Power up! V(^-^)V

Ten years ago, the seventh incarnation of the erroneously titled Final Fantasy series bleeped into life on the original Playstation. It may have cost many their degree. It damn near cost me mine. A colossal virtual world and the means to navigate it were presented along with a story arc that potentially offered infinite gameplay. One commanded an increasing troupe of wanderers encountered at different parts of the tale, enemies became friends, friends became enemies and the death of one corner of a love triangle simplified matters in one sense, but deepened them in another. Video game characters had taken a great leap away from the pill popping madman who can only face his ghosts when he`s pumped up with the right stuff.

Ten years on, this supposed Final Fantasy has apparently left more of an emotional dent than the following five (possibly six) – not only are we graced with a feature length, absurdly dense CGI animation, but limited edition drinks bearing the ambiguous moniker of “Potion.”

This has been tickling me for a couple of days now, especially considering where it`s come from – to find, in Japan, source of the life consuming computer game, echoes of the mortally wounded sprites` most treasured resource, precious, life-giving, healing potion, lying around in a convenience store is like a pixelated half-dream come true.





Indeed, this country can be a paradise for the easily amused.

Only in Japan

It is only natural, when encountering another culture, to compare it with your own. In recent days, I've found that my Elementary Students are more surprised at England's' similarities to Japan than they are at the differences.

Their questions invariably take the form of

"Do you have (insert object) in England?"

Somewhere along the line however, possibly around the same time they learn that foreigners can't use chopsticks or speak Japanese, the question changes into

"You don't have (insert Japanese object/concept) in (America/England/whatever foreign country you come from) do you?"

The enquiring nature and curiosity about another place has been replaced with Nihoncentricity. This isn't a quirk of the indirect approach to conversation expected of adults - the only way to compare "gaikoku" to Japan is to find what is wanting and revel in the wonder that is Nippon.

These thoughts are stirred by a conversation with the principal of my most recently visited Junior High. He is a good natured, affable and hearty fellow with terrible teeth. A conversation starts about food, questions arise as to what certain things are called in English, and up floats the word "wabi-sabi" (侘寂).

This word embodies the Japanese aesthetic of transience, the beauty of impermanence and impermanence of beauty. Naturally, such an ancient philosophical ideal from the other side of the planet doesn't have too many easily produced equivalents in the mongrel tongue that is English, and this only confirms what is generally considered a given - Japan is brilliant and unique. The principal tried to console me with the oft quoted dictum

"Nihongo ga muzukashii yo ne?" (Japanese is difficult, isn't it?)

followed up by my first encounter with

"Kotoba ga ooi." (There are many words.)

Indeed there are.

Not too late I hope.

This petition calls for the abolition of the upcoming law demanding that all foreigners be fingerprited upon entering Japan. Sign and pass it on.

On Dying with Dignity

Oh, that this blog could pass away silently, without eulogy, like those which have come before, free from excuses as to absence, brimming with resolution to be a firmer presence on the web.

There is little dignity in death though.

"My friend's friend is a member of al-Qaeda. I have never met him, but I heard that two or three years ago he came to Japan several times."

Thus spake Hatoyama Kunio, Justice Minister, outlining the (official) reasons for his support of fingerprinting foreigners entering Japan.

"I myself am not a friend of anyone who is thought to be a member of [al-Qaeda] and I don't know them personally. I can't verify the authenticity of what my friend said." (full article)

Backtracking there in a way I've only ever seen Japanese Politicians do - there seems to be a pattern of reactionary comments, followed by a stumbled denial that anything untoward was actually said. At least Shintaro Ishihara sticks to his guns of bigotry, probably accounting for his popularity.

In older news, NOVA, giant of Japans English Conversation School market finally came crashing down after a long and unpleasant demise chronicled by Of Rice and Zen. Lest anyone else thinks that I too have been taken down by this fallen leviathan, I work for an entirely different company that seems to be in no danger of failing, especially with the glut of unemployed foreigners suddenly in existence.