I really like the sound of them, myself. Sure, they're a PITA if they land on a window or door screen and start belting it out, but most of the time they're just part of the ambient sound of summer over here, the "BGM" as they say.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon/wink.gif)
I'm not sure how many different kinds there are, but I recognize four here in my neighborhood: the abura-zemi (probably closest to what we have back home), the minmin-zemi, the tsukutsuku-boushi, and the higurashi (my personal favorite, that only sing in the evening or early morning).
I've found some sound files, in case anyone's interested in what they sound like:
http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~sibutaka/nat ... zemi_l.mp3
http://www.japonismo.com/archivos/minminzemi.mp3
http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~sibutaka/nat ... _8_220.wav
http://ynishioka.net/essay.files/higurashi.mp3
Not a type of cicada, but one quintessentially summer sound over here is that of the suzumushi, or "bell bug". They look like a variety of brown cricket and people raise them in plastic containers. I kept some for about four years, until I didn't keep the dirt in the container moist enough one winter and none of the eggs hatched the following spring.
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon/sad.gif)
Here's what they sound like:
http://www.big.jp/~eizo/blog/archives/0 ... umushi.mp3
I guess liking bugs comes with the territory...knowharramean?
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon/biggrin.gif)