When Yakuza was released in the U.S. without a Japanese voice track, there was actually a significant fan outcry. Obviously, this is a very Japanese game, set in Japan and dealing heavily with Japanese culture, and quite a lot of people thought that not having the original Japanese dialogue affected the game’s sense of authenticity. When definitely took that fan reaction into account when making the ultimate decision to go ahead with the Japanese voice track for Yakuza 2.

Bravo, SEGA. Nice to know you're listening!

Sega tells us why they kept the Japanese voice track in Yakuza 2 [Siliconera]

First of all, we at Capcom, when we set out to make a game, we make it on a world-wide basis.

We make a game that people all over the world are going to buy. And I think that that way of thinking is one of the reasons for our successes.

Maybe at other developers, they first of all look at the Japanese market, and then say, "Oh, we can also sell this in the west."

They develop it first for the internal market, for the Japanese market; but we at Capcom, we look at it first of all as selling something for the whole world.

The second reason, I think, is that we in Capcom are based in Osaka, unlike most of the other Japanese developers, who are based largely in Tokyo.

And I think that gives us — we have a lot of creative people, and the atmosphere and feeling in the workplace is a little bit different, and I think that gives us a little bit of originality, and allows us also to make something that's technically very high level.

That's right, next time you play a Capcom game, just remember: It's creators were probably powered by delicious takoyaki or okonomiyaki. Mmm mmm good.

Co-Op Creators: Resident Evil 5's Anpo and Takeuchi Tag-Team Interview [Gamasutra] [Pic]

June 28th, Saturday
•Yodobashi Camera Shinjuku 10:00AM - 11:00AM
•Sofmap Omiya 2:30PM - 3:30PM
•Yodobashi Camera Yokohama 5:30PM - 7:00

June 29th, Sunday
•Nagoya Station Bic Camera 10:30AM - NOON
•Osaka Yamada Denki Labi1 4:00PM - 5:30PM

Seems like signatures are mostly being limited to game packaging (Premium Pack is okay!), so that means no Kojima signed cigarette boxes. Bummer.

GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS　ワールドツアー　in JAPAN [IT Media] [Pic]

While the level of what’s missing has reduced, I still feel that none of the platforms totally satisfy my needs. That’s why different games on different platforms is the way to approach the situation. Also, from a business point of view, it doesn’t make sense to develop for a single platform at this point.

True, but don't count on third party exclusives to vanish anytime soon.

Platinum Games [Next Gen via Go Nintendo] [Pic]

俺の嫁がデリヘルwwwwww [Izakaya Ichiban]

Obviously the above display is for a sex game. Spotted in Osaka's Den-Den Town, this display goes the extra mile: there's aren't just rubber jubblies, but rubber jubblies in a brassiere and behind plastic. What's more, the plastic case is locked! That way people don't, you know, try to touch the faux mammaries. The name of this game? Oppai Baka, or as I like to say, "Boob Fool." There are two words for that plastic display case: absolutely necessary. Brian Ashcraft

Ero Game Promotion [Ota Road]

Japanese game centers are noisy. If you can't hear yourself think, how can you hear yourself game? Club Sega in Osaka's Umeda has the solution: Head phones. This Initial D racing cabinet has a set of cans that players are free to use during play — Pioneer ones at that. So thoughtful! Brian Ashcraft

When the DS Lite first went on sale in Japan, it sold out. And then it sold out again. And again. As soon as the product showed up in stores, it was cleaned right out. From late 2005 until April 2007, getting a DS Lite was hard. You had to be lucky. But, is the supply-and-demand problem slowing? Blog Ota-Road points to a flood of Lites that have hit stores in Den-Den Town. While I was in Tokyo over the weekend, I noticed that it's much easier to get a Lite there as well. And people I was talking to kept bringing up the same thing: The DS drought is over. Well, until Dragon Quest IX hits, and people start buying Lites in four packs. Get 'em while you can, Japan. Brian Ashcraft

DS Lite Can Be Purchased Recently [Ota Road]

And quickly... Here's some more art that was on display at the Monster Hunter Festa in Osaka. Enjoy! Brian Ashcraft

Remember this guy? His name is "Governor Watts," and he broke into Nintendo's old HQ. He's back with a video tour of the Nintendo Museum that features a couple very special guests and adds:

Incidentally, the background music (Final Fantasy and FF7 battle themes, and the theme from Laputa) is me on the piano.

