While Yakuza 3 was just released here in the states, Yakuza 4 will release in Japan next week.
My wife and I booked a two week trip to Japan for our vacation this year, and we’re heading out there in May – one week in the Tokyo area and one week in the Kyoto area. I’ve never even been in Japan overnight (stopped over a couple times in Narita airport, but never actually went into Tokyo), so I was pretty excited. I’ve grown up playing Japanese video games, watching Japanese anime, and reading Japanese manga. So isn’t it basically the dream of a gamer (or otaku, in my case) to visit the “Land of the Rising Sun”? I thought it was, until I started seriously thinking about what to buy when we go to Japan in a couple months. I’m coming up quite short.
Growing up on video games, companies like Nintendo, Capcom, and Square Enix are synonymous with wonderful gaming memories for me. To be able to visit the country that these companies are based in is a sort of a dream come true. I’ve seen photos of people lining up before a huge game release in Japan, and in a way, I want to be able to do the same. I’ve already told my wife I want to visit the Akihabara district so I can go walk the game stores to see what they’re like. But ultimately, I’ve come to the realization that as much as I want to take part in Japan’s gaming culture, I’m just not going to be able to.
When I think about it, can I even buy a video game in Japan? What am I going to do with a game that won’t even be compatible on my American console? And what am I going to do with the fact that it’ll be entirely in Japanese? And really, is Japanese gaming as relevant anymore? Are we seeing awesome Japanese games that are not being translated into English and being released in America? There’s only been a few examples of those games in my recent memory: Shonen Jump All Stars & Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!!. If we go further back, Square did its fans a total disservice by not releasing Tobal 2 on the PS1 here in the states.
What is missing today? What can I buy on my 360 (or future PS3) that isn’t going to come out in the states anyway? An idol simulator? A horse racing game? A bullet hell shooter? To a degree, bullet hell shooters can be decent, but even if I were to find something interesting, I’m not prepared to pay like $80-$100 after the exchange rate for one of these Japanese games that I won’t be able to read. Something like Tatsunoko vs. Capcom could have been a good import, except for the fact that it actually did see release in America!
Times have changed I guess. Japan is no longer the “mecca” of video gaming, as America continues to innovate and become central. Some Japanese companies are adapting and now developing games for a global audience, which basically means: Western release. This brings me back to the original question I’ve been pondering: what can I even be excited about buying in Japan as someone that loves so many different Japanese entertainment media?
Right now, all I can think about buying are maybe some Gashapon figures (the Japanese capsule toys) of some of my favorite video game characters. But what am I? 12? I go to Japan and all I can bring back are some little toys? Of course, this is not to say I won’t be enjoying our actual trip. There are all sorts of enjoyable things to do and sites to see in Japan, but as an American gamer, I am finding it difficult to put together a shopping list of anything to bring back that is gaming relevant. If any of you readers have any recommendations on what to buy in Japan, please share!
