Americans: Trying to be Japanese?

Americans have had an interest in the Japanese culture for some time now, but has it gone too far? Are they actually to the point where they are trying to be Japanese? Some Americans have decided to watch all the anime they possibly can, read all the manga they can and then claim to love the Japanese culture and that they speak fluent Japanese. When in reality all they can do is repeat ”desu” again and again. (Which I don’t get. What’s the point of repeating “I” a thousand times?)

Americans will dress up in the “Lolita” or “Harajuku” fashion, but not in the free-style way that they were intended to be. Instead they obey a set of rules to the fashion.

To some people this is all totally fine. ”What’s wrong with an interest in our culture? I think it’s pretty neat actually. As long as they don’t just go around doing it for popularity or whatever”, one of my Asian friends told me. She told me it was “Fine by me, as long as they don’t just say they know everything and honestly know nothing about our culture. It is offensive at that point.”

I myself love the Japanese culture. I know I don’t know everything about it and I’m still learning Japanese. My favorite bands are J-rock bands and I love Japan’s styles. But if I was ever given the chance to go to Japan I would not wear a maid’s outfit the entire time. Nor would I constantly repeat “desu”. But still, I have seemed to offend some people.

”American’s really need to stop trying to be us. Their all unoriginal idiots who really, really need to go listen to their own music and speak their own language. Instead of taking ours.” One girl told me after saying that Miyavi-A solo artist from Japan - was one of the best guitarists I had ever heard. And that it was great to hear some happy music, because most of the music in America was pretty sad.

Are we trying to be Japanese or is it just cultural interest?