Why does Japanese culture attracts foreign weirdoes?
 

I just started learning Japanese and frequent Japanese boards like /jp/ on 4chan.org - what I've noticed is that unlike France or Germany, Japanese culture attract really, really weird foreign people.
Don't mistake me, I love Japanese culture. But all the pedophiles, cartoon nerds, lonely bitter misogynists, racists that think that the Japanese are some kind of super-race, and freaks who want to become Japanese almost made me learn Spanish instead.

Why do you think that Japanese culture attracts the attention of so many social retards, nerds, pedophiles, NEETs, and freaks in general?

Most of the things that come out of japan are weird (those weird batsu games, loliconism, most animes, weird movies, etc...), so it is bond to attract weirdoes.

This is the question to end all questions...

Not only does Japan attract the freaks and weirdos, but it attracts an obsessive, religious following. I've never seen that kind of following for any other country. Mostly because "fans" of other countries are smarter and more realistic than otaku.

Probably the love of hentai or manga, or how most Japanese girls
are small-framed (aka attracts pedophiles) but with what you're
talking about, I haven't noticed it so much myself.

Maybe because of how a lot of the culture is very childish
(hello kitty, comics, doll like clothes) that would attract some
questionable people.

Though I would hate to say that other country's don't have
just as much as a problem, though it is likely.

Haha, I always feel bad for the Japanese exchange students that come to my school. Do people really think they want to talk about Naruto? "But it's so KAWAIIIIII!!!" Moments like that make me want to hide my face.

It's i modern, but very different from other cultures. That's why it's easy to access, and attracts people who want something different.

My 2 cents.

How is it more different than Germany, Brazil, India and Zimbabwe?

This is all I ever hear: "Japan is soooo different". How?

It's more colorful.
That's all I see, depending on where you look.

Japan is just more widely known for being "different".
The other countries just might not being getting as
much as the same publicity as Japan. Though they
probably have just as much weird stuff too.

The more different would probably be how modern it is. If we are talking about more classical culture(kimonos, katanas, etc) then I agree that it isn't necessarily more different, but most people are introduced through anime, manga and video games.

I haven't been introduced to any modern, defining culture from Germany, Brazil, India or Zimbabwe. I might just be ignorant.

Because the idiot hacks over at Salon.com write a new article every month about how "different" and "crazy" Japan is. Writing about how Japan is the home of weirdness is a cash cow, because people are stupid enough to believe it

It is no more different or unique than any other country in this world. It's not more colorful.

I have to laugh out loud at someone saying anime and manga is "modern, defining culture". They're cartoons, people.

If you ask me, the weirdest and most different thing about Japan is its hilarious followers and defenders. There is truly nothing else like it in the world.

Just cartoons, indeed, art, movies are not culture. Look at the fashion.

I'm sorry, what? That didn't make any sense.

I wasn't atracted to japan because of the anime and stuff, i was their history what made de trick, I was intrigued by the samrai way and all the dinasties, and the way they picture their heroes and alot or other things,

by the way, I too like anime but not all of it, has to have a good story and not have all gay stuff that alot of them have nowdays.

Cartoons, art, music, movies, it's all culture. Fashion is culture. If you don't see a difference between Japanese culture, and that of other parts of the world, then I can't help you.

I'm sorry, but I find it impossible to consider Sailor Moon and decora fashion the "defining modern culture of Japan." If it is, the country's really gone down the tubes.

The fact that the only thing you managed to extract from that list was Sailor Moon and decora fashion, shows that you have a narrow view of Japan.

I don't exactly have time to list every single anime show and fashion style in Japan. Do you?

There are so many Japan defenders on this forum, just like the otaku it's an enigma to me.

To my thinking, it's also an enigma that I'm seeing another person who increasingly chooses to only view things that are personally disliked and determining the entire forum to be only those things.

To the original thread idea: It may be due to Japan's unique entertainment, fashion, and social structure that people with (let's say) specialized interests become more noticeable as they also form social structures to express those interests.

Japan attracts people and makes them weird...but in a good way. That's my way of thinking about it.

I don't think I'm that odd - I'm just out of place; among hundreds of anime-obsessed lunatics.

But back to my original topic, here's a great quote from the article God Hates Janks! about the following that Japan(ese cartoons) attracts, and the belief that Japan is so "weird and different":

LOL to the thread.

I have thought of the same question too :). I think there are some weird anime's out there. perhaps weird people are attracted to the weirdness of it??? (sorry, i'm not a psychologist :o) lol!!!

For me my interest in Japan has been because of technology more over Media. Stuff like Japanese Motorsport and computers have always interested me.

Some people are hardcore otakus and you can spot them a mile away lol!!!. I personally can't stand 'lolita', 'cosplay' and generally things otaku's love to call 'MOE'. So you probably won't see me in places like Akihabara ('Akiba') any time soon. :mtongue:

Perhaps a vacation is in order.

Reading that quoted text is somewhat hilarious, both in the vitriolic display of foaming-at-the-keyboard ranting, and proving the Mobius loop of discussion is continuing to function quite well. As does this post.

Isn't "Janks" an insulting label?

