I don't want to live in Japan.

[YoshimiTheEthereal]

I get sick of hearing that the only kind of people that say they want to go to Japan are anime/manga freaks. That's not true. I want to go to Japan and I really don't give a crap about either. I am VERY unhappy where I live -- a small town with nothing in it in Kentucky. I no NO ONE with ANY common interests wit me -- all of my conversations have to do with the weather, school, money . . . stupid stuff like that. I have no job opportunities with any of the careers that I would want. I find NO ONE attractive here. I am a young adult and have never been in any kind of relationship before in my life.

I want to visit Japan to see if I would want to live there because I think it would offer me happiness and opportunities that I cannot have in the US. I love the ideas of Japan and the scenery. I love the music and I find the men very attractive (physically, anyway). I think I could be more successful if being a foreigner is not a problem. I think I am the kind of person that may really like Japan and I am not an anime/manga freak. I am also aware that Japan is not a utopia. It has its share of problems as it is imperfect. Schools require uniforms, I will always stand out from the crowd, and many other things. People don't have to be an anime/manga freak and think Japan is a happy fantasy place to want to live there!

[MMM]

I agree with you that it is not ONLY animaniacs that want to go to Japan. Anime was barely a word in English when I moved there in the mid-90s. (We mostly called it Japanimation back then)...and for the most part, the people I DO see making it long-term there, very few, if any, came because of a love for manga and anime.

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by YoshimiTheEthereal

I want to visit Japan to see if I would want to live there because I think it would offer me happiness and opportunities that I cannot have in the US.

To be frank I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to go to Japan just for the Anime as long as people have realistic expectations.

Some of them being:
- If you don't speak the language and want to live there, it will be like living hell so make the effort and learn the language (easier said than done) and definitely don't expect anyone to speak English.
- There is discrimination, sometimes positive, sometimes negative but Japan is not a immigration based country like US or Canada. It is not a taboo to be discriminatory.
- Living conditions will be different especially in cities. If you are claustrophobic, you will suffer.
- Not everyone likes Anime (shock horror). Otaku has the same connotation as "geek" in Japan, and not something to be proud of.

Of course there is heaps of others but thats just for starters. Then after you got language skills ironed out, you still have to find a job and to be frank, once you are working, it's pretty much the same anywhere in the world.

[jasonbvr]

This thread makes me want to engage in the time honored tradition among English teachers of Japan bashing, but I will resist the urge and think of a positive.

I can buy a hot can of cocoa or coffee from the vending machine located less than 30 meters from my doorway right now. But instead I am going to crack open another can of three dollar beer.

(Tears began to flow at that very moment as he thought to himself how much Heineken could be purchased for the same three dollars on distant shores. However he could find comfort. There was a 7/11 close by, and there he could purchase a bottle of Jack Daniel's 24 hours a day, seven days a week.)

[BratGaki]

I do want to visit Japan someday. Badly. Yes, I do like anime and manga, but I am no otaku. These are the things that attract me to Japan:

Education - I went to a private Catholic high school where tuition was $6,000 a year. Of course, with my parent sacrificing like that and because of me being, well, me, I couldn't help but get top grades in my class. But I saw more than enough people throwing their education away, never taking it seriously. I read a book on how the Japanese systems and approaches to teaching are different from American styles. I read about how education is highly placed in their culture. I was shocked to read a stasictic that the WORST scoring Japanese schools did better than the BEST schools in America. Wow. I love learning new things and Japan looks like they do too.

Crime Rate - Crime happens in Japan. So do freaky murders. But compared to the US? It's a walk in the park. I live in a sub-ghetto area. It's not safe to walk around past the evening, and its not safe to walk in some areas at all. My boyfriend lived in Japan for a while and he said it was safe to walk the streets and allys of Japan into the wee hours of the morning. That's something I can't do here. (Unless I want to get shot)

Econimal Living - The Japanese learned to live with minimal resources and minimal space. They take the time to sort their trash out in the appropriate labeled bins. Most people take the train, walk, or ride a bike. I like the idea of living economily. I'm not a going green nut. There's this odd sense of survivalism that goes with living off of as little as possible. It attracts me. It makes life interesting for me. One of the last things I would want is the typical "American dream" house and life.

