Hello from Japan, where the word for violence is “rambo.”
Some customers have told us of problems loading some pages of the site, including some or all of the “Wacky things from Japan” pages. We’re looking into the problem, but if you experience problems viewing the site, please let us know. Meanwhile, the “three days” link and product searching should work at any time, so you can use this method to view products.
Each language is unique, with its own set of interesting features. Romance languages, for example, have nouns that come in male and female genders, which is very different from English, and potentially confusing for English learners of those languages. In Japanese, there are other interesting features unique to that language. For example, the subject and object are often left off of sentences if the speakers know what is meant. Thus a girl might say to her friend “Iku?” which literally means “Go?” Who is going, and where are they going, and when are they going, are all implied. Also, there’s a highly developed system of “keigo” or polite Japanese used in formal and business settings. Often, you choose extra-polite verbs and nouns (called sonkeigo or “honorific language”) when talking with, say, a company you do business with, to raise them up to a higher level than you. At the same time, you choose other words when referring either to yourself or your own company to push yourself a lower level (called kenjogo or “humble language”). Many basic verbs such as to eat, to go and so on come in three versions, a normal version, an honorific version and a humble version.
Simple concepts like “you” and “I” can get quite complicated in Japanese, too. The basic word for “I” is “watashi,” and this is what is used in formal settings (also pronounced “watakushi”). Girls get a cute version of this word — “atashi” — and good boys are supposed to use a boy’s word for referring to one’s self. “boku.” Rough and tough boys, as well as men who want to project their manliness, will use the men’s word “ore” (oh-rey) for “I.” Kenshiro, of Fist of the North Star, uses this term. For “you,” the formal word is “anata,” but “kimi” (a familiar word for use among friends) and another rough man’s word, “omae” (oh-MAH-eh), are used depending on the situation. A person’s choice of what words he uses for “I” and “you” reveals much about his personality and self-image. A cute little girl will use the term “atashi” or “watashi” and play with Licca-chan dolls; a girl who is a rebellious tomboy might use the boy’s word “boku” to the disdain of her parents; and young boys, such as my son, will experiment with acting tough by using the word “ore” (think of young Simba from The Lion King, bragging about his nonexistent mane).
Have you ever spoken to a Japanese person and wondered why they make noises of agreement while you’re talking? This is aspect of Japanese speech called “aizuchi,” basically “agreeing sounds” that speakers make when having a conversation. In Japanese, I could be explaining something that happened to me, and the person I’m speaking to would say things like “ee” (yes), “so” (that’s true), and “ne” (a general word of agreement) constantly as I spoke. It may sound funny in English, but in Japanese it’s necessary to show that you’re listening attentively to the other person — not making these noises shows you’re not paying attention, and the person you’re talking with is likely to stop talking and ask what’s wrong. The trouble is when you carry aizuchi into English, and butt into what the other person is saying with “that’s right” and “yes.” It’s sounds very strange when done in English.
Our price reductions over the weekend on nearly all our 2003 calendars have has a good effect, and we saw more than 100 of them go out the door today. We’ve still got many hundreds of super Japanese calendars for fans of famous anime shows, beautiful Japanese idols, cute characters and more, and we’ve added detailed digital pictures of several more dozens of calendars so you can choose the ones you want. (Of course, please keep in mind the pictures are being taken quickly, sometimes with poor lighting, and that the real calendars are much nicer in real life.) The prices are great, and the calendars are beautiful, printed on large sheets of high-gloss paper right here in Japan. Check out what we’ve got for you before the calendars you want are gone!
For the new update to the J-List website, we’ve got a bunch of great items for you, including:
- First, we’ve got another volley of new calendars in stock, including some of the popular anime calendars that had not come in yet including the Akira and Chobits calendar items — check them out!
