series.
	'No Normal Humans' T-Shirt If you're tired of hanging out with all those "normals," then try this original Haruhi T-shirt. Who knows? Maybe an alien will read it and say hi.
	Lucky Cat Tea Cups, Tea Pot Increase your fortune by at least 9,000 with the addition of these adorable Lucky Cat (manekineko) tea pot and cups!
	Other Fun Traditional Items You can never have too much luck, so stock-up on some omamori (luck charms, like this gold one money luck.
	Kenshin and UtaPri Phone Straps - *Preorder* Decorate your accessories with these adorable rubber straps featuring cool characters from Rurouni Kenshin and Uta no Prince-sama. 10 each!
	Puella Magi Madoka Magica Ticket Wallet Magical girls protect your valuable ticket stubs with this stylish Madoka Magica wallet. See what else you can fit inside!
	Chichinoe +3 YOUNG HIP Figure *Preorder* Sexy figure collectors will love Orchid Seed's latest design. This girl's body is beyond dynamite, with curves that will take your breath away.
	Shobon Onanie Hole ~ 2ch ASCII Face Toys Topped with a cute Japanese emoticon, this may be the funniest stress toy ever made. Laughing is therapeutic too, so buy one and try it out!
	Parody Onaholes Restocked Relieve stress with our excellent parody onaholes based on your favorite anime girls, like the Index and Mikoto Misaka versions, now restocked.
	New Air Dutch Dolls for Perfect Fantasy You'll also want to browse our selection of full-size love dolls for the ultimate stress relief. Each comes with built-in onahole and a tube of lotion.
	Popular JAV Onahole Toys Restocked Amazing toys based on your favorite JAV stars, including the Elly Akira DX toy with *4* ways to polish the proverbial dolphin.
	Restocked Vibrators for Everyone See fresh stock of excellent personal massages that everyone can use, including Totsugeki Max and the T-Back Panty w/ Rotor hidden inside. Wow!
	Dating-sim Games with Shrine Maidens We have English-translated eroge, including Come See Me Tonight 2, with kawaii Miko girls for you to take for a "test drive."
	Awesome Games from Manga Gamer, Too Remember that we carry the great games from MangaGamer in physical package form, with no DRM on the games. Click to see today's top sellers.

The End of an Era: the Subaru Factory Stops Producing "K" Cars

J-List is based in Gunma, a prefecture said to be shaped like a crane in flight, located in the exact center of Japan's main island of Honshu. We're about as far as you can get from the sea in Japan, which is a bad thing if you're a fan of fresh sushi, but we weren't sorry to be far from the tsunamis last March. Besides being famous for some of Japan's most beautiful mountains -- which are the most convenient place to dump a body when there's a murder in Tokyo, hence a lot of bodies turn up here -- Gunma has been an important manufacturing hub for Japan over the years and is the home of the Subaru Motor Corp. One of the most important cars in the history of postwar Japan was the Subaru 360, the first kei-class lightweight vehicle to gain a following inside Japan, and one of Japan's first successful export vehicles. Now an era is ending, as production of this class of vehicles ends after half a century, moving to plants operated by the affiliated companies of Toyota and Daihatsu.

("K" cars, from 軽自動車, are the lightest type of vehicle licensed to drive on the streets. They're very light and easy to drive, though most wouldn't be street legal in the U.S.)

Fun fact: the Fuji Heavy Industries factory near J-List is where the "Zero" fighters were built during WWII.

"Big O...Showtime!"

When it comes to anime, there are two sides to my personality. On the one hand, I make a point of watching most major new shows so I can keep up with the latest moe trends and decide what products we want to stock on J-List. Still, I'm "old scool" to the core, always happy to rewatch the original Macross or Bubblegum Crisis or revel in the sober refinement of classic Universal Century Gundam. Recently a show from 1999 called The Big O caught my eye, and I decided to give it a try, since I'd missed it the first time around. (Just to make things more interesting, I watched the entire series while on the treadmill at the gym, one episode per workout.) It was a wonderfully fresh idea, combining the best noir story elements of the 1990s Giant Robo with the Batman animated series, all wrapped in elements of Christopher Nolan's film "Memento." If you're ever in the mood for some classic 70s-era robot fighting with a really good story, give The Big O a try.

I watched The Big O and enjoyed its retro noir design. Plus Dorothy is the hottest android ever.

