I have always had an unhealthy appetite for video games. My first game I ever played would be Space Invaders to risk sounding like a cliche but for those not around at the time of Mi-Sex's hit "Computer Games" Spacies WAS big. Space Invaders even had it's own hit song back then which was heavily played on the radio while we spent obsene amount of hours shooting away at the MYSTERY BONUS. But way back then in 1980 in a corner milk bar standing in amazement at the new "colour" edition of Space Invaders I had no idea of the culture that spawned those addictive 20c coin gobblers.
I've been accused of liking Japan simply for it's creation of the video game industry. At first this would have been a fair statement. But after serious time spent sifting through Japanese text filled magazines to find the screen shots of what games will hit Mega Drive next you can't help but notice that behind the amazingly standardised but creative media that was gaming stood a culture that was as intriguing as the very games that were exported from it. But it wasn't till a game called Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast gave this meatpie munching Aussie who came from an area that looked like a scene from Skippy the Bush Kangaroo an insight to the culture that is Nippon Japan. The game allowed the player to "live" the life of a Japanese teenager as he woke up, worked, explored and lived the life of a typical Japanese local in the 80's in extrodinary conditions. I've read complaints from some saying why would you wanna play a game where you do everyday stuff in real time. My answer would be to experience a life style that would normally elude you. Now some years after first experiencing Shenmue 1 & 2 I have come to appreciate the attention to detail Sega were to bless this title with.
My first moment in Japan was spent greeting the many people gathered to meet us for our arrival. After the initial nicities were exchanged I noticed the amount of blinking warning signs, audio auto annoucements and dependancy on order that was present at the airport. I was to later find this to be constant in my travels around Japan as I journeyed to my friends house 2 hours North East of Narita. Even the convenience shops were nothing but orderly and arranged in an efficient manner. The first of many comparisons to Shenmue were being made.
But later in the night life of Tokyo the comparisons came to an abrupt halt. My time in Tokyo was to be brief. This was a sad fact that I was not happy with but decided that I simply must absorb as much of the atmosphere as possible. But walking under one of the many Japanese JR train over head bridges I saw a site that you'd only be able to appreciate if you are there for yourself. I noticed in the mild conditions a homeless guy lying on the footpath. Every city has their homeless issues to deal with. But how many have homeless that read Japanese Anime comics? This is probably no big whoop for a local to see but as a westerner with something of a sketchy understanding of their culture I was not prepared for an image like that!
9pm on local roads in Sydney would be quiet and eerie. But Japan is a buzz of energy as local shops stay open to take advantage of the swarm of possible customers who negotiate every traffic light like obediant masses. Even though shops are closing up the crowds still seem to meandre about looking for bargains, gifts and prize gifts to add to their hull.
A dinner under a busy Japanese subway brings out the nicest aspect of Japanese lifestyle. The Japanese's drive to keep the customer happy. The Japanese have a saying. It's not "the Customer is Always Right". Instead it reads simply "Customer is King". Enter any shop and you are welcomed by a collective scream of "WELCOME!" (in Japanese of course) and if you have a query you'll either have the staff member readily accomodate you or frantically find someone else who can.
<<MORE TO COME>>
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