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Backlash against japanophiles. why?

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big_z

Member
thetrin said:
Again, those are not japanophiles. Those are the extreme cases within the given group.

This isn`t a difficult concept, guys!


I did say there's a difference between being interested in a culture and taking it too far. If you feel offended and have the urge to defend yourself then it's possible you might be pushing into the later group....

anime_AnimeSucks.gif
 

drohne

hyperbolically metafictive
i've only personally known one japanophile. and come to think of it i hated his ass. mainly it was his shameless and obvious asian fetish -- he'd unsuccessfully hit on every asian girl he met. only the asian girls. and it was totally methodical. eventually he got with this japanese-american girl, who loved anime and videogames and indie rock, and presumably would've been his wet dream if she didn't look so much like a pug dog. actually i'm not sure he noticed -- maybe her circumambient haze of nerdy desirability literally obscured her face

that and he'd always try to talk to me about final fantasy 8 or evangelion after i'd somehow given him reason to suspect my SHAMEFUL JAPA PREDILECTIONS
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
big_z said:
I did say there's a difference between being interested in a culture and taking it too far. If you feel offended and have the urge to defend yourself then you might be pushing into the later group....

anime_AnimeSucks.gif
But...he wasn't defending himself.
*boggles*
 

tnw

Banned
big_z said:
I did say there's a difference between being interested in a culture and taking it too far. If you feel offended and have the urge to defend yourself then you might be pushing into the later group....

so do I take it too far?

that and he'd always try to talk to me about final fantasy 8 or evangelion after i'd somehow given him reason to suspect my SHAMEFUL JAPA PREDILECTIONS

You know, I don't think I've ever talked about video games with ANY of my friends or anybody really. I think one thing I like about GAF is it (hypthetically anway) gives me a space to talk about it. I've never met ANYONE who can appreciate game music from Illusion of Gaia, for example.

But what happens on GAF stays on GAF, and I think I'll keep it that way. Gaming side doesn't really talk about games in the way that I'm interested in them anyway.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
drohne said:
i've only personally known one japanophile. and come to think of it i hated his ass. mainly it was his shameless and obvious asian fetish -- he'd unsuccessfully hit on every asian girl he met. only the asian girls. and it was totally methodical. eventually he got with this japanese-american girl, who loved anime and videogames and indie rock, and presumably would've been his wet dream if she didn't look so much like a pug dog. actually i'm not sure he noticed -- maybe her circumambient haze of nerdy desirability literally obscured her face

that and he'd always try to talk to me about final fantasy 8 or evangelion after i'd somehow given him reason to suspect my SHAMEFUL JAPA PREDILECTIONS

I hate people like that too. They`re not the poster child of what makes a japanophile. It just makes him an irritating git.

I have friends that are annoyingly in love with their home city or state. That shit is just as bad.

"blah blah blah this isn`t as good as the whatever back home! OOOH MAN I WISH I WAS THERE!"

Then ****ing go home, idiot!
 

pjberri

Crotchety Old Man
RevenantKioku said:
But the true question is, why you gotta hate?
Dealing with them on a near day-to-day basis vexes me. I can look at other victims of bad taste, like "emos" and it doesn't phase me in the slightest, other than maybe think it's a bit sad or wonder if they'll grow out of it. The Japanophile, on the other hand, is someone I'm all too familiar with (BA in Japanese).
 

sasimirobot

Junior Member
There comes a point though were you "graduate" from Japanophile. Some of the posters on this board, the ones who have lived in Japan for some time, have more than a Anime vocabulary and understanding of the culture can't really be lumped in with what alot of people here stereotype as Japanophile.

But...The problem is that almost like alot of the Japanese themselves, it is easy for them to fall into the whole "Japan is the only Asian country that matters" mentality. They may feel that they have invested alot of time and mental effort ( there is no doubt Japanese is shit-hard to learn) and made a big move to the other side of the world, so they can start the whole "pats on the back" for us thing.

I just don't think any country or people or lifestyle is the best. You start to see the good and the bad in all places in the world after you live there, but I think a long hard discussion about why "Japan is ok but a shit-ton of things kinda suck there" would pop alot of bubbles around here.

