animerevue :: San Diego

Cool Items - Wednesday, April 30, 2008

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 Magazine Mar. 2008. Got another high-quality issue of G's Magazine in today too, which is normally only available as a subscription but we have a few issues in. Loaded with high quality content, and a free Fortune Arterial figure (!).
	Light Yagami SD Figure ~ Deathnote -- Nendoroid Series. My wife and I are currently hooked on Death Note, so it's timely that we just got these figures in today. These are the reissued Nendoroid of Light Yagami, the twisted mind who's using the Death Note notebook to rid the world of criminals and evil-doers, and "L," the super genius who is trying to catch him.
	Megami Magazine July 2007 vol. 86. Megami Magazine is the #1 "reserve subscription" magazine at J-List because each issue overflows with beautiful anime and game girls, with tons of free stuff for you, like 12 double sided posters in this issue as well as stickers and a pencil board.
	Hello Kitty ID Neck Holder ~ Black, Pink. This is a cool item, a phone strap / keychain with an ID holder, featuring cool updated versions of Hello Kitty and her pet, Charmmy Kitty. Yes, it's rather odd that a cat has a cat for a pet, but then you have to start considering the whole Mickey Mouse/Goofy/Pluto question, and it all gets very complex.
	*Yuki Nagato 1/8 Figure Swimsuit ver. ~ Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi Preorder.* The gorgeous Yuki Nagato swimsuit version has come in, and it's a really nice one. Sadly, this was such a popular item as a preorder that we're almost out of stock, so hurry if you want to get one.
	Totoro Grow Up Measure Photo Frame. Wow, this is a really special item for anyone with kids: a real wood (of course) measure for tracking your child's growth, with places to put pictures along the way.
	Japan Mouse Pad ~ SUSHI. What can we say? This sushi mouse pad is fantastic, and features all the fish names both in beautiful kanji as well as in Romaji, that is, English so you can learn what it's called when you want to order some up.
	Relaxed Totoro Plush, More. The new Totoro plush toys for 2008 by famous Japanese toy maker Sun Arrow has been restocked, the cool "relaxed" Totoro that has soft fur and individually articulated fingers, too. Also, we've restocked the Totoro Pencil Case.
	Doraemon Bilingual Comic vol. 7. Got another Doraemon Bilingual Comic today, with both English and Japanese, right on the page. We just love these, it's a great way to study and enjoy Doraemon.
	New Check Set with Erasable Pentel Handy-line Slim (Knock type Marker). Here's a new "Check Set" memory aid that helps you learn any information better by highlighting the text you want to learn in green, then hiding it with the red sheet while you quiz yourself. Magically erase the green ink with the eraser ink -- fantastic! This new version features "knock" style pen, which means the tips of the pens are stored inside, like ballpoint pens.
	Mini Punch for DECO Bento ~ Sakura, Music. Here are two fantastic items, "punches" to create cool shapes out of nori for your bento. Make sakura flowers or musical notes. They also work with normal paper, too.
	Haikyo Hyoryu - Images of Destruction in Japan. What's cool of looking at old dilapidated buildings and the ruins of our modern society? Ask the Japanese, who seem to love books like this. Fresh stock of this gorgeous photobook of run-down places.
	Cloisonne Ware Beer Mug. We carry high-quality ceramic cups and other items from J-List, baked with traditional methods used in Japan for centuries. This is a beer mug that's extremely light and a joy to drink out of.
	Fitted T-Shirts for Girls. Remember that J-List offers dozens of great original T-shirts with funny kanji messages on them, including gorgeous fitted T-shirts for girls, made by American Apparel and printed by our staff in San Diego. Why not pick up some new J-List T-shirts for the summer?
	Bomb Apr 2008. Next, enjoy one of our favorite magazines, Bomb, one of the most popular magazines dedicated to Japan's beautiful bikini idols. This special issue features just about everyone -- Yuko Ogura, Aya Ueto, Satomi Ishihara, Aki Hoshino, and many more.
	Pure Leah! -- Leah Dizon. A super magazine for fans of the gorgeous Leah Dizon, the sexy idol and JPOP star that turned Japan's entertainment world on its ear. Gorgeous pictures of Leah throughout.
	No Money Novel Series vol. 2-4. The No Money series from Hitoyo Shinozaki is the best-selling BL comic in J-List's history. Now you can own the light novel series, which are beautifully printed and which feature all original illustrations inside.
	"H" Clinic 3 by Soft on Demand. Need some healing? Head on down to the "H" Clinic where the beautiful nurses will take care of you, dispensing sweet love to you that will make you all better. I love this series because of how incredibly professional the girls are as they perform, like perfect nurses in an alternate reality where this happens all the time.

2008 04 30

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Cool Items: Domo and Totoro Plush Hats, Miku Hatsune, Revoltech, and Dragon Destiny Wackiness

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.

