Should I import a Japanese Diamond/Pearl?

[Persian]

The waiting is not funs.

So yeah...I was thinking over the past couple of days...what if I DID import? I'm not saying I will or won't yet, but ever since I mentioned it to my parents...

My mom has almost been PUSHING me to get one in Japanese! @_@ It's because I'm taking Japanese at school, but it's a relatively easy class, and I want to be challenged more in it. Cuz I really like learning Japanese, and I just want to learn more...pretty much for the sake of learning more! It's fun. ^_^

And actually, getting a Japanese game like Pokemon Diamond/Pearl would be a pretty good learning tool. If I took notes, I could reinforce vocabulary/grammar points I picked up, and could work on translating odd attack names and such.

I've been doing pretty well with the Pokemon Ranger manga (when I have time to actually try to READ it and not skim it), which I usally read a few pages when I have time. If I have a dictionary and some sort of English summary/basic walkthrough of the game, it really makes it doable (if time-consuming).

So...here's a pro/con list:

PRO:
- Wouldn't have to wait the 82 days to play
- Don't need to hide in fear of seeing a DP Pokemon three months early
- Could give me very good reading practice for Japanese (we speak more than read), especially for dialogue and more casual phrases
- Vocab enhancer
- If I stuck to the "understand each screen" thing, it would take me awhile to play. I would get tired after 15-30 minutes, and therefore wouldn't get through much before the English one would come out
- Cheaper than the equivalent amount of manga (for the learning material)

CON:
- All that waiting (since it came out in Japan) would essentially be for NOTHING (since I could have gotten it months ago)
- It might make the whole game less fun, because I wouldn't understand enough to play it for fun, and it would ruin the surprises of the English game
- $15+ more expensive
- Should a game be for fun or to learn? I might not get to enjoy it when I have it
- Would I stick to the "understand each screen" thing, or glaze over and ruin it MORE
- I could just get some Japanese manga with furigana, would be cheaper if I only spent my time on one volume
- I could just get a Japanese game AFTER I get an English game, and it would eliminate the need for a walkthrough (although I might not get as much out of it in terms of education)

So nya...

Should I give into temptation, and buy a Japanese Diamond or Pearl? I'd have enough money this weekend, so I coud probably do it...but I've done all that waiting (four months of it, compared to three more), and I'd be throwing all that away and not sticking to my promise to myself.

Plus, I could just buy some Pokemon Special manga from Kinokuniya, and would get a similar (and probably easier to take advantage of) situation. That was the original plan for Japanese learning, anyway, and there won't be any more PokeSpecial manga to wait for.

But I REALLY want to play DP, and I've already ruined so much of it...T_T

What should I DO?

 

[Alex Bock]

Well you could get both , one in english and one in japanese. You say how you would ruin it if you got a japanese one first but, You would atually get three times more gameplay out of it. Example you get a japanese one "Nyaaa, I didn't understand it that well but I got some stuff out of it," english one "Nyaaa, oh I see how the story goes now!" then you go back to the japanese one and (if you would want to) restart it. With that(since you're taking japanese and just went through the english story) you'll be able to go through the japanese adventure again and, find the differences and compare between what the characters say in japanese and what the characters say in english. If that dosen't help you come up with a solution then think of it like this IT GIVES YOU THE REASON AND EXCUSE TO BUY BOTH DIAMOND AND PEARL (unless you want both of one in japanese and english) Hope I could help :-\

 

[Linkachu]

I think you should go for it, too. If you have some sort of grasp on translating Japanese text already, you may be able to understand more of the game than you'd think. baratron was debating importing one of the games for some of the same reasons you mentioned above, but in the end she did... and rather enjoyed it. Pokemon games, beyond story text, are pretty straight forward no matter what language you play 'em in. From the sounds of it, D/P are also good to use pics and icons to differentiate between items.

