Japanese Version Of Virtual World

A software company is betting on key Japanese cultural cues to make a Japanese version of Second Life friendlier to natives. Like what? No guns. No flying. People will have to move around on trains or cars. Also, the avatars will look much more anime based. However, content will be much more filtered according to cultural norms, such as removing profanity. But will people be able to check into "love hotels?" And will nudity be censored the way all Japanese pornography is censored? Those are key pop-culture cues for the Japanese too. But the Dentsu chief responsible for the virtual Tokyo in Second Life, Ken Aihara, brings up another good cultural point about making a successful Japanese virtual community: "it won't catch on for Japanese in a big way until the technology becomes usable on cell phones, which are more widespread than personal computers here, especially among teens." Dentsu might know a thing or two about what teens like in their media. The company just happens to be the creative entity in charge of the multi-media juggernaut known as Bleach. No guns in the new virtual world? There better be swords, though. Bankai!

"Chikushou! This game will only let me trade Hello Kitty cards with that hollow!"