School Days, Our Favorite New "Eroge"

You probably now that J-List has long been involved with translating and selling Japanese visual novels, called eroge or H-games by fans, though it's a fascinating genre with many all-ages games to enjoy, too. One title that's in beta testing right now is our upcoming School Days, the legendary fully-animated game of love, betrayal, revenge and yandere, which is Japanese for "girls who love you so much, they'll kill you." Last week the translators working on the game sent us the "staff roll" (the ending credits that scroll by when a game ending is reached) for translation, expecting our native Japanese staff to be able to transcribe the Japanese names into English easily. But Japanese is a funny language, it's quite common for someone who's otherwise fully literate to be unsure how to read a given name in kanji, especially in the world of artists who often take archaic pen names, and we had to check with the publisher to make sure we got the names right. Incidentally, you can support the creation of visual novels and eroge in English by preordering titles like School Days, Song of Saya, Hanachirasu or Yumina the Ethereal, and you'll get free shipping on the game when each game ships. Thanks for your support!

School Days is a great eroge we're working on.

The J-List March Manga & Artbook Sale!

J-List loves Japan's visual culture, and we've been selling the best manga and artbooks from Japan for years. This year we've got a treat: a sale on all manga and artbook titles, with 2x J-List points awarded for all purchases. Best of all, we're keeping our popular EMS sale, which gives you $10 back for orders of $100 or more, or $25 back for orders of $200 or more, when you order from Japan via EMS. Click to see all the manga and anime artbooks on sale!

Cool Products Friday, March 2, 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.