Hit the jump for his hotel room view. Yes, HIS HOTEL ROOM VIEW. Brian Ashcraft

Osaka, Japan is the robot capital of Japan — The world, even. Over the weekend in Hankyu department store, there was a display in which soccer playing robots duked it out. Here's the cool bit: They were controlled by third party PS2 wireless controllers from Japanese peripheral maker, Hori. I'd never thought about it, but using a game pad for robots makes perfect sense. Still! I do have a soft spot for retro RC controllers and always will. Brian Ashcraft

The Nintendo Museum had games, capsule toys, stuffed Marios and clothes for purchase. Way better than 99 percent of most museum gift shops. Like, who actually wears Van Gogh ties? Brian Ashcraft

Back before Nintendo made video games, it made hana fuda cards. But hana fuda is boring, so after that, it did cool stuff. Stuff like Lego-thingies, releasing Twister in Japan, creating fake whiskey bottles you could shoot and guns, lots of plastic guns. Old school Nintendo, big gun freak. Brian Ashcraft

Duke Saraie's Healthy Walking Navi: Let's Become Beautiful doesn't teach DS users just how to walk correctly. Oh, no. It teaches them how to walk beautifully and get in shape in the process. Duke Saraie is 50-something former model who has built an empire on teaching Japanese people (women, namely) how to walk. He hails from Western Japan and appears on TV here in Osaka and Tokyo, instructing those in the way of what he calls "Dukeswalk." He is so successful that he actually resides in Monaco. What's more, his DS game is coming out in May. Hey, why not?

Oh. Duke is NOT the guy in the suit. Brian Ashcraft

Duke Walking Onto DSes [Game Watch Impress]

The Kojima Productions podcast I appeared on with Ryan Payton has gone live. It's part one of two, so you can hear me drone on and on and on this week and next week! We talk about Osaka, blogging and, of course, THE IDOLM@STER. Brian Ashcraft

Listen Here [Ryan's i-Revo Blog]

I haven't been to Akihabara's Super Potato in something like 8 months. No, need to! The legendary game store chain is based out of Osaka, and there's one near my house. I can walk to Super Potato.

Yesterday, went to the Akiba branch with Patrick Macias and Matt Alt. Perhaps my memory is crap, but it's really, really changed. The controllers hanging from the ceiling are gone. There are new lamenated signs. And the top floor is a mini-arcade. You can smoke there, too. Good if you smoke, I guess!

I dunno, I kinda missed the old Akiba Super Potato. You know, with the grime, like we have here in Osaka. Perhaps that just doesn't fly in Akihabara anymore. Brian Ashcraft

The original Xbox is dead. (Not that it was ever alive in Japan anyway!) Kotakuite Taylor writes:

I just spotted this in the Osaka Labi-1 / Yamada Denki in Namba. As if the Xbox used games section wasn't small enough, they're selling them off at 250yen each, or 3 for 600yen. They hand out "500yen off purchases of 1,050yen or more" coupons every time you purchase anything in the gaming section, meaning that I could pick up...5 games for the price of 2...? Fuck the math, it's cheap.

So, they're pretty much giving them anyway, then? Interested to know how the system's games are being priced elsewhere. If you've got any info, hit us up in the comments section. Brian Ashcraft

Nothing says video games like plastered trucks. To promote the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Capcom is rolling out the above truck to rampage the streets of Tokyo and Osaka from today to January 26th to the 28th. It lights up at night! Bad ass, especially when compared to what Electronic Arts is rolling out across Japan for Sim City DS (below).

Even sadder when compared to the Tokyo city GTA bus racing through Shibuya, Roppongi and Shinbashi (hit the jump). Brian Ashcraft

GTA Rides
EA Ride [Famitsu]

Previously, we ran photos of unsold PS3s in Tokyo. To shed more light on the situation, here's a collection of photos taken at retailers in Osaka's Den-Den Town. The area is Osaka's gaming and electronics district, and these pictures were taken at retailers like Sofmap, Big Tiger, Super Potato, a-Too and even 7-11. (Yes, 7-11 in Japan sells video game consoles.) The above pic is from Sofmap, and the sign says the Wii and the DS Lite are sold out; they have PS3 units in stock. A cocktail of high price, bad press and lackluster titles might be driving customers away. Expect sales to pick up as new games start to flesh out the line-up. More photos after the jump, make of them what you will. Brian Ashcraft

PS3 Not Flying Off Den-Den Town Shelves [Ota Road]

Tomorrow, 400,000 Wiis hit The Land of the Rising Sun. Gizmodo Japan reports that compared to the PS3, there have been more Wii pre-orders. And thus, more people unable to get pre-orders. So it's a numbers game again, really.

