Americans: Trying to be Japanese? - Comments

I watch anime. I read manga. I like the whole cosplay concept. I listen to J-rock.


Oh shit. I'm American what was I thinking?

jeez.

why does everyone make a big deal out of EVERYTHING?

my american friend is OBSESSED with scottish culture, and i find it really flattering! she even tries to learn gaelic, which i also find really sweet.

so why is it that it seems like everyone has a giant stick up their arsses these days?!

LIGHTEN UP, PEOPLE! :)

i lol'd.

Well, I get so annoyed by all the anime - and especially the yaoi fangirls - going around shrieking "kawaii!" every five seconds. It makes me want to saw my ears off with a plastic butter knife, honestly. Sadly, there isn't much you can do about them, except maybe make them look stupid with a remark.

I love the clothes.
I love the look.
I love the music.
I can't afford the look.
I can't afford the clothes.
But I can sing and listen to the music all day.

But is does seem stupid to frickin' copy them.
We already have a conformity problem... -_- ''''

And yes, I read a lot of friggin maga and watch a hell of a lot of ANIME. But I've been hooked on the stuff, honestly, since I was six. I can speak very little, if any japanese, I have a friend who's trying to teach me.

But I'm no copy cat.
Arigato gozaimashita! ^.~*
Ayumi-chan.

desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu. :3

I love their fashion trends; they're out of this world.

Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japenese I really think SO! *do do do do do do doo*

I also agree with Jerk, some cultures are ignored and not many people know anything about them. Also Japan is a fashion forward country and yes people will follow trends but thats life, get over it. Not everyone is able to be their own person and if you can then I commend you. I am not saying that this artical doesn't have a some what good point but come on people are obsessed with Japan. Japan is an intresting place and who wouldn't be intrested in it? They have a beautiful and colorful history and their language is intresting as well.

I commend you for writing this it has a point that I can some what agree with but think about it if American's want to be Japanese then thats a complment to them. That american's want to be them.

I think they just start out by like watching anime and stuff and then they get so hooked on like anime and manga and how everyone dresses really cutely and shit where as most americans go around in jeans and a chemical romance hoodie, japanese people seem to express themselves freely and originally which is what americans are trying to copy. And the whole interest in japan that seems cool because at least then americans wont be up theri own ass but they tend only to look at the parts of japan they like, not the whole thing. Also learning japanese just so you can pretend to know everything abiut them and understand anime better seems pathetic.

In our school you can take Japanese as a GCSE and not only learn the language but all about thier culture too. So really is the last quote saying that we shouldn't extend our knoledge and stick inside some kind of linguistic boundarys?

i love japanese culture ive been interested in it since i was like 6 or 7. i member being the only weird girl whod watch and talk about sailor moon and dbz when it use to come on cartoon network. i really liked the art work too, as i got older my interests expaned into there music other animes, and my love now, manga. i eventually found friends who liked it to and we all are a bit off to being with. but i do see how america is 'goin' japanses...sume cuz they truly like the culture like me and others cuz of a trend. all i know is i wanna learn japanese, i liked anime and japanese stuff before people noticed it, and theres no way in hell id dress in a maid outfit saying desu either. id actually be eagar to show my american fashion off in japan =D

Ummm...I have to agree with [i]Jerk[/i]. This is ridiculous to be honest. I have never heard such an idea as this. So what if we like anime too. That is about the only thing whe have in common except for a few electronic companies. I have never seen anyone really interested in the Japanese fashion scene. The only thing I think we are copying is Anime but we are not honestly copying we are just interested in it and they should find that as a compliment. If they find something we have cool I would appreciate it instead of getting mad and calling them copiers.

I honestly think its fucking great americans are getting introduced to the asian cultures. Though most people put us into one category and label us all chinese...
And please do not deny this, it is true.

But have you thought about a reason some japanese people get so defensive with americans liking their culture? Maybe the fact that in war world two, they locked the japanese people into camps for years and took away all their rights. Maybe the bomb they placed in japan, killing physically and silently thousands of their familes and friends? I mean, theres actually people like this. I have met them. And they spit unto whites for liking their culture

I don't know. I guess its just the area I'm living in.

For the most part, I found this article interesting. I myself enjoy a couple of anime/manga, have an interest in Japanese culture/fashion (Not to mention love Jrock.) and am currently studying Japanese. But to say that Americans want to be Japanese is a little odd to say the least. Some might be that obsessed, but I've met Japanese people who love American culture and whatnot just on the same level as I do, so I don't see a problem.

What caught my eye was you did put their instead of they are. That, and [i]desu[/i] doesn't mean I. It has more of an is/are kind of translation. Not only that, but one in one of the earlier comments I noticed also corrected it, but I would like to note that the [i]wa[/i] isn't necessary. The actually word for I is just [i]watashi[/i]. [i]Wa[/i] is a particle that merely signifies the word before it as a subject.

I love how at the end the girl who told you we need to stick to our own language is speaking English. Very nice.

I think Japanese culture is interesting. And I love manga and anime, but I'm not trying to be Japanese.

That seems an unfair and harsh judgment, not to mention backed with next to nothing. Unless we start getting cosmetic surgery and moving to Japan, I highly doubt anyone can say with any seriousness that we are trying to "be" Japanese. When the Beatles crazy happened, were we trying to be British? Be glad we're aware of other cultures.

well. Makes sence. Hm. I don't think I'm one of them. I speak Japanese and Love their music and anime. And manga for that matter. But I have NEVER become obsessed with any of them. Hm.

Hm. That was an interesting read. There were lots of points made that I agree with. Then again, I really do just love Japan.

And just so you know, desu means is, not I. I is watshiwa.