It’s not unusual for people who become anime fans to also become interested in the country that anime comes from – Japan. I’ve seen this interest in some form or other in most of the anime fans I’ve encountered, ranging from mild to extreme. There are people who take up a slight interest in an aspect or two of Japanese culture, and perhaps learn a few Japanese words, but otherwise don’t pursue Japan/Japanese things…all the way down to what the Internet calls “weeaboos” and “Japanophiles,” or people who convince themselves that Japan is superior to other countries and they insist on incorporating Japanese words and cultural habits into their everyday lives, becoming a Japan connoisseur in terms of things like music and food, yearning to go to Japan, and even wishing they were Japanese. But does every person who gets into anime necessarily take up an interest in Japan, whether mild or extreme?…
My personal story on this topic is one that some people might equate to a form of either extreme weeaboo-ism or simply someone who has a serious passion and not just a fleeting one. To make it as short as possible, I was originally interested in drawing when I was younger, but when I started taking Japanese language courses offered at the junior college I was attending in 2004, I found that I enjoyed them much more than my art classes. I took all the Japanese classes that college had to offer (up to Intermediate) and I even had the opportunity to study abroad in Japan for a month with some classmates. When I transferred to a university in 2007, I continued my studies and took courses in Japanese literature, history, art history, politics, and Japanese language up to the end of Advanced. I joined the Japan club at both colleges I attended and I took the JLPT up to Level 3. I got my B.A. in East Asian Languages & Literature, and right after I graduated in 2009, I had another lucky opportunity to spend three weeks in Japan via an organization for people with specific family circumstances. Since then, I’ve been trying to keep up my study of the language through self-study at home, using the many textbooks I have and sites like Lang-8.
While most anime fans don’t delve as far into serious Japan studies as I did, I would say that a lot develop some interest beyond anime – they might start liking a certain Japanese food, want to go to Japan at least once, try to learn a few Japanese words, or start to really like a certain Japanese singer they first heard in anime. I don’t think there’s anything strange or shameful about this. Tons of anime take place in modern (or ancient) Japan and are filled with Japanese cultural and historical references, not to mention common phrases, that reoccur in most genres of anime. It’s no surprise that fans like to talk about them and may even develop an interest in them. They may see anime characters eating pocky and decide to buy some themselves, discovering that they really like it. They may memorize some Japanese phrases they hear in anime and take up a side hobby of self-study of the language. They may see characters wearing kimonos or samurai swords and want to buy their own. If you love a foreign medium like anime, it’s understandable that you find its cultural elements novel and exciting, and may want to pursue certain aspects of it further.
I don’t think such people as I described above should be called a derogatory word like “weeaboo” or “Japanophile.” It’s when they convey their fascination with Japan in an obnoxious, ignorant way, often not truly being passionate about it and strutting it around just for attention, that the derogatory terms start to apply. Often they base all their ideas about Japan only from what they see in the stylized worlds of anime and manga, knowing few real-world facts about the country. They place Japan on a pedestal above all other countries when they know little about what the country is really like. They think that knowing a few common phrases they learn from anime makes them knowledgeable in Japanese and they tend to randomly insert these phrases into their speech and writing. They think all anime is superior to all other forms of animation and consider dubbing anime a sin…it’s immature, ignorant stuff like this that deserves a derogatory term, not just someone who happens to take up a Japan-related interest because of anime. I’ve studied about Japan obviously and I don’t think it’s the best country. There are some things about it I think are a lot better than America, but many things in America I think are better than Japan, too. While I listen to anime songs a lot, it’s not all that I listen to, and I actually don’t even like Japanese food that much. I like anime better than Western animation, but I definitely enjoy good Western animated shows/movies. So I don’t think that every anime fan who likes other Japan-related things necessarily thinks that Japan and all it produces are the greatest things since sliced bread. Rather, calling someone a weeaboo or Japanophile should have to do with how they act more than anything.
Of course, as the title of this post asks, I would answer that not all anime fans necessarily take up any other Japan-related interest, whether in sincere form or weeaboo form. While this is less common, I’ve certainly seen such fans. They don’t care to go to Japan or learn the language, they don’t eat Japanese food or listen to Japanese music…they just enjoy watching anime and that’s it. It’s uncommon, but there’s nothing wrong with it and these fans can help keep things in perspective. Some even lean towards the extreme opposite of weeaboo-ism, as Alterego9 on Anime September describes, and suggests making a word for such people.