For our Japan-based readers, here's the retailer run-down:

Bic Camera: Sales start first come, first served tomorrow morning at 7:00am. As previously mentioned, those with Suica cards can pre-reserve. Otherwise, head to the Ikebukuro headquarters (ahem, Jean Snow!) or Yurakucho. Eds Note: Jean Snow just told me the smaller Bics will be doing drawings for Wiis at 11am. Tickets given out between 9-10am.

Yodobashi Camera: Sales also first come, first served with stores opening at 7:00am at the Shinjuku, Akihabara and Umeda branches. I'll be at the Umeda branch. Wearing a Paul Smith scarf (Yeah, I know. My excuse: It was a present.)

Shibuya TSUTAYA: Pre-reserves only. Orders filled in two hours.

Sofmap (Den-Den Town): Likewise, pre-reserves. They apparently went quick.

Sakuraya: Tickets will be passed out from 7:30 am tomorrow morning with sales starting at 8:00 am.

Good luck all! Brian Ashcraft

Japan Retail Info For Wii GET [Gizmodo Japan]

Tomorrow at Den-Den Town's Sofmap, Nintendo Wii pre-orders commence. To mark the occasion, the retailer has set up its in-store Wii corner, making it one of the first of its type I've seen in Japan. Looks simple. Clean. Nice. Brian Ashcraft

Den-Den Town's Wii Corner [Ota Road]

Did you know that the 23rd of every month is Sega Day? No, really. Check the above doormat, located somewhere in Osaka. That's what it says. You know what that means? Little over a week, and it's Sega Day. Woot! Brian Ashcraft

The Sega Doormat [UK:R]

Super Smash Bros Brawl producer Sora Sakurai announced today that they will be showing off new footage from the upcoming Wii game at the Nintendo World 2006 event in Japan.

The video will include new characters, so it's a must see.

Good thing we have Ashcraft going to the event. Make sure to check back for our coverage and the unveiling of the new characters. Come on Master Chief. Brian Crecente

Smash Bros [Thanks Ryan for the heads up and translation]

Capcom and Localization Head Ben Judd (dude in the pic) were kind enough to let me snoop around their Osaka office for the Inafune feature (well, the part they have for snooping). Hit the jump for a smattering of pics of awards, memorabilia, Capcom released Stargate DVDs and Capcom branded cell phone chargers. Brian Ashcraft

By: Brian Ashcraft

Go North, East or West and end up surrounded by tiny veiled massage parlors, tiny high-rise bars and an endless selection of restaurants. That leaves South, go South. From Nipponbashi, it's a straight shot down Sakai-suji Ave. to Osaka's otaku district, Nipponbashi, also dubbed Den-Den Town.

Taking its name for the Japanese word for electricity (denki), the area today is known more for a place to pick up Radiant Silvergun or have tea at a maid cafe, than where to get a Lumix digicam or a Bravia flat-screen, though they've got them too. Den-Den Town is fairly straight forward, easy to navigate. Maps and directions are helpful, yet useless. This is a guide, not so much just for the shops, but the area. Like I said, go South.

Used toy mecca Mandarake sits across from the elegant, and quickly becoming obsolete Takashimaya branch. Want post-war area playthings? Ultraman masks? Wigs? Vintage Play & Watch portables? This is your place.

Prices are fairly competitive, but the staff is the district's least friendly. Want to take a photo of a Virtual Boy while standing outside the shop? Try elsewhere.

The appropriately monikered Gundam's has everything Gundam. All the games are Gundam. The CDs are Gundam soundtracks. T-shirts and wrist-bands, Gundam. And golf bags are, well, Gundam. An electric guitar wails on the second floor in-store speakers. Decals, models, paint, and Gundam.

ME: "Do you ever get tired of Gundam?
CLERK: "No."
ME: "Really?"
CLERK: (serious as a heart attack) "Yes."

Behind Gundam's and Mandarake, there are several smaller streets, including the one called "Ota Road." The name is short for "otaku road." At the North end of the street is Sofmap Saurus, a personal favorite. Prices are standard, and the store concentrates on new games and hardware. But its "Ota Road" location is oddly picturesque. Shoppers shuffle by, carrying shopping bags filled with comics or PC titles. Bandanas are hip. So is flannel. Backpacks, a must.