- For Star Wars fans, a very cool item, a sold-in-Japan-only pre-painted soft vinyl model of Mace Windu and Yoda in full fighting mode from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, made by Kotobukiya for the Japanese market only
- For fans of rare Hello Kitty good only sold in Japan, we’ve got a super tea cup, a nifty holographic sticker set, and deluxe hair dryer set for girls and more
- Japan’s sexy Race Queens are famous all over the world, and we’ve got a great photobook of the beautiful Yasuko Akiba in stock for you
- For fans of the aesthetic beauty of Japan’s high school uniforms, we’ve got a great manga/illustration book featuring the actual high school uniforms of famous schools around Tokyo, great for costumers
- For fans of delicious and bizarre Japanese snack foods, we’ve got the tasty Crispy Pizza Pretz in stock, and it really is like eating a delicious pizza!
- Also, a super favorite snack item from Japan, Morinaga’s Choco Ball, in strawberry and peanut flavor, as well as other unique Japanese foods
- We were happy with the response to our Japanese “Bub” dissolving bath tablets, so we’ve posted two new types to the site now
- For fans of Studio Ghibli’s anime films we have a positively fantastic Soot Sprite, from Spirited Away (and also seen in My Neighbor Totoro, sans feet and arms) — a very cool item!
- Also, we love the ceramic music boxes from Hayao Miyazaki’s anime movies, and have a super new Totoro music box in stock for you today
- For your kitchen, we’ve got a cute way to peel oranges, fresh stock of a cute deluxe bento set, and more
- For dieters, some Chinese “slim tea” to help you lose weight — a delicious jasmine tea
- For fans of our bizarre Japanese erasers, a super item: Japanese sweets erasers, featuring classic Japanese “wagashi” sweets like dango, dorayaki, mochi rice cakes and more
- Finally, find inflatable versions of the American Space Shuttle and Japan’s H-II rocket, a keychain that catches the light of the sun and changes color, wacky Japanese pins, and more!
For our adult customers, we’ve got many new 18+ products. They include:
- For fans of Japanese magazines for adults, we’ve got several nice amateur and love hotel magazines
- For fans of Japan’s hardcover nude photobooks, always a popular item at J-List, we’ve got some new items, including the first nude photobook of Hana Kojima, a lovely “nud-ol” (nude idol), age 20
- Also, the steamy idol photobook of the lovely Kazuki Chiharu, sexy idol and kogal from Japan
- For fans of hentai manga, we have an especially great line-up for you today, with new works from Chosuke Nagashima, a super devil tentacle sex offering, and a beautiful manga about first love
- For erotic DVD fans, we’ve got even more fabulous Japanese DVDs, starting with a new “The Idol” series from Kuki, this time featuring the youthful and lovely Riho Kazami in three complete video releases, collected on one DVD for you over 180 minutes (region free)
- We have another Blue, underwater fetish DVD from Pepper Shop, featuring the lovely Yuri Harada (region free)
- Enjoy the beautiful Nao Oikawa in a large-breast fetish special with lots of fun breast activities for you (region free)
- Soft on Demand has made a fabulous new “darkness fetish” DVD featuring AV idols and men who grope through the darkness to find the women and have sex wit them, all while special night camera film the scene (region free)
- Also from SOD, enjoy Yuka Harajima as she goes to “semen paradise” for you (region free)
- Then, enjoy a superb lesbian kissing and “tongue fetish” offering from Aroma Planning, the super Japanese indies AV studio (region 2)
- Finally, Tomo has posted some fresh stock of popular adult DVDs and reduced prices on some other, overstocked items — please see our DVD pages for all of these items (to conveniently view all DVDs, you can see the “view all DVD” page if you like).
Remember that J-List carries authentic Japanese “loose socks” in two different sizes, and also carries “socks glue” which you can use to glue your socks to your legs to hold them up. Worn by virtually all Japanese high school girls (except those who go to strict schools where they are forbidden), they are similar to the leg warmers worn in the 1980s in the U.S., and look great when bunched up just so. Enjoy a little slice of Japanese fashion culture courtesy of J-List — they also go great with the authentic high school uniforms we sell, too! Great for cosplay at anime cons.
