Customer service in Japan is often heralded as exemplary, but Nintendo in particular has gained a reputation for going above and beyond their customer's needs, earning their service the nickname of "divine customer service" (神対応, kami-taiou). They've been to known to speedily reply to fixing damaged systems and giving personal correspondence to customers, completely replacing a damaged DS circuit board and battery for a total of 65 cents, and even replying to a touching thank you letter from a blind fifth-grader in braille.

Their latest example of looking after their customers may have set a new bar for their reputation, however. In a recent letter submitted to the Asahi Shinbun, a reader by the name of Kuniko Tsusaka wrote about a touching correspondence between Nintendo and her 95-year-old mother.

Tsusaka writes that her mother had always enjoyed playing Tetris on her original model Game Boy which she always kept by her side. However, upon turning 95, her mother feel sick and her Game Boy finally broke down as well (she had already replaced it twice, but only for the original model). They searched at many stores, but no shops sold it or could repair it.

Tsukasa's son, however, aware Nintendo's customer service reputation, told his grandmother that "Nintendo's divine customer service is really good!"--or at least that's what he thought he was telling her. The 95-year-old mistook the word for "divine customer service" (神対応, kami-taiou) as "paper customer service" (紙対応, kami-taiou), which sounds similar but with one kanji being the difference between "divine" and "paper".

Nevertheless, even in poor health the grandmother worked hard at a handwritten letter explaining the situation and sent it with her broken handheld to Nintendo. Within a week, Nintendo sent her a new Game Boy and a letter saying "Please live a long life."

Tsukasa replied to Nintendo with a picture of her overjoyed mother, and writes that while she sadly passed away at the age of 99, is certainly showing her appreciation from up above.

It turns out the "paper" and "divine" mistake didn't matter much, and ended up in the same kind service that uplifted a grandmother who missed her treasured Game Boy.