Tokyo has two geek areas: Akihabara (for men) and Ikebukuro's Otome Road (for women). Osaka, on the other hand, hasn't separated its geeks. Otaku looking for hentai games and Fujoshi ("rotten girl", AKA female otaku) looking for yaoi boy's love comics freely mix. If only, we could set them all up on blind dates.

Back on Sakaisuji Ave, I swing by K-Books. A girl in thigh-highs is pouring over a manga. A troupe of women flood out of the store and whisk past. Continuing down the street, there are the requisite adult bookstores, adult video shops, adult video shops selling used blue jeans.

Interspaced between these, they are still the tiny retailers, nooked away, selling nothing but power-drills, cords and plugs. The owners are older. Relics. My nose is filled with the dry smell of tatami. A craftsman's workshop is wide-open to the street as he weaves together squares of straw. I think of the wall-to-wall carpet covering my new apartment.

Straight ahead is Super Potato. The Osaka-based retailer is a shrine to vintage gaming. You want it, Super Potato probably has it. Not super cheap, but one-stop stopping.

Famicoms start upwards of 3,000 yen, Sharp Twin Famicoms top out at 10,000 yen and a boxed Dreamcast can be had for 6,000 yen. Consoles, controllers and software bursts off the shelves and moving through the store is tricky.

A little further down is Game Tanteidan. The aisles are wide, the floor is covered with laminated retro ads and articles, and 8-bit game music bleeps from monitors. Yet, Game Tanteidan is eerily quiet. I swear I can hear the air-conditioner.

I head upstairs. Quick inventory: comic books, Metal Gear Solid GameCube, soccer cards, baseball cards, Virtual Boy and a vending machine. There's even something called the "Famicom Box," an 100 yen per-play on demand game system for Japanese hotels. The second floor is likewise deserted, save for a clerk flipping through a copy of Death Note.

Continuing South and leaving Den Den Town, there's Ebisucho and Shinseikai, a typical setting for yakuza movies, but actually a better place to see old men gulping cups of vending machine sake from mid-morning. I think about heading down there, having its famous kushikatsu or blowfish for lunch and checking out the Tsutenkaku Tower. Or I could double back, hit a maid cafe for a rice omlette and stop by Big Tiger. I buy a Fanta from the vending machine and head out of the shop, down the street. Like I said, go North.

The GameCube has had a decent run, but time to call it a day. With the Wii around the corner, consumer interest in the console is waning, but it remains relatively strong in Japan, where the system outsells the 360. Super Potato in Osaka's Den Den Town has a limited quantity of GameCubes (used, we assume) that ballpark between US $45 and $25. I'd love to see what exactly a $25 GC looks like, and it's probably not too pretty. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Nipponbashi Blog]

It's raining in Osaka, and I'm heading back from the convenience store, taking a wrong turn somewhere on purpose when I pass two retro cabinet cabinets on the sidewalk. They're busted and rusted, and an umbrella sits on top of one. There's an old TV and a cardboard box, both soaked.

Trying to find a connection, I look around. There's a large post office across the street and a row of houses, from circa 1970's Japan. One my side of the street, there's a blowfish restaurant (closed), a Chinese restaurant (open) and a little further down, an apartment building. Somebody apparently dumped their trash. A while ago.

I continue down the street, getting sprinkled with rain and kicking myself for not taking that umbrella. Brian Ashcraft

With summer around the corner in Japan (still gearing up for rainy season), fireworks are making their seasonal appearances in stores around the country. Kotaku reader Aaron stumbled across these totally unlicensed Nintendo-esque firecrackers in Osaka's Matsuyamachi district. Since when does Link ride Yoshi and Mario wear red Ghost 'n Goblins armor? Brian Ashcraft

Japanese Fireworks [Official Site]

This past Sunday, the Dream Party was held in Osaka. The bishoujo convention takes place twice a year in Osaka and Tokyo and features very Japan-only PC games and PS2 titles like Festa: Hyper Girls Party. I missed the one last fall, and the one over the weekend. However, Den-Den Town blog Ota Road took loads of pics so we can all relive the otaku experience that includes cosplay, figurines and anime Dr. Pepper. Brian Ashcraft

Today at the Osaka Securities Exchange, Nintendo presented its fiscal statement for the 2005 financial year. When reporters asked what the Wii's cost will be, Nintendo's answer was, "There are no plans to set the price above 25,000 yen (US $222)." Along with moving 16 million DS portables, the company expects to sell 6 million Wii consoles and 17 million Wii games by next March. "The release date and the price will be announced at a later date," said Nintendo. Brian Ashcraft

