Cool. My understanding is good German-style knives are generally made of softer metal (less carbon?). They don't hold an edge as long, require frequent honing but are much easier to hone and sharpen. Conversely, Japanese-style knives are harder, stay sharper much longer, but tend to be brittle. I've known several cooks who steer clear of the Shun-style because they chip too easily. But these are people who use their knives way more than the average person.
A local knife sharpener highly recommended
Dexter-Russell knives for the price. They're supposed to be high quality but nothing fancy.