To conclude, while most anime fans also get enjoyment from other Japan-related things, it doesn’t necessarily happen to every fan. And those who do shouldn’t automatically be labeled with a derogatory term and should instead be judged by how they conduct themselves with their interest. Have you developed a fascination with Japan after becoming an anime fan? If so, to what extent? And if not, have you ever thought about why?
*Side note*: Since this is a related topic, I’ll mention it here – I was thinking of making a post series in the coming months about the fundamentals of Japanese, sort of an update of the Japanese learning guide on my old fan site. Please let me know if you’d be interested in that series. If enough people say yes, I’ll go through with it =)
I would love to get into Japanese food, but unfortunately I’m a vegetarian :( .
But vegetable yakisoba is delicious!
Actually, I think a lot of Japanese food is vegetarian; at least I remember a lot of rice, noodles, soups, and cooked vegetables. And if you don’t count fish as meat, then there shouldn’t be any problem =)
Exactly! It’s not what you do, but how you do it! Like you, I’ve taken up learning Japanese (from classes offered at my school), and I’m finally getting to a point of noticeable competency, but that’s really not what truly matters. If I’m a d*** about it, there’s more than enough ground to call me a “weaboo”, or at the very least a Japanophile snob.
But I don’t think this is just limited to extracurricular activities, and that how you react and interact with other anime fans determines whether or not you are (or are not, hopefully) a weeaboo.
And I’ve love to see your fundamentals of Japanese :3
Right, ultimately it comes down to how a person acts, their morals, etc., rather than just what they like. I wouldn’t call anyone who takes up a liking to Japan a derogatory term unless they’re an ignorant jerk about it XP
Glad they’re offering Japanese classes at your school. I really wanted to take Japanese in high school but they only offered European languages at my school. Had to wait until my first year of college to get my start. What level are you at?
It’s at college as well, I’m in Japanese II, and even though we haven’t started memorizing kanji, I’ve learned a few so I don’t have to search a text book page to find the kana. :3 Planning on doing Japanese III and History of the Far East next semester too :3
At most I expect to visit the landmarks and probably eat their food, but loving Japan because I love anime may be pushing it too far.
Having studied Japan so much and been immersed in the language study for many years now, I would say I love Japan…but that doesn’t mean I consider it the best country in the world nor do I want to be Japanese. There’s nothing wrong with loving it as long as you don’t go overboard and act like an ignoramus about it.
I definitely got interested in Japan after getting into anime, and now I’d love to live there (maybe just for a few months at most, though). When I went to Japan in the past it was often not necessarily a true interest in the country and culture itself, but more like “wow I saw this in anime!”. I suspect that it’s the same for a lot of people. However, I’ve taken up studying Japanese at uni, so I suppose now my interest has become more sincere. XD Also, lang-8 is amazing!
And please do post your Japanese posts, I’m sure many people would be able to benefit from it.
I applied to work in Japan after I graduated college in 2009 (have you heard of the JET program?) but although I got on the waiting list for the program, they never called me back. I then had second thoughts about it and decided that I’m not quite ready to move out on my own in a foreign country yet. But I’m considering living there someday if I ever have the right circumstances in my life.
Glad you’re able to take Japanese at your university. And send me a friend request if you’re on Lang-8 =)
Yeah, moving permanently to a new country is pretty tough, especially one so far away. JET program sounds familiar – is it the one where you go and teach English? And although I say I want to live there for a short while, it would be pretty hard to find decent-priced short-term accommodation.
What’s your lang-8 username? I’d be glad to add you!
Yeah, it’s the one where you teach English in Japan (they have two other job choices too for people fluent in Japanese).
My Lang-8 username is Yumeka. I don’t come on very often, but when I do, I write long posts ^^,,,
I think the reason why we may be easily influenced and create this desire to know more about Japan is because we are around anime so much. Especially the way anime portrays, to an extent, the culture and language. My interest has extended as far as wanting to visit the country and trying it’s foods. Not so much learning the language, but it would be nice to know for the sake of not having to read subs XD.
