Operation Cherry Blossom

I've been picking my way through Monster Hunter Portable 3rd on PSP since January. Not that I'm that far in, mind, as the Japanese text is stopping me from fully enjoying the game.

While I can recognise some Japanese Kanji, the staggering amount of items, weapons and armour in the Monster Hunter series means I am definitely missing out on a hefty chunk of the experience due to the language barrier.

I know I'm not alone in wishing Capcom would localise the game for the Western market and even if the PSP version isn't a possibility, hopes remain high that the forthcoming PS3 version will make it to the West.

But the Monster Hunter community are leaving nothing to chance and have set up a drive to make this a reality.

Fellow Monster Hunter addict and writer Brad Gallaway - check out his excellent Drinking Coffee Cola blog - brought Operation Cherry Blossom to my attention.

The Monster Hunter Podcast and the Well-Done Podcast, along with a helping hand from Capcom, have launched an initiative to get the game released in the West by trying to raise the series' profile.

While it's true that many online petitions and campaigns are doomed to failure, remember that Yakuza's fanbase were instrumental in getting Yakuza 3 released in Europe and the US - so there is hope.

If you have yet to sample the long-lasting delights of Monster Hunter, there is still plenty of time to get involved.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on PSP and Monster Hunter Tri on Wii are available and are cheap as chips these days. Both offer hundreds of hours of entertainment and provide unforgettable experiences.

So let's do what we can to get Portable 3rd released in the West. It's easily the most accessible game in the series and it would be a real shame if it never saw the light of day in Europe.