[Technology Review] LINE Application

LINE is a popular communication application for iPhone and Android that enables users to make free calls and send SMS messages from anywhere in the world.  There is also a desktop program available for Windows and Mac OS X for those who wish to use it on their computer instead.  Though the application is extremely similar to other free call applications such as Skype, what makes LINE unique is its high range of customization in its user interface.  LINE offers users to download and pay for stickers, which are basically large and over dramatic emoticons of people, animals, and iconic characters from Evangelion and even some original sets.  Combine that with the stickers, and the options for user customization are endless!

Additionally, LINE also comes with a camera application that has better quality and filters than most preset smartphone cameras.  Similar to Instagram, it can take photos and allows users to personalize them with cropping, custom borders, and filters with more options for lighting.  However, unlike Instagram, LINE also allows users to decorate their photos with stickers, ranging from stickers with phrases like “cute” and alphabet letters, to stickers of characters and dazzling effects.  There is also a custom paint brush tool built into LINE, so user can use the touch screen to draw on photos or create a digital painting from scratch.  The beauty of these features is that users can edit their photos to be as simple or as detailed as they want with these tools.  The only downside of this is having to pay for preset sticker sets.  However, with enough artistic ability, people can easily decorate their photos with just as much flare if they download the free LINE brush and make custom edits.  There are also social media games available to play similar to those found on Facebook and the app store, so users never get bored while they’re on the go.

The cons of LINE as compared to other popular applications is that is still has yet to enable video calling, and many of the additional filters and add-ons have to be purchased.  Users can only send short audio and video messages and are limited in space.  Some users are fed up with the uselessness of the stickers, and if you don’t like sending or receiving emoticons, you may find them repetitive and annoying.  However, to balance its lack of video capability, LINE offers much more flexibility than FaceTime and overall is one of the most customizable apps to date.  From backgrounds, stickers, brushes, and photo effects, LINE’s store is constantly being updated and tries to provide something likeable for everyone.  Overall, as technology improves, LINE is predicted to eventually allow more video capability.

I would personally give the LINE application a 4/5, because it takes the most unique features of currently popular apps on the market and combines all of them to a single application set.  Of all of the free social applications that I’ve used, LINE offers the most customization.  It even allows users to post statuses and has a profile system that is similar to Facebook’s timeline layout so people can easily communicate with one another and customize their header image.  Unlike Skype, that is limited to just calling and SMS, or Instagram, that is limited to a preset amount of filters, LINE builds off of all of them and creates an app that contains all of the features that users desire to create social media and interact with others.  While I was in Japan, I used LINE very frequently to keep in touch with my friends and family back in the States.  I am grateful to find an application that is easily accessible, has a unique user interface, and that is usable by people of all ages.  Therefore, I would highly recommend this application to people who travel often and wish to use an app that can share media with an individual touch.

Last Day in Japan (DNP and Square-Enix)

DNPenguins, the official mascots of DNP.

Today was my last day in Japan, and though it felt bittersweet at times, overall it was a memorableday filled with some very insightful presentations.  Our group first visited Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), which presented us with a variety of futuristic technology.  First they showed us an interactive museum kiosk where we could zoom in and out to detail on artifacts from ancient Greece.  The kiosk also had a Q&A feature where you could access frequently asked questions and find answers.  Instead of listening to a tour guide or audio guide, people nowadays prefer information that is easily accessible in front of them.  Both of these features are extremely useful because they will attract much more attention to museums if they are adapted.  Additionally, DNP presented a new texture editing software and a route planner that could plan your subway route to the exact minute.  These inventions are extremely useful and should help attract more business to the places they are instituted.

The next place we visited was the world renowned Square-Enix HQ of Shinjuku!  This was the moment that everyone had been waiting for!  The atmosphere at SE was very relaxed and lively.  The employees were very welcoming and offered us some delicious chocolate snacks.  They also showed us video previews of current games that they’ve developed such as Dragon Quest X.  In the main presentation, Jacob Navok, Director of Business Development, outlined the ecosystem of videogames in the market and talked about the way that companies try to market games by adding DLC, virtual releases, and subscriptions.  By offering these different payment methods, gamers can get the full gratification out of what they’re paying for games abd even pay to skip levels, such as in games like Angry Birds.