Yeah do the post series :)
Yeah, most of us can’t help but want to experience Japan in person after seeing it in anime all the time. I would say most anime portray Japan pretty accurately while taking some creative liberties XD
I bet they couldn’t even read the following sentence:
日本語で話せますか。
or ask where is the bathroom: お手洗いはどこですか。
The problem stems from ignorance and I think you brought up quite nicely. Although I enjoy Japanese entertainment, ate actual Japanese food and I’m learning the language on my own, I know that every country has problems… Not only that, I respect my heritage and would never replace it. In the prospect of America, I have a negative outlook at this moment because the music gotten horrible (with a few exceptions), the entertainment is filled with violence and reality shows and the grim political gridlock in congress. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t go too far in bashing the country because it’s something out of my control.
At the end of the day, its better to appreciate by learning the language, history and other things rather than obsess over it. Otherwise, they will just make it look uncool for other people around them who don’t know much about Japan.
I totally agree that no country is perfect and they all have problems, some more than others of course. I don’t know much about other countries besides Japan and America, so I couldn’t call any one country the best in the world. I too am fed up with a lot of things in American society but I wouldn’t give up my place here to become Japanese or anything. Like anything else, if people are going to make big claims about a country they should have a lot of facts to back it up and not be ignorant.
I’m interested in Asian culture and mythology in general, so naturally I became fascinated with Japanese folklore. That’s really the only area that I would actually consider dabbling in further than just a free time hobby/interest.
I’m interested in that post series!
P.S. Why do you always end with “to conclude” at the start of every final paragraph?
My interest in anime has led to some interest in Japanese culture – though I prefer Chinese or Thai cuisine, and don’t really like seafood anyway. I am currently studying Japanese, but that’s more due to my interest in linguistics than to any Japanophilia or weabooism.
I would like to visit Japan, but this is more so due to how much I’ve gleaned about it than any inherent superiority I perceive in the country or its culture itself. I’d compare this to my desire to visit France after studying French in high school.
In conclusion, while I do hold anime and manga in high regard, my interest in Japan extends only so far as my interest in any country or culture about which I know so much.
I didn’t mean to post that there 0_0
Sorry, I don’t know how to move your comment from here…
It sounds like you’re pretty worldly with your tastes and don’t just put Japan on a pedestal. Like you, I too favor anime, and Japan in some regards, but I also know to be realistic and that there’s more to the world than just those things. I’d love to go to England someday myself…oh, and I like Chinese and Italian food a lot more than Japanese food XD
Japanese folklore and mythology is a lot of fun. But actually, I’m more knowledgeable about Greek mythology since I got into studying it when I was in middle/high school XD Japan’s mythology is unique because it blends Buddhism and Shintoism, Shintoism being Japan’s indigenous religion. Japan’s poly-theological religions are quite a change from America’s mono-theological ones.
As to your PS, it’s because I suck at coming up with good words to begin my concluding paragraphs XD But I honestly never noticed that until you pointed it out – out of the past 10 post I’ve written, it seems like I used “to conclude” in 5 of them. I need to work on coming up with more unique phrases =P
I was interested in Japanese culture before I started watching anime (I even took judo as a kid for several years before I watched anime beyond Digimon.) I will say that anime led me to take Japanese in college. I had to take a language anyway for at least three years, and since I was sick of Spanish and really wanted to watch anime without subtitles, I went for Japanese. Now I originally entered as a history major (my other major passion), and studied medieval European history. After taking Japanese and a few culture courses, I decided to do a dual degree in History and East Asian Studies.
Here’s where the fun starts: I have always wanted to be a professor, and I realized that while I really enjoy medieval European history, early Japanese history is really cool too. So I decided to specialize in Japanese history instead. I took a year off after undergrad to attend a language school in Japan (Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies, which I highly recommend.) Now I’m doing my MA degree in East Asian Studies, focusing on Pre-Modern Japanese History.
So yes, anime definitely got me more interested in Japanese culture. :D I actually don’t watch anime as much any more and have pulled away from a lot of the fandom stuff, but it’s still a hobby of mine. Now my passion is the history side of things. (And learning to read Classical and kanbun, which is a pain in the butt. >.<)
I might have enjoyed becoming a college professor and teaching a Japan-related course too…but I just couldn’t afford to pursue my education beyond a B.A. Actually, for years I didn’t even think I could afford to go beyond junior college until I got lucky and got a near full scholarship to attend two years at a university. I would be in an endless amount of student loan debt right now if I didn’t have that. So I can’t imagine what it would cost to pursue an M.A. But I’m glad you’re able to do it and I wish you the best of luck =D
I took some courses in Japanese history at uni…very interesting stuff! One of these days I want to read through my Japanese history textbooks in full as only sections of them were required reading in my classes.
