First Ever Mention of Nintendo in the U.S.?

**Valigarmander** · 12-06-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

A lot of dedicated gamers probably already know that Nintendo has been around as a company since 1887, selling Japanese playing cards long before the first video game would be invented. And for those gamers who do love their history, here's an additional tidbit: A NeoGAF poster seems to have found what might be the first ever mention of Nintendo in the U.S. press, in the "Patent Notice" section of the October 8, 1955 New York Times.

"Among the notices of trademark applications published this week is one from Nintendo Playing Card Company, Ltd., Kyoto City, Japan," the blurb reads. It then goes on for its remainder to be confounded by what "Nintendo" actually means:

"The notice explains that one of the Japanese characters in the mark means 'happiness, fortune, or wealth.' Three other characters, pronounced 'nintendo,' are harder to translate. They constitute a fanciful expression having no precise dictionary meaning either in Japanese or English, but the application gives them the approximate sense of 'a corporation whose fortune or prosperity should be left to the mercy of heaven.'"

And in America, our videogame corporations have gaudy names like Activision Blizzard. We think the Japanese might have us beat in this field.

dohohoho neat

Metal Mario · 12-06-2009, 04:56 PM

These days, Nintendo is usually said to mean "Leave luck to heaven", so that article got it pretty much right.

Robotazy · 12-06-2009, 05:18 PM

cool.

DrJordo · 12-09-2009, 02:35 PM

An interesting look at Nintendo before the video game.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 12-09-2009, 03:20 PM

So very cool, and almost prophetic.

***Ace Mercury*** · 12-09-2009, 04:55 PM

Whenever I need to roll out my Nintendo fanboy cred, I say "Dude, did you know that Nintendo a hundred years ago blah blah blah hanafuda cards?"

**X-3** · 12-09-2009, 08:05 PM

^You'll get another 5 credpoints if you mention the love hotels.

***Ace Mercury*** · 12-09-2009, 09:16 PM

That's inside of the "blah blah blah".

ahuambachano · 12-16-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-3

^You'll get another 5 credpoints if you mention the love hotels.

If you need instructions...

12-09-2009, 09:16 PM	#8
*Ace Mercury* Marshmallow Knight ☆ Supermod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Southern Ontario Gender: Posts: 23,275 Thanks: 568 Thanked 3,297 Times in 1,582 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Waaaaaaaaay ahead of you. That's inside of the "blah blah blah".

12-06-2009, 04:56 PM	#2
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	These days, Nintendo is usually said to mean "Leave luck to heaven", so that article got it pretty much right.

12-06-2009, 05:18 PM	#3
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	cool.

12-09-2009, 02:35 PM	#4
DrJordo Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: _____ Gender: Posts: 985 Thanks: 3 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	An interesting look at Nintendo before the video game.

12-09-2009, 03:20 PM	#5
I REALLY HATE POKEMON! Goku lives on the Sun Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: California, U.S.A Gender: Posts: 12,717 Thanks: 1,334 Thanked 275 Times in 234 Posts Blog Entries: 1	So very cool, and almost prophetic.

12-09-2009, 04:55 PM	#6
*Ace Mercury* Marshmallow Knight ☆ Supermod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Southern Ontario Gender: Posts: 23,275 Thanks: 568 Thanked 3,297 Times in 1,582 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Whenever I need to roll out my Nintendo fanboy cred, I say "Dude, did you know that Nintendo a hundred years ago blah blah blah hanafuda cards?"

12-09-2009, 08:05 PM	#7
X-3 Useful as an Owl Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Posts: 15,943 Thanks: 753 Thanked 1,213 Times in 790 Posts Blog Entries: 10	^You'll get another 5 credpoints if you mention the love hotels.