DEAR LORD Japanese nerds are freaks

[Flake]

Anime has been in a big quality slump for the past decade or so. I think its because the industry became a little bit too aware of its own audience.

I'm pretty sure the reliance on computers to reproduce all their work and outsourcing to Korean firms hasn't helped Japanimation as a medium either.

[Breetai]

Yeah, the Japanese are pretty fucked up.

Americans are pretty fucked up. I'm just saying.

I completely agree. Seems like we Americans have no problem showing gruesome violence to our kids, but show a bit of tit and people freak out. WTF.

Still, tentacle rape and used panty vending machines. That's just odd.

Vending machines in Japan do not sell used panties. Panties, yes. Used panties, no. There is about a US$3000-3500 fine for selling used underwear. It is illegal.

Those strange 'H' movies are really f'ed up, that is true.

[ZeroAX]

There's a surprising amount of xenophobic sentiment being aired out on this thread, and I think the OP, ZeroAX, set the tone with that subject line and liberal use of the word "stupid."

A) please don't use that word (xenophobic) without knowing it's true meaning.

and

B) set what tone? Is what they did in any way excusable? Though I'm happy to hear that the Japanese society considers them freaks as well.

[Hatta]

Vending machines in Japan do not sell used panties. Panties, yes. Used panties, no. There is about a US$3000-3500 fine for selling used underwear. It is illegal.

That they needed a law against selling used panties at all speaks volumes. I hear they still operate covertly. There's really nothing wrong with it. I'd argue against banning them. Still weird though.

[lisalover1]

[Breetai]

Vending machines in Japan do not sell used panties. Panties, yes. Used panties, no. There is about a US$3000-3500 fine for selling used underwear. It is illegal.

That they needed a law against selling used panties at all speaks volumes. I hear they still operate covertly. There's really nothing wrong with it. I'd argue against banning them. Still weird though.

Yes, selling used panties is also f'ed up. I guess it is possible there could be a few vending machines selling them, but they would not be out in the open at all. They would be a vending machine for something else (regular panties?) that some dirty businessman converted and is probably in a back corner of his porno shop.

I could say that I didn't see such things during 5 years in Japan, but then again I have never looked for them.

A) please don't use that word (xenophobic) without knowing it's true meaning.

Would racist be a more appropriate word? I'm not really sure that is the best word for the tone of this thread, although it would seem to apply to some specific posts. Is it wrong? That is subjective!

[dsheinem]

To me, the "freakiest" American nerds are those who go ape-shit over Japanese stuff primarily because it is Japanese and therefore "superior." Yes, I'm looking at a lot of anime fans/cosplayers and other self-identified "otaku" (perhaps including YOU!). That said, to each their own and I encourage them to keep heading down their own personal rabbit hole...

I've always wondered if there are Japanese equivalents. Are there people in Japan who obsess over Western animation, games, RPGs, etc? Perhaps fans who are hard-core into Hanna-Barbara, NickToons, or Sunbow? People who scoff at Japanese Manga but love DC/Marvel? People who import and/or do Japanese translations/localizations of stuff like Dragon Age? Just wonderin'...

[Flake]

Would racist be a more appropriate word? I'm not really sure that is the best word for the tone of this thread, although it would seem to apply to some specific posts. Is it wrong? That is subjective!

If everyone comes out and says 'I plain don't like the Japanese' then the word 'racist' would apply to this thread. I don't think anyone has said that. This is a discussion about a non-racially defined culture within Japanese society.

And frankly, going off the anecdotal evidence cited, Japanese nerds seem to be a culture worth discussing.

@dsheinem: In all the time I spent in Japan, the Japanese seemed almost completely oblivious to Western pop culture outside of some big name movies or music albums.

[ZeroAX]

To me, the "freakiest" American nerds are those who go ape-shit over Japanese stuff primarily because it is Japanese and therefore "superior." Yes, I'm looking at a lot of anime fans/cosplayers and other self-identified "otaku" (perhaps including YOU!). That said, to each their own and I encourage them to keep heading down their own personal rabbit hole...

I've always wondered if there are Japanese equivalents. Are there people in Japan who obsess over Western animation, games, RPGs, etc? Perhaps fans who are hard-core into Hanna-Barbara, NickToons, or Sunbow? People who scoff at Japanese Manga but love DC/Marvel? People who import and/or do Japanese translations/localizations of stuff like Dragon Age? Just wonderin'...

post full of truth

[AppleQueso]

I've always wondered if there are Japanese equivalents. Are there people in Japan who obsess over Western animation, games, RPGs, etc? Perhaps fans who are hard-core into Hanna-Barbara, NickToons, or Sunbow? People who scoff at Japanese Manga but love DC/Marvel? People who import and/or do Japanese translations/localizations of stuff like Dragon Age? Just wonderin'...

Well I know that Japan does have an odd fascination with western culture and that American crime dramas are popular there, but I don't think that counts.