Actually I’m getting my MA for free. ^^; When I applied for MAs, one of the schools recruited me and offered full funding and a stipend. The year in Japan was near-free for me: I recieved a scholarship from my undergrad that covered most of my living expenses, and I got financial aid from the school that covered all of the tuition. The rest of my living expenses came from savings I’ve had. If you do ever decide to pursue more academics Japan-wise, apply for any scholarships you can! You never know what you’ll get. :D
Go for it! :D Japanese history is fun.
Wow, you’re really lucky! Like I said in the post, I had luck with getting a near full scholarship to get my B.A., but I can’t imagine having that kind of luck again, especially for the more expensive M.A. I really don’t have that kind of money, so even a few thousand dollars is more than I can spend now. But I’ll keep it in mind in case anything changes in the future :3
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head pretty much perfectly here. Great post. As someone who has been a long time anime fan and is now spending most of the year in Japan, I can understand a lot of what you’re saying on both sides.
Starting out with anime does definitely bring fourth an interest in Japan. To be honest, its a perfectly natural part of any hobby. If you start to like art you’ll be interested in artistic nations like France or Russia etc if you like technology you will start looking to go where technology is booming like Japan or Korea. If you get into food, you’ll pursue the places with the kind of food you’re interested in. Its a basic human instinct to be drawn to the source of our hobbies. So going from anime to Japanese music, Japanese food and Japanese language and even Japan is pretty normal seeing as the entire anime medium is completely homogeneous in its culture and setting.
I think where you’ve identified the line is when this starts to become less of a study of the hobby and more of a shift in your thinking paradigm – wherein your life and self starts being defined by this hobby which as you also pointed out, have no real knowledge about. Just from my own experience, Japan is nothing like one would think just from watching anime, the people aren’t like anime and neither is the culture like anime. Oddly enough, for those who become “Japanophiles” they seldom have much proper knowledge of Japan. I’ve come and I’m enjoying it and I would be lying if I said anime hadn’t probed me to being interested in going but my primary motivation wasn’t anime, I didn’t think it was going to be like anime and neither do I even want to live here permanently. Heck! – anime has been a minor part of my time here in Japan. By the end of my placement, think I’ll be very glad to return. Just like any other country, Japan has its ups but also its downs. And certainly anime is no good communication of that salient fact which too many people miss.
So yea, great post, definitely something the fandom needs to look more into.
Excellent point that it’s perfectly natural for people who are really passionate about a hobby to also become interested in whatever place is the source of that hobby. While I think anime can give someone a good idea about some parts of Japanese cultural (particularly what school life is like in all the anime that take place in a school setting), as they say, there’s nothing like the real thing. Like you said, no country is without its bad points, so even if you only know Japan’s good points through anime, one shouldn’t assume that’s all there is to it. And of course, one shouldn’t go around gloating about how great Japan is when they only know about it “second-hand” through what they see in anime.
I hope you enjoy your time in Japan ^_^ I hope to return there someday.
I think Anime does a generally good job and popularizing the better aspects of Japanese culture. and it could lead you to get a flawed impression of the society. But Japan and their culture are not without its flaws.
I think for the most part Anime has gotten me interested in learning the language and maybe visiting there one day to do some of the festival type festivities. Other than that, I wouldn’t care for it.
As for wanting to be Japanese. forget it. I’ve been watching Japan Youtube Vloggers that have been teaching in Japan for 20 some years. Their overwhelming opinion on “being Japanese” is “don’t bother,” “it’s not worth it,” and “you’ll never be excepted as Japanese.” But they also say that “gaijin” are treated well there so in some respects it’s better to not be Japanese.
gimmeaflakeman, warmonstrat, and hikosaemon are popular youtube vloggers. gimmeaflakeman hosts a lot of japan news and japanese language tutorials on his page. Definitely worth checking out if you want to learn some japanese.
Yeah, an “anime-only” view of Japan can give you a flawed impression. So if someone really does take up an interest in Japan because of anime, they should check out textbooks and web sites about Japanese history and culture before making any assumptions about the country itself. Anime is fiction after all even if there are some things in it that are mostly accurate about Japan.
