North Korea is the Least Fun Country to Live Next To

While I generally enjoy living in Japan, there are a few things I dislike. Having to pay $22 to see a movie in a theatre or $35 for a pizza, which are exotic "Western" imports and thus expensive, though 100-yen-per-plate sushi offsets this somewhat. The voices of politicians shouting at me through loudspeakers during Japanese elections is also something I could do without. It's also no picnic living next to North Korea, the least fun nation on the planet, which operates state-sponsored programs to counterfeit Japanese currency and smuggle illegal drugs into Japan, and has kidnapped at least 17 Japanese citizens since 1977 to serve as language teachers for North Korean spies. Now North Korea has launched a long-range missile, I mean a peaceful satellite, a three-stage ticket that splashed down off the coast of the Philippines. While the belligerent act was clearly intended to threaten Japan and South Korea, the message is clear: North Korea can strike at any country in Asia and even reach the West Coast of the U.S. So, anyone want to trade places with us?

North Korea launched another missile. That means I get to use this graphic again.

Regardless of My Adolescent Delusions of Grandeur, I Still Want an Accurate Translation!

The act of translating from one language to another can be a complex process, which is why reading documents that have been machine translated is so amusing. The other day I was was reading the Wikipedia page for the popular Kyoani series Chuunibyo demo Koi ga Shitai! (中二病でも恋がしたい！) , and I realized I wasn't satisfied with the English translation they'd listed, which was "Regardless of My Adolescent Delusions of Grandeur, I Still Want a Date!" (This had been taken from the English website of TBC, the show's producer, making it semi-official.) First of all, this translation assigned a subject ("I") that is specifically missing from the original, implying that Yuuta wants to experience love with Rikka, his eyepatch-wearing odd little friend, when really the statement applies to both equally. Also, the word 恋 (koi) is an important one, encompassing the burning, almost compulsive feelings you have for someone when you're experiencing romantic love with them, and "have a date" didn't seem to capture this very well. (Incidentally there's another word for love, 愛 (ai), that describes the deeper, long-term love you feel for family or a partner of many years, plus the compound word 恋愛 (ren'ai) covers both koi and ai in one word.) So I clicked the "edit" button and changed it to, "Even People With Adolescent Delusions of Grandeur Want to Fall In Love!" Do you like my translation?

I'm rooting for Rikka and Yuuta in Chu2koi!

"Kurisumasu" (Christmas) in Japan

Here in Japan it's beginning to look at lot like Christmas, or as it's known locally, Kurisumasu. In addition to being an important day for the 1% or so of Japanese who are Christians, December 25th in Japan is a festive time when children look forward to a special present from "Santa-san" and couples plan a romantic dinner together. Just as Japanese cities compete against each other to make the prettiest sakura displays in April, they work hard to create beautiful lit-up areas for couples to walk through -- some of the best can be founded in Shinjuku, Ginza and the Roppongi Hills area. For a gaijin expat living in Japan, nothing says "Christmas" like being asked to play Santa Claus and hand out presents to children, and I've donned the red suit and fake beard many times. At one visit to a preschool operated there was a question-and-answer period when kids could ask me anything they wanted. One asked, "Santa-san, what's your favorite food?" and I kind of freaked him out by answering "reindeer hamburger steak." Then there was the year I was asked to play Santa for a Buddhist preschool near J-List, which was kind of odd since you don't normally associate festive Christmas icons with Buddhism. The kids sang Christmas songs while holding candles and lotus flowers, though, and we all had fun.

Christmas in Japan is a happy time for couples and foreigners dressed like Santa-san.

The Last Chance to Get Gifts from Japan In Time for Christmas

Well, this is it: Friday and Saturday are the last days to order products from Japan and get them in time for Christmas. Whether you're looking to get some awesome Totoro plush toys or those warm, soft Totoro blankets, special Japan Hello Kitty products, our popular Fuku-bukuro grab bags or other cute things from Japan, order in-stock items by Saturday, and your order should arrive within time. Since we're having a great sale on EMS orders from Japan, this means we pick up up to $40 of your order, too. But hurry -- there's no time to lose! Why not get started by browsing the most awesome products on J-List, as ranked by our customers?

J-List's Pre-Christmas Sales Are Still Going On

Remember, J-List is having three great sales right now. First, we're giving a whopping $15 or $40 back when you order items from Japan and choose EMS shipping, which is fully insured and trackable and will arrive at your house in about 4 days. Order $100 or more to get $15 back as a store credit, or $200 or more to get $40 back. Next, we have a special offer on J-List's world-famous anime and kanji T-shirts. Through the end of December, buy any 2 J-List shirts shipping from San Diego and get a free shirt chosen randomly by us in the size you choose. Finally, everyone who makes an order is entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate, one per day, given away by Santa Megumi on Christmas! And if you're ordering products stocked in San Diego, we now offer a UPS Next Day Air option too.