Nihongo - It's a complicated language that follows logic and it's an art form. I'm all over that. Their language puzzles me yet fascinates me at the same time. I'm teaching myself basic Japanese in order to communicate with people when I travel there. I also want to learn it because I'm studying to be an Illustrator and concept artist and there's that 0.0001% chance Square Enix or some other Japanese company would want me. I can dream!

My Boyfriend - He was a foreign exhange student for a few months in Japan and he LOVED IT. Heck, he didn't even have an official place to stay. He slept in those shoe-box bed things that busy business men sleep in for his stay. He actually wants to move there after his exchange experience. But for now, we have college to worry about and learning the language.

If anyone can comment on the above, I'd love to hear it.

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by BratGaki

Education - I went to a private Catholic high school where tuition was $6,000 a year. Of course, with my parent sacrificing like that and because of me being, well, me, I couldn't help but get top grades in my class.

If you are talking about University Education, then you need to pass JLPT Level 1 although some universities accept JLPT Level 2.

Crime Rate - Crime happens in Japan. So do freaky murders. But compared to the US?

No offence but blame your crappy gun laws.

Econimal Living - The Japanese learned to live with minimal resources and minimal space.

If you like being thrifty, and like to live under extremely constrained resources, then go for it.

Nihongo - It's a complicated language that follows logic and it's an art form. I'm all over that.

This is where you really need the effort. You need JLPT 1 or be extremely fluent like a native if you going to live in Japan long term. It is not easy but this is what separates the wannabes and the dedicated. Good luck.

Although I have a friend who worked for Square Enix as a artist. He can only speak basic Japanese but before coming to Tokyo, he had prior experience in the gaming business and an amazing portfolio. So there are exceptions but you gotta be REALLY good. If you are going to start from scratch in Japan, you NEED to communicate so you need to get your Japanese skills up fast.

My Boyfriend - He was a foreign exhange student for a few months in Japan and he LOVED IT.

As long as you have money, Japan is great. Now trying to earn money in Japan is a totally different ball game and why MMM started this thread in the first place. You need a plan.

[Koir]

I sort of expected this kind of reaction to BratGaki's post. Kirakira may have some good points, but also seems to demonstrate a lack of reading comprehension in favour of the time-honoured tradition of tearing down another's aspirations because all that is chosen to be seen is what the person wants to see.

Gleefully picking apart even the most well-reasoned post that states up front the author has no illusions about life in Japan, and in fact says the challenges are something they would welcome is just as bad, if not worse, than the most starry-eyed "kawaiisugoipocky" thread made by a one-week forum member.

[ThirdSight]

Originally Posted by YoshimiTheEthereal

I am VERY unhappy where I live -- a small town with nothing in it in Kentucky...I find NO ONE attractive here.

This is the best thing on this thread so far.

Originally Posted by jasonbvr

This thread makes me want to engage in the time honored tradition among English teachers of Japan bashing, but I will resist the urge and think of a positive.

These kinds of teachers need to be shot.

More than once.

It's simple really. Go over there for a while. If you like it, stay. If you don't, get your ass back home. Learn the language, be adventurous, be open-minded. And for God's sake, have a plan.

[alanX]

I have done days worth of studying on Japan, and I still want to live there. But I also despise (hate) America. But I'm glad you enjoy it MMM ^_^

[burkhartdesu]

Wow! This whole thread is hilarious, and so true. I was indeed one of those scrubby-anime-loving middle-school geeks who wanted to go Japan strictly because of the mystique.

But this shouldn't define me as one of those mindless wanna-be's

I DO WANT TO LIVE IN JAPAN! I've taken Japanese for four years and I went to Japan summer of 07'- both backpacking and a short stay at Takefu High School as a san-nensei na ryuugakusei

I plan on applying for the JET program and eventually working for an English Language publication based somewhere in Japan.

Just proves that some anime geeks have a grip on reality.