So... how do YOU deal with Japan obessessed maniacs?

[Qu_Qu]

i think some youngsters are just going through a phase of infactuation,it will go away in time

 

[Emoni]

i think some youngsters are just going through a phase of infactuation,it will go away in time

I thought that too... so far I haven't seen anyone grow out of it.

 

[Karamuucho]

I thought that too... so far I haven't seen anyone grow out of it.

I've seen some who have distanced themselves from anime, or Japanese music for reasons out of their control for a certain amount of time (half a year, longer), and lost their (uh, wee something, lol) "qualities", and remained to enjoy anime and manga as a sane human being.

To be honest I beleive this may be something to do with having a life outside of their rooms, the way I see it, if your whole world revolves around anime, games and Japanese music, and it becomes all you know and do, then inevitably you become a Japan geek. I guess this grows into an infatuation.

 

[Damicci]

So you mean Japan isn't the greatest country? Hmmm.... I am marrying for all the wrong reasons I guess. I thought once I married a Japanese woman I would become one of them. Suddenly my hair would grow straight and staying out of the sun would cause my skin tone to lighten.

Sucks, guess I'll actually have to fall in love with the person and not her ethnicity.....</sarcasm>

I answer the stupid questions with experiences I have encountered.
"Yes I was one of the tallest people there but there many tall Japanese contrary to ignorance....i mean popular belief"

 

[Nana007]

I post mainly in the J-Pop section. I like VK bands and Yes I like Miyavi... I also like Pocarri Sweat, but cant STAND CALPIS.

I am trying to learn Japanese so yes I can understand the music better. Is that a crime to want to actually be able to understand what your listening to without having to read a translation?

I like anime...and yes I learned about Japan through anime in 6th grade...Almost 8 years ago.

Do I want to be Japanese...Hell No.
Do I think Japanese ANYTHING is Superior ...nevermind Maybe Cars I own a piece of Crap Ford and its only a 2002 and I have a crap load of trouble. My Aunt Used to Have a Toyota Corolla and IT NEVER broke and that was a 1994...she recently got rid of it for a Toyota Avalon.
Do I think only Japanese guys are Hot and is fixated on Marrying a Japanese guy....again Hell No.

And if a band has bad music, then no matter how cute they are I am not listening to them, and I wont call myself a FAN of them.

As far as being obsessed? Well I LOVED anime used to watch it ALL the TIME and then after 2 years of it...slowed down Now I barely watch anime I follow maybe 4 series at this time and dont even watch them on the regular. I might watch 1 episode of a series a MONTH if that.

As for Japanese Music I dont listen to it exclusively. And Japanese Music is just one of Many Many different types of International musics that I listened to, but still the Majority of the Music on my computer is U.S artists and the Majority of that Rap...which is weird as I tend not to listen to alot of American Rock (there are a few artists) and listen to Japanese rock...But I cant STAND MOST Japanese Rap.

Edit: The only thing I guess you can say that is Japanese that I obsess about is the band Dir en grey...I mean you would have to be obsessed to fly to Japan 2x just to go to there concerts...but hey everyone needs a hobby...and mine hurts no one but my bank account...and thus me.

 

[ghettocities]

Well I LOVED anime used to watch it ALL the TIME and then after 2 years of it...slowed down Now I barely watch anime I follow maybe 4 series at this time and dont even watch them on the regular. I might watch 1 episode of a series a MONTH if that.

Same here. When I was 12 I was running one of the greatest hentai websites on the internet called Inju's naughty tentacle archieve, I loved anime too but then my viewing slowed down a lot with both hentai and regular animation.

I figured out that the reason my viewing of the two wasen't because I was growing tired of it or losing any interest, rather the reason I wasen't watching as much as I used to was because no good hentai or regular animation was being produced.


Josh

 

[mau-mau]

Being obsesed is OK if you are a teenager, but anything over 20 and still obsessed is not good. Some people should grow up or go to Japan and see with their very own eyes what's going on there.

 

[Emoni]

When I was 12 I was running one of the greatest hentai websites on the internet called Inju's naughty tentacle archieve

Way to make a mommy proud. I'm sure she had interesting parent stories after that.

Josh Mom: "I just happened to open the door, it wasn't locked, and I found him... I found him naked... with an octopus and internet pictures with... oh my...":13:

 

[yukio_michael]

Isn't "greatest hentai website" sort of an oxymoron?

 

[MajideSaiaku]

Sometimes I try and enlighten them but overall I ignore them and wait for time and the cold harsh stabbing shock of reality to do it for me.

Though I have never confirmed if time and reality have been a reliable counter-otaku measure.

 

[Habu31]

I think they are funny. Especially if they never even been to Japan. But it goes both ways. What about the Japanese that are obsessed with other cultures. Ya know, Latino, Jamaican, Black, ect. and have never been to the states. Or can't even point to Jamaica on a map.

No hate though, because everybody has some sort of obsession. You just have to distinguish an obsession from just being a plain dork!

~ Cold Front, Warm Front, DON'T FRONT! ~

 

[doinkies]

Isn't "greatest hentai website" sort of an oxymoron?