	Japanese Plush Beanie - "Domo-kun Face." J-List is happy to announce our newest product line, plush beanie hats! One of the most often-requested items ever, these hats are of very high quality felt, soft and warm. This felt Domo-kun beanie hat looks great, and we've got them in stock right now in San Diego!
	Japanese Plush Beanie - Totoro (Blue or Grey). Also: fans of the super-cute My Neighbor Totoro, that huggable spirit of the forest, can wear him proudly on their heads with our new high-quality felt beanie hats, which feature separate ears with stiff pieces inside to keep them perky. Available in blue or grey.
	Nostalgia for Ruins. The Japanese just love books documenting old, ruined places from modern times, and here's a really special book with dozens of pictures of dilapidated amusement parks, factories, schools, and more. Eerie and beautiful.
	P:Chara Mikuru Asahina Pinky Street. I don't know about you, but I'd love to have green tea served to me by Mikuru from the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, who is a time-traveler. (Note, for the full Haruhi experience, read the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons.) This popular figure set is now in stock!
	Miku Hatsune Nendoroid Figure. Then, the most popular figure of 2007 has without a doubt been the Miku Hatsune Nendoroid figure from Good Smile Company. Although our stock sold out immediately last time, happily we've been able to get a few more for you. Comes with her awesome leek so you can leekspin!
	Revoltech No.048 Jun. Totoro is the cute Sony Cat character from the game Doko Demo Issyo (Always With You) that has so many fun facial expressions to display. Now his friend Jun has been made as a highly posable toy too, with dozens of potential ways to build him out.
	Revoltech No.049 Suzuki. Also, see the awesome robot Suzuki, a multi-faced robot friend of Toro whose body can be posed in dozens of ways, and his many bizarre faces will keep you always coming up with new ways of displaying him.
	SAKURA Pattern Bamboo Charcoal 2 Ways Mini Pillow. When I first came to Japan, one thing I was amazed by were the traditional Japanese pillows which were soft on one side, and firm on the other, with small bits of charcoal inside the pillow to help support your head. Here's a great version of this pillow, a rolled head support that can be unrolled and used as a zabuton (sitting cushion). Two beautiful colors to choose from.
	egg April 2008 vol. 138. We love every issue of Egg, the fashion magazine of wild and cute kogals who are active in Tokyo's hip Shibuya district. The newest issue is in stock now!
	Animage Sep 2007 vol. 351. Got another issue of Animage in stock too, which is usually only available as a revolving monthly subscription, so it's a special treat. Find plenty of information and visuals from Gundam Seed, Clannad and much more. Freebees in this issue include a Code Geass pull-out artbook and a mask from Zero no Tsukaima!
	Nintendo DS Study Aids. We've restocked two popular Nintendo games that help you learn to learn Japanese. First, learn hiragana and katakana with Anpan Man, a super hero whose head is bean-filled bread. Then see the smash hit Kakitori-kun, a program that quizzes you on how to write kanji correctly. Fully compatible with Nintendo DS units in any country!
	DX Chrimen Cloth Origami. Everyone knows about origami, the beautiful folded paper art from Japan. Here's an amazing new twist, with fabulously colored sheets that are made of chirimen, or kimono fabric, with a layer of starch added to make them easy to fold. I can't believe how cool this item is!
	Genuine Tabi (Ninja Shoes). Also, in addition to our cool line of geta sandals, setta (leather sandals in varying styles) and "tatami" shoes made from the same material as tatami mats, we have these awesome tabi or split-toed boots that were worn by ninjas in the days of old. Several sizes restocked today.
	TAKE-TOMOBO ~ Japanese Retro Toy Bamboo flying Propeller. Although Leonardo Da Vinci was the first to bring the idea of a helicopter to the West, "TAKE-TOMBO" (lit. bamboo dragonflies) have been popular children's toys for more than 2000 years in China and Japan. Here is a set of two fun propellers that will fly high in the sky, back in stock now!
	ZEBRA Super Marble Pen ~ Blue-Pink-Yellow. Here's a cool pen that writes in multiple colors, as you write! It's a cool "Marble Pen" that has different ink wells inside it which mix randomly as you write.
	Restocked Japanese Snacks. Finally, we've got some very special Japanese snacks for you, including what will almost surely be the last Sakura Kit Kat Lucky Little and Meiji Rich Matcha Chocolate of the season (it'll start getting warm here soon), as well as Meiji Kaon in Mango flavor, UHA High Conc. Milk Candy, and Shigekix in Umeboshi (tried plum) flavor.
	The Top DVD Magazine Dec. 2007 No. 112. The Top DVD is a great color magazine that tracks all the top professional JAV models in Japan, from Yuka Akai to Marina to Ai Takeuchi and Nana Natsume. Comes with a DVD with 200 minutes of great content for you.
	Yuzuki no Kareshi -- Yuzuki Aikawa. Kawaii! is what you'll say when you see this photobook of the stylish Yuzuki Aikawa, who assumes the role of your virtual girlfriend in this photobook that's shock from the point of view of someone beside Yuzuki-chan. Lovely pics.
	*Ikki Tousen Secret Limited BOX Preorder.* The Dragon Destiny product to end all Dragon Destiny products: the Ikki Tousen Secret Limited Box, due to come out in April. You get all kinds of super rare goodies you can't find anywhere else, including two gorgeous patches, a really beautiful "bust" of Hakufu (pun definitely intended), a 3D mousepad of Kanu, and the cute bear underwear of Hakufu as well. Wow, man, just wow. And it's in stock now!
	SOD Debut! -- Jun Kiyomi. The gorgeous Jun Kiyomi (both words that mean "pure" in Japanese) is a wonderful star who is moving from the "pro" AV studios to the indies world, making her debut on Soft on Demand. This means that fans can see even more amazing "ero" from this lovely woman than ever before.

2008 04 21

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Polo Shirt - Looking for a Japanese Girlfriend (Black)

Polo Shirt - Looking for a Japanese Girlfriend (Black)

J-List now sells great polo shirts with professionally embroidered wacky messages and cute characters, the perfect way to "keep it real" even while working or playing with the big kids. This is our iconic "Now Accepting Applications for a Japanese Girlfriend" polo shirt, which features the attractive kanji design over the left breast. The shirts are 100% cotton and fit great. A high quality item embroidered for you by our dedicated staff in San Diego. This is the standard men's size black polo...