Another amazing point that they talked about was the procedure they used to develop the tech demo for Agni’s Philosophy with Luminous Engine.  Though originally criticized for being off-kilter, what may people don’t realize is all the work that went behind it being developed in real time.  The 3D artists modeled the main female character’s hair off a real hair model that was professionally styled and unlike anything else, and the shading and pre-rendered like graphics took over a year to perfect.  The landscapes looked beautiful with the new particle systems they used, and when compared to pre-rendered images, they looked almost identical.  I look forward to seeing more real time capabilities being developed for the next gen consoles.

Navok giving an awesome presentation on games in the market!

Though my trip to Japan is coming to a closure, I can’t wait to catch up with friends, share some hilarious stories, and reflect on all of the unforgettable memories that I’ve made here.  I love the technology, the food, and the overall friendly atmosphere that Japan has.   Thank you to all of my colleagues and professors that made this trip possible!  I enjoyed traveling with all of you, and plan on coming back to Japan in the future.

Waseda University and Square-Enix Cafe

Today was another busy day filled with our final university tour to Waseda University and some Shinjuku shenanigans.  The campus of Waseda seemed relatively small compared to MSU, but the interior of the university was amazingly futuristic and had many bright-minded students.  I enjoyed talking to them and comparing different aspects of culture and technology.  For instance, I learned that Japanese people watch a lot more mobile TV than Americans do that has somewhat to do with the amount of subway travel.  I also learned that the majority of students don’t have cable and instead choose to stream media using Over the Top Technology.  It was truly interesting to compare the pros and cons of both applications and learn more about how technology is integrated into different cultures.  Personally, I prefer streaming over the internet on a laptop over watching programs on TV.  Overall I like where Japan is going with their easily accessible technology.

A beautiful painting of Waseda’s campus.

Our nightly outing consisted of some Shinjuku shenanigans involving an iconic videogame company that we have the privilege of visiting this Wednesday–Square-Enix.  We decided to visit the Square-Enix cafe “Artnia” and sample some of their drinks.  I tried a Shiva cocktail and a cappuccino that both tasted amazing!  The atmosphere was very laid back and the bartenders were extremely professional.  From the napkins to the coasters, everything was personalized to a specific Square-Enix series such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest.  There were slimes and chocobos all throughout the cafe and a gallery of various concept art and expensive jewelry.  We had a lot of fun hanging out there and living up our final week in  Japan!

FFVII themed coffee, yes please!

Cafes and Giant Mechs

Have you ever been to a restaurant that directly involves you with themed events and interactions?  Today we visited the Capcom Café and got to witness a planned zombie invasion as well as sample a variety of Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, and Phoenix Wright themed food items and beverages.  The service there was amazing, all of the waiters really put a ton of enthusiasm into their acts and the food tasted amazing.  I had a Dante strawberry parfait.  Two of my colleagues ordered Phoenix Wright onion rings that were stacked like gavel and hammer.  Though in America themed restaurants also exist, none of the waiters are as truly as into their roles and there aren’t videogames and TVs set up to play like they are here in Japan.  Overall, it was a truly amazing sight to see, and well worth the price.

Next we ventured to Odaiba where we saw the famed Mobile Suit Gundam statue.  As a Gundam fan for over 6 years, this was truly a sight to see.  At night it lit up and its eyes glowed a shining green that was truly breathtaking.  I had the honor of getting my picture taken next to it as well as buying a bunch of souvenirs at the Gundam Café including Haro chocolates and a coffee mug of my favorite character, Lockon Stratos.  Inevitably, today was a day filled with fandom and neat experiences.

GUNDAM IKUZE!

Big Shopping in Akihabara

With its wide selection of electronic, anime, videogame, and specialized goods, Akihabara is a dream come true for anyone even slightly interested in Japanese pop culture!  As we strolled through the lively streets, my group was amazed by the diverse and wide range of products.  As we made our way to the central streets, we were greeted by shops filled with anime figurines and mecha models.  We also entered Akiba Central that was 8 floors and contained manga of all different volumes, anime DVDs, and figures upon figures behind glass cases.  Being the huge anime and videogame fans that we are, we spent hours browsing the goods and were like kids in a candy store.  Shopping in Akihabara is intense and filled with so many choices that we didn’t even know where to begin!

