The Weekly Geek is a geek culture blog and podcast. We hope you enjoy it.
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chris furniss
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qais fulton
jinny koh
max brooks
michael wiegand
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Why, Nintendo? Why can't you bring your illustrious club to the States? All we get when we register our games is a few measly wallpapers, but in Japan they can get points to trade in for stuff like this special limited edition Super Famicom classic controller for the Wii. Curse you, Japan!
[link via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Check out this awesome eBay auction, the exact ingredients for a perfect childhood. One Japanese SNES signed by visionary genius Shigeru Miyamoto, and a load of classic games to play: Super Mario Kart, Donkey Kong Country (called Super Donkey Kong in Japan. I didn't know that!), Super Game Boy, Super Mario All Stars, Mario and Wario and what looks to be Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (surprisingly a FABULOUS Capcom SNES platformer).
This is sure to fetch a hefty price, but perhaps you are in the market for a dose of nostalgia? You could even recreate your childhood in a sort of parallel universe way, pretending to be a Japanese child. This would be a reasonable adult thing to do.
Today over at fellow geek culture blog 4 Color Rebellion they have a hilarious article up about one writer's experience teaching Japanese children familial terms such as brother, sister, mother and father. Being a geek in Japan he used video games to teach the subject, using Mario in particular. Nintendo seems to have pretty much failed in their storytelling, as the kids are incredibly confused about where everyone stands in the Mario family. Some choice lines:
Me: Here is a good way for you to remember the word for “brother”. Finish this phrase: “Super Mario _______” (wait for response)Energetic boy: Galaxy!
Me: Ok, it’s a bit different.. try again, “Super Mario _____”
Girl: Party?
Me: One more try. “Super Mario ______”
Boy: I got it! Brothers!
Me: Good. That’s right. The word is “brother”. So who is Mario’s brother?
Boy in the back: Wario!
While I know that children are generally confused about a lot of things (which is part of the learning process), it's pretty funny to see that Miyamoto's strict avoidance of storytelling and Nintendo's watering-down of the Mario franchise have this sort of affect. These kids make Mario sound like some sort of strange incestuous Shakespearean drama. Now that's a Mario party I'd like to see.
Norton Anti-Virus, no longer content to scan and delete viruses, has decided to start whuppin' a little ass. Enter Norton Fighter, the new Mascot for Norton in Japan. In his first adventure he helps save a business from a supervirus and his minions with the help of a hot lady in a maid outfit and a brainy kid. If that isn't enough to get you to watch this then I don't know what would.
[via Geeks Are Sexy]
The exciting conclusion concludes after the jump!
First and foremost I'd like to apologize for the subject, I know I know, there is no redemption for a man such as myself, a repellent shell of a human barely able to even make polite conversation without making oblique references to bodily functions. However my references to pokemans should be forgiven as I bring you what is easily the best game mod to grace our luscious tubes.
At some point someone decided that combining all the stereotypes of anime with GTA would be a good idea, and how right they are. In the video you can see a hydrocephalic anime schoolgirl run rampant through San Andreas (listen for CJ) fighting off motorcycle cops turned hoverbike riding Pokémon, tank straddling mechs, and driving around town on a scooter towing a vending cart which if true to the original storyline of GTA has a veritable cornucopia of pharmaceuticals and weapons on hand for when you finish your surreal rampage.
Anime GTA Mod via my dashingly handsome associate.
Sadly, this year we won't be joining our journalistic brethren in the land of the rising sun, the child labor market just isn't what it used to be and Furniss' great idea of blue suede hunchback cozies just never took off, leaving us empty handed when it came time for ticket purchasing. It's ok, we're in good company. However we are still journalists, and in fine journalistic fashion we'll continue to beg, borrow, steal, and debase ourselves horribly to bring you news from TGS. For now you will have to appease your angry lust for the word on games from the asian expo with a video of the Top 10 most anticipated games for TGS 2007. Beat the jump like a redheaded stepchild for some video love.
I love robots, but my love of the mechanical man-automatons will never surpass the Japanese. Toy maker Take-G has this stunning gallery of wooden robot toys on their website, they all look hand-carved and quite impressive. They are so adorable! I wish I read Japanese better. Where's the dang add to cart button?!