Cool Products Friday, December 14, 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

Newtype Jan 2013 A new issue of the number-one anime magazine is in stock. Grab Newtype for all the latest news on anime, games, and more, including the new A Certain Magical Index and Scientific Railgun Code Geass, Madoka Magika, Bakemonogatari and more! You get tons of beautiful artwork, character profiles, and interviews, plus great free omake stuff. This issue features Magi and comes with a 2013 calendar! view this product »

	Animedia Jan 2013 Enjoy more great art and cool omake with a new issue of Animedia. A great way to check on upcoming shows and see what strikes your fancy.		Gorgeous 2D Moe Magazines Restocked See fresh stock of the new Dengkei Hime plus the awesome new Push!!, with art by Tony Taka. Please see these from the "R" site.
	Restocked Manga from Japan, Too We've restocked some of our most moe manga, like OreImo, Highschool of the Dead, Tadashii Kodomo no Tsukurikata, and more.		Type Moon & Other Artbooks, Too See great 2D artbooks from Japan, including the incredibly popular Type Moon 10th Anniversary offering plus some gorgeous books we reposted today.
	Incredibly Cute Rilakkuma Plush Toys See two incredibly cute Rilakkuma products today, a large plush backpack for you plus a little backpack to keep your stuff in.		Yotsuba Big Size Vinyl Figure ~ Yotsuba The cute vinyl figure of Yotsuba is now in stock. Big enough to be the centerpiece of your cute figure collection.
	Sunny Day and Twin Tail A truly mind blowing, superb photobook filled with beautiful shots of young Japanese models with Twin Tails and various cute school uniforms.		Awesome 2013 Calendars from Japan Remember, anime and other calendars from Japan make great gifts, and we've got a ton in stock. But hurry, as several popular titles have already sold out.
	Japanese Fashions Restocked All the hottest fashion items from Japan to your door. See pirate leggings, gothic dresses, kawaii skirts, and lots more!		Necomimi Nerowear Restocked! Wiggle your ears in joy! The famous Necomimi (US) are back in stock and ready to be taken home. We have the International Edition for you too!
	Popular Cosplay Products Restocked See other fun cosplay products restocked, including the classic anime eye patch, as seen in Evangelion, Ikki Tousen and Chu2koi.		'Fundoshi' Traditional Underwear, Poop Hats Fundoshi (foon-doh-shi) is the traditional underwear of Japan, which we have for you. Also our legendary Poop Plush Hats for good luck in 2013.
	NERV Speaker, SAO Keyboards In Stock Cool items for hardcore fans restocked. Check out the awesome NERV HQ speaker set, plus two keyboards featuring art from Sword Art Online.		Restocked Elecom Computer Products See a nice restocking of cool retro USB game controllers and laser mice by Japan's top computer peripheral company.
	Great Anime Games for PS3 and PSP! We have games based on popular anime like Kokoro Connect, so you can enjoy new stories with your favorite characters. Plus, CHAOS;HEAD for PS3!		Evangelion Silicone Cover for PSP ~ PlayStation Official Fans of Evangelion will love to add this new cover case to their PSP. Sleek and super cool. Official NERV issue.
	All-Ages PC Games Restocked We love to carry fun games for PC from Japan, and we've got Steins;Gate, the Super Sonico photography game, the Touhou series, and more for you.		Training, Bathtime & Sleeping With Hinako Then, get your cardiovascular system pumping, with the fun and sexy exercise video series Training with Hinako. Others restocked too!
	Fun Star Wars Products from Japan We restocked some of our most popular Star Wars products for the nerds on your list, including silicon ice cube trays!		The New ENGLISH Dictionary Secret Safe Box Keep your valuables in a safe that looks like a real dictionary! A great way to fool people who might be searching for your stash.
	Dolce 'Cake' Towels, Kawaii Ice Cube Makers We're always surprised by the wacky products that can be found in Japan, like these handy towels that look like delicious cakes.		Extremely Kawaii Things for your Office Correct your mistakes with this very cute correction tape from Japan. Also, see those Decole Attention Message Holders, squee!
	Other Totoro Products Restocked See other Ghibli products restocked, too, including our favorite Totoro soft blankets, Totoro toys you can keep in your car and more.		HELLO KITTY Cute Backpack design Memo Pad This is cute, a new Hello Kitty memo pad that you can write all your important stuff on. You can never have enough cuteness!
	Today's New Japanese Snacks Hello Kitty Strawberry Dip, Kaki no Tane rice crackers, Meiji Snow Apollo chocolate, Calbee Clam Chowder chips, and more delicious treats for you!		Ume Kaki no Tane A delicious snack from Japan that everyone can enjoy. This is a delicious blend of sour plum and seaweed infused into crunchy rice crackers.
	Rare Kit Kats from Japan Restocked We restocked several awesome Japan Kit Kat varieties, including the "God Kit Kat" DX collection + Kyoto Green Tea Kit Kat. Yum!		Restocked Japanese Snacks, Too Today we've restocked Lotte Dual Chocolate Wafers, Morinaga Hi-Chew gum, Fusen no Mi Blueberry gum, Glico Uranaikko gum, and lots more!
	Nice Bento Boxes Restocked Some very nice bento boxes from Japan restocked today, including our Sakurasaku Rabbit and Sakura lunchbox, Happy Step Kawaii Bento and more.		Kawaii Bento Accessories Restocked See other restocked Japanese bento accessories, including snack-shaped food picks for bento, one of our favorite bento items.
	'Let's Make Eraser with Microwave' & More Life is too short to use lame pens, so we restocked some of our favorites for you. Also, make your own awesome Japanese erasers with the sets we posted.		Other Traditional Items Restocked Karuta playing cards, crystal phone straps, cute dog displays for luck, bamboo flutes, and more wonderful traditional items from Japan.
	Sena Figure Monster Hunter ver. ~ Haganai *Preorder* Here's an amazing figure of Haganai's Sena in her Monster Hunter costume. So elegant and sexy, you won't believe it!		Uta no Prince-sama Maji Figures *Preorder* Many of our customers want more figures of handsome guys to add to their collection. Check out these two figures of the UtaPri heroes.
	Sword Art Online 'Clear Posters' *Preorder* Four fantastic posters of the beautiful Asuna from Sword Art Online, with poses ranging from cool to ultra-sexy. Be sure to check them out!		Alice Nendoroid ~ Momoiro Taisen Pairon *Preorder* You may not have played the popular online mahjong game, but this cute blonde girl in Gothic Lolita fashion will still look great in your collection.
	New Revoltech Danboo Figures *Preorder* Revoltech is bringing us five great light-up action figures of Yotsubato mascot Danboo, each with the logo of a famous Japanese company!		Hidamari Sketch Anime Figures *Preorder* If you love cute girls, then you'll want to take a look at these great figures of Yuno from Hidamari Sketch. Nendoroid + Figma!