Intense advertising in Akihabara!

After exploring the main streets and entering a few more figure and games shops, we decided to dig a bit deeper and search for a store that I’ve wanted to visit since I was a child: The Tales of Store, a homage to my favorite videogame series.  It was on the 2nd floor of a shop called Kotobukiya and there I dropped over $200 on specialized merchandise.  I picked up a towel, hair tie, and alarm clock of my favorite character Leon Magnus from Tales of Destiny, and also a T-shirt and necklaces from the latest title, Tales of Xillia.  I also picked up a NERV T-shirt from Evangelion, a Spookies mug from SMT: Soul Hackers, a Saber Lily keychain from Fate/Stay Night, and a Haro and Zaku model for a friend.  It’s safe to say that I spent my worth in Akihabara!!  And this is only our first time here!

My wallet took a critical hit! But it was well worth it!

The thing I like about shopping in Tokyo and Japan in general is that everything is conveniently located nearby at a walkable distance. I enjoy shopping at tiny specialized shops instead of huge general malls like in America.  Our shopping experience tonight was truly unforgettable, I loved being able to see so many things that are relevant to my interests.  My friends and I got some amazing deals on figures and will definitely come back here to hit up some more shops!

Fushimi Inari-taisha and Todai-ji Shrines

Today was another exciting and culturally diverse day in which my group went ‘shrining’ and hit up all of the local shrines in Kyoto and Nara.  The first shrine we toured was in Kyoto and called Fushimi Inari-taisha.  This shrine was dedicated to a fox (kitsune) who is a messenger of the shrine.  The terrain was very steep and full of stairs and torii.  Making the hike to the top wasn’t easy but we made it very far and learned a variety of shrine customs along the way.  For instance, we learned the purifying ritual of cleansing your hands with clean water before entering a central shrine.  We also learned that’s it’s extremely important to take off your shoes and use provided slippers when entering certain shrines in order to preserve the architecture.  Learning these things made me feel much more connected to Japanese culture and how to act accordingly in a foreign country. 

The second shrine we toured was in Nara and contained the world’s largest Buddha statue!  It was interesting to tour it and learn how the temple itself helped deliver Buddhism across Japan.  The reason the statues were built is to help connect the students with the six schools of Buddhism.  Supposedly many people would bring gifts and donations to give to the main statue in order to show their thanks and praise.  Though the shrine is now mainly used as a tourism spot, we learned that many modern day Buddhist practices and ceremonies are still carried out there today.  It’s astounding to think that such an old building that was originally designed as an extension to the Buddhist schools would have such a diverse amount of visitors today.  

Overall, I was very happy that I had an opportunity to visit these shrines because it exposed me to Japanese culture and worship.  It also taught me a lot of Japan’s main historical points and both shrines were extremely unique in the fact that they were used for a variety of different practices.  I look forward to seeing more of Japan’s culture in the future!

Kobe University

Today my group made our second university trip to tour Kobe University!  In comparison to Keio University which we toured earlier, Kobe is very small, and is a public university for those wishing to specialize in foreign studies and language learning.  However, after conversing with the university’s president, we learned that attending a public university as opposed to a private university is much more valuable on a resume in Japan.  Public universities require higher academics in students in order to be accepted and often hold more networking opportunities than private universities.  In addition to that, public universities are immune to the bribes that some private universities receive.

Welcome to Kobe!

Though Kobe had a very small campus as compared to Michigan State, it had a very warm atmosphere and very friendly students.  While conversing with the students, I found that the majority that I talked to all worked part time jobs and were extremely diligent in their studies, some knowing more than three languages.  Some had just arrived months ago and were already using near fluent English.  Other students mentioned that they spent their free time on the weekend attending cram school.  You can tell by the students kindness and rigid work schedules why Kobe is one of the top universities in Japan!

After a brief campus tour, we stopped by a nearby shrine for some photo shoots.  Here is Dan Losh and I with our good friend American-san in the background:

Afterwards, we went out to eat at a vegetarian restaurant and enjoyed vegetable pizza, tenpura, cheese fondue and strawberry shortcake for dessert with two of our tour guides.  It was truly a fun day that presented a variety of cultural experiences.  It’s been a week since I’ve come to Japan and I never want to leave!