This past Saturday, I was so very graciously invited to be a guest on the Dai-Cast podcast inter-ma-web-o-tron show at tiltyhouse.com
The hosts of Dai-Cast, Ian Horner, Jason Hill, Eryn Dearden, and Brendan "Beej" Dery strap on the ol' headsets and launch into Skype for a podcast that covers what's going on in Japan and current Japanese culture.
Now, most geeks in general tend to be utterly fascinated by the magical land of Nihon because two extremely popular geek pastimes, video games and anime, come mostly from there. But did you know there's actually more to Japan than dating sims, Pocky, and Super Sentai shows? (I said SENTAI, that's an S there, get your mind out of the gutter.) Yeah, it turns out that it's actually a whole country to itself with it's own people and customs and stuff.
Come along with me on this magical journey into Parts Unknown.
Wait, I think I can be an even more typical ethnocentric American jerk for you. I have to represent my country dutifully, right?
Ok, here goes.
Haha, those sumo guys wear diapers.
Oh man, I'd so be going to hell if there actually was such a place.
Anyway, check out the show over at the Tiltyhouse and learn a thing or two. I know I did.
File this under "holy crap that's awesome I am jealous". Japan has this little thing called Club Nintendo, where members can register games and get points for some really neat free stuff. In the past bonuses have included exclusive games, DS styluses (stylii?), shirts and other kitchy fun Nintendo greatness. Platinum members get some special gifts this year, choosing between custom Mii Wiimote battery covers, or a club-exclusive Tingle DS Game (which looks like a re-skinned version of Balloon Fight).
What do we get in the states for registering our games? Exclusive wallpapers, and back when Wind Waker was released we got a bonus Zelda collection disk. You know what would be nice? Bonus Wii Points for registering games. Even a small number like 100 would be really neat. I still register every Nintendo game I get just in case someday in the future NOA starts giving bonuses. Which they won't.
Sigh.
CD Review: "The Crane Wife" by The Decemberists 
Ever since the first note of Castaways & Cutouts, The Decemberists have made it a point, not to make any points, but to craft lovely melodies and tell stories of lore, of sorrow, of happiness, of shame. At times, the ideas for a thousand books seem present in each album. No matter how thin though, Colin Meloy threads the most minuscule of strings through each of his musical volumes.
The Crane Wife is a bunch of unrelated stories packed tightly around two vignettes based on a Japanese Folk-Tale. Surrounding a man who finds a wounded swan that transforms into a woman as he nurses it back to health, you'd expect to find pillowy materials to buffer the fragile legend. Instead the lovely Crane Wife is held hostage by abrasive narratives describing the gruesome "Shankill Butchers," Babylonian grain sustaining soldiers in "When The War Came," and snipers lining up a well-dressed man for the "Perfect Crime 2."
Through all the topics purveyed, the consistent, self-assured notes of the band and Colin's resolute voice glue, staple, bolt, screw, and nail Crane Wife's frame together. At the end, you're left believing it was skillfully carved from a single piece of the purest wood.
For their first record on Capitol Records, The Crane Wife seems free from all pressures normally brought to independent bands who sign to majors. None of these songs appear forced. Every song that could be a potential hit single carries symbols of past Decemberists' beauties. The first single "O Valencia" is very polished and nonchalant sounding (much like "16 Military Wives" on the album previous). Carried along by the galloping hi-hats and chiming guitar chords, it's not worried at all about how it will be received. The instruments all serve to brighten up the dark storyline (A woman taking her family's bullet for her lover) perfectly.
The last song on Crane Wife, "Sons and Daughters," leaves the sweet taste of cinnamon (as the lyrics suggest) and the beautiful vocal rounds bounce around in circles to your ear. The only option is to put the thing on repeat and bask in its radiance once more. Calculated or not, The Crane Wife is an artful continuance of Picaresque's path, and a much affirmed step for these road-tested Portland darlings.
Pick up The Crane Wife on iTunes 
In this exciting installment, The Geek, Frodo and White Mage discuss the Half Life series, and their love of all things Final Fantasy, Disney, and the two mashed together. Then, Frodo answers the mailbag. Here are some notes!
We're back from break and geekier than ever! This week, Frodo, The Geek, White Mage and Nevery discuss new movies good and bad (and intentionally bad), new Microsoft hardware blunders, Sony being idiots again, Rare marketing to children who like bright colors, Super Princess Peach and this week's new game releases. CHECK IT THE HECK OUT.
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