Americans: Trying to be Japanese? - Comments

I'm so glad someone wrote about this. I always wanna say something but due to my attire I would look incredably racist if I said how stupid it was for people to be so obsessed with Asians. People need to be proud of their own culture. I'm a good chunk Irish and I'm super proud. But I also love Scotland. I think it's beautiful, the accents are sexy, they have great literature and cinimetography...I was stoked to find out I was a tiny bit Scottish, but ya, I loved the country before hand. Liking anime (I personally don't) is fine or liking one specific area of their clothing, thinking it's a neat language, what ever, good for you. That's none of my business. But it's hip to be Asian? That's pathetic.

”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.”
Haha. Uhh, excuse me, but that's a horrible stereotype.

So, is it correct to say "Japanese people eat sushi everyday, all japanese people own nail salons, all Japanese men are perverts, etc."?
Probably not.

I'd like to ask to whoever said this: ”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.”
Who the hell do you think you are?

Whoever generalized Americans into the 'idiot' category, should really do more research. That's just ignorant, and self-contradicting. Believe it or not, not ALL Americans are stupid. AND, believe it or not, a lot of Americans don't give two shits about Japan.

Lastly, who cares if someone is interested in your culture? You should feel honored and take that as a compliment. Sure, there are a few idiots out there who think they know it all, but to call every American an idiot is just stupid, and in fact, makes you an idiot yourself.

You see, there's more than one edge on this sword.. Yeah, some Americans can say and do dumb things, but, I'll let you in on a little secret: SO CAN EVERYONE ELSE.

Phew. Haha.

i have been to japan once. it was really fun!!!!

I took a beginners class in learning Japanese, and I don't remember much but I definitely remember "desu" is what you say at the end of a sentence. It's not "I".
And it's just dress up. It's just fun to wear costumes and such, or it's what they prefer to wear- like I prefer to wear jeans and band T-shirts but I'll throw on a feather boa if I like it. We aren't trying to be Japanese. We're just enthusiastic about it and love it, because it's awesome =) If one actually researched enough about Japan like they would if they were trying to be Japanese they would know people don't go around in maid uniforms. It's just people dressing up and being weird. And I'm half Asian and a lover of manga and anime.

Depends on the person.
People who insist on lygin about knowledge and only doing things to fit in have issues to begin with.
* As do people who don't want to share their culture - they should be interested in people's interest towards their culture and fashion.

Everyone has a right to dress in which way the so wish [obviously not being "indecent public exposure" lol], but I also suppose that at some point people may be annoyed, it's as if some random booky kid starts wearing gangsta rap clothes..are they changing style or being wierd? =p

If you like something, have fun. =)
I'd like to learn Japanese, but I'm already learning Spanish & German at the moment, and next on my list is Russian. =p

umm this is half true somewhat in a way...but japenese are being copied by americans alot these days...i for one am JAPENESE ha! so it was funny reading your comments ..yea, i dont find it annoying or offensive..i mean i think its flattering..Wow EVERYONE WANTS TO LEARN ABOUT US!and our culture! YAY!

BUT ON THE DOWNNOTE, IT IS QUITE annoying to see posers of america learning the language well trying to, i guess u cant stop that but still its kinda weird to see them copy our styles......ah well, i dont really care much.

~ ITTE RASHAI!

I like manga, and some anime.
I like the fashions you say but I'm not obsessed with the culture.
(Also I'm British so yay!)
To be honest, I enjoy the fact that Americans and to a certain extent, some Europeans are taking interest in Japaness culture.
I think it's a good thing to find something you truly find an interest in.
You can't go around saying its bad that people are finding an interest in a culture that isn't theres.
Although if its just because they've jumped on the bandwagon then obviously that is somewhat bad, but at the end of the day shouldn't we all be taking in other's cultures and respecting them?

Personally, I am very interested in Japanese culture, like Lolita clothing, and anime, but I don't pretend to be a know-it-all. I find that lolita is a beautiful style and, lets face it, I would much rather wear that than Hollister any day. I'm not trying to be Japanese, I'm trying to be different in this country, while honoring another culture that I find fasinating.

You don't say lolita or harajuku, silly.
Isn't lolita sort of a sub-division of Harajuku?
And also, what pisses me off, is asians in general dressing harajuku style and crap and saying it's their culture. ffs, you're Chinese not Japanese!!!!! Harajuku is Japanese, dammit!!!!!! It angers me -_-

i dont like anime. there i said it. but i, like Gwen Stefani(although not to quite such an extent) love the Harijuku fashion. But I believe one fashion belongs to one person. What i'm trying to say is that everyone has their own personal fashion. You cant try and be entirely Harijuku or gangster or goth or WHATEVER. You have to find your own thang, and stick to it. oh and btw, I dont know any japanese whatsoever, but I can speak Ukrainian fluently...because I am Ukrainian :P yakate suka???

I like Japan, and I like the outfit in that picture. But I'm not some dork who's all Japanese culture like that. I like American rock, not the stuff the Japanese come up with, though they probably say the same about our music. Though I am very fond of DDR and Kingdom Hearts but that doesn't mean I'm some Japanses wanna-be expert. That just means I like some stuff like that. Just like, I like stuff from London, Ireland, some things from India, and so on.