Walk around in downtown Tokyo. Try to smile at a fellow westerner, if you get a nervous roll eyes you would be lucky. Why? Because everyone wants to feel they are in uncharted territory, they are above and beyond the other western pions in whatever field (be it karate, flower arranging, anime, sex with girls with no breasts and bad teeth, etc...) that you may shatter their illusions.

This to me as someone who has traveled and lived in Asia for almost 7 years struck me the hardest in Japan. I just don't get the same vibes of 1up-manship in other parts of Asia.

If I met some dude who spoke Lao we could right off the bat go and have some beers and be great friends. But when I meet people that speak Japanese I feel that I have to go through a checklist of "things that are cool about me", before we even get past first names, even with the Japanese themselves!
 

tnw

Banned
thetrin said:
I have friends that are annoyingly in love with their home city or state. That shit is just as bad.

heh heh heeennhh mmmmm.

I just don't think any country or people or lifestyle is the best. You start to see the good and the bad in all places in the world after you live there, but I think a long hard discussion about why "Japan is ok but a shit-ton of things kinda suck there" would pop alot of bubbles around here.

Yeah you have a point. I don't know, I tend to be a little too proud of where I'm from and where I live. If and when I live in Stockholm, I'll probably be in some design forum talking about how great sweden is and how much I know about the language/culture.
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
pjberri said:
Dealing with them on a near day-to-day basis vexes me. I can look at other victims of bad taste, like "emos" and it doesn't phase me in the slightest, other than maybe think it's a bit sad or wonder if they'll grow out of it. The Japanophile, on the other hand, is someone I'm all too familiar with (BA in Japanese).
Maybe you're the one who truly needs to grow. Look into yourself. Feed your soul, nurture yourself and let the hatred rest.
sasimirobot said:
Walk around in downtown Tokyo. Try to smile at a fellow westerner, if you get a nervous roll eyes you would be lucky. Why? Because everyone wants to feel they are in uncharted territory, they are above and beyond the other western pions in whatever field (be it karate, flower arranging, anime, sex with girls with no breasts and bad teeth, etc...) that you may shatter their illusions.
Of course, everyone but you, right? :D
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
sasimirobot said:
There comes a point though were you "graduate" from Japanophile. Some of the posters on this board, the ones who have lived in Japan for some time, have more than a Anime vocabulary and understanding of the culture can't really be lumped in with what alot of people here stereotype as Japanophile.

But...The problem is that almost like alot of the Japanese themselves, it is easy for them to fall into the whole "Japan is the only Asian country that matters" mentality. They may feel that they have invested alot of time and mental effort ( there is no doubt Japanese is shit-hard to learn) and made a big move to the other side of the world, so they can start the whole "pats on the back" for us thing.

I just don't think any country or people or lifestyle is the best. You start to see the good and the bad in all places in the world after you live there, but I think a long hard discussion about why "Japan is ok but a shit-ton of things kinda suck there" would pop alot of bubbles around here.

Walk around in downtown Tokyo. Try to smile at a fellow westerner, if you get a nervous roll eyes you would be lucky. Why? Because everyone wants to feel they are in uncharted territory, they are above and beyond the other western pions in whatever field (be it karate, flower arranging, anime, sex with girls with no breasts and bad teeth, etc...) that you may shatter their illusions.

This to me as someone who has traveled and lived in Asia for almost 7 years struck me the hardest in Japan. I just don't get the same vibes of 1up-manship in other parts of Asia.

If I met some dude who spoke Lao we could right off the bat go and have some beers and be great friends. But when I meet people that speak Japanese I feel that I have to go through a checklist of "things that are cool about me", before we even get past first names, even with the Japanese themselves!

I don`t know if that`s wholly true. Plenty of jgaffers come to the Osaka area, and I drop everything just to have a drink with them. I love meeting new people, japanese or foreign, and I can always use some new friends. :D

I think there are some people so insecure in their uniqueness as a foreigner, that sometimes they`re threatened when they realize another foreigner is nearby, and that somehow devalues their cache with the locals.
 

pjberri

Crotchety Old Man
RevenantKioku said:
Maybe you're the one who truly needs to grow. Look into yourself. Feed your soul, nurture yourself and let the hatred rest.

