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Reader Comments (36)

Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:29AM (Unverified) said

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there was an episode of Law and Order JUST LIKE THIS last night
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:32AM The Artist Formerly known as Jes said

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So are we going to get a Joystiq visits Tecmo article?

With pictures?
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:37AM OMGOMG said

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Just threw up in my mouth a little.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:52AM (Unverified) said

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IT'S GOTTA BE THE POWDER!!
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:37AM Obienator said

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So wait, do hooker reviewers get free games?
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:45AM Slaziman said

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Isn't this kind of thing illegal?
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 11:41AM Autopsy15 said

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Ya...kinda. But hey it's Tecmo. It's expected of them.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 6:31PM BananaBoat said

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Yeah, it should be mentioned that almost ALL business in Japan is done in hostess bars. I'm not even kidding. This is so benign that I'm sure tecmo is wondering what the hell they did to upset shoe at this point. Normally I'd look for any reason to bash Tecmo (me love you Itagaki! Long time!) but come on. This is just silly.

Maybe if Tecmo took them to soap land...or to a massage parlor...but hostess clubs? Meh
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:51AM holysocks said

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No, that is a regular common business custom in Asia, where talks are held in hostess bars.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:52AM (Unverified) said

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This is surprising why? Gaming "journalists" have never had much in the way of professionalism.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 10:10AM MightyHealthy said

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So true...especially in this case here, where Dan Hsu proves all the EGM skeptics right.

Here we have a guy who spent many-an-editorial questioning the integrity of his competitors...and now that he's no longer with them, he can't help but spill the beans about all those "behind the scenes" perks.

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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:53AM baby sea tuna said

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So, uh...these places are basically like American strip clubs, but without the nudity? Ooh, sign me up Tecmos! Throw in one of those Ayane love pillows and I'll give Ninja DOA X-Treme Beach Bowl 3 a 10/10 right now!

...effin Japanese, I swear.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 10:12AM Obienator said

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Don't underestimate the magical allure of Japanese women. ;)
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 6:37PM BananaBoat said

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Nothing like a strip club. You go in, sit down at a booth, and depending on how rich you are, either 1, 2, or any number of girls (fully clothed in dresses) come and sit beside you. At that point you basically get to buy them liquor and fruit until you are out of money and have to leave. While you are buying them crap, their end of the bargain is basically to act like you are interesting, while fending off your attempts at groping, and trying not to vomit. Imagine a really expensive dinner with your friends, and then imagine that there are beautiful women there. That's basically what a hostess club is.

Personally, I find it kinda sad. There is something a little more wholesome about a strip club, where there is no illusion of intimacy. Then again, I'd never go in a strip club unless it was a bachelor party or something.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 9:59AM R Planteer said

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This is actually just how things work in Japan. Its actually considered unproffesional for people like businessmen to not be accompanied by a young, beautiful girl during important meetings/parties.

This doesnt surprise me.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 2:00PM Courtney said

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The problem here is that these aren't regular business meetings. These are journalists (or industry writers if you prefer), whose job is not to tow the company line, but to deliver their honest opinion, or unbiased facts in some cases, to their readerships.

If Tecmo takes out a possible new business partner to show them a night on the town, perfectly normal and fine. It's not fine to show the same treatment to a journalist/writer/reviewer. Anyone covering the industry for a publication should refuse such perks to avoid the impropriety of it.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 10:21AM (Unverified) said

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These are the kind of articles one gets in our 24 hour "news" culture.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 10:53AM doom saber said

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This is what real Geisha women do in Japan. Unlike how America protrays Geishas as simply whores who are paid just to have sex on television, in real life they are paid to be your friend when you are down. Sure, you can ask them to sleep with you, but they are more mainly there to cheer you up. They are seen as professionals where some wives would not mind if their husband hires one to drink with and make out with. It might sound bizarre, but not all cultures are the same.

Seen a documentary about Geisha a few years ago.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 11:30AM (Unverified) said

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Fess up dude, and admit that it wasn't a documentary and that you were watching "Memoirs of a Geisha".
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 4:21PM doom saber said

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LOL I had a feelin someone would say that, but yes, it was a documentary and not memoirs of a Geisha. I think I seen the doc two years before that Geisha film came out.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 10:57AM doom saber said

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Not in Japan, though I do not think it's illegal in different parts of america as long sex isn't involved
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 10:59AM (Unverified) said

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can't say I agree with R's comment on "how things work in Japan"... but taking a client out for drinks generally means going to a hostess club here. No big deal.

It's not common practice to ply your clients with "prostitutes", but most forms of the trade are legal in Japan.

As for the ego stroking, at least we don't need our fast food to tell us how manly we are in Japan. Have you watch american commercials lately?
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 11:22AM (Unverified) said

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uh, the McDonalds commercials i've seen have some people break dancing as soon as they taste their food. The Burger King one has the King being chased by the cops for putting money into peoples pockets, then being hit with a car.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 1:27PM (Unverified) said

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Yes, just take your lumps and stop trying to spin it back on the US.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 11:01AM (Unverified) said

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doom saber = way off the mark, like a Japanese person expecting that all americans hunt and kill their own dinner every night. but I'm sure it was a good documentary.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 11:40AM Morisato13 said

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Hmmm... that's an odd image of Americans. I never thought of people viewing Americans as manly outdoors men. I always felt Americans were all outsourcers... like me... who pay people to hunt and kill my dinner for me every night.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 4:53PM doom saber said

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It was some doctumary about a British guy getting Geishas in Japan and sayin how the americans have a misconception that they are prostitutes and that in real life, they are hired to make a person feel happy, whether it being to cheer him up with a song or whatever. He then interviewed a couple and the wife replied how she does not mind her husband having sex with one, but minds if he has sex with a prositute.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 11:33AM Mr Khan said

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Cultural divides ftw
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 12:43PM Tez said

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HEY. Rygar was okay!
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 2:34PM Mr Khan said

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You liked it, have a Wii?

Try Battle of Argus this December, the developers are building it as the "definitive version"
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Posted: Oct 1st 2008 11:29AM Tez said

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Nope, sold the Wii after I went months without even thinking about playing it.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 1:35PM (Unverified) said

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Honestly I don't see this as being all that bad and I'm a pretty conservative person. Maybe I don't fully understand what's going on in these clubs but a little companionship and cheering up by the hostess doesn't seem like a terrible thing to me. As for the "male-insecurities" comment, I find that to be a bit funny. So many people say that a guy just wants sex. Well that's not always the case. Sometimes you just want to be with someone who enjoys your company and you seem to be implying that this is a bad thing. Apparently that's what these clubs are trying to simulate but again I may just be a little naive about what's going on there.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 3:01PM Keithustus said

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Next we'll he'll complain that American companies pay for Japanese executives to go to bars and Hooters with them.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 4:13PM (Unverified) said

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omg - "shoe" hsu needs to read up on japan - this is a common thing there and even in korea... they're basically an asian version of a pg-13 rated strip club... there are no nekkid ladies there... just some good looking chicks for you to talk to

of course - you can get more w/ the "right" woman at the "right" price, but it is in no way expected
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 4:41PM (Unverified) said

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Sorry, but that's just an "expensive dinner" in Japan. It's not really all that incredible or unusual.

This is the same place where girls go to "Princess Bars" where the waiters speak english, because it's hott.

I visited Japan recently and my japanese (female) friend said "All japanese girls want a man to speak english to them".

Half-joking I'm sure...but only half. At most.
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Posted: Sep 30th 2008 5:31PM (Unverified) said

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yea, i usually complain when i get free stuff too. whats the problem again?
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