	NyanType April 2012 Does your room need a harem of cute girls to brighten up your day? Then grab the latest issue of NyanType for 18 new pin-up posters of the cutest girls from today's best anime. No matter what kinds of anime you like, you'll find awesome posters to drool over with this great new issue. These issues sell unbelievably fast, so get yours today! View products »
	Dengeki G's Magazine April 2012 Catch up on the latest moe moe games with a new issue of Dengeki G's. Features PSP adaptations of anime like OreImo, Madoka, and Haganai.
	Otomo Katsuhiro Artworks Kaba 2 Feast your eyes on the amazing art of Akira creator Otomo Katsuhiro. This thick 200-page artbook is a must-have for all fans of his work.
	Nendoroid Generation ~ Limited Box 22 kawaii Nendoroid figures entertain you with their adorable antics in this new PSP game. Features characters from top anime like Fate/stay night!
	Cool Japanese Fashions Restocked Get your wardrobe into style with this season's hottest fashions from Japan. The popular Layered Parka Top is in stock again, after many months!
	UTB ~ Up To Boy Apr 2012 Immerse yourself in Japan's idol culture with a new issue of UTB. Recommended for fans of AKB48, S/Milage, and all cute Japanese girls.
	Transformer Encore 22 Twin Cast Relive the epic Transformers series with this awesome figure of transforming boom box Twin Cast and his two cassette tape friends. Autobots, roll out!
	Gorgeous Evangelion Stainless Steel Cups These high quality, stainless steel mugs are designed by the popular outdoor sports company LOGOS, so they'll last nearly all your lifetime.
	Plush Cats from Japan 2011 saw many kawaii products come to the J-List site, from the cute Nyanpire vampire cat to the new Doki Doki Nyan Egg Cat plush series.
	Itazura Cat Coin Bank Restocked Japan offers the cutest and most innovative ways to save money. Let an adorable kitten protect your coins with these coin banks, now restocked.
	New Hello Kitty Navy High School Bags You'll be the envy of all your friends with these kawaii school bookbags from Sanrio, used in real Japanese schools by students. So kawaii!
	Hello Kitty Deodorizer ~ Pink & Red Make your room smell as cute as it looks, with an air freshener that looks like a decor addition. Also great for your car!
	That Gorgeous Madoka Figure is In Stock The beautiful Madoka figure by Goodsmile is now in stock, complete with an adorable Kyubey. Click to see this and other great Madoka Magica figures.
	Kawaii Rilakkuma, Kutsushita Products The cute "eco toy" featuring a solar-powered Rilakkuma is back in stock, a fun way to relax with solar energy. Also Kutsushita Nyanko!
	Oppai Mouse Pad, Wacky Massagers Restocked A great new oppai mousepad is here to provide your wrist a heavenly perch. Features original art of Rias Gremory from High School DxD.
	Anime Songs on the iTunes Japan Store Spotted on the iTunes Japan store: a new album by Yui Horie (voice of Minori from Toradora), plus the Amagami SS song collection.
	Rilakkuma Kit Kat Hot Cake Flavor, More Enjoy delicious hotcakes with the adorable Rilakkuma, courtesy of Kit Kat and San-X. A tasty and kawaii treat for the whole family.
	Other Japan Kit Kat Flavors Restocked Kit Kat is huge in Japan, with tons of great flavors you won't find anywhere else. Try Wasabi, Black Honey, and the fun Orange Sky Tree version.
	Happy Kitchen Doughnuts, Volcano Candy & More We also love the fun DIY snacks from Kracie, and today we've got the Happy Kitchen Doughnuts and Cup Cakes, exploding Volcano Candy and more.
	Restocked Japanese Snacks, Too Enjoy classic Toppo, Honda Sauce Rice Crackers, Glito Pretz Onion Gratin flavor, Meiji 100% Juice Gummy, Kabaya Saku Panda Chocolate Cookies plus Hi-Chew x Fanta!
	BluexGreen LEGO Block Style Bento Set Here's a great bento for fans of the classic LEGO toys. Designed to look like a giant LEGO brick, this 2-tier box is sure make your lunches fun.
	Lots of New and Restocked Bento Boxes See a great pre-Black Friday posting of new bento boxes that are perfect for the people on your list, even if it's yourself.
	Pikachu Silicon Cake Mold, Bento Cup Mold And speaking of fun lunches, these silicon molds will let you shape your favorite snacks into cute Pikachu heads. Works on cakes, ice cubs, and more!
	My Favorite Onigiri Cases Ah, my favorite angry onigiri-shaped bento boxes are back in stock, plus the cute Pana Onigiri Case and Onigiri Style Bento w/Fork. Kawaii!
	Amazing Boiled Egg Shapers, More You can even shape eggs now! Just stick a boiled egg in one of these shapers come out with a cute and delicious treat.
	Ramen Microwave Bowl, Gyoza Maker Make delicious ramen noodles and gyoza dumplings, two of Japan's favorite foods, with these handy cooking tools. It's easy!
	Bento Cups, Sandwich Cutters, More Also: fantastic sandwich shapers which make the most interesting sandwiches ever, bento cups for separating your lunch and more.
	Restocked Japanese Pens, Notebooks Tons of great pen and more on the site, including the Pilot Latte Magical Decorating Pen, Reusable Water Magic Calligraphy Set, plus Mild Liner Smoky Color Markers.
	Rabbit Hina Doll Girl's Day Display  Celebrate one of Japan's cutest festivals with this miniature doll display featuring two rabbits in traditional Japanese dress. So kawaii!
	Traditional Japanese Products From kitsune (fox) masks is a famous image of Japan to the most excellent miso soup bowls w/chopsticks, we have great items today.
	Gorgeous New Revoltech Figures *Preorder* Nobody does action figures like Revoltech. Check out their latest, a fearsome Buddhist war god and one of the powered suits that inspired Gundam.
	Siggy Action Figures from Revoltech *Preorder* And for fans of Queen's Blade, we have these sexy Siggy action figures that come with plenty of optional clothes damage. Revoltech rules!
	Chie Satonaka, FLCL Figure *Preorder* The action figures keep coming! Check out a cute Figma of Persona 4's Chie, then indulge in some nostalgia with a super-cool Canti from Furi Kuri.
	Kawaii Petanko Figures for Haganai Fans *Preorder* The "petanko" series of cute seated figures continues with these delightfully moe renditions of Yozora and Sena from Haganai. Take a look.
	Restocked 'H' Photobooks Too You'll also want to browse our selection of sexy photobooks, including restocked volumes of Asuka no Yume, School Swimsuits, and Feather Touch.
	My Coworker Suzuki-san Can't Be This Erotic A brand-new stress relief toy is waiting for you to explore her every nook and cranny. This girl is great fun when the work shift is done!
	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.
	Fun Toys for JAV Fans Restocked Check out our excellent selection of relaxation toys for our J-List fans, featuring the bodies of stars like Maria Ozawa, Sarah and more. Personal lotion too!
	Beautiful Adult Games from Japan Browse J-List's selection of top-quality eroge. We have The Devil on G-String, the Grisaia series by the Bakemonogatari artist, White Album 2 and more.
	School Days HQ *Preorder* The ultimate love triangle with the "nice boat" bad end is now up for preorder! The game will be fully uncensored and translated to English, and feature all the new endings!