2008 03 27

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Polo Shirt - Looking for a Japanese Girlfriend (Black)

Polo Shirt - Looking for a Japanese Girlfriend (Black)

J-List now sells great polo shirts with professionally embroidered wacky messages and cute characters, the perfect way to "keep it real" even while working or playing with the big kids. This is our iconic "Now Accepting Applications for a Japanese Girlfriend" polo shirt, which features the attractive kanji design over the left breast. The shirts are 100% cotton and fit great. A high quality item embroidered for you by our dedicated staff in San Diego. This is the standard men's size black polo...

2008 03 27

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Cool Products: New bento, ear cleaners, Kanji DS Dictarionary, Green Tea & Milk Fran!

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.

	Black Cat Paws 2-tier Bento Box. The cutest new bento box in town in the "niKyoro series" (remember, from niko niko or smiling, plus kyoro kyoro or looking around) is Black Cat Paws, a super cute bento box with two sections and incredibly kawaii styling.
	Floral KOKESHI Ear Cleaner w/ Kokeshi Doll ~ Red. Here's a really special item for fans of mimikaki, or traditional ear cleaners, we've gotten in a Japanese doll ear cleaner that's just fabulous to look at.
	Transformers iPod Speaker Set -- Transformer Music Label. Got an iPod? This is your speaker set, a transforming speaker set that's compatible with all current iPods. Back in stock!
	Kanji DS Dictionary. Today we're happy to announce that we'll begin carrying Nintendo DS software tools to help our customers learn Japanese. This is a fantastic idea, a fully functional E-J, J-E, Japanese and Kanji dictionary, with many advanced features. Best of all, inputting words with the stylus is speedy and accurate. Highly recommended item for students.
	Kira Kira Reki -- Mikeou Art Works. A fabulous artbook by female illustrator Mikeou, one of the top artists representative of the current trend of moe culture in Japan. These are characters from the the many eroge and anime series she's contributed to.
	Hin Water Ball ~ Howl's Moving Castle. A treat from Howl's Moving Castle, the last film by Hayao Miyazaki, this is the crystal ball that the Witch of the Waste looks in to see Heen, the cute asthmatic dog.
	Meiji Fran Au Lait -- Green Tea & Milk. A fabulous new flavor of Meiji's Fran dual-coated snack stick, this is one you won't want to miss because its Matcha (Green Tea) and Milk flavor. The box looked so good I had to crack one open and share it with the J-List staff, and we all agree they're delicious.
	Soul of the Samurai ~ Modern Translations of 3 Classic Works of Zen and Bushido. This is great -- updated translations of the classic works that have formed our understanding about Japan. In stock in San Diego for your ordering convenience.
	Easy Daily Lunches ~ Mainichi Rakuraku Obento. I'll teach you a word of Japanese: raku, meaning easy. Ergo, rakuraku means "super easy," which is the promise of this cool bento box cookbook, just loaded with ideas for bento lunches you can make.
	NORI / Seaweed Punch ~ Star / Heart Shape for Decoration Bento. Bento is incredibly popular all around the world (J-List has been written up in a French newspaper on the subject recently). For bento fans, here's a new level of coolness: a "nori punch" that lets you make heart or star shaped seaweed for decorating your bento.
	Lots of Totoro Stuff. See some great restocked Totoro items, including the Plush Totoro Tree House with Totoro that can fit inside (love this!), the last stock of our Totoro Fluffy Blanket (100x140 cm size), and the #1 selling Totoro bento box.
	*Tezuka Moderno No.8 Leo Figure Preorder.* For many fans (including this one), the first encounter with Japan was the groundbreaking anime series that answered the question, "Who lives down in deepest, darkest Africa?" Awesome updated design of Tezuka's Jungle Emperor Leo (aka Kimba the White Lion).
	COPIC Ciao! ~ Basic Double Marker Set in 12 Colors. COPIC is a famous manufacturer of high quality pens and paper for artists. Here's an excellent set of colored pens that have broad tips on one end and "fude pen" brush tips on the other.
	Restocked Japanese Snacks. Then enjoy some great restocked J-Snacks, including Toppo the baked chocolate stick snack, super-tart Shigekix in Cola flavor, Morinaga Strawberry Mont Blanc Chocolate, Meiji Wata Pachi cotton candy w/ pop rocks inside, and Otoko Kaoru gum that promises to improve the way men smell.
	G Sketch -- Marie Sukegawa. You will be wowed by the "G" cup of Marie-chan in her new hardcover glossy photobook, filled with pictures of the buxom Japanese model. Lots of lovely pictures here.
	Real Rhythmic Gymnastics Debut -- Momo Hanai. The lovely Momo Hanai may have only won 2nd place in the National Rhythemic Gymnastics competition, but she's number one in our hearts as she debuts as a JAV actress, showing that she has the flexibility necessary for this important new career change.

2008 03 26

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Cool Products: Zelda keychains, new Replicant, and Wasabi Doritos FTW!

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.

