What is the obsession with the Japanese people? Thread

I see people from the elderly to children enjoying Japanese cartoons, history, movies, and then in turn try to imitate what they see. What is the deal? Is it a separate reality from their own is why they enjoy it? Is it the polite, but strict rules of the Japanese?

The Japanese people to me, are very polite and friendly, this is polar opposite to the American counterpart im use to. Many Australians I have dealt with are the same. Polite, open to opinion and friendly.

Why are there so many people obsessed with Japan or the Japanese theme?

Because they are nice? Because manga is 20th and 12st century art? Because it's Japanese and comes from Japan, but not a international product but comes from the nation of Japanese? Nowadays world has become a single country in the West and there are no civilizations nor nations anymore. We have just sold everything.

because moron middle class people suddenly discovered a region the world has known about for 8000 years now..
yep.. its like their obsession with Dubai as well. Its what we call a "trend" and those are for people that just suck at thinking.. about anything.. and would rather just spend money.

people have obsessions with everything, its human nature... why are people obsessed with the american image?

Why is it an obsession? I know plently of people who enjoy Japanese art like manga or even shows like anime but also enjoy other cultures. Though I must say, the Japanese language is pretty f--king cool. Hai.

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Simply because its different from the everyday thing ... Why do people like WOW? Why do some people really get into harry potter? Why did kids like the twilight movie so much? Why did a small group of people love firefly so much?

Its the simple fact that people want variety in their life ... so i would think that generally bored people would be more susceptable to getting caught up in one of these trends ...

Ive watched a few anime shows and liked them ... and i guess the primary reason as to why i like them is simply because its much different that regular american TV ... although admittantly they are not very origional themselfves ... alot of those anime shows now days are rip offs of old ones ... but so what? I haven't seen the old ones ...

So yea, i guess you could say escapism ... which is perfectly healthy in small amounts ...

Edited by: Assaultman67

I think the people who like japanese stuff must have really small penises.

Geez, what's the big problem? I LIKE jap cartoons, but I don't fawn all over them. Now Katanas on the other hand......

Minuit wrote: Because

NERDS.

You know ... that is literally what i thought before i watched anime ... but there really are some surprizingly cool ones to watch ... i got hooked on it by watching Adult Swim on cartoon network late one night out of shear boredom ...

Samurai Champloo
Ghost in the Shell
Cowboy Bebop
Outlaw Star

All anime and they really do contain some pretty cool story lines ...

(i think "The Matrix" was actually inspired from the ghost in the shell series ... you know ... that blockbuster movie that everyone was so psyched about when it came out)

Japanese people are awesome. Classical music, Hayao Myazaki, name great games, etc. Damn man. I don't know what I'd do without em'.

Edit:

Fuck, forgot FF7.

Edited by: ÐiamonÐ

The mysic factor, partly. People crave to connect
with things with an exclusivistic aura. If 'everyone'
so to speak was 'into japan' the attraction would
begin to dim. Eventually the pendulim is going
to sway back...perhaps.
But actually, more correctly, one of the chief
reasons Japanese works have a fascinating
aura is that they are frequently tinged with
occultism, which humans also crave.

Boris.

/thread

Jyffeh wrote: Boris.

/thread

*google image'd "Boris." ... went a few results in*

Ok, now im both confused and disturbed ...

Last.fm

same reason I like canadaian "stuff". Because it's fun to look at!

I hate the anime art style - and in general, most of the genre is droll shite. The style of animation only exists, because it was significantly easier to produce than a western art style - less frames, simpler drawings. The graphical novel style likely emnated from there.

However, there do exist a few gems. The Ghost in the Shell film, as an example, is a must see.

The cost has to be part of the reason. TV executives have realised they can cheaply fill their schedules with crudely dubbed anime, sprogs grow up watching lots of it, then the next generation not only wants the cheap stuff, but thanks to older brothers and sisters starts to actually want it

On a more noble note, the other factor is that Japan does have quite a distinctive cultural identity, which is becoming increasingly rare nowadays. That makes the best stuff very watchable, as it has a very different atmosphere. In particular, Japan doesn't go for the alpha-male-kills-all-the-baddies-and-gets-the-girl very often, and has a lot more fatalistic tragedies. That just resonates with me better - if you're fighting against the odds, it just makes sense that you're gonna get fucked up and/or screwed over, even if you technically win. My favourite films from the west are of similar pattern - Blade Runner (specifically directors cut), Alien/s, Night of the Living Dead, etc - no happy endings in any of them

Gibberstein wrote: That just resonates with me better - if you're fighting against the odds, it just makes sense that you're gonna get fucked up and/or screwed over, even if you technically win. My favourite films from the west are of similar pattern - Blade Runner (specifically directors cut), Alien/s, Night of the Living Dead, etc - no happy endings in any of them

That would be the reason I enjoyed Japanese cartoons as a child and that they were more realistic to what would happen in the real world. There is not always a happy ending in life and these cartoons portray that.

I think its true that its all about people trying to be trendy, and i agree with ambershee that the style isnt always effective. I dont mind watching authentic Japanese Animated movies and shows but i hate the graphical style when applied to most other things.

Im curious as to how it is considered trendy by people ... i mean ... most people seem to like bashing it ...

then again maybe its because im thinking trendy == popular

I had to check your location there.

And yup. You're from the UK

Ill tell you one thing that really kills me............. cosplay! Fine for japanese people quite a lot of them do it. BUT it doesnt come off so well on Nerdy Brits

Edited by: Range_Finder

It seems no one is obsessed with the actual Japanese culture or the people, but their cartoons, that is a sad and unfortunate thing.

Edited by: w1ngzer0

w1ngzer0 wrote: It seems no one is obsessed with the actual Japanese culture or the people, but their cartoons, that is a sad and unfortunate thing.

I'd have to agree. That's the tainted lining to American\Japanese coproduction in games and film.