Osaka-jo Castle

It’s astounding to think that one of the oldest castles ever built could withstand fierce wars and harsh weather and still be standing and fully functioning today.  Today my group had the opportunity to tour Osaka-jo castle, one of the oldest and most famous castles in Japan, now modified into a 5 floor museum!  As we climbed over moats and made our way to the entrance, we got to witness the castle’s beautiful white walls and feudal-styled decorations.  Inside the castle were interactive videos and many figurines depicting the battles that took place in ancient Japan.  It was interesting to learn about the battle of Sekigahara and how the castle managed to stay standing even though their forces were outnumbered 2 to 1.  That just adds to the Osaka-jo’s prestige!

The impregnable fortress!

Field trip time!

Another interesting aspect we took notice of was that the majority of visitors to the castle were all elementary schoolers and very young children.  One thing I’ve noticed from touring Japan is the emphasis they put on knowing and valuing historical events.  I think it’s wonderful that they have the chance to tour Osaka-jo and learn about its history because it’s one of the most important landmarks that unified Japan.  I now have much more respect for Japan’s building architecture and am happy to see that this castle is still in great shape today!

Hiroshima Memorial

After our visit to Miyajima Island and our delicious lunch of Osaka’s famous soba noodle pancake dish, we decided to pay our respects to the Hiroshima memorial.  Right outside of the museum is a giant flame that never will go out until world peace is achieved.  I thought it was a beautiful symbol because it helps remind us of all of the victims who lost their lives that tragic day.  The inside of the museum contained three floors that described the events that occurred and the horrible after effects.  The first floor was just strictly background information on Hiroshima and details of the war with videos, quotes, and black and white photos.  The second floor contained a variety of models of the town showing the before and after appearances of the bombing.  It was truly astounding to see what little of the town stood after the atomic bomb, and even more astounding that parts of it still stand today.  The third floor was truly the most tragic part that contained personal biographies of some of the victims.

It was painful for me to read the stories.  Some of the victims never experienced any pain until years after the event and just spontaneously grew weak and died.  The symptoms of radiation poison were impossible to track back then and often occurred without warning.  One lady even lived to be 87 and never showed any signs of injury until she died.  Even animals that were within the radius, such as work horses, would continue to live as normal until the sickness one day struck them.  It was truly saddening to be reminded of this, yet I’m glad I was.  This makes me value my life, friends, family, and safety even more now and inspires me to live things to the fullest.

Also worth noting was the Sadako Sasaki crane memorial outside the museum.  Thousands of paper cranes all folded by children were made in her honor:

“A person free to choose will always choose peace.”

Witnessing all of these things with my own eyes today made me realize something.  Even if world peace is impossible, we can still find peace among ourselves.

Miyajima Island

Today’s adventure took us sailing across the waters to an island inhibited with giant spoons, green tea ice cream, and man-eating deer.  Okay, I was kidding about the deer, because I actually befriended the one to the right after he tried to eat my map.  But be wary, these creatures are literally everywhere!  The island you see pictured above is Miyajima island, which is a peaceful and scenic place filled with temples, gift shops, delicious food, and natural beauty.  There were many ways to tour Miyajima, including a sea path, boating tours, rural roads, and a forest trail.  My group decided to wander across the sea path and take pictures of the torii (famous red arch), and visit the Itsukushima temple.  As an outdoors person, I enjoyed seeing the ancient parts of Japan’s culture and walking around in the warm and beautiful weather.  Riding the ferry to the island reminded me of riding to Mackinac Island here in Michigan, and it was a very relaxing and nostalgic experience.

Another fun part of our island trip was seeing all of the local food!  A couple of colleagues of mine decided to be adventurous and try some oysters and squid balls.  I decided to play it safe and try some strawberry ice shavings and green tea ice cream, but it was still very delicious.  Another characteristic part of the island were the giant wooden spoons scattered throughout it.  We were challenged by our professor to find the largest one and here it is, right in the center of the shopping district (pictured with Daniel Craun):

いっただきます！

Inevitably, our trip to Miyajima Island was rejuvenating and fill with a lot of fun exploration.  Looking forward to experiencing more of Japan’s culture through it’s beautiful scenery!