	The Legend of Zelda Hour Glass of Phantom Soundrop Full Set of 6. The Soundrop keychains are great, an electronic keychain with a button and speaker that emit a loud, clear sound or spoken phrase when you hit the button. Here's a killer item, the Legend of Zelda Soundrop series, featuring all the sounds from the popular game.
	Replicant vol. 31 Winter 2008. One of the best sources for seriously drool-worthy pictures of the best anime figures ever made, Replicant is a perfect-bound all-color magazine we can't recommend highly enough. Includes a pull-out poster of an upcoming Shunya Yamashita figure.
	Wasabi Doritos. It's a rare product that can actually bring tears to my eyes, and in the case of the new limited-edition Wasabi Doritos it's coming from the strong hot taste of the wasabi baked into the chips. Highly recommended for wasabi aficionados as well as collectors of rare items from Japan!
	Other Delicious Japanese Snacks. Discover the mystery of what the Japanese call melon-pan or "melon bread," a round bread that doesn't taste like a melon, although it looks like one. This is the newest flavor of Bakery Flat Style Pretz! Then get in on Japan's mango boom with these delicious mango & orange treats, loaded with collagen.
	Seifuku Danshi - Young Men in Uniform. Here's an innovative photobook that captures dozens of ikemen (EE-keh-men), or good-looking guys with handsome faces, in various uniforms, from waiter to chauffeur to policeman and even the guy who bags your food at the Lawson convenience store.
	Shakugan no Shana 1/8 Figure Candy Bikini ver. We love the gorgeous figures from Shakugan no Shana, an anime series that was character designed by Ito Noizi, who brought us Haruhi Suzumiya. Love the pose, and love the samurai sword.
	Hello Kitty Drawing Board. Wow, this is fantastic -- a fun magnetic drawing board for kids that lets them create art then start over by flushing the image with the eraser lever. A really fun item from Japan.
	DORAEMON and My Melody Clear File Document Protectors. Protect your documents the kawaii way with these plastic "clear file" pockets that store all your important papers without letting them get damaged. Plus they're darned cute.
	Domokun Mimobot USB 2.0 Flash Drive ~ Ninja 2GB. There are USB flash drives, and then there are the cool Domo-kun flash drives that give you 1, 2 or 4 GB of storage in a great Domo-shaped package. We've restocked several of these, including the 2 GB "Ninja Domo" that's just too cool.
	Japan Underground vol. 1-3. The popular photobook series Japan Underground has been restocked. If you're looking to see a side of Tokyo you've never imagined, this is for you. All volumes are in stock now!
	FUROSHIKI ~ Japanese Chirimen Kimono Patterned Multi Cloth. A furoshiki is an innovative Japanese cloth that can be used in several ways. First, you can wrap items in it for easy carrying, and this has been done in Japan for centuries. Also, it's a beautifully printed chirimen cloth that can be used as a scarf to add color to any outfit. Two different varieties posted today.
	DX Genuine Lacquered 2 tier Bento Box with Butterfly motif. You already know that J-List has the best selection of bento boxes anywhere. Now we're adding a gorgeous new bento made of real lacquered wood, for an incredible feel and look. Yet it's still very functional, with separate interior sections that are easily washable, plus it's fully microwavable.
	Naruto Anbu Mask . The Anbu Masks from Naruto have been a hugely popular item with J-List customers, hand assembled and using the best materials. The masks are very thick, too, hard injected plastic as opposed to the thin material in masks we had for Halloween when we were kids. These are back in stock in San Diego.
	Writing Katakana ~ An Introductory Japanese Language Workbook. Start learning Japanese today with this great textbook that teaches you katakana, the writing system used for writing foreign names and loan words like "amenity communicator." We're also restocking the Bilingual Atlas of Tokyo and a great book on Bonsai.
	Various Reposted Items. We discovered that some items had been flagged so that they weren't appearing on the JBOX.com PG site, only the J-List site. These include the oh-so-cute Relax Bear bobbleheads and the "Kamikaze" collection of vehicles used by the Japanese during World War II, great for collectors.
	*Melissa Selafi Nendoroid Figure Preorder.* Check out this cool Nendoroid figure of Melissa Seraphy from the game Wagamama Capricco, no doubt one of the most original toys in this innovative toy line. Pumpkins rock!
	Restocked Kompeito, Sakura Kit Kat, and More. Restocked snacks include Hello Kitty Strawberry Pretzel (very Pocky-like), Meiji Coffee Beat, Kompeito traditional candy as seen in Spirited Away, and the very popular Strawberry Kit Kat and Sakura Kit Kat "Lucky Little."
	Ichikawa San -- Yui Ichikawa. We love hardcover photobooks like this because the quality is so high, with page after delicious page of gorgeous photography for you. This is a great photobook for fans of Yui Ichikawa, the legendary swimsuit idol and all-around pretty girl from Japan.
	Angel and Demon Visual Fanbook ~ Tenshi and Akuma. A great artbook filled with beautiful images of gorgeous female characters in the form of tenshi (angels) and akuma (demons). Which will you choose?
	Queen's Blade vol. 11 ~ Nanael. Got a new Queen's Blade artbook for you today, this one being the gorgeous character Nanael. Do battle with the other characters in the popular book-based combat RPG, or just enjoy the 64 pages of fabulous glossy art.
	*Kanu (Aisha) 1/8 Figure Preorder.* Here's a gorgeous figure of Kanu, aka Aisha, from the legendary "H" game and anime Koihime, also known as Mystical Princess. This is the character Kanu, one of the most popular from the series. A fantastic "ero" figure that can be totally cast off.
	Jukujo Sports Instructor 3 -- Midori Takase. The female body builder Midori Takase has won many fans, and nothing seems to be able to stop her from clawing her way to the top of the JAV indies mountain of popularity. Enjoy her new release, featuring her amazing feats of strength and "ero."

