20 Year After the "Freeze" Shooting

The Japanese have a unique relationship with the United States, and many are fascinated with our culture, from Hollywood to classic cars to cool "American" bands like Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones. (Just as it can be hard to differentiate Japanese, Chinese and Korean culture from the West, Britan and the U.S. tend to run together in the minds of Japanese people.) The father of one of my son's friends is a connoisseur of American World War II films, and I had a group of students who regularly toured the U.S. on Harley Davidsons, which is a pretty cool thing to do. Sadly, some Japanese who go to the U.S. don't come back, which happened with the sister of a former homestay student, who went to Nebraska to study English only to die in an unfortunate car accident. This week marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Yoshihiro Hattori, the Japanese high school student who was shot and killed when he mistakenly approached the wrong home while on his way to a Halloween party, certainly something that should not happen to anyone in any country. The event shocked and saddened Japan and burned the word "freeze" onto its collective psyche for all time, and I still remember the emergency "survival English conversation lessons" my school had me teach in the weeks after the shooting.

The Japanese love the USA, but sometimes there is sadness.

For the Japanese, "How to English" is Difficult

The Japanese do their best when it comes to learning English, with most taking six years in junior high and high school, and up to ten years if they take it in university. But although many master reading and writing, speaking it well can be another matter. Some of our words seem to be custom-made to frustrate poor Japanese ESL learners, and there are many categories of words that are as hard for them to pronounce as the hardest French words are for English speakers. Japanese famously lacks differentiation between L and R, and I had a Japanese friend who refused to discuss politics because she knew that sooner or later she'd have to use the word "election" and feared embarrassing herself. Nothing is harder for Japanese to pronounce than words that combine both L and R sounds, like jewelry, parallel and vocabulary, and words where the vowel is basically an "rrrr" sound, like girl, world or the last syllable of computer are also challenging. The big test for any Japanese student of English is, do people understand them when they go abroad, and all too often the answer is no, as in the case of a former student who asked for water in a restaurant and was brought a glass of beer. My wife does her best with English but sometimes life can be cruel: J-List's San Diego office has an employee named Marissa, and I have a niece named Melissa, and my wife never knows which person I'm talking about.

The Japanese study "How to English" but pronunciation is hard.

You Need a Map in Japan

Coming to Japan meant getting used to many things. Canned coffee, or corn and mayonnaise on pizza. Rooms that were often cold in winter, as Japanese homes lack American-style central heating. Also, the very idea of going to a place by looking up an address had to be thrown out the window. Except for certain major thoroughfares like National Road 17 which takes you to Tokyo, or the Prefectural Akagi Road which meanders up picturesque Mt. Akagi, roads in Japan lack names of any kind and are usually referred to abstractly, e.g. "the road between the elementary school and the convenience store." Adapting a French model, Japan breaks their land into prefectures (ken), cities (shi), and towns (machi or cho), with the towns divided into smaller blocks like 3-chome (third block), and so on. A Japanese address looks something like "Gunma-ken Isesaki-shi Sakura-cho 2-19-15," but if you ever try to visit a place based on this information you'll be driving around in circles, as the only people who can make sense of a Japanese address are postal workers. Instead, to find a given location you nearly always need a map, which is why most every printed advertisement will have a map indicating how customers can find the business. (Car GPS systems are also a very nice thing to have when driving in Japan, and I won't drive without one). In the new anime Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankei Nai yo ne (which you can remember using the short name of OniAi), Akiko wanders around Tokyo trying to find the house where her oniichan lives in, eventually asking a policeman to help her find it.

You definitely need a map to get anywhere  in Japan.

More 2013 Calendars from Japan

We're in the middle of 2013 Anime Calendar Season, and this year's calendars are just about the best we've ever seen. We've posted a great volley of calendars we just got in stock, including IdolMaster and Pokemon and this year's 2013 Totoro and Ghibli 3D calendars (which are different every year, and great to use as photo stands when the year is up. Also see great new preorder offerings too, like Chunibyo Demo Koi ga Shitai and Gackt. Click to see the newest 2013 calendars from Japan!

Cool Products Friday, October 19, 2012

For the new update, we've got some excellent products from Japan for you. You can view all new J-List products by clicking this link.