Download the State Here [Nintendo] via Famitsu & Game Watch

Coin-Op.tv quizzed King of Fighters Designer and Producer Falcoon at SNK's offices in Osaka. It's difficult to hear with translating under Falcoon (subtitles, guys, subtitles!). The creator talked about how he got into producing and new KoF features. The split-second of Falcoon playing his own title is priceless. Brian Ashcraft

Watch Here [RetroBlast] via GSW

SNK's King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 2 is truly fantastic. It's been out in Japan for a few weeks now, but I didn't get a hands-on until E3. The game is, as game journo Tim Rogers put it, "an elegant fighter." Not mashing here, SNK shows why it makes fighters as good or better than anyone out there.

Even with colorful characters, the game doesn't ooze style over substance. In fact, it mostly oozes substance. It's a meaty fighter, where things like unlockable characters and costumes are merely an afterthought. The focus isn't multi-player or online, but the single player. This is a game for lonely people. King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 2 will be American stores later this year. —Brian Ashcraft

More Here [SNK Playmore]

The walkway leading into Icheon airport is hot and stuffy, and the middle-aged Japanese women are pealing off their jackets. I've just touched down in South Korea, only my home to Osaka (thank a lousy travel agent for that).

To do list: eat Korean food, drink Korean beer and check out the country's rabid gaming culture. Total time? Four hours.

I'm not in the terminal five minutes when I see a small internet cafe. Surely, while people are waiting for their flights, they gotta be playing non-stop StarCraft.

Everyone was looking at Yahoo News.

I see three kiosks off to the side. Bingo!

There's a coin operated PS2 with an EyeToy. The woman at the counter says they can exchange yen to won, so I get a couple coins and play what I think is FIFA. Toggling around, I try to figure out how to work the EyeToy. No dice, and I give up.

The other two kiosks are borked.

At the end of the walkway, there's a large Daewoo display, with cars and some bizarro mannequin with a smushed smile behind the wheel of a roadster. There are four cars, four cars I've never seen before, but that look like fine automobiles. A onion-headed man sits behind the counter, with just his eyes peaking over.

Catty-corner to Onion Head, there's Logitech steering wheel and footpedals, where I assume people can experience driving one of those four fine automobiles. I assume because the display is borked.

There's a lounge upstairs, which I decide to hit. Coming off the escalator, a sign catches my eye. "Game room." And there's an arrow for "that way." I knew it. There had to be something here.

The arcade's name is Place2Be, employing that Prince-style spelling which was popular in the 1990's. Maybe, it's still popular in Korea. I push open the door and go inside.

Alone and surrounded by broken game cabinets. The screen for every machine is pitch black. The cords up unplugged. The change boxes are ripped and gutted, and the floor is dirty. Am I supposed to be here? Are these cabinets supposed to be here?

A tiny sticker is on each machine's screen. It's in English and says, "Out of Order."

The "Happy Crane" has seen happier times.

There is one game working. Taito's 1995 arcade sleeper Bubble Memories. No, I did not play Bubble Memories.

Options spread thin and ready to cop a squat, I head towards the gate. The only thing in this airport that seems to work are the LG and Samsung flatpanels. I sit down and started watching a Pocari Sweat photoshoot. A businessman with a mole on his cheek stands up, changes the channel and stops at some StarCraft show.

Woah.

StarCraft is actually on Korean TV. Right. Now. The businessman scratches his mole, watches StarCraft for a moment.

I get out my camera, but can't turn it on fast enough. Mole has changed the channel and is watching Go. He plops down and stares attentively at the flat screen. What is he doing? I can see this boring crap in Japan? Change it back! I'm sure all of the hardcore StarCraft players are dying to watch endless amounts of that MMORPG.

Like honey on bees, the other gentlemen around me follow suit and proceed to watch Go for the next hour. He never changed it back.

Japan's biggest English school Nova and game maker Konami have teamed up for, you guessed it, an English instruction game. The Tokyo-based Konami and the Osaka-based Nova are looking to cash in on the DS learning game craze. What's interesting is this will be an arcade game. Titled Study Abroad By Gaming?!, the game features the popular Nova Usagi guiding players through a series of mini games, featuring idioms and language exercises. Continuous play and saves are possible via a special card. Konami sees this new genre as an opportunity and is planning future Kanji and mathematics games. "The arcade is not dead. Repeat, students. The arcade is not dead."

Full Article Here [Asahi]