Why are Japanese items always so clean?

[stalepie]

Whenever I get a game from Japan through eBay or just look at items their carts and everything else are spic-n -span. But this raises the price. Sometimes I don't really want a game that much and just want the cart and don't mind if it has some crud on it, which might knock off a few bucks

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Well, generally speaking Asian cultures tend to take care of their possessions much better than other cultures. However, that general statement isn't all reaching and doesn't apply to everything.

I've got a number of Famicom games I've bought from sellers in Japan that are in pretty rough shape to be honest. My copy of Balloon Fight would make you cry.

[Parodius Duh!]

people dont throw money away over there, they buy something and cherish it. Unlike most westerners who buy a game, beat it and consider it to have little replay value, leave it out of the case face down on a table, use the cases as a coaster, or even worse just throw the case out, etc. I mean where else in the world can you buy a brand new game for 60.00 then the very next day sell it back for what, like 15 bucks?

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

I have a number of Japanese games with writing on them. I am assuming that, like Americans, some of them wrote their names on their carts.

JY

[Kitsune Sniper]

I thought Japanese games had a habit of having uh, tobacco smoke damage. ^^;

[Atariguy]

I have a number of Japanese games with writing on them. I am assuming that, like Americans, some of them wrote their names on their carts.

JY

Yeah, I saw this occasionally when I was in Japan, and my copy of Rockman 4 has "Mizunara" written on it.

Anyway, I think another thing to keep in mind is that Japan has traditionally had a bias against used products. This changed a bit in the recession of the 90s, when the used bookstore chain "Book Off" became popular through selling products that were as close to new condition as possible. So even if Japanese stores buy dirty products, they probably put a lot of effort into cleaning them up before selling them.

[stalepie]

(deleted long post here)

Never mind, I'll just contact the sellers sometime.

[Aussie2B]

I thought Japanese games had a habit of having uh, tobacco smoke damage. ^^;

Why's that? I don't think the Japanese are known to be particularly heavy smokers, and of the hundreds of imports I have, I don't think any arrived smelling like smoke.

Anyway, to answer the question, it's a combination of the Japanese being a bit more inclined to take care of their possessions and that the sellers offering imports to the West are generally going to list their best stuff. A junky loose cart isn't worth exporting. The worst stuff stays in Japan for the most part.

[fahlim003]

I thought Japanese games had a habit of having uh, tobacco smoke damage. ^^;
Ding ding ding. I have a Model 2 Japanese Saturn that was a nice shade of brown when I got it. It works fine mind you and after a scrub of the shell it came back to a nice clean white as it was originally. Pardon countless items having tobacco smells or stains, no real issues with Japan. Same for Mainland China.

[InsaneDavid]

I thought Japanese games had a habit of having uh, tobacco smoke damage. ^^;

Nicotine stains were so bad on some of my SFC games that they were sticky. One particular copy of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon was so bad it ended up in the trash.


Why's that? I don't think the Japanese are known to be particularly heavy smokers.

That has to be one of the funniest things I've ever read on these forums, no offense intended. Pull up a couple videos of some pachinko parlors.

Aside from tobacco related problems, I haven't had many other issues to be honest.

[stalepie]

Hmm, well, I just looked at about 2 dozen pachinko videos on youtube and couldn't find a single cigarette!

I did however find one person saying cigarette smoking contributed to the loudness ...

[stalepie]

Wait! I found one! At 40 seconds in, there's a guy smoking a cigarette... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxo6NqdKU_I

[LaughingMAN.S9]

isnt it because game rentals arent legal in japan so people tend to buy games, beat them in a day or something then turn around and resell them or trade them in to used game stores?

[Aussie2B]

That has to be one of the funniest things I've ever read on these forums, no offense intended. Pull up a couple videos of some pachinko parlors.

I would expect any gambling place anywhere in the world to reek of smoke. :P

I meant like how some countries have a reputation for being big on smoking like France. I've never heard such a stereotype being applied to Japan. *shrugs*

And maybe I've just been fortunate, but I am heavy on importing from Japan, not just games but books, toys, you name it, and I haven't had anything smoke-damaged or even smelling of smoke. While I have had that happen with many items from eBay and elsewhere that I've bought within the US. Granted, this could just as well go along with my point that the crappy stuff usually stays in Japan.

[Parodius Duh!]

I have never recieved a smoke damaged item from Japan and Ive bought 100's of items, mostly off of yahoo as well so its not the best of the best thats catered to the western audience on ebay. It is totally legal to rent games in Japan, its just not a common thing. I have a famicom game and a few SFC with rental stickers on the cart.

[Emperor Megas]

I've gotten quite a few used items from Japan and I never recall anything smelling like smoke yet. I'm extremely sensitive to the smell of tobacco products, too (it makes me break out).

[Robocop2]

I must be part Asian then because I'm very OCD about my games, systems, DVD's and most importantly, my truck. I think alot of it also has to do with upbringing, I always tried to keep my stuff as new and complete as possible even as a kid. But I was always expected to pay for my stuff with my own money at least after a certain age. Too many people nowadays are used to just having stuff handed to them and rarely appreciate it at all.

