DSi

The story starts on the First of October. Nintendo has planned a press meeting but some of the contents are leaked 2 days early by a Japanese newspaper, the article details the unvieling of a new DS. Nintendo of course reconfirms this articles with more indepth details and as such the DSi is born and set to release on the first of November.

The DSi is at its core only an upgrade to to the DS Lite but it includes features like bigger screens, lighter weight, better sound, the ability to play AAC music, digital camera and the ability to download software. This may not make for a large release crowd but Japan is the land of DS, DS Lite accessories can be found even in 100yen ($1) stores.

October passes and not another word is spoken about it. Then suddenly on the 22th a flood of advertisesments appears out of the blue. It is on this day that stores start taking pre-orders.

Of course being so sudden this isn't apparent. I actually find out from a message board that this is in fact, taking place and set out to find one. Unfortunately it becomes some what of a mess, stores do not actively announce whether or not they are taking them and even among stores of the same chain they may or may not. I set off to Akihabara but come back with nothing, apparently not everyone even knows it exists. The week passes and still no word of preorders. By the 28th preorders, where ever they had existed are pretty much over as I found out later from people who had managed to get one. This of course leaves me in an interesting predicament, I am now forced to camp for one.

Even when camping it becomes interesting because you don't know where and where not to camp. As it turns out most stores were taking preorders only but apparently they themselves didn't really know, or at least the clerks. Walking around on Halloween I hit a stroke of luck and find a sign that announces that people should line up here for the 10:00am opening. And so begins the final day.

I had originally anticipated taking the first train only to be made aware that dorm residents can't actually leave before 6:00am. Biding my time for a little while I take the 6:00am train to Akihabara in hopes of getting in line. Thankfully, it's not bad and I secure myself as 4th in line outside Ishimaru Game and Hobby. At this time Akihabara is a ghost town and looks strangely awkward like Laser Quest with the lights on. Usually brimming with people and shops it is a mass of concrete and metal shutters. People will not arrive in numbers until 10:00am.

The line is pretty interesting. The men in front of me are all young salarymen, in their early 20s dressed up in business suits. It appears as if they plan to go into work late after picking up their DSs. The two at the front have constructed a makeshift fort out of cardboard boxes and one of them offers me a flattened box to sit on.

It is quite cold outside. Not blistering but I only have a light jacket on. The box helps insulate me from the cold pavement. The man sitting next to me speaks some English and converses with me a little. Slowly a few more patrons fill in the line, this time they look more like the geekish otakus one would think of in this type of situation. The men at the front a nice and decide to pass down some snacks they have purchased at the local convenience store. More people trickle in. More look like otaku, but there is even a guy who looks to be in his 60s dropped off by a guy on a motorcycle.

I am bother with intestinal cramping of which I can trace back to at least 2 days ago. Japanese food makes for random diarrea, the worst of which is the stealthy time that hits you on the train. In the morning one can often note the line to use the sitting/squatting toilets at stations during rush hour, many brave souls have probably not been so fortunate as to aquire one. Luckly, I had taken medicine for just such an instance which would last for another 40 hours however the movement in one's colon is still unsettling. I excuse myself to at least relieve myself of liquids, but of couse have forgotten that toilets are often well hidden in a sea of buildings most of which have not opened yet. As I scurry about in a groggy daze I find that after 2 fruitless laps around the block that I will not find suitable facilities. Shambling back the the train station I am fortunate that as my transfer station I am able to gain entry. I then hurry myself back to my position.

The line has now moved. It appears that misunderstanding has taken place over where the line was to start. The campers have now re-arranged themselves using the new system. Luckily my friend in line has moved my stuff and saved my position in line and I express my thanks to him. As 10:00am approaches the clanking of metal shutters becomes perceptive and the morning sun has angled itself into the alleyway. We are then given tickets to reserve our specific system with a choice of black or white. I choose a black one. We are then escorted into the building to the second floor where we are rung up at the register. 18900yen.