Does liking anime = liking japanese culture?

[bakafish007]

i don't know about you guys, but i really get pissed at everyone who thinks that liking anime means i like japanese culture and society. has that ever happened to you? what do you guys think about it: are you a japan fan if you are an anime fan?

[Sithreis]

I'm in love with a lot of overseas cultures, Japan having my focus now. I love the music, movies, history, language, and of course Anime/Manga.

But assuming about people is wrong regardless what they're assuming.

I believe if you are a true Anime fan, which goes for being a fan of anything, you'll eventually immerse yourself in it's surrounding culture though.

[Ereos]

in my opinion i fairly believe that quite true
since anime do reflect on the japanese culture
in due time you will feel eays with it and then most of all before you know it, it like you feel part of it
you get annoyed such as people calling anime cartoons or any insults in the japanese culture
or you just get a keen interest on their beliefs and stuff
like i felt the same for xxxholic when she was on about superstition such as cut ur nails at night you never meet your parents in the after life
sometiems anime can be educational when you dont even think it is being so...

[Sithreis]

It's guaranteed to improve your vocabulary and grammar level. The subs are better English than most people speak (lol)

[Saurabhalab]

I like japanese cartoons, but i don't consider myself to be a japanophile.
I think it may be because i like the cartoons regardless of their background.

[Editor]

Watching anime did not make me japanophile but PEDOPHILE!
Well after starting animes i felt like trying some japanese kitchen.I also thought that japanese girls are cute and i would like to have one. (lol)

[Sithreis]

It did the same to me

[Jun-Kun]

Watching anime did not make me japanophile but PEDOPHILE

(shame)

Awesome. Quoted.

[Sithreis]

Add that to your sig lol

[Sedrinx]

Hmm I wouldn't say it made me obsessed with Japan, though watching anime series which reflect on school-life does enlighten you on what might happen in the usual routine of the Japanese.

I do have those typical comments made by people who know that I watch anime, they expect me to be well-versed in Japanese when all I know are pretty much simple terms.

[Darksage]

I think that liking anime can make someone THINK they like japanese culture

re: shunrai-san

[ShdwFlash]

I agree with this from Sithreis & Ereos.

When you start watching anime you may not like the Japanese culture at all. It's only as you continue to watch and become a fan that you get an understanding of how they think and work. One starts to admire them (well I sure do) for many of their customs and achievements.

I think that by admiring the culture you cannot help but to like it too, but that is not always the case as "admiration" does not equal "like" as far as I know. One can admire the person for what he/she accomplished, but that doesn't mean you like him/her.....or is that respect? I am confused :unsure:

Guess what I am trying to say is that by simply watching it doesn't mean you like the culture.

Example: When you watch Bollywood movies it doesn't necessarily mean you like the Indian culture. You may just enjoy the acting, the story or the music. It doesn't mean you like the entire culture as a whole.

It's only after you start to look beyond the movie/anime - at the people - that you start to like the culture.

[Sithreis]

I think that liking anime can make someone THINK they like japanese culture

re: shunrai-san

Boy...when I read this, my face lit up with joy, the only kind of joy I ENjoy....raw pwnage.

I agree with this from Sithreis & Ereos.

When you start watching anime you may not like the Japanese culture at all. It's only as you continue to watch and become a fan that you get an understanding of how they think and work. One starts to admire them (well I sure do) for many of their customs and achievements.

I think that by admiring the culture you cannot help but to like it too, but that is not always the case as "admiration" does not equal "like" as far as I know. One can admire the person for what he/she accomplished, but that doesn't mean you like him/her.....or is that respect? I am confused :unsure:

Guess what I am trying to say is that by simply watching it doesn't mean you like the culture.

Example: When you watch Bollywood movies it doesn't necessarily mean you like the Indian culture. You may just enjoy the acting, the story or the music. It doesn't mean you like the entire culture as a whole.

It's only after you start to look beyond the movie/anime - at the people - that you start to like the culture.

Bollywood lol. mmhm Lets go Webster and find out.