Of course, everyone but you, right? :D
Nah, some people have it coming.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
tnw said:
heh heh heeennhh mmmmm.

Yeah you have a point. I don't know, I tend to be a little too proud of where I'm from and where I live. If and when I live in Stockholm, I'll probably be in some design forum talking about how great sweden is and how much I know about the language/culture.

Hey man, if you love the place you live in, it`s hard not to gush about it. I tend to be very defensive about Kansai with other jgaffers. DC and I constantly have friendly rivalries about the better territory.

sasimirobot said:
Nope I rarely smile randomly in Japan. Nobody does

Ever been to Kansai? Serious question.
 

sasimirobot

Junior Member
Kansai. You mean the area that Osaka and Nara is in right? Yeah I have. And I have Japanese friends that swear up and down that they are not the same as Tokyo-zins, they are more spirited, etc...
It was too subtle for me to notice though.
 

Shouta

Member
sasimirobot said:
Kansai. You mean the area that Osaka and Nara is in right? Yeah I have. And I have Japanese friends that swear up and down that they are not the same as Tokyo-zins, they are more spirited, etc...
It was too subtle for me to notice though.

Too subtle to notice? Are you sure there wasn't a local disaster in the area?
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Jake. said:
honestly, 90% of 'japanophiles' wouldn't even give a shit about the country if it wasn't for anime.
Honestly, 90% of you wouldn't care about 'japanophiles' if it weren't for a lack of things to do.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
sasimirobot said:
Kansai. You mean the area that Osaka and Nara is in right? Yeah I have. And I have Japanese friends that swear up and down that they are not the same as Tokyo-zins, they are more spirited, etc...
It was too subtle for me to notice though.

Oh yeah man. Kansai people are the bomb. There`s an old man who takes walks around my block on monday mornings, and one day I decided to say "Konnichiwa" to him as I passed. He was so surprised, a smile erupted on his face and he said "AH! OHIYO!"

I usually talk to the mailman on the weekends too. It`s kinda strange to chat with public servants that seem so happy and content.

Kansai people my age are also hella awesome and super nice. They always seem to have so much more energy than kanto people.
 

Jake.

Member
RevenantKioku said:
Honestly, 90% of you wouldn't care about 'japanophiles' if it weren't for a lack of things to do.

i study japanese and am a huge fan of japanese literature and film but have zero interest in video games or anime or whatever else the typical 'japanophile' is into. so no, i'm not lacking things to do.
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Jake. said:
i study japanese and am a huge fan of japanese literature and film but have zero interest in video games or anime or whatever else the typical 'japanophile' is into. so no, i'm not lacking things to do.
So go do them. Mind, I should be taking my own advice. :lol
I mean, why do you care! I just don't get it!
 

Jake.

Member
RevenantKioku said:
So go do them. Mind, I should be taking my own advice. :lol
I mean, why do you care! I just don't get it!

because like i said, most people who are a 'japanophile' (one of the worst terms ever) are usually a virgin and only are interested in the country because of anime and videogames. if it wasn't for them, they wouldn't care. it would be like someone liking american cars and fast food and being called 'americanophile'. retarded.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
Jake. said:
it would be like someone liking american cars and fast food and being called 'americanophile'. retarded.

Yeah, they`re called rednecks. :lol
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Jake. said:
because like i said, most people who are a 'japanophile' (one of the worst terms ever) are usually a virgin and only are interested in the country because of anime and videogames. if it wasn't for them, they wouldn't care. it would be like someone liking american cars and fast food and being called 'americanophile'. retarded.
And if apples tasted like shit, maybe some people would like them more. And then they might start doing shit pornography and our lands would be overflowing with fecal matter. But thankfully, apples don't taste like shit.
 

Jake.