2008 02 29

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Anime and Japanese Pop Culture Are Everywhere

One thing I really like about being so involved with Japanese popular culture is the global nature of it, how it appeals to so many people around the world. Whether it's singing the theme song to Heidi, Girl of the Alps with a roomful of German fans at a convention near the banks or the Rhine, hanging out with bloody Battle Royale cosplayers in Rome, or finding manga series that I struggled with in college for sale in English at my local bookstore in San Diego, I'm always amazed at how anime and related culture have been accepted by all of us. Back in 2006 a crowd protesting in the Gaza Strip helped their message reach a wider audience by printing a picture of Haruhi Suzumiya -- star of a mind-bending anime series about a girl who yearns to meet ESPers, time travelers and aliens, and gets her wish -- on their sign. The image was picked up by the Japanese press, who were amazed to see the popular anime character in so remote a place. I think part of the reason we can all embrace Japan's pop culture so freely is actually because of its distance from most of us, its lack of connection to our own historical or cultural backgrounds (or hang-ups), which removes barriers that might otherwise make it harder to accept something so different. In short, while we may argue over issues like religion, politics and economics, we can all agree that Godzilla knocking over Tokyo Tower looks pretty awesome, or that "Haruhi-ism" is pretty cool. So, world peace through shared popular culture, everyone!

Haruhi Palestine picture

2008 01 28

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Back in Japan and getting ready for New Year’s, my respect for hard work, and a great way to get money in 2008!

Hello again from J-List. Once again we've made the hop from San Diego to Japan, traveling the 5443 miles (8759 km) from our American home to our Japanese one. The flight was fine, although bumpier than normal due to the extra turbulence in the skies in winter.

We've returned just in time for our favorite time of year, oshogatsu, or the New Year's Day holidays. Unlike the happy, boisterous fun that is New Year's in the U.S. and elsewhere, Jan. 1 is a very solemn day in Japan. Today is New Year's Eve, and everyone is rushing around doing everything they need to get done before the holidays, like finishing up their o-soji ("big cleaning") so they can face the new year with a clean house, and readying various decorations for the home. It's customary to eat Japanese soba (buckwheat) noodles on the last day of the year, which supposedly helps everyone enjoy long lives, and December 31st is the busiest day for restaurants that serve noodles. But the most important activity that takes place on New Year's Eve is watching Kohaku, the Red and White Song Battle, an annual live show put that's been put on by NHK every year since 1951 in which female singers (the red team) battle male singers (the white team) to see which side can put on the most extravagant performances. The Kohaku show is "the" music event of the year, comparable to the Academy Awards in the U.S., and virtually every top star will be there, from Leah Dizon to Gackt to the singers in Hello! Project and enka greats Saburo Kitajima and Sayuri Ishikawa. After the Kohaku show ends at 11:45 pm, NHK broadcasts Yuku Toshi, Kuru Toshi (Year Going, Year Coming) showing solemn images of people making their way to beautiful Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, Christian churches and Muslim mosques to do hatsu-mode (ha-tsu MOH-day), the first prayer for good luck and happiness of the New Year, overlaid with the sound of a bell that chimes 108 times. Then, the TV display flashes "0:00," letting you know the New Year has silently arrived.

Japan is nothing if not the land of the "boom," and you never know what will become popular next. Right now, thousands of cell phone users are displaying an image of the enigmatic Yoshihiro Miwa as their screen wallpaper, which is rumored to increase a person's luck with regards to money, what with yellow being the feng shui color for wealth and all. A survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bombing who went to Tokyo to become a famous cabaret singer, Miwa was very close to writer Yukio Mishima, the guy who tried to bring about a pro-Emperor coup by the military then committed seppuku when the soldiers laughed at him. Author of 20 books and an accomplished stage performer and director, Miwa-san may be most famous internationally as the voices of the wolf goddess Moro and the Witch of the Waste in Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle. If you're curious to see if this Japanese superstition is correct, try setting your cell phone's wallpaper to this picture and see if you get more money in 2008!

One thing I really like about the Japanese is the tradition of kinben (KEEN-ben), or diligence and hard work, as an ideal for people to aspire to, essentially the local version of the Protestant Work Ethic. By and large, this diligence is usually measured in terms of time rather than raw effort, and doing an hour or two of overtime each day is probably the norm for most Japanese companies, allowing employees show their hard work to their colleagues in a unit that everyone can easily recognize, time. The highest expression of kinben is the tetsuya, the all-nighter, working so hard that you work all night long to finish your important project. If an employee in Japan works all night on a project, he will probably gain a lot of respect from his boss and coworkers (the term also applies to studying all night for a test). Recently I asked my wife what the "worst" job in Japan was considered to be, the one parents tell their kids they'll end up doing if they don't study hard (when I was a boy it was "ditch digger" but it may have changed since then). She told me that Japanese don't usually speak ill of a profession like that, since someone has to do it after all, and in fact, many of the jobs some might consider to be "bad" such as road construction or the guys that empty the BOT-ton toilets in older homes that don't have pluming yet, are actually good in a way, since they pay much higher due to the fact that few people are willing to do them.

J-List would like to wish everyone a safe, warm and wonderful New Year's holiday tomorrow. Within the month of December, you wish someone a Happy New Year by saying yoi o-toshi o (YO-ee oh-TOH-shi oh), which literally means "[have a] good year." After January 1st arrives, you switch to akemashite omedeto (ah-keh-MASH-tay oh-meh-deh-TOH), literally "congratulations on opening the New Year." It's polite to use this second greeting the first time you see a Japanese person after the new year arrives. Well, until next time, yoi o-toshi o, everyone!

Since we're giving the J-List crew some much-deserved time off, I'm presenting a few of my Most Favorite Things today, some items I think are especially cool to show you. You can view all J-List products updated in the last three days by clicking this link.