I'm I going to get stuck into this grouping via association?

I'm one of those people who has taken a huge interest in the Japanese culture that has been imported into my country- Anime, manga, Jrock, Japanese fashion, etc. Yes, I'm even learning the language, although PROPERLY (as in, I can fluently read and write Hiragana & Katakana, I'm beginning on memorizing the 1,900 standard Kanji needed for fluency, I'm getting a hold on the grammar, and I don't post a bunch of random romaji words in my English sentences). I'm even fascinated by Japan's past; not just today's current culture trends; and I can say that THAT aspect has truly caught my attention ever since I was a small child.

But I can certainly say that I am not "trying to be Japanese", and I'm also deeply fascinated by my own heritage- Italian and German, and I'm also learning Italian fyi- which I am PROUD of. Personally, I take an interest to all cultures, but it is culture from Japan that particularly appeals to me. What's the big deal?

What I really don't comprehend are the few Japanese people themselves who act all pissy because Westerners have taken a fascination to Japan's culture; when on the reverse side Japan seems to be heavily influenced by Western culture for much longer than the opposite ever even happened.

The last thing I must comment on, though, is the fact that Americans specifically got SO MUCH CRAP for being within themselves and taking no interest in other cultures and the world around them, and now that they are, they're getting even more crap for that. What the hell is the problem?

I read the article, but I didn't read any of the comments, so excuse me if someone has already said this. Isn't that the point of America? To embrace new cultures and learn about them. Maybe some people do it over the top, but before this article, I didn't even think about America becoming "too Japenese." America is a melting pot.

I love Japanese culture, just like every other person that's commented here. I'm not American, I'm English and I can speak fairly fluent Japanese, thanks to the good people at Deviantart. My whole obsession thing started when I was about 10, before everyone else around me got into it.

I think the whole 'trying to be japanese' thing is a bit weird, but whatever floats your boat. The only thing that annoys me is people who use the word 'kawaii' overly in english sentences. It doesn't make you cool, it just shows that you know NO japanese.

American dubbing is usually terrible. They've basically killed Bleach. The only decent dubbing I've ever seen was Death Note. But I think they should leave anime in japanese and just use subtitles, I prefer them to dubbing.

I love Japanese culture and have done before the whole trend of it came about. (not american however; I'm Irish)
I think it's stupid that people try to claim that they are Japanese or even Asian when they clearly aren't. And I'm sick of being called a "weeabo", "Wapanese", and also one of the favourites "Japoser" as I mainly listen to Visual Kei, Oshare Kei, and J-pop music. Also in the next term of college I will be studying the Japanese langague as I plan on travelling there next summer.

I have no problem with people who have an interest in japan and it's culture, but when it gets to the point then they try to say they know everything about it, and I question them, they cannot give me proper answers.

However PLEASE get it right when you say "Harajuku" fashion!!
Japanese street fashions are Cosplay, Ganguro, Decora, Visual Kei fashion, Lolita, Punx, Oshare Kei fashion etc.
Harajuku is the place where people who dress in the styles I just said on sundays in Tokyo.
:3

The Japanese are trying to be American, too. Don't worry about it.

I think the whole Japanese culture is amazing, and I would love to go to Japan one day.
America trying to be Japanese? I don't think they are.
They just take a keen interest in the culture and if they've translated anime & manga, maybe it's for the children that watch anime and manga in America.

I think some people are taking it a bit too far with the 'desu' thing and such, but some people just happen to like the culture. I like some anime and some of their fashion trends are pretty cool, but I'm not obsessed with it. I have actually never heard a J-rock band nor do I read manga, but my friend had a 'Japanese for Dummies' book and it was fun trying to pronounce random words. Like juice or bridge. It was simple fun!

And I don't knwo if this is the same, but there is a show on G4 called 'Ninja Warrior' that takes place on Mt. Midoriyama in Japan. I love that show, and I actually got peeved when they had American contestants. I was like, "Honestly, leave that to the natives there. It more fun to watch them compete in their country for a little recognition and then have the Americans like me stomp all over it.

Trying to be Japanese? No. I think that's riduculous and insulting. (Not for Japanese people, but for the people that are being told they are trying to be something they're not).

That's on the same accord of saying someone is "acting black" or "acting white". Just because Anime or Manga or whatever originated in Japan (I have no clue where it did, I don't even like it), doesn't make it just a Japanese thing.
They have McDonald's and Burger King in Japan, so are they trying to be American? I think it's a disgusting accusation.
Unless someone is going to a plastic surgeon to look like they are Japanese, none of these accusations stand. End of story. No one has control over what they like or dislike.
(And i'm not just saying this because most of my favorite artists are Japanese, this is all truth. And i'm sick of hearing this go around).

That's kind of stupid. No offense. I mean, isn't it a [i]good[/i] thing that they're interested in other cultures other than their own? Isn't it [i]good[/i] that when their meet someone Japanese, they can actually have a conversation with them without having to go, "What's that?" every five seconds.

I understand that a lot of people are saying that they like manga or anime to get attention, or just to fit in. This mostly happens on the internet, but really that's one of the strangest things I've ever heard of.

That's my opinion, though.