Admire-1: to regard with admiration
2archaic : to marvel at

Respect-1: a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation <remarks having respect to an earlier plan>2: an act of giving particular attention : consideration 3 a: high or special regard : esteem b: the quality or state of being esteemed cplural : expressions of respect or deference <paid our respects>

In this respect, admire was indeed the correct word to use.
(adds webster to list of personal mimes)

[Ereos]

some could say admire the culture which i agree in but say in this case
if someone insults the japanese culture
you wont take a stand for the japanese culture but for the anime culture
if you were to oppose the offense

[ShdwFlash]

some could say admire the culture which i agree in but say in this case
if someone insults the japanese culture
you wont take a stand for the japanese culture but for the anime culture
if you were to oppose the offense

Nice comeback! (:])

I think another issue that we need to sort out to solve this is the following:

Does anime really reflect Japanese culture? For all we know, they could be taking us for some major ride!

With that in mind, one can deduce that...

If anime accurately reflects the Japanese culture, then if you defend anime, aren't you indirectly defending their culture as well?

[Sithreis]

I don't think they try to fool us at all, sure, there are plenty of series that try to make them look MUCH better (all the hentai...all) but I don't think that believing everything you see is exactly textbook. Regardless of the media, face value isn't a really good thing for the most part.

And yes, some series are heavily reflected on Japanese culture, Shinto, Buddism, etc etc etc.

As for defending Anime means youre de.....stfu. Seriously, I wonder why no one THINKS. Hey cmon on people, liking one part or one aspect NEVER meant you like it all. "Hey, she got a nice everything, butterhead" "I like people, but not ____(blacks whites asians go ahead have fun)" "I love playing CA, but hate _____ (sniping, melee, hackers)"

*as Arnold* "The Answer is no...now give me my steroids"

[Ereos]

@Shdwflash

but as anime watchers i still believe we dont support the society itself
it only takes one to experience both societies to see the difference in both culture
by only looking at anime... you've only narrowed your mind thinking that anime reflect on japan's true society.... that is wrong...

anime doesnt fully generalize the japanese society
sometimes it is also the ideal society that the japanese admire and wish to obtain
you wont get them kind of situation of harems now will you (for example)

and speaking back to my point earlier in the first few lines
if someone was to insult the japanese society
you will only take in the point of WTF YOU ARE INSULTING "what you think the japanese society is based on what you seen in anime" (meaning like the quiet life, interesting high school life, harems and the fact that you love anime/manga)
it will be like being insulted for liking anime/manga which is what you will take a stand for...

[ShdwFlash]

@ Ereos & Sithreis

I don't think they try to fool us at all, sure, there are plenty of series that try to make them look MUCH better (all the hentai...all) but I don't think that believing everything you see is exactly textbook. Regardless of the media, face value isn't a really good thing for the most part.

anime doesnt fully generalize the japanese society
sometimes it is also the ideal society that the japanese admire and wish to obtain
you wont get them kind of situation of harems now will you (for example)

Don't worry, I know very well that in all media - especially anime - they exaggerate a lot and that it isn't necessarily true what they show nor does it give a holistic picture of the Japanese culture. I would be very naive for thinking that.

Sithreis touched on something just now...

liking one part or one aspect NEVER meant you like it all

I agree completely. I never meant to say that it means you like the entire culture/society when you defend what you see in anime. Sorry for not being clear in my post.

What I wanted to say is that some of the things they show in the anime do reflect the culture e.g. honorifics. When you see them use it in the anime (as they do in real life I believe and is a part of the culture) you perhaps like that concept. Now when people make fun of the honorifics you defend what you saw in the anime. But by defending what you see in the anime, you are indirectly defending the aspect of their culture that you like. It was just a thought I had and was curious to see what everyone else thinks.

I have been meaning to ask why we don't add a poll to this? It should be interesting to see the outcome...

[bakafish007]

in my experience, japanese culture is extremely conformist and repressed. the only time they've opened is either when someone conforms to their culture or through force (when Perry forced trade with them under the threat of his ship's guns). it's a deep culture, but i'm not fond of that kind of uniform thinking. despite that, i love anime. even though it's got some basis on japanese culture, it's not the whole thing, which is prolly why i like it. but you're still considered a freak if you watch anime and you're older than 18.

[Darksage]

but you're still considered a freak if you watch anime and you're older than 18.
In Japan, or is that your view? Because there are some manga and anime that are geared towards adults.

