Just a simple question...

crazywuzhere · June 29th, 2012, 12:41 PM

I work at a public library and one of our volunteers is a japanese boy (he'll be in about 5th grade soon). He and I were talking about Studio Ghibli films and I had mentioned that I had not yet seen 'Porcco Rosso'.
Today he gave me his only copy of it (according to him, they don't sell it anymore in Japan). He and his family are going to Japan for a couple of weeks and I wondered if homemade jammie dodgers would be an acceptable thank you gift?
Any other advice?

Mits · July 2nd, 2012, 08:38 PM

Porco Rosso DVD is still available in Japan, of course without English dub. But I don’t think the boy told you wrong or lie. If the DVD is the region 1 version, they won’t sell it in Japan.

For your reference, the price of Porco Rosso DVD in Japan is JPY3,701 (about $46) according to Amazon.

greg · July 7th, 2012, 04:41 AM

Actually, doesn't the Kurenai no Buta DVD contain the really terrible English dub that was done for JAL flights during the '90s? I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but I believe I remember watching it for the heck of it and laughed at how terrible the acting was.

Mits · July 8th, 2012, 07:10 PM

I’m sorry. I looked at the info carefully once again, and realized that the region 2 DVD certainly contains English dub and sub (and also French dub and sub). But I don’t have any information about the quality of the dub.

crazywuzhere · July 17th, 2012, 12:35 PM

wait wait wait... I don't care if the movie is available anymore or not. What I care about it--- What the heck should I give back as a thank-you gift?!

On top of that, they just returned from their trip to Japan and gave me an adorably cute totoro keychain. WHAT DO I DO? Also, I'll be leaving for college in August!

Hiroshimafuu · July 17th, 2012, 09:51 PM

As for the key chain, you don't have to do anything other than say "thank you." In Japan it's pretty common that when you go on a trip you bring back a little something for coworkers/relatives/friends. Since you didn't go anywhere, there's no need to reciprocate for it.

As for the copy of Porco Rosso, Japan doesn't have any set customs on gifts that are given "just because." There's no need to worry about whether what you give as a thank-you gift matches up with Japanese social rules, because there aren't any for your situation.

Since there isn't a "Japanese" way to handle this, just do what you'd do when giving a thank-you gift to anyone. Give the kid something he likes that's not more expensive than what he gave you in the first place. Anything that fits that criteria will be fine.

June 29th, 2012, 12:41 PM	#1
crazywuzhere Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 40	Just a simple question... I work at a public library and one of our volunteers is a japanese boy (he'll be in about 5th grade soon). He and I were talking about Studio Ghibli films and I had mentioned that I had not yet seen 'Porcco Rosso'. Today he gave me his only copy of it (according to him, they don't sell it anymore in Japan). He and his family are going to Japan for a couple of weeks and I wondered if homemade jammie dodgers would be an acceptable thank you gift? Any other advice?

July 7th, 2012, 04:41 AM	#3
greg '70s and '80s anime fan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shizuoka-ken, Japan Posts: 744	Actually, doesn't the Kurenai no Buta DVD contain the really terrible English dub that was done for JAL flights during the '90s? I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but I believe I remember watching it for the heck of it and laughed at how terrible the acting was. __________________ The Anime Past Forum: dedicated to oldschool anime fans who remember the golden age of anime fandom before the boom era.

July 2nd, 2012, 08:38 PM	#2
Mits Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 185	Porco Rosso DVD is still available in Japan, of course without English dub. But I don’t think the boy told you wrong or lie. If the DVD is the region 1 version, they won’t sell it in Japan. For your reference, the price of Porco Rosso DVD in Japan is JPY3,701 (about $46) according to Amazon.

July 8th, 2012, 07:10 PM	#4
Mits Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 185	I’m sorry. I looked at the info carefully once again, and realized that the region 2 DVD certainly contains English dub and sub (and also French dub and sub). But I don’t have any information about the quality of the dub.

July 17th, 2012, 12:35 PM	#5
crazywuzhere Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 40	wait wait wait... I don't care if the movie is available anymore or not. What I care about it--- What the heck should I give back as a thank-you gift?! On top of that, they just returned from their trip to Japan and gave me an adorably cute totoro keychain. WHAT DO I DO? Also, I'll be leaving for college in August!

July 17th, 2012, 09:51 PM	#6
Hiroshimafuu Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Yokohama Posts: 151	As for the key chain, you don't have to do anything other than say "thank you." In Japan it's pretty common that when you go on a trip you bring back a little something for coworkers/relatives/friends. Since you didn't go anywhere, there's no need to reciprocate for it. As for the copy of Porco Rosso, Japan doesn't have any set customs on gifts that are given "just because." There's no need to worry about whether what you give as a thank-you gift matches up with Japanese social rules, because there aren't any for your situation. Since there isn't a "Japanese" way to handle this, just do what you'd do when giving a thank-you gift to anyone. Give the kid something he likes that's not more expensive than what he gave you in the first place. Anything that fits that criteria will be fine.