A ground-breaking book that sets out to demonstrate that Japanese is “simple, logical and beautiful” and that most of the apparently “arbitrary rules” that you “just have to learn” can be reduced to simple, easily intuitive patterns if you just understand how the language really works.

     Nintendo has continually set the standard for video-game innovation in America, starting in 1981 with a plucky hero who jumped over barrels to save a girl from an ape. The saga of Mario, the portly plumber who became the most successful franchise in the history of gaming, has plot twists worthy of a video game. Jeff Ryan shares the story of how this quintessentially Japanese company found success in the American market. Lawsuits, Hollywood, die- hard fans, and face-offs with Sony and Microsoft are all part of the drama. Find out about: * Mario's eccentric yet brilliant creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, who was tapped for the job because was considered expendable. * Minoru Arakawa, the son-in-law of Nintendo's imperious president, who bumbled his way to success. * The unexpected approach that allowed Nintendo to reinvent itself as the gaming system for the non-gamer, especially now with the Wii. Even those who can't tell a Koopa from a Goomba will find this a fascinating story of striving, comeuppance, and redemption.

    And that evolution has huge implications for everything we see, buy and do online. Rejecting the zero-sum, vending-machine model of ecommerce practiced by other leading internet retailers, who view the Internet purely as a facilitator of speed and profit, Hiroshi Mikitani argues for an alternate model that benefits merchants, consumers, and communities alike by empowering players at every step in the process. He envisions retail "ecosystems," where small and mid-sized brick-and-mortar businesses around the world partner with online marketplaces to maximize their customer bases and service capabilities, and he shows why emphasizing collaboration over competition, customization over top-down control, and long-term growth over short-term revenue is by far the best use of the Internet's power, and will define the 3.0 era.Rakuten has already pioneered this new model, and Marketplace 3.0 offers colorful examples of its success in Japan and around the world. Mikitani reveals how the company enforces a global mindset (including the requirement that all its employees speak English, even in Tokyo); how it incorporates new acquisitions rather than seeking to completely remake or sell them for a quick profit; and how it competes with other retailers on speed and quality, without sacrificing the public good. Marketplace 3.0 is an exciting new vision for global commerce, from a company that's challenging all the accepted wisdom.

    In spite of the promises of justice and prosperity for all, this perilous time is marked by the political maneuvering of ambitious nobles and foul plots hatched in secret councils.

    The book contains step-by-step guides to a wide range of survival techniques, as well as accounts of Ray's own experiences and his bushcraft philosophy.

    It will also feature the couple's third child, Aimee, who declined to take part in the show and lived in the guesthouse during the six months of taping. It features their alternating voices and will add yet another dimension to this highly original show.

    Drawing on the latest information, leading women's health expert Dr. Stephanie Faubion covers common questions, lifestyle strategies, and treatment options.Unlike other books, Mayo Clinic The Menopause Solution is comprehensive, easy to navigate, and authoritative.Features include: A complete look at what happens to your body before, during, and after menopause. Up-to-date information on over-the-counter medications, nutritional supplements, and hormone therapy Sidebars, lists, and summaries to make finding information a cinch Dr. Faubion knows that what works for one woman doesn't necessarily work for another. In approachable terms, she presents a balanced, unbiased overview of what to expect in midlife and beyond. You'll find accurate information on perimenopause, premature menopause, menopause symptoms, long-term effects of estrogen loss, and a wide variety of therapies to enhance health. Professional, accessible, and essential for any woman entering menopause, Mayo Clinic The Menopause Solution offers everything you need to take charge of your own health and get the best care from your doctor.

     Kobold Guide to Plots & Campaigns shows how to begin a new campaign, use published adventures or loot them for the best ideas, build toward cliffhangers, and design a game that can enthrall your players for month or even years. Want to run an evil campaign, or hurl the characters into unusual otherworldly settings? Want to ensure that you're creating memorable and effective NPCs and villains? We've got you covered. Complete with discussions on plotting, tone, branching storytelling, pacing, and crafting action scenes, you'll find all the tips and advice you need to take on the best role in roleplaying--and become an expert gamemaster, too! Featuring essays by Wolfgang Baur, Jeff Grubb, David "Zeb" Cook, Margaret Weis, Robert J. Schwalb, Steve Winter, and other game professionals.