[bakafish007]

no that is a view in japan. maybe the word freak is too strong, but among normal japanese workers and salarymen, watching anime at their age is a sign of being socially inept.
manga on the other hand, is surprisingly accepted amongst japanese grown-ups. while there are some anime that are geared to adults (not necessarily hentai, but that too), it's not as accepted as manga.

[semie-kun]

i love to learn japanese language..

[Ereos]

no that is a view in japan. maybe the word freak is too strong, but among normal japanese workers and salarymen, watching anime at their age is a sign of being socially inept.


isnt that the case for everywhere cept anywhere else read a manga and thy be like euww you're not reading a book...

but then anime/manga gives us an ideal of how we like things it just that as anime/manga fans we start to believe that how the japanese society is like even though you may not think that but you just like naturally come to that...
so we gain an interest of how the japanese society is like due to the fact you have this image of how it will be like reflectin on the anime or manga u seen like slice of life....
and you get this feeling of how would life be if you were part of that society

[byakugan]

i think that i do have a sense of fascination or interest for japanese culture, but i am not sure if that is a direct result of anime. Food is a big one, but the taste for that was there even before i read my first manga..

[razor1984]

lol. in my country, you are considered a freak when you read manga or watch anime when you have graduated from college. I am 24 and have graduated, and i get response like "what, you still read manga???" "I dont believe you still watching cartoon (anime and cartoon are same)".
However, we also have a grown-up society that really like manga.

I believe that many people that like manga like japanese culture too. I like some of japanese culture but not all of them. So i guess its not an obligation to like japanese culture eventhough you like manga.

[kastoob]

(anime and cartoon are same)
:D not exactly. All anime are cartoons, but not all cartoons are anime.

I think I have indirectly been fed an image of what Japan's culture must be like due to anime. Considering I have never visited Japan, I cannot confirm whether that image is correct. I also cannot say I like the image.

Short answer to thread title: no

[gakekuroi]

Well i wouldnt say that it means you like japan nor does it mean you hate them either

mostly just a type of animation you prefer though lots of it can reflect on their culture in some series, it doesnt mean that people that watch anime like japan, though i like there culture

[Swift]

Japanese culture sucks.

[Editor]

Japanese culture sucks.

tsk tsk tsk

[bakafish007]

i never thought the day would come when i actually agreed with swift, although i wouldn't have been so blunt about it. japanese culture is highly repressed, with so much emphasis being placed on conformity. but manga and anime is definietly an entertaining aspect of japanese media and culture.

[bakafish007]

depends on what part of american culture.
compared to Bill O'Reilly fans, then tsk tsk. Compared to the political ideal that founded the country, then japan sucks

[Swift]

depends on what part of american culture.
compared to Bill O'Reilly fans, then tsk tsk. Compared to the political ideal that founded the country, then japan sucks

That "political ideal" was nothing more than propaganda. There was no desire for freedom in the Revolutionary War. It was completely selfish. We wanted to enslave blacks, kill natives and steal their land, and impose a fascist government under the pretense of democracy and freedom.

American history sucks too.

[Swift]

Oh, but we're the police of the world. We continue to enter wars to spread the great democracy and capitalism that nurtured our almighty nation. We proclaim ourselves as the pinnacle of human civilization and idly ignore the great injustices we commit.

The rest of the world does it, but I live in the US, as such that's my concern. I'm sorry, but letting it slide because others do it is not an adequate excuse for it.

But if accepting a norm is sufficient enough validation for you to accept such barbarity, then that's on you. It isn't right now, and it wasn't right then.

[Swift]

Oh, I thoroughly believe the American Revolution was a grand scheme to keep the power structure and achieve that Manifest Destiny (in a ruthless and inhumane manner) without the intervention of England.

I don't think its a coincidence that the Revolution took place just as the anti-slavery movement began to sprout in the UK. Not to mention that America acted like the Royal Proclamation of 1963 forbade expansion on rightfully white soil, when in reality all it did was create a boundary that colonist could not take without peaceful negotiation.

Combine a false cry of "no taxation without representation." Freedom? Really? For who? No one was freed, and the voting requirements essentially created a fascist government.

Definitely a conspiracy by a few rich white folk. One we still praise and worship as a noble cause.