[StealthLurker]

I am heavy on importing from Japan, not just games but books, toys, you name it, and I haven't had anything smoke-damaged or even smelling of smoke. While I have had that happen with many items from eBay and elsewhere that I've bought within the US. Granted, this could just as well go along with my point that the crappy stuff usually stays in Japan.


I'm the same way. Not just toys and games. I also order most of my stuff directly from Japan, only ebay once in a blue moon. A vast majority of the second hand goods are of very good/clean condition. In fact I would say that in the descriptions of their items, sellers in Japan tend to rate the condition of items much more harshly than in the west where sellers tend to exaggerate on how "mint/excellent" an item is.

Like others have said, I would say it's a phenomenon common in asian cultures but more so in Japan (I'm asian and have lots of friends from diff asian countries). The up bringing I get from my parents is that it's somewhat "shameful" to let someone borrow/use let alone sell something to a friend/stranger that is in poor condition. There was always a lot of "stuff" one "should do" to maintain a respectable image to others. Not saying that westerners are slovenly, but in contrast to my western friends and their possesions/homes... I'd say they had a more "relaxed" attitude towards things.

Of course there are always exceptions/anomalies here and there.

.

[The 1 2 P]

I wish Gamestop treated their used games the way they do in Japanese game shops. As for the off topic, I also have literally imported hundreds of games and magazines from ebay and direct thru Japanese import stores and have never gotten anything that smelled like smoke or was smoke stained.

[stalepie]

Well, I just wanted cheaper prices. Don't really care if the label on a SNES cart is damaged a bit or whatever.

[Bojay1997]

I would agree that generally my Yahoo.JP purchases have been super clean and often scented of green tea (although I can't tell if it's the original seller or the marshall service that adds the green tea scented wrapping materials. Having said that, many Japanese do smoke (although not necessarily at home) and I have on occasion received items that have a hint of smoke smell. Nothing compared to some of the odors I received before I started asking sellers on Ebay if they were smoke free, but still the occasional Yahoo item does show up with a hint of smoke.

[mobiusclimber]

I think it's more to do, as another poster said, with game sellers only putting their best stuff up for auctions. If you went to a game store in Japan you'd have the honor of hunting through boxes of beat up cart only games for like twenty yen apiece. Not worth making an auction for a game like that, right?

[SparTonberry]

I suppose it would depend on how high demand the game is. Or if there's not too many already on ebay, it might be more likely to sell anyways.
I've seen my share of "ugly" Japanese games.
I got a yellowed Super Back to the Future II. Looks like I got lucky to get it for no more than $20, as the value seems to have spiked recently.
I got a Don Doko Don for Famicom with part of the case taped up. But I'm okay with that since the cart seems fine and the price seemed comparable to a loose anyways.
I've seen someone listing a Famicom Batman awhile back. While it included the original case, the cart label was half torn off.

[mobiusclimber]

Oh yeah I should have mentioned that too but I've seen and purchased a fair number of good to fair condition Japanese games. Usually get them in game lots, tho sometimes I just really want the game. I have a few Fami games with beat up boxes (Akuma kun no wana comes to mind) and some carts with writing or just dingy/dirty cases. I've seen a copy of Salamander with no label before.

[Bloodreign]

This topic reminds me of a time someone bought me Toaplan Shooting Battle 1 PS 1 off YAJ, normally the game goes for well over $100. But due to a very small and faint tea stain on the manual (if you don't put it to light and look extremely carefully, you'd never knew a stain was on that manual), we got it for around $50. The rest of the manual, CD, and case were in excellent condition, very very clean, so apparently humbleness paid off.

Every other import I ever got from Japan was also very very clean, no dirt, scratches, fingerprints on the bottom of the disc, nothing. Just sparkly clean goodness, no smoky smells either.

[WanganRunner]

Part of it is space constraints.

The typical Japanese apartment is tiny, you can't have shitpiles of gaming stuff all over the floor. You just don't have space. You have to have it on a shelf, and then put it back when you're done using it.

Unlike in the US, where people just have piles of garbage in their basement.

[blue lander]

Virtually all the games I've bought off YAJ stink to high heaven of stale tobacco, and many have that yellow stain to them. I notice it mostly with Famicom and earlier stuff.

[Collector_Gaming]

Well i can't speak for all of japan.
But tokyo is a very clean city they have a clean attitude on things. Probably due to their continuous on the go feeling.
And also isn't japanese tradition to clean your hands and such before every meal for a example
in america your mom always tried to get you to do that but it comes and goes as you get older like whatever.

As for cigarette smoke damage and smells

In Tokyo your older generations chain smoke like its going out of style (mostly your low income individuals) one after another after another after another.
once you get outside tokyo to your more rural japan areas smoking is kinda a norm... helps the farmers relax i guess.

