Saying Goodbye to 2017, plus Choose a Side, 2D or 3D?
Another year is gone, and it’s a good time to look back and take stock. 2017 was an epic year for J-List: we had a great time at the summer anime conventions, released super English visual novels like Nympho Sensei Ryoko, Eiyu*Senki and Princess X: My Fiancee is a Monster girl?!, and tuned our website and blog to be much faster and better. We shared many memories on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, laughing at some fun memes and crying together when a very special penguin died. Thanks for spending 2017 with J-List, and we hope to see lots of you in 2018!
There are certain timeless questions we all face. Paper or plastic? Macross or Gundam? Love Live or Idolmaster? Touhou or Kantai Collection? Then there’s the ultimate question for the modern otaku, 2D or 3D? It’s a silly question, but one which can generate a surprisingly brisk debate between otakus on the internet. Should a person opt for pursuing a relationship with an actual 3D person who might have various imperfections, knowing that the possibility of rejection or some other bad outcome is there, but with the potential promise of a gloriously happy reward? Or should they choose the safer path, opting to love 2D characters, who are always there for us because they don’t exist? One option is harder to attain yet they are often soft and smell nice, while the other will never turn their back on us. Happily, there’s a third option, which is 2.5D, that is, any object such as an onahole or dakimakura hug pillow that can bridge the gap between the anime world and ours. So which side are you on, 2D or 3D? (Art and cosplay credits 1 2 3.)
One aspect of living in Japan is getting used to the Japanese era names, which match the reign of the current Emperor. The modern eras are Meiji (“Enlightened Rule,” 1868-1911), Taisho (“Great Righteousness,” 1912-1925), Showa (“Radiant Peace and Harmony,” 1926-1988) and the current period, Heisei (“Attaining Peace,” 1989 to the present). Over time, you get pretty adept at expressing dates using this system: I was born in Showa 43, I came to Japan in Heisei 3, and my kids were born in Heisei 7 and 8. A big change is coming, however, as 2017, or Heisei 30, is going to be the final year of this era. For the first time since the system was begun in 660 B.C., a sitting emperor is going to retire early, as Emperor Akihito abjugates his (symbolic) throne in favor of his son Naruhito next year. When this happens, 2018 will become the first year of a newly named era. I wonder what the name will be?
The new year is upon us, and J-List is loaded with fantastic anime, Japanese traditional art and photo, plus sexy and JAV idol calendar calendars, and we decided to have a special sale: order three of these calendars, and take 50% off the total, instantly! The deal ends Jan 5 though. Browse all calendars now!