Thanks for the info about the vloggers. I wouldn’t want to be Japanese either and I actually felt pretty good about myself being a “gaijin” when I was there. Most Japanese are fascinated with foreigners, as long as they don’t look dangerous…like, if you’re a big, muscular guy with tattoos, they’ll probably keep their distance from you. The only drawback I had is that because I’m part Asian and look it, a lot of them assume I’m Japanese and would start talking to me in fast Japanese. But when they see I’m having trouble understanding, they try to switch to English if they can ^^,,,
It’s very hard to write a blog on this topic without coming over as very defensive. But hey. The bottom line is that ‘weeaboo’ refers to somebody who wants to be Japanese. If you don’t, then you’re not one, even if you do some ‘weebish’ things.
It’s perfectly possible for someone to like anime but have no interest in Japanese culture. I think the Internet gives a skewed perspective because the people who want to seek out and participate in fandom tend to be the ones who are more involved. There are thousands of anime fans, however, who just watch the media and think no more about it.
The sheer popularity of Japanese pop culture has caused the backlash, though. If, for example, you go to samba classes, listen to bossa nova music and know some words of Portuguese, nobody accuses you of wanting to be Brazilian. It’s just a case of what is popular being seen as uncool.
That’s a good point in your second paragraph. The ones who do take up an interest in the Japan are the ones who make the most noise, since they have a passion to make noise about. So it’s hard to tell how many on the other end of the spectrum exist since they’re quieter (after all, few people are going to passionately post online about how much they’re not interested in Japan).
Also a good point in your last paragraph. Popularity leaves little room for neutrality, so the popularity of anime on the Internet has created these ideas of “weeabooism” and what not, whereas a similar thing for other countries goes unnoticed.
I’ve seen all kinds. From the ones that insert Japanese words in their speech, to the ones that like anime, but have no interest at all in Japanese culture. I personally like anime, and want to understand Japanese culture as well. Understand the language a little, because it can give me better insight into the anime that I like. I’ve read about their culture a bit, I’ve tried their food (I do not like fish much, so that limits my options). But, I do like to keep a balance in all things, including that. So no extremes for me.
What you mentioned, is something that depends on the person. Some people have a tendency to become “fanatics” about something, so if you mix it with anime, it may come to that. But if it was not anime, it would be something else. MMOs, movies, books, etc. A fanatic will be a fanatic. If not of one thing, then another one. And they will be as obnoxious on either one. So it’s just something we have to live with, and we will find it everywhere. Some people are just wired like that, and that’s the way they have to live.
I do agree we need to get rid of the derogatory terms. We are all simply fans, but at different levels. Some are regular fans, other are extreme fanatics, but in the end, we all love anime… We just express that “love” differently :)
That’s a good way of looking at it. Some people are just wired to get “extreme” with whatever they like while others aren’t. Either approach is fine as long as you’re not an obnoxious jerk about it ;)
“And those who do shouldn’t automatically be labeled with a derogatory term and should instead be judged by how they conduct themselves with their interest.”
I agree. My best friend would be what people would call a “weeaboo”. I never liked the term “weeaboo”. In fact I never like it when people resort to labelling. I like anime too but her passion for anime and everything Japanese would put her in that category. She’d cosplay, speak in Japanese when she’s angry at the cashier, her walls full of anime posters, wants to visit Japan, and most of all, wants to be Japanese. Though that part of her can be annoying sometimes, she’s proud of what she loves and that’s what I like about her. I would hate it when someone says something bad about her because of her love for anime/Japan. I on the other hand loves anime but I’m not too open about it (i’m sometimes surrounded with closed minded people who thinks “cartoons”-as they would call it- are for kids).
“Have you developed a fascination with Japan after becoming an anime fan?”
Anime has a huge following around the world. Before I realized what anime was, everything was just cartoons for me. Even when I was young I was fascinated with everything “Oriental”. It mostly started with my love for oriental dragons. I finally understood what anime was in high school. It was also that time that my love for anime grew.
Yes I became fascinated with Japan because of anime. Being from an Asian country I could relate more to the Japanese culture than the Westerns ones which is what made me love Japan. I also love Japan because I can relate to some of their culture. In our country we also have honorifics and we would always add that to the names of people who are older to show respect. And soy sauce. It’s part of our meals and cooking.
“If so, to what extent?”
I wanted to go to Japan mostly because I want to travel the world and also to see if what is portrayed is also the same in real life. I wanted to learn Japanese but I’m too lazy and seeing how many character there are in their language made me lazier. My phone would be full of mp3s that are 75% in Japanese from Jpop to anime OSTs. Although I love western music, somehow there’s something with Japanese music that attracts me to it.
