--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rest of the world may devour Japanese…" description: "\"The rest of the world may devour Japanese hardware - from Honda Civics to Sony Walkmans - but Japanese software, such as books, movies and recordings, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/david-sheff-7087_computers_the-rest-of-the-world-may-devour-japanes_722460.jpg" --- # The rest of the world may devour Japanese hardware - from… ![“The rest of the world may devour Japanese hardware - from Honda Civics to Sony Walkmans - but Japanese software, such as books, movies and recordings, has had little impact outside Japan. The exception is video games.” quote by David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/david-sheff-7087_computers_the-rest-of-the-world-may-devour-japanes_722460.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/david-sheff-7087_computers_the-rest-of-the-world-may-devour-japanes_722460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/david-sheff-7087_computers_the-rest-of-the-world-may-devour-japanes_722460.jpg) > “The rest of the world may devour Japanese hardware - from Honda Civics to Sony Walkmans - but Japanese software, such as books, movies and recordings, has had little impact outside Japan. The exception is video games.” [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Japanese software struggled globally except for video games, which became a cultural bridge. **In simple terms:** Japanese media mostly stayed domestic; games broke out. Key Takeaway Recognize games as Japan’s global cultural export. Themes culture media globalization technology entertainment Mood reflective analytical Type observational insightful When to use this quote - marketing Japanese software abroad - studying game design - cross‑cultural media analysis Key Concepts cultural diffusion media influence industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What made games succeed where other media did not? - How can other Japanese media leverage gaming success? A Different Perspective Other Japanese media remain niche despite quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Video games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video-games/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Opening new stores outside of Japan is important, but training our employees is even more important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/opening-new-stores-outside-of-japan-is-important-but-training-our/) [Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/) > [“KOBE BEEF OUTSIDE JAPAN This is much trickier, and the only three places in the United States I consider reliable are the restaurants in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-olmsted/kobe-beef-outside-japan-this-is-much-trickier-and-the-only-three/) [Larry Olmsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-olmsted/) > [When the first video was uploaded to YouTube, that's when we realized that people outside of Japan were interested. That's where we see Babymetal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yui-mizuno/when-the-first-video-was-uploaded-to-youtube-that-s-when-we-realized/) [Yui Mizuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yui-mizuno/) > [However in countries outside of Japan I think game music is still a potential growth market that has not yet developed to the extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuo-uematsu/however-in-countries-outside-of-japan-i-think-game-music-is-still-a/) [Nobuo Uematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuo-uematsu/) > [I think recognition outside of Japan is amazing. I don't feel like that kind of thing would ever happen to me, as I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-fujiwara/i-think-recognition-outside-of-japan-is-amazing-i-don-t-feel-like/) [Hiroshi Fujiwara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-fujiwara/) > [“Japan has a lot of really great beef, like Matsuzaka, but outside of Japan only Kobe is known,” said Troy Lee, an Australian who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-olmsted/japan-has-a-lot-of-really-great-beef-like-matsuzaka-but-outside-of/) [Larry Olmsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-olmsted/) > [Through playing so many shows now outside of Japan, what I realize the most is that there is a very diverse fan base that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzuka-nakamoto/through-playing-so-many-shows-now-outside-of-japan-what-i-realize-the/) [Suzuka Nakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzuka-nakamoto/) > [I'm happy that my films were discovered by chance by foreign film festivals. That makes me realise more that there is a world outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-miike/i-m-happy-that-my-films-were-discovered-by-chance-by-foreign-film/) [Takashi Miike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-miike/) > [So many of us, we love these things that come from Japan. We play the video games every day, we read the manga, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-han/so-many-of-us-we-love-these-things-that-come-from-japan-we-play-the/) [Yaya Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-han/) > [“Only the framing material," Lucas demurely, "obvious influences, Neo-Tokyo from Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Metal Gear Solid by Hideo Kojima, or as he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/only-the-framing-material-lucas-demurely-obvious-influences-neo-tokyo/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [That's the difference between even the best video game and what's going on in books. Video games can inspire a reaction, but not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/that-s-the-difference-between-even-the-best-video-game-and-what-s/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [I think video games have been instrumental to me as an NBA player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-hayward/i-think-video-games-have-been-instrumental-to-me-as-an-nba-player/) [Gordon Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-hayward/) > [Hands down, I'm a god amongst men when it comes to video games. I walk over everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelton-benjamin/hands-down-i-m-a-god-amongst-men-when-it-comes-to-video-games-i-walk/) [Shelton Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelton-benjamin/) > [“Maybe I could use a little metal on the inside, I thought. If I'd kept my heart better armored, where would I be now?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/maybe-i-could-use-a-little-metal-on-the-inside-i-thought-if-i-d-kept/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [Playing video games is something I enjoy in my spare time. I'm a gamer, always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-garnett/playing-video-games-is-something-i-enjoy-in-my-spare-time-i-m-a-gamer/) [Kevin Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-garnett/) ## More by David Sheff > [I was ashamed. My son is a drug addict. What does this mean about me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/i-was-ashamed-my-son-is-a-drug-addict-what-does-this-mean-about-me/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Elvis Presley's music said, 'Free your body.' The Beatles said, 'Free your mind.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/elvis-presley-s-music-said-free-your-body-the-beatles-said-free-your/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Well, addiction does start with a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/well-addiction-does-start-with-a-choice/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Some parents want to be popular, but that's not their job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/some-parents-want-to-be-popular-but-that-s-not-their-job/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [The war on drugs is a joke. We spend $40 billion a year, and the proof that it's a failure is that any kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/the-war-on-drugs-is-a-joke-we-spend-40-billion-a-year-and-the-proof/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [When I was a child, my parents didn't know anything about drugs. They didn't even drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/when-i-was-a-child-my-parents-didn-t-know-anything-about-drugs-they/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Nick's mother and I were attentive, probably overly attentive - part of the first wave of parents obsessed with our children in a self-conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/nick-s-mother-and-i-were-attentive-probably-overly-attentive-part-of/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Having been hit by drug addiction, knowing how many are hit by it and what a big problem it is in our neighborhoods and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/having-been-hit-by-drug-addiction-knowing-how-many-are-hit-by-it-and/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Here's a note to the parents of addicted children: Choose your music carefully...There are millions of treacherous moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/here-s-a-note-to-the-parents-of-addicted-children-choose-your-music/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [This stigma associated with drug use--the belief that bad kids use, good kids don't, and those with full-blown addiction are weak, dissolute, and pathetic--has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/this-stigma-associated-with-drug-use-the-belief-that-bad-kids-use/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [It's hard to find someone who did as many drugs for as long and in such dangerous combinations as Nic - spending years going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/it-s-hard-to-find-someone-who-did-as-many-drugs-for-as-long-and-in/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [I chose a rehab center for Nic that was recommended by a friend who had sent her son there. The program lasted 28 days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/i-chose-a-rehab-center-for-nic-that-was-recommended-by-a-friend-who/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [“In his suicide note, Kurt Cobain wrote, "It's better to burn out than to fade away." He was quoting a Neil Young song about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/in-his-suicide-note-kurt-cobain-wrote-it-s-better-to-burn-out-than-to/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [Anyone who has lived through it, or those who are now living through it, knows that caring about an addict is as complex and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/anyone-who-has-lived-through-it-or-those-who-are-now-living-through/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [If a child had another disease, we'd be open about what we were going through, but addiction is stigmatised and comes with shame and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/if-a-child-had-another-disease-we-d-be-open-about-what-we-were-going/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) [Explore all 95 David Sheff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. 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Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. 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