Member
RevenantKioku said:
And if apples tasted like shit, maybe some people would like them more. And then they might start doing shit pornography and our lands would be overflowing with fecal matter. But thankfully, apples don't taste like shit.

most apples do taste like shit. floury, dry shit.
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Jake. said:
most apples do taste like shit. floury, dry shit.
I like the taste regular, non-fecal apples. In fact, I once went to an apple farm because I like apples so much. Hate me for it.
HATE MY LOVE FOR FRUIT.
 

Jake.

Member
RevenantKioku said:
I like the taste regular, non-fecal apples. In fact, I once went to an apple farm because I like apples so much. Hate me for it.
HATE MY LOVE FOR FRUIT.

strawberry farms are better. i will start one and deny every anime fan from picking delicious strawberries.

thetrin said:
So you`ve tasted shit, then?

yes, i am a fan of the cleveland steamboat.
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Jake. said:
strawberry farms are better. i will start one and deny every anime fan from picking delicious strawberries.
Good. So I will get into your strawberry field and start distributing for the people you unfairly deny.
 

Jake.

Member
RevenantKioku said:
Good. So I will get into your strawberry field and start distributing for the people you unfairly deny.

ai otsuka will be the security guard and she has a mean high-kick.
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Jake. said:
ai otsuka will be the security guard and she has a mean high-kick.
That's okay. I like being kicked in the balls. I read about on a Japanophile site.
 

taku

Member
Jake. said:
because like i said, most people who are a 'japanophile' (one of the worst terms ever) are usually a virgin and only are interested in the country because of anime and videogames. if it wasn't for them, they wouldn't care. it would be like someone liking american cars and fast food and being called 'americanophile'. retarded.

So? Let them do what they want to do. I was like this before, I hated all "japanophiles" because they ****ing always got on my last nerve. But then I realized that I don't have to care, I don't have to get angry just because they're a bit annoying to me. If they feel comfortable dreaming about how they can become the next Great Teacher Onizuka and have sex with 12 year old japanese girls, who cares, let them dream and have their fun.

Most of these guys/girls are kind people, with pretty bad self esteem, and this is their therapy or escape from reality. And like every man alive, we all have our different escape routes.

Who cares, seriously. There's a lot of different kinds people we could be complaining about.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's no real difference between "japanophiles" or any other "<put whatever you want in here>philes" out there..
 
Probably because many are just annoying. It's the whole "omg Japan stuff is SO better than everything else". Nevermind how bad so much anime, hentai, manga, TV shows, etc are...it's exotic and new so it must be awesome. I'm not saying all that stuff is stupid, but I'm always amazed at how much people will gravitate to something with the slightest hint of Japan influence.

Personally that mindset annoys me. Japanophiles are very quick to point out how generic and "old" western stuff is, but lots of their stuff is just as generic. How many RPGs do we have to play with heroes with big ass swords and amnesia, or long lost princesses? But no, let's complain about bald space marines instead!

That's just my stupid opinion
 

Jake.

Member
PhoenixDark said:
Probably many are just annoying. It's the whole "omg Japan stuff is SO better than everything else". Nevermind how bad so much anime, hentai, manga, TV shows, etc are...it's exotic and new so it must be awesome. I'm not saying all that stuff is stupid, but I'm always amazed at how much people will gravitate to something with the slightest hint of Japan influence.

yeah, this is what i was getting at. too much crack themed hip hop has melted my brain. DEM VAPOURRZZZZZZ.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
PhoenixDark said:
Probably many are just annoying. It's the whole "omg Japan stuff is SO better than everything else". Nevermind how bad so much anime, hentai, manga, TV shows, etc are...it's exotic and new so it must be awesome. I'm not saying all that stuff is stupid, but I'm always amazed at how much people will gravitate to something with the slightest hint of Japan influence.

Personally that mindset annoys me. Japanophiles are very quick to point out how generic and "old" western stuff is, but lots of their stuff is just as generic. How many RPGs do we have to play with heroes with big ass swords and amnesia, or long lost princesses? But no, let's complain about bald space marines instead!

That's just my stupid opinion

Last time I checked, it was jaded sales-age addicts who made fun of bald space marines, rather than japanophiles.
 
thetrin said:
Last time I checked, it was jaded sales-age addicts who made fun of bald space marines, rather than japanophiles.