    Go behind the scenes with exclusive commentary from Rooster Teeth and explore the show’s creation through in-depth interviews with the writers, animators and voice artists. With comprehensive analysis of key characters and iconic episodes, and showcasing stunning visuals from the series, this is the must-have book for RWBY fans around the world.

    until he started a new job and a new life at a high school in downtown Tokyo. Here he discovered the real Japan, not the version sold to tourists, and realized that it was far more thrilling, heartbreaking, and beautiful than anything he had ever experienced. Over the course of one year in Tokyo, Garett navigates the perilous waters of 21st-century Japan, where love and laughter are as common as violence and tragedy. From love hotels to sumo, yakuza gangs to hostess bars, and a Shinto wedding to a KFC Christmas, discover what Tokyo is really like for its 38 million inhabitants. A travel book, a tale of sex and romance, and a love letter to a maddening, wonderful place, Lost in Tokyo provides a new perspective on living, working and playing in the world's most vibrant city.

    More can happen to Monica in one week than most people experience in a year, from facing down psychopathic drug dealers to the FBI threatening to put her in the Witness Protection Program or the SWAT team appearing to rescue her from a man she's done with, and every story is as true as it is strange. Get ready for an exciting ride that takes you from the depths of drug addiction to the pinnacle of high society only to end up six feet under.

    This deluxe, hardcover edition includes full-color inserts featuring concept art and exclusive content.To oppose the gods or yield to fate?That is the question confronting each of the characters in The Dawn of the Future. Ardyn, having saved countless lives from the Starscourge, means to become the Founder King of Lucis and instead is cast into tragic exile. On the day the Empire falls, as the imperial capital collapses around them, Commodore Aranea is entrusted with the life of a singular young girl. The Oracle Lunafreya, upon awakening from the slumber of death, discovers that her body has undergone an extraordinary transformation. And after gazing upon the eternal, Noctis, the True King, finally comes to terms with his destiny. Herein lie the stories of the dawning of a new world in Final Fantasy XV.

     This is a graphic novel version of the life of Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary samurai known throughout the world as a master swordsman, spiritual seeker, and author of the classic" Book of Five Rings." Acclaimed manga creator Sean Michael Wilson has created both a vivid account of a fascinating period in feudal Japan and a portrait of a courageous, iconoclastic samurai who wrestled with philosophical and spiritual ideas that are as relevant today as they were in his time. For Musashi, the way of the martial arts was about mastery of the mind rather than simply technical prowess--and it is this path to mastery that is the core teaching in "Book of Five Rings." This graphic novel is based on "The Lone Samurai," the meticulously researched biography of Musashi by William Scott Wilson, renowned translator and expert on samuari history.

    But upon her arrival there to pursue a master’s degree, she soon finds that it’s not entirely like what she’d gleaned from reading manga and watching anime.From dirty dorms and Japanese bureaucracy to natural disasters and hay fever-inducing pollen, Eva’s stay in Japan was no walk in the cherry blossom park. She was also there during the 3/11 earthquake, among the worst quakes in recent history.In this follow-up to “Eva, Kopi and Matcha”, follow Eva’s footsteps as she experiences some of the best and not-quite-the-best Japan has to offer during her postgraduate adventure. Her accounts in “Eva Goes Solo” – humorous, sometimes harrowing and informative – show that her fondness for all things Japanese has not waned, despite everything.Comes with a 20-page travel guide to Japan at the back of the book.

    Rediscover Lara Croft's greatest moments with fascinating coverage of the smash hit Tomb Raider movies, fiction, comics, and collectibles, and be enthralled by the legacy of Tomb Raider across the decades.Packed with exclusive art, photographs, and interviews covering all facets of the Tomb Raider franchise, 20 Years of Tomb Raider is the essential guide to this game's action-packed history and a must-have for every Tomb Raider fan.