Yamatologic

Miku Corolla?

This leaves me confused. I mean, I guess they could be catering to the American Vocaloid fans… I mean, she is still singing in Japanese (World is Mine is the song). And I couldn’t help but read the tag line in a deep dramatic voice:

The new 2011 Toyota Corolla and Hatsune Miku have two very important things in common – big dreams in a compact package.

Am I sad or happy that they are trying to sell ME a car?

Technorati Tags: Hatsune Miku, miku, real commercial, toyota, vocaloid, 公式が病気

Popopopo——n!

I know it has been ages since I posted a meme here (completely missed the El Shaddai one), but this one is too good to resist.

This is an AC (Ad Council Japan) public service commercial about greeting others. Of course, the amazing animal-greeting combos and that exuberant 「ポポポポーン！」 make for something that is just begging to be remixed.

Shuzo, Hammer, and Aniki all make guest appearances in this one!

This one showed up on Daruku’s tumblr.

And the ArigatoUsagi gets his/her(?) own anime!

And there’s even a site with a ポポポポーン soundboard!

Technorati Tags: AC, aisatsu, ArigatoUsagi, ネタ, CM, commercial, Konnichiwan, meme, neta, popopopo-n, popopopon, public service, 挨拶

9.0 Sendai Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

This is crazy. More than 14,000 dead. 310,000+ evacuees. Millions saved by good engineering.

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Credit Card Numbers Stolen from Japan Foundation LA

Crap. Looks like the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles got hacked recently. From an email set to JLPT registrants:

To all 2009 and 2010 JLPT registrants:

We are sending this message because the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles’ web and mail servers were unlawfully attacked. There is a possibility that your personal information including credit card number and date of birth were stolen.

The Japan Foundation and our web developer, Hampstead USA, are closely investigating this case right now. In the meanwhile, we recommend that you contact your credit card company immediately to inform them of this case and follow their suggestions in order to prevent any fraudulent charges on your credit card.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.

So call your bank folks. I’m personally having trouble remembering which card I put it on.

If you are trying to register for this year’s test, their website says the following:

Important Message from the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
Our website is temporarily unavailable. The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, is working together with our Web Developer, Hampstead USA, to quickly restore access to our website. We understand that this is a critical time during the year, especially for those trying to register for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Please check back later, thank you.

Let’s hope it gets fixed by the deadline. However, this makes me not want to give them my credit card number again. What are they doing keeping the credit card numbers on the webserver anyway?

I may have failed last year’s test (1級 >ω<;), but looks like they fail at web security.

Technorati Tags: credit cards, crime, hacking, Japan Foundation, Japanese, Japanese language, Japanese language proficiency test, jlpt, Los Angeles, nihongo nouryoku shiken, 日本語, 日本語能力試験

Shin Yamato Damacy Episode 7 – First Impressions

The new episode of SYD is some first impressions based on photos.

On a side note, I love DaRC. DaRC, the head of YD operations for the last few episodes, isn’t someone I ever knew in Japan. I feel like I know him pretty well from all the videos, but really, all these people are totally unconnected to me. But, I there is a line of succession that runs between us. They took the YD mantle and ran with it. And each video they turn out makes me glad. I hope the tradition will continue for generation of JETs in Gunma.

Technorati Tags: BakaDaruku, blog, DaRC, interview, Japanese girls, Japanese interviews, shin yamato damacy, video blogs, yamato damacy

NicoNicoDouga 101 up on NicoNicoDouga!

To all of you who missed my NicoNicoDouga presentation at Anime Expo this year, looks like a kind Nico user has uploaded it for you!

Part 1

(Part 2 and 3 after the jump!)
Read more »

Technorati Tags: anime expo, anime expo 2010, ジェシー, jeshii, Nico Class, NicoDou, NicoNama, NicoNicoDouga, NicoNicoDouga 101, NicoNicoNamahousou, 公式生放送, 海外ズ

NicoNama iPhone App is out!

Not exactly quick on the heels of the NicoDou iPhone app, we now have the ニコ生放送 (Nico Namahousou, “Nico Live Broadcast”) app!

Yes, you can watch NicoNama while on the go. Yes, you can broadcast while on the go (I was able to do it on my old 2G, though it crashed halfway through. Check it out!). But no cruise. You can also just look for current iPhone broadcasts here.

While it is free, you have to have a Japanese iTunes account, but remember, you don’t need a credit card to make one.

Technorati Tags: app, ニコ, ニコ生, ニコ動, ニコ動画, 生放送, iPhone, iTunes, NicoLive, NicoNama, NicoNicoNamahousou

NicoNicoDouga 101 at Anime Expo on July 2nd

Attention all you current and future ニコ厨 (nicochuu, “NicoNicoDouga Otaku”) in LA! I will be hosting a panel at this year’s Anime Expo on NicoNicoDouga! This is your chance to get a walk-through of all the special features and memes of the site. It will be a 50 minute session at 7pm on Friday, July 2nd (see the full programming schedule).

After the panel, I would love to hang out and if possible, do a video with anyone who is interested. Then we can head out to Little Tokyo for a good old fashioned オフ会 (ofukai, “Offline Meet Up”).

UPDATE: Holy crap! This panel is going to be broadcast LIVE on NicoNicoDouga! Or should I say, NicoNicoNamaHousou… in any case, because of that, we will now have a mini Costume Contest and a やってみた (“I tried”) contest for prizes! If you are interested in entering or just watching, leave a message below!

See you there!

Technorati Tags: anime expo, anime expo 2010, やってみた, class, contest, jeshii, karaoke, NicoDou, NicoNicoDouga, panel, prizes, yatte mita

How to Cockblock Chat Roulette

So while most of the world gets nothing but dudes in stormtrooper masks masturbating on Chatroulette, Japan has ニコ生クルーズ (NicoNama Cruise). It literally is NicoLive on random (or at least apparent random). And for that short time that the cruise arrives at a broadcast, all the comments from the cruise go to the actual broadcast.

I’ve been obsessed with NicoNama Cruise the last few days just cause of the wonderful randomness you get out of it. You don’t always have to understand Japanese, but it helps. And if there is a broadcast you like, you can visit that one with the button at the end that says 「この放送を見に行く」.

Sure, it isn’t quite as personal as chatroulette, but I will tell you now, there is a lot less male genitalia. Also, a cute Japanese girl comes up every once in a while. So give it a try!

Technorati Tags: ニコ生, ニコ生クルーズ, chat, Japanese girls, live chat, NicoDou, NicoNama, NicoNama Cruise, NicoNicoDouga, NicoNicoNama, NicoNicoNamahousou, webcam

Voting is Fun

At this year’s 成人式 (seijinshiki), apparently the above video was passed out on DVD to the young citizens now endowed with suffrage by the 明るい選挙推進協会 (Akarui Senkyo Suishin Kyoukai). It’s about 20 minutes long, but worth every minute.

If you are still feeling 明るい (akarui) after that, check out what the great folks at NicoDou have come up with based on this after the jump.

Read more »

Technorati Tags: akarui, band, Coming of Age Day, dance, Go! Go! Election, Indian, ＧＯ！ＧＯ！選挙, MAD, nes, remix, seijin no hi, seijinshiki, shuzo, 成人式, 明るい, 松岡, 松岡修造, 修造