Today's New & Restocked Items

Dengeki Visual Art's 2012 Autumn Pick up the latest issue of Dengeki Visual Art's, the premier art magazine for fans of Key and other Visual Art's brands, filled with beautiful 2D art from the legendary eroge and visual novel company's games that fans will want to snap up for sure. Comes with a Kud Wafter poster that fans of Little Busters! will love, plus other fun stuff to check out. Celebrating 20 years of gorgeous gal game art. view this product »

	Newtype Nov 2012 Newtype is the Moving Pictures Magazine for lovers of Japanese anime, and the new issue is in stock and very lovely, filled with updated info for you.		COSMODE Nov 2012 ~ Super Cosplay Magazine 048 New issue of the #1 cosplay magazine in Japan, loaded with pictures, reference images, and even a costume pattern -- for all cosplay lovers.
	Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankei Nai yo ne We're fans of anything imouto-related, and the new "As Long As There's Love, It Doesn't Matter if He is My Brother, Right?" is lots of fun.		Mayo Chiki, Haganai Manga Restocked See restocked all-ages manga too, including the "reverse trap" romantic comedy Mayo Chiki! or the gorgeous I Have Few Friends, which we love a lot.
	Quarterly Pixiv vol. 10 For the art connoisseurs out there, we have a new issue of Quarterly Pixiv, full of the best art from Japan's number one art sharing site.		Even More Anime 'Noren' Door Curtains Noren are pleasant door curtains that add privacy between rooms in smaller Japanese houses. Today we've restocked more popular anime curtain!
	Tons of Anime and Other Calendars In Stock See many restocked 2013 calendars including The IdolMaster, Hatsune Miku, Prince of Tennis, Pokemon, Case Closed and more.		Ghibli 2013 3D Calendars In Stock!! The 2013 Ghibli calendar available for preorder now at J-List. Illustrated with all you favorite characters from Ghibli Studios.
	Chuunibyou, Other New 2013 Calendars! We also posted new anime calendars, including both rare Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai calendars from Kyoani + Lagrange.		2013 Male Calendar ~ Gackt *Preorder* Extremely popular JPOP performer who has a very bold on-stage presence -- he uses old European costumes and dolls in his performances.
	Kawaii Anime Figures In Stock See many cute figures are in stock today, from series like Working!, Tomodachi ga Sukunai, I Have Few Friends and Horizon!		We Love Oppai Mouse Pads There's nothing like an oppai mouse pad to provide right wrist support an otaku needs, and we have the last stock of the High School DxD in.
	Stripe Panties & Bra Sets, Striped Socks Then, cosplay as the super cute Miku Hatsune with our popular shimapan, the iconic pantsu of everyone's favorite Vocaloid, and more.		Star Wars Mug Cups Restocked Those Darth Vader + Stormtrooper cups are back in stock, if you're a fan of these popular cups. Browse our other Star Wars Japan items too!
	Hello Kitty Water Pack Freezable, foldable, and hangable water pack featuring everyone's favorite Japanese cat, Hello Kitty. Holds tequila really well, too.		Kyun to Doki ~ NMB48 Girls School What if you could secretly sneak in a all girls highschool, where all students are from the idol group NMB48 (sister unit to AKB48)?
	Fun Bath Products Restocked Enjoy fun bath products like the fizzing tablet that has a toy dinosaur inside, which kids love, plus sumi (black) bath salt and Kyoto products.		Jewelry Making Sticker, Nail Art Pens Decorate anything in your home, from your hairpin to your cellphone with these kits to make them glitter and shine. Many fun items restocked.
	New Snacks from Japan! See some great Japanese snacks today, including new Takoyaki Pretz w/Takoyaki Sauce you put on, plus plum flavored furikake, yum.		Lotte ENGINE Gum for Extra Energy Also: new energy gum from Lotte, the company that brings us Black Black Caffeine Gum. That can't be a bad thing.
	Fun Kracie DIY Snacks Restocked Build your own panda... then eat him in this easy to make home snack kit, plus other fun DIY home snacks from Kracie.		Restocked J-Snacks Too We have Japan-made Oreos, awesome Kanro Soft Candy, Bourbon Cubyrop Candy (note, contains no bourbon), Sake Ame (ditto) and Jagabee potato snacks.
	HAMUTARO Bento This new bento is super kawaii, featuring the characters from the Hamtaro series. Make your bento even cuter with this!		Beautiful Traditional Bento Boxes And we've also got a great selection of Japanese bento boxes, stylized traditional wood and modern plastic, for easy care.
	Popular Reusable Bento Cups Restocked Bento cups keep your food from mixing with each other in your bento box, and we've added stock of some of our most popular varieties. Click to browse now!		Niko Nori Punch, Other Bento Items Restocked Fun bento accessories restocked, including nori (seaweed) punches for making cute faces on your rice balls, plus our Dream Land Egg Shaper.
	Kawaii Japanese Sandwich Cutters Restocked How can you possibly eat a normal square sandwich when there are these fun SAND de PANDA sandwich shapers for you to use instead?		Deco 3D Cookie Cutters, Other Bento Items Get creative with your homemade snacks! J-List offers all the tools you need to make fun and artistic meals, like 3D cookie cutters from Deco.
	JLPT, Kanji Study Books Restocked Also, fresh stock of the Japanese kanji drill books used by Japanese children, with several back in stock. Study like the Japanese do!		2013 is the Year of the Snake The year of the snake is said to be lucky for achieving goals and plans. Prepare for 2013 with some cool snake themed decorations.
	Traditional Products, incl. Tabi Socks an More Fans of Japan's deep cultural history will be happy to hear we've restocked many of our classic traditional items, like footwear for home or for costumes.		Cats with Mustaches?!? These super cute nyanko (cats) for your phone look wacky and extremely cute with their mini mustaches. Why not?
	Kuroneko 1/7 Figure ~ OreImo Take a new look at Kuroneko, the gothic-styled friend from Oreimo, who is showing us a lot more skin in this nawake ga nai figure version.		Strike Witches, Mayo Chiki! figures Plus we've got many favorite bishoujo characters now in figure form from anime like Ano Natsu, Strike Witches and Fairy Tale.

