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English of the Dead teaches Japanese to the living {Joystiq Nintendo}
Jul 20th 2008 10:57AM "The only way to learn a language is the way you learned your native one: You speak it first, then you learn to read/write it and, in the case of Japanese, then you learn the intricacies of kanji."
The only way? All generalities are false. I learned Japanese writing and speaking at the same time (we started hiragana on the very first day, and started kanji a month or two later), and I'm glad I did.
It would be funny to watch a Latin class following your great language-learning wisdom. "Okay class, you're never going to actually speak this language, but you have to learn to do so, or else you'll never get anywhere at all." Or how about Japanese students who learn Chinese classics. They never learn to speak Chinese either, so how can they possibly read the stuff?!
Big in Japan: $10,000 worth of marijuana gets misplaced by customs official at Tokyo-Narita airport {Gadling}
May 26th 2008 11:38PM Okay, I just checked a Japanese news site for info on this. Apparently, it's actually five ounces of HASH (樹脂 - "jushi"=resin), and that's why the street price is so high. That's enough hash to last 20 years, so hopefully the person they so shamelessly planted it on is a Japanese citizen and is adventurous enough to try some. He'll have enough to last him decades if so.
Umihara Kawase playable in Flash demo {Joystiq Playstation}
Feb 10th 2008 5:20AM Or, if you're too lazy or can't afford to make the trip to Japan to import it, you might try ordering it online.
Anyway, I think this is the first time I've ever been somewhat jealous of PSP owners.
Metareview: Children of Mana {Joystiq Nintendo}
Nov 2nd 2006 5:10AM SOM didn't have that great of a story, but it still blows away this game, which has almost NO story.
SoM is easily my favorite adventure game of all time. Not so much because of the story, but because of the implementation. I loved the ring menu system and the way you level up magic and weapons. All of the games that followed it (including SD3) fell short, IMO. I had high hopes for this one, because it has a similar graphic style to SoM (but with slowdown :( ). Unfortunately, while the gem system is fairly fun and the ring menu system comes closer to SoM than any other game in the series (unless you count Secret of Evermore), the gameplay is pretty lousy in general, and it gets old quickly.
New Sim City DS screens {Joystiq Nintendo}
Sep 21st 2006 8:47PM I was bored at work, so I attempted my own translation of the article. Not 100% perfect, but probably better than a machine translation:
"Sim City DS" Release
Electronic Arts has announced "Sim City DS (tentative title)," the latest release in its "Sim City" series of city development simulation games. A winter release is currently planned.
"Sim City DS" will be based on the 2000 PC release "Sim City 3000." However, since this game will be produced by a Japanese company, it will not be a simple localization, but will be targeted at Japan and will incorporate added elements that take advantage of DS-exclusive features. In other words, it will be a complete remake,
The game itself will be controlled with the stylus, with the top screen serving as a scenery panel and the bottom screen as a control panel. It will also employ a character who will give advice necessary to developing one's city, correspondence containing complaints and demands from residents, the ability to sign documents with the stylus, and other features that will make the player feel more like a mayor than ever before in the series.
The game will feature several modes in order for players to get the most out of working on their cities. In the main mode, the player will become the city mayor, developing the city from the ground up. In the problem-solving mode, players will take measures against disasters and work to improve the environment in cities that use Japan as a motif. There will also be a mode that uses the DS's wireless features.
In addition, the release's graphics updates will aim for a feeling of being in Japan. The various elements that make up most architectural features will be modified, and such things as residences and farmhouses with tile roofs, post offices and train stations, and grass ballparks will adopt characteristics peculiar to Japanese buildings and institutions. Also, famous Japanese castles will make a reappearance in this game as symbolic landmarks. The inclusion of other surprising landmarks is planned as well.
In a press release, producer Takao Murakami is quoted as saying: "In 'Sim City DS (tentative),' players will be able to take a huge city in the palms of their hands, and will have the closest feeling to being an actual mayor they've experienced yet in the series. We hope to bring players their own little box garden that they can have fun working on.