The point is that many of them seem to only recognize "generic" shit when its western. And then there's the "lol america" crowd, but that's another issue
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
PhoenixDark said:
The point is that many of them seem to only recognize "generic" shit when its western. And then there's the "lol america" crowd, but that's another issue
There are plenty of issues my friend. But love, not hate, is the answer.
Seriously, it's just such a non-issue. Really, it is. I'm trying to show you guys the way. Please, join me.
 

Jake.

Member
Beezy said:
Ugh. Can't stand her voice.

total babe and all her music videos (i have them all somewhere) are awesome. i hate everything else jpop really but i've always liked her. i can't definately see why people don't like her voice though, especially the more childish stuff. to be 100% honest i probably wouldn't be into her much if she wasn't so good looking. :lol
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Jake. said:
total babe and all her music videos (i have them all somewhere) are awesome. i hate everything else jpop really but i've always liked her. i can't definately see why people don't like her voice though, especially the more childish stuff. to be 100% honest i probably wouldn't be into her much if she wasn't so good looking. :lol
90% of straight men wouldn't be into women if they weren't so good looking.
 

Beezy

Member
Jake. said:
total babe and all her music videos (i have them all somewhere) are awesome. i hate everything else jpop really but i've always liked her. i can't definately see why people don't like her voice though, especially the more childish stuff. to be 100% honest i probably wouldn't be into her much if she wasn't so good looking. :lol
I never actually watched one of her videos. I tried listening to one of her albums one day and her cutesy, high pitched voice just made me mad. I went back to listening to Crystal Kay.
 

Jake.

Member
RevenantKioku said:
Shit, how do you know my measurements?

see that light that flashes on your monitor when you turn it on? yeah, that's a camera. NASA hooked me up.

Beezy said:
I never actually watched one of her videos. I tried listening to one of her albums one day and her cutesy, high pitched voice just made me mad. I went back to listening to Crystal Kay.

watch on youtube (if they are on there) the video for 'peach', then 'frienger', 'chu-lip', 'kuroge wagyuu jou shiotanyaki 680en' and 'planetarium'.
 

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
taku said:
So? Let them do what they want to do. I was like this before, I hated all "japanophiles" because they ****ing always got on my last nerve. But then I realized that I don't have to care, I don't have to get angry just because they're a bit annoying to me. If they feel comfortable dreaming about how they can become the next Great Teacher Onizuka and have sex with 12 year old japanese girls, who cares, let them dream and have their fun.

Most of these guys/girls are kind people, with pretty bad self esteem, and this is their therapy or escape from reality. And like every man alive, we all have our different escape routes.

Who cares, seriously. There's a lot of different kinds people we could be complaining about.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's no real difference between "japanophiles" or any other "<put whatever you want in here>philes" out there..

Best post in this thread... Let them enjoy what they want, most of the Japanophile people I've known were pretty nice and like said above, shy/low self esteem... and that's a bit more easily relatable to me as a fellow shy/low self esteem person. Plus, some of my interests (namely: games) overlap a lot more with a hardcore japanophile than with a wigger or prep or something like that.

Speaking of which, I just got back from Otakon, my first grand-scale anime convention (not including I-CON, a small one they have at the local university)... and I had a really great time. Everybody was really polite and reserved, there wasn't really any negative vibes, or rude assholes making trouble for everybody. Met some really cool people, enjoyed the gaming room and a few of the gaming panels - expect a big writeup sometime soon. Then again I stayed out of the hentai/yaoi/yuri related fields (which is where you probably find the people everyone deems as 'scary') and mostly stuck to things within my interests - like the dance party, the game room, and various game panels.
 
thetrin said:
The problem is that only MOST of the people you know are like that. That doesn`t mean you have to be complete asshats to rest of us as well.

You don`t see us flying into Rainbow Six threads yelling "LOLOLOLMILITARYCRAPNOTENOUGHBALDGUYS!"

In fact...it`s usually guys who AREN`T japanophiles that say that...

I'm not sure which NeoGAF you browse but I've seen that on a number of occasions in the past.
 
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