[stalepie]

I just noticed something with two Shining Force carts I have. I accidentally bought two for some reason, presumably from different sellers. One cart label looks bright and clean, while another looks kind of dark and mottled. Well on the back it says Made in Japan for the bright and clean one and Assembled in U.S.A. for the ugly one. They're both for the Sega Genesis, not Mega Drive.

Also when I looked at my other Genesis carts that were assembled in America they have the mottled cheaper look and the text printed into the plastic on the back ("don't submerge under water," etc.) is deeper and easier to read.

The Made in Mexico ones also look a little better than the American ones, although maybe the plastic of the cart itself used in the American ones is better than the Japanese. (Seems stronger).

So I think in some cases the purity of the cart's appearance is due to it being better made and not just the condition it's in now.

[stalepie]

Just looked at my SNES carts. They say Made in Japan and Made in Mexico. Don't see any that say America, but I don't have that many.

The MiJ ones look good, while the MiM ones look bad (like American Genesis carts). Not bad as in "I really care," but bad as in you can tell a difference when you compare.

Curiously I don't think I have any Japanese games that were made anywhere else other than Japan. They don't even use China?

[stalepie]

Heh, on the back of my copy of Legend of Oasis it says, "Programmed in Japan. Made and printed in the USA." That's interesting, "Programmed in Japan." They should do that for more games.

Sorry for the triple post (if anyone cares).

[stalepie]

Also interesting (to me anyway): on the back of my Sexy Parodius game for the Saturn it says "MADE IN JAPAN" but then under that it says "For sale and use only in Japan."! LOL, why write that in English? I mean I can understand the "for sale and use" part going for the international tongue of choice, but why "Made in"?

Japan should take more pride in their language and stick to it!

I guess it's just for legal reasons since "all rights reserved" is also English. Still stupid, though.

[Solertia]

Why's that? I don't think the Japanese are known to be particularly heavy smokers

I literally spit out my sip of drink and burst into laughter at this. I'm sorry.

[skaar]

I wonder if Evan has pictures of my Super Famicom games still. He dumped/scanned them all when he was here. Some had barnacles in them, I swear.

[Aussie2B]

I literally spit out my sip of drink and burst into laughter at this. I'm sorry.

Okay... that makes two people to find my post ever-so-hilarious. I just don't get it. Of all the things to find rip-roaringly funny on the Digital Press, that sure ain't one of them. If I'm wrong about something, a simple "Actually, blah-blah-blah and here's a link" would suffice. You guys act like I said "The sky is pink" or something.

Clearly this stereotype that you guys believe is so pervasive to the point of being common knowledge isn't. Far more people in this topic have stated that out of tons of imports they've never gotten anything that smells of smoke.

I already explained my comment further in a previous post, but again: I was never saying that people in Japan don't smoke. I was never saying that there aren't individuals that smoke heavily. What I WAS saying is that there isn't a WIDELY KNOWN stereotype of the Japanese being crazy about smoking, like there is for much of Europe, especially France. Maybe among some people, this stereotype is held for Japan, I don't know, but it clearly hasn't gone mainstream.

[Collector_Gaming]

i wasn't mocking you if you were refering to me but heres a good reference to prove my statement about the older japanese being heavy smokers... watch any old and i mean old japanese movies (good one is the classic Original Godzilla film.. yea the black and white one)

[jordandavid]

I already explained my comment further in a previous post, but again: I was never saying that people in Japan don't smoke. I was never saying that there aren't individuals that smoke heavily. What I WAS saying is that there isn't a WIDELY KNOWN stereotype of the Japanese being crazy about smoking, like there is for much of Europe, especially France. Maybe among some people, this stereotype is held for Japan, I don't know, but it clearly hasn't gone mainstream.

I've heard of the stereotype before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_cigarette_consumption_per_cap ita

Japan is #12 in cigarette consumption, and for comparison the US is #39.

and I know he's Indonesian, but I can't get enough of this guy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4c_wI6kQyE

Just realized he's left handed, what a scholar.

[Aussie2B]

I wasn't referring to you, Collector_Gaming, just Solertia and InsaneDavid.

Thanks for the link, jordandavid. That's a lot more interesting than people posting to say how they're rolling on the floor over my post. :rolleyes: (I'm rolling my eyes at them, not you, if it's not clear.) It's funny how the actual facts don't correspond to the stereotypes that well (although I guess that's how stereotypes go). I mean, France is way down at 60, yet if you did some Family Feud-style style poll of what country is most known for smoking, I bet it would be France. And even though Greece is #1, I've never heard my fiance or his Greek family saying anything about Greece being crazier about smoking than the rest of Europe. And Latvia is right under Japan, and I've also never heard anything like that about them from my Latvian family.

[badinsults]

I wonder if Evan has pictures of my Super Famicom games still. He dumped/scanned them all when he was here. Some had barnacles in them, I swear.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5511610460_694f0a0539.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/snescentral/5511610460/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5511610518_bae2c1dc71.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/snescentral/5511610518/)

[skaar]

I'll find the one with the corrosion too.