Japanese Expert Mugs

Description: Pro Video Gamer girl artwork by Ben Krefta

Description: Think you know Japanese? Welcome to Osaka. Standard Japanese will only get you so far. Kansai dialect has its own personality—full of humor, attitude, and expressions that even surprise native speakers from other parts of Japan. Whether you're an advanced Japanese learner, an Osaka fan, or just love IYKYK language jokes, this series is for you. "Chau chau" (ちゃうちゃう) is a classic Kansai way of saying "Not quite!" or "No, that's not it!" It's the friendly correction you'll hear when someone's got the wrong idea—often delivered with a grin rather than a scolding. No, we're not talking about the dog.

Description: Dynamic graphic art of Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira, with her sword drawn, butterfly haori spread, surrounded by intense purple flames. (147 chars)

Description: Literally translated to "G.I. Joe: The Greatest Expert Team on Earth," the Japanese adaptation of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline that was sold by Takara from 1986 to 1987 was similar to the UK's Action Force, in that the nationalities of several Joes were changed to make the team into an international one. It was accompanied by a dub of the TV series and a tie-in manga, and their battle cry was changed from "Yo Joe!" to "Go! G.I. Joe!" because the American version sounds like "yojou", which translates into "little girl".