3D Oppai Mouse Pad. Have you noticed that anime is getting more interactive? Now not only can you play anime games with multiple endings (as in our dating-sim games), but you can even, er, touch your anime in new and interesting ways.

Cool Traditional Japanese Shoes. J-List carries a huge selection of traditional items, and some of our favorites are the setta (sandals) and geta (traditional wooden shoes) from Japan. See our selection now.

See Our Most Popular Traditional Items. J-List now has constantly updated category listings which show you the most popular items in a category. Our best-selling traditional items include our awesome Lucky Cat Tea Cups, an incredibly popular series. Click to see the 50 best-selling traditional items!

Black Goth Style Cat Bento Box Set. Japan's culture of visually-pleasing boxed lunches (bento) is popular all over the world, and J-List offers a huge selection of bento boxes for you to browse. I love our new Goth-Loli Cat style bento box series.

Top-Selling Study Items. J-List genuinely wants to promote study of the Japanese language and interest in all aspects of Japan. See the top 50 study related items, including "bilingual books" with Japanese and English printed side-by-side.

Hello Kitty Computer Speakers, USB Mouse, More. We love to bring you kawaii products from Japan, including hard-to-find items like Kitty-chan speakers for your iPod or computer, the Hello Kitty mouse, Hello Kitty vibrating shoulder massager, mayonnaise cups, and so on.

Japanese T-shirt "Looking for a Japanese Girlfriend". It turns out that more than a few men in the world are interested in the idea of dating girls from Japan, and this wacky T-shirt might just be the conversation starter you need to make it happen. The exact translation is "Now accepting applications for a Japanese girlfriend."

iTunes Japan Music Card, Elecom Items. J-List carries the popular pre-paid iTunes Japan Music Cards that let you buy Japanese music and play it on PC or Mac with iTunes or any iPod. It even works with the online iTunes store and iPhone / iPod Touch. We also carry dozens of great items from Japan's electronics maker Elecom, with lower prices on the Mogmo Kun flash drive cases.

2008 Calendars. Of course, J-List still has a good selection of 2008 calendars printed for the domestic market here, a great way to add a little slice of Japan to 2008. Browse are anime, JPOP, sexy idol, men's and other calendars now!

Preorder Anime Figures. J-List recently began offering anime figures and other toys via preorder, allowing you to make sure you get that ultra-cool Fraulein Revoltech or Bible Black figure before they all sell out. Orders are often shorted by our distributors, and in cases like these we give priority to customers who have preordered figures.

Studio Ghibli Plush Toys. J-List has carried plush toys and other items for fans of Hayao Miyzaki since we started our humble little company back in 1996, and we love the joy we've brought to many fans by these great items. Manufactured by Sun Arrow, a toy maker with a hundred years of history.

Top-Selling J-Snacks. Click here to see the most popular 50 snack items on J-List right now. My own favorites include the Melty Kit Kat (with melted center), Tomato Pretz, and Rose Flavored Gum.

Top-Selling Dating-Sim Games. J-List has been involved with evangelizing Japan's PC dating-sims from the very beginning, and we've got the best selection of English-translated "H" games on the planet. See the top 50 games in order of sales over the past 7 days.

Cast Off Figures. We just love the recent trend in Japan of "cast off" anime figures, with clothes you can remove either partially or completely. This is Fiitan, the super-cute mascot of an otaku blog in Japan, which can be displayed in several configurations. So sexy!

Karami Photomagazine Series. We're big fans of beautiful photography from Japan, and you can't get any better than the Karami series, a great collection of photo-magazines with each issue dedicated to a single beautiful model, like Yua Aida, Mitsu Amai, Hitomi Hayasaka, and many more. No ads, either, making for a totally satisfying visual experience.

Great "H" Manga from Japan. Of course J-List has always been a great place to get Japan's best "ero" manga, and we've got hundreds of volumes in stock right now. Click here to see the top 50 manga items that J-List customers have chosen over the past 7 days.

Futanari Products. One of the most visually enticing trends in Japan is futanari, which means "the two becoming one," and is a nice way of saying "chicks with..." From amazing doujinshi and CG by Behind Moon to great manga releases to innovative AV DVD productions, J-List has many items for futa lovers.

Artbooks. We also carry dozens of top artbooks from top illustrators, including artists like Tony Taka, Tetsuya Ishida, Happou Bijin, Katsuya Terada and many more. Also see the School Days artbooks!

Japanese Condoms, More. From unique Japanese parody condoms to our Hello Kitty massager products to bizarre items like Treasure Taste World Magic Hole and all-natural lotion products, J-List offers amazing novelty products for couples.

Huge Selection of DVDs from Japan. J-List has hundreds of Japan AV (hint: it doesn't mean audio visual) DVDs featuring Japan's top pro and indy studios, like Soft on Demand, Alice Japan, Moodyz and TMA. Click here to see the top 50 DVD products on the site right now.

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Some thoughts on the series “Lost,” how to brighten a Japanese salaryman’s day, and how learning Japanese can get you fewer dates

I've caught the "Lost" bug, and am enjoying watching the series on DVD here in San Diego. One interesting aspect of the show are the sub-plots involving Jin and Sun, a Korean couple who are marooned on the island. Since the husband doesn't speak English, there are large swaths of dialogue in Koran, which makes me think I'm back in Japan with my wife watching Hanryu Dorama or the South Korean soap operas that are so popular these days. Although Japanese and Korean have a similar grammatical structure, with "particles" that mark the subject and object of a sentence, and similar word order, the two languages are quite different. The only words I can pick out of Korean are Chinese-derived words, like "promise" "goal" "air current" and so on -- not nearly the level of ability to read Chinese that I get for "free" by leaning Japanese (about 20%).