New and Restocked NSFW / 18+ products

	Premium The Best Magazine vol. 7 This issue of The Best just might have the greatest omake gift ever conceived: free pantsu and lingerie as seen in the magazine. Wow!		Gorgeous Ecchi Calendars In Stock Too And don't forget all the lovely girls that are releasing some very special, very H calendars for the coming year.
	Other Ecchi Photobooks Restocked Restocked ecchi photobooks by Rio / Tina Yuzuki, plus those Nude Lab books for artists (we swear! They're only for artists to use!).		New 'H' Manga Today Two fantastic new hentai volumes in stock just before the week end, both featuring amazing sex action and hot big tits girls! Enjoy.
	To Love-Ru Darkness Manga Restocked The To Love-ru girls are back again in these beautifully illustrated manga. Once you start, you'll never be able to stop reading.		Epic Ecchi Artbooks Restocked Some great artwork in artbooks by TOMA and Masamune Shirow have been restocked today, with super sexy ladies. You will surely experience a nosebleed.
	Clever Smile Cure Hole The geniuses from Tamatoys bring us another fantastic parody onahole, this time featuring the cute characters from Precure!, Smile Pretty Cure Parody and more.		Fun Parody Onahole Toys & Lotion Lots of great parody relation toys with your favorite characters from series like K-On, Idol Master, Smile Pretty Cure, Sword Art Online and more.
	Hatsune Miku Can Be Your Waifu! If you really love Hatsune Miku, you can bring your relationship with her to the next level thanks to the fun parody onahole toys we have in stock!		Your Favorite JAV Actresses in Onahole Form Check out our excellent selection of relaxation toys for our J-List fans, featuring the bodies of Maria Ozawa, Chika Eiro and more.
	Mon o Mamoru Oshigoto - Guardians of the Gate An RPG of epic proportions -- you take the helm as you defend your land from enemy attack, and take time for romance on the side.		Restocked Import Eroge, Too Erect!, Naka no Hito nado Inai!, Hin wa Bokura no Fuku no Kami, Irotoridori no Hikari, Guilty Crown Lost Xmas, and Da Capo III are waiting for you.
	Tokimeki Check in!! + Doushin Set Today's recommend English eroge is one of my favorites: Tokimeki Check in!, featuring a great story with 17 endings. Get Doushin free on the disc!		Sister Hypnotism Training Manual HD The live action remake of Imouto Saimin Choukyou Manual, featuring Megumi Shino, in a gorgeous HD Blu-Ray release by TMA.
	Non Stop Orgasm Sex ~ Hitomi Tanaka (region 2) A new hot release featuring the most popular huge breasts actress of the industry, Hitomi, in a Non-Stop Sex production.		Girl Hunt Waiting Woman ~ Yuma Asami Yuma Asami must waot in a well known girl "girl hunting" spot and accept any invites she may receive from men passing by.
	Blonde Sisters vs Japanese Gardener Another amazing "international" release from Sadistic Village, this time taking on hot blond college teens in uniform, giving them a taste of Japanese sex!		Real Lesbian Actress Sneaks in Female Spa Find out what happens when pro lesbian actress Sae Aihara enters a all-women public bath and starts making out randomly in front of everybody.

Many Restocked JAV DVDs and Blu-ray Finally, a satisfying update of "H" DVD and Blu-ray, including Hitomi Tanaka (with Ria Sakuragi, and by herself), Female Director Haruna's Lesbian Nampa 8 Hours Best, the ever-popular Pretty Imouto Nakadashi Series, Super Idol 8 Hours with Chika Eiro, Tight Fit Costumes 4 Hours, plus popular "hentai" works. view this product »