New and Restocked NSFW / 18+ products

Push!! Sep 2012 Push is our magazine of choice for all the latest info on upcoming visual novels and eroge. Pick up this month's issue for cute girls and free stuff! This issue has a special feature on the awesome work of artist Tony Taka, with plenty of his beautiful girls to admire. You also get a DVD full of high resolution original illustrations. Issues limited, so act now! view this product »

	New adult magazines for AV fans! AV fans, head over to our adult magazine section filled with amazing digest magazine coming with free DVDs and delicious hardcore picture to drool on.		Gorgeous Photobooks Restocked The cutest and hottest girls in Japan are here. Browse our selection of photobooks for all your needs. We have Kana Yume, Kirara Asuka, and more.
	Purukyun Otome A nice erotic hentai manga by Sakuraku Usubeni, filled with super hot and cute horny girls who love sex, for 200+ pages of hardcore sex action.		Restocked Ero Manga Superb ecchi manga, incl. Sekilala Kanojo, Mouhitsu Hallucination, Lewd Smell and Ero Legs and Tsuyudaku Futanari Musume.
	Analyanse Secret Toy A high grade soft anal plug made in Japan by ToysHeart, coming with a remote control and batteries so you can enjoy various pleasures.		USB ONACON & 3D CUSTOM GIRL By popular demand, we've restocked the awesome Onacon stress toy. Live out your 2D fantasies or discover a new way to enjoy your favorite rhythm game!
	Other Amazing Onahole Toys Restocked A nice updating of popular onahole dolphin polishers. including Yui's deluxe body with double the fun, plus AV actresses and Silica from SAO.		Love Body Miyu Doll Wigs, More Posted Give your flog pillow dolls a little more personality with our dedicated wigs! Plus other great items to customize your love doll.
	Fuku-Bukuro 2013 Japanese Adult/Sexy Set This year's 18+ grab bags include 6 "H" DVDs, Japanese personal lotion, a Tenga toy and massager for the ladies + more. Are you grabbing one?		Restocked Import Eroge Great titles restocked, including Muv-Luv Alternative, Eiyuu Senki, Kanon Memorial Edition and Delusion Virtual Character with T-Cam and more.
	Nakadashi Fuzoku Blu-ray Special ~ Kokomi Naruse A full HD production starring Kokomi Naruse, with Cocomin playing a hot soapland hostess, allowing her partners to come deep inside her.		Prestige Premium Best ~ Miu Fujisawa **2 Discs & 8 Hours** Prestige delivers a sizzling 8 hours best-of featuring hot Miu Fujisawa, in 7 uncut productions, packed in 2DVDs for your enjoyment.
	AV DEBUT!! ~ 3 Girls at the Same Time SOD brings 3 cute newcomers to the AV world, and documents their debut together in a hot 185-minute production.		Lesbian Night Crawling 6 Director YSK teams up with the producers at AKNR to present to you this lusty all female offering. Great for all yuri fans.

Popular DVD & Blu-ray Discs Restocked Then enjoy some epic restocked DVD & Blu-ray titles, including the Otaku Mote Mote in Eastern Europe, Blonde Sisters vs. Japanese Gardener, Panty Neglect Game, Cheerleader The Best 240 Minutes, Kokomi Naruse and Drive Date 8 Hours Collection, plus awesome lesbian releases starring Japan's hottest girls, including former AKB48 star Riko Tachibana. view this product »