No Japanese needed
While this game does appear to have a plot, it's still fun to play even if you don't know what the characters are saying. The controls are pretty straightforward and there are animated examples of how to use various moves through the course of the game. I think the main thing I had to figure out was how to save... When you release a mermaid from her shell, the game autosaves. I also looked up 'yes' and 'no' in Japanese and answer 'yes' to conversations as it seems to put you into a bonus area when you do.

If you like Mario and/or Kirby games, you should enjoy this one.

Also, the box comes with a sticker inside!