When I came to Japan in 1991, I was extremely motivated to learn Japanese, which was a good thing since the idea that you can learn a language through osmosis just by living in that country is flat wrong. I took advantage of every opportunity to advance my studies, listening to JPOP music and watching anime and Japanese dramas, which helped me get lots of vocabulary input. When I encountered a Japanese person, I'd engage in a brief "language battle" with them to determine which of us had the higher language skills, and thus which language I'd speak with that person -- and I hated to lose. Then one day I was in Tokyo, looking for a coin locker to put my bags in, and a middle-aged salaryman who was clearing his out said "Please use this one" to me in English. I thanked him in fluent Japanese, but after that I realized that I'd done him a real disservice. This man would probably have only have a few chances to use his English each year, and yet I had stubbornly refused to oblige him. Since that day, I've resolved to speak English to Japanese people more, which usually causes their face to brighten just a little. And if you really want to make a Japanese person's day? Compliment them on their English and ask if they've studied in the U.S. or England. It's usually pure B.S., but they'll be happy all day long.

One thing gaijin who attain fluency in Japanese can attest to, though, is that the more you learn Japanese, the more some doors close. Japanese often think of foreigners as fun to be around, and part of that fun flows from both sides not being able to understand each other perfectly, which somehow makes us more "exotic." If you go out to karaoke with Japanese, they'll enjoy themselves more if you sing a ridiculous version of "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire than if you're able to belt out the latest enka hit by Daisuke Kitagawa. At bars and clubs, too, foreigners who don't speak much Japanese can find themselves more popular with Japanese girls than gaijin who can read all 1945 characters of the joyo kanji (the characters designated for "general use" by Japan's Ministry of Education, which defines what it is to be literate in the language). Foreigners who learn too much Japanese might find the dating scene to be somewhat different, too, as some girls who might be interested in the exotic feel of a "real" gaijin might be turned off by our extensive knowledge of the late Edo and Meiji Restoration Periods (stuff that the average Japanese never cares about). Of course, I wouldn't want to go out with a girl who was turned off by me having too much interest in her country and language, and all people are different -- my wife was interested in me specifically because of my fondness for memorizing odd Japanese proverbs.

Christmas is fast approaching, but J-List is still humming to get orders out the door in a timely fashion in both our Japan and San Diego orders. We've got thousands of great items in stock right now, from plush toys to 2008 anime calendars to our delicious wacky T-shirts and hoodies, let us know what we can do for you. If you're in a hurry, we highly recommend our ultra-convenient J-List Gift Certificates, which can be sent via email to you or to your recipient as a high-quality PDF for instant printing. Or, if they like music from Japan, consider giving them an iTunes Japan Prepaid Card, which let you buy all the best music from Japan for 150 or 200 yen per song, and they work great with your iPod and even the iTunes stores in your iPhone / iPod Touch!

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.

	Evangelion Police Costume Figures. Okay, these are just too cool -- a re-mix of the Evangelion girls Rei and Asuka dressed as police girls, or specifically, "Mini-Skirt Police" (it's kind of a Japanese fixation, don't ask us).
	Brand New Snack Items. Today's new snack items include delicious Aero Cocoa in Green Tea flavor, yummy Meiji Chopan Chocolate Millefeuille, and something delicious-looking called Zackl in Caramel Flavor.
	COSMODE 019 - Super Cosplay Magazine. This is the #1 magazine for fans of cosplay is COSmode, and this is another great issue filled with pictures of top Japanese cosplayers. You also get a pattern included in the book, too, as well as stickers.
	SHODO Calligraphy Brush. Shodo ("the way of writing") is the art calligraphy brush writing, and J-List has many products for people interested in this art. Here's a nice deluxe brush for calligraphy writing that goes well with other products we stock.
	CHO-CHIN Old Style Lantern ~ DARUMA. Here's a cool item: a traditional Japanese lantern shaped like a Daruma (aka Dharma, if you're a "Lost" fan). Decorate any room with this cool item.
	Totoro Scenery Music Box --Totoro Bus Stop. Studio Ghibli is the studio founded by Hayao Miyazaki to make his fabulous movies, and we've gotten in a great new ceramic music box of Totoro, Satsuki and Mei waiting at the bus stop in the famous scene from the movie.
	Restocked Hello Kitty Fluffy Hood. Keep warm this winter with the ultimate Sanrio item, a warm and fuzzy Hello Kitty Fluffy Hood that ties around your chin and protects your ears and head from non-cute coldness. Back in stock!
	Restocked Tattoo Girls Design Book vol. 2. Tattoos are cool, and very popular in Japan. Here's a book that shows you great pictures of what kinds of tattoos are being done in Japan, with large color photos in case you want to copy some of the work. Best of all, you get tattoos designed by the likes of Junko Mizuno. Back in stock!
	Detective CONAN Nurie Coloring Book. This is a very popular anime from Japan about a boy who solves mysteries. Now available in a fun "nurie" (nuri-e) coloring book for all ages.
	3D Oppai Mouse Pad -- Alice Parade ~ Lingerie version. We just love these 3D mouse pads, which really bring anime girls alive in, er, three dimensions. A fabulous item from Japan that's slightly "ecchi."
	Restocked Seven Days in Japan. Now you can visit Japan for under $10, with this great documentary made by student film director and anime fan Joe Doughrity, who fulfilled his lifelong dream of coming to Japan and made a DVD of it. Back in stock!
	More Interesting Pens from Japan. J-List has a great selection of unique pens from Japan, from easy-to-hold pens to meticulously crafted pens with tiny tips to pens for sushi fans. Today we're posting the Pentel New Stylish Gel Ink SLICCI pen set, a gorgeous set of multi-colored pens from Japan.
	Restocked Stationery Items, Too. See the StitchLock paper stitcher (which never needs staples), great restocked pens from Pentel and Signo, and more, too.
	Fresh Stock of Bento Boxes. Today we're restocking several bento items, including the Uneri Bento Box sets (both colors), elegant chopsti

