[KyleGoetz]

Nagoyankee,

I think the Kansai-Brooklyn comparison is not a true comparison, but part of an analogy that is typically thought of as something like

Hyojungo:Standard American English::Kansaiben:Brooklyn accent

American students of Japanese (once they're a year or so into their studies) tend to have the image that Tokyo dialect is "boring" and Kansai is exciting, unique, etc.

Plus, American students pick up on the fact that Kansaiben can sound brash to Tokyoites, while Tokyo dialect can sound standoffish and cold to Kansai people. The same can almost be said of the Brooklyn accent, as the image of people in New York City by others in the US (especially people in the south) is that they are energetic, in-your-face, powerful, and talk fast.

As a comparison, Kansai-Brooklyn is bad. But as a half-analogy, I think it's rather good.