[Shunrai]

swift you sound like you hate america and white people why? i think spire's view are spot on but if you hate obama then i'm all for that (lol)

[Swift]

Private individuals to buy land? Oh I'm sure that was definitely the concern, as we so obviously bought it once we attained our freedom. Its not like we took, killed many of the natives, and then threw them some chump change to act like we bought it. Naaa, not at all. You're right.

The power structure was addressed? Really? Elaborate, I'm waiting. Because as far as I'm concerned, the voting requirements (white, male, must own land valued at $4000 more or less [which is equal to millions today]) ensured that it was nothing short of a fascist government with a pretty make-up. Oh beautiful democracy, right?

And get this. After so many soldiers fight for this "democracy," they return home unable to pay the taxes bestowed on them by our noble government. Wait I thought they fought against taxation? Well these veterans return home, lose all their property, and believing the propaganda they demand justice. This is a democracy after all. They protested against the injustices. It was put down violently... by the army. They sent an army to put down farmers. Shay's Rebellion.

Hate America and white people? Don't be so naive kid. I hate hypocrisy. If you feel that the truth threatens white people and America, than that's on you.

No mercy? Really Hellspire? Grow a sack. Its completely relevant, don't be angry when you're wrong. What are you gonna do? Ban me? Do it.

[Darksage]

take it elsewhere plox

[Swift]

You really believe that our issue with the proclamation was really taxation? And not its limitation to fulfill our (barbaric) "Manifest Destiny." Yea you can spit all the political nonsense that we're fed in elementary school, but when it comes down to it, its much more likely that the reasons were much more selfish. Former treaties that guaranteed many natives their land (unless they decided to sell it) were voided and we continued to steal their lands.

The proclamation attempted to reconcile hostile attitudes been Native Americans and British colonist, and avoid any further conflicts between the recently ended Seven Years’ War/French and Indian War. It established a legal boundary that could be expanded only with permission from Britain, it did not attempt to restrain colonist but rather organize expansion in a civil and peaceful manner that would benefit both parties involved. The proclamation’s success would later be exemplified with the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768), the Treaty of Hard Labor (1768) and the Treaty of Lochaber (1770), all of which expanded the boundary through peaceful negotiation. But American colonists would not stand for it. They had a “manifest destiny” to achieve, and they believed that they were entitled to take the land from whatever “savages” claimed it. The propaganda machine was quick to work, and we began to witness brave and valiant Americans taming the “wild” frontier, complete with coonskin hats and rifles. What better way to disguise a ruthless campaign for land against our native neighbors than to pretend we’re hunting animals? The Royal Proclamation of 1763 ceased to exist in the United States after the Revolutionary War. In 1784, The United States and the Iroquois entered agreement with the a second Treaty of Fort Stanwix. After a brutal military campaign, a weakened and devastated Iroquois tribe was forced to redraw their (formerly agreed upon with the first Treaty of Fort Stanwix) boundaries. This was the only the beginning.

As far as taxation goes, it's a pretty damn sneaky and cheap tactic to ignite a rebellious war with cries of "No taxation without representation," alluding to the idea that we'll have less taxation, then turn around and tax our citizens far more than they ever have been. So much, that the very people that fought the war were robbed of their property, killed, then portrayed in history as groups of ungrateful rebels that protested our great cause. Meanwhile, we have slave-owning, land-stealing, white-elitist George Washington held on a pedestal for his greatness... all while he began the genocide of the Native American population and secured white supremacy in "free" America. Every person that signed the Declaration of Independence was a slave-owner (and mind you, that the anti-slavery movement had began its rise in England just before), and land-speculator. They didn't fight for freedom, they fought to secure their power and wealth.

They're not loose ends. Someone mentioned the great American ideal that the country was founded on. But its nothing more than a hypocritical ideal. We've fixed these issues? Maybe we've fixed much of the public displays of it, but the socioeconomic standing of our nations says otherwise. The power structure of this nations is extremely one sided, and ignoring the effects of centuries of inequality is only easier when people continue to flock to this faux American ideal that we supposibly founded our nation on.

Oh come on, "No mercy?" Don't get angry when I call you out with your cheap scare tactics. Was that supposed to scare me? Oh noooo, what will almighty Hellspire do?!