Plus, we've got Pokedex's to help out with attacks you're unsure of. When you can't decide whether to keep or delete a new attack, or are unsure of a TM/HM, just hit an online dex and see what the move actually is =)

So yar... I'd say, go for it, and whichever game you import, buy the opposite game in English later on. I do feel for you with the "holding out for the English version" thing, though. All that work at trying not to spoil stuff... all for, well, nothing. But hey, we won't tease you too bad over it

 

[Sem]

As Alex said it'd be a nice excuse to get both versions. You'd be able to understand the text more than you'd think. I really don't see anything wrong with it...

PRO:
- Wouldn't have to wait the 82 days to play - That's always a plus.
- Don't need to hide in fear of seeing a DP Pokemon three months early - If you've done ok so far, then you should be able to last until April...
- Could give me very good reading practice for Japanese (we speak more than read), especially for dialogue and more casual phrases - "Tell us... How did you get to the top of your Japanese class?" ..."I played a Japanese pokeyman game..."
- Vocab enhancer - See above.
- If I stuck to the "understand each screen" thing, it would take me awhile to play. I would get tired after 15-30 minutes, and therefore wouldn't get through much before the English one would come out - I would do the "Understand each screen as much as I can" thing, and then move on.
- Cheaper than the equivalent amount of manga (for the learning material) - Deffinatly worth it if the game is cheaper plus has as much, if not more reading material.

CON:
- All that waiting (since it came out in Japan) would essentially be for NOTHING (since I could have gotten it months ago) - Eh, I bet you'd get over it once you have the game in your hands.
- It might make the whole game less fun, because I wouldn't understand enough to play it for fun, and it would ruin the surprises of the English game - I wouldn't think so. You'll probably know what's going on in the game for the most part. The English version you get later would clarify those few things you didn't get.
- $15+ more expensive - 3 months...
- Should a game be for fun or to learn? I might not get to enjoy it when I have it - I'm sure you would. A game could be for either or for both. (Just look at all the PC games for children. >>) I know you won't be just reading the lines of text. You'll get into the story as well. To me doing it in a language you half-understand is more fun. I think you'd be killing two Tailows with one Geodude... o.o ..... (Someone kill me...)
- Would I stick to the "understand each screen" thing, or glaze over and ruin it MORE - You can't glaze over Japanese text to learn it... If this is for learning like you say it is then I'd think you'd wanna take your time with the text.
- I could just get some Japanese manga with furigana, would be cheaper if I only spent my time on one volume - Three months...
- I could just get a Japanese game AFTER I get an English game, and it would eliminate the need for a walkthrough (although I might not get as much out of it in terms of education) - Three months... XD Like Katie said, you'll understand more than you think.

Eh, you're the ultimate judge in this. You know yourself and how you'll react. FOLLOW YOUR HEART!

 

[Persian]

*cough* Persian caved. ^_^;;;

As of last night, I officially have a Japanese Poketto Monsutaa Daiyamondo on the way to my house. It shall take anywhere from 5-10 (probably business) days.

So...by Valentines Day...I shall join you in the "laughing at Persian because she couldn't last another three months" group. X3 It shall be most fun.

And the "if you are Persian, DON'T LOOK AT THIS" signs can come down. Well, soon...I guess. X3

 

[ryot!]

i have a question: shellos has a different sprite for japan than america. if i traded with a japanese version, would i be able to get the eastern sprite? i really prefer that one!

 

[Sem]

You got your information wrong. XD Plus this isn't the place to ask this.

But to answer your question anyway. Both the Western and Eastern Shellos are available in D/P. They're not region/version exclusive. You catch the Western Shellos on the Western side of Sinnoh and you catch the Eastern Shellos on the Eastern side of Sinnoh. Go figure.

 

[ryot!]

oh! sorry about the location of the question tho. kinda embarassing.

 

[Persian]

o_O Maybe a mod should lock this thread...? I mean, after all, I already have my Japanese Diamond...so...^_^;;;