	3D Oppai Mouse Pad. Have you noticed that anime is getting more interactive? Now not only can you play anime games with multiple endings (as in our dating-sim games), but you can even, er, touch your anime in new and interesting ways.
	Cool Traditional Japanese Shoes. J-List carries a huge selection of traditional items, and some of our favorites are the setta (sandals) and geta (traditional wooden shoes) from Japan. See our selection now.
	See Our Most Popular Traditional Items. J-List now has constantly updated category listings which show you the most popular items in a category. Our best-selling traditional items include our awesome Lucky Cat Tea Cups, an incredibly popular series. Click to see the 50 best-selling traditional items!
	Black Goth Style Cat Bento Box Set. Japan's culture of visually-pleasing boxed lunches (bento) is popular all over the world, and J-List offers a huge selection of bento boxes for you to browse. I love our new Goth-Loli Cat style bento box series.
	Top-Selling Study Items. J-List genuinely wants to promote study of the Japanese language and interest in all aspects of Japan. See the top 50 study related items, including "bilingual books" with Japanese and English printed side-by-side.
	Hello Kitty Computer Speakers, USB Mouse, More. We love to bring you kawaii products from Japan, including hard-to-find items like Kitty-chan speakers for your iPod or computer, the Hello Kitty mouse, Hello Kitty vibrating shoulder massager, mayonnaise cups, and so on.
	Japanese T-shirt "Looking for a Japanese Girlfriend". It turns out that more than a few men in the world are interested in the idea of dating girls from Japan, and this wacky T-shirt might just be the conversation starter you need to make it happen. The exact translation is "Now accepting applications for a Japanese girlfriend."
	iTunes Japan Music Card, Elecom Items. J-List carries the popular pre-paid iTunes Japan Music Cards that let you buy Japanese music and play it on PC or Mac with iTunes or any iPod. It even works with the online iTunes store and iPhone / iPod Touch. We also carry dozens of great items from Japan's electronics maker Elecom, with lower prices on the Mogmo Kun flash drive cases.
	2008 Calendars. Of course, J-List still has a good selection of 2008 calendars printed for the domestic market here, a great way to add a little slice of Japan to 2008. Browse are anime, JPOP, sexy idol, men's and other calendars now!
	Preorder Anime Figures. J-List recently began offering anime figures and other toys via preorder, allowing you to make sure you get that ultra-cool Fraulein Revoltech or Bible Black figure before they all sell out. Orders are often shorted by our distributors, and in cases like these we give priority to customers who have preordered figures.
	Studio Ghibli Plush Toys. J-List has carried plush toys and other items for fans of Hayao Miyzaki since we started our humble little company back in 1996, and we love the joy we've brought to many fans by these great items. Manufactured by Sun Arrow, a toy maker with a hundred years of history.
	Top-Selling J-Snacks. Click here to see the most popular 50 snack items on J-List right now. My own favorites include the Melty Kit Kat (with melted center), Tomato Pretz, and Rose Flavored Gum.
	Top-Selling Dating-Sim Games. J-List has been involved with evangelizing Japan's PC dating-sims from the very beginning, and we've got the best selection of English-translated "H" games on the planet. See the top 50 games in order of sales over the past 7 days.
	Cast Off Figures. We just love the recent trend in Japan of "cast off" anime figures, with clothes you can remove either partially or completely. This is Fiitan, the super-cute mascot of an otaku blog in Japan, which can be displayed in several configurations. So sexy!
	Karami Photomagazine Series. We're big fans of beautiful photography from Japan, and you can't get any better than the Karami series, a great collection of photo-magazines with each issue dedicated to a single beautiful model, like Yua Aida, Mitsu Amai, Hitomi Hayasaka, and many more. No ads, either, making for a totally satisfying visual experience.
	Great "H" Manga from Japan. Of course J-List has always been a great place to get Japan's best "ero" manga, and we've got hundreds of volumes in stock right now. Click here to see the top 50 manga items that J-List customers have chosen over the past 7 days.
	Futanari Products. One of the most visually enticing trends in Japan is futanari, which means "the two becoming one," and is a nice way of saying "chicks with..." From amazing doujinshi and CG by Behind Moon to great manga releases to innovative AV DVD productions, J-List has many items for futa lovers.
	Artbooks. We also carry dozens of top artbooks from top illustrators, including artists like Tony Taka, Tetsuya Ishida, Happou Bijin, Katsuya Terada and many more. Also see the School Days artbooks!
	Japanese Condoms, More. From unique Japanese parody condoms to our Hello Kitty massager products to bizarre items like Treasure Taste World Magic Hole and all-natural lotion products, J-List offers amazing novelty products for couples.
	Huge Selection of DVDs from Japan. J-List has hundreds of Japan AV (hint: it doesn't mean audio visual) DVDs featuring Japan's top pro and indy studios, like Soft on Demand, Alice Japan, Moodyz and TMA. Click here to see the top 50 DVD products on the site right now.