And isn't "good hentai" sort of an oxymoron too?

 

[ghettocities]

Isn't "greatest hentai website" sort of an oxymoron?

No, it was really the greatest and I was managing it at the age of twelve. Whats even more incredible is I designed the layout in Truspace, took me like 60 - 80 hours to 3d render all the graphics and design. I had this little red 3d octopuss charecter that was sort of the mascot. Additionally, the website was great because I'd go around mIRC fservs etc. (this is like 1994 remember,) and I'd find the best hentai, like if it (the hentai I was looking at,) left me at a loss of words then I'd upload it onto my website and I think my viewers appreciated that.

I had someone offer me $2,000 to sell the website concept but I didn't because I wasen't doing it for the money, and that's where the Japan obsession (on topic) comes in.

Oh and for the record, Spunky Knight #3 from Eros Comics is the best hentai/naughty tentacle comic ever created, Super taboo rocks, Adventure kid (VHS) and La Blue girl will always have a place in my heart.


I'm going to Japan in a few days! I love this whole being rich thing.

Josh

 

[ArmandV]

Way to make a mommy proud. I'm sure she had interesting parent stories after that.
Josh Mom: "I just happened to open the door, it wasn't locked, and I found him... I found him naked... with an octopus and internet pictures with... oh my...":13:

"I'd rather be, under the sea, in an octopuses' garden..."

 

[ghettocities]

"I'd rather be, under the sea, in an octopuses' garden..."

"Darling it's better, down where it's wetter, take it from me!"



Josh

 

[Stargazer]

That's ME

I read this first post and you described me to a T. I've got a good head on my shoulders, but I've been fascinated with Japan ever since I was a child. There's nothing wrong with having a passion for something; it can help drive your life in directions you never dreamed possible.

I decided when I was a child that I was going to marry a Japanese man. ha Well I grew up and married an Asian man, not Japanese but I'm very happy. I took karate when I was in college. I consider achieving my black belt one of my life's successes.

Right now I'm studying Japanese, as is my daughter, I like reading manga and watching anime, and I have to say I do like all the cute Japanese things. I think it's more than a childlike curiosity about Japan and its culture for me. It's one of those life dreams to go and spend some time there in the culture.

Many Japanese are obsessed with Paris. So are many Asians -my sister-in-law's dream place to go is Paris. Also many people are obsessed with all things American! They want to dress like us, smoke the same cigarettes, have the same newspapers, carry our groceries. Everyone wants a McDonald's or a Starbucks in their area.

I think you're just seeing a small bit of it and it's getting annoying to you because you don't see things like the others do. Maybe you have your own dream or passion? I'm sure it's an uplifting thing for you. Thinking of Japan and that I could someday go there makes me happy. Even Vincent van Gogh dreamed of going there! He did a series of Japanese paintings, although unfortunately he never realized his dream of going to Japan. OK, so maybe Vincent was a little off his rocker at times, but it's not because he had a passion for Japan.

 

[yukio_michael]

Right now I'm studying Japanese, as is my daughter, I like reading manga and watching anime, and I have to say I do like all the cute Japanese things. [...]

I think you're just seeing a small bit of it and it's getting annoying to you because you don't see things like the others do.

No, it's anoying because the people who have actually spent time around Japanese people, have significant others whom are Japanese, who have friends who are Japanese, don't see them as "cute novelties"... Believe it or not, we've seen it all before "as other do...".

I may never be able to discuss manga or anime with you, but don't for a moment pretend to think that because you watch anime and read manga that you some how simply have a "seperate, yet equal" view of Japan.

Also many people are obsessed with all things American! They want to dress like us, smoke the same cigarettes, have the same newspapers, carry our groceries. Everyone wants a McDonald's or a Starbucks in their area.

No appologies, I think you're completely wrong on this.

~

ps. Your opinions aren't unique for someone, who as your profile states has never been to Japan... I think this is one of the major gripes people have about some of the opinions that get formulated--- It's some sort of abstracted obsessive idealism that has no relevance to actual reality--- That's the issue.

 

[TuskCracker]

Being obsesed is OK if you are a teenager, but anything over 20 and still obsessed is not good. Some people should grow up or go to Japan and see with their very own eyes what's going on there.

Many people just do not have the money to fly to Japan and pay for Hotel/Motels. Between mortgage and car payments, many many people really can only pay for basics (food, electricity, water bill....).

I love to own a 40-60 foot modern Yacht. It will never happen for me.

The guy who just was fired/quit from HEWLETT-PACKARD board of directors has a 17 million dollar custom yacht. We all want this, but their is reality.

 

[MajideSaiaku]

I suppouse I should admit to the forums that I was once an Otaku myself, started when I was 13-14, and lasted till I was 16-17.

I remember the day I stopped being an Otaku clearly, I was in the central library in my city where my old man works, with my best bud, we were sitting on some chairs in a corner near a window on a second artificial raised floor with the window going down to the proper floor below. the sun was golden, probably around 3-4 pm.