I was planning something a little longer ;)

I think you'd feel the same way if you were a normal, non-rabid adult who just happened to be living in Japan, surrounded by people obsessed about your country for all the wrong reasons.

It totally is :cool: Then again, so is otaku

I think the reason Japan attracts so many weirdos is because things weirdos like which are considered tabboo in the west are acceptable in Japan.

There is no fetish Japanese pornography and hentai does not produce en masse. Costume parlors and maid cafes are booming businesses, where in America people would be too shy to even peek in.

You have bikini cabarets, lingerie pubs, new-half bars and no-pan shabu shabu. All legitimate and legal businesses. No fear of police or mafia intervention.

What it boils down to is that it is OK to be the sexual freak that you are there.

In the West it is beleived if you cater to a fetish, you only make it grow stronger, where in Japan the opposite is true. If you can satisfy a fetish (albeit artificially) then you can keep it at bay.

Japan is not a society based in Christian guilt, where you are supposed to ask God's forgiveness for thinking your neighbor's wife is hot. In Japan you pray for a raise or to get into a good school or whatever cool stuff you want.

You can say the OP wasn't asking about porn and the sex industry, but the majority of what he is asking about boils down to sex. The bottom line is sex isn't dirty in Japan, and that's what makes it attractive for ALL kinds of people.

Then my response would be "Don't scorch the earth because you see no future in real estate."

Maybe. Otherwise, I would follow the old Headstones song instructions and just smile & wave...

*shakes head* I think the forum has had that discussion already...

Great post, MMM. I have to agree wholeheartedly. Whether it's a guy who's been to a No-pan cafe and wants to go back, or a fangirl who's watched her idols and their "fanservice", or an otaku boy who's seen enough animated panty shots to last a lifetime - sex is a big part of it.

For some people, smiling and ignoring things we feel are unjust is just not good enough.

Here's your problem you went to 4chan.org which is notorious for this. It's because of its /b/ board; a shock site (intended to be offensive, disgusting or disturbing to its viewers) which makes it not so useful as a tool to learn about japan.

I would not recommend anyone who wants to learn about japan to use this site.

More here on 4chan

4chan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've browsed 4chan for a long time, and there's one thing I can promise you - there are two types of people: those who browse /b/, and those who don't. They stay out of each others' places. Especially considering that /b/tards absolutely hate otaku/wapanese/japanophiles/janks.

You deliberately chose the things you dislike, deviate from the point, and try to make it into a "what I like and don't like"-thread. Come on.

You said that "manga, anime and fashion" (by fashion I presume you mean Harajuku) are the defining modern aspects of Japanese culture. I hope you're wrong :)

There's only one thing i'm sure about, if you only like Japan because of Anime, Music and Modern Fashion, then you don't like Japan at all.

I said:

Cartoons, art, music, movies, it's all culture. Fashion is culture. If you don't see a difference between Japanese culture, and that of other parts of the world, then I can't help you.

You chose to read what you wanted to see. There is more to Japanese cinema than a new popular anime, there is more to Japansese art than Naruto, there is more to Japanese fashion than Harajuku( Know what's now in Tokyo! style-arena.jp ). Besides the point was that there is a difference, not if you like the culture or not.

What do you need to like, to like Japan? Just curious.

You also said:

If we are talking about more classical culture(kimonos, katanas, etc) then I agree that it isn't necessarily more different, but most people are introduced through anime, manga and video games.

I haven't been introduced to any modern, defining culture from Germany, Brazil, India or Zimbabwe. I might just be ignorant.


If you think the only things in classical Japanese culture are kimono and kitana, then I can't help you either.

idk if you can say japan is the weirdest place in the world that attracts people. im not saying its not. when you see a tv show where you run into a wall then you lose all understanding of what the hells going on. but i think other nations have their own cultural following to it. germany gave us a wide arrange of things, skin heads being one of them. i think japan stands out is because their more open to share it than anyone else is.

besides i dont think japan attracts weirdos, i think it made most of them.

The Japan I like is the Japan with a wonderful history and a very interesting culture not the Japan filled with anime geeks and people who would die just to see a JRock musician. People call themselves obsessed with Japan because they like animes, but if you asked them if they ever cared about historical samurais and geishas and they'll respond by saying it's corny or they don't care at all, then can you call that a person who likes the "real" Japan?

At the same time, ask a typical Japanese teenager if they care about geisha and samurai.

Then again, the typical teenager anywhere in the world doesn't care about anything but TV, cell phones and how their hair looks.

An outsider and an insider will always like a country for different reasons.

but anime and all that was made by REAL japanese. it wasnt introduced to the country by other nations otherwise some other nation would be sought by anime fanboys and jrock music fans. and how is that any different from any nation? if an american doesnt know their history then you cant just say he isnt an american or that he is unamerican can you?

Oh, come off it now, will you? Stop taking things completely out of context. At least highlight the whole sentence

but most people are introduced through anime, manga and video games.

Yes, anime, manga and video games are defining for Japan, and modern, like it or not, that really doesn't change the point. It is also the way most people are introduced to the culture at a young age. I then provided you with other areas where their culture is different, but you chose to hang on to my first post.

It doesn't mean it's the only thing defining that culture, or the best things, or the things you like.