—
What is projected in anime are usually the good points. Praising Japan and putting it on a pedestal would be over the top. Just like any country Japan is not perfect. It has its own flaws and problems too. For me, some people who love anime also love Japan because they seek what they don’t have or what they see fascinates them. Seeing how Japan and it’s culture are portrayed it would surely attract our curiousity. You can’t find a public bath in the U.S. or you can’t walk under the beautiful cherry blossom path. Japanese food would also be portrayed as something delicious as the main character would always gobble up and asks for seconds. People would try and do things that would lead them to love Japan.
—
Post your Japanese learning guide! We’d love to learn something new.
^_^x
Your friend does sound like what most people would call a “weeaboo,” but I think a derogatory term like that should only be used for a person who’s not only obsessed, but in an obnoxious, ignorant way. I’m sure your friend is a nice girl and isn’t a jerk about her love of Japan/anime – even if she does carry it a bit too far for most, it sounds like it’s a sincere passion rather than an insincere one, and that’s what counts.
As for you, it sounds like your love of anime/Japan is nice and balanced – you like many anime/Japanese things but not everything (you don’t want to learn the language for example). I agree that anime often gives a very ideal portrayal of Japan, so the only way to really know about it is to either live there for a while or do research. And yes, no country is without its faults, Japan included.
I don’t think there’s any connection between interest in anime and interest in Japan in general.
Now, instead of reading posts like this, I should get back to writing my thesis on the factors influencing the choice of character type in Japanese writing. At least I got my JLPT N1 certificate recently, so I don’t have to worry about that anymore. Guess that year spent in Japan paid off.
…and I could have led a normal life, too, if not for those silly cartoons -_-“.
Wow, you passed N1? That’s awesome! I had no idea you were so fluent in Japanese ^_^ Do you have any plans to be a translator or teacher or something like that? And that thesis sounds very interesting too.
I’ll be aiming to teach Japanese at some point. Even at university level, we don’t really have qualified teaching staff for Japanese in my country. The native speakers they can grab tend to have trouble explaining Japanese grammar, since they became teachers more by accident than anything else.
We’ll see how it goes ;).
Is “japanophile” considered a derogatory term? To me, it carries to the same matter-of-fact connotation as “anglophile,” but I’ve rarely read or heard the earlier term, so I’m unsure.
Hmm, the Wikipedia article gives it a more neutral definition than the urban dictionary definition, which is mostly negative. As far as I’ve heard it used among anime fans, it’s usually negative.
I’ve definitely gained a greater interest in Japanese through anime. However, something that I didn’t understand was that the shows I watched did not accurately portray Japanese culture in the least bit. Despite being Japanese, the first time I went to Japan left me shocked and somewhat disappointed. Japan did not meet the unrealistic expectations that anime had set me up to believe. However because of this experience, I appreciate Japan even more and am thankful for the opportunity to see it first hand.
I don’t know if it always does, but it certainly did for me, at least for a while. I fell in love with the anime portrayal of Japan after a decade of watching anime. When I went to visit the country though, reality hit me. While I enjoyed Akihabara immensely, I found Japanese food and culture not to my liking. I would go back to buy stuff and simply wander through isles of anime merchandise, but probably not for anything else.
I am the exact opposite. I started liking Japan because of the high tech in Tokyo. then I tried sushi. Fell in love. after a while I gave anime a try only to find out I used to watch it when I was little. however I think most anime portrays China rather than Japan.
I don’t mean to sound like an old folk with the (when I was little) I’m only 18
I personally have never watched anime (Only Pokémon, but I was young..), And I’ve always had an interest in Japan, for a few years now. It was only a small curiousness, due to the fact that my Uncle is an English teacher there. Though as time has gone on, my curiousness of the country has grown, I’ve begun to look into the culture a bit, and have slowly tried picking up on reading the language, in attempt to follow my uncles footsteps.
The reasoning for me looking at this blog/post in the first place was because the question always had me curious, why does Japan love anime so much? I had asked other people, and they had always told me that it was because Japanese people were bad actors, though I had to find out myself.. And so, here I am.
Despite coming here and discovering that my love of Japan is, I don’t know.. Backwards, I suppose? And my goal of finishing learning the basics of Japanese, going forth to university to study Japanese and Teaching will remain Ceteris Paribus. Who knows, maybe I will get into anime, if I can find a series that would calmly introduce me into it. Time will tell. ;)
Thanks for your post, I appreciate it.
Tyler-Lee