I was drawing some Manga, we both were, and my mate went away for a second, I forgot which, most likely to find a toilet, and I suddenly relised that aside from making a pact with the dark gods and gaining super-human powers, I was never going to become a manga-artist in Japan and I had no real interest in becomming a "manga" artist for western audiences, mainly because at the time, as far as I was aware, Manga and western otakunism was strictly based off of Japanese source material.

I was fairly good at drawing manga aswell, and I could probably get my skills back with some practice, I already have an acceptable lower standard when I doodle, which sadly now is extremely rare.


The point is I grew out of it, with a help of some realizations, and I came to know a more real Japan, which was far more interesting anf facinating then the Otaku image, without having any obsessive symptoms around it.


My energies moved onto gaming, sci-fi, but mroe importantly, scientific study, travelling and exploring, and understanding the world better.

I wouldnt trade my experiences and memories of Japan through the eyes I witnessed it at the time for any Otaku fantasy in the world.

The real deal, and my 3 month stay there was more special and facinating to me then any anime image of it.


I think the problem is for otaku's, especially the younger variety, is that without practical experience or knowledge of Japan, they cant seperate the anime image from the real one.


Its amazing the massive difference between people in real life in Japan, and their anime counter-parts.

Anime is the one place where Japanese social pressures are weak or non-existant, it gives somewhere for Japanese people to express themselves emotionally moreso then daily life, its escapism, just like western escapist interests.

I have a hypothesis that in Japanese society, being a high pressure social enviroment for many, Anime needs to be a powerful escapist "therapy", and this has a powerful draw to teenage western otaku's, who may feel strong pressures upon them in their own lives.

Adult long term or even perminant Otakuism is somewhat different, and I'll leave it to someone who is more familiar with them to comment on that.


Most teenage otaku's will grow out of it, for the rest, meh, aslnog as they arent bothering me I wont bother them.

 

[yukio_michael]

Many people just do not have the money to fly to Japan and pay for Hotel/Motels. Between mortgage and car payments, many many people really can only pay for basics (food, electricity, water bill....).

Nobody is saying that simply going to Japan earns you some sort of right to discuss it... Just don't come to the discussion table with Anime as your reference material.

The people who talk about Japan as this kawaii land of the cute lolis haven't bothered to learn anything about Japan outside of whatever pornography and doujinshii they can buy off of J-List.

I'd say probably, that J-List, one man's cash cow, is probably the biggest offender when it comes to producing this fantasy-image of Japan. There certainly isn't any shortage of people who want to buy hentai-tentacle-rape manga, but at the same time the proprietors of J-List have to realise that they are basically selling an image of Japan that makes it appear to be a country of pornographers & fetish freaks.

"Wacky things from Japan..." Oh, go shove it up your A~~~~~....

 

[senseiman]

I love meeting people who are obsessed with Japan but haven't actually been there. We are the perfect match for each other. They are very eager to hear and learn about Japan and I am very eager to drone on and on about all my old stories and knowledge of Japan which most other people find horrendously boring. They are the perfect audience!

Absolutely fantastic people they are and shame on anyone who feels otherwise!!

 

[leonmarino]

Well to be honest I was obsessed with Japan myself. Being half and never been there for longer than 6 weeks, I romanticized Japan and everything Japanese.

I kind of quit doing that when I went there a few years ago after a 11-year absence. I found that my image of Japan didn't match with reality.

 

[Emoni]

No, it's anoying because the people who have actually spent time around Japanese people, have significant others whom are Japanese, who have friends who are Japanese, don't see them as "cute novelties"... Believe it or not, we seen it all before "as other do...".

I may never be able to discuss manga or anime with you, but don't for a moment pretend to think that because you watch anime and read manga that you some how simply have a "seperate, yet equal" view of Japan.

No appologies, I think you're completely wrong on this.

~

ps. Your opinions aren't unique for someone, who as your profile states has never been to Japan... I think this is one of the major gripes people have about some of the opinions that get formulated--- It's some sort of abstracted obsessive idealism that has no relevance to actual reality--- That's the issue.

I couldn't have responded better myself. I'm always amazed by those who seem to think total ignorance of experience with the country of Japan is some how something to be proud of in their mind so they maintain their happy fantasy as something special. I think your mention that they seem to consider it "seperate, but equal" based on manga and pop culture crap is accurate. In fact, it probably the most problimatic thing for anyone truly trying to learn the culture.

Very good post.

 

[craftsman]

No appologies, I think you're completely wrong on this.

I wasn't sure what you meant here. Did you mean that many people aren't obsessed with American culture?

It's kind of sounding rather like a 'we know better than you' thread from your comments, Emoni and yukio_michael. I'm not so sure on the validity of that position. You seem to be comparing a dream which seems to be just that with the reality. My question would be just what is the reality of life in Japan? Can you answer that? Can anyone answer that emphatically? Or do we all know small pieces of Japan and it's culture and apply those pieces with a broad brush?

Japan can be as superficial or deep as you want it to be.

 

[undrentide]

Japan can be as superficial or deep as you want it to be.

I